Pigeon Forge

Ripley's Aquarium, Pigeon Forge

During our trip to Pigeon Forge we spent one morning at the Aquarium. It was amazing and everyone had a wonderful time. We saw all kinds of sea creatures.

There was a moving walkway thru the main tank.

There was a play area for the children. Brayden checks out the large oyster.

Brody and Adam pose in the diver's suit.

The boys went up into the center of one of the tanks. They even found Nemo.

Playing in the Penguin tunnel.

Casey Jones Museum

On the way to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee we stopped in Jackson and spent the night. We got up on Saturday morning and visited Casey Jones Museum. Brayden loves trains and he was very excited to be there. We toured the museum, a train replica, and Casey Jones house.

Casey Jones was killed in a train collision in April of 1900, something common for that day.

Casey Jones had a nice house for that day. This is a picture of the children's room with their toy train in the floor.

I guess they were just glad to have indoor plumbing, but it didn't look to inviting to me. Gotta love a shower.

Brayden's favorite place was the train table they had set up in the gift shop. He was not happy when we had to leave to get back in the car again.

Flower within a Flower

I will definitely be saving the seed from this sunflower and planting them next year to determine if this "flower-within-a-flower" is genetic. Such an abnormality could be the result of a bacterium, virus, or fungus, in which case the chances of it appearing in the offspring will be slim. However, if it does appear in the next generation, it is genetic (a freak mutation) and could be of commercial value as a great novelty plant. What did I do with that Burpee phone number?

Home made quilts

My mother has made quilts for the kids. I put them on my bed to get pictures of them. The pictures are not very good and the bed is not the right side but you get the general idea. I wish I had just a small portion of the talent she has. Thanks mom for all your hard work!

Tabitha & Sean's quilt

Adam & Justine's quilt

Alex & Kayla's quilt

Dad

No card to pick out, no phone call to make, no visit to plan, no deciding between the handkerchiefs or the work gloves; there are alot of things you no longer have to do on Father's Day when your dad has passed away. What you will have on Father's Day is alot more time to wonder why you ever found such things to be a chore. Wish you were here, Dad.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all those great dads I have the pleasure of knowing. I thank God for you all. My dad and Troy's have gone on to be with the Lord and we miss them dearly. They were a great example of love to us both.

Decoration Day

A little weed pulling, a few squirts of Roundup here and there, a bouquet of flowers, and a new American flag made Debbie's Dad's grave standout this decoration day at the Prairie Bayou Cemetery. The brick pavers and large white gravel with the weed guard fabric beneath that Debbie and I added to the grave shortly after George's burial, make his grave easy to maintain and looking good all year round. The Prarie Bayou Cemetery, like most country cemeteries, relies solely on the donations of family members to maintain and mow the grounds. So, Debbie and I made sure to donate to the Cemetery fund as well. Both of our Dads served this country for over 20 years of their lives and to maintain and decorate their graves is a way to continue to show our respect and gratitude for what they did for us and our country.

Saturday Troy and I went to Brayden's Little Gym class for his final class and open house. I ran off and forgot the camera so I had to use the camera on my iphone. I am still trying to get the hang of it and Brayden did not make this an easy task. These pictures are so blurry, but whether it was trying to capture a moving target or my serious lack of photography skills who can tell? Anyway we had a great time and hopefully the blurry pictures emphasize the energy this young man has. He was all over the room. He had a blast.

He bounced..
He jumped..

He balanced..

He climbed..

He balanced some more..

Finishing off by awarding hisself a medal and turning his back on me and the metal before I could snap the picture.

Afterwards we went out for brunch at a local restaurant and he was still wanting to climb.

The pictures may be blurry but the memory will be all too clear in our hearts and our minds for all time.

My Photo Book May 09 2011

Click here to view this photo book larger

Serpents

Cottonmouth

Cottonmouth

Broad-banded and Yellow-bellied water snakes in an epic battle over territory

Just a few of the snakes we ran into while on field trips with my class to different state parks around the state.

Future Entomologist

We found a nest of tent caterpillars and I just had to show Brayden these little guys. After a few minutes of studying them and seeing that they didn't hurt me, he was ready to enjoy the feel of a caterpillar crawling up his arm.