Smoky Mountains

About two months ago I told Adam I wanted to the Smoky Mountains for my birthday. We didn't think it would actually happen, but we did and it was one of the most amazing trips I have ever taken. We decided to go a week before my birthday in hopes of seeing the beautiful fall colors the park has to offer in October. And it was gorgeous! All the regulars to the park kept telling us the colors weren't as beautiful this year, but I surly thought it was still awesome colors everywhere. It even snowed while we were there! How perfect it that?! Here are somepictures from our trip.

Our initials in the fire

Yummy roasted cinnamon sugar apples

Campfire Banana Splits...don't worry we liked these so much we had them everyday!

Waterfall on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail

Sawfish from below

Seahorses and the Adam

Mmmmm Ogle Dogs

Adam making silly faces without knowing it was a two sided mirror

Big Chair

Ogle House

Stream on the way to Grotto Falls

That's a black bear, but I made the mistake of giving the camera to Adam and he didn't know how to focus using my dad's camera

Grotto Falls trail head

This mouse woke me up before daylight scurrying around over our tent for over an hour, I found it in the wood box when I finally gave in and got up

The Chimneys under snow

Creek on Chimneys Trails

Newfound Gap

Waterfall off to the side of the road

Me by the waterfall

Me and Adam at Newfound Gap

My brother, Kris, took us to Knoxville to sight see and get pizza at Barleys

After that we went to a trendy coffee shop

Adam, Kris, and his girlfriend getting warm drinks

What Adam does in his spare time when he is not playing Call of Duty

Awww snap!

Adam has fancy hair

Passover Family Home Evening

On Monday nights our household has "family home evening." We are studying the bible together as a family through a class called Disciple led by my dad. This post is a little belated as this was many weeks ago when we had our passover meal after reading about the plagues of Egypt and the passing over the last plague over Hebrew homes. Passover is celebrated to remind Jewish people of their bondage in Egypt and their deliverance out of slavery. While it wasn't springtime, when Passover is actually celebrated, it was an awesome visual to learn the story of the Hebrews in Egypt.

We ate matza[unleavened bread or bread of affliction], drank wine grapejuice[four verbs of Redemption], charoset[which I made! It represents the mortar that the was used to bond bricks when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt], parsley[spring and rebirth], salt water[represents tears from slavery], and raw horseradish. The horseradish was the onlyunenjoyable part of the experience. Where the horseradish was supposed to bring tears to your eyes to remind "us" of the tears that were shed and the bitterness of slavery. And boy did it bring tears to everybody!

Bugs at Dusk

Since we moved to Tennessee Adam has got to experience a new type of bug, the lightening bug. They come out at dusk and their bottom half flashes on and off in attempt to mate with another lightning bug. Since we live in the city we haven't caught enough to put in a mason jar ;), but we have caught a few to make lightning bug rings on. You squeeze their bottoms and smear the flourescents on and it glows. Pretty cool, eh?

Fishing at Shelby Farms

Me and Adam went fishing today at Shelby Farms. It was a hot day, but we had a lot of fun. We didn't catch anything with the Power Bait, but a family left some worms and then we started

getting bites like nothing else. And Adam said we wouldn't catch anything with worms. ;)

Getting the poles ready

Watching the poles

Adam's catch! A Turtle?! Don't worry we put him back! Even though he tried to snap Adam's finger off.

I caught a bass! Yea!

And I caught a turtle too! The turtles kept stealing all our bait. Slightly annoying, but kind of cool too.

Happy 22nd Birthday Adam!

Adam turned 22 today! Adam got money from my mom which we used to go eat at a Chinese Buffet. For his birthday cake we had a cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Yummy...well for Adam at least because cheesecake makes me want to throw up in my mouth. ;)

Frog legs (the other white meat)

Well i had frog legs for the first time. They were pretty good and no they did not taste like chicken but more like a mix of chicken and fish. decent texture good flavor i would eat them again for sure.

Shelby Farms Dog Park in Memphis with Memphis

To take a break from the job search and getting settled me and Adam went to the dog park in Memphis called Shelby Farms.  It's basically a huge fenced in field.  I am glad we didn't end up taking Aspen & Lilo because they would have been long gone and never seen again!  Memphis got worn out completely, but if we go back again I am thinking he might need a life jacket. As much as he loves swimming he isn't very good at it. His back half sinks in the water.  Here are some pictures from the dog park.

Adam avoiding ticks by the pond

Me being hot!

The dog pond

Memphis the retriever

Don't shake so close to the camera!

1, 2, 3, dive in!

Happy wet dog

My new dalmatian friend, Sam

"C'mon pup try to keep up!"

The Tick Boy

"Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that are often found in tall grass and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing host. A tick will attach itself to its host by inserting its chelicerae (cutting mandibles) and hypostome (feeding tube) into the skin. The hypostome is covered with recurved teeth and serves as an anchor.^[2] Physical contact is the only method of transportation for ticks. Ticks do not jump or fly, although they may drop from their perch and fall onto a host. Some species stalk the host by foot...Ticks can be found in most wooded or forested regions throughout the world. They are especially common in areas where there are deertrails or human tracks. (www.wikiepedia.org)"

These little bloodsuckers have found a new host. My Adam has had more ticks in the past week than I have had in my entire lifetime.  He has now had 7 ticks!  Eeeekk!  They sure do love his fresh blood.

Speaking of blood,  TrueBlood starts tonight! Is anyone as excited as I am?

We are in Memphis!

Our 1,620 mile journey took us 3 days. With overnight stays in Grant, NM & Oklahoma City, OK. We had 3 big dogs and 1 kitten in tow. We made the best of the trip I must say though. The first day we went to Castledale and visited with some of Adam's family saying goodbye. We went to Four Corners where Adam tried some frybread. The second day we went to the a Cadillac graveyard and The Big Texan (Home of the free 72 oz steak), & and the third day we just kicked it on in to drive and arrived in Memphis, Tn. Here are some highlights.

It was all fun and games in the beginning...

Four Corners

Adam driving

We signed our name combined on a cadillac

Adam committing the felony

Cadillac graveyard

Me in Big Texan chair

Adam in the Big Chair

Antigua sleeping

Adam sleeping

Memphis sleeping on Lilo

Antigua heading the trip in the front window

The smallest Wal Mart I have ever seen

Are we there yet?