Sunday Night

God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you may have gotten from the other pumpkins. Then he cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.~~Author Unknown

As if our weekend wasn't busy enough.....

There were still pumpkins to be carved. So, Jeff, Rachel, Anna, and Mary Grace began working on their works of art. Time didn't allow Jeff to do one of his unique works this year but I thought they all turned out beautifully just the same. And, it was Mary Grace's first time to carve a pumpkin.

After carving pumpkins, several of the neighborhood children showed up. They played baseball in the cul-de-sac. And, Rachel shared pecans with some of the kids from the tree in our yard.

After dinner, Rachel, Anna, and Mary Grace worked on scrapbook pages showing what they did over the weekend. I have always kept scrapbooks all of my life and I love it that the girls are enjoying it too. Plus, it's been a great teaching tool. They are writing their own words and explaining what happened on their trip. And, some times they draw their own pictures to share with their class. They are getting better with each page that they do. I cut the pictures and they color, decorate, and paste. They do get to use my fancy cutting tools but I have purchased cheaper paper, etc. for their use as they haven't quite got the idea of not being wasteful with stickers and some of the nicer paper. I find it easier to get their own cheaper supplies so they can enjoy it without me stressing over my pricier supplies not being carefully used. I hope they continue to keep these pages and in years to come, treasure them as I do mine.

Florence Marina and other western GA points of interest....

It's like trying to describe what you feel when you're standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon or remembering your first love or the birth of your child. You have to be there to really know what it's like. ~~Jack Schmitt

We camped at Florence Marina State Park, GA, this weekend. And, once again, we enjoyed absolutely beautiful fall weather. Our niece, Mary Grace, joined us for this trip as well.

Check-in went much more smoothly than it did at High Falls State Park last weekend. And, we had a very nice campsite. A few bonuses about camping at Florence Marina is that they do have cable TV and they have full hook-ups. This is not typical for most of the state parks. And, several of the campsites have 50-Amp service. For those who do not care for camping but enjoy visiting state parks, Florence Marina appeared to have some nice cottages to stay in.

We arrived around 6 pm on Friday night so we had dinner at the camper. Jeff built a campfire and we roasted some marshmallows and Mary Grace enjoyed her first s'more.

Providence Canyon State Park

Our first stop on Saturday was Providence Canyon State Park. It is located within 10 miles east of Florence Marina. This was our second visit to this park and it was just as beautiful as it was when we visited last year. We were so proud of all three of the girls. They did their first 3-mile hike here. We hiked to the canyon floor and back up and completed the loop around the canyon rim. They did such an awesome job with no complaining.

After a long hike, we were all ready for a bite to eat. We packed lunch and brought it with us. We enjoyed a quiet meal at one of the picnic tables in the park near the playground before packing up and driving to our next stop for the day.

Westville, GA

Westville is a living history museum which depicts an 1850 west Georgia village. It was only about a 20-minute drive from Providence Canyon. We were fortunate that our visit coincided with the time period that they host their 1850 Fall Harvest event. Westville takes visitors back to harvest time during the pre-industrial South. Activities include special musical performances and craft demonstrations such as pottery making, candle dipping, woodworking, weaving, quilting and hearth-side cooking. Special highlights include the grinding of sugar cane for syrup, available for purchase, and the viewing of Westville's animal powered cotton gin at scheduled times. The girls actually got the opportunity to make a pin cushion from a quilt block. It was definitely worth the visit and we picked a perfect time to go...no heat and no bugs! We all tried some sugar cane juice. It tasted a bit like sweetened ice tea. We also enjoyed some key lime pie and ginger bread while there.

The first picture below shows Rachel making a candle. It would take 100 dips just like this to make a full-sized candle.

Anna, Rachel and Mary Grace showing their pin cushion.

George T. Bagby State Park, GA

Our final stop before going back to Florence Marina was George T. Bagby State Park. Our purpose for going there was to participate in their Halloween carnival. While the staff was very friendly and there was no cost to attend the event, the trip to the park wasn't worthwhile for this event. However, the park itself was beautiful and it is one we'd like to stay at some time as well. It had a beautiful lodge there as well for those who do not camp.

Our trip there was interesting as Jill led us astray. Have I introduced Jill before? She is Jeff's other woman; also known as the voice of our Garmin Nuvi GPS. The location that she directed us to for the state park wasn't exactly correct. And, it's not the first time this has happened. The lesson I'm sharing with you is that while traveling, always keep a paper map with you as well. You never know when your GPS may let you down.

Sunday Morning at Florence Marina State Park

After breakfast we visited the Interpretive Center at Florence Marina. We met some of the workers at the campground on Saturday night and they invited us to visit the Interpretive Center Sunday morning and they offered to let the girls hold the snakes that they kept on display. All of the girls held the snakes but Rachel was the only one who really enjoyed it. Above is a picture of Rachel holding "China." China is a female albino corn snake. She also got to hold several other snakes as well.

After our visit to the Interpretive Center, we walked along the waters edge, ate lunch in our RV, and then headed home.

I think Jack Schmitt's quote at the opening of this post says it all regarding the trips we have taken. While we share pictures and stories about our trips, it's nothing compared to experiencing it first hand. There is so much beauty in this great country and many of us never experience even a quarter of it. We haven't even experienced a quarter of it but we are making the most of each weekend and hope to at least see much of our beautiful home state. If you don't do it now, start visiting your local state and national parks. They offer so many interesting opportunities to you at minimal to no cost. Our children learn so much with each trip (and so do we!). And, it's always great exercise just walking around outside. This time of the year is the perfect time to pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the great outdoors! If you live in the state of Georgia, there is so much to see and do within a reasonable driving distance. We have beautiful state parks all over the state. I encourage everyone to get out there and enjoy them. For those who do visit our state parks regularly, you may want to invest in the Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites membership. We chose the Family Membership which was $60 and it included two annual park passes (you won't have to pay the $3 entry fee for each park you visit), 10% off all state park lodging/camping, two free nights of camping, 10% of any items purchased in the state parks, two Sam Shortline train tickets, and free admission for up to 6 people to any state historic sites. Plus, you can designate a portion of the membership fee to be donated to your favorite state park. It's definitely worth it if you enjoy visiting the state parks often. And, the greatest thing about the membership is the money does go towards helping keep our state parks maintained and beautiful and as you can see from the pictures I have shared; it is very much worth it.

Anna's New Haircut

The hair is the richest ornament of women. ~~Martin Luther

Anna did say previously that she wanted to grow her hair out long again because she wanted to wear pigtails. But, Jeff and I both agree that short hair looks better on her. I gave her the option though when we went to the place to get our hair cut. She could get a small trim to keep the length or she could get it cut short again. She said she wanted it short again. And, since she still had that piece in the front that was uneven (that was a result of giving herself a haircut earlier this year), I asked the stylist to cut bangs for Anna this time.

She loves her new hair style because we don't have to use ponytail holders or anything else to keep the hair out of her face.

The last time we cut her hair this short with bangs, she was maybe 9 months old. I had to cut it that way to even it out as her baby hair was growing unevenly. I was having a flashback looking at her after her haircut. I half expected to see her sucking on her pacifier (which was her favorite accessory at 9 months) because she looked exactly the same.

Pumpkin Patch

A local church has a pumpkin patch each year. And, each year we visit for photos and to pick out a pumpkin (or a few pumpkins) to carve. We purchased four today but we'll wait to carve them later.

Rachel, Anna, and Mary Grace got their face painted and had a great time posing for pictures and playing. It brought back memories of how quickly time has flown. I remember when Rachel and Anna were infants and we'd sit them down next to the pumpkin to pose for pictures. My, how time flies. I'm not sure what Jeff will carve his pumpkin like this year. He always comes up with something creative and unique. I'll share pictures once they are complete.

Rachel's First Report Card

Rachel received her first "Progress Report for Kindergarten" on Friday. She is really doing well so far. She received the highest ratings on all areas that were evaluated to date. And, the teacher's comments were: "Rachel is a great student and role model. She has adjusted well to our school and made several friends in our class. She is reading many sight words and finding some books she can read independently during our Reading Workshop time. She seems to enjoy our writing time and is doing a great job retelling stories."

We are so proud of her.

Below is her school picture for this year. It saddens us to see how our "little girl" just doesn't look so little anymore. But, it is also wonderful to watch her as she is blossoming into a little lady with each passing day.

Middle Georgia

Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter. ~~Carol Bishop Hipps

Our state has so many things to do and within an easy driving distance which makes RVing an easy thing to do for weekend trips.

Our niece, Mary Grace, traveled with us on this trip. We did make reservations at High Falls State Park for the weekend but they could not find our reservation when we arrived to check in. We found out after we got home on Sunday that the dates were entered incorrectly with a check-in date for Saturday instead of Friday and that's why they couldn't find us. You would think they would've noticed that we had a reservation for Saturday but they didn't find it at all. We were fortunate that we found a privately owned campground (Buck Creek Campground) about 1 mile from the park so we were still in a convenient location and we did not have to return home. The owners were very friendly (although they did smoke in the check out area) and the park was clean; just not much to look at. All of the sites had a 50 amp connection and full hookups. The negatives were that the lots had a lot of slope to them, they were very close together, and absolutely no trees. But, we were grateful to have a place to park and stay so I wasn't going to complain.

Saturday was a very busy day. The first thing we did was drive to Juliette, GA. Juliette is the town where the movie Fried Green Tomatoes was filmed. And, the Whistlestop Cafe is still open for business.

We browsed the shops for a little while and the girls tried on a red hat at one store. I don't know if everyone has read the poem from Jenny Joseph titled "When I am an Old Woman" so I thought I'd share it so you can appreciate the photo below.

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other peoples gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.~~Jenny Joseph

I think I may start wearing more purple and I may have to go back to Juliette and buy me a red hat too.

We had lunch at the Whistestop Cafe. We allowed the girls to watch Fried Green Tomatoes as we drove to High Falls on Friday. I skipped through certain parts to avoid some of the foul language and other scenes that we didn't think were pertinent to get the gist of the movie. The girls saw enough of it to appreciate it nonetheless and Mary Grace just could not believe she was eating lunch at the real Whistlestop Cafe. Of course we had some fried green tomatoes as well as some bar-b-que; the secret is in the sauce. :-) I was surprised that Anna actually tried a fried green tomato. I highly recommend their fresh squeezed lemonade if you stop at the cafe for a meal. The trains still run on the track next to the cafe and the girls had a blast watching it go by. It's been a while since we visited Juliette; Rachel was maybe six months old when we visited Juliette previously. The last time that we visited, the old grist mill was an antique shop. Now, it's a motorcycle museum of some sort. Juliette is definitely worth a visit for those who enjoy this type of thing.

After lunch we drove to the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately, the gate to enter the refuge was closed. We don't know why. We've never been there before so we were unsure what to expect. However, we did find a trail that you can drive on so we explored it. It gave Jeff a chance to put the jeep into 4-wheel drive and we took the windows off of the jeep soft top to allow the girls to view wildlife a bit easier. We did not spot any animals but it was a nice drive in the woods nonetheless.

We continued our trip by visiting Jarrell Plantation. It was our first visit here as well. This cotton plantation was owned by a single family for more than 140 years and they donated it to the state a while back. The plantation survived Gen. Sherman's "March to the Sea," typhoid fever, Emancipation, Reconstruction, the cotton boll weevil, the advent of steam power and a transition from farming to forestry. This plantation holds several interesting events throughout the year that we'd like to try some time. On November 3rd, they are having a syrup making and storytelling event. They also provide candlelight tours around Christmas time. It was definitely worth the visit. For those who don't camp, there is a Bed & Breakfast on site at the Jarrell Plantation as well.

Our next stop for the day was the Dauset Trails Nature Center. This is a great place to visit, to walk, and see the animals or ride a bike. And, they do not charge any fees to visit. We all enjoyed it. One lesson we learned is that they feed the animals around 3:30 and that's a great time to be there since the animals are more active.

We drove through nearby Indian Springs State Park before returning back to High Falls. We have now made reservations in November to stay at Indian Springs as well.

By far, the girls favorite thing to do was the Towaliga River Falls Trail at High Falls State Park. The girls loved climbing on the rocks and playing in the water. Of course, my heart skipped a few beats watching them but I was so glad to see them enjoying nature. I think we have learned that they enjoy hiking when the weather is cooler. I guess we all do. But, the girls really do not have the tolerance for the summer time bugs and the heat. This weekend, they could not get enough of walking on the trail. Anna can't wait to go back! This coming from a child that doesn't like to walk at Disney World!

We had dinner at the Falls View Restaurant in High Falls Saturday night. The food was mediocre at best. Their specialty was "catfish and seafood." But, I've had better elsewhere. There isn't a whole lot of restaurants to pick from in the immediate area. You may fare better just grilling out at your campsite than to waste money here.
On Sunday morning, we went back to High Falls State Park to hike a little while longer. This time we let the girls take off their shoes and splash in the water. They had a blast and were so disappointed when we told them it was time to pack up and go home.

We'll definitely visit this area again. It is an easy drive from our home town and there is so much to do at very little cost and all within an easy driving distance of one another. Mary Grace had a great time as well. It was her first trip to visit a state park and enjoy hiking trails. We invited her to travel again with us next weekend too.

Weekend of Fun (and some not so fun)

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble~William Shakespeare (a quote from “Macbeth”)

We took our final trip to Disney World for the year this past weekend. Unfortunately, the trip did not quite go as planned. There were things "bubbling" but it sure wasn't a cauldron. Rachel came home on Wednesday after school feeling tired. By dinner time, the vomiting and diarrhea had begun. This was about the time Gail and Harold had arrived. Their plan was to stay the night with us on Wednesday night and continue their trip from Huntsville to Orlando on Thursday; arriving a day before us. We were planning to leave on Friday. That ever so brief stay over night was not a good thing for them. Because while at Epcot on Friday, the same stomach bug affected Gail. She was out of commission until Sunday. Meanwhile, it affected Anna on Saturday during the day and it hit Jeff Saturday night. We did manage to visit the Animal Kingdom in the morning and a brief visit to Epcot on Saturday afternoon before Anna started vomiting. Rachel and I rode the Everest ride at Animal Kingdom together again. I had passed on riding it for a while because it is so intense. It's not the speed that bothers me; it is the going backwards that seems to do a number on my equilibrium and neck. Both Anna and Rachel love the roller coasters and other thrill rides. I wonder where they get their love of adventure? (That's Rachel and me in the very front)

So far, Harold and I are the only ones who have not been affected. Needless to say, it did put a damper on the trip but we were still able to salvage a good part of the weekend and we were able to enjoy some of the main events we had planned.

Sea World

On Sunday, everyone felt well enough to go to Sea World. It was a perfect day temperature wise. It was overcast for most of the day which kept the heat to a minimum. That worked out great for those recovering from the stomach illness. And, since its close to Halloween, Sea World had a trick-or-treating area (called their Spooktakular event) which the girls really enjoyed. Since so much of Sea World is about the shows they offer, it was a good place for us to go while everyone was still on the mend. Rachel and Anna especially enjoyed the Sesame Street Countdown to Halloween show. While visiting the penguins, we found one sitting alone that reminded us of Mumble from the movie Happy Feet. We could've sworn he was dancing. He was such a cutie.

We had originally planned to have friends over at our camper on Sunday night but decided to cancel that in case there were any lingering germs that could be passed on. The last thing we wanted to do was to ruin another family's fall break vacation.

Richard Petty Driving Experience

“Now they're getting so politically correct you can't even stick your tongue out at somebody.”~~Richard Petty

Monday was a big day. Gail and I surprised Jeff with the Rookie Experience package at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Disney World. This provided him classroom instruction, safety instruction and track orientation, and to drive a race car for 8 laps around the speedway oval. While watching Jeff, I decided to try the Ride-Along Experience which allowed me to be a passenger in a two seater stock car while a professional driver drove it around the track and speeds up to 145 mph. We both enjoyed this. I think we both agree that we'd rather use our money on memories and experiences than material items and this was worthy of doing at least once. While we are not NASCAR fans, it was a blast seeing what it is like to ride in a stock race car.

Me dressed up for my laps around the track

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Villians aren't wicked, they are just misunderstood. ~~Disney cast member

Monday evening was reserved for the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is our second year to attend and we had a blast again. This year, I dressed up as Cruella Deville (101 Dalmations villian) and Rachel and Anna dressed up as dalmation puppies. At first I was thinking it was a huge mistake that I dressed up as Cruella. The reason I say this is that the Disney Villians only seem to come out for photos during the Not So Scary Halloween party so that means that the opportunities for character photos are very limited at other times of the year. And, since the party didn't start until 7 pm, and we entered the park at 4 pm, people thought I was the real Disney cast member Cruella Deville. At first, being stopped and asked to take a photo was flattering. But, then it got crazy. I told people I was not a real Disney character and they still asked to have their photo with me anyway; and for me to sign their autograph books. I was greatful when a Disney cast member interrupted me and asked me not to sign autograph books. I told him I felt bad turning the kids away and was greatful for him stopping the madness. Things got much better once the party started because there were lots of people in costume so I wasn't as much of a novelty but people would still stop me and ask to take photos with them from time to time.

But, the biggest surprise of the night was Harold and Gail's costumes. They told Jeff and I that they did not plan to dress up in costume. They lied. They surprised us by showing up in full costume as Raggedy Ann and Andy. And, they too were also asked to pose for photos during the evening. Of course, Jeff said he wouldn't be caught dead in such as costume as Raggedy Andy but I have to say, Harold wore it proudly and had a great time.

Some of you may be wondering what Jeff dressed up as. I wish I had something fun to share but he ended up not getting anything this year.

Also, our friends: Larry and Cindy (with their children; Hannah & Trinity), and John and Denise (with Alecia) met us briefly for the Halloween Party. Their costumes were awesome as Greek Gods and Goddesses.

A big event for the night was Anna being able to ride Space Mountain for the first time. She loved it! She was floating for at least 30 minutes after her ride.

And, Jeff, after having learned all of the hot spots in the Buzz Lightyear Ride, scored the highest you can get, 999,999.

While trick-or-treating, we passed Alice (from Alice in Wonderland) and she reacted when she saw me so I stuck my tongue out at her (gotta play the Cruella character). Alice acted offended and I enjoyed the moment. It is fun at time playing a character, particularly a villian.

What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted spectre, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scourings!~Washington Irving (a quote from “The Legend of Sleep Hollow”)

And, the parade was awesome! As always, it is led by the Headless Horseman.

Disney cast members filled our bags to the brim with candy. We've got plenty to last for a while between the Halloween Party and Spooktacular at Sea World.

We stayed until midnight; park closing. We were all completely exhausted after a very full day but we had a blast. Anna konked out before we made our visit to the villians. So, the real Disney cast member and I had a little fun with her in a photo. Can you tell who is the real Cruella?


Jeff and I returned home today, Tuesday. Rachel and Anna stayed for one more day with Harold and Gail in Orlando. They will be home tomorrow.

As you can tell, we do enjoy Halloween. When else can everyone dress up in costumes and make fools of themselves and get free candy! I just hate that illness interrupted our trip but we still made the best of it despite the sickness that was passed around.

Fall Trips

We've got lots of trips planned over the next few months so I'll be updating the blog regularly (as time allows). Stay tuned......

And, to our friends and family, we wish you a upcoming Happy Halloween!