Gatlinburg Retreat

We headed out to Gatlinburg a few weeks ago just to get away for the long weekend. It's was so nice to get out of town and spend some time with everyone. Nana, Pops and Grandma went with us and let's just say Landry was never lacking for attention all weekend! :) He had everyone at his right hand and enjoyed all the special attention especially from "MamMaw"(that's how Landry says Grandma) who he doesn't get to see very often.






Our cabin we stayed in was so nice and had the most amazing view! We weren't expecting the leaves to still be pretty b/c they had either turned brown here at home or had already fallen off the trees but they were so beautiful. For the most part we were just lazy and enjoyed our time off with each other by hanging out around the cabin, but we did a few special things while we were there. We took Landry back to the aquarium. He just loves fish so it was worth paying $50 again to see him enjoy his self.








We also went to "Christmas Village" so Landry could visit "Ho Ho" which is what Landry calls Santa Clause. It didn't go over so well. He loved to look at him from a distance but as soon as we would walk close to him and try to sit him on Santa's lap he would hold on to our neck with a death grip and would say "no" "no" "no." I didn't force him to sit in Santa's lap even though he was the prettiest Santa I have ever seen-he even had a real beard. So we all three got up there with him and took a picture. Landry's face cracks me up in all the pictures we got b/c he was not going to take his eye off Santa. just in case he decided to reach out in touch him. I hate to break it to him but I am going to have to have a picture with just him and Santa and I secretly think the crying pictures are so cute and fun to look back on in a few years.











We also took Landry to the "Track" to ride a few rides. It was like a very very very small disney world for him and he had a blast! I think it's safe to say his favorite was the train-but he really enjoyed them all. He always cracks me up when he is riding the rides b/c he puts on her very serious face but as soon as he gets off he smiles from ear to ear and says "Moe, Moe, Moe" Landry word for more.






I am so mad at myself b/c we never got a group picture of all 6 of us. So from now on Austin and I decided we are going to get one on the first day we are on our trip no matter what b/c it always seems like we get busy and it slips our mind. On the last day there Nana, Pops and Grandma had to head out earlier than us to get back home so we were able to capture a few family shots by using the self timer. I just love Gatlinburg and our family tradition of going there every year. We had so much fun and before we were even out of the driveway we were already talking about coming back again next year. The whole drive home Landry kept saying "Nana, Pops, Mammaw?" He was wondering where they were and couldn't figure out why they weren't with us anymore. Weekends like this remind me how amazingly blessed I am to have such wonderful in-laws and thankful for God's beautiful creations-mountains, trees, grandparents, and great-grandparents, husband, and baby boy! Thanks Nana, Pops and "Mammaw" for going with us and making this weekend so fun and special! We love yall!


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Latest sayings and words

Landry is talking so much lately. It always catches me off guard b/c I'm not used to him trying to carry on conversations with me but I love it! Here are just a few of my favorite things he has done or said lately. Also I'm sorry I haven't posted very much lately and I will get some pictures up sometime this week. My child who once took 2-3 hour naps has recently decided he is only going to sleep for 25 minutes. And on top of the 25 minute naps he is 21 months old the TWO's are RAPIDLY approaching and I think that's all I have to say about that right now-it's self explanatory! ha! So it's been a rough few weeks to put it nicely. But on top of our bad days there are still many more days and moments that my little boy says and does the sweetest things and here are just a few of them.

One Sunday morning in church a few weeks ago we sang "Jesus Loves Me" Landry was playing and never acted like he recognized the song which surprised me b/c we always sing that song with him. However, as soon as the song was over and the auditorium got quiet Landry immediately stood up in the pew and started clapping and yelling "YAAAAY" at the top of his lungs. It was so cute and it took all I had to keep my composure. I was relieved to know that everyone around us thought it was cute and was giggling along with us. Lets just say I think he recognized the song after all!

"moe" is Landry's word for more

"ooooooo ols" is his translation for "GO VOLS"

"guddy guddy guddy guddy ouchdown" is his version of "go go go go go go touchdown!"

"ootbawl" translation "football"

"babby" translation "abby" my mother and daddy's dog

"bye baby"-I have always said "Bye baby when leaving him and the other day I told him to say bye to someone at church and he looked at them and said "Bye baby"

"benben" is landry's word for "Bentleigh" which is Nathan and Amber's dog

"aaaaaaaiiideeeee" is Landry's version of "Sadie" our dog

We were watching "Nemo" the other day while we were on the road to Gatlinburg and when Nemo's mother go killed by the big mean fish at the beginning of the movie Landry looked up at me and said "UH OH!" and then in the next part of the movie when Nemo's father is looking for his wife or all the fish eggs and is crying he looked up at me and said "aaahh eee" aka "sorry." This was the sweetest thing I had ever heard and caught me off guard.

Oh I know there are so many more I am leaving out right now but I guess they will have to go in anther blog some other day. I promise I will post pictures of our Simmons family trip to Gatlinburg last weekend-it' was so much fun.

Landry the LION

Here is my sweet little lion on Halloween! I wasn't' sure how he was going to handle the costume b/c we had a few trail runs and he wasn't too fond of the head piece and he would want it off as soon as we would put it on. Well the day before Halloween we made a HUGE deal of about Landry going to be a LION for Halloween and how he was going to get to wear his costume and go say "Trick or Treat!" Well psychology worked b/c he did great in his costume and didn't try to pull it off once. His favorite park of his costume was watching his tail drag behind him and me painting his nose and whiskers on his face. When people would say "Oh what a cute lion" or "are you a lion?" he would immediately say "Roooaarr"(in his whisper voice). For some reason his lion sound he makes is a whisper rather than a ferocious roar.


We actually didn't go door to door trick or treating since Halloween was on Sunday we did Trunk or Treat at church. We were able to go worship where Nana and Pops goes to church and then do their trunk or treat so they could see the little lion and then to Graymere where we go to church and let Byrdie, Dad-o, Aunt B, Nat, Granny, Susan and Laray see him too. He had so much fun and caught on very fast how to go from car to car and in his own language saying "Trick or Treat." I love all these pictures of him