GEORGIA ON MY MIND!!!!!

Tuesday we went to the Chattanooga Nature Center. I had two coupons to get the children in free, but had to pay for myself. The center wasn't worth the $7 I paid for me only, but we did have a good time inspite of the price. I would really have been mad if I had to pay for the children as well. This is outside the center. Elyse was trying to act afraid of the wooden statue.

They only had one room inside with turtles and stuffed animals (not the cuddly kind, but once live, now dead, stuffed animals). Outside the center building was "Snake Tail Alley." Lucky for us, it was feeding time. The following is for your enjoyment. It was amazing and gross all at the same time.

Next we walked along the boardwalk - amazing boardwalk. In the middle of the trail was a HUGE treehouse (I have always wanted a tree house, but since we don't have any trees...). Inside the treehouse was a swing. We had to jump on it to get in the seat. Notice my hair cut. I got scalped before we came to Georgia - thought it would be cooler. Tim says it sometimes looks like a boy's hair cut - oh boy!

This is the inside of the treehouse - notice how big the trees are.

This is a memorial to some lady at the nature center. If this is all they could do for her, she must not be very famous.

Did you know they grew bamboo in Georgia? We didn't. There was a whole garden of bamboo with trails inside to walk through.

On the way home, we stopped at "The Craven's House." The house was used as the headquarters for the south during the Civil War. Then the north won and they used the house for their headquarters. You can't actually get in the house, but you can peek through the windows. Several statues are around the area honoring different states for their part in the war. Zachary and Elyse loved the cannons. After taking this picture, we noticed the sign, "Do not climb on the cannons." Oh well!

There are also HUGE rocks to climb on. Zachary actually climbed to the top of this one. In this picture, Elyse is actually just coming down from her climb on the little rock next to the huge one. She wouldn't even attempt the huge rock, only Zachary.

Zachary decided that we needed "professional" pictures of Elyse. Here is the first one (a bit blurry, but a cute idea to keep little ones busy).

When we got home we decided to eat grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. We don't have a frying pan or a griddle, so we used the next best thing - an iron. I used to do this all the time when we were kids. Z & E got a kick out of it. The sandwiches taste the same, but are a little smashed.

The results...

Now we head downtown and walk all over the place. There is an elevator to help the feeble (like me) climb the hills. The elevator is VERY slow, so slow, that I can walk UP the hill faster than it can get me there. But it was a good rest from a day of walking.

Zachary got a kick out of "high-fiving" this dog. This is one dog that Elyse isn't afraid to go near.

Last year, this bridge was under construction. It is a walking bridge (or running as some nuts were using it for). We walked the whole way across over the Tennessee River and back. On the other side of the river, is the carousel that costs 50 cents for children, $1 for adults. We rode it once.

Across the bridge is also a small version of a water park. Water squirts out of the ground and out of the mouths of animals (statutes). Elyse is climbing on the back of a lion.

Child Evangelism Fellowship was there too, painting faces and telling the gospel. She told the whole story while she painted Elyse's face. Elyse kept thinking, "I know all this, but listened politely."

Now the good part - we had an ice cream at Ben & Jerry's. If you ever want a good flavor, try the cinnamon bun - amazing! You can also see Elyse's free painting job (a princess).

Now if this sign doesn't said it all - nothing will.

Tonight we had a BBQ at the campus with all the M.Ed. students. It was a good chance to meet the students and two of the teachers. Some of the students' families showed up for the long July 4th weekend. I got to hold Lilly - who is about Ava's age (memories...).

Tomorrow ends Tim's second class and we head to Erin & Tobin's for the weekend. We won't see any fireworks, but that is o.k. Erin, we will call you when we are on the road and it is free time.

Miss all of you!