A Dragon Date

Good Thursday morning!

The Gallery Pics are from Day 2 at Wind"y" Creek. (I know what you're thinking. Just be glad we didn't stay a whole week!)

A Camping Story - Wind"y" Creek - Part Two

We were hopeful the weather on our second day of camping would be much, much better... and in some ways it was. It did NOT rain. However, the clouds AND the wind AND the "COLD TO THE BONE" temps hung around for the rest of the day. It was too cold to take the boat out to test the patch-up job Mikie had performed on the enormous hole in the living well, but there was still plenty to do.

After a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, two kinds of sausages and hash browns (the Tuggles know how to DO breakfast), the kids spent the morning riding bikes and playing beach volleyball. Josh found a fishing spot he liked away from the camping crowds. Austin found a nice, warm place to catch up on some reading in the back seat of the truck.

Sparkle enjoyed naps behind her log wind shield. Patch, the Tuggle's smallest pup, explored our campsite. (As our camping time increased, Patch became braver and braver, and extended his boundaries. The Faulkners were amazed Patch always came home when called. Beagles are notorious for NOT coming home when called. They put their nose to the ground and follow scents until they look up three miles later and have no idea where "home" is. Well, that and the Tuggles actually TRAINED their dogs.) Nala, the Tuggle's lab, played in the water chasing ducks and geese if they came too close. (Oh, and she always came when they called, too. She even sat when she was told. We were again amazed.)

We had company this particular day of our trip. Julie's parents came bearing gifts. Gifts of ribs AND pork chops AND potato salad AND baked beans AND made-from-scratch pound cake AND sweet tea... Oh, my! It was a lip-smackin', finger-lickin' EXCELLENT lunch. Eric, Leisa and Anna Knight came for the day, also. After our feast, we went on a long walk around the campgrounds. After the exhausting long walk, we settled in chairs around the campfire beside the water to visit for awhile. It was the perfect camping day... except for the clouds AND the wind AND the "COLD TO THE BONE" temps. But we decided to overlook those three little things.

Since Anna wasn't going to be with us when the sun (HA!) went down, she wanted a couple of scary stories by the fire. I told Peelin' Potatoes and got a pretty good jump out of most of the people around the fire. Then Kelci told a story... and she made it to the very end before she added, "This is really better if someone comes from behind and scares everyone at this part." We looked around, but no scary person was making an appearance so it became a little more funny than scary which was fine with me. When you sleep in a tent with only the thinnest piece of nylon between you and whatever is "out there," you really want to go to bed believing everyone in the world is kind and decent and NOT scary.

After our guests left, the day ended in the typical camping fashion. We had leftovers for dinner. We set up a movie theater in the tent, and the kids watched Zathura. The parents sat around the table in the camper and talked. S'mores were eaten. Bathhouse trips were made (and made again by the womenfolk). It was a very good day.

NOTE - The bathhouses at Wind"y" Creek are very, very good. They are cleaned not once, but TWICE, a day. There is even a new bathhouse which is lovely. (You can only say a bathhouse is lovely after you've been to some of the campgrounds we have visited over the years.) Bathhouses are a deal breaker to women campers everywhere.

NOTE - When camping with a new family, there are many unknowns. The Tuggles were wonderful. Easy to be with, well-behaved kids, well-behaved pets, parents who bring good food... the list goes on and on. However, I had a very long talk with my guys about the Faulkner Five FACADE. Camping with three teenagers can make or break you on good days, and we really wanted to keep up the "perfect facade" I've created here on A Simple Life.

We agreed if things started to go downhill, I would scream "Facade! Facade!" to remind them to straighten up. I didn't really think about what an odd word it was to scream. I didn't think about the Tuggles wanting to know why every five minutes I screamed the word. Thus, the Tuggles now know the Faulkners are not perfect. They've been sworn to secrecy, but I have my doubts.

Let me know if you hear any rumors, and I'll put them to rest.

Easter "Oldie"

As promised, here is your first Easter "oldie."

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt

NOTE - We had this egg hunt four or five years ago. I didn't want you to think our older teens were still hunting eggs!

This is something for the tween set. There are six kids in our family, so each child is assigned an egg color. If there are 14 clues, then there are only 14 hiding places with six eggs in each place... one egg per child. (When Roxie figures out the clue, she may find a total of six eggs in one hiding place, but she knows to get the yellow egg which is her assigned color, etc., etc.) Here is a sample of some of the clues.

It's smaller than Grandmother's house.
It's just a little red.
Last year she hid the eggs real deep!
This year they're on top, she said.
(Six eggs hidden at the shed behind my Mom's house.)

It's a porch just like Grandmother's,
As pretty as can be.
Across the street at Miss Olivia's
Easter eggs you will see.
(I broadened the search to include two or three neighbors' homes as well... with their permission, of course.)

In the yard, you will see many,
But special is one tree.
Aunt Bev taught you all to climb
So high you can see and see.
(Six eggs hidden in the "climbing tree.")

A gazebo is something we do not have.
We know one is nearby.
Miss Linda and Mr. Charles have said
Find your eggs and go bye-bye.
(Six more eggs hidden in a neighbor's gazebo.)

You get the idea. The clues do not have to be rhymes. The eggs can be hidden in harder places, also. When I made the clues, I always mixed them up. Each child had the same clues, but each child had them in a different order so they were running everywhere. The first one back to the front porch won a dollar.

Blog Linkage - I have three "must reads" for you today. All three are under My Blog List, so it's easy to just click and read.

1. Today's post on Nitty.Gritty. is about Jody's little girl, Teagan, who would have been 13 years-old today. A very sweet post from an amazing mom.

2. Tara's posts are usually more visual than verbal since she is a photographer... and I love that! I love when pictures tell the entire story. She has a post this week called "Light Sabers," and it took me back to when my boys were little and light sabers were slept with, packed in suitcases for trips and generally, just a part of our everyday lives. Simple, simple pleasures.

2. On Sherri's Blog, Sherri has written a post about finding joy in her life again after the loss of her Bronner. It is an eye-opener.

I also have a new blog listed under My Blog List. It is the blog of Sara Phillips. Sara and her family have recently moved to Vancouver to start a new church. I thought it would be fun to watch from afar as she and Jeff (and Emily and Ty) begin a new chapter of their life in a very different location. (Jeff was our Student Minister a few years ago. He and Sara are definitely stepping out of their comfort zone to follow God's plan for their lives.)

A Dragon Date

Does your little one want to see How To Train Your Dragon? If so, you may want to take him/her to Quintard Mall's AmStar Cinemas March 27 or March 28.

They will be having a Viking's Carnival, which is a mall-wide celebration of the movie's release. The How To Train Your Dragon Magically Enchanting Weekend starts at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 27 and noon Sunday, March 28.

There will be a mall-wide scavenger hunt sponsored by Best Buy. You can also meet characters from the movie, sample free food from local restaurants and create your own personalized shield with assistance from the JC Morgan Art Gallery.

Quintard Mall is located in Oxford, which is only a little over an hour from our area. You would have time to talk on the drive down, and re-live your date on the drive home. Stop by Mellow Mushroom after the movie and share a pizza.

Remember, it's not just a movie! It's an adventure!

This information was found on http://blog.al.com/bargain-mom.

Tomorrow I'll be sharing more of our Camping Story, another Easter "oldie," and Weekend Happenings in the Faulkner household. Check back if you have a chance. I hope you are all having a great Spring Break, and making wonderful memories with your family!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

Amazing Race - Easter Style

Good Wednesday morning... and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Showcase Pic is from our camping trip to Wind Creek... which you will hear about over and over and over again for the next three or four days. (Sorry!)

The Gallery Pics are from our camping trip to Wind Creek... SAME AS ABOVE!

A Camping Story - Wind"y" Creek

Because of torrential rains Wednesday, regular rain Thursday, and morning rain Friday, the Faulkner Five decided to wait one more day before heading to Wind Creek to camp... on the ground... in a tent. After a talk with the lovely State Park Representative, she agreed with my decision. "We had 5" of rain this week. Everything is either mud or a big puddle." All righty then. Saturday was looking good.

Our camping buddies for the weekend, the Tuggles, had a pop-up, so they didn't have to worry about sitting in the mud and muck. They headed down Friday, as planned, with Roxie in the backseat.

Mike, the boys and I finished most of the packing Friday night, so we would be ready to leave bright and early Saturday morning.

It was not to be...

1. Josh had a (very) little fender bender in Movie Gallery's parking lot, but it required a police report so it took a little time. (He was returning a movie FOR ME before we left to avoid late charges.)

2. Mike broke the "drain thingy" off the live well (or living well, as I continue to call it) in our boat, so there was a big gaping hole in that particular part of the boat. I thought if we drove the boat fast enough, water would not have enough time to get in the living well (thus, sinking the boat). Mikie said my theory had "holes in it." So he had to make a "quick" trip Wal-Mart to get some "fix the hole in the boat" stuff.

3. The Faulkner Five always leave several hours late on camping trips. Packing up the ENTIRE house takes a little doing... for me, at least.

But we were determined to have the best camping trip ever. (We had already survived the worst camping trip ever!) And, as I'm trying to learn daily, it helps to put things into perspective.

Perspective #1 - I decided I would stand on the pier with all my camera equipment for the first few boat rides... just to make sure. And if a hole in a boat is a good Spring Break story, just think how great the pictures of all the kids baling water out of the boat as they try to make it back to shore would be. Classic.

Perspective #2 - Josh's first "wreck" was basically nothing. No one was hurt and a fender bender (unfortunately) is in most people's driving future.

As you might have guessed, this is going to be a Three- or Four-Parter. We hadn't even left the driveway yet, and I had enough material for today's post.

Tune in tomorrow when we ACTUALLY go camping!

NOTE - Beginning tomorrow, March 18, I will be sharing one OLD Easter idea from the Archives, as well as new Easter traditions, parties, recipes, etc. So every day until Easter (not counting weekends) you will be receiving not one, BUT TWO, Easter ideas.

If you are thinking we already DID Amazing Race - Easter Style last year, you are correct. However, for any Newbies (and as a reminder to the Oldies), I am re-posting this idea for Easter fun with your older kids and teenagers. (See below for details.)

Next week's Seasonal Tradition will be completely new AND exciting. (I call it SURVIVOR - EASTER ISLAND.) That's right. For those families who have outgrown the traditional Easter Egg Hunt, I will have all the details for a Survivor-style Easter competition which will blow your bunny ears off! Needless to say, the Faulkner Five will be taking on the Martin Five (my sister and her family) to see which family can outwit, outlast and outplay for the title of Sole Surviving Family - Easter Island! (And yes... there will be parsnips and carrot soup in the "gross food" challenge. And no... I will be playing the part of the cameraman, so I will not be eating parsnips and carrot soup blindfolded.) Good stuff!

But, for the record, ALL of the six Faulkner/Martin kids have asked to do Amazing Race - Easter Style again, so it was definitely a hit. (I'm thinking we'll have to do another Amazing Race course next year.)

Wednesday Wisdom - Of course, today I'll be sharing a little Irish wisdom with all of you. I've heard a couple of these quotes before, but I didn't know they were Irish in origin.

"A hair on the head is worth two on the brush."

"Everyone is wise until he speaks." (After I've talked to a new person one-on-one for a while, the most common comment is, "You're a lot different than what I thought." I'm wondering if I appear a little wiser before I sit down and chat awhile. Hmmm.)

"A son is a son till he takes him a wife, a daughter is a daughter all of her life." (I'm hoping this one is not totally true. Mikie's still a sweet son to his Mom. I'm hoping I can have sons AND two new daughters one day.)

Okay. It's time for the Amazing Race - Easter Style... ONE MORE TIME!

Amazing Race - Easter Style!

This falls under "transition traditions" for teenagers who once hid Easter eggs in your family. If your family set aside a day for traditional egg hunts, this is something new and fun to try with the now older kids in your family.

1. Plan a trip to The Galleria after school on Friday or the Saturday before Easter.

2. Divide your family into two teams.

3. The clues are on a piece of paper in a large manila envelope. There are two places during the Race the teams will receive envelopes from other people in the mall.

The following is a copy of the instructions, clues and envelopes:

Each team will have the following when the Race begins... 1 manila envelope; 1 instruction sheet; 1 pen; 1 digital camera; $15.

When the Race ends, each team should have all of the above, but also two envelopes (one from Auntie Annie's Pretzels and one from their Grandmother), and a signed Easter card for their Grandmother.

Each team will start together in the same place. I will hand a large manila envelope to each team. Of the eight clues I am about to show you, Team One will be racing in order (1 - 7), and Team Two will be racing backward (7 - 1). They will not know the difference. They have the same clues, just in a different order so they won't arrive at the same destinations at the same time. The following is the information on the instruction sheet.

WELCOME TO THE AMAZING RACE - EASTER STYLE!

YOU MUST COMPLETE EACH TASK IN ORDER. NO RUNNING IS ALLOWED. THE FIRST TEAM TO REACH THE PIT STOP OF THE RACE WILL BE DECLARED THE WINNER... HOWEVER, YOU MUST HAVE ALL THE ENVELOPES YOU HAVE COLLECTED WITH YOU WHEN YOU CHECK IN OR YOU WILL SUFFER A FIVE MINUTE TIME PENALTY.

YOU WILL HAVE $15 FOR THIS LEG OF THE RACE. COUNT YOUR MONEY, AND BEGIN!

1. Find the elevators in the middle of the Food Court. Ride up to the 2nd floor and back down again a total of three times. You should exit on the 1st floor. NOTE: YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE SECOND FLOOR THREE TIMES BEFORE YOU GET OFF THE ELEVATOR ON THE 1ST FLOOR.

2. Make your way to the Book Store in the mall. Find an Easter book. Take one member's picture with the book.

3. Go to where children are having their picture made with the Easter Bunny. Take one member's picture with the Easter Bunny behind them. NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE AND HAVE YOUR PICTURE MADE WITH THE EASTER BUNNY. HE JUST HAS TO BE IN THE BACKGROUND OF YOUR PICTURE.

4. Go to Auntie Annie's Pretzel stand. Order one order of cinnamon pretzel sticks with one cup of icing and one large Coke. Don't forget napkins and three straws. Ask the clerk for your next clue after you place your order. (THE PERSON BEHIND THE COUNTER WILL HAND THEM AN ENVELOPE WHEN THEY ASK. THE ENVELOPE HAS TO BE OPENED, AND IT WILL TELL THEM TO GO TO THE FOOD COURT AND FIND THEIR GRANDMOTHER WHO IS SITTING AT ONE OF THE TABLES. THEY ARE TO SIT DOWN AND EAT THEIR PRETZEL STICKS, DRINK THEIR COKE, AND THEIR GRANDMOTHER WILL HAND THEM THEIR NEXT ENVELOPE WHEN THEY FINISH.)

THE ENVELOPE HANDED TO THEM BY THEIR GRANDMOTHER WILL TELL THEM TO GO TO THE CAROUSEL. ONE PERSON HAS TO RIDE THE CAROUSEL... OR THEY CAN DO THE ROADBLOCK.

ROADBLOCK - IF ONE PERSON IS NOT WILLING TO RIDE THE CAROUSEL, THEN THE GROUP HAS TO STAND BESIDE THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAROUSEL AND WAIT UNTIL IT MAKES TWO COMPLETE RIDES. (NOW THEY LOOK BACK AT THEIR SHEET OF PAPER.)

5. Find the Gourmet Bubble Gum machines in the mall. Each person on the team must find and buy their favorite flavor. Before you move on to the next clue, EACH person must blow a bubble with their bubble gum.

6. Go to BumperNets. EACH person must play one game before moving to the next clue. It can be air hockey, pinball, pool, etc. You do not have a lot of time. REMEMBER... PLAY ONLY ONE GAME PER PERSON. (It is acceptable for air hockey to count for two members of the team. The third member of the team would need to play another game. The games can all be played at the same time.)

7. Go to the Hallmark Store and pick out an Easter card for Grandmother. Watch your money. (BE CHEAP!!!) Purchase the card. ALL three team members must sign the card with the pen in the manila envelope. Seal the card and put it in the manila envelope to give to Grandmother at the end of the race.

8. Make your way to the entrance of J. C. Penney's and look for Grandmother. This is the Pit Stop of this leg of the race. Remember, the last team to arrive may be eliminated.

Now remember, this is Team One's list. Team Two's list will begin as follows and go from 7 to 1.

1. Go to the Hallmark store and pick out an Easter card for Grandmother. Etc., etc., etc.

Each Team's number 8 on the list will be the same.

I arrived at The Galleria early to talk to the clerk at Auntie Annie's Pretzels, and left the envelopes. (The clerks LOVED helping me out. They couldn't wait until the two teams arrived and asked for their clues.)

I hope I've made it clear. If you have any questions, just contact me in the comment section or e-mail me, and I'll try to clear up any confusion.

This was a HUGE success for my family.

Have a very green Wednesday! Do something a little Irish today! Tomorrow I have a fun date, a "re-posted" Easter activity, Blog Linkage and Part-Two of A Camping Story - Wind"y" Creek. It's a classic. You will NOT want to miss the next couple of day!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda