Spring Break Extravaganza- Georgia

This year, our spring break was absolutely perfect. The kind of experience that we don't get all the time. We are lucky enough to have amazing friends like Chris and Stefanie Dowdy, that took us with them to their parents cabin in Ellijay Georgia, about an 8 hour drive. We stayed for a week, packed every day with so many fun things, watched as our children all got along perfectly, relished in the fact that there was no fighting and whining (well...very little), and no TV, enjoyed nature, played games, hiked, explored, ate and ate some more... and we still smile when we thing about the vacation. I think that is a good sign. Thank you Dowdys...We love you!!!



I could seriously write an epistle about this week, but instead, I figured a picture says a thousand words. So lets just say...we're into the millions here, especially when I add my two cents worth under each picture.

First I just need to say...I LOVE GEORGIA. Yes...I love rural Georgia. Besides the fact that we all pretty much came home with an accent, I just loved how beautiful and easy going Georgia is. We stayed right in the mountains and my kids don't get that very often. So many beautiful things to explore. Above we are enjoying Amicalola Falls. Quite the hike up...and we were stuck in a cloud...but so much fun.

Exploring the little town of Blue Ridge. The old fashioned Candy store was a highlight for sure!

We were not very far from Brass town point...the highest mountain peak in Georgia. So one day, we made the drive out there, and hiked our way up. I know that sounds impressive, but truly you get to drive most of the way and just hike at the end. Perfect when being followed by a 3 year old with very short legs. The view was OUTSTANDING and something that I will never forget. I feel like we could see forever. I see why they call them the "Blue Ridge" mountains.

Stopped at "Pappy's" on the way home for ice cream.

Then...we headed to the farm. Chris's sister lives near Ellijay, and so we headed over to the farm for some barbecue, some horse back riding, 4 wheelers, and a beautiful sunset.

At one point, this 4 wheeler was pulling a go cart...attached by a rope. Gotta have the full redneck experience. The kids loved it.

One day we decided to drive to Chattanooga TN (only about an hour and a half from where were were). Chris and Stefanie took us to "Rock City". I wish I could describe how cool this place was. Even with the pictures, it is hard to tell. Natural rock formations up on a bluff, with paths and trails built throughout. It was amazing. Especially for all of our "Floridian" children, who don't know what a mountain or a rock is.

precarious

Apparently...you are supposed to be able to see seven states from this point. Hmm. Who knows if that is proven or not...but it's cool to imagine it is true. Carver had fun in the "Rainbow tunnel".

Close to Rock City, we found a place called "Look-out" park. We had a picnic there overlooking the city of Chattanooga. I thought it was just breathtaking. What a perfect spot for a picnic. I guess when you live in a flat place, these kinds of views are not taken for granted. This was also one of the civil war forts. Kennedy (who's passion is American history) could tell us all about it and was thrilled to be there. Oh...and to explain the picture below...just Cooper throwing a web yet again. Forever throwing webs like spider man. He got the nick name of "spider boy" from the Dowdy kids.

Lots of great places to take pictures in Ellijay. More to come on my photography blog in the near future. Stef looks especially beautiful here.

One of my favorite parts of this vacation was just the interaction we had with our good friends at the Cabin. Our kids got along so perfectly and every night was filled with wonderful food, numerous games, long conversations, and even wrestling matches. Favorite games were "Ninja Attack" of course (this was played by the kids in almost every location we visited), "Werewolf" (which is similar to mafia...but even more fun), Sardines (kind of like hide and go seek...except you do it in the dark...and you hide with the person that is "it" once you find them) and numerous board games. No TV, no Internet...loved it!

These blankets shown below are the blankets that Stefanie makes as her little side business, "stefanie's blankets". Most of us there had one (stef had just given me a beautiful black and white one for my birthday) and so there were comfy cozy blankets everywhere. They are made out of minky material, and they are the best blankets ever.

Kennedy loved the Civil war battle fields that we visited. It was hard to imagine what must have happened on this calm beautiful field. After learning so much about American History in school (she seriously has the world greatest teacher that helps the kids experience what they learn), she loved seeing these historical sites.

We left the Cabin with sad hearts, but we raised our spirits a little with a stop at the famous "Varsity" drive-in in Atlanta. An experience everyone should have.

Believe it or not, this whole account was the "short version" of our trip. We had it jam packed with fun. We feel blessed to have been able to make this trip with our good friends.

JUMPING FOR JOY!

I can't imagine better news than we got on Monday of this week. JOHN GOT AN OFFER FOR A WONDERFUL JOB!!!! This "jumping for joy" was literally happening around our house the whole day. What a long journey. What a long trial. What joy we feel knowing that it has come to an end. John will be working for Fox 35 here in Orlando as a promotion manager. Not just a job...but a job in John's industry (so hard to find these days), a job in Orlando (almost everything we were looking at previously ended up being in other states), and a job as a promotion manager (the exact position he wanted). We feel so blessed. This trial was one of the hardest we have had to bear, but we learned so much and most of all...learned that we can do hard things with the help of the Lord. We know the Lord helped us through so many difficult moments. There were many moments of confusion and despair, but we received so much peace and so many answers from the the scriptures. I do not feel gratitude only because we received this blessing. I feel gratitude that my Savior was aware of us the whole time and has felt the same pains that we felt. There were days I felt that I could not go on and felt that we had exhausted every resource and tried our hardest, but nothing was happening. I did not share "these days" on my blog, as I found comfort in my blog being an outlet for "counting my blessings". I would post about the happy things in our lives, and later look back and realize how very blessed we are. I recorded the "daily struggles" in my scripture journal, and realize now how much the scriptures helped me get through each day. I truly feel the Lord spoke to me that way. I am so thankful for the scriptures. I am so thankful for my husband. So thankful that he is man that honors his priesthood and did everything in his power to take care of his family. I am thankful for a strong marriage that can withstand this sort of thing. I am thankful for an amazing supportive family. I will never be able to repay their generosity. I am thankful for the prayers and fasting in our behalf. I am thankful for caring and giving friends that seemed to know the times I needed them most. True angels. I am thankful for my beautiful children and their bravery and their endless prayers. I am thankful for my Savior who, "lightens burdens" and suffered as we did. I am thankful for prayer and faith. You can try and try to be "prepared" for something like this to happen to your family, but the only thing that really matters, the only thing that truly got us through each day, was our faith in Jesus Christ. At the times I was the lowest and could do no more, he lifted me and helped me do the things I could not do on my own.

Isaiah 40:28-31
Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding

He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.

But they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; Yea I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

13-
for I the Lord will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not;I will help thee.

17-18
When the poor and the needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the god of Israel will not forsake them.

I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.


So many scriptures helped me when we were going through this trial, but these are some that are truly special to me and came to me as I searched with such a sad and low heart. I took comfort in them so many times. Whatever we are going through...the Lord is holding our right hand (if we will let him) and pulling us along. Even if we can't always realize it.

John starts his job May 3rd. The happy dance continues in our house.

The sky in my very own neighborhood

Okay, so this was a few weeks ago...and it would have been cooler if I was one of those "on the ball" kind of bloggers that would have posted the "day of", but oh well. I love watching the shuttle launch from our house. Something that is a definite perk to living in Florida. A few weeks ago I was out for a run in the early morning around 6 a.m. and the shuttle took off. I knew what time to look for the light and it was amazing to first see the sky light up, and then to see the shuttle itself a few seconds later. After it had gone quite a way up in the sky, then I finally heard the sound. I usually don't hear the take off clear out here in my neighborhood, but maybe it was so loud because of the early hour and the world was quiet. It was a delayed rumbling and shaking. Anyway, I only had my phone camera with me, but I took a bunch of shots. As I kept running, I noticed the trail that the shuttle had left behind. As the sun hit it, it just looked beautiful. Kind of like a "sign" in the sky, like something from Harry Potter...but less sinister than death eaters. I stopped to take quite a few pics as the sun moved across the trail. What an amazing sight...and what a great way to make my run go by so quickly.

Not the best quality pics with my cell phone, but you can get the idea. It was really so beautiful.

Youth Etiquette Dinner

Recently we had a big "Etiquette Dinner" for the youth in our ward. We wanted the night to be special for the kids and give them an opportunity to dress up, eat a fancy dinner, use their manners, and learn how to converse with each other. Before hand we had some activities where we talked about etiquette in general, and then the night of the dinner, each youth was assigned an escort (which simply meant that they walked them to the table, sat by them, needed to have conversation with them, and then danced the first dance with them). It was a great opportunity to teach the boys about pulling out the chair for the girl, or standing when a girl leaves the table. Great opportunity for all the kids to have correct table etiquette, and dance etiquette (we closed the night with a short dance). The whole process of planning this event took quite some time, and we as leaders spent many hours decorating and getting things organized, but the pay off was wonderful. The kids looked so great and they really treated each other with so much respect.

Kinsey had fun getting all dolled up for the evening. I did her hair, and she wore this great dress...that I found at a garage sale if you can believe it. I thought she looked absolutely beautiful.

Can a 40th birthday be FABULOUS...YES!!

40th birthday. Hmm. How do I feel about this? Well, though I have never really dreaded the thought of turning 40 (because it is the new 30...right?), I didn't totally look forward to the actual birthday. It came on the heels of a hard year, full of trials and physical issues and though I have so much to be grateful for, it just seemed like it would be hard to be in a celebratory mood. Well, my amazing friends and wonderful husband turned that attitude right around. A week before my birthday I was completely SURPRISED with a limo, a dinner with even more friends, a tutu and crown...(which they made me wear), and such a wonderful evening. Truly surprised. I had been sick all week with strep and John never let on that I almost RUINED THE PLAN. I don't know how they pulled it off, how John stayed so calm, and how no one let the secret slip. Thank you so much Sara, Beckie, and Stef. I know you all did so much planning. Just simply knowing that friends would go out of their way so much just for me, truly made me realize what a good life I have. The whole night I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

A chauffeur showed up at my door with a gift and card and told me to follow the instructions. I had to put on the tutu and crown,and meet my friends in the limo with John and the girls. I seriously couldn't figure out how anyone pulled this off without me knowing. I was so surprised. It was so much fun.

The sweet...and sneaky, planners.

On my actual birthday, even though it was such a crazy week with things that John and I were involved in with the youth for church, we were able to squeeze in a small get-a-way. A dear friend had given us a gift certificate for a night away, and another dear friend offered to take our kids, so John and I sneaked off to Daytona Beach. Our hotel was right on the beach and I was just in Heaven. Yes...the beach is still and forever my favorite place. We just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves.

Stefanie and Chris Dowdy drove up and had dinner with us. That made it all the more fun.

I think my kids had a blast at the Hillis home while we were gone...and though Carver did throw up in their car (gasp), I am hoping that we are all still friends (I think he got it in a bag). The day after we got home, my kids made me a wonderful cake, and gave me some gifts, and we had our own little celebration. I love them so much and happy to have 4 wonderful kids in my life.

Prom photography

I had the opportunity to be the photographer for the "LDS Prom" that our stake put on last month. It was a new experience to work with lights and a back drop and SO many people, but it was a really great experience. John was invaluable to me with the set up of the lights and the backdrop. He worked long and hard and is the perfect partner. He even set up a monitor so that the kids could watch the shots that were being taken. He is a huge help on all of my shoots as he knows so much about lighting and the technical side of things, plus has a very artistic eye. Thanks sweetie! The night was really fun for all the kids. The dinner and decorations were great and I loved being a part of it all. Kinsey was not able to be at the Prom as it was for 16 and up, but I loved seeing all the kids I work with in the ward and the stake. They looked amazing, and as usual, I loved being with them.

John caught me in action as I took some of the leaders pics. Sara and Matt Rose.

These were are a few of the group pics of the kids from my ward.

Birthday Tutu

For my birthday, my friends gave me a tutu...I suppose so that I would feel young. And yes...they made me wear it out in public at a birthday party. But hey, I'm a good sport...and I love pink, and I love my friends, so I wore it. But I figured the tutu could be put to even greater use. Yes...in a photo shoot. So I slipped it on after church one day and Kennedy took a bunch of pictures of me. I think this girl has a great eye for taking pictures. Stefanie Dowdy made this tutu...and I think she should start selling them. So cute...and so fun.

I had to get the girls into the fun as well.