Weekend Get Away

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature.~~Anne Frank

Friday

The house needs to be cleaned. We need groceries as the fridge is almost bare. And, the laundry is in need of attention. So, what would any other responsible family do in a situation like this? Well, go camping in their RV of course.

I occasionally get in my spontaneous moods and I decided that we were much more in need of a relaxing weekend away as a family than we were in need of a clean, orderly house and groceries. Yes, I have my priorities.

Since I didn't make this decision until lunch time on Friday, we needed to pick a place that was reasonably close. We decided on High Falls State Park since it seems to be a favorite and a short driving distance. The park had lots of availability, the weather forecast looked perfect all weekend, so off we went as soon as the girls were home from school.

While we have made several trips to this park, this was our first time to actually camp in it. The sites are nice and level and the comfort stations are clean and are temperature controlled. We stayed at Little Ocmulgee State Park during a very cold time a few weekends ago and we took showers in the Comfort Station since my niece was with us and it wasn't a full service site. However, there was no heat in their Comfort Station and the girls weren't real pleased with the coldness after they exited the shower. So, I've come to appreciate the Comfort Stations that do provide temperature control.

The campsite we picked was perfect. Directly behind us was a great trail area with lots of fallen logs crossing a stream running through the property. The girls loved it. Anna said it was better than any playground. Although our fun was short-lived. As we were walking back to the camper, a limb that was caught on my pants leg flung back at Anna and hit her right in the face. It appeared it had hit the bridge of her nose and her left eye. I was in a panic as Jeff routinely gets eye injuries and I was so afraid that Anna's eye was damaged. But, after retrieving some ice and providing lots of hugs, it appeared the worst of it was her nose. You can see the small cuts on the right side of her nose in the picture below.We ate dinner at a restaurant near to the camping area and then turned in for an early evening so we'd be fresh and ready to go in the morning.

Saturday

We had a big breakfast at our camper and then we decided to go for a hike in the park. We walked and climbed through the wooded area behind our camper and then headed for the falls area. As usual, the girls enjoyed walking around the rocks. And, as usual they were dying to get in. I explained that the water was cold, the temperature was cold and that it would not feel too great walking back to the RV in wet, cold clothes. But, what do I know? I'm just a Mom. After sitting on the rocks for a short period, Rachel asked if she could take off her shoes. Against my better judgment, I told her, "o.k." Then, of course, Anna wanted to take her shoes and socks off. You can imagine where it went from here. A few minutes later both had wet pants and both were cold. And, we had at least a 1.5 mile hike to get back to the RV. As they walked, you can imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth that was occurring. And, I again explained to my young padowans that I forewarned them and they didn't make smart choices. And, Daddy explained that they were now dealing with the consequences of their choices. Rachel quickly responded, "I don't like consequences." Natural consequences truly are the best teacher of life lessons.

After we got back to the camper, I changed the girls into warm, dry clothes and then we packed up to head to Indian Springs. We ate lunch at Pinky's Parlor and Cafe again which is located in the Village at Indian Springs. I can't say enough great things about this surprising restaurant in this sleepy little town. The food and service were excellent as it was last time. While eating there, we met Frankie who is the woman who has bought a lot of the property in Indian Springs and she working with the community to refurbish it in the hopes of bringing in more tourists. She even bought some houses off of the main street that she has completely refurbished and they are now renting as vacation cottages. Frankie took us on a personal tour. She has truly done a beautiful job and the two-bedroom cottage currently rents for $149 a night. This would be a great weekend getaway for someone looking for a short drive from the middle Georgia area. Also, behind Pinky's, there is the Whimsical Gardens and Enchanted Forest which is free to enter. We enjoyed strolling along the pathways and viewing all of the statues, etc. I'll bet it's beautiful in the spring when everything is blooming. We may plan another trip here in March.

While walking through the Whimsical Gardens, we noticed a tree that had something carved at the top. I suspect it was meant to be a heart. But, being that Rachel and Anna are our offspring, their views are a bit different. Anna decided that it looked like testicles (yes, she knows anatomy). Rachel disagreed, she thought it looked more like a butt. Ahhh....our children.....the apples didn't fall too far from the tree. Here is a picture for you to view and decide what you think it looks like.

We spent more time strolling around the shops on this visit. We especially enjoyed our visit to Generations: The Gallery at Indian Springs. They offer a free kids art studio class. The flyer said the class was from 11-12 but we didn't arrive there until around 1:30. They were still more than happy to spend time with Rachel and Anna nonetheless. Both Rachel and Anna love to draw and color so they were in heaven. They also offer art summer camps for children. I'll have to check into that later this year. I highly recommend this place for parents who homeschool as well.

After our visit to Indian Springs, we visited Dauset Trails Nature Center again with the children. I have discussed Dauset Trails previously so I won't rehash it all again. But, suffice it to say, if you have children and a limited budget, what more could you ask for than a free place like this.

We decided to pick up some hotdogs to cook for dinner during the evening. Jeff built a nice campfire and we roasted the hotdogs over the fire. It wasn't the healthiest of dinners but it was pleasant just relaxing by the fire and reading a book.

Sunday

We decided we'd go for a short walk to the playground after breakfast. I can't remember now what Anna began complaining about but the whining was in high gear. Jeff told Anna that she had a choice to either stop whining and go to the playground or we would return to the camper and go home. The whining did not abate. So, rather than spoiling this time for everyone, I decided to take Anna back to the RV (much to her dislike) while Jeff continued on with Rachel to the playground. Needless to say, Anna was not happy. But, I explained to her as we walked that she was given choices and that she didn't make a good choice.

Once we were in the camper, she proceeded to have her temper tantrum. I proceeded to retire to my room with a book and the cat while she had her time to "let it out." It was almost humorous at times. She was crying and yelling: "I want to go to the playground." "I want my Daddy." "I want to pet Simba." "I'm the ugliest girl in the world." When that didn't invoke my sympathy, she reverted to infancy, "I want my paci." "I want my crib." "I want my blanket." This was a first. And, when none of this worked, her next demand was, "I want something to drink. I'm hungry. I want something to eat." Did I mention this went on for about 30 minutes?

I explained to her that she had three things to do. 1. Stop the crying and whining. 2. Apologize for her behavior. and 3. Ask for what she wanted nicely. Her reply was that "I can't stop crying." And, I told her she could if she chose to. It was then that she proceeded to tell me that I was a "mean Mommy." She then stated, "you don't love me." "You never hug me when I go to bed." Untrue, but she was determined to find fault. I told her that I'd give her a hug right then if she wanted one. She said she did, and she hopped on my lap while the sobs slowly disappeared as she nuzzled on my chest. I told her that I loved her but that I didn't like her behavior. I explained that she was not ugly but that her behavior had not been pretty. And, then I told her that she still had two things to accomplish.... "apologize and ask for what she wanted nicely."

She then squeaked out a small, "I'm sorry." I told her I forgave her and then asked her what she wanted. She stated, "I'd like some juice and yogurt please." After that, it was as if the evil twin had left the building and we proceeded to enjoy our day. We eventually met up with Rachel and Jeff and then we packed a lunch and headed to the falls for a picnic. As you can see, the whole family enjoyed it.

Jeff took a close-up picture of me (scary, I know). Usually, I'm behind the camera taking pictures of everyone else. So, every once in a while, I ask for a photo. I figured someday the kids may wonder what their "mean" Mom looked like. They may only remember my horns and forked tail so I thought I'd get a picture to show them I wasn't as bad as they recalled. Interestingly enough, I'm not a real red head. The color is courtesy of a dye bottle. But, the color is actually brown and I must have pigmentation in my hair that brings out the red instead. I've been coloring it this way for so long that people think I'm a natural redhead and there are days, I think I was truly meant to be a redhead. I think Jonathan Swift said it best.

It is observed that the red-haired of both sexes are more libidinous and mischievous than the rest, whom yet they much exceed in strength and activity.~~Jonathan Swift

And, now this mean red headed mom is ready to take on the work week after a much needed weekend get away with the family. But, we'll have to go to the Waffle House for breakfast in the morning and the laundry, housework, and grocery shopping will still be waiting on us tomorrow. Housework can always wait....spending time with my family is limited.