Nostalgia

I was looking at our history of pictures on the stairs, getting a little nostalgic.   It's a great way to see the kids grow up!

Although we've been coming to the cabin for 15 years, we haven't consistently taken pictures on the stairs.  These are the pictures that I could find - so fun to see the difference!

2003 I Think

2007

2011

 

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Christmas in the Cabin

We moved into our cabin in Helen on the 23rd, and raced to get everything unpacked and decorated.  Everybody came up on Christmas Day, and we had a great family time.   We got our annual picture on the stairs with all the grandkids - this is one of my favorite things.  Everyone is growing up so quickly, we're thankful for all the time we have with them.

My phone died, so all of the other pictures that I took of the chaos are gone. :-(  Luckily, Angie took this one and was able to send it to me!!

Nate's Graduation

Yesterday Nate graduated from the University of North Georgia.  He was also commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Georgia Army National Guard.   Such an emotional and happy day!!  We are so proud of him.  CONGRATULATIONS NATE!!!

Nate and Chase before the commissioning ceremony

Nate taking his oath

Angie and Scott pinning on his 2nd Lieutenant boards

Our newly commissioned officer - and a gentleman!

Nate saying a few words to his family - very emotional

Receiving his first salute as an officer!!

All graduated!!   Happy man!

Thanksgiving 2016

We had such a great day yesterday, and are so thankful for everything that Neil and Pam have done for us.  The weather was perfect, and of course way too much good food (is that an oxymoron?), and being with family couldn't have been better.

Playing Horseshoes

First turkey is done - smoked and wrapped in bacon.  Can you just taste it???

Playing croquet

A view of our house from the front yard.  We love the new deck!

Getting ready for turkey #2 - fried

This is the way to fry a turkey!!!

The chef with his turkeys - can't wait to dig in!

We had to take a walk after dinner - three generations of Gaines boys!!

The Week Before Thanksgiving

We have been very busy this week.  

Last weekend we helped Angie and Scott extend their deck under the roof.  It turned out really nice.

On Tuesday we had Thanksgiving lunch with Livie at her school.  It was such fun!

On Wednesday, we had Thanksgiving lunch with Taylor at his school - more fun!

On Wednesday afternoon we finished the first part of the deck at our new home.   We'll finish the rest of it this weekend, and then do some landscaping.  We're really going to enjoy it!!

Mike enjoying the new deck with a Sea Breeze

Today the weather was too good to waste, so we took a ride up to Helen.   Of course we stopped at our favorite spot on the river for brats.  What a great day!!

Boating on Lake Lanier

Yesterday we had a glorious day on Lake Lanier with Neil, Pam, and Jake in their pontoon boat. (Neil calls it a fishing barge.)

The weather was cool, but perfect; we had a picnic and got a little bit of fishing in.  We rode by the cove where Mike grew up on the lake - his folks had a place there. It's where he learned to ski.  We saw where the Gaines family had their ferry across the Chattahoochee River before the dam was built and the lake formed.  The ferry was at the end of Gaines Ferry Road.   The road is still there, but the family farm has been under water since the '50's.

It was a great day!!

Great day for a boat ride!

Looking for Ospreys

Jake and Pam looking for gold

What a great way to fish!

Got one on the line!

A pretty bass - Neil tossed him back

Arriving in Georgia

We left Hart Ranch on October 15th.  Luckily we built some slop time into the trip.  We had a brake problem between Mitchell and Nebraska City.  We stayed in Nebraska City two nights so that Mike could work on the brakes.

He was able to diagnose and fix the problem relatively easily (I'm so grateful for him!!).  It would have been horrible and expensive to have had to take the rig in to get it fixed.  A wire on one of the wheels was rubbing directly on the drum and causing a short.

We planned on getting to Neil and Pam's on a Saturday morning so that Neil could help Mike back the rig down their driveway and get parked.  They built us an RV pad complete with sewer hookup.  We are so thankful for them, and I'm so glad that Neil was there to help Mike park it.  Neil said the driveway is 750' long, and there just wasn't room in the yard for Mike to get it turned around to back it in to the site - so he had to back all the way from the road.   I had been worrying about it for weeks, but it went very smoothly.

Mike has been working since Saturday to get the electrical hooked up.  He's putting in 30 and 50 amp service so that Neil and Pam can park theirs here in the summer when we're gone.  They've built a nice fire pit, and I'm planning on putting in a patio.  It'll be really nice when we're all done - heck, it's really nice now!!!

Here he comes.  He has to go between the power pole and the porch.

Here he is in the yard, getting past the house

Straightening out to line it up with the pad

All leveled and parked.  The fire pit is in the background.  Next step - building a patio!!

Full Throttle Saloon

A couple of weeks ago we took a ride into Sturgis.  We wanted to see the old and the new Full Throttle Saloons.  They've cleaned up a lot of the fire damage and let you walk around the grounds of the old one. 

The new one is closed and under construction.  We went in past the no trespassing sign just to get a couple of pictures.  It's WAY out of town, past Bear Butte going north on Highway 79.  I've heard they have an RV campground here, and are building a stage for a big music venue to compete with the Buffalo Chip.   I hope they do well, being so far out of town.   Here are some pictures:

This old Indian burned

This is the old burn-out pit

The new Full Throttle with Bear Butte in the background

Another new Full Throttle building

They kept the old rider at the front!