A Much Needed Escape

Last week we had our first family vacation. It was nothing fancy, just a few days away in a cabin in the beautiful north Georgia mountains. Usually when we get some time off work our "vacations" usually consist of us going to Florida to visit some family. While this is fun and it is so great to see everyone, we needed a getaway just for the four of us, and what could be more relaxing than staying at a homey little cabin?

This is the cabin and our view from the cabin out onto the lake. It was absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately the leaves had not quite started changed colors yet, but the weather was nice and cool!

Here is daddy reminiscing about his boy scout days by making us some foil dinners....they were actually quite delicious.

We did not do anything too exciting while up in Ellijay. Mainly we just stayed at the cabin and enjoyed the fireplace, went fishing on the lake, cooked food, played pool, darts, and enjoyed the hot tub after the girls went to bed.

Sam was so excited to take Hannah fishing for the first time. These crazy fish for some reason were not interested at all in our little bread balls, but Sam did catch a few while we were napping one of the days.

Here is Sam teaching Hannah all about fishing.

Snuggling by the fire after a cold day outside!

One of the afternoons we ventured out exploring around our cabin. We found this nice little stream (which I think our dogs liked more than anything) and a little hiking trail.

Can't forget about the S'mores! An essential part of any campfire!

Hannah definitely approved of her first S'more tasting!

On our last day we went out apple picking! I have not done this since I was really little when we lived in New York, so I was excited about this. It is nearing the end of the apple season, so they were a little limited on varieties, but it was still fun. We all picked some, took some pictures, ate some apples along the way, enjoyed a little petting farm and ended the trip with fried apple pies....Yum!

Unfortunately, the trip ended with me getting some sort of stomach bug/food poisoning? (maybe that yummy fried apple pie didn't agree with me?) and we had to cut out early on the last day. We had a great time though! Can't wait for our next family vacation!

Over the past week or so I have been working on something special for Reagan's room and finally I am done! I decided to paint a large tree mural on her wall overhanging her crib. It was a lot of work but worth it because I think it came out great! The poor girl was without a nursery of her own for so long, she deserves something awesome in there!

Muffins with Momma

Last week I was invited to come to school with Hannah for "Muffins with Mom." We had snack and painted each other's hands for handprint art and then had circle time and sang songs. We had a great time! Life is so fun and easy when you are 2!

Hannah is so into watching Ms. Jodi during circle time!

One of the many reasons we love daddy....

Daddy built Hannah a swing! She loves swings and she thinks having one in her own backyard is the best thing ever! There just happened to be the perfect spot to hang one at our new house. Thanks Daddy!

6 Month Stats

It is hard to believe, but Reagan is already over 6 months old. She went for her 6 month check up today and she is even smaller than Hannah was at this age! She weighs 12 pounds 12 ounces and is almost a whole pound smaller than Hannah was at 6 months. I guess we just have tiny babies! She is also now over 2 feet tall, measuring in at 24 1/2 inches!

Sadly she had to get three immunizations on this doctor's visit and Hannah had to get one also that was overdue, so it made for two very sad babies.

Reagan has been learning some new tricks....she can now sit up all by herself, although still a little wobbly, roll both ways, and is trying to crawl but mostly just creeping around on her belly. She is working on eating some finger foods and likes most of the baby foods she has tried, well except for the green foods. No teeth yet!

Life is good at the Sampson house these days and living with two babies really is getting easier every day just like everyone has been telling us it would!

Everyone has been asking for pictures of the inside of our new house, so we are finally posting a few! Here is the beautiful kitchen!

This window seat is one of my favorite things about the house. Great for coffee and breakfast time!

Here is our dining room

This is my favorite room in the house. The built in bookshelves and fireplace are great! We can't wait to use it when it gets cold outside.

Here is Hannah's wonderfully pink room

Reagan's room

The back deck

The wooded back yard, which our dogs love! We have had a few deer sightings out there the last couple days!

Girls Night In

Sam left today for High Grove's annual retreat, leaving Hannah, Reagan and I alone for a couple days. We decided to make the best of it tonight and have a girls night in! We made a trip to the grocery store to get ingredients to make some homemade pizza. Hannah sat up on the counter and helped me knead the dough and add toppings. She watched through the oven window as it was baking and then we enjoyed our yummy pizza. Reagan even chewed on some crust! Reagan got grumpy pretty early and had to go to bed, but Hannah and I spent the evening together and had a great time! After dinner we curled up on the couch with some blankets and watched a movie together. Hannah has never before watched a full-length movie and I was not sure if she would sit through the whole thing but she loved it. We don't really have any Disney movies or anything like that, so I found the best thing I could from the On Demand cable.....we ended up with Madagascar, which was a good choice for Hannah with all the animals. We ate some popcorn, snuggled and enjoyed the movie. I love that she is getting big enough to do this kind of stuff with!

Splish Splashin'

We tried out the Sprayground today at Roswell's Riverside Park. We had been to this park before to play on the playground, but the Sprayground was a whole new experience! We were joined by Lauren and her baby, Keira. Hannah was not too sure about the water at first but after a little while she was having a great time! I am definitely wishing we had discovered this place earlier in the summer. It is cheap, fun, close to the house and best of all is great for keeping cool in this awful Georgia heat! We will definitely be going back again soon!

I think next time Mommy and Reagan will be wearing bathing suits so that we can join in the fun too!

Last week we made the trip down to Florida to meet the newest little Sampson. Little Presley Elizabeth was so cute and little! I thought Reagan was little, but next to her cousin she looked huge! We had a great time staying at Andrew and Jackie's house! Here are the brothers with their babies!

Grandma Sampson with all three of her little granddaughters!

Hannah was so tired from school and the trip down that she zonked out in front of the TV and was out for the night.

We have our first niece! Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Sam!

She is so super cute and tiny!

After spending a few days getting to know Presley, we stopped by my parents house in Orlando on the way back home. It was a very quick visit but was good to get to see everyone. This was the first time Great Grandma got to meet Reagan!

We, of course, had to try out the pool while we were there. Hannah liked it quite a bit more than the last time.

The whole gang is in the pool! We enjoyed seeing everyone but were ready to get home. Traveling to Florida with two kids was much harder than with one!