Tennessee Camping Trip

Smores, tents, camp fires, weenie roasts, sleeping under starry skies--for some, these are some of the things that come to mind in preparing for a camping trip.

For me, what comes to mind are mosquitoes, dirt, hot sleeping quarters, lots of bugs and the chance of being eaten by a big ol' bear.

Hence, my preference has always been to sleep in a nice air conditioned cabin.  This is still camping, to me.  Call me a wimp or a prima donna.  But hey, go camping with me and at least one of us will be comfy cozy!

The weekend before last, we drove down to Tennessee where we connected with Tim's family and we went camping!

Here is Jackson with his cousin Kristy.  This is the first time that most of Tim's family got to meet Jackson; he looks so happy here!

Uncle Greg with Angelina.

Rebekah and little Louis.

Dustin with his cousin Chase.

Jackson with his Aunt Sonya with his cousin K in the background.

The guys and a few gals went white water rafting.  As for me, I hung out in the air conditioned cabin--camping!!

A Little Bit of Foodie Fun

This past Saturday, Tim and I spent most of the day in Louisville. We had tickets to see Wicked that evening and went up a bit early to experience the sights and sounds of Louisville.

Of course, what would any trip be without a taste experience?

So, we joined a tour--City Tastes offers a sights and sweets tour that allows patrons to enjoy a few historical sights in Louisville while indulging in some sweet tasty treats along the way from some local bakery delights.  This activity was right up my alley--I am just passionate about FOOD and sweet treats in particular!

We were able to enjoy many local features of Louisville.  We also enjoyed the ladies on the tour with us.  The entire ride was filled with conversation about all of the great eateries in Louisville--a culinary mecca in the US.  One thing was quite clear, Tim and I need to visit Louisville again soon to partake in some excellent food adventures!

A few photos from our trip:

This is a donut with maple icing with crisp bacon on top.  It is from a bakery in German town.  I only tried a bite of Tim's--actually quite tasty, especially if you enjoy a little salty sweet!

Shimpff's Candy Store--this place was amazing.  It was absolutely packed with folks picking up their chocolates and other goodies!  We watched the Schimpff's make some cinnamon hard candies and were delighted in the Schimpff's endearing entertaining candy making presentation!  There were soooo many varieties of candies at Schimpff's that I cannot wait to return when it is less crowded and I have more time so that I can indulge, indulge, indulge! 

It was at Schimpff's that I was able to purchase a chocolate frog sucker for Dustin.  He devoured that sucker in less than 10 seconds flat.  Then, he requested more chocolate!  Ah, in this way, he is certainly his momma's son!

Another close up of the maple/bacon donut:

Tim and I are grateful to my mom and Mike for having fun with Dustin and Jackson while we were able to have a special date day!!  Wicked was absolutely EXCELLENT!!

He will make a path

This past week, Tim, the boys and I took a little trip to Red River Gorge. Since my maternity leave sadly comes to an end on Monday when I return to work, we wanted to get away for some rest, relaxation and togetherness. We were able to enjoy our time together and we were all able to take a few naps, for which Tim and I are especially grateful!

Red River Gorge boasts of abundant forests, canyons and wildlife. The location is certainly a hiker's, rock climber's and bird watcher's paradise!

During our getaway, we were able to enjoy two late morning/early afternoon hikes in the Natural Bridge State park and beyond. One such hike opened up to the Natural Bridge.

The arch on the Natural Bridge spans 78 feet and is 64 feet wide. For those without claustrophobia or acrophobia, there is also a very narrow passage-way (called fat man's misery) that permits passage to the top part of the bridge. From there, one can see the beauty of the forest and can walk just a little longer to gain a full view of the Natural Bridge from the other side of the mountain.

At first, I thought that the passage-way to the top of the bridge was man made (the stairs to the right of the arch in the photo above are part of the narrow passage-way). However, after discussion and a bit of research, we discovered that the passage-way was completely natural. This was an impressive realization to me.

This delightful discovery reminded me that God our father always prepares a path for our journey. Although He does not promise that the journey will necessarily be the easiest, the rewards at the end include promises of beauty and life.

Upon reaching the steps to the top of the Natural Bridge, I hesitated- being one who shies away from tall heights and confined spaces. Tim encouraged me on toward the very narrow path. And so, I pressed on.

The beauty at the top was well worth the journey!

In Matthew, Jesus says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14, NIV)

The narrow path leading to the top of the Natural Bridge reminds me of Jesus' statement. Although the path was extremely narrow, the choice to set aside any fears and travel onward yields a magnificent view of God's creation, not to be paralleled. Likewise, choosing God's path for our lives results in unmatched joy and the promise of an abundant eternal life. While God does not promise that the path will be clear of debris, he does promise that our rewards are with him, at the end of our journeys.

And so, like that narrow path leading to the beauty at the top of the bridge, we choose to walk in the path that God has created for our journey. Expectant that the beauty that awaits is beyond any earthly treasures that may have been gained by taking an alternate route.

How blessed I am to have such an encourager for my journey in my husband, Tim. And, how much more blessed am I that my God wants to delight me by creating the path that will offer the greatest view of His creation!

Below are a few more photos from our trip: