Some Family Photos

Two weeks ago we had our family pictures taken by a former student of mine who is now a photographer. The last time we had pictures done by a professional, the children were small enough to sit on our laps. Yeah, it was time.

 This picture pretty much encapsulates what our family is like. I love it!

Smoky Mountain Trip 2014

Last week we spent 4 days and 3 nights in the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee. It's a place we've visited before, with kids and without kids. We like it both ways.

Our first dinner was at the Dixie Stampede. While you enjoy a meal eaten only with your hands, stunt riders put on a North-South themed show. It was so entertaining, I had to remind the kids to eat! The Princess loves horses, so she was enthralled with it. Even though it's a bit on the pricy side, we felt the experience was worth it just to see how much the kids enjoyed it. After the show, we got to see some of the show horses up close in the adjacent stable. Totally made the Princess' day!

We knew we wanted to go to Dollywood since we'd never been. We decided to get a package deal by staying in a Dollywood cabin (not at the actual park but in the general area) and purchasing a one-day park ticket. By staying in a Dollywood property, our one-day tickets became valid for our entire stay. Even though we didn't take advantage of it because we had other things to do, we thought that was a great perk. We did get preferred parking at Dollywood, though. You'd better believe we took advantage of that!

Our cabin was named Sky High. And believe me, it lived up to its name. We were at the tippy top of a mountain. And then the cabin itself kind of jutted off the side. Yeah, we were up there.

Here's a view from the top balcony of our cabin - a place where I spent NO time.

I've never been fond of heights, but this literally took my breath away. We were above the tree tops! Charles just laughed at me and asked me what I expected with a cabin called Sky High. Well, I didn't expect to be THAT high! So while I didn't enjoy the location all that much, the views were spectacular and the cabin itself was gorgeous.

This is the top floor loft. There was an air hockey table and a pool table to enjoy. Out on the balcony was a hot tub where Charles relaxed quite often. I would not have found it relaxing at all, so I enjoyed the indoor jacuzzi tub instead.

We've been to several amusement parks over the years, and we all agreed that Dollywood was our second favorite, right after Disney. The park was so clean and well-maintained. Also, the atmosphere was very family friendly. We loved the theming as well.

This was the perfect time of year to go. We walked onto every ride, waiting at times for the ride to come back through so we could get on. There were plenty of attractions for every age group and thrill level.

One of our favorite memories at Dollywood was having an old-time photo made. We had never done that before, so it was cute and fun.

On our last day, we spent some time in Gatlinburg, exploring the shops and playing indoor mini-golf. Everywhere you looked, you saw gorgeous fall decorations.

It was a wonderful vacation, but like every time we go away, we were happy to come home. Now getting back into our normal routine might be a little harder.

Frozen Birthday Party

Yesterday the Princess and her cousins celebrated their birthdays together. They had decided on a Frozen theme. My sister-in-law volunteered to make the cake and I bought decorations.

Rock candy sticks served as the backdrop for the cake, which was made from angel food cake and ice cream. It truly was a frozen cake!

Blue jello and clear gelatin were used to make jello ice cubes, and punch made with Sprite, blue Hawaiian punch and ice cream quenched our thirst.

They all got some Frozen presents, too!

I think all the birthday girls had a great time, and we made some great memories with family.

In Sickness and In Health

Do you remember repeating the vows to love and cherish your spouse in sickness and in health when you got married? I certainly do.

Forty-eight years ago today my parents repeated those vows to one another. And in the last few years I've watched with love and admiration as my amazing mother has put them into practice.

My dad's health has been in decline for many years, but his condition has worsened considerably in the last four years. He went for three of those years without an accurate diagnosis, as doctor after doctor tried to figure out what was wrong with him. First, it was multiple sclerosis, then Lyme disease, then heavy metal toxicity. But as soon as a diagnosis was made, another symptom would pop up and the diagnosis would be taken back.

Back in August of last year, he went to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio where he was finally given a diagnosis that made sense - Multiple System Atrophy. Unfortunately, this disease is also terminal.

MSA is a rare neurological disorder similar to Parkinson's. Its rarity is one of the reasons why it took so long to get a diagnosis. Most doctors, even neuros, don't know enough about it to accurately diagnose it.

Since 2010, my dad has lost his mobility, as well as much of his motor skills - eating, brushing his teeth, dressing himself, etc. The disease has robbed him of his speech as well, as his vocal chords have become paralyzed. My mother lovingly cares for him completely - dressing, feeding, bathing, and in every other way possible. She insists that she will continue to do so as long as she is physically able.

That's why I say she's amazing. At a time when many spouses would have given up, she continues to honor her vow to care for him in sickness and in health. She doesn't consider it a big deal, either. To her, she's just doing what she promised to do. In a world where the divorce rate is skyrocketing, she's an exception whether she accepts the label or not. And I know that if the situation was reversed and my mom was suffering from a terrible illness, my dad would be doing the exact same things for her.

I look back over the years and am so grateful for two godly parents who have stuck together through the good times and bad times. They raised my brothers and myself to be responsible, respectful and faithful to God. They have set an example for us and our children to follow. For that, I love them.

Happy Anniversary!

Zoo Atlanta field trip

We traveled to Zoo Atlanta today with some friends for a fun, educational field trip. The weather was supposed to be rainy and dreary, but we ended up having a lovely time. The temperatures were just right at around 80 degrees for most of the day.

We loved seeing the colorful birds - what a gorgeous example of the beauty of God's creations!

The lions and their cubs were so much fun to watch. It was like they knew they had an audience.

We caught a few glimpses of a Sumatran tiger.

Is he licking his lips while watching us???

I think our favorite animals to see were the giant pandas. It was the very first time I'd ever seen on in person - probably because Zoo Atlanta is only one of 4 zoos in the US that have giant pandas.

Two of the pandas are being prepared to leave for China, where they will participate in breeding programs that will help bring giant pandas back from the brink of extinction.

This is one of them, Po. She didn't move the entire time we watched her.

And the 9-month-old twins are Mei Lun and Mei Huan. They were so amazing to watch! Their mama, Lun Lun, is resting in the front. I imagine that caring for rambunctious twins can wear a panda out!

We had a fun-filled day, observing the wondrous animals God made. Every one of them is important to Him, and He designed them with such intricate detail. It was enjoyable seeing those creations up close.

Georgia Aquarium Summer Field Trip

We live just a little over an hour from Atlanta, so the Georgia Aquarium makes a perfect field trip destination. This time we went with some friends and made some great memories, in addition to learning new things about aquatic creatures.

The Aquarium is divided into several galleries. My favorite is the Ocean Voyager section. I could sit and watch the fish, rays and whale sharks all day. They're mesmerizing.

I love this picture! All the technology represented in our group is so funny to me!

Can you see all four whale sharks in this picture?

The River Scout gallery included animals like otters and albino alligators.

The Cold Water Quest section was also very interesting. We loved watching the beluga whales dance. But the snow crabs looked mean. And creepy.

We found Nemo in the Tropical Diver gallery!

And saw a whole coral reef full of colorful fish! Is that Dory?

The Aquarium has added a dolphin show since our last visit. It is included in the price of your ticket, but shows are only a few times a day and seating is limited. We arrived at the theater about 20 minutes before show time and the place was almost packed. So definitely schedule that into your day if you want to see the dolphin show.

Photography and videography wasn't permitted in the theater, so I don't have any pictures of the show. The storyline was a little corny and didn't make sense at times. The dolphins, though, made up for the wacky story. They were absolutely amazing to watch. And the special effects were pretty cool. I'd go watch it again if I had the chance.

After the show, we hung out and watched the dolphins. They obviously enjoyed showing off for an audience!

Everyone had a fantastic time, and we plan to go back. If you're in the Atlanta area and are looking for an educational, fun way to spend the day, check out the Georgia Aquarium.

Reflections on my Children Growing Up

This summer both of my kids have grown by leaps and bounds. My oldest is just slightly taller than I am and the youngest is getting closer and closer. Not to mention the oldest is now in the church youth group. Youth group? How did THAT happen? It seems like yesterday I was putting them in the church nursery!

I know that I'm supposed to mourn the passing of their childhoods. I've listened to countless teary-eyed mamas relate to me how they wish they could go back to when their kids were babies. The good old days. You know, when all you did was clean up poop and puke. Yeah, those good old days.

Okay, I have no problems admitting that sometimes I miss my kids being little. Baby snuggles ARE hard to beat! And I won't deny that I've grown nostalgic as I've looked through their scrapbooks. Maybe even wiped away a tear or two.

But I've also got to admit that I like the ages they are now. They can feed themselves, wash their own clothes, clean up their own messes (sometimes), and even stay home while I run to the store. I'm proud of who they're becoming - polite, kind individuals who try to help others. Oh, they're far from perfect. But they are maturing and growing in their Christian walk, just like I am.

I cherish those baby memories. Truly, I do. But I'm really excited about who my children are going to become and what God will use them to do in the future. So I'll try not to cry as the apron strings get looser and looser. I'll try to rejoice that my kids are growing up!

Happy Birthday, Princess!

Today my baby turns 11. She's growing into such a sweet young lady. I'm really proud of her!

She's blessed to share her birthday with two of her cousins, one born on the exact same day, the other two years later. We celebrated together this year, as we try to every year. My sister-in-law, mother of the other two birthday girls, made a beach-themed cake.

Isn't it amazing? The sand is a mixture of brown sugar and graham cracker crumbs. The beach towels are fruit roll-ups. So creative!

Happy Birthday, loves!

My Cooking Inspiration

 This is my grandma. My dad's mom. Growing up, she and my Papaw lived next door to us. I spent much of my childhood at her house, taking advantage of her phenomenal cooking. And her hugs. She could give the best hugs!

Today would have been my grandmother's 96th birthday. She passed away during the summer after I graduated from high school. Twenty-five years since I felt her hug? It's unbelievable that so much time has passed and that life has gone on without her presence.

My parents tell me I cook like she did. A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Tweaking recipes to my liking. I wish I had paid closer attention back then. I wasn't all that interested in cooking as a teenager. I thought I had all the time in the world to find out her cooking secrets.

Now the thought of cooking like her, at least in their esteemed opinion, makes me happy. I love her and miss her every day. I wouldn't be who I am without her influence on my life.  I'm glad that in addition to her legacy of love and laughter, I might be able to carry on a little of her cooking legacy, too.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Low Country Crawfish Boil

When my husband lived in south Georgia, he attended many a Low Country boil. Potatoes, corn, sausage, and shrimp are all cooked together in one pot, then drained and dumped out onto a table where you basically help yourself to what you want.

But here in the Gulf Coast states, crawfish are added to the pot. When I was a kid, I used to catch little crawdads in our creek, but never tried to eat one. The crawfish we used were fresh from Louisiana, shipped via FedEx to our door.

Now, I've never done a Low Country boil before, but we have some good friends who volunteered to show us how. They set up on our carport and got down to business.

One pot held the spicy version, the other a more mild version for the kids. Potatoes and corn went in first, then sausage and shrimp, and finally the crawfish.

Then all of it got dumped out and we filled our plates.

I can't tell you how much fun this was, especially since I didn't do the cooking! As big as the crawfish were, you don't get much meat out of them - only from the tails. It was still interesting, learning how to do it. And I'd happily do it again!