June Wild Flowers in the Smoky Mountains...

We are not Flowers, But I didn't put any pictures of us on the camping posting.

But anyway, There were a lot of pretty flowers in bloom and I tried to take pictures of all the ones I saw. There were a few that I missed. Enjoy......

Townsend, TN

June 24, 2008

This is home sweet home for a few days.

We came here for the first time September 2007.

We loved it and we have decided this was going to be a once a year thing to do. The camp ground made some VERY nice upgrades. First, they added concrete patios, new fire pits and patio furniture! And that's not all...They even added some VERY nice cabins, At around $170 a nite! They look like cabooses! lol The cabins come with new grills and new patio furniture. I think next time I want to stay in those!!! Here is a photo of one.

When we got in we made camp, got fire wood, and went and got some things for dinner. We got back to camp and cooked some hot dogs. Earlier some kids came by our site to invite us to a Luau at the camp pavilion. There is a church that comes up in the summer every year and offers day camp for the children that are camping and at night they have Family activities for anyone who wishes to come. It was fun. They had fruit to snack on and we watched the kids do some games. We had a long day so we went to bed early. We had to get up early for Russell's bike ride around Cades Cove the next morning. We were awoken with some scratching at the cooler in the middle of the night. It was either a raccoon or a squirrel. We put the cooler in the tent and went back to sleep.

Cades Cove & Clingmans Dome
June 25th, 2008

I didn't get any pictures this year of Russell getting ready for his ride around Cades Cove. I didn't even walk around and take pictures of any wild life. I just stayed in the car and read a book while Russell made 2 trips around the Cove. It took him a little over an hour to go 2 loops around. He LOVES biking around the cove. It is SO Beautiful! If you have seen it, you know! If you haven't, you need to take a Vacation here soon!

After Russell's ride, we went back to camp so he could shower and change. Then we drove to Clingman's dome. But first we went to the grocery store and got some deli sandwiches and chips to take with us for lunch. It was a beautiful drive to the dome. The elevation is about the same as the elevation in Colorado Springs, so you can get an altitude head ache if your not careful and keep yourself hydrated. Well, needless to say we both got a slight headache on our way up to the dome. Here is the view we got when we got to the top of the dome.....

The Appalachian trail goes through where the dome sits so Russell was excited to stand on the trail. To see history is always a great thing!
Once we left the dome we stoped on the side of the road and found some shade and had a picnic with our sandwiches, chips and lots of water! We took our time getting back to camp. When we got there we took a nice long nap. Then we got up and went to dinner.
Oh dinner was so good!

This place has a great buffet! After dinner the camp had Movie night for the campers. They have a cool inflatable outdoor movie screen and outdoor theatre. They showed Ratatouille. It was a cute kid movie. The church group had popcorn and lemon aide for all the movie goers. After the movie, it was light out! And this time we put the cooler inside the tent, but we still had company..lol We think it was squirrels after all. They were scratching at the rocks next to the tent, It woke us up AGAIN! But this time there was nothing they could get into!

June 26th, 2008

Laurel Falls and Cades Cove

We got up early today to make it to this water fall before it got busy. This was a little over a mile and a half hike up to the fall. As you can see, it was beautiful!

After we had our hike we went back to Cades Cove to get some pictures we lost last year when we were there. We took a different way back into Townsend from the Cove. It was a one way dirt road. This shot I got from a top a mountain we had to cross over. If you can click on the picture and make it bigger, you will see one of the three churches inside the Cove. It is absolutely breath taking! We got back to camp, made a fire, ate the rest of our hot dogs we bought when we first got to camp. Then we went for a walk around the camp, then went to the pool for about an hour. Then took showers and then I had to take some pictures of the camp to show my girlfriend Elizabeth, cause Russ and I want her family to join us next time we go camping. Then we went to dinner at the Timbers Restaurant. I wish I had taken a picture of the restaurant, but I didn't even think about it. After dinner We drove around town to check out some of the local shops. We stoped by a Native American store and Russell got a Buffalo paper waite for his desk. I was told I looked Native American after I made the comment that I have Indian in me, but didn't think I looked it. The man who owned it was defiantly Native American! He was pretty cool. We also stoped by a Country Gift Shop and found a Lady Bug Fan Pull for Alison's room. Russell had on his Auburn T-Shirt and the lady who rang us up was an Auburn fan so I had to yell... ROLL TIDE! lol We got back to camp and watched a movie that we bought when we bought our sandwiches yesterday. As soon as the movie was over we went to sleep.

Townsend, TN June 27th, 2008

Well, today we just got up, broke camp went by the Carriage House for breakfast then headed home. We got home around 1:15. Even though we had LOTS of fun camping, It is so good to be home! Now to put everything away!! Where did all the fun go? lol

19 Year Anniversary!!

Well, June 23rd was our 19 year wedding anniversary!

We didn't take a photo of us this year for the blog.

Well, What did we do today?

I normally take our anniversary off,

this year I gave it up so that someone else could have that day for their day off.

So, needless to say, I worked and Russell took the day off.

But he came and picked me up from work for Dinner.

He made reservations for the Chop house in Huntsville.

It was SO Good!

After Diner we came home and started getting ready for

CAMPING!!

We are going on vacation the next day for the rest of the week.

Dragon Boat 2008

June 21, 2008 was the

Athens Families with Children from China's

3rd anniversary Dragon Boat Race Day!

Gosh...3 years!!

Hopefully next year this time next year will be our last Dragon Boat Day with out our little Alison Rose (& hopefully Susan Renee). We enjoy so much being around our FCC Family. When we started this group Emma and Hannh had been home for about 2 to 4 weeks. and now...They are "Big Girls"! We have grown over the last 3 years. We have had Rebbeca, Noah, Molly, Paul William, Lily Mei, Brooklyn, & Lily Grace come home to their for ever families. We are so excited to have each one of them in our big FCC family.

(Russ & Lisa)

Thanks Max for getting our photo.

I never get to have any of me at any of our events because I am always behind the camera.

(Paul William, Tonya, & Lily Grace)

Not much of a Dragon Boat, much less a race. But this is our American Dragon Boat Races! lol We love Dragon Boat Day! The kids love playing in the water at the park.

(Katie, Tonya, Gracie, Emma, & Davis)

The bubbles were a BIG HIT too.

(Katie & Marcie)

The kids found a turtle in the pond.

(Noah)

Noah had so much fun that he fell asleep while swinging. He is such a cutie pie. He is our Baby in the group. We can't wait to watch him grow!

7 hours of Volunteer work today plus an 8 hour work day...

Well, today was a VERY LONG DAY! First I had to be at the Huntsville Country Club at 7 am for The John Stallworth golf tournament. This is my 2nd year as a volunteer for this event. It's pretty cool to talk to a few retired Pittsburgh Stealer's Football players. From here I had to go to work. Boy, was it a busy day at work. Then at 6pm I had to head to the Westin Hotel for 5 hours for the Father of the Year & Executive of the Year banquet. I left the house this morning at 6:30 and got home at 11:30 tonight. I really should be in bed getting my BEAUTY sleep! haha! But I am to tired to fall asleep! Anyway! For all the folks who work behind the scene's to get things together like the events I did today...Give yourself a pat on the back for all the hard work you do! And for those of you that may be reading this post...Get out there and Volunteer, It is so rewarding! No matter ho much time you give, it is appreciated!! Congratulation to David & Charlie...Two people I know that were nominated for Father & Executive of the year!

(From the John Stallworth web site)

"The John Stallworth Scholarship Foundation's Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, June 13, 2008. Bring your friends and join John Stallworth and a few of his friends at Hampton Cove Golf Course and the Huntsville Country Club."

(This was taken fron the Huntsville Times)

"Other finalists for Father of the Year are Eric J. Artrip, an attorney for Watson & Jimmerson law firm; Allan Barr, who works for Boeing; Melvin Bowers, who works for Alabama A&M University; Scott Butler, a director at Beason and Nalley, P.C.; Mark Davis, who coaches football for Butler High School; William P. Dobbs III, an industrial management properties specialist for NASA; Gregory Lamont Hicks, athletic director for Huntsville city schools; David Kimrey, an executive team leader at First Commercial Bank; Greg Koger, who owns his own business, K Electric; William Thomas, who works for SEA Wire and Cable; Adam Williamson, who is retired from Huntsville city schools; and Dr. Albert E. Willis II, who is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

The finalists for the first Executive of the Year are Candace Buggs, who works for SDC Management; Kyle Collins, a real estate agent with Colonial Properties Trust' Brenda Conville, a real estate agent for Triad Properties; Leigh Christian, the operations manager at PWG; Rick Davis, director for Cummings Research Park; Andy Kattos, president of ServisFirst Bank; Charlie Kettle, who works for First Commercial Bank; Jeremiah Knight, director of the Huntsville Verizon Wireless call center; Lori Light, the director of marketing and physician relations for Crestwood Medical Center; Daniel Montgomery, president of Northrup Grumman; Dr. Ann Roy Moore, superintendent of Huntsville City schools; Jim Riley, manager of Belk in Madison Square Mall; and Paula Steigerwald, CEO of Huntsville "

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone isted above!!

Now, It is time for me to go to sleep! I hope you all have a Wonderful Night!

Love, Lisa

Long Lost Cousin...

My cousin Misty Coleman found me on MySpace a few days ago.

I was SO EXCITED to hear from her.

She is married with 2 beautiful daughters and lives in IL.

We spent a lot of time together when we were children.

Her Mother and my Father are brother & sister.

I am so glad you found me Misty!

Love , Lisa

Sometimes in life,

you find a special friend;

Someone who changes your life just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop;

Someone who makes you believe that

there really is good in the world.

Someone who convinces you that there really is

an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it.

This is Forever Friendship.

This is my Best Friend!