Bad Activity

Last week we had family home evening and it was my turn to choose the activity. Ethan had been asking me to play video games with him for several weeks, but I didn't feel like it. So, I decided to appease him and surprise him by playing a video game for the activity in FHE. Jeffery and Ethan decided to play Fight Night 3. I chose a character for Jeffery to play - Muhammed Ali and Ethan chose a character to play - Ethan "the Bonecrusher" Glenn. In this game, you have to build your character up to make him really good - over time. Ethan's character had not been built up, so you can imagine Bonecrusher vs. Ali. Yes, Ali won the fight and this was the result.

The 8th Article of Faith

Here is a video of Jeffery repeating the 8th Article of Faith. Turn your volume up so that you can hear him say the whole article.

The Fiery Furnace

Presenting Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego with the faithful servant of the king who tied them up.

This would be the fiery furnace and the idol that was worshiped.

Here's King Nebuchadnezzar and his servant and the idol.

Here is Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego that were thrown into the furnace and the servant that burned up when he shoved them into the fire.

Post Gatlinburg Family Picture

After we got home on Monday, Wendy presented all of the gifts that we got the children - rocks, candy and t-shirts to them and showed them all of the pictures that we took. Wendy wanted to take a family picture with all of our t-shirts on.

There's Goofy

Ethan acting goofy

Working Out

Jeffery is doing some training before the siblings go back to school.

Gatlinburg pictures 7

A bridge just after you go out of Gatlinburg toward North Carolina

We stopped at a place off the road in between New Found Gap and Gatlinburg
Wendy's manicure and peticure

Gatlinburg pictures 6

At New Found Gap - Tennessee and North Carolina Line.

Gatlinburg pictures 5

going thru one of many tunnels. People would blow their horns inside the tunnel. This annoyed Wendy.
Before we went into the tunnel.
At mile post 7.

Gatlinburg pictures 4

nuff said
literally - built upon a rock(s) foundation
front porch

Gatlinburg pictures 3

Another view of our hotel
Kilwin's a place to buy fudge, ice cream and lemon-ade.
The candy shop - Yum! Yum!

Gatlinburg pictures 2

The clock peddler shop. This had so many different grandfather clocks and are the #1 seller in the world.
A wishing well from the top floor in the mall.
at the Quest mini-golf
This is the Quest "indoor" mini golf place (to escape the heat)
the ground hog that was friendly on top of the mountain.

Gatlinburg pictures 1

Different kinds of pretty little rocks
On top of the mountain where the sky lift reached it's destination
different looks at Gatlinburg and the mountains behind it.

Gatlinburg TN

Wendy and I decided to get away for a few days for our 12th anniversary so we ultimately decided to go to Gatlinburg. I had a lot of good memories visiting the smokies in the past and thought it would be a little nicer to go there than go to the beach and I am not that much of a beach person anyway. We were pleasantly surprised when we got there. It rained the first night, so it was in the low 80's to high 70's. We didn't take that many pictures the first night but just enjoyed ourselves. We did a lot of walking the streets, visiting shops, looking at the tasty treats that many stores were selling and enjoying the view of the mountains in the background. We took a ride on the sky lift that night just before dark.

Day 2 was sunny and hotter. It started out around 89 degrees or more. We revisited the streets to purchase some items and souvenirs, ate a pancake/waffle breakfast, played some mini golf, rode the sky lift again to get some pictures in the daylight, saw a local visiting ground hog while we were up there, and saw a lot of t-shirt stores. By this time, we were hot and tired of walking. We wanted to get in the van and ride. Well, this turned out to be the best thing we had done. The Motor Trail was shaded and beautiful, the Ogle family home was beautiful, in its own perspective. Then we headed down Hwy. 441 toward New Found Gap, along this route was so beautiful. There were a lot of trail heads and lookouts along the way. We stopped at several locations, but when we got to New Found Gap, we were so amazed at the temperature drop and the cool breeze. We were almost cold. When we go back we will have definitely have to hike some trails. The trails were so clean and the trees made real good shade so it would be a pleasant walk. We came back down the mountain and decided to stop at a location where the river was nearby (the river was not flowing that much). We got out and put our feet in the creek and waded a little. The water was so cold. We came back to town ate supper and listened to a two-man band, one had a banjo and the other had some other instrument that I didn't recognize but they really entertained us a short while before we headed back to the hotel.

If or when we ever come back, this needs to be more than a three day campaign. We're exhausted from all the riding and walking. Here are some pictures from our vacation.

Angle of the bottom to the top
As we were coming down, a neat angle on how steep it was up to the top or vice versa.
On our way to the top
A view close to our hotel off of Airport Rd./Natural Historic Rd. with the space needle and the sky lift in the back ground

Baron's Game 2010

This is our annual visit to the Baron's game for the 4th of July celebration. Here are a few pictures of the children and their cousin Rubi.