Halloween

The day before Halloween is always a big day for us. In our house, this is the day to ready our costumes, buy candy, taste the candy to make sure it's not poison and spend the day in eager anticipation. This year was different. Willow is now in kindergarten and we all spent the whole day at school. I volunteered that day to help out in the class and Hayden and Brandy came along with some gentle coaxing.

Hayden is already a big hit in Will's kindergarten class. This isn't his first rodeo and is quite familiar with the teacher and the other kids. Brandy on the other hand has only stopped in once during class for a short visit and then was out the door. This was his first classroom experience and he is very much the natural. The kids LOVED him.

Brandy showed the kids how to draw spiderwebs and they all eagerly watched and then copied the best they could and then one by one stepped up to show him their results. Brandy expressed his amazement at each one's artwork. They just thought he was the coolest and he received a lot of hugs that day from those sweet little kids. I have never in my life seen Brandy smile so much.

Brandy didn't stay for the costume parade but he waved and smiled at all the kids as they walked out for the 20 minute walk. I must admit that Brandy benefited the most from the time we spent in class that day. He got all the hugs and he got all the attention while I sat back and did some odd jobs for the teacher. I loved every minute of it.

First fall break is coming to a close

This has been a pretty good month despite the revolving door of sick we seem to be stuck in. We have seen Willow's first report card, (I was right - she is smart) Hayden is finally saying his name and we have been so sick that we were forced to come together as a family in ways we have never before.

I am calling this entire month fall break. We have all pretty much been stuck together like a sticky sickly glue for most of Sept and all of October and the never ending rain we have seen has made it that much more so. I'm not complaining though, life is what it is and I suppose all this togetherness was needed. The rain maybe not so much but I'm still alive and we are coming out of this mess a better family.

We did manage to make it out of the house on the rare occasion that the sun came out and no one was running a fever or throwing up.

The Autumn Children's Festival at the Riverpark was lots of fun and it benefited the Ronald McDonald house. The kids had a blast and helped out an awesome cause.

Ponies and inflatable slides - The kids were in heaven.

Grandma and grandpa also came to visit. We had planned a nice camping/fishing trip but the weather turned - AGAIN and Brandy was sick. So, we stayed in for the weekend and enjoyed each other.

Hayden was in heaven.

We carved pumpkins.

We put puzzles together.

an we made homemade chicken noodle soup.

We did make it out for a hike or two. We met up with Brandy's brothers for a nice hike and dinner one night and of course the great cloudland hikes (see previous blogs : )

LIFE IS GOOD

Opened a book and took a long look. . .

Like a lovely flower, full of color but lacking in fragrance, are the words of those who do not practice what they preach.
Like a lovely flower full of color and fragrance are the words of those who practice what they preach.



Learn what is right; then teach it to others, as the wise do. Before trying to guide others be your own guide first. It is hard to learn to guide oneself.

~ The Dhammapada

One is not wise because he talks.


They are wise who are patient and free from hate and fear.





~ The Dhammapada



Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think. Suffering follows an evil thought as the wheels of a cart follow the oxen that draw it.

Our life is shaped by our mind; we become what we think.Joy follows a pure thought like a shadow that never leaves. . .

For hatred can never put an end to hatred; love alone can.

This is an unalterable law.

~The Dhammapada

Cloudland Canyon - West Rim Loop Trail

If a ruler behaves as if he's invented the world, He will do no good at all.
The earth is a sacred vessel - and it cannot be owned or improved.

If you try to possess it, you will destroy it:

If you try to hold on to it - you will lose it.

~Tao Te Ching

5 mile loop

Moderate to Strenuous in difficulty

beautiful at every turn

http://www.gastateparks.org/info/cloudland/

Cloudland Canyon - The Overlook Trail

The guide who walks the Way
Never resorts to violence.

The sage wants peace and quiet.

~ Tao Te Ching

http://www.gastateparks.org/info/cloudland/
kid friendly

paved and very easy

Life with kids

Child rearing myth #1:

Labor ends when the baby is born.

- Author Unknown




There are two lasting bequests we can give our children:

One is roots,

The other is wings.

- Hodding Carter



You don't really understand Human Nature

unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round

will wave at her parents every time around -

and why her parents will always wave back.

- William D. Tammeus

We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children

that makes the heart too big for the

body.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous.

It is to decide forever to have your heart

go walking around outside your body.

- Elizabeth Stone

Mountain Farm Museum

This is a fun, kid friendly and educational hike. The kids and I enjoyed peeping in windows, smelling the flowers and checking out the farm animals of this rural homestead of the past. You will find this open-air museum full of buildings and gardens from about the 1900's. My family and I came away from our walk with a great understanding and respect for the heritage of our country and this region.

We saw how beautiful a simple, self- sufficient life was and still can be. The property included beegums, where families kept hives and produced honey for their own use and to sell. We also saw a beautiful kitchen garden and crop gardens. It was awe inspiring and gave me insight into my own kitchen garden. A chicken coup and a pig pen inspired awe in my children and we all were mesmerized by the sparkling, crystal clear creek that ran through the property.

Exploring the mountain farm made me wish for simpler times, a simpler life. Work was hard in those days and maybe didn't seem simple to those folks but I can't help but wish for just a bit of that life. I'd like to think that we have recreated a bit of this in our own home by growing and preserving some of our own food and buying local foods and products.

This was a great look into mountain life and life in general for rural families during the turn of the century. I loved it and the kids had a fun time as well. I can't wait to go back and see what it looks like in the fall.

Great Smoky Mountains Association

115 Park Headquarters Road

Gatlinburg, TN 37738

or

http://www.smokiesinformation.org/

for more information