Wanna see a bear!

I will never forget the day of my wedding heading in to Cades Cove (in the National Park where the ceremony took place) my dad shouting at the window to cars stopped in the street "If you wanna see a bear go to the d*mn zoo." 

That's one of those family moments that gets funnier with age.

What can I say - we're a family of crankies.

(That's my dad's brother.  We go to his house every Super Bowl.   One year he went on and on about how he hated Cades Cove and would never go back again.  Jay and I just started laughing - while we weren't yet engaged we knew we were headed that direction and had already discussed getting married in the Cove.  Uncle David not only went back to Cades Cove for the wedding, but went a week in advance to get some good video footage of the leaves during peak season.  He was our videographer.)

Moving right along...

Memorial Day weekend had perfect weather for putting the top down in the Jeep and riding around.  Jay was armed in the front seat with his camera, and I in the back with mine.

As always we stopped at "our" church for pictures.

Don't ask me why Jay didn't change out of his church clothes.  We both packed shorts and a t-shirt because we weren't going home after Worship Service.  He told me not to nag him about it, that he was comfortable.  But its weird right?

My mom would probably kill me for posting this picture.  Good thing she doesn't read my blog!!

Our first wildlife spotting of the day.  Jay was afraid that we wouldn't see anything because we were driving the loop in the heat of the day.  Thankfully that wasn't the case.

I love this picture of me.  I look skinny or something.  :P

Could it be??? Is it??  It is - a bear jam!!

As always please note that I used the zoom on my camera.  Getting too close to bears (especially like this mama who's cubs weren't very far away) kills people!

Then it was time to dip our toes in the creek and read the Sunday sale paper.

Yes - he has a shirt that says "I'm bringing Grumpy back."

The family photographer loves playing with the settings on the camera.  Good thing one of us is good at that kinda thing!

Some one's not happy that he's missing his Sunday afternoon nap!

How'd you spend your Memorial Day weekend?