Where is Dolly Parton's house at Dollywood?

That was one of the questions Emmie asked me about our visit to Dollywood. She also asked why only Dolly Parton sings on the speakers? and why Dolly Parton named her theme park Dollywood. I had no answers to give her. I attempted to explain the one about music but apparently, it wasn't coming out right because Emmie seemed to think Dolly Parton should share the microphone and let some one else sing too. Emmie now thinks Dolly Parton doesn't share like she should. LOL

Well, our trip was great. Emmie thought it took too long to drive through the mountains. Of course, half the driving time was in the mountains because, well...Pigeon Forge is in the Great Smokey Mountains.

We left home about 8:15am and got to Pigeon Forge at 12:15. We stopped once for gas, potty break, lottery ticket and snack. Emmie's new favorite snack is BBQ flavor sun flower seeds. We had lunch before going to the camp ground. We got there at 1:00pm and signed in. I went to see our "designated site and it was the worse site they had. I guess if it was winter and you needed the sun to beat down on the tent for warmth it would have been a great site. However since the temps were going to be in the mid 90's I thought a more shady was in order. We went back up to the office and asked if we could move to a more shady site and had one in mind. As it turned out, we were allowed to move to the one I wanted which was ALL shade. I even had shade to park the car.

Our site backed up to a shallow creek which made me wish I hadn't taken Emmie's fishing pole out of the trunk. She could have had a lot of fun "fishing" in that creek. One of the guys in the site next to us had a fishing pole which he had pulled out and caught a few "baby fish". As it turned out every evening and morning we were greeted by a flock of ducks. The first night and Sunday morning we fed the ducks all the hot dog buns that were supposed to be for our dinner Sunday night. I think in total at one point I counted more than 30 ducks. There were full grown ducks, teen age ducks and wee little baby ducks. Fortunately, there was a grocery store right up the street and we were able to stock up some duck food... I mean hot dog buns for our hot dogs.

By the time I got the tent set up and we uploaded the car, it was about 2:00pm. Emmie and I took a stroll through the grounds looking at all of the ammenities. They had two swimming pools one of which included a 1 ft deep baby pool which worked out great. She was ready to blow off Dollywood and just hang out in the pool. I was able to convince her to go to Dollywood by promising to go swimming after we went to Dollywood.

I wasn't sure what time it was when we got off the tram at the gate of Dollywood but when we arrived it was 3:03pm. Perfect timing. After 3:00pm and you get the next day free. So it could not have worked out better.

We went in and hit most of the rides she could ride. She loved the Flying Elephants but her most favorite was the wild rapids. The big round ride that seats six people and goes through a river where you get splashed, sprayed and completely soaked. I wasn't sure how she would take it but it was by far her most favorite. As a matter of fact on Sunday we went on it first thing when we got there and it was the last thing she wanted to ride before we left. She rode the Farris Wheel but wasn't impressed because it wasn't fast. She loved the Veggie Tales Roller Coaster. We went on that thing three times the first day and four times the second. Most of the "baby rides" that didn't require me riding with her were not her cup of tea. She rode them but did so without enthusiasm.

As for the non-ride things to do, Emmie loved the Beaver Creek. I think the pictures say it all. It was hot and she was able to cool down between white water rafting rides by going for a "swim".

Since the camp grounds didn't have a bath tub, we used the pool as Emmie's bath tub. Both nights after returning to the camp ground we jumped in the pool. Emmie started off in the "baby pool" and when she was feeling brave would climb down the steps into the big pool. She used a floaty and had a blast. She learned she can stand on tippy toes and touch the bottom of the pool without holding on the sides. She also learned to hang on to the side of the pool and kick with her feet. I took a friends advice and bought her a pair of googles which did wonders with getting her to put her face in the water. She did get a few nose fulls of water though but each time she would cough it out and say "I'm ok." more to convince herself than me I think. She even held my hands and let me pull her on the float ring around the pool. By the end of the second night she was jumping off the side of the deep pool for me to catch her. However, I did not let her get her face splashed too much. I think it would have all been over if I had let her go under and she would never trust me to catch her again.

The only negative thing about the entire trip was sleeping in the tent the first night. I was having trouble falling asleep. Emmie was asleep at 10:00pm. I kept waking up for one thing or another. I finally fell asleep sometime after 12:45am. About 3:00am I woke up to some dog barking it's head off. Apparently, it woke one of the guys in the tent next to ours up too. Then at 5:55am (yes, I checked the time) some of the people in the RV on the other side of us had gotten up and were talking as if every one should be up because they were up. I heard 4 different voices before they started up the Harley motercycle at 6:08am. It was so loud, it even woke Emmie up. It might as well have been in the tent with us. Sort of freaked Emmie out a bit. Neither of us went back to sleep at that point. She did insist we lay in bed until the sun woke up. For that I am grateful. Sunday night was uneventful though.

We had a great time in Pigeon Forge and Emmie now wants to go camping every weekend. I guess we will get good use of the camping gear I bought. I was worried a bit as the weather channel predicted rain, and thunder storms both Saturday and Sunday. Early last week it was 30% chance on Saturday and 40% chance on Sunday. Friday afternoon it was 40% both days. As you can see from the photos we had mostly sunny skies both days. I would like to plan a week vacation up there next spring. She would love it and there is so much to do. We have not even begun to explore the Smokies and we didn't go to Gatlinburg at all. More fun for next spring I guess.

Chinese National Park

I received these pictures as an email and found them incredible! I hope they show up big enough to give you the full picture! I really need to find out where this is in China!

First ...let's take the cable car up to the start of the trail
Now follow the path.

Be sure to hold on to the "railing"

Keep an eye on the person in front of you

Now just up a few steps. (they are on the left in the picture)

Gets a little steeper here - so put your toes in the holes.

A few more steps to go.

Finally ..in sight

Care to try it? The view's great.

Planning ahead

I had to laugh last night as I was having a conversation with EmmaLi. She approached me very seriously and said she had made a big decision. Trying to be just as serious I said "A decision about what?" To which she replied "I have decided what I want on my birthday cake when I turn five." I said "Oh well, that's a relief. At least we won't be scrambling at the last minute trying to decide what to get. What have you decided you want on your birthday cake?" Without missing a beat she announced Hannah Montana! Truth be told we were watching High School Musical 2 and I expected her to say she wanted a High School Musical birthday cake. However, she was anxiously waiting for the new Hannah Montana episode with the Jonas Brothers that was airing after High School Musical 2.

Her birthday is not for six more months and yet we basically have it planned. She wants to take her friends bowling and she wants a theme of Hannah Montana. I am not sure Hannah Montana would go bowling but that is what my little pop star wants. So now we have a theme and activity, we just need to pray she doesn't change her mind and to pull it all together.

Last year Emmie wanted a Wendy Wu Homecoming Warrior party but unfortunately we could not find any party favors with Wendy Wu on them. We have a better chance of finding HM stuff.

Fun at Folly Beach

Last weekend was another busy weekend. Our friend Jackie had her fourth birthday part which was held at Fun Zone. My girl surprised me again by actually playing and jumping on the bouncey things. She did great! She played and bounced with the other children and had fun. It helped that there were only 6 children total and she knew most of them very well.

Sunday we went to Folly Beach to meet with friends down on vacation from Michigan. It was very fun. EmmaLi has come so far with the beach. When she was 18 months old we went to the beach and it was not so good. She clung to me like a baby monkey. She wouldn't get off of me at all. She would not walk on the sand (don't even think about playing in the sand), sit on the beach towel, or even consider letting ME put my feet in the water. Each time we went to the beach it was anything but fun. Last summer, she had progressed to the point that she would not freak out but she would play in the sand. After about 30 minutes she would walk by the water but not in it. At Tybee Island she walked out into the water up to her chins. Look at what she did at Folly Beach!

My baby butter bean is getting to be such a big girl! She is gaining confidence and actually told me that she LIKES playing in the water at the beach and it is very fun. She didn't want to leave the beach.

Beach Blast and Campsite Craziness

This weekend we headed to Savannah to visit with friends. They are a military family and the wife and mother is preparing to deploy to somewhere (it started as Iraq, then changed to somwhere else and then somewhere else so who knows for sure). She will be gone for 15 months so we wanted to spend some time with them before we left.

Saturday we went to the beach on Tybee Island. We weren't sure that was going to be an option due to the rain factor. However, the skies started to clear and we made our way to the beach. It was a great day. Emmie stated for days (including in the car on the way to the beach) that she was not going to get in the water. She didn't want me to get in the water either. We got to the beach and within half an hour she was in the water mid calf deep. Some of the waves were a little high and hit her across the tummy. She loved it. She would get a little scared when the waves got big and would run out of the water but she did great considering for the past three years she would not put her feet in the water nor would she tolerate me doing so. Here are a couple of pictures.

After the beach fun we went back to our friends house and set up camp. Their wonderful sons mowed a large area near their pond to set up camp. We set up the tent, started a fire and prepared to cook over the camp fire. I made potato & carrot packets (sliced potatoes, carrots, onion, butter and salt and pepper wrapped in aluminum foil and topped with cheddar cheese when done) and we roasted hot dogs. Afterwards we made s'mores, Mexican S'mores, and hung out around the camp fire.

When it was time for bed, the boys headed back up towards the house and the girls slept in our tent. It was a test run of camping and I have to say my child came through with flying colors. She loved it all. She cannot wait to go again and she really wants to go camping at Stone Moutain GA which I told her we could do this fall.

Sunday morning we took the girls fishing. They had a lot of fun even though it was very hot. Below are pictures of them fishing even though they didn't have hooks on their fishing poles. Emmie doesn't care that there is no hook, she just likes casting and reeling it in.