Cades Cove Camping

After our Juice Plus conference, we enjoyed a week of visiting family and friends before Damein met up with us to go camping the follow weekend for our annual Cades Cove camping trip. This was an especially special trip because I have been going to CC with my family for years now and have always dreamed of getting to bring my little one along and this was the first year I could do that! It is such a unique opportunity to spend time with family, away from modern distractions, enjoying one another's company. Camping to me is about conversations, food, and creation. I love getting out in the fresh air, away from distractions so I can hear myself think and enjoy talking with others. Food is always a highlight. Pancake breakfasts, sandwhich lunches, chili, and fire roasted baked potatoes. YUM! And of course, being immersed in creation is always refreshing and perspective giving for me.
I love my grandfather's, Grandan, passion for camping. He is 93 and still going strong with the camping trips, always wishing we were there another day. He and Grandmother have set the pace in the camping tradition, taking my dad, aunt, and uncle all around the U.S. camping in different states when they were growing up.
Livy was a trooper. Everyone bragged on what a great camper she was, and it's true! We enjoyed hiking and driving around the cove, an 11 mile loop through a historic area in the park where horses, deer, bears, owls, and other wildlife are often spotted. Livy enjoyed doing her little girly scream back and forth with her cousin Lucas who she is crazy about. It is funny to see how he can bring out a part of her no one else can!

Thanks Grandmother and Grandan for a great trip and a wonderful tradition. Our entire family was in attendance this year. Something that hasn't happened in probably over a decade!

Inspiring Healthy Living Around the World

Livy and I went on our longest excursion ever without Damein recently when we had a nice long visit in TN. We spent our first weekend at the International Juice Plus conference in Nashville. Livy did awesome, taking nice long naps in the ergo during the main sessions while I took notes, and we had a great time with our team learning about ways our company is expanding our ability to inspire healthy living around the world. I love getting to see people from all over the world and hear how they are educating people on the importance of eating more fruits and veggies, as we are in over 20 countries now. It is such a blessing to be associated with a company with such high integrity and vision for such a worthy cause.
It was held at the Opryland Hotel, so Mom, Livy and I enjoyed some evening walks to see the lights and water features, which Livy loved!
Here are some pics from my 8th conference, and Livy's 2nd! There are also pics of: Livy with a new friend we met on the airplane with whom she enjoyed playing, as well as a pic with her 'lunchbox' which she did not want to let go of the entire time we were there! You will also see a pic of Livy with her great, great aunt Bet, who we ran into as soon as we walked off our airplane! Small world, right?! Made me feel immediately like I was at home!

Pear Picking

In October, Livy and I joined some other moms from our church for a trip up into the mountains to Julian, for apple picking! However, it happened to rain a lot that day (very unusual to rain much here), so the apple orchards were closed, but we did get to pick pears! It was actually very cold, so I had to dig out my coat and gloves! Crazy, right?! And poor Livy didn't have any winter type clothes yet, but had one pants outfit with a jacket Mema had previously given her, thankfully! We bundled up and had a great time! The scenery on the way there was unbelievable, so I included some of those pics also! You will also see a cute pic of Katelyn waving from her stroller, which is one of Livy's best friends from church. Kade, a sweet boy from our church adores Livy and you can see him entertaining her at a restaurant we ate lunch at after picking pears.
Julian is a historic town with a picturesque main street, lined with mom and pop shops that make homemade apple pies, apple cider, and other yummy homemade jams and treats. It was fun getting to peruse the shops and drink some warm apple cider with good friends on a cold day!
I haven't done anything special with my pears yet, since I went out of town shortly after this trip. We have been snacking on them (they are in the fridge of course), and I am hoping to make a pear tart or something yummy with them soon!