Hillbilly Days, dressing up, and fun with grandparents

Since 1976 Pikeville has held a festival known as Hillbilly Days. People from other areas don't understand why we Hillbillies would create a festival to celebrate this, but those of us from Pikeville know that it is to raise money for Shriner's Children's causes and to just let loose and have fun. At Hillbilly Days, you will find food, crafts, bluegrass and country music, and yes, you will find a few hillbillies. We decided to head on down to let Sarah ride rides and Leah experience her very first Hillbilly festival. Come on, she needs to learn her roots early, right?


Our precious girl, she is getting so big! I was interested to see how she would do with the heat and noise. She did great!

Sarah was loving life when I offered to buy her a bugle. I figured, if you can't beat the other kids, join them.

As usual, it was packed. This is only one street of the festival. It truly closes the entire city down for three days. It is much larger than any other Kentucky festival I have experienced.

Here is Chris putting on his best face for the camera. He was less than thrilled about our visit. Festivals are not his thing. He said he would go with me once every four or five years. I guess this is it for a while.

Mom found a real "Hillbilly" and asked for a photo. Yee Haw!

Sarah was wild about all the rides, as usual. She could take or leave the rest of the festival. All she cared about were rides, rides, rides!

It was Leah's nap time, so we decided to drive around and let her sleep. We ended up at the Pikeville overlook. It was created to look over the city and also see the cut through project that rerouted the river (thereby lessening flooding risks in Pikeville as well as increasing land area for development. You can see the view in the photos that follow.

Sarah enjoyed her visit. She has never been so "high in the sky" as she put it.

Another vantage point.

What a poser! When will the pink phase end? I have a feeling, not for a looooong time.

During our visit, we also stopped by at my cousin Melody's to allow her to meet the newest Coleman.

Melody is such a wonderful cousin. She loves my girls like they are her own. Leah will be no exception.

Aunt Nancy and Sarah's cousin Gabe were also there for a visit. Sarah had a good time seeing them again.

Nancy Mamaw and Leah

Papaw and his newest girl.

This ends our trip home to the mountains. But the grandparents visited shortly after, so I decided to include it in the post as well.

We interrupt this post to update you on Sarah's dress up obsession: we now have two pink and green dresses which have pretty much become a uniform while at home. If I would let her wear them out, she would happily do so as well. Unfortunately, all this wear and tear is making the dresses look kind of sketchy... The following photos are taken on various days, but you will see the same dresses over and over and OVER again. I just wanted to warn you...lol!

My precious girls. So beautiful. What a blessing from God.

Leah became ill and we had to visit the doctor...Sarah dressed her best for the visit!

Mamaw and Papaw came up to visit shortly after our visit home. Notice the SAME pink and green dress. At least she likes to dress up and not down!

My lovely family.

Mamaw and her little Leah

In all seriousness. I cannot thank God enough for these two blessings. They have truly changed my life forever (in a good way).

Who knew you could feel so much unconditional love for another? (I know now how God feels about each one of us).

Until next time.