Scavenger Hike Adventures

As a new year begins, I start to think about what all I want to do in the next year. It seems, as I get older, the years pass more quickly and I have a hard time working in all I want to accomplish.

One thing I really want to get back into this new year is
 Hiking.

Now, I wouldn't call us avid hikers. We are more like strollers, but we love to be outdoors
walking in the woods or standing next to a beautiful waterfall.

The Smokey Mountains are my favorite place to hike.
 They are just so beautiful...

but you must be careful

(just kidding)

I love it when my whole family goes hiking together. We laugh, talk, complain and just spend time together with no real distractions except for God's beauty all around us.

When my children were younger,
sometimes it was hard to keep them happy and focused on the trail.

A friend of ours told us about this book,
"Scavenger Hike Adventures".

 We brought it with us on a hike and we loved it. The hikes were so much more fun.
The book gives you different things to find all along the trail and turns
 your hike into more of a game than exercise.
 

The book is great because, not only does it keep the kids busy,

 but it also teaches them about nature and the history of the area they are hiking.

 

Now, we do most of our hiking in east Tennessee so this book is perfect for our hikes, but if you live in other parts of the country, you will need to find one written specifically for your area.

 

 

 

I found several copies available at Amazon.

 Here  is the link so you can get a copy of your own...

 

          

            

 I find this one for the Rocky Mountains
so I am sure there are many more from all over the country.
 

  

                   
So let the New Year begin and let's all go Hiking!

 

 

 

It Took All Day....

 

and now all of my Christmas is packed away!

 

 It makes me a little sad to put it away for 11 months, but I am so ready for a new year!

 

 

I love new beginings and fresh starts.

 

I love a new calendars, lead pencils and a new binder filled with notebook paper, envelopes and pocket dividers to organize my thoughts, budget and schedule. 

There is just nothing better!  

 

Bring on 2013,

 

Happy New Year to you all! 

 

 

 



What I Got For Christmas....

        "Love your handwriting"

 

     by Heidi Swapp.

 

 

 

 I have always struggled with my own handwriting. Since I began scrapbooking, I have had to force myself to journal, in my own handwriting, on my scrapbook pages. I tried to do my journaling on the computer but for me, the pages just aren't as personal as I want them to be. I want my kids to look back on our family albums and see their mom's handwriting and not a computer print out.

 

Over the years, even when I take my time and really concentrate, my handwriting has been very inconsistent. So I decided I wanted to get serious and do something about it.

 

While searching through some older scrapbooking sites, I found this book by Heidi Swapp. It seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. It's not a new item, but it is to me.

 

You can order yours here...

               

      

 

The kit comes with the original book, a workbook (which I love) and a pen, ruler, lead pencil and a really good eraser.

 

I have only been reading and working in the workbook for a very short time but I really believe it has helped.

At a minimum, my handwriting is getting a little neater. I still have a long way to go to, but I have loved how helpful this kit has been so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winterized and Ready for Christmas...

Well, the Camper is winterized, covered and locked up for the winter.

 

This always makes me a little sad.
 

 Now it is time to focus on the Christmas Season. 

 

Our first order of business,getting our Christmas tree....

 

We may not have to traveled far to get our tree,

 but some how we still managed to make it into a family event.

 

Even if it was just to the K-mart parking lot!

 

 Next was the decorating....

 

 

And finally,

 we visited the National Gingerbread Competition in Ashville NC.

 

Can you believe this is made out of  Gingerbread?!

 

It was a great day, but if you plan to go, pack a lunch.

 This one sandwich, coke, bag of chips and gingerbread cookie was $17.

 

 

All in all, we had a great week

 

Even though the Camper is packed up and closed for the winter,

we still are always on the look out for a new campground to try next year.

On the way home from Ashville,  

we saw a sign advertising a campground we had never seen before.

 

 Of course, we had to stop and check it out.

 

We drove to the top of a mountain to find a campground with this view!

 

 

I know where we will be camping at some point in 2013!

 

You can read more about them here....

www.campfirelodgings.com