pics from Asheville

We went to the children's museum in Asheville on Tuesday. They had several interesting interactive exhibits!

This is Claire after the cold stone creamery visit! YUM YUM!

Doesn't Claire look thrilled?

This was a cool exhibit. This model was animated and she moved and talked and whatever part she was talking about lit up?!??!

Giant bubble maker

This was the dizzy tunnel where when you walked through it felt like you were going upside down even though you were walking in a straight line and your feet never left the ground.

Jay had such a good time building with these. You would put them together and air blew threw them and you would drop a ball in and it would go through all the pipes you had put together and shoot out the end.

I had to make John and Claire leave this first room. They dressed up and spent at least 30 minutes with this fake food. Wish I hadn't sold the Dora Kitchen at that last garage sale :)













This is some more pics at the Western Carolina Nature Center.

Jay takes a turn on the otter slide.

This was the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville, NC. Claire is on the otter slide.

We got to see a barred owl up close!

This beautiful peacock was just meandering through the park and did not seem scared just to come up to people.

Finally, we saw a bear in the mountains. He was, of course, behind a fence and not in the wild.

Here is the bold peacock just coming up so near that we could shoot this close up.

and still .... more pics :)

This is the visitor's center on the Ocoee river where we waded on Monday.

This was the view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from our hotel room at the Grove Park Inn.

This little horse ride was in Cherokee, NC and John had a blast riding it. It reminded me of the horse outside of Sadie's 5 and 10 in Booneville that I used to ride as a child!

more trip pics

Here is a model of the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC. We enjoyed our stay in this historic inn.

Claire and Ben in the pool at the Grove Park Inn.

Yes, we panned for gems in Cherokee, NC :)

Anne and Scott at the mountain stream

Ben, Amy and Claire are enjoying our wading in the Nantahala Mountain stream. It was very pretty scenery as we wove through the mountains.

We went to the Aquarium in Chattanooga one day while Scott was in a meeting. It had changed a good bit since we had been there last. There was a whole new building. We took our lunch and had a picnic near the river. The butterfly garden at the Chattanooga Aquarium was fun

One of the kid's favorite things at the aquarium was getting to pet the sting rays and sharks!!!!

Claire hugs a penguin

This crab was enormous!

Pretty jellies

Trip pics Space Center,Choo Choo and part of the Aquarium

My computer has really been acting up the last couple of days so these are the only pics that I have had time to load.
I am thankful for safety and for the Lord's blessings on our trip last week. We had lots of fun and family memories.



On Thursday, the kids and I went to the Chattanooga Aquarium and then to the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Claire and Ben are swimming with Nemo and friends.

Claire and Jay

The famous Chattanooga Choo Choo

The Choo Choo grounds had a fabulous rose garden. You could smell the blooms before you could see them!

We went to the Huntsville Space Center on our way home on Friday. They had built a new building since the last time we had been there.

The family in front of the lunar module.

Claire and John rode the mini version of the Space Shot. John was petrified.

Ben , Claire and John were on stage with a real astronaut!

Jay just took right off climbing up up and up!

Ben tackling the rock wall

Claire is having fun climbing the rock wall (she went higher than the boys :)

Ben and Anna rode the Space Shot many times!

Claire and Scott under one of the big rockets at the Huntsville Space Center.

Asheville

Asheville is absolutely gorgeous! The mountain air is cool and crisp and the Park Grove Inn is lovely. The view from the back terrace is breathtaking. There are lots of spring mountain flowers in bloom and we have enjoyed our day in nature.
We waded in the mighty Ocoee today and had a picnic on a huge rock.
We went swimming tonight in the indoor pool and the water was soooo refreshing compared to the almost boiling :) water from last night.
The kids and I are on our own tomorrow...... I am not sure what we will do!

traveling

We are in Chattanooga today. We are planning a scenic tour through the mountains on our way to Asheville. We went swimming last night in the motel pool and the hot tub and pool wires got crossed and it was 100 degree pool water!?!?! The hot tub was much more pleasant - can you just see all 6 of us frolicking in the hot tub, i.e. Claire diving down, Ben doing hand stands, John screaming afraid to put his toe in........
We are hoping for beautiful mountain streams to wade in today and a day of hopefully considering God's wondrous creation.

Mother's Day

I am thankful for my wonderful Mom! My sister and I were able to be with our Mom today and it was a nice afternoon together. We all brought dishes and 'potlucked'. We(my sister and I) are always talking about how blessed we feel to have such a great Mom. We always felt loved and well taken care of growing up. She is so giving of herself and pushes herself way too hard to take care of Daddy and all of us still! Proverbs 31 brings her to mind...

Her children arise and call her blessed...

Thank you God for allowing me to have such a Mom.

My husband and children always do a good job to make me feel special and this Mother's Day was no exception. It stared Friday night with flowers, chocolate, goldfish :), grape juice, and a new book and candles around the tub and 4 hours of alone time to read and relax!

Saturday they even gave me a little time to finish my book!

Today, they showered me with homemade cards and gifts they had made in crafts class. Anna gave me some earrings that she had bought with her own money. They also fixed me breakfast.

Our sermon today was soo good. Many thoughts on what God delights in and how by studying what God delights in, we can learn more about Him. One of the quotes that Pastor John has been using lately is to know more about a man's character one needs only to look at what he delights in.

So today he spoke on how God delights in His Son. In His Son's life , lived perfectly, always following the law, in perfect obedience to God. And how God delighted in His Son's death whereby His wrath was satisfied and He was brought great glory by rescuing His enemies by this precious shedding of blood.

I was touched deeply by meditating on the thoughts of a loving , merciful God that counts my soul free because He looks on His spotless Son who took my sin.

How free we are because God delights in His Son. He credited His spotless life to us and by His death atoned for my sin. What love. And how gracious He is to us to give us daily all we need in Christ. He is the living water that we can come to and drink as much as possible as often as we wish. Oh give us thirsty souls and lives!

As we struggle with our sins on a daily basis , what hope we have that His spirit sanctifies and transforms us as we spend time meditating on His Word and On Him and that one day we will love Him and praise Him with a spotless righteous robe on - that is not our own. We will praise Him with a sinless heart when we see Him face to face. Who can present us before the throne, spotless.....Jesus Christ our Lord!

Praise be to God!

Homeschool graduation and new camera

Anna took this pretty pic with the new camera:)

Sisters

John and Claire

Smile!

Scott giving out the 8th graders certificates and books.

The homeschool chorale sang.

Friends Danielle, Anna, Olivia and Dixie

One of the perks of being on
the cleanup crew :)
Thanks Yonea, Kim, Ginger, and Kathy

AND Pam who took the pic!!!!!!!!!

We had our homeschool group's graduation and awards night last Friday. I used some of my teaching money and FINALLY purchased a good camera.

We had the kindergarten graduation and the 8th graders and then the big finale was the senior graduation. We had 12 seniors this year. We also give out achievement awards for families in our group. It was a fun night.