Thanksgiving with family

For Thanksgiving this year, we headed down to Dan and Richelle's again in North Carolina. Steve and Sarra decided to join us again! A couple nights before we were supposed to head down, Marshall came down with a funny stomach bug that seemed to only last for a day. I really thought no one else was going to catch it because we weren't planning to leave for a couple days and all of us seemed healthy... Boy was I wrong! In the early morning hours of Thanksgiving DAY, I got very sick with what seemed to be the same stomach bug that Marshall had. THE WORST. I stayed in bed most of the day and skipped dinner with the family altogether for fear of getting sick again. Finally around 5pm, a couple hours after family dinner, I was feeling better and after having NOTHING all day, I tried to enjoy a few bites of the "Turkducken," potatoes, and corn souffle. It was a rough but luckily quick sickness. We enjoyed a nice relaxing game of cornhole that evening.  Sam felt pretty awful the next night but had tried to eat super light just in case. So he didn't end up being too sick, but Ivy did indeed get sick through the night of Thanksgiving. She felt okay the next day so luckily it was short lived for her, as well. After that, we enjoyed the rest of the weekend together before heading back to Kingsport. Ultimate, park time, Chuy's, disc golf, and just relaxing with the fam were on the schedule the next couple days. Still a fun week despite sickness! And luckily no one else caught the awful bug!

The next day, kids and I enjoyed the park while the boys and Sarra enjoyed a game of Ultimate:

All the cousins together (plus Sarra holding Andrew):

Chuy's later after Ultimate:

Chillin' with my goofballs. Marshall wearing Daddy's glasses:

Kids snuggling up to Aunt Richelle:

Disc golf and bike rides:

Hands On Museum with friends

One evening a couple weeks ago, Sam was out of town for another interview and the Thomsens invited the kids and I to join them at the Hands On Museum in Johnson City. Hilarious watching these kids play and discover together.

Greenbelt Nature Walk

A few weeks ago, we went to a playdate that was a fun little nature walk scavenger hunt on the greenbelt. We started at the coffee shop for the mamas to get some coffee, then handed out the scevenger hunt for the kiddos, and they walked and found specific bugs, colored leaves, animals, etc. They loved it. We ended at the playground and let the kids walk across the bridge at some point.. Love spending time with these mamas.

More fun parties

The past few weeks we celebrated some more friend's birthdays. Ada turned 3 and Hudson turned 2. Ada's party was kids only, and I stayed to help Sarah with games and what not. Hudson's party was a family event and everything was decorated so cute! Complete with photobooth that Ivy and her girlfriends very much enjoyed, hehe..

Edo's cooking class with KMA

When we first moved here, my friend Kate told me about this group of medical wives in the Kingsport area that meet together once a month to get to know each other and support each other in the area. This month's get together was a cooking class at a sushi place in town called Edo's. Robert, the owner showed us how to make dumplings and cooked veggies on the side! It was very educational and of course, delicious! It was so fun to visit with fellow medicine wives.  Such a wonderful group of women! 

Hike at Warriors Path

Met up with my friends Krissy and Shannon during the week earlier this month for a fun little hike near Warriors Path.. Ended up being a great workout with Marshall as my tag-a-long hiking partner. Ha! Nice morning hike with perfect weather!  

Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia

On the Monday of Sam's interview, Emily invited us to go to the zoo with her and the kids! It was such a fun little zoo to visit and we had the best time. Weather was perfect, kids were behaved and happy most of the time, and the mamas were able to visit while we walked. Loved this day so much! 

Watching the big gorilla eat lunch:

Feeding the giraffes! 

Kids enjoying the zebras and horse rides: