Tennessee Part 1

I started this blog years ago as a way of  remembering what we have done so if and when I get to scrapbooking it, I could look back at the details.  Somehow I haven't done a very good job.
I started this post months and months ago.  However, it got lost and forgotten about.  Life has a way of doing that.  Our next March Break is quickly approaching and we are looking forward to another family trip to Tennessee.  That will be another blog entry.
For the 2012 March Break, we travelled to Tennessee with many family members.  Travelling with us was Mom and Dad, Brian & Rosemary with Amy, Jessica, Scott, and Abby, Melissa and Kyle.  We rented a large chalet called Bear Hunter. We had amazingly beautiful weather.  It was in the 80's most of the time.  The sun was wonderful and seeing the God created nature was breathtaking.
We drove and hiked Roaring Forks and Cades Cove.  We went to Ripley aquarium, up the gondola at Ober Gatlinburg, Old MacDonald's mini-golfing, NASCAR go-carting, ate at the Old Mill, and shopped.  Brian also went horseback riding with Melissa, Kyle, Amy, and Victoria.
So I have narrowed hundreds of pictures down to 40 of my favourites.  Enjoy!

Bear Hunter cabin

Love the free flowing water

Ava excited about hiking

Daddy and his girls (I love Jaleyn's goofy face in this picture)

View from the cabin

Aunt Melissa and Ava power hiking

Jaelyn and daddy

Jaelyn posing with the crooked tree

Love the rock and water falls

Family photo at Roaring Falls

Endless trees

Another view from the cabin

Storm clouds over the mountains

Family Day at NASCAR go-carting.  Yellow care is Kyle, blue car is Melissa,  and red car is Ava and me.

The Old Mill

Love this photo!

Jelly Fish @ Ripley's Aquarium

Brian, Ava, and Jaelyn in an aquarium

Brian, Ava, Jaleyn, and Dean petting a sting ray

Only bear we found was at OberGatlinburg

Coming down the gondola

Loved this bridge

Jaelyn and Ava under the covered bridge

Mommy and her girls

View in Cades Cove

Bee on a flower

Family photo in Cades Cove

View in Cades Cove

View in Cades Cove

View in Cades Cove

View in Cades Cove

View in Cades Cove

Clouds in the mountain

Clouds in the mountain

View in Cades Cove

Looking forward to this years trip….

Faith

I just celebrated another birthday and with that came some reflection.  I felt I would share my thoughts in this blog entry.
So my birthday was on Friday January 20th.  I had a great day of teaching and my grade 9 class phys.ed  class sang "Happy Birthday" to me.  I arrived home and Janelle and the girls where making mommy a birthday card.  Very sweet!  I had a nice dinner out with Brian, my parents, my sister Melissa, and her boyfriend Kyle at Sale E Pepe. This was followed up by a quick trip to Walmart and Home Depot.

Ava's Birthday Card

Jaelyn's card with lots of help from Janelle

So my reflection:
I have been truly blest another year.  If there was one word that is significant in my life it would be the word "FAITH".  I have several things around the house with the word faith.  I was thinking about this and believe that with FAITH we can have HOPE and we can truly LOVE.  
You can take this spiritually and scripture confirms this in 1 Corinthians 13:13.  Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (This was my wedding passage).  I have FAITH in a Saviour who sacrificed Himself so that I can have HOPE in everlasting life and this allows me to truly LOVE one-another.  
You can also apply this to daily life.  We have to have FAITH in others whether in a relationship, a friendship, or with a co-worker.  When we have FAITH we can then learn to LOVE.
So here are a few of my FAITH items.

Purchased this on Mom Swap 

These were in my bathroom at my old house.  Once I get my basement bathroom painted they will be up again.

Focus on the Family sent these magnets over a 3 year period and they are displayed on my fridge.

My last purchase that is found
in my main floor bathroom. 

 Faith is also a key component in another favourite saying you will see throughout my house.  With FAITH I believe you can LIVE, LOVE, and LAUGH.  

Found on my fridge.  

This is in my living room and has a Hoekstra clan photo.  We love them lots and have good times with lots of laughs.

The latest in my collection, courtesy of my friend Carol.  Thanks for the birthday gift.  It is in the main bathroom.

Lastly, my husband, surprised me with flowers on my birthday, as well as a rather large gift card to my favourite store in Chatham, The Paper Pickle.  A shopping spree will happen soon enough.  

Gerber Daisy 1 week later from The Purple Pansy.

I truly felt the LOVE this year!  Thanks everyone.  I will keep on in the FAITH!
A future blog will be on the curling excursion Brian organized for my birthday.  Good Times!