Our Smoky Mountain Trip - Day 3

Posted by Gabrielle

Our third day!

Tobias and Jedidiah found some buried tent pegs which kept them busy until breakfast. ;)

Jedidiah

After breakfast we drove to Laurel Falls. This was just some of the beautiful mountain views on the hike up to the falls.

The beautiful falls

Daddy and Benaiah

Arianne

Mommy and Daddy

And, our family picture! I'm a bit out-of-focus from giving directions for the camera, but...oh well! ;)

Christianna, Tobias, Daddy, Benaiah, Jedidiah, Timothy and me by the pool.

Playing with 'Beebo'

'Buddy' liked the waterfall, though it was a bit loud!

Then, the younger children were gathering these long boat-shaped leaves and dropping them over the edge of the bridge to watch them sail over the edge of the falls. Here are Christianna and Elliot...

and Tobias and Jedidiah gathering leaves.

Dropping them into the water...

and watching their 'ships' as they sail over the edge.

Umm...yes, that's most of the Hellwig clan on the bridge. ;)

After the falls, we drove to Clingman's Dome, and since it was a clear day, most of the family climbed it again for a second look. Above and following are some of the views. Much better, isn't it? :)



And the fourth day: just driving home! So there aren't any pictures to post from that, but I will try to share some more of the beautiful mountain pictures soon!

Our Smoky Mountain Trip - Day 2

Posted by Gabrielle

Here's a picture post of our second day!

Benaiah - our 'happy camper'!

Christianna, Benaiah and Arianne around the pole at our campsite before breakfast.

After breakfast we went on a short nature trail hike at our campground. We passed over two log bridges about a foot wide with a handrail on one side that spanned rapidly running streams. ;) Here is Elliot on the bridge.

The beatiful stream!

We spent the morning at a replica plantation of the early mountain settlers, complete with everything, house, barn, fields and all the small shops that they needed to live the independent way they did.

Daddy by the cornfields.

Mommy, Toby, Timothy, Benaiah and Jedidiah looking over the corn-husking machine.

The barn was full of original tools, harness, carts, etc... Here is Elliot with a wheelbarrow...

and being goofy for the camera in the maze of the sorghum field!

The calm and contented chickens, before...

the boys started the 'fashionable' sport of chicken-chasing. Here Tobias starts the game...

and he, Timothy and Benaiah continue it. Of course, there's the principle there of "If you don't run, they can't chase you"! ;)

Jedidiah and Tobias in the...well...ah...woodshed!

They had a pair of lovely pigs there too. It was very interesting, and eye-opening to watch the manners and habits of the swine, and realizing how much we really do act like them sometimes, especially when at table.

Benaiah had fun watching the pigs.

The Hellwig family in the orchard.

Benaiah by the beehives.

Here is the Hellwig-mobile and some of the family at one of the mountain overlooks we stopped at. Most had gone on a short hike while the rest of us discovered a wild peach tree and enjoyed ourselves immensely!

The twisting mountain roads are so scenic!

Some of us set out to climb Clingman's Dome, but by the time we got to the top it was so foggy we couldn't see much.

Another lady up there was so kind to take a family picture for us!

What we could see from the top of the tower!

Jedidiah and Christianna enjoying the 'view'

Our Smoky Mountain Trip - Day 1

Posted by Gabrielle

Many apologies for the delay in posting this, but I am finally getting around to posting about our four-day camping trip in the Smoky Mountains last week. It was a great time!
This was at the rest area where we stopped for lunch. Benaiah was enamored with the little pump, although it didn't work. ;) Timothy showing him how to properly operate a water pump.

Our happy camper! ;)

Along the way to our campground, we stopped at several mountain overlooks. The scenery was breathtaking and all the pictures I took don't do it justice. It was amazing to watch the panorama literally unfold beneath us. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Mommy and Benaiah at one of our stops.

Jedidiah, Arianne and Tobias.

More to come later!

Timothy teaches Benaiah chess

Posted by Gabrielle

It was the other day that Timothy was teaching Benaiah the basics of chess.

Timothy: "What piece is this?"

Benaiah: "It goes right here."

Timothy: "Which pawn are we looking for?"

Benaiah: "It goes right here?"

Timothy: "No, over here."

Visit with the Courters

Posted by Gabrielle

We recently enjoyed a wonderful evening with Daddy's employers, the Courter family! It was great to meet them and get to know this sweet family better! Thank you for visiting, Courters!

Volleyball!

Monkey-in-the-Middle in the middle of the street! ;)

Jedidiah and some of the younger Courter boys!

Tobias, Anna and Lincoln

Anna and Tobias - when two work together!

Sweet Anna!

Just for fun: our recent origami project

Posted by Gabrielle

Well, this isn't just origami, it's our first try at golden venture origami, constructed in one and a half days...

and 420 little, folded paper triangles later. ;)

Actually, Timothy constructed it; the rest of us just helped with folding the paper! ;)

Another view of our swan.

The Hellwig Cowboy Brothers

Posted by Gabrielle

Our two cowboys enjoying a banana bread break!

Too cute!

I'm so thankful for all my cute little brothers!