... hot chocolate.

It was finally cool enough today for the first hot chocolate ("piece of cocoa" for Rachael) of the season. Mmmmm!

... a visit from Mom!

My mom flew in today for a visit for a few days. I'm so happy she's here! It feels like forever since we saw her last. Rachael is thrilled to see her, too; she and 'Nana' are great friends. It's probably because they both have brown hair...

I thought when we moved to Kentucky that our families would come and visit, but so far it hasn't been nearly as often as I thought it would. (Who knew it actually is as far away as it seems. Oh well.) I'm glad she's here.

... friends who help.

I'm the Education Counselor in the RS presidency, which means I am over the teachers. One of our teachers has a three year old boy (who is in nursery). Today was her day to teach the lesson, and of course, halfway through the lesson, he had to go to the potty. I slipped out and took him to the potty, so she could continue to teach the lesson.

I'm grateful for good friends that I know would do the exact same thing for me if our roles were reversed.

... 10 things.

10 totally random things we saw last week:

1) A man hiking up a mile-long uphill path with a cigar in his mouth.

2) A women hiking up to Clingman's dome in boots with 2 inch heels.

3) Road signs and maps in both English and Cherokee.

4) A bunch of llamas. (They were part of a hiking group).

5) License plates from every state in the South.

6) A "scary monster" - turned out to be the end of a dead log.

7) A tough-looking motorcycle gang from Ontario, Canada.

8) Two drag queens at Hardees. I won't elaborate.

9) Two girls wearing handmade dresses and caps... rollerblading down the street.

10) Santa Claus at Krispy Kreme. Really! He was with Mrs. Claus and a man playing the bagpipes. Really really!

... Christmas Place!

I finally got to go shopping at Christmas Place! Christmas is by far my favorite holiday, and Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge is kind of like Mecca for all things Christmas. I explained to Ryan that it was like shopping at Cabela's or Sportsman's Warehouse... I think he gets it. He's not the Christmas fanatic that I am, but he lets me do anything for Christmas that I want.

... and relaxation.

Easily my favorite part of the entire trip... relaxing in the hot tub every night under the stars.

... and the window bed.

One of the cool things about the cabin is the upstairs bedroom has a really large window seat - it's actually the size of a twin sized bed. Like any kid, Rachael decided she would rather sleep in the window seat than in the comfortable king-sized bed in the bedroom. It's a vacation for all of us, so I took the sheet & blanket from the bed and made up the window seat so she could sleep there. She slept in it every night!

... the aquarium.

We thought we would do something fun for Rachael while we were on vacation, so we went to the aquarium in Gatlinburg. It was pretty expensive, but she had a great time! She was so excited to see everything.

This tank had something fun - dragons and seahorses.

But her favorite part? A molded octopus in a bathtub outside the gift shop.

... mountains and waterfalls.

Today we went to Mingo Falls, which is actually on a Cherokee Indian reservation. We had to drive all the way across the Park, then hike up about a quarter of a mile. The waterfall is impressive; it's about 180 feet high. The view of the Smokies on the way over is equally impressive.

... and a new family tradition.

August 2007 Family Picture at Newfound Gap
Great Smoky Mountain National Park

September 2008 Family Picture at Newfound Gap
Great Smoky Mountain National Park

... walking shoes and the Kelty carrier.

This morning we hiked up to Laurel Falls, about 2.4 miles roundtrip. I'm glad I have good walking shoes, and especially that I was prepared for a hike of that distance. It was almost all uphill to get there. (Which means it was all downhill to get back, which is activities that are beyond what Rachael can do by herself.

This afternoon we hiked to the top to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smokies at 6,643 ft. I great). I also love our Kelty carrier, which allows us to plan walking was not smart enough to remember to bring the carrier. Rachael was a champ - she walked a lot of the nearly straight uphill half mile climb.

I'm thankfull, too, that we picked such an amazing place for a vacation! I love the mountains and all the trees!

... and a great place to stay.

After considering all our options for where to stay on our vacation, we decided to rent a cabin. It is less expensive than a hotel and has the benefits of two bedrooms, a family room, and a full kitchen. Plus a hot tub! It definitely makes it a much more comfortable place for a vacation.

... a family vacation.

We are off on our second real family vacation of the year, five days in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We are spending some time in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I really love it because these are real, honest-to-goodness mountains. They don't go above treeline (the highest point is about 6643 ft) but they rise nearly 5,000 feet above the surrounding area, so it's much like the Rocky Mountains next to Denver.

We made a stop at Bass Pro Shop (the Southern Man's Cabela's), which is like a vacation in itself.

The boat Rachael and I offered to buy for Daddy. (He said no.)

Practicing on the fourwheelers. She's ready to take one on all by herself at Grandma & Grandpa's house!

... and she's OK.

Saturday night Rachael hurt her elbow. I first noticed it when I was drying her off after a bath - I wrapped her in a towel, then turned her around to face me. When I turned her, she screamed at me about her elbow. (After torturing myself for several hours, thinking I had done something, I realized she must have actually injured herself. She just didn't want me to touch it.) I figured she was just overreacting to whatever it was, so I gave her some Motrin and put her to bed. Two hours later she rolled over on that arm in her sleep and was screaming again, so we decided a trip to the ER was in order.

Fortunately, the doctor quickly diagnosed her with nursemaid's elbow, which is a dislocation of the forearm in the elbow joint. It's not painful unless the joint is touched. The doctor slid it easliy back into position, then showed me how to do it in case she slips it again. Apparently it's a common injury for kids between 3 and 4, particularly for girls. And if it happens once it's likely to happen again, so we just need to watch out for it. By age 5 the cartligde in the joint has formed up enough that it rarely happens after that.

Ryan and I were certainly grateful that it turned out to be a minor injury, not even requiring an X-ray. Rachael was glad to have her arm fixed, then disappointed that the doctor didn't want to "take a picture" (X-ray) of her arm.

... she's got style.

Today the nursery workers asked me who taught Rachael to sing "I Am a Child of God." I mentioned that we sing it at home quite a bit. What they really wanted to know was,who taught her to do it with style. Apparently today she sang it in nursery during singing time - word perfect - with her eyes closed and her hands clasped over her heart. I can only assume there were some stifled giggles from the nursery workers.

I guess I just have to blame her natural showmanship - I had nothing to do with that!

... more Rachael moments.

Moment #1
This morning Ryan went fishing with a friend. When Rachael woke up she wanted to know where Daddy was. (This happens almost every morning.) I told her he was fishing.

Rachael: "Oh, is he fishing with his girlfriends?"

I didn't even know he had girlfriends, let alone that he took them fishing.


Moment #2
We decided to take ourselves out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Above the fireplace there they have a large mounted deer head. (She's seen these before at Sportsman's Warehouse).

Rachael: "Look Mom! It's a Bambi deer!"

The fact that it was stuffed and mounted on the wall notwithstanding.

... my carpet cleaner.

Rachael is doing moderately well with potty training, but when she goes down, she does it with style. Today she wet through two pairs of underwear, two outfits, then the floor in the family room, the floor in her bedroom, and topped it off by wetting the rocking chair in her bedroom.

Thank goodness for my little carpet cleaner, that not only cleaned the carpets but the rocking chair as well.

And I'm also very grateful that it wasn't nearly as bad as the poop mess my sister-in-law had to deal with a couple of weeks ago, or the barf mess my friend Jolayne had, at night, with two girls on two separate nights.

... and more giggles.

Rachael was playing Lego Star Wars with her daddy. She was laughing so hard I had to come downstairs and see what they were doing. Watching her laugh hysterically always gives me the giggles too!

... fun with friends.

I had planned on spending the day cleaning my house (which desperately, desperately needs it), but a friend called yesterday and invited us down to play with her kids and a couple of others she was watching for the morning. Crystal has an infant daughter and a 2 year old son, and was watching two little girls ages 3 and 4. With my 3 year old, we had a handful. Or more appropriately, a swingset full!


I'm glad we went. I think Rachael was happy to spend some time with her friends, and I got to spend some time with Crystal. She is an amazing mom... I hope she has 10 kids. Or at least as many as she wants.

... another Rachael moment.

This morning there was some dew on the grass as we were getting in the car to go somewhere. Rachael wanted to know why the lawn was all wet. Not wanting to get into the boring details of humidity and dew points, I fudged a little and mentioned that perhaps it had rained.

Rachael: "Oh, I guess a giant was crying."

(I'm pretty sure the thanks goes to the Disney channel for this one. Still random.)

... and rotisserie chicken.

I really like rotisserie chicken! It's moist, tender, and flavorful. And best of all it's not too expensive at the grocery store and makes a great evening meal, usually for a couple of nights. It's also one of our favorite picnic foods.

... Cipro.

Ryan has had some lingering problems with the food poisoning he got in China. Today we got him a prescription for Cipro from the doctor; we're hoping it helps get him feeling all better.

... one more day.

Ryan decided to take the day off of work today so he could have one more day to recover from being in China. We went out to lunch, then we went fishing in the evening. It was nice to have him for one more day!

... 10 things.

10 things I like about September...

1. The humidity is becoming downright pleasant.
2. The air is cooler.
3. The grass doesn't need to be mowed as often.
4. Kids are back in school: the stores are less crowded.
5. And there's less traffic during the day.
6. Super birthday month: mom, brother-in-law, niece, nephew.
7. The leaves are starting to change color.
8. (Usually everything is still pretty green. Except this year... not enough rain this summer.)
9. Three months 'til Christmas.
10. We're going on a family vacation next week!

... musicals.

Rachael and I watched "The Sound of Music" this afternoon. She is really loving it! She likes how the characters sing and dance at the same time; this leads to her prancing around the family room and singing. She sings both songs she knows and stuff she makes up, which is great. I like to see her using her imagination!

... and Ryan's home!

This will mean more groceries, more dishes, and more laundry. But I'll take it because it means we will eat better meals and spend less days in our pajamas. And we're glad to have him home!

... she's resourceful.

Today I let Rachael play in the play area at the mall. They have those oversize slightly soft fiberglass toys to play on. (No pics, I didn't have the camera). There was a little girl there who was probably five years old, and she singled out Rachael to follow around. Whether she was trying ineffectively to be Rachael's friend or just wanted to irritate her to death, it was difficult to watch. Every time Rachael would get her eye on something to play on, that little girl would beat her to it. Climb to the top, sit in the tunnel, whatever. Rachael complained a couple of times that "somebody else is playing on that toy right now." Because there was nothing I could do about the stalker, I encouraged her to play on something else. She managed to have a great time, rotating around on the different toys, and not being bothered by the whole incident.

It was a window to the years when I won't be able to protect her from some of the mean things kids can do. I was pleased to see she could still play and have fun, that she didn't dissolve into tears, and that she didn't run for mommy every time either. She's a great little girl!

... and a chocolate recipe.

My friend Crystal sent me this recipe today for chocolate cake in a coffee mug. It's so yummy! It was excellent with whipped cream.

3 Minute Chocolate Cake

One coffee mug (or small bowl)
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg
3 Tbsp milk
3 Tbsp oil
splash of vanilla
3 Tbsp chocolate chips (optional)

Add flour, sugar, and cocoa powder to mug, mix well. Stir in egg. Add milk, oil and vanilla, mix well. Add chocolate chips (if desired). Microwave 3 minutes on high. Allow to cool slightly, tip out onto a plate if desired.

As you can see, I put a plate under my coffee mug, and I was really glad I did. I hate cleaning out the microwave.

... and a project.

While Ryan was out of town, I added knobs to all the kitchen cabinets and drawers. It was an inexpensive way to decorate the kitchen, and fun to have a project that I could work on a little at a time. It took the better part of a week, but I'm thrilled with the results.

... 9/11.

I'm grateful I remember what happened on Sept 11, 2001 so that I never take for granted the freedoms we enjoy in this country and those that have made sacrifices for it.

... and playdates.

I love having Rachael's friends over to play because it seems like we learn something new every time. This is Rachael and Clark playing "Hide-o Seek." They laughed maniacally every time one of them found the other, until I finally grabbed the camera. At least they look like they are having fun.

... the dollar store.

Today I bought Rachael a helium balloon, some fairy wings, and a fairy skirt all from the dollar store. (Total cost, $3). She spent all afternoon playing with them! A great $3 well spent.

... motivation.

I'm pretty sure if no one ever came over to our house we would just live in piles of persistent clutter. No one has been to visit us for an overnight visit in over a year, and my guest bedroom really looks like it! The bed isn't even assembled... it's propped up against the wall, leaving room for the exercise machine. I'm grateful for the excuse to go in and clean that room out.

... and a Rachael moment.

If I don't write down a few of these funny things she says, I'll never remember them. She's particularly odd in the morning, when she first wakes up. This, though, was later this afternoon, when we were talking about houseflies:

"Flies don't like crunchy sounds, Mom. It makes them scream."

No, I don't have any idea what she meant.

... sleeping at home.

Nothing like a few days away from home to make you appreciate your own bed. It's great to be home.

... 10 things.

10 things I like about visiting Pennsylvania:

1. Driving through the Allegheny mountains. Beautiful!
2. Seeing Gettysburg... so much history.
3. And the factory stores at Gettysburg.
4. All the beautiful orchards in central PA.
5. And the fruit! Fresh apples and peaches.
6. Girls day out with my sister.
7. My superstar brother-in-law, who doesn't bat an eyelash about watching 4 girls. By himself.
8. Watching Anika and Rachael play together.
9. Listening to Kira talk. And watching Kaelyn walk.
10. Visiting family!

... rest areas and road signs.

Whoever came up with rest areas is a genius. It's so great to jump off the freeway, take care of business, and fly right back on. They are great.

West Virginia has the best construction road signs. They are speed limit signs equipped with flashing yellow lights; they say "Road Work - Speed Limit 55 MPH - When Flashing." It's great because when they are not working, they turn the flashing lights off, and you can drive the regular posted speed limit. Like on Saturdays, you can drive pretty much through most of the construction zones at 70 MPH.

... slumber party!

Since it's our last night in Pennsylvania, we are having a slumber party at Lesley's house. Lesley and I went shopping, and Chad fed the girls pizza, then they watched a movie and had popcorn. When Lesley and I got home we all painted our toenails. Even Chad!

It's great to spend time with family.

... cheesecake.

More specifically, Godiva chocolate cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. And a sister and brother-in-law that love me enough to buy it for me.

Yum!

... cousins.

I am so glad to visit Lesley & Chad and their three girls. I don't think I realized how grateful I am that Rachael has such wonderful cousins on both sides of her family to spend time with. (Girls on my side, boys on Ryan's). Rachael is just exactly in between Anika and Kaelyn, and I think that will be fun. On Ryan's side, she is exactly the same age as Braden.

Swimming with Anika

Sweet Kira.
(Who does not smile on command, thank you very much.)

Cutie Kaelyn!

... safe travels.

Today we drove up to Pennsylvania to visit Lesley and her family. The trip was smooth, the weather was good, and the ultimate highlight is that Rachael kept her panties dry. Hooray!

... Sesame Street.

I love that Sesame Street is still basically the same as when I was a kid. Rachael is really into letters and numbers, so Sesame Street is a lot of fun. She's a big Elmo fan, me, not so much.