Swimming

The highlight of our trip for the girls was the indoor pool we had in our cabin! We did a lot of swimming while we were there!

My favorite Anna picture! Chilling out on the deck before we went swimming!

We take our girls to swimming lessons so it was fun to freshen up on some of the things we've learned. Claire made a lot of progress with her swimming skills!

The girls loved Aunt Befie being in the pool with them!

Modeling their matching swimsuits Grammy got for them!

They love each other (most of the time anyway!).

Grammy, Papa, Ben and the girls enjoying the refreshing water!

The girls also loved the hot tub! That felt so wonderful!

Family shot! We loved our pool!

Amusement Park

We made two trips to the little amusement park near our cabin! In the past, Ben & Brad would go to the parks to race the cars. This time Ben had a little teammate named Claire! Both Claire & Anna (and the grown-ups) had a blast riding the cars and rides!

As one of my friends said... Claire looks too cool for school in the picture!

I love this action pic of Ben & Claire as they're flying past us in their go-cart!

Me & the girls on the train!

Grammy & Papa with the girls on the carousel! Anna's favorite!

The swings were also a big hit with both girls!

The ferris wheel... well not so much! We had to have the ride stopped so Claire could get off. Anna was fine, however!

The airplane was FUN!

And... this spinning thing was Claire's favorite ride. This would make so very sick!

We went back that same evening for more go-cart fun! Round TWO!

Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park: Part 1

The most scenic and beautiful part of our trip was our time at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We've been there several times, but this time, seeing it through the eyes of my children, everything seemed even more amazing than I remembered. I love sharing God's creation with my girls!

I do LOVE this man! We have been together on many, many trips over our sixteen years together!

Ben & Claire in front of the Clingman's Dome sign. At 6643 feet, this is the Nat'l park and Tennessee's highest point. At this elevation, it was very cold!



Grammy & Papa with the girls at the Tennessee/North Carolina state line!

One of my favorite pictures from the trip!

Papa and his girls! So very sweet!

The views were spectacular!

Claire really had so much fun!

Awww... a kiss for Claire!

Peeking through the rock formation!

Exploring...

"For everything that is created by God is good..."

1 Tim 4:4

Smoky Mountain Nat'l Park: Part 2

While we were in the Smoky Nat'l Park, we found a beautiful stream and thought it would be fun to get in! It was really cold, but what an awesome experience for the girls and they LOVED it!

Ben teaching Claire how to skip rocks!

Having sooooo much fun!

Of course, we had to get our picture in front of the Nat'l Park sign!!

This picture cracks us up because Claire refused to sit with us. I guess at almost three years old, she's already too cool for us!

A departing group shot! We had such a great time!!!

I'm a Ballerina!

I have to preface this post with a quick and simple statement... the McDowell and Cutting families are "rhythmically challenged". This being said, I in no way expect to have an all-star ballerina in my sweet Claire, but she BEGGED me to go to ballet class! So... here are some pretty cute pictures from her very first ballet class!

Is it Princess Leia? No, it's Claire the Ballerina!

She loved her leotard with the tutu attached!

She didn't like wearing her crocs and not her ballet shoes. The ballet shoes are for indoors ONLY!

All our neighbors came out to see the little ballerina!

Waiting to go into her class! We couldn't go in to watch. Sooooo sad.

Waiving to another little girl in her class! She is so friendly!

Daddy's Little Helper

Ben has been doing a lot of yard work/landscaping work recently and Claire always wants to help him plant things ("make a garden" as she says!). Mowing and raking the mulch are also at the top of her list! Claire is definitely a helper!

Anna loves pushing the lawn mower when Daddy mows!