Here are a whole bunch of pictures of our delicious Baketoberfest in Tennessee. These are from Thursday night and Friday. My parents joined us on Saturday so that they could go to my Uncle Dean’s funeral in Albequerque on Friday. He served in the Police Department for a million years so there was a big production in his honor. We were all sad to have missed it, and we shared stories about him with smiles.
My sister rented a cabin in the Smokies near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. The whole trip was in honor of my little brother, Jesse, who has been away for two years volunteering in Mexico City. It just so happened he returned around the most beautiful time of year, and a family reunion in the south was just too irresistible. Growing up, we went to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge pretty often, but it has been a long time since then!
Our cabin had a hot tub that I think wasn’t supposed to have so many people in it at once. You can actually see the water spilling over the sides in this picture. Jake and Mike were the only adults not in it. 
The game room was huge and we played lots of pool and mrs. pacman. We also played sardines. Does your family play *sardines?
I did a few haircuts. I forgot my hair cutting cape, so my sweet niece, Meg, was kind enough to offer to catch the hair that was being snipped off. I love this picture and it was a fun moment in hair cutting history.
The next day we did the Laurel Ridge Falls hike. It was a beautiful, warm fall day.
The hike took longer than it should have because every time we turned a corner, a little girl named Meg would jump out from behind a bush/tree/leaf and scare us!
The sign to the left in this picture says “Dang”. hahaha
This is the whole wide family minus Jake and JR. (and my parents and pip)
from left: Jesse, Kelly (Kate on her lap), Jody, little Meg, SIL Melanie, Erin, Nathan and me. BILs Mike and JR behind us.
Two of my sisters, Erin and Jody. Erin has pink hair. Jeal.
My family is rad, I am beside myself to be apart from them.
More later.
*Sardines is like hide and seek, except reverse. One person hides, and everyone separates and looks for the person who is hiding. Once you find her, you hide with her and wait for the others to find you.
How Fun! What a Beautiful way to spend a Fall Weekend. You are so Blessed to have such a Great Family. The Hair cutting photo is the Best. Hope Pip is Well. Jamie
The haircutting picture looks familiar to me. I am always doing the little ones in my fam. I love it!
We play sardines in the dark
Looks like you had a great time! What are the things on your shoes? Pedometers?
Just curious!
@Jaimie: hey! one is a pedometer (nike+) and the other is a velcro pocket that i put my apartment key in when i go running.
Was it not the most gorgeous weekend here in east Tennessee?! Even though the Vols sucked…
I posted a few pics from our place near Tellico Plains. And all my commenters? They are so jeal!
Can’t wait to see the rest of the pics. Have a blast with Pip tomorrow!
xo, misha
sardines used to FREAK ME OUT. but i loved it.
What a fun family reunion. My youngest sister, who does hair, always gives us all haircuts when we get together–we all love it as I am sure you family does from you.
We’re planning a family group holiday this summer on a Disney Cruise.
–Thorney
I have TOTALLY stayed in that cabin before with my family!!!! How cool is that!?? I recognized it from the first picture…the hot tub (we did the same thing, but it was more like 20 kids, instead of adults hah) the game room and the sofas!! How neat. I officially feel way cooler today than I did yesterday =)
Looks like you had a blast and I couldn’t agree more, this is the best time of the year!
Your family is adorable!! Sounds like you all had a great time!! Never heard of sardines, but will definitely be playing!!!
When I saw the title of your post in my Google reader, I momentarily thought that “Baketobetfest” meant you were posting recipes for baked goods. I got excited. Then I remembered your trip, and it looks like so much fun that I can’t be too disappointed about the lack of treats. Your family seems awesome. And, you make a pretty good case for a vacation in Tennessee, which I have never been to. It’s beautiful!
Reagan! you are describing my family trip that we took a few weeks ago! We stayed at Eagle’s Ridge in a cabin very similar to yours (hot tub included – yes!) AND did that same hike! if only we could’ve been there at the same time, I could’ve shown you my ombre hair that you convinced me to try!
We play sardines!! Or used to when we went to a family cabin. It is way more fun in a cabin in the woods. I love it.
Sardines sounds like even more fun then hide and seek,i might have to play that!
Looks like so much fun! I love your floral leggings BTW. I miss seeing Miss Piper and I can’t wait to see the next piptures!
I have a sister named Jody too. Super awesome.
I love the velcro pocket on your shoe. How convinient! Pippy might need one to store her princess in while she goes on her walks =)
We totally played sardines when I was a wee one in my grandparents ginorm house…well it wasn’t too ginorm but when I was little it seemed super ginorm!
My goodness – I don’t think I have played sardines since my sophomore year at BYU! How fun would that be now? I should teach my kids.
My brother and I started the sardines craze among our friends back in college. We had the best time! Oh the stories I could tell about the guy getting stuck in our coffee table or the time we hid in the shower until some idiot accidentally turned the water on. The screams gave away our hiding place, sadly. Am I too old for sardines?
Ha, I was going to ask about the things on your foot, too! The little velcro pocket is a good idea; I always end up putting my key in my sports bra, which isn’t exactly ideal.
I love your floral leggings!
I haven’t seen that many grown ups in a hot tub since Duck Beach. (I have a feeling no one was copping a feel in your situation though, unless there were husbands and wives in there.)
Tennessee looks gorg!!
We don’t live too far from the TN border and we go hiking all the time! I am totally introducing my family to Sardines
)
I don’t know about you but I’m sooooo ready for a cooldown!
@Reagan:
Thanks! I was intensely curious
omg! we totally played that game, but for some (unknown) reason we called it “Raspberry Jam”…
i have NO idea why we called it that or what that has to do with hiding with other people. “Sardines” makes WAY more sense. good times.