The Hike - Part One

 Everyone walking to the visitor's center before the hike.  We were all excited to start the morning!

 The one and only pic of our whole group.  I was glad that Emily told me to jump in since it turned out being the only group shot we had.  At least I have proof that I was there!

 Just beginning the hike.  I was already getting tired so I stopped to take a picture.

 Chuck, by a little cave along the trail.  Again, a good excuse for me to rest for a moment and enjoy the beauty while catching my breath. :0)

 When we made it to the top, most of our group had been there for a bit and they had gone down this huge ravine to explore.  It was hard to capture just how far down they were.  Here are Emily and Grace.

 Tim and Brock - they came, they saw, they conquered!

 Sandy, Kimber, and Kenz making their way down...it was a little treacherous!

 Em, Dane, Gage, and Grace.

 I just thought this was so strikingly beautiful!

I think Deb and I were the only ones that stayed up, so the rest of the group can be seen in this picture.  They had such fun exploring and it was fun watching from the top and seeing the wonder as they explored.  What a fun experience!  I was sure glad that I kept going and made it to the top so that I could see this!

Before the Hike

On our first morning in Gatlinburg we were going to go on a hike at Laurel Falls.  On this morning everyone was taking their time getting up and ready to go, so I had a little time on my hands.  I decided that I would go outside and maybe take some shots of the scenery around the cabin.  Well, almost immediately after I stepped out of the cabin I was treated to the sound of children laughing and chatting.  I could hear our crew of kiddos, but I couldn't find them.  Following the laughter, I headed behind the cabin and up a small embankment to find Chuck, Tim and the kids hunting in the wooded area behind the cabin.  It became evident that they were looking for walking sticks.  Now, this was something that Tim and Sandy must have told the kids about, because we have never been hiking and certainly wouldn't have known to get a hiking stick.  For a little while, I just watched and took in the moment of the kids laughing and enjoying the company of the dads in the early morning sunshine.  It really warmed my heart.  Initially, I had gone out to take pictures of the scenery, but what I discovered was much more of what my heart desired.  I just love capturing the smiles of the people that I love and care about while they are doing things that they really love.  It is THOSE memories that I want to lock away in my heart and mind for a lifetime.  It is those memories that make life worth living.  I remember thinking that so clearly on that morning...remembering that THIS is what I wanted my focus in life to be...not all of the little stresses that tend to overwhelm us and take over our lives at times.  I hope that these pictures will always help to conjure up the fun and memories of that morning in Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg 2011

We spent spring break this year with two wonderful families.  We went to Gatlinburg and rented a huge cabin with the Chile's and Adams' families.  These are our neighbors and friends.  This year, in particular, I was feeling very stressed with work and life in general, so this was a break that I really needed.  We have never vacationed with friends like this before, so I was a little nervous about how it would go, but I needn't have been because we all had a great time!  It was fun to have different personalities with us because it stretched us to do things (like hiking) that would never make the Berry list of things to do on vacation.  The other benefit is that we never heard the kids say, "I'm bored!"  With all of their friends along, they had plenty of opportunities for fun and there was always someone who wanted to jump in the hot tub, shoot some hoops, watch a movie, or play a game.  It was just an all around good time!

 This is a picture of all three families on the morning before our first hike and I think it is the only picture of the entire group that I took.  Along with the three families, the two oldest girls each brought along a friend, so we had two more fun young ladies!  It was just a great time...and as you can see the group is mostly in shorts...the weather was wonderful!  We made it into the high seventies on two of the days that we were there, and that only helps to brighten our spirits.  More pics to come!

Snowman!

The kids had a great afternoon playing in the snow! Kenzie and Dane had worked hard to make a snowman so I went out to take a look only to discover that it had been created right in front of our garage door! After a bit of rearranging, he ended up on our sidewalk. They were sure proud of their snowman!

Have I Mentioned.....?

Have I ever mentioned what a fantastic neighbor I have? I can't believe that I have never had a "Mike " post, but it has recently been brought to my attention that I have, in fact, never written such a post. I can't wait to sing the praises of my favorite neighbor!

First, Mike is an incredible competitor...whether it be pictionary, tennis, cornhole or ping pong, Mike is always "in it to win it." Now granted, most of the time he is lobbying to get to be my partner, but with my athletic talent... that is a given. Mike is also the mastermind of the amazing scavenger hunt...so much fun!

Secondly, Mike is a great role model for the neighborhood kids. He is such an encouragement and they all look up to him for his wise advice.

Most importantly, Mike is an awesome husband to his wife Deb (otherwise known as "Precious"). Now, I have been having a bit of fun with Mike in this post, but in all sincerity...he is a great guy and he treats Deb fantastically. It has been our pleasure to get to know Mike better over this past year and we know that whatever we might need he would be there for us in a heartbeat! In fact, he WAS there for us recently when Chuck was sick. He was kind enough to clear our drive during one of our many "dustings" of snow this year (and we later discovered that he didn't even know Chuck was sick...he was just being the nice guy that he is!) We love ya, Mike! Hope you enjoyed your special post!!!

Basketball

Brock and Kenzie are both playing basketball this winter. It has been fun to watch them. Of course, Kenzie has always danced, so we are still getting used to the sports thing with her. I thought it was so funny when I looked at the pictures I took on this particular day. I had a ton of Kenzie's team, but very few of Brock. I think that this is because I am really laid back when watching Kenz. For her it is about getting some exercise and having fun with her friends, so when I am watching I can take pictures and visit and enjoy it. With Brock, however, it is different. I am much more anxious watching his games! They are a much faster pace, higher pressure, and for sure, more competitive. Sometimes I get so into watching that I forget to lift the camera! He has improved a good deal this year. Overall, this seems to be the year that Brock has really shown an increased interest and commitment to the sports he is playing. It definitely makes it more interesting to watch. I have to say, I really don't care if they are the stars of their teams...I am just so proud of them for having the determination to get out there and try. I wish I had a little more of that when I was growing up. I think their lives are so much richer from the experiences that they are having playing sports as they learn how to be part of a team and the value of giving your best effort no matter what. I just love these kids...probably so much more than they could ever imagine!

Fun in the Snow!

My kids just love to play in the snow! They get to do it alot, thanks to our friend Sandy. She also loves to play and be in the snow. So, many times, she calls and gets the kids to go sledding or be pulled on the 4 wheeler. Brock was so excited on this day because Tim said he would pull them and he talked about it all morning. Well, unfortunately, he got sick at his ball game and that nixed the sledding fun for him. The girls, however, did go. At the last minute I gave Chuck my camera and asked him to snap a few pics of the fun so that I could see since I was staying home with Brock. This is memory making at its best. I love seeing the smiles and laughs in these pictures because they really capture the fun of childhood. Sometimes as an adult I wish for those days of pure fun and laughing so hard without all of the stress and cares of the world. Kids sure know how to get it right!

Scratch - we all love this sweet soul. She is the BEST dog ever!

Delaney - looks like a model doesn't she?

Wonder if she came up with this pose or if Chuck did? Ha!

Kimber and Kenz....hold on girls!

Kenz and Kimber...I just LOVE Kenz's smile in this one. It is pure fun!

Delaney and Kenz....that hat just makes me laugh...going to have to get her a better one for next time.

Oh yes, this is Kimber! I don't know what she is doing, but I think this picture is SO her!