Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is a pretty little city tucked away right into the mountains.  We didn't do anything great and memorable while there, but spent more time just taking it easy, doing laundry, and playing.  The Biltmore was a place that almost everyone recommended.  But it would have cost us about $200 as a family, so we decided to wait until another time when the kids might consider a tour of a huge mansion interesting instead of "boring" (Isabella's favorite word lately.).

The only photos I have of Asheville are from the day we went to Western North Carolina Nature Center (say that 5 times fast!).  It was a great little center that felt more like a small zoo.

Watching the otters play and eat. 

Drawing and writing observations of the otters.  Homeschooling at it's finest.

Watching the mountain lion pace.

Counting how old the tree was.

The Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

I think it was well over 10 years ago that I first saw photos and read an article about The Great Smoky Mountains.  Ever since then The Great Smokies have been on my "must go/see/experience" list.  We loved our visit there.  The beauty of it all was breathtaking and indescribable.  The history of some of the Appalachian people was captivating.  Now that I've been to The Great Smoky Mountains I want have to go back and spend at least a week there.  We were there 3 days and fortunately, it was just before tourist season started.  Some of the rangers talked about how crowded and busy the park gets during the summer and fall; so crowded that you can get stuck on the road for 3 hours in gridlock...inside the park.  In the beginning of May it was fairly empty ("comfortably crowded"), a tad chilly and rainy, but still so beautiful.  It was one of my favorite places on the trip and I do plan to return soon.

Ready for an overload of beautiful (and fun) photos?!

Cades Cove

We saw many deer up close.  We even, kinda, saw a black bear way far away, once.

A little hiking.

Troopers!

It rained a good amount while we were there, which was a bit of a bummer.  But that meant there were waterfalls everywhere...not such a bummer.

A process in photographing my children.

Success!

Cable Mill in Cades Cove.  I loved learning about the people who lived here and worked hard to survive in the mountain tops.

It wasn't quite spring in the mountain tops.

It was pretty wild watching the clouds blow around us.  You can see why these mountains are called The Great Smokies.

Learning about the animals that are native to The Great Smokies.

We loved the Junior Ranger programs at the National Parks.  Definitely a highlight.

Our hotel room in Gatlinburg, TN...we loved the fireplace, of course.

We had to pack up the car in the pouring rain.  Luckily we didn't have to go far.

I love my husband and his awesome adventurous spirit!

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Okay, it is absolutely absurd that we completed our southeast states tour almost a month ago, and I still have several posts I want to share.  Fingers crossed I can put these together to share asap!  

We had a great time in Chattanooga.  We took five days and just enjoyed ourselves; no agenda, just relax, be mellow, and enjoy.  The weather was perfect the entire time.

Point Park Military Monument on Lookout Mountain

We found a beautiful park, Coolidge Park, with perfect fountains to play in.  We loved it so much that we spent 2 evenings there.  I swear I have the funniest, cutest kids.  :)

The mornings were perfect and there was a fantastic trail/sidewalk along the Tennessee River.  Some of my favorite runs during our travels.

We spent a day at the Creative Discovery Museum and had a blast.  We loved all the hands-on art projects.

We really loved our time in Chattanooga and we would love to go back.

Visiting Cousins in Louisiana

After we spent a couple of weeks touring around Texas we started to head back east.  It felt a little strange realizing that we had passed the halfway point of our trip.  And we did a lot of re evaluating.  Perhaps more than usual.  I feel like we are always re evaluating; trying to decide if this is the trip we intended and hoped.  And if not, do we need to make changes.  But all that introspection will be for another post, perhaps, someday.

As I was saying...After Texas we headed to the middle of nowhere in Louisiana.  Brian's cousin's family is stationed in Ft. Polk right now.  All our kids are the same ages, get along really well, and we always have a great time when we visit Paula.

Since they are currently living in a RV we all stayed in a small, very rural bed and breakfast.  Allen Acres was a little piece of heaven unexpectedly found in Pitkin, LA.  Since we had been staying primarily in hotels in big cities it was a welcomed relief to spend a few days doing little more than rocking on a porch and watching the kids chase lizards.  I finally felt myself breathe and my heart slow down.  I finally felt comfortable.

Painting turtle shells

Feeding the chickens and gathering eggs for the morning's breakfast.  With Charles, the owner of the b&b, who has the most beautiful southern accent.

Isabella and Isabella ("Bella" & "Izzy" when they are together) are 6 months apart.

I miss that porch and those wonderful cousins.

City Mouse & Country Mouse with muddy feet.

Lidia and Simon are a month apart.

I love Paula!  And still don't know how she got Oliver to eat vegetables.

Loving Paula's farm animals

Oliver and William are a month apart.  Poor William...