PIGEON FORGE TN VACATION 2012

Itinerary:

Friday: Travel straight through to TN
Saturday: Lunch in Gatlinburg, tour of Roaring Fork trail and hike to Rainbow Falls
Sunday: Horseback riding, Wonder Works/Magi Quest and Comedy Barn Show
Monday: Dollywood
Tuesday: Rafting in the Smokies
Wed: Tour of the Smokies....Clingmans Dome and Bryson City.  Mini golf and gocarts
Thur: Mini golf, tubing, Tuckaleechee Caves
Friday: Dollywood
Saturday: Begin drive home and stay in hotel
Sunday: Home!


~Roaring Fork Trail~

~Horseback Riding~

Go Kyle Go!

~Wonder Works~

3....2....1

Well here we are in the count down....3 days until vacation!

I have been doing tons of things to get ready like...
Cleaning the house (for the dog who will obviously be the only one seeing it and in turn will spend the next week spilling her food on the floor in anger of being left behind and shedding her dog hair all over the place)

Laundry (which will only have to be redone in a few days cause it is almost impossible to pack 11 days worth in one duffel bag)

Cleaning out the van (which will be filled soon)

and....come to think of it...not sure what I am getting ready for! Seems like a lot of work just to get to even get to the van seat but I am excited all the same!  It has been a long and rough year and it will be nice to relax and have fun.

Ryan finished his last day of work yesterday and officially announced he is on vacation. I didn't have the heart to tell him the lawn has to be mowed or his room cleaned.  I will save that till later and surprise him!!

Delaney too is officially on vacation.  Her soccer and swim activities are done.  She has nothing to do till the school bus pulls up in front of the house!

And Todds vacation will be officially starting Wed night.  He took off Thur to get ready for all the things needed done before we go.

But Megans week is just beginning.  She has tons of dr appointments for school and tomorrow she starts soccer which she is far from being happy about.  She wants to sit back and announce she is officially on vacation too.  I just don't think that is going to happen.  She has had all summer and her time has come....da da da......soccer hell week. I joke not. That is what they call it and for good reason.  It is a week of running and kicking and exercising and running and kicking some more.  Her body will be crying since she spent most of her summer floating in a pool.  BUT I did try to warn her. Unfortunately the floatie called her name louder and drowned me out.

But I am still working too so we can go crazy together cause MY vacation isn't official until Friday morning at 4am when my butt hits the van seat!  Ok...maybe that is a little drastic.  I guess you could say it is official Thur night after the last daycare child walks out my door.  But the reality is, as all moms know, that really isn't true. There is cleaning up and dinner and showers and last min packing etc etc etc.

Sooon.......it is coming sooooooooon!

Good Luck Kevin

 As you head off to the Army, know you are in our thoughts and prayers.  May you stay strong in mind and body and hold true to who you are because we think you are one special young man!  Keep safe and may God walk along side you so that you are never alone.

Some summertime fun!

Count down..........

Well we are in vacation count down.  I could not be more excited!  It has been a rough year.  Car crashes and dead car engines and floods and broken pumps and graduations and funerals and work etc etc etc.  Just busy and crazy and stressful. I am looking to a day floating in the sun or sitting on a mountain reading a book.  Just forgetting the world is around but me and the clouds. 

We are scheduled to pack up 7 of us and head off to TN in a few days.  But not before more added stress!  Oh no, it never comes easy does it?

Megan is off on a mission trip to Kentucky for a week.  She leaves Sunday.  They are turning an old school into a woman shelter.  She will be painting and working and stocking.  And she is excited to go.  But what that does is put me into rush mode cause we have to get her things together not only for the mission trip but our vacation and soccer and school as well as when she returns, she will throw her laundry at me and be running everyday after.   We have 4 days upon her return to wash and repack her up and while I am doing that, she will be in soccer practices and at dr appointments preparing for school.  Then we we return from vacation she will be back into that same mode again as school will be a week away. 

Ryan is finishing up college classes from summer and working.  He likes his job.  And he just got a call from another vet to interview for another position.  I am not sure if he will take it or not but I am sure he is happy to be getting the calls. It means he has a lot to offer.  He beings fall classes the same week as the girls start school.

And school is the 1st week of Sept!  Where did the summer go?! It seems like yesterday it just ended and summer began. If only winters were this short! 

Delaney is not at all happy to be going back to school.  She is back on her 'I want to stay home and do school" kick. I am sure it will only get worse as the time draws nearer. And we are moving her to a different soccer club. Nothing complicated and too long to explain why but in the end, it means more forms to fill out and things to settle and do before we go.

I cannot wait to have everyone packed and sitting in the van and watching the horizon as we head off.  I cannot wait for someone to cook my dinners.  To entertain me.  To wait on me.  And to just kick back and relax.  It has been a long time coming and I am so counting down the days..............

Let the Chickens have their say!

Ok I have to say that I am up for a good debate.  I like seeing both sides and hearing what each has to say.  So when I heard about Chick-fil-a comments about gay marriage I thought "Here we go!".  And frankly I am rather tired of hearing about it.  It covers the news. It covers the web. It is the talk of the talk.  GEESH LET THE MAN HAVE HIS SAY!

 It isn't that I agree or disagree. This really isn't about MY opinion.  What I dislike is that we can't voice our opinion without offending someone now a days.  And mainly I speak about Christian views.  A 'non-white' person can shout BIGOT and be heard.  A gay person can shout PREJUDICE and be heard. Someone of the slightest minority (black, Indian, Jewish, Muslim, Chinese, women, children etc) can yell about the unjust of this or that and be heard even should it be against another person, race or religion. But heaven forbid (no pun) a Christian man stands up and disagrees with any point of view.  Mr. Cathy's statement wasn't mean.  It wasn't directed to a certain body. It was his general opinion in an open statement overall. Oh and it should really come as a shocker to the world?  Everyone knows about the strong Christian views of the company.  They have to be the only business that doesn't open on a Sunday! So we should all gasp that the owner should even consider stating such a thing??  Really? Cause I am not shocked in the slightest.

Listen...I am sure he offended someone somewhere.  Whatever.  You can take his views personally if you like.  But in the end he IS allowed to voice them.  No matter if you agree or not.  It is the right to freedom of speech and freedom of religion and if you don't like it...move on. It is YOUR right to give your money someplace else. I heard Wendys beat their workers down for thinking of agreeing openly with Chick-fil-a.  Perhaps they would like to get those who think standing up for their believes is wrong.  I am sure they will happily pocket that money.

I much prefer not only the fact that Cathy was honest and open but that he allows his workers to be so as well.  So the next time you walk into a Chick-fil-a and say something so perfect as "I hate haters" or "You are all bigots!"...think about the employee on the other side of the counter.  They may or may not agree with the views of the owner......and they just might be gay themselves!  Yep. Imagine that.  They actually employ gay workers who, by the way, some actually like working for the company.  Humm odd that isn't it?

And on the other hand is the over exerted Christian who says things like "Hope the gays starve" as they purchase their meal.  Ok I just said we are allowed to voice our opinion but does either side have to be so openly mean about it?  Is that the Christian views we want the world to know?

Listen.....agree or disagree.  Agree to disagree. But before you start shouting from the parking lot of a Chick-fil-a wearing rainbow shirts and chicken suits or stating your rude comments to the person taking your order....we are all entitled to our opinions.....nicely.  Over all lets be human to each other.  I can't think of a more Christan way to be.

Through the eyes of a child....

Yesterday Delaney and I were driving on the way home from an errand.  During the trip she fell silent and then I heard "Wow!  Those are a lot of wishes!!"  I had no clue what she was talking about so I glanced back at her and there she sat, with her little nose pressed up against the glass, looking at a field of puffy dandelions.  Just thousands spread in the sunshine as far as your eyes can see.  I smiled and made some comment of agreement with her.  She pauses and says "I wonder if we went out there and blew all those dandelions if we could wish Mom-mom, Pop-pop and Grandpa back to us.  I wonder if all those wishes would work."  If closing our eyes, making a heart wish and blowing dandelions in the air would do such wishes.  But it brought a smile to my face, touched my heart and instead of just driving with no real glance at my surrounds, I began to look at all the wonders, possibilities and wishes the world could possibly bring.................through the eyes of a child.

Congratulations Ryan on Your Graduation!

SO VERY PROUD!

SCHALICK HIGH SCHOOL

CLASS OF 2012