West Virginia Mountain Mama

So I didn't actually go to West Virginia, but close.

We started the week off in Balsam at my in-laws home with my parents and sister's brood, headed to Boone to spend time with the Ashmans, picnicked atop Grandfather Mountain, hiked in Grayson Highlands in Mouth of Wilson, VA, and ended with a quick stop in Asheville to do my civil and earth-loving duty of purchasing "locally". (Some may argue that Asheville isn't exactly "local" to Ten Mile, TN, but I argue that I will always call NC home. So there.)

Before we get to the pictures, funny story:
As a lot of you may know YASNY is the Ford Family mountain home where my in-laws plan to spend a lot of their time once they retire, where we all meet for family Christmases, where Chris and I introduced Noah to the mountains that he will love for the first time, so on and so forth. This was the first time that I went to the house without any of the other Fords...and well, I figured that by this point I knew how to "open" the house (i.e. turn on power, water pump, water heater, etc.)...I mean, I have been in the family now for almost five years.

So we get in the house and I immediately go around to all of the dials in each room turning on the "air conditioners", like I have seen my in-laws and Chris do many times before in past visits. About ten minutes go by and I notice that I am sweating, which is rare for me. I figure it must just be because I am lugging around an eighteen pound weight as I move things to and fro.

Then my dad says, "Is it hot in here or is it just me?"... I think little of it, chalk it up to menopause or something like that, and move along tinkering with this and that.

My mom then points out that "hot air" is blowing from the vents.
Oh boy, I have broken the house. Great.

So I texted Chris and Grammy Nan saying: Where is the AC in the house?

No reply.

At this point I start going around checking the "AC" dials again to make sure that I did it right, at which time I notice the small little golden nugget of information inscribed on the dial: Electric Heater.

Defeated.
Or should I say de-heated?

I text back: I didn't know that YASNY didn't have an AC unit?

To which I recieve: It does. Open the windows.

To my defense, this is the first time going up in the summer since 2006. And by myself.
At least I looked like I knew what I was doing...

Onto the photos...

A little porch reading with my friend, Barbara.
The view ain't too shabby either.

Little monkey climbs on everything.He thinks his Papa is hilarious.
Chris: "Can grandkids have favorites?"Sweet angel baby sleeping with MamaBo on the porch swing.Grits likes the front porch, too.

Mainly rolling her ball off the edge and chasing it into the bushes.The Bullington Fam joined us after picking up the oldest two from

Ridgecrest and Crestridge.Noah with Aunt Krystal at Grandfather picnic & condo in Boone.

And did I mention that Noah and I did this all by our lonesome?

Well, without Chris I mean.

Yep.

Noah slept in a closet, I got blisters with the new shoes to match, and was barely able to close my eyes for more than an hour.
And I would do it all again.

Please don't call Child Services, it was a big closet.