Our tour of the Southeast

The girls and I took a road trip in mid-July. After spending the night in Montgomery, AL to break up the drive, our official first stop was my dad's house in Baton Rouge. We spent the night there and then packed up again the next morning to go out to dad's camp in the Atchafalaya Swamp. It was a 30 min drive from his house (the house I grew up in).

The camp is only accessible by boat, so we packed our stuff onto the boat and headed into the swamp.

Dad and I

Pure Beauty

Old oil rigs along the canals

This area is simply beautiful, and one of the best things about it is that there is no one around. There are a few other hunting camps scattered here and there, and a handful of fishing boats quietly strolling the water,  but we hardly saw anyone on this beautiful Saturday afternoon. Dad took us on a long boat ride. Then my step brothers (Daniel and Chris) and dad helped the girls fish for the first time. Here's Ellen and Arianna with their first catches. They caught a few more right off the pier.

The alligators were not afraid to show their heads right around the pier also. These guys were all over the place and would swim straight towards us while we were out. Maybe they are used to being fed or catching leftovers from fishermen?

One of the best parts of our day/night in the swamp was my experience froggin. Daniel (brother not husband) had told me about how they go out at night with spot lights and catch bullfrogs with their hands. He, his wife, daughter, and Chris took me out at about 9:30pm in his mud boat to catch some frogs. We rode to the lake where they spotted and grabbed about 15 bullfrogs. We also saw tons and tons of baby alligators. They were everywhere! Daniel grabbed one and handed it to me. Can you tell I'm in shock but having a blast? These guys were great swamp tour guides. It was unforgettable.

The next morning they drove us out to the same spot so the girls could see this part of the swamp. It's an area that my dad's boat can't get to. There is shallow water with tons of lily pads and grass that has a small trail carved out. I'm not sure how they saw this trail in the middle of the night! I couldn't see it.

My camera lens was foggy because of the temperature change from the inside of the camp (very cold) to outside (very hot) not because of fog. I didn't get many pictures because of it. Below is the area where we were frogging. Again, very shallow lake with lots of wildlife. 

We want to go back very soon. My Daniel (husband, not brother) wants to catch some frogs!

The next day we drove to Gulf Shores, AL and stayed a week at the beach with more family (mom's side this time). This resort had huge swimming pools with slides, a lazy river, and all kinds of family games. We rode to the beach on a trolly but couldn't stay out much because the jelly fish were everywhere. The cousins played sweetly the entire time. We had a wonderful time. It was so nice to be with family and especially since my grandmother had been very sick and actually passed away during our trip. She was 99 1/2 so we were prepared for it, but that doesn't make losing her any easier.

Othermommy and girls Christmas 2010

Cousins

We were all sad to leave but we went our separate ways on Sunday. The girls and I made the long trip home in one day. We arrived completely exhausted but we didn't have much time to relax because we had to use up our free tickets to Six Flags over Georgia that were going to expire the next weekend! (Tickets were won by the girls for a reading program that they participated in. I, as the teacher, also got a free ticket. Daniel's was half price.)

This past Sunday we took Daniel with us this time and drove to Atlanta for the day. We spent 7 hours walking around the park and rode 17 rides. The crowds were low so we hardly had any waiting. We spent half the day drenched from the river and splash rides, we were having a blast. The girls were thrilled to see so many huge rides. Daniel and I love them too, as long as they don't spin. We let the girls do those alone.

We returned home late Sunday night, exhausted again. Summers are full and so fun. Now back to real life. We have already returned to doing school work but I only have one more week off before my full teaching starts back. We will stay put for a while and it'll be so nice to be home!

Many reasons to love summer

We are taking a short summer break from school and dance until the week after July 4th.  We have had the pleasure of seeing so many old friends and family over the past few weeks.

After the recital the girls and I took a trip to Isle of Palms, SC with my mom and cousin for the day. Then we were off to Boone and Mountain City where we got to hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway and bike on the Virginia Creeper trail as well as see grandparents, cousins and my close friends from when we lived there almost 10 years ago. Daniel is teaching summer classes while writing so he stayed home. As usual when I away, I missed him terribly:(

Hiking Rough Ridge Trail. Daniel and I used this trail often in college and we both have fond memories of taking the girls here in backpacks and carriers. They cruised right up this steep trail and we were all able to enjoy the beautiful views from the top.

Biking the Virginia Creeper Trail. We rented bikes in Damascus, VA and they shuttled us up the mountain where they dropped us off for a 17 mile bike ride down the mountain. The trail was so peaceful and pretty.

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Then I traveled by myself to Charlotte to spend the evening with my college roommates and best friends. I'm not sure how many years it's been, maybe 10, since we've all sat down together for more than a few minutes. It was a sweet time. I love how even after years apart we were still able to pick right back up where we left off. Good friends are always that way and I'm thankful for these ladies.

I got some QT with Daniel's family while in Charlotte--a special brunch with Anna and Gail (no pics). Mom met me in Charlotte with the kids and we drove back home and had a surprise visit from our dear friends Scott and Anna from NC.

 

We had a week before our next visitors so here's some photos of what we do with our time at home. Lots of reading--especially comics. The girls just love them. Even if they are reading other novels they will still take breaks and pick these up. Here's Ellen reading her favorite one, Tintin. Other favorites are Far Side, Garfield, Calvin and Hobbes and Asteri.

 

Nature programs with our favorite instructor, Ms. Chanda every other week during the summer. Last week we talked about water quality and identified bugs from the pond. We have learned a ton from these but most importantly we have a great time with our good homeschool buddies. We always bring food and stay for a long time after so the kids can play around the pond, forest, and gardens.

More bike riding but this time with our friends and at Saluda Shoals in Irmo, SC. Great paved trails along the Saluda River. Lots of room to run, play and explore.

 

Most recently we had a wonderful visit from my Dad who came up from Baton Rouge to spend a few days at our house. This was a special time for us and I'm so thankful he made the trip. We had lots of time to hang out and it was around Father's Day too!

Daniel's dad also met up with us for the Holiday. Here are 3 amazing men that I am so blessed to have in my life. Handsome, loving, kind, generous, intelligent, funny...seriously, I'm a lucky woman.

Chimney Rock NC

We needed to make a trip to Asheville to get some gardening supplies. I'll post more about that later. Friday was also our 11 year anniversary. So we turned the trip into a little sight-seeing vacation.

As you can see from the picture above, there was not much of a view when we first got to Chimney Rock. We posed on Vista Rock but we were laughing because it was literally surrounded by a cloud. There could have been anything (we were imagining a beach, aliens, big city) on the other side of the fence. We couldn't see anything.

We stopped for a rest in the Opera Box to get another view of the cloud.

We hiked our way up to the highest point and it was beginning to clear up. We posed for an anniversary picture:) Photo by Ellen.

On our way down the mountain we stopped at the Chimney again and we were excited to see the clouds had parted a bit and we could see Lake Lure and the village.

We hiked down another trail over to the waterfalls.

Arianna found a baby salamander. Ellen caught it and wanted a picture for our nature journal.

Looking up at the falls. They were so tall I couldn't get a good picture of it from the bottom.

They found a crawfish eating a dead snake.

They were on the edge of the falls. We had a great view from this point--huge waterfall on one side and the valley on the other.

Here's another view of the mountains on the other side of the valley from the trail on our way back.

 

Here is a view of Chimney Rock from the gift shop and parking lot.

 

The view of the lake from the same spot.

 

 On our way home we made a wrong turn and instead of going back through Hendersonville we realized we were on the way to Black Mountain (which is the opposite direction). So to make the best of our mistake, we stopped in downtown Asheville to eat at one of our favorite restaurants The Laughing Seed.

Happy Easter

Just a few days late...

I thought the girls might be getting too old for an egg hunt but I was wrong. They were waiting for it all day long. Mimi prepared the eggs while we went to church. Thanks Mimi! 

The joy of candy filled eggs!

Blue really wanted some candy but all he got was a kiss:)

 

 The next day, these Lindt dark chocolate bunnies came in the mail.  Thanks Liz and Grandmother Gail. Yum!

 

A Wonderful Experience

Last weekend, our studio performed an original ballet based on Dr. Seuss stories. Beginning in January,  dancers auditioned and I and the five other teacher/choreographers began the process of turning the classic books into ballets. The costumes and props were hand made and specifically designed for the dancers and the pieces.

Ellen and Arianna got their parts and practiced once or twice a week for several months. These rehearsals were in addition to their regular ballet and contemporary classes that they take during the school year. These girls love to dance and they loved practicing and hanging out with their ballet buddies. Now that the show is over they are sad that they don't get to go to rehearsals anymore. We are all wondering what we are going to do with ourselves now that the show is over.

The fish at dress rehearsal

Before the show: Arianna a Sneetch and Ellen a Fish

Ellen in the center during the show with the Fish

Arianna pictured here with the fish

Truffula Trees and Dr. Seuss

 

I don't have pictures from the Sneetch dance that I choreographed but I should have some video soon. Here is the Star Machine that my friend Alyse and I decorated. It is huge as you can see and the Sneetches walked through it. Here is the front side.

Proud mom and dancers after the show.

Grandaddy William and Grandmother Gail came down from Charlotte to watch!

 

A special thanks for my love. You picked up the slack around the house while we were rehearsing. You also designed and planted our amazing vegetable garden this spring without any help from me. This ballet was a wonderful experience that couldn't have happened without your encouragement and support. Thank You Daniel.