Mountain camping!

We had a great time camping in the Smoky Mountains last week for Spring Break. I was a little apprehensive as there was so much prep work, we have fairly young kids and let's face it...I am not that "outdoorsy." However, we had fantastic time!! We met my college roommate and her family there. We had campsites next to each other. We had a cabin and they have their own camper trailer. There were four adults and five kids ages 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Right behind the campsites was a rocky stream the kids loved playing in. There was no shortage of playmates and virtually no fighting amongst them. The cabin was small but clean and nice. The whole campground was nice, very natural with trees and streams and the bathrooms were very clean.

We went hiking, saw tons of awesome streams and rocks and even hiked all the way to a waterfall (1.3 miles one way). We were there a bit early in the season so not much was leafed out yet but it was still beautiful. We rode an aerial tram to the top of a mountain and then Double A ice skated for the first time ever and we went snow tubing (manufactured snow). We went to Dolly Parton's dinner show the Dixie Stampede. The kids loved it as it had horse riding and tricks and such.

We spent alot of time hanging out around the campfire grilling, eating smores and just having fun. The kids enjoyed the relatively free rein they had to run around the campground together. It was a very relaxing vacation. The kids stayed up late every night and had action packed days. The weather was lovely...a bit chilly at times but pretty clear and dry and warmed up nicely most days.

We all agreed it was a great time and are trying to come up with ideas for next year! It was even very affordable as family vacations go! All around AWESOME - GREAT friends and GREAT times.

roasting the perfect "mellow" even though there are so many different ideas on what constitutes "perfect" :)

crossing a stream/river on a fallen log because the footpath bridge was out

Double A's first time on skates and Husband #1's second time. He readily admits he is not the best skating teacher she could have! :)

Hiking the trail to the waterfall that you could walk behind!

All the kids at the Yogi Bear statue in the Jellystone campground where we stayed.

Our "rustic" cabin. It had four bunks, a toilet and sink (no shower), a kitchen sink, dorm fridge, coffee pot, and toaster

all the kids taking a break on a log on the hiking trail

Foreshadowing

Who knew when Double A got this pacifier as a 4 month old at Christmas that it would be a sign of things to come?

Double A has been rapidly losing teeth, as most 6 and a half year olds will do. However, our child refuses to wiggle her loose teeth. Her two front teeth have been loose since November. That would be at least 4 months, for those who are counting. The teeth get so loose that they shift positions and pretty much stick straight out. The teeth coming in are at least halfway grown in already. Double A now goes by several new nicknames such as Snaggletooth and Bucky Beaver. These pictures do not really show the detail of how the teeth poke out but it is very annoying. I feel like we should live in the Appalachians or something when I look at her teeth.

I finally called her dentist to see if they would pull them...or really just flick them out, they were so loose. They said it would be $100 per tooth and they really did not like to do that when there were no problems and the kid could get them out on their own. Well, once Husband #1 heard this he decided that was the night it was coming out! I got the lovely job of holding down a kicking and crying Double A while he wrapped dental floss around the tooth. All of a sudden she got very still and the tooth was out - FINALLY!! She claims it hurt but I think she was just surprised. It did bleed a fair amount but stopped quickly. I told him later he should have wrapped it around both teeth since she will likely never let us do that again.

So now we are down to one crazy snaggletooth. She says the next top front tooth is loose but I told her at the rate she goes she will be well over 7 years old before it falls out.

So, for those who are counting...this is her 5th lost tooth in a year's time span. The next one is hanging by a thread...

The Forever Stamp

So, I saw this on someone else's blog but thought I would mention it here...because, who knew??

This is the Forever Stamp:

The current price of postage is .42 cents. I mention this because who can keep up??? Anyway, this Forever stamp sells for .41 cents per stamp. These stamps will FOREVER be valid postage despite any future postage rate increases...such as the one coming on May 11 to .44 cents per stamp.

I say this is a good deal and where have I been?? Right now it is a small discount of one cent per stamp but coming in May (if I stock up now) it will be three cents off! I am purchasing several sheets everytime I go to the post office and figure they can last FOREVER!! :)

Consider this my helpful hint for the recession riddled economy.