Adventures in Dollywood...

As you might have guessed from the title of this blog, we spent the day at Dollywood. It was a blast to say the very least. I have been to Dollywood before when I was a child but unfortunately remember shockingly little about my own experience. I remember the butterflies everwhere. So I knew that Campbell was going to enjoy it if no other reasons than the over abundance of butterflies!

 

We were greeted by a very beautiful entrance

 

After walking into the park, we were bombarded with people who did not speak English, asking us if we wanted our picture taken. We said sure and then tried to pose with our children. After 5 attempts of this camera guy trying to take our picture, I finally just said, "Thank you", and walked off, feeling somewhat sorry for that young man.

Knowing that our first attempt at a family photo and Dollywood's first attempt at getting us to pay $20 for a picture of Campbell with her hands in front of her face and Carson staring at the asphault were both huge failures, we opted for Plan B! We asked the man sweeping the street to click one for us. He did and we captured the moment! Please savor...

 

 

Neither Mike nor I are big into riding rides. We don't do roller coasters of any kind, swings that swing above the rooftops at dangerous speeds or anything that twists while already twisting... yet... here we find ourselves at such a place. I can't tell you the relief I felt when I saw the first ride that awaited us... cars made for children! This is a ride I could handle!

 

 

The kids loved it and Carson expressed with much drama that he did not wish to get out of the car once the ride was over. We finally won him over with the lure of the flying elephants! Usually I try to be the bigger parent in these situations and ride the rides so Mike can sit them out. He acutally gets ill on these things... I just don't like them! However, we have 2 children and both of them wanted to ride so, we both clocked into the game! Flying Elephants, here we come!

 

 

 

The good news was that we made it through the terrifying minute and a half. The bad news, we have 2 children who now love to ride rides. (Enter Aunt Meece and Uncle Dave)

So on to the next one we went! No way Mike could make it through this one so I boarded the ride with all the excitement I could muster for my super excited children! This was the Lemon Twist! It was one of those rides that twists while it twists... Sweet Lord! I'm pretty sure Mike got sick just watching me attempt this.

 

 

I can not explain my excitement when I say that the next few rides, they were able to ride on their own! However, watching my 2 children climb into the ride and go around on their own was so precious!

 

 

They actually waited in line by themselves for this one. So cute and grown up.

 

Campbell buckled Carson's seat belt before her own here. I was watching my kids grow up before my eyes. They were enojying themselves so much! They both asked to ride every one of them again right after they got off every time! I loved it!

 

Next, we boared a train that took us around the park and into a small part of the Smokies. It was so cool. It was an actual cole burning engine. Ironically, the name of the Engine was Cinderalla which confused my 5 year old during the whole trip. She kept asking where Cinderalla was. I thought it was a valid question until I took on the task of answering it... then I just thought it was stupid that they would name a train engine that...

 

 

After the train ride, we continued our journey around the park. We found the coolest little water area for kids to play in. Water shoots up from the ground in random order as well as water that shoots out from the fence. I didn't bring my kids bathing suites, ( I was the only mother who didn't. Apparently, I was left out of the "Bring your kids bathing Suit" newsletter) However, I had a great mother who was always prepared so I learned well! I did have an extra change of clothes for each of my kids, complete with socks and panties. So, when they came running to me asking if they could play, I answered, with a little pride in my mothering instincs, "Go right ahead". They LOVED IT. Even after we got back to the camper tonight, they asked to go back to that spot and play.

 

 

After they played for a while, we dried off, changed clothes, got something to drink and headed on our journey. We came across a candle dipping place and I just had to go in. I did this every time my family went to Silver Dollar City as a child and it is still one of my favorite memories. I loved this. So, I just had to take my own kids in. I think this one was more for me than for them but they still loved it and I, once again, couldn't believe I was making these exact same memories with my children.

 

 

After the dip into memory lane, we continued on the circle around Dollywood, taking in everything it had to offer along the way. By this time, our kids were walking and Mike was asking me to push him in the stroller.

 

 

When we reached the entrance, we stopped in for some ice cream. My 3 family members placed their orders but before it was delievered, the day we had been enjoying finally caught up to the youngest one of us.

 

 

He was doing what the 3 of us wished were doing! We sat in the air conditioned room and Campbell ate her chocolate ice cream with sprinkles, Mike drank his strawberry milkshake and I watched Carsons ice cream cone melt on the table in front of me. It was a great moment!

 

We made it back to our truck, piled in and headed to get some dinner back in Pigeon Forge.

 

We ended our day in the only way one should end a day on vacation: At Joes Crab Shack!

 

 

In case you are wondering, they have nothing vegan on their menu... which oddly enough was in keeping with the lunch place at Dollywood. I had water for lunch because my options were so limited so at Joes I opted for nachos with pico, black beans and corn...

 

We made it back to the camper and I keep glancing at the clock expecting it to say 11 but it is only in the 7 O Clock hour. This was a great day with our family.

 

I hope you had a great day with yours!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campfire Stories...

Ahhhh VACATION!!!

Isn't it a wonderful thing?

A few days ago, my husband, our 2 children, our dog and our camper pulled out of our driveway and headed down the open road! We haven't seen our children since May when summer camp started so this was a much needed break. It's amazing how much I enjoy these moments and memories with my family.

We were east bound and down headed to Pigeon Forge, Tn. I have been to Pigeon Forge before. When I was very young, my family took a vacation there. I remember bits and pieces of it but have been very excited about making new memories with my own children.

With Mike at the wheel, it left me a few moments to steal away some photos with our very adorable passengers!

 

 

 

 

We stopped just outside of Nashville the first night and continued on to Pigeon Forge the next morning. When we arrived, we wasted NO time getting to some fun!

Our first stop was the Lumberjack Feud Dinner show. It was amazing!

 

We had already eaten dinner so we decided to sit in the seats without the table. We had a great view and our kids were GLUED the entire time! It was very entertaining!

 

 

 

 

After the show, we went to an amazing Christmas village and then home... or back to our camper! After a great's nights sleep, we woke up, ate breakfast and hit the road... and in case you are wondering... while my husband and children feasted on Dunkin Donuts... I enjoyed brown rice with chickpeas and red beans with Italian season... trust me... it was very delicious!

 

On to Gatlinburg it was:

We had a huge list of things we wanted to see and do in Gatlinburg. Our first stop was the aquairium.

 

It was spectacular! I was not prepared for the emotion that would come with this particular trip!

 

After posing with my children for a few pics, we went on inside. The quarium had everything you would expect to see at such... Fish, sharks, turtles, sea horses, sting rays, a crazy woman who swims with the aquatic life previously mentioned...etc...

 

 

but it had one thing I didn't expect... MERMAIDS!!!

 

 

That's right! Mermaids! They put on a mermaid show! It was amazing! No, wait! Strike that... it was amazing to see my daughter's reaction to the mermaid show. I was sitting there watching her face as she looked at them swimming around and I could see the magic happening right before my eyes.

She was captivated. Like every movie she had ever seen came to life. If that's not enough, afte the show was over, we got to meet them and she got to touch one of their mermaid tails. I thanked the girls who were putting on the show and just wished they new what it was they had really done.

They had made a dream come true for my baby. They had brought to life a wish. It was a very powerful moment for me. I know it sounds dramatic but those of you who are moms know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

 

On our way out of the aquarium, we HAD to pass through the gift shop. A conspiracy pushed on the unsuspecting parents by the "junk for sale" people. So, of course, we had to pick out gifts! We were surrounded by fish, sharks, T Shirts, sting rays and all sorts of ocean creatures stuffed and ready to join us on our voyage home.

So, of course, Campbell chooses a Mermaid. Fitting for her experience. My son, however, chooses a light up sword. YEP. I sword. He was apparently unaffected by the mermaid episode!

 

With gifts in hand, we left the aquarium.

 

Just when I thought our day couldn't get any more magical... it did. We drove a few miles down the road and boarded a sky life that took us the top of the Smoky Mountains. It

 was more than beautiful.

 



The picture just doesn't do it justice! At the top of mountain, we unloaded and proceeded to fulfill yet another dream for my daughter.

 

YEP! We went ice skating. It was quite the adventure. It was way more difficult than I remember, of course, it has been more than several years since I have been skating and after today, I remember why! My feet were hurting, my ankles were hurting... it was stressful and I was sweating.. and all before I even stepped one blade on the ice!

 

 

In spite of my need for the immediate interferance of Icy Hot, we went! First time on the ice for my sweet baby (who thinks that she can already skate). It was very memorable I must say.

 

After a long day of memory making, we came down the moutain and began the journey back to Pigeon Forge.

We ate dinner at the Apple Barn Farmhouse, which was recommended by my Mim and she was right on the money with this one. It was fantastic!



 



 

They served us Apple Fritters! Which were AMAZING! Not healthy but come on! Give me just a little grace here!

 

 

After the fritters, I feasted on vegetable soup, salad and a veggie plate. (Happy Now?)  Very delicious! We were full and happy and it was time to head to the camper to rest from the day!

We changed clothes, covered ourselves in bug spray, hung citronella scented bug repelants all over the place and started a beautiful fire.

Our campsite is surrounded by trees and tucked away into the side of the mountain. It is beautiful, quiet and peaceful.

We roasted pink marshmellows over the fire then sat down in our our chairs for story time.

Each one of us told a story.

Campbell's story was about Mermaids... shocker... Carson's story was about a bug getting caught in the fire... again shocker... mine was about a family on a camper trip and Mike's was about a dad and his children.

While we sat there, around the campfire, with our children, I was over come, for the 100th time, with the feeling of gratitude. I am on vacation with my high school sweetheart, we have 2 healthy, happy, wonderful children, we live in a beautiful country and there is not much better that what we enojyed today. It was a day of memories to say the least and as I sat around the campfire listening to my children tell their stories, I prayed that the Lord seal these moments in my heart forever.

And what a beautiful moment it was....

 

 

Finishing Strong, Saying Goodbye and Moments of Weakness...

     So! It's been a while... I'm sorry about that. I love blogging. It's one of my favorite things but I just got a little busy... with what? you may ask.

     We finished out the best summer of camp yet! The sessions were amazing and the campers were even better. I also said good bye to the most amazing staff who had become apart of my family. This took me a week to recover from. When they leave, the ranch is so quiet and my house feels so empty in comparison. Then, 3 days after camp was over, Campbell had her tonsils and adniods removed. Nothing says, "Rest up from a hard summer at camp" like a 5 year old coming out of surgery. It has been challenging to say the very least.

     I tend to struggle with compasion and patience as a general whole so the Lord has been working that in me these past several days. The reason I am able to finally blog about it is because I feel like we have finally turned a corner. Albeit, very small corner but still a corner non the less! At this point I will take whateve I can get.

     I am happy to say, also, that I made it all the way through camp maintaining my Vegan lifestyle. Praise God. If you have been to camp at all you know that is an accomplishment in and of itself considering that camp food is not necessarily Vegan. But I did it! I did not have time to cook meals so I had to take what I had time to get which wasn't always healthy or even considered Alive food. And, if I'm being honest, I considered in a brief moment of weakness, to give up my Vegan lifestyle and opt for a calorie counting lifestyle instead. However, I did not. The next day, after my momentary lapse of correct thinking, I got in my car, drove to town and stocked up on Vegan food. With my pantry stocked and a new book in hand, I recommitted my journey. I promised myself a year and that is what I'm going to do. March 28th, 2013 will be one year of being Vegan. I will make it there no matter what! I have found that keeping myself educated on the matter give renewed vision so I have bought a new book written by Queen Vegan herself, Kathy Freeston. It's called The Lean. It's fantastic for anyone wanted to slowly start leaning toward a healthier lifestyle. I have already done most of the tips in the book however, once again, I am learning why I am doing them.

     Anyway, that is my life as of now and I'm glad I could catch up with you. With my daughter starting Kindergarten, Leaders Academy beginning, the fall on it's way and Christmas Play soon to follow, I will have lots to blog about. So, until the next time we meet...