What I've Done in the Past Week or So

Whew! The past two weeks have been total fun, but seems like I ran though them at 100 MPH!

Let me tell you about some of the things that happened while we had our great Sept. company "invasion". ;)

On Tuesday/Wednesday my uncle and I watched the documentary "Lewis & Clark", by Ken Burns. Very good! (learn more at www.pbs.org/lewisandclark )

On Tuesday also I went to P.T. in Ringgold, GA. My uncle and mom and sister went along too. After excruciating pain (trust me, it is!) we stopped at the Ringgold Train Depot and took photos. (That's where I'm at in my profile photo). Besides that, Tuesday brought royalty to our humble motel-my grandparents from MI, wearing "Burger King" crowns! ;)

On Wednesday Uncle Brian surprised me and got a brand-new CD player, as my old one had broken a few months ago. It is really nice, and I use it multiple times a day.

All the while I am doing school and trying to beat my uncle at SORRY!, which I eventually did. However, Brian got back at me with winning our "Connect Four" 30-game tournament. :(

As some of you may have known, I have wanted to own the "Secret of the Cave" movie for some time. Well, I had some $$ (but not enough) so Brian payed the rest, which was really nice. We watched it the very day (Thurs.) that we got it!

Of course, you've all ready heard about the Smokies and Aquarium trips a few posts ago....

On Monday, Brian, Grandma, and I played a trio of Sorry games, which (yea!!) I won all three. Grandma came in second all three times too.

Unfortunately, Brian had to leave Monday, so we said a teary farewell and hope to see him again soon. I am working on him to get him out here for my birthday in April.....;D

On Tues. (our last day of company) Grandma and I played "Hail to the Chief" a game about U.S. presidents. It is really neat. It was also nice I won the game!

And for the last hurrah, Grandpa and I watched Secret of the Cave one last time....

Until we meet again......:

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Student Defeats Teacher in Game Tournament

yes...Yes....YES!!!!!!!!!!!

A+ Student Graduates from School of Sorry with flying colors;
Defeats Teacher In 30-game Tournament of Sorry!!!

Photobug wins majority (17) of 30 game tournament; Teacher Uncle Brian
Is Grief-Stricken......

A Photo-Packed Week

Today, after church my uncle, family and grandparents went to the TN Aquarium. It was a lot of fun, as always! All the pictures are of animals, except two. One has by uncle doing rabbit ears over my grandfather. The second one is of the whole group: (L to R) Grandma, Mom, Brian, Grandpa, Alison, Dad.

Yesterday Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Brian & myself took a day trip to the Smokies. First we stopped at the Heritage Center (In Townsend, TN). It was a lot of fun with replica log cabins, inside displays, and a 20-minute video.
Below are my photos of the Heritage Center.


After the Heritage Center, our foursome did my chosen activity: hike to Laural Falls.
Termed "easy" on my waterfall map, we thought it was a good hike to try for people who weren't in shape. It was paved and only 1.3 miles. Well, let me tell you, it was 1.3 miles UP the mountain!
Yes, it was nice to see the 80' falls once, though I'm not sure how soon I'm doing it again! Anyway, here's the photos I treked up and down the mountain on a hurting foot to bring to you!


After the very tiring and eye-opening hike to Laural Falls, we headed to Gatlinburg, TN. (a.k.a. the biggest tourist trap in eastern TN!!) We went to the Space Neddle, a gigantic tower 407 feet up. THANKFULLY there was an elevator, so we took that. It was really nice for Grandpa to treat us all. Up there, you could see forever, down on the town, over the mountains. It does not need to be said that I got great photos! ;)


On Tuesday my uncle and Mom, Alison and I went to Ringgold, GA and took a tour of the train depot. It has been in continuous use since 1890! Anyway, this was the last building the General passed before Andrew's Raiders were caught. (See more about the General through the link in the sidebar.) Anyway, here's some photos.


So you can see-I've had a very photo & exciting week! And this is not all-I will be adding my uncle's photos to these slideshows soon.

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YOU'RE MISSING MY DEBUT!!!

Hi Guys!

Well, I thought I'd better sneak in a quick moment to chronicle what's been thrown at me this week.

Sabbath we went to the Earliteen Church at Student Park. Exceptionally wonderful. Bible Sword Drill, Nature Scavenger Hunt, (that was cool!) + discussion and prayer/praise time. Church was good too, with singing and a guy from Couhutta came and gave his testimony. (he was a boat driver at camp, and I think his name is Ricky Swartz, or something like that.)

Last week some of Dad's friends Walt & Doris Lacks came for the weekend. So we had fun talking and visiting them. Lacks housed Dad when he was in grad school in NY way back when. ;) Well, at midnight Sabbath, (well, to be exact 11:57) my uncle came from AZ to say over a week with us. He flew in to Nashville, took a bus to Chatt. and then Dad picked him up.

As you may remember, my uncle and I played over 20 games of SORRY! in June, so this time our goal is 30. We've played half, and he seems to be a game or two in the lead. Unfortunately, he has been winning the past few games. We are doing 5 games a day, or something like that. The tournament is named "Revenge of the Nephew!" ;)

This evening my grandparents from MI (my uncle & mom's parents) are coming to visit us too. So that will be fun. D Oh yes, I'm teaching the Earliteen SS lesson this week!

At Earliteen Church last week Mrs. Oliver asked me if I would, mainly because she and many other people are gone with Pathfinders. So I'm kinda hoping there's not going to be TOO many kids this week if I mess up! But more then scared I'm excited that I can give back to my church and SS finally. It's on Vocation and the Christian.

Today my uncle and I started watching the PBS documentary from the library entitled, Lewis & Clark, by Ken Burns. It is spectacular! ;) AND besides this, I'm having to sqeuze in Algebra, Chemistry, English, and various medical appointments! Oh well.

Anyway, I'd better close off for now. The basement is a mess and I need to help do my part! ;)

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What I'm Shooting

Greetings & Salutations to all! (As my friend Wild Pilot would say!)

I have been thinking and have decided to make a few (good) changes to this blog.

First of all, I added a "Slideshow" feature at the top of the sidebar so, quite literally, you can see "What I'm Shooting". Of course I'm not going to stop posting photos in my posts here, but I thought a slideshow would be cool.
Don't worry if you don't have High-Speed Internet; you can still see the slideshow! I only have dial-up and the slideshow works just fine.

Second of all, I have a real profile on here, not just a picture and text. AND I have now added "Followers" to my blog. So if you are a blogger, you can see my posts on your Dashboard. At any rate, I hope you enjoy these changes.

On a different note, we are definitely playing the family "motel" the next few weeks. Of course that will be fun to see some old friends, an uncle, and my grandparents.
So there is a lot to look forward to more than school, school and more school!

Will write more later!

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Happy September 1!

Happy September 1! Today marks the beginning of the 9th month in 2008. Wow, 2008 is sure going by fast!

As I was thinking about the change of seasons and stuff, I remembered an anniversary. Two days ago, (and two years!) my wonderful mother (above) got me started on Blogger. Since that time, I have gone though several blogs, though at the time I only have two. (This one and a private one).

I am very glad fall is coming! As I have looked through some of the pictures I took last fall, I am very excited. Fall is such a beautiful time here in south Tennessee! (See various pictures. Click on any of the November '07 article links (in Archives) to see more fall photos).

On a different note, in just 11 days we start to have company! First on is Walt and Doris, some old-time friends of our family. Two days after they arrive at our family "motel" ;-), my Uncle Brian arrives at midnight Sabbath, Sept. 13 to stay though the 22nd. Around the 16th, my grandparents from MI are coming to stay through the 22nd as well.

So you can see we will be playing "motel" quite real for 12 days this month!

Well, I'd better go for now, as Mom is going to take my sister and I swimming.

More later!

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