Christmas Vacation in February

I am so behind in blogging! Life, at the moment, has me super busy with 17 first graders, graduate school,    Plains Reading Council, selling Mary Kay and Scentsy, super fun Pinterest Parties, and did I say graduate school and 17 first graders? I knew I would be busy, but I wouldn't change it for the world!

I have so much to blog about but I need to back up...I noticed on my last blog, I said coming soon....Pigeon Forge and Chick-Fil-A Bowl! Ha! I guess February is coming soon! :) I thought I would do some random blogging to catch me up for the month of January, and then hopefully it won't be March before I come back with more exciting things!

Blake and I took a mini vacation during Christmas Break. We didn't have much money but we wanted to do something! Blake, my hunky outdoorsy boyfriend, wanted to go to Pigeon Forge. I did talk him out of camping! (Uh...no!) We found a really nice but cheap place to stay and enjoyed our time touring Gatlinburg, hiking, and shopping in Pigeon Forge. He had a day to choose what he wanted to do and I had a day to choose what I wanted to do.

His day consisted of "pushing" ourselves. By "pushing" ourselves, I mean he decided that we should take a 13.2 mile hike up to, across the Appalachian Trail, and back down in SNOW and ICE come to find out. At first, it was so exciting and beautiful! God's amazing landscape is untouched and hidden unless you decide to take the challenge and hike to its beauty. God definitely wasn't going to let it be an easy view to see, but it was BEAUTIFUL. No words can describe walking through fairyland of ice and snow, until after about the sixth mile, then you are just ready to slide down the mountain. :)

The beginning of the hike...I had no idea!

We crossed about three of these bridges and then some passovers involved hopping rocks! 

The higher we climbed, the more of this we saw, beauty! 

Almost there-the jacket did come off a coupe of times because it was so hot!

The TOP!!!! (Appalachian Trail)

I had aches that I never even knew existed on my body-it was my own fault. I should have went to the gym longer. I did keep a consistent walk the entire time and took very few breaks-only to stop and wait on Blake to catch up (haha-not kidding).

My day consisted of FOOD! We ate at the glorious Apple Barn and shopped until it was time to go home. We were extremely sore and dragged our legs. They felt like heavy weights but I wasn't going to let that stop me! Everyone needs to eat at the Apple Barn. I had the best trout cakes, apple fritters, chicken noodle soup, mash potatoes, and cream corn. They give you ample food and of course it was all too good to let go to waste!

We had a blast on our vacation and that same weekend, my dad was so sweet to give us his tickets to the Chick-fil-A bowl. We road in with other AU athletics staff, went to Fanfare, and made some new friends at the game. It was so much fun to watch my sweet AU tigers play and demolish Virginia. They did an outstanding job and I know they are already working hard for our 2012 Football Season. I can't wait!!

Augie Update: He is growing up way too fast! :) Milo and Augie are becoming best friends.

He loves his big boy bed but mommy still makes him sleep in the crate. I found a shoe chewed on last week...

Well, I have so much more to say but this post is entirely long enough, and I should get back to my conference. Yes, I am at a reading conference and multi-tasking (break). :)

Southern Love,
Tricia Adams