"The Sweetest Place On Earth"

During our trip to PA, Mommom took the granddaughters and myself to Hershey, PA... otherwise known as "The Sweetest Place On Earth". The moment you enter Hershey you know it... the streetlamps are made to resemble huge Hershey's Kisses and even the road itself turns from highway gray/black to milk-chocolate brown. The girls repeatedly said that their Daddy would absolutely love this place, being the chocoholic that he is. Here is a shot of our "Sweeties" in the car on the way to Hershey. Below is a shot of the street lights.

The first place we stopped was Hershey Gardens. Mommom had visited the Children's Butterfly House a few days before we arrived in PA and knew she just had to take her granddaughters there. Here they are in the Children's Gardens.

After Hershey Gardens, Ailey had the brilliant idea to go to Chocolate World... so we did! The kids enjoyed the ride through the simulated chocolate factory but I think their favorite part was the free chocolate they received at the end of the ride. All in all, we had a sweet time in Hershey!

14 Years!

For our annual anniversary getaway this year, Ron and I decided to go to someplace other than Black Mountain. Though we have loved staying at The Arbor House for the past 2 years, we chose to head to Blowing Rock for something different. We were so glad we made that decision as it was so much closer to waterfalls and hiking trails... so close, in fact, that we could hike after breakfast from our hotel, to a waterfall in Blowing Rock, and be back in time for lunch. Below are some shots we took during our 2 day anniversary trip.

Chalk Painting

A friend of mine gave me the following recipe for chalk paint:

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup water

5 to 6 drops food coloring

This simple recipe yields tons of creative fun. The girls loved making it. (note to self: when making this with kids, make it OUTSIDE so as not to have a mess of cornstarch to sweep off every conceivable kitchen surface).

A Visit with Mommom and Poppop

In mid June Mommom and Poppop came down for a long weekend. On Sunday afternoon, after hearing Ron preach, we headed for some nearby mountains at Stone Mountain State Park. It was a nice, relaxing time as we sat with our chairs in the creek and watched the girls slide down the little natural water slide. Here's Molls, with Mommom at Poppop at Stone Mtn, below.

Ofcourse, no visit with Poppop would be complete without a "Thumb trick" demonstration.

The Pool

This is the best $25 I've ever spent, for all the use the kiddos got out of it this summer. Meet our 10 x 10 octagonal, inflatable pool. I adore this thing! The girls and neighborhood friends have spend countless hours splashing around in this pool. But if you think this pool is only for the kids, I can assure you, you're incorrect. Some evenings after coming back from my exercise route in the neighborhood, I'd be so hot that I'd jump in, workout clothes and all. Other evenings, on the rare occasions that the kids were away at a friend's house, Ron and I would don our suits, grab a float and lay back and look at the stars in this baby. Ahh, refreshing.

Wildlife at the Bluff Hut

Our little "Wild Things" love to observe, find and catch other wild-things of the outdoor variety. At the Bluff Hut, there are countless opportunities for the kids to do just this. During our visit, we took the girls fishing at a neighbor's large pond. It was here that McKenna made her first-ever, all-by-herself catch. Below is the fine "little" bass she proudly reeled in.





Another catch they made was that of a tiny frog. I had been after these little suckers all week, trying to snag one for the girls to look at. Every time, they eluded me, letting me know of their nearby presence only through a croak and a small ker-plop as they leapt into the safety of the pond. But not McKenna! Without even trying, she came across this cute little guy and handily snatched him up for us to observe. See for yourself.

Fall Creek Falls

After Ron's ordination in June, we took the family camping for a few days in the Smokies. Unfortunately, I somehow forgot to take photos of that part of the trip. :-( After camping in the Smokies, we headed over to see Ron's folks at the Bluff Hut. Here we are on a day-trip to Fall Creek Falls... one of our favorite parks due to all the gorgeous waterfalls. Here are some photos and video of Ron and the girls enjoying one of the falls.