Watch Your Children!

This picture just cracks Allan up!

Father's Day 2010

View of the Linville Gorge

Our little birds fit in a tree!

Enjoying lunch

Linville Falls

Being naughty by climbing a tree

Father's Day started with lots of love for Daddy. Emma was first up and first to SAY "happy Father's Day". This is a big deal in our house.

After everyone was awake, we made Daddy and Will's favorite breakfast - breakfast samwiches! They were quick and filling to get us on our way to another hiking adventure. Because it was forecasted to be in the 90's, we chose Linville Falls, hoping to get wet in the falls and cool off. Not so!

Linville Falls is very remote and cannot be found on the GPS. We had to enter coordinates found in our hiking book and then drove about 2 hours to get there. We ended up at a little visitor's cabin and talked to a couple hill women about the best hikes. They told us about some "city hikers" who were there the day before. They made the mistake of telling us that these hikers had seen two snakes. Emma was a bit worried after that! They also mentioned the lights of Brown Mountain. Will then piped up and explained the folktale that explains the mysterious lights. It's a very interesting story that Will is happy to share if you are curious!

We drove about 4 miles up and down and around a dirt/gravel road to get to Wiseman's View. It was a stunning view of the Linville Gorge and Table Rock Mountain. While walking the short distance to the overlook, Emma fell and cut up her hand. Someone always has to fall......

From there we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway to another visitor center and trails going to Linville Falls. We ate a picnic lunch (on the ground) because all of the picnic tables were occupied. Then, we hiked to Erwin's View of the falls and two other trails that offered views of the falls. It was clearly stated that no one was allowed in the falls. So much for cooling off! We did have to cross a creek while on Duggers Creek Trail and Will really cooled off. He fell in and had to ride home in his underwear!

It was a great day of hiking and we ended it by eating out in Hickory. Happy Father's Day to the best dad ever!!!

xoxo

The WEJ

Looking out over Linville Gorge

Injury of the day

Love above the Gorge

My favorite people

Yet Another Creature.....

While I was talking on the phone with Grandma, Jack was trying desperately to get my attention. Since this is my big pet peeve (kids interrupting while on the phone), I gave him all of the hand signals to be quiet, wait until I am off the phone and take care of it on your own. He finally got the hint and took care of the business himself. The next thing I know, he is marching up the deck steps with a bug carrier in hand. Inside the bug carrier, was a very large lizard! That child took it upon himself to find the bug carrier (actually a hermit crab cage) and catch the lizard.

This lizard was different from the others that we have around the house. Most are blue and very quick. This one was quick, but brown and its skin looked like tree bark. I just can't believe that he caught the thing! Of course, he insisted on keeping it. He wanted to show it to Will and Emma. Then, he had to keep it long enough to show it to Daddy. Then, he had to show it to his friends at school. Then, he had to keep it long enough to show Ms. Nancy (his teacher) and her children how it eats a live cricket. The live crickets were compliments of our neighbor, Michael. He has a nice mom who allows a lizard in the house.

This kept dragging on, until finally, after two days, I convinced him that it would never live in our house and would eventually die. True to Jack's nature, he had an answer for that - bury it in the backyard when it dies!

I did talk him into letting him loose right where he was found. Believe it or not, that lizard took his time moving up the tree and away from Jack, the wild animal catcher!

After a little research, I discovered that it is an Eastern Fence lizard! Love Google!

Best Mother's Day/Anniversary Ever!

Will noticed this family of deer while driving through the park

On top of Stone Mountain

My awesome husband of 12 years!

On top of the world

The triumphant hikers!

My awesome family

View of Stone Mountain from the Homestead

I KNOW I was the happiest mommy on Mother's Day this year. I am so thankful to be a mommy. I have my days when I question my sanity and ability to raise three children, but May 9, 2010 was not one of those days. Not everyone is able to experience this gift.

Not only was May 9th, 2010 Mother's Day, but it was also our 12th wedding anniversary. Our wedding day was one of the happiest day of my life. Probably THE happiest, but remember, there are also 3 births to consider! Allan continues to amaze me and make me happier than I ever imagined. Don't get me wrong, it isn't bliss 24/7, but it is pretty close! I really do feel blessed to be married to such a handsome, smart, kind, generous and fun person.

My day started out with breakfast in bed, made and served by Will (with a little help from Emma and Jack). Normally, we would have gone to church, but we did that the night before. This allowed us the luxury of leisurely eating breakfast and getting ready for our hiking trip in the mountains. Since it was unseasonably chilly that day, we chose Stone Mountain, which was only about an hour away and no waterfalls (so we thought!). Our original choice was Linville Falls.

Once there, we talked to a Ranger who suggested going to the falls and then the homestead, both of which were short, easy hikes. The hike to the top of Stone Mountain was classified as "strenuous" and we didn't think Jack would be able to make it and neither Allan, nor I were in shape to be carrying a 4 year-old up a mountain!

The falls were beautiful and not far off the road. After lots of photo shoots, we headed for the Homestead where 4 generations of a NC family had lived. We ate our picnic lunch and checked out the interesting old buildings. We could see Stone Mountain from the Homestead. On our way back to the parking lot, Will explained that there was a short trail that went to the top of Stone Mountain, which he had hiked with the PE Club at school. I really don't know what we were thinking, but we just followed him. And kept following........until we had climbed so many steps that I thought my legs were going to fall off! Eventually, we made it to the "stone" part where there were metal cables to assist us in climbing. And then, we were at the top! It was absolutely beautiful! And no one had to carry Jack!

We finished off the day with ice cream, cutting down a tree in the backyard and pizza at 8:00 at night! Another fun tidbit: Allan and the kids surprised me with an ipod touch! No more paper calendars! My family is the best!

Our Zoo

Allan trying to catch the squirrel

The squirrel hanging out before Allan chased it away

Peeking out at me

The pileated woodpecker

Everyone knows that I have three little birds. My birds, Will, Emma and Jack are enough to make me feel like I live in a zoo most days. Evidently, these are not the only strange animals in our midst. A couple of weeks ago, Allan decided he couldn't stand it any longer and HAD to cut down one of the dead trees in our backyard.

Will had made a birdhouse which was attached to this tree, so he decided to cut the tree off just above the house. Allan had mentioned that some bird had been trying to make the hole bigger, but no further investigation was conducted. When setting up the ladder and getting things ready to cut down the tree, Allan saw a big set of eyes looking back at him from the hole in the birdhouse. He thought they were really big eyes and asked me to take a peek. When I did, the big eyes started coming out of the hole toward me! I had my camera in hand and started snapping photos. It looked similar to a squirrel, but the eyes! They were huge! And it had a funny stripe down the side. It came all the way out and just stayed put on the tree. Allan decided he was going to CATCH it. It had other plans and was much too fast for Allan. The tree came down and we haven't seen the creature since. We did do some searching on Google and found out that it was a FLYING SQUIRREL. How exciting! Note: zoom in on the squirrel's booty. Interesting!

Not a week later, I stepped onto the deck to see a huge black bird with red on it fly out of the yard. Not being a bird expert, I guessed it to be a pheasant. Later, my mom and I kept hearing a very distinct and loud bird call. Neither of us had ever heard it before. Later, we found the bird pecking on the ground just beyond the deck. My mom was able to take a picture of it and we discovered it was a Pileated Woodpecker. For those of you who have never seen one, they are HUGE! It was about the size of a chicken. No kidding.

Amazing how many different creatures we have discovered in our own backyard. I guess it makes getting a dog not seem so wild after all!

Not To Be Mean, But......

Last week, while sitting in the car, Jack piped up out of no where. "Mom, not to be mean, but, I can't wait until you die". Thank God I wasn't driving at the time. Why? I asked. "Well, then, when you come back to life, you can tell me what it is like after you die". Amazing how little minds work. I really never saw that one coming.

Another sewing project

Recently, I made an apron for my friend, Amy and another dress for Miss Emma. I was very happy with both projects. I have to admit though, it was hard to part with the apron. I fell in love with the fabric and for some reason, I have a fondness for aprons (even though I don't usually wear one).

Emma was extremely excited to wear her new dress today, which also can be worn as a smock over capris or jeans. I love that it is so versatile!!! It will also grow with her because instead of buttons, I used knots.