Spring Break with the Henries

Okay, I have been putting off posting this until I had time to think through and write something polished, but let’s face it: polished really doesn’t scream Katy to anyone on this planet. In the face of all the things we have jammed into the summer, I decided to go ahead and start posting these things (especially the pictures) as they happen so anyone interested in out family’s craziness can access it closer to real-time. Maybe I can work up to something more.

So here is a record of our Spring Break trip to visit my sister Mary Henrie and her family at their cabin deep in the North Carolina mountains. It was a beautiful setting to have fun in and we really appreciate that they allowed us to tag a long.

We had a good drive from home to the cabin. We stopped for dinner in Cherokee, North Carolina. I found a little dinner that had the most cars around it and we stopped there. The food was mostly ho-hum, but they had a large assortment of home-made pies and cakes. We decided to try Indian Frybread with blueberries and cream. It was delicious!

Max was a particular fan of the Indian Frybread. You had to fight him to get an equal share.

When we got to the cabin, it was late, so the boys ended up going to bed in pretty short order.

All five boys easily fit into the loft. Order from left to right: David (11), Gabe (9), Max (5), Sam (9), and Jack (almost 13).

My brother-in-law Mike set the boys up shooting air soft guns at cans and targets. He also had a pellet gun and a hand gun, but only the older people practiced with them.

Sam helping our littlest one, Max, learn the safety rules and then to aim and shoot.

Mike supervising behind me and my boys as we all took a turn at the same time. I really appreciated how closely he kept an eye on everyone’s safety.

Climb up the steep mountain behind the cabin and you will find the Vines. As near as I can tell, these are thick vines that long ago climbed up some trees up there. The Henrie boys have each claimed one and use them to swing off the side of the mountain out into open air.

David took excellent care of Max, even catching him on the return swing to make sure Max didn’t come close to hitting the tree trunk.

I was surprised that Gabe joined in this activity. He is afraid of heights, but he still seemed to enjoy himself.

David’s vine definitely swung the kids out from the mountain the farthest. And David knew how best to maximize this ablity.

These carving pictures show Mary’s boys carving our brother John’s name into a birdhouse. John passed away last year and we were all there together on the first anniversay. We hung the tree up above the cabin.

My sister and some of the boys planting some wildflower seeds at the front of the cabin.

The Henries took us down to the creek by Shop Branch. They played in and out of the cold spring water and we had lunch.

Right next to Shop Branch, some species of little blue butterflies were having their mating season. The road was covered in them but I never did get a very good picture of that. Sam eventually caught a couple in a container leftover from lunch.

Random Ninja sighting! Mary taught us how to turn any shirt into a ninja mask. The boys played ninjas on the dirt hill behind them forever.

Next comes some pictures of us hanging the birdhouse up at Mike’s Contemplation Spot.

This one is John C Stair.

We drove around the amazingly curvy roads until we got up on top of one of the mountains. Then it was a short hike to an amazing view.  Mike says we could see four states from there.

This cool watchtower was built when the government was trying to find jobs for people during the depression.

This is the best shot I got of the view, but doesn’t really do it justice. You’d probably need a special camera to capture the 360 degree mountains.

I never got to spend much time with my cousins. I love to get my boys together with their’s. They all seem to love each other so much. I love watching them make memories together.

A nice back packing couple that Mike befriended took this picture of our whole group. Yes, I know Bobby is not in it. He was unable to make it. Someone has to work to provide for us.

Afterward, Mike took us to see the river that he had been fly fishing in the day before. It was a very bumpy road, but it was worth it. My soul feeds off of places like this. It had a beautiful waterfall in it.

Camp fire on the last night.

You’ve got to have smores when you are in the woods. Max is always the first in line for anything sweet.

Jack is looking a little too serious for smores to me! ; )

Mary helping Gabe get his not-so-roasted marshmallow to cooperate.

Time for poking sticks into the fire! And eating the yummy results!

On the way home, we stopped half way through and played in the river that runs alongside the highway. I love to see my boys in nature!

Sorry, Henries. I know this entry does not do justice to all the fun and excitement we had on this trip with you. I waited too long to put it up on the site. Please know that it was great and we have so many wonderful memories of the time we spent with you. We love you!