Showing posts with label kid friendly. Show all posts

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Fall Break in Pigeon Forge Oct. 2024

Sunday Oct. 6 - Friday Oct. 11, 2024

Kenny, Dana, Gabe and Mia Koogler

Adam, Crystal, Michael and Tessa Lindsey

Richard, Morgan and Andie Armstrong

Shannon, Courtney and Olivia Icenhower --made two important appearances.

Pigeon Forge RV Resort Pix Here

On September 26, 2024 I posted the following on Facebook. o

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"I hope and pray i am wrong, but I am concerned over this hurricane. I hope it doesn't behave like Camille."

Many persons who were washed away during Hurricane Camille in Nelson County, Virginia were never found.

Unfortunately the gut feeling I had about it turned out to be true. The storm DID behave like Camille dropping massive rainfall amounts in the mountains of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. I type this Sat. Nov. 16 , 2024 and as of this date there are 270 people dead from Hurricane Helene collectively from the states of East TN, Western NC, Indiana, SW Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. 540 persons remain missing. Damage estimates are in the double digit billions as of this time. We originally planned Fall break in Panama City Beach, Florida. Hurricane Milton was building in the Gulf of Mexico right after Helene. We changed plans and decided we'd go to Pigeon Forge RV Resort and play it safe. Helene is the second deadliest hurricane on record. Second only to Hurricane Katrina which killed over 1, 000 people.

Below: our camper with towels and swim suits hanging off it!

Anakeesta Photos Here

We went to Pigeon Forge RV Resort which was less than an hour's drive from home!

It was the first time we'd ever stayed there. It was awesome! The kid's were thrilled not to have to face the ten hour drive. It was another two days worth of fun with cousins and friends instead of traveling. We love PCB in Fall because it is uncrowded and we get a "Second Dose of Summer".

We come home sun tanned and having enjoyed the ocean and swimming again for a week in warm water. We still got sun tans and we still got to swim in warm water. The campground has a wonderful heated pool that is like a mini beach. It has a slide, a splash pad area in the shallow part. They have a fire pit. It was great! The first day we arrived we had to set up and get grocery shopping done.

We still managed to find time to swim. They keep the pool open until Nov. 1st each year and it is open until 10 p.m. nightly!

We had the distinct privilege of getting to see our four year old granddaughter Mia learn to swim this trip! She took off her floaties and showed me what she could do. I was blown away. She could not only swim, but can dive down to the bottom and pick up toys. Gabriel, age 8, showed me he has learned to do the back stroke! It was a pleasure seeing our grandkids and adopted cousin Andie Pearl and Olivia play together. Riding bikes. Swimming. Playing tag on the playground. Doing fun things together like when I was a kid.

Each day was warm and sunny in the seventies. Nights dipped down into the fifties. Good sleeping weather. Great swimming weather. We played mini golf. We visited with one another. Morgan and Richard being along was great. Courtney and Shannon and Olivia came by the campground two days.

We had our communal meals fixed together. Wonderful times of fellowship and fun. Gabe had just learned to ride his two wheel bike with no training wheels so he was wearing it out. Mia looked cute trailing behind him on her bike WITH training wheels. I was a bike riding fool when I was a little girl and a water dog who stayed in the river or pool every chance I got.

We took the family to the Goats on the Roof Alpine Coaster. I'd never done this before. It was a new experience for Kenny, me, Gabe and Mia. I held Mia and she rode with me. Gabe was with Kenny. It was hilarious exhilarating fun! Mia was not one bit scared. It was a delight to hear her squeal "go faster! this is FUN!" Gabe felt the same way.

We went shopping at Marshall's and Bealls and some other stores. I got some pretty sheets and house hold items for Fall. We went by the Nike outlet and got Gabe some new tennis shoes.

Everyone slept great. It was a nice break from school, work and the usual week day grind.

We loved the campground and will definitely go back. We also enjoyed the Alpine Coaster and will do that again.

We opted to avoid the crowds at Dollywood and instead went to Anakeesta one day. It was great fun and not crowded. The kids loved it. I'd go back for sure, but I want to visit at night next time.

It was beautifully decorated for Fall.

All in all, it was a successful, fun trip with loads of memories made. We were grateful for the break and for the fact we were spared the storm damage many suffered.

Below is a video of the pool and swimming at the Pigeon Forge RV Resort

And here below is a video showing the highlights of Anakeesta.

On the chair lift ride back down we saw a nice fat bear!

Below is grandson Michael age 15 We were proud of him for making new friends at the campground. He met some very pretty young ladies too!

Below: splash area in the pool

Below: all four of my grandchildren Left to right, Michael age 15, Tessa age 10, Mia age 4, Gabriel age 8. They all love one another and enjoy being together.

Below is a photo of Andie eating an apple. She is the daughter of Morgan and Richard Armstrong.

Below is an image of granddaughter Tessa at Mini Golf. You can see Papaw Kenny in the background.

Below: grandson Gabe at Mermaid Mini Golf.. He's a ham.

Below: Gabriel has learned to ride a two wheel bike without training wheels!

Below: daughter Crystal and granddaughter Tessa at mini golf.

Below: Richard & Adam play video games. Morgan in the background.

Above: Papaw Kenny is the world's best papaw. He's still my love after all these years. More than ever.

Above and below: Mia swims! She loves the water about as much as I do! Tessa is in the image above also.

Below: Tessa in our camper. She's so pretty and so sweet and smart! Funny too!

Below: Gabe & Mia at Anakeesta. BTW-- Avoiding Dollywood was one of our best decisions also.

Jared & Lydia took the kids to Dollywood a few days after we returned. Big mistake. Long lines!

Below: Gabe & Mia at Anakeesta. Many photo ops!

Below: Mia on the trampoline

Below: Gabe on the sky park

Below: Gabe on Treetop Skywalk which was awesome!

Below: A photo of the play area in the sky! Slides everywhere!

All in all we had a fantastic trip. It was relaxing, fun, new and fresh. We were ashamed to admit we had never taken full advantage of the wonderful attractions right here in our own backyard. It is a situation we have remedied and will continue to learn from. We need to avail ourselves of the good things in life right at hand!

We saved money, time and energy and played it safe. We have a rain check stay at Birmingham South RV Park for the future. Regrets? A few big ones. We missed PCB and being together with Joe, Bethany, Averie, Walter, Josh, Leslie, Piper and Asher. The hurricane coming missed PCB so we are grateful that since they took the chance on going they were safe and had a fun time.

Friday, August 16, 2024

Towee Creek Swimming

Towee Creek Swimming

Thursday Aug. 1, 2024

Dana, Gabe and Mia Koogler
Michael and Tessa Lindsey

Pictures are HERE

Directions are HERE

Fathers Day Weekend 2020 we did a family paddle the Hiwassee River day and a cook out at nearby Towee Creek. It was such fun and the creek so perfect I'd wanted to go back for the past 4 years! Time was closing in for school to get going. Gabriel had his first day July 31, but the next day he had off. I had all my grandkids free and so we loaded up the car and went!

We stopped by the Farmhouse Restaurant and had lunch. It was great and we all loved it. We continued the rest of the way down to Towee Creek to go play and swim. It was a hit with all the kids but especially Gabe and Mia. I had planned on stopping by Webb's Store to get them a popsicle and a t shirt. Take some photos of all four of them out front on the bench. It is the kind of store I went to when I was a child. My great grandfather "Poppy" had a store with a bench next door to the Bradley home place. We never made it that far. The two youngest had to be dragged away. Mia was so tired she was asleep before we got back to Etowah. It was a fun day for everyone.
Below: all four grandkids... Left to right.. .Tessa age 10, Mia age 3, Gabriel age 8 and Michael age 15. They are all very close.

I will let the photos and videos tell most of the story. It was a day filled with beautiful scenery. Cold, clear mountain water, snorkeling, catching critters in nets, swimming, skipping stones, eating snacks and chilling out. Good for the soul.

Below: Towee Creek is a tributary of the Hiwassee River. It is a sparkling clear stream.

Below is a different vantage photo looking at Towee Creek. It is deeper than it looks.

Below is a photo of all four of my grandchildren playing in the stream.

Below is Mia with her mask on swimming and going under water.

Below: Towee Creek with the Go Pro ... in its waterproof case. I love swimming.

And finally a video that shows the highlights of the whole day on the creek.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Four Wheeling With Gabe -- Tellico Plains

Scaly Blazing Star close up from along the road today

Four Wheeling With Gabe -- Tellico Plains

Dana & Gabe Koogler

Tues. Sept. 22, 2020

Pictures are here start with this frame and click right arrow to advance

I wanted to spend some quality time with Gabe this week on a day when he did not have preschool. I talked to him and we decided we'd go take a drive in the mountains. Michael had told me I needed to bring Gabe down to Tellico Plains to see the pretty loop drive we'd done this past Spring. I figured today would be a good day for it. He spends the night at our house about once a week so I went to pick him up and brought him over to help me get ready. He was excited to be able to go brrrrrmm out with Nanny and spend the night.

We packed up all kinds of stuff to play with and a picnic. We hit the road and he did real well traveling to Tellico Plains with me. He was hungry when we got to Madisonville so I pulled into Sonic and got him some tater tots as requested.

Once he was done eating we headed on down to Tellico Plains. The day was warming up and sunny. It was 70 degrees for a high today with a mild breeze.

I promised him once we got to Witt Road I'd pull over and put his booster seat up front to let him ride shotgun. He was thrilled. I explained that we could only get by with this while we were way back in the woods where the law wouldn't get us. It was because we would be creeping along and see little or no traffic that we could try this. I told him once we got round to the Epperson church I'd have to put him back in his regular car seat. He was good with all that.

Above: Gabe sits on a big rock by Conasauga Creek

He liked riding up front with me like a big boy. His favorite part of the experience was driving through the creek five times. We had to turn around and do it again on some of the fords because it was such fun. He also loved throwing rocks. He tried putting his feet in the creek, but it had turned too cool for that.

He rapidly changed his mind and wanted me to help him get his shoes back on.

Swimming weather is over around these parts. This time last year we were still swimming up through the second week of October! Not this year.

Above: cascade on Conasauga Creek

The roads were lined with tons of goldenrod, purple asters, joe pye weed, purple disc sunflowers, downy lobelia, a little bit of cardinal flower now and then.

Some white crownbeard, wingstem, white asters and boneset. A few places we saw red velvet points of staghorn sumac. The woods had that smell of Autumn. There is a sound too of crickets chirping and the insect world letting you know the weather has changed. They are wrapping up their business for the season.

Above: low water levels on beautiful Conasauga Creek. Lots of good throwing rocks.

We had to fix a lunch on the backpacking stove. Gabe always loves that.

I could tell when he started urging me along that despite what he was saying.... he was growing tired. It was a big day of adventure for my little man. He got to Epperson church and I pulled over to put him back in his car seat. He did not argue about it. He got comfortable with his blanket and a sip of some milk and was conked out before I ever got to the end of Hotwater Road. Nanny wore him out. He slept most of the way home. I think he woke up about Greenback.

Above: the reknowned rock thrower. Someone has dammed up the creek. Twernt us.

It was a fun day. I enjoy this little fellow so much. Michael came over this evening with Papaw for supper with me and Gabe. My 11 year old grandson love his heart. He told me he came over to play and visit because he was a little sad. His girlfriend broke up with him today. He grinned and said Oh well... it's middle school. It's going to happen." I know he was a little hurt over it. I'm glad that at age eleven he still seeks comfort from us. It makes me feel needed. It gives me hope that we can remain close. I hope to always remain close with my grandchildren. All of them.