Turkey Time '09 - Vogel State Park

Every Thanksgiving we spend with Chris's extended family and we change up locations. This year we were in the mountains of North Georgia - camping! We had a fantastic time. We rented cabins at Vogel State Park in Blairsville. There were about 25 of us in all - about 7 families represented :) We had our Thanksgiving feast on Friday instead of Thursday and of course, had a little birthday celebration for Jobi that evening! Here are some pictures (ok, a LOT of pictures!) - hope you enjoy seeing our captured moments and we hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday with your friends and loved ones!

Jobi took the pics below... can you tell?!

Hangin' out with the whole gang Thanksgiving night...

Turkey Meal Day! (Friday for us!) We had so many people - family and friends combined and had a great time of fellowship together. We have SO much to be thankful for!!!! We were all little icicles, but it was still nice to get some fresh air and sunshine :)

A few shots of the brother/sisters - Mumsie's siblings (minus one) and a pic of all the grandkids (cousins) that were left after lunch... we're missing a few :) I hate Aunt BB's wasn't in this picture. She had graciously taken Jobi back to the cabin for a MUCH needed N-A-P!!

We just chilled in front of the fireplace Friday night in our cabin, which was nice. I think we had about 13 of us jam packed in our one room cabin! We had a birthday celebration for Jobi :) AND made smores!! What a great night :)

With all that good Thanksgiving food, Jobi's favorite meal was ABC's and 1-2-3's. The only thing he'd eat from our meal was Aunt Sissy's dressing. It is GOOD!

Jobi took this picture too! Thought it was a pretty good shot!

On Saturday, we took a day trip to Helen, GA and Cleveland, GA. Helen is a unique town with a Bulgarian influence! It was a beautiful, warm day! (warm considering the conditions we had been used to!) We walked around to all the different shops, ate a nice lunch at an International Cafe then headed to Cleveland.

Jobi was fascinated by the horses drawing the carriages - they were all decorated for the holidays. This horse is Tator :) Jobes didn't want to pet him, but he sure jumped at the chance to feed him a carrot when the driver mentioned it!

We drove over to Cleveland to visit Babyland General, USA - the home of the official and original Cabbage Patch dolls. My Aunt Jean lived for years in Atlanta when I was young and I remember going to BG when I was a little girl. It was in an old house right in the heart of town and hundreds and hundreds of people visited every year. Pictured below is their NEW location - they had only been in this facility for about a week.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen - THIS is a baby doll hospital. Nice digs, huh??!!!

It is truly an experience and every little girl needs to visit one day :) Aunt BB wanted to go to pick out a Cabbage Patch specifically for their little angel who is due to arrive in May!

We witnessed an "official" delivery straight out of the cabbage patch :) This was a baby girl who was being adopted!

Jobi seemed to have "adopted" a baby sister while he was there.... no comments about him pushing around a baby doll stroller please. Thank you.

These pictures were taken at Neel's Gap - a point along the Appalachian Trail! GORGEOUS view! And there was also a really cool outfitter at NG that we frequented often :) Makes you wanna don the boots and hike on up to Maine! (ok, so maybe not - haha)

My boots would be here...

...with all the others who had given up hiking the Trail... it was a pretty cool sight.


On the Appalachian Trail!

Some dusk pics along the lake trail... the night before we left

Time to leave the mountain trails and head back to the 'Burg (yeah... please excuse the wind-chapped faces and NO makeup!) BUT we didn't head home before a stop over in Cumming, GA to meet up with my Aunt Linda and Uncle Pat and cousins/best friends Kim and Lisa and their hubbies and babies! Lisa has a brand new baby girl, Riley Kate whom we got to meet :) That post and pictures coming up!!!