Long Creek Falls Blue Ridge, GA

We tried to visit two falls in one day and ended up not finding this one until the next day. We hiked A LOT, not sure how many miles but there were quite a few. The kids were troopers! I was so proud! We found we all really enjoy hiking and would love to take on this sport as a family.  The kids loved looking at all the nature God has provided up with. Mushrooms were a favorite. I wasn't aware that we would be walking so much and wore sandals, my tennis shoes were wet due to wearing them in the creek. I had to take them off and go bare foot due to blisters. Wasn't bad because the ground was damp and soft with all the evergreen needles.

Joshua with a pretty yellow mushroom.

It was hard to get a good picture of this one. There was alot of tree cover and made it dark, along with it being on a very steep incline. We had to rush to get out before dark.

 

I did manage to get this picture right at the end of the trail. I love pictures like this!

Tammen Park Blue Ridge

We went to fish, well Josh and the kids fished. I just couldn't bring myself to cough up $68 for an out of state fishing license This park is by the Taccoa River, the only place the trout seemed to be this time of year.The outfitters informed us that the creek at our cabin was to warm this time of year for the trout. You couldn't tell the kids that! Water everywhere was cold up there!

We dropped Josh off at the dam and he waded down and met us at the park.

Tayler and Joshua trying to decide if they want to brave the cold or not.

And they make it only to find refuge on a log. Ha Ha! Joshua was clapping so proud of himself above. The water was so clear and pretty. You can see Bren fishing in the back ground, determined not to let the cold water stop him!

And she makes it in to fish finally. Don't let her face fool you, she was having fun but so tired of my picture taking. I had to tell them they are tired of it now, but they will be grateful later in life. And hopefully thank me :). She had fun trying to catch a little minnow that kept trying to swim down stream to check out her bait. The current was trying to carry him off.

Brenden in deep water. They didn't catch anything that day. Well I take that back Tayler Rayn did manage to hook me in the rear end. Oh such fun, took my forever to get the hook out of my shorts. And I being that I am so wonderful with electronics dropped the days old camera in the Taccoa. Josh went back the next day and caught the BIG one that got away. So we didn't get a chance to eat trout this time. I assure you there will be more chances, we plan to return soon. We fell in love with Blue Ridge!

Fall Branch Falls, Blue Ridge, GA

The Jones family at our first waterfall together. Camera timers sure are nice and Josh did a great job setting up this shot!

There was only a short hike to this beautiful waterfall.

Brenden and Tayler at the top, they climbed up beside in the woods to get there.

Josh took this at the bottom, this is as far as I got even after all Brendens' persistence.

Stop # 3 Blue Ridge GA

We arrived early and the people were nice enough to let us go ahead and check in. http://www.premiercabinrentals.com/cabins/RC/rcindex.html
Here is our home for the next seven days. After checking in we ran to the house to have a look see, and then left straight away for groceries. Josh s sister and her family came to camp in Blue Ridge for the Labor Day weekend, so we spent the next few days together. The kids had a blast. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs Saturday night and had a fire by the creek. Here is a picture of everyone minus Josh, Joshua, and myself.
Left-Right Rodney, Brenden, Corey, Kate, Wesley, Tayler and Stacy.

Roasting marshmellows for...

S mores YUMMY!

The next day was Josh s birthday! Corey our niece made home a Lego card, to cute!

The guys went hunting for a fishing spot and a little fishing while the moms and kids stayed at the cabin and played. And of course with Bren and I around that included playing in the creek! Some were braver than others. :) Here Bren is trying to lead Kate, Tayler and Wesley in,

Joshua wanted to go in and of course he cant go without his buddy. LOL :) I had to take his pants off, once they got wet they wouldn't stay up.

And guess what it is kind of hard to keep your balance bare footed with 35 lbs on your hip. Yay you guessed it we fell in. Joshua was a really good sport and still had fun. This creek is called Fightingtown Creek, the current is very strong and very deep in many areas(up to my shoulders). We stayed right in front of the cabin and didn't venture far.

When the guys got back we grilled steaks and had potatoes. Of course as far as Josh and I are concerned no birthday is complete without a Dairy Queen ice cream cake!

Stop # 2 Chattanooga Choo Choo

http://www.choochoo.com/ This is actually a Holiday in Hotel that used to be a train station. We spent the night here on 9/4, this picture was taken that night when we went for a walk. We ate an awesome dinner at their restaurant The Gardens, a prime rib buffet and kids ate free! Since Josh was platinum member with Holiday Inn they upgraded us to a King Suite with a jacuzzi. We were supposed to have to double beds, but they gave our room away when they upgraded us. The kids slept on the couch and a pallet on the floor, they didn't mind giving up their beds trading for the jacuzzi. :)We also played in the indoor pool and then the outdoor hot tub. The outdoor pool was to chilly for Josh and I, the kids would get in and then come jump back in the hot tub :). This is definitely the neatest hotel pool we have ever seen!

Here is a picture of one of the original trains used at the station.

The actual place you check in is the actual original train station. It was beautiful! The ceiling and the arches were the most impressive. These are the tallest non supported arches around.

The next morning we ate a great buffet breakfast at The Depot, they cooked the waffles to order right there. The kids were really impressed. And they ate free again woo hoo! We walked around did a little shopping and of course picture taking. Next was the trolley ride. To Cool! We got on early and the conductor gave us quite a bit of history.

And last but not least the model railroad museum. It was themed after the Chattanooga Southern Railway, and is the Souths largest model railroad at 154 feet long and 33 feet wide.

I wanted to share two more pictures I took while walking around. I have so many good ones it is hard to choose just a few.

These were taken in the hotel parking lot. These are all parts that they actually used at this station.

Our First Vacation Stop

We spent the night in Hendersonville, TN (near Nashville). They alternate these antique cars in the lobby of the hotel. This was a 1957 Bel Air, it was beautiful. We really enjoyed checking it out, and of course taking pictures.

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We ate at a great Greek restaurant near the museum. I had an gyro, and Josh had a lamb burger. Some of the best food! The kids of course had chicken fingers and a regular burger.

This was really a neat hands on museum. It had a space station, body station, rescue station, dinosaurs, and so much more.

I can so see Tayler Rayn doing this when she grows up. She spent a lot of time working on this man while the boys ran wild to all the separate stations.

Mommys' favorite station the lengthening mirror, I had always wondered what I would look like all stretched out! Pretty neat!

One of Joshuas' two favorites the ambulance. His next favorite was the train set, he set all the cars together and we took a pictures of him with them. The next day he was still worried about someone taking apart his train, We kept reassuring him we have pictures!

To busy to look at mommy, he was watching the other kids making sure he could protect his train!

This is a funny picture of Bren, I didn't get many of him he was also to busy to stop. Here he is pumping blood to the heart trying to get it to the heart in time. You can see in the picture he was sweating from running everywhere!

Bean

We stopped at Gander Mountain a hunting/fishing store Josh had been eyeballing on one of his trips to Nashville. They had these car buggies that were quite an entertainment for the kids. I pushed Joshua and Bren pushed Tayler until we got to the parking lot and Bren got his turn. Brendens' nickname is Bean. When he was little his cousins would call him Bren Bren, he couldn't pronounce that so he called himself Bean Bean. Hence the nickname Bean. And here he is with his very own car named after him.