Blue Springs State Park - Second Stay

 Decided to go to Blue Springs State Park for a third time this weekend.  It was our second time camping at the park.  We got the same spot which was nice because we loved it so much last time!  It's a quick hour and a half drive from our house so we packed up after work Friday night and got there about 7:15 Alabama time (8:15 our time).  Set up camp and went to bed. 

 

 After we ate breakfast we hung out outside and the boys set up targets to shoot the bb gun.

 We headed into the springs around 830.  We texted all our Ohana that the weather looked like it was going to be good and they should head over!

 I've been trying to finish the "Handmaids Tale" book for about a month so I was able to read a lot while the boys played in the water.  Kennedie decided she would rather read than play in the water.

 We heard thunder for a while before the rain actually started.  We drug all the stuff we didn't want to get wet to a shelter and waited till it stopped (only about 45 minutes) and right before the rest of our Ohana showed up.  The kids played in the water until about 6ish (when the springs part closes) and then we headed back to the trailer with everyone.  We grilled up the second set of burgers and hot dogs and we ate again and made s'mores.

Two of the four families left around 930 and the rest of us got ready for bed. 

  Our camper was full again.  On the table bed there was at one point 4 kids.  Cale ended up coming to the bed and he slept next to me.  The rest of the other family slept in their car.  At some point Tim had a sinus headache "attack" and was outside trying to get rid of it, and Kennedie crawled into bed.  He came back in when his medicine finally kicked in and instead of moving the 14 year old he went and slept in my gravity chair outside.  When we woke up the next morning he said "it was actually pretty comfortable and the mosquito's and flies weren't attacking me".

 Since this campground has no WiFi and NO cell signal the kids are forced to come up with other ways to entertain themselves, and talk to each other. While the adults were cooking breakfast they were playing cards at the picnic table.

None of the kids wanted to leave without getting in the water one last time.  So we let them hop in and swim for about another hour or so.  We love this state park.  It's relatively inexpensive to stay ($55 for two nights, and if you are retired or active duty military you and your family get in for free!) and it's not far from our house!

Washington State Vacation Day 2

Day 2

We just relaxed in Tum Tum and thankfully we didn't wait to play in the water because this was the only day that it was nice and warm out.  By warm I mean 75 degrees!

Washington State is just a beautiful state!

 The family we were staying with loves boats, kayaks, tubing and stand up paddle boarding.  They got out their paddle boards and the kids had a blast!

 Kennedie was a natural!! She was out for about 4 hours and she even ventured into the part outside of the ropes.

 Tim taking advantage of his motor in the back of the paddle board! :) 

Cale convinced them to finally get the boat out - he found crackers and proceeded to stuff his face - apparently he was hungry!

 On the tube!!  He had a blast tubing around!!

 This boy hit every aspect of water sports!!!

This was after Cale was let to drive the boat!!!

Chester Frost Park - Chattanooga (Hixson), TN

We were excited to go to our favorite swimming hole in Soddy-Daisy this weekend.  Only to find out that they closed the only parking lot for construction of a ranger station.  So we took the advice of our family/friends that live there and checked out Chester Frost Park.

It is a lake I believe but I could be wrong.  It wasn't like the Blue Hole but it was better than nothing.  On our way there we stopped at the Walmart Marketplace (only about 5 minutes from the park, which is convenient), to grab some snacks (which is cheaper than a convenience store/gas station).

This is the sign upon entering.  We got there about 10 am.

There is a great playground

This was when we first arrived.  Not a lot of people were there.

Kennedie and myself sat in this shelter the time we were there.  By the time we left a lot of people had taken most of the tables.

Kennedie entering the water.

Cale and dad had a great time.  Apparently this wasn't Kennedie's jam because she sat with me and read while they stayed in the water.

They had a blast spraying each other with the water gun.

This guy was in hog heaven!! He's been cooped up in the house with his sister most of the summer and this is the first time we've been able to get him in the water!

Two peas in a pod!

It was a really pretty area.

This was as we were leaving at 1230 it was starting to get more and more people.

When we first arrived these ladies were taking kayaks and paddleboards out of a closet where the picnic tables were.  They were for rent, I thought that was a neat service to provide right at the lake.

Overall it was a great way to spend 3 hours even if it wasn't at the place we originally intended on visiting. 

homemade disinfection wipes

I used 2 xlarge t-shirts that had a design on the upper front part of the shirt - so I was able to use the whole back of the shirt and the bottom half of the front.  I got about 10-12 cloths out of each shirt depending on how I cut it.  Because I got a new serger 3 weeks ago I know serge EVERYTHING that I can. I serged the edges so they wouldn't unravel over time.

Here is all the ingredients I used to create the wipes.

1 1/2 cups HOT water

1/4 cup vinegar

few drops of dish soap

few drops of essential oil or in my case candle scent.

 I stuffed mine into the bucket so they would be easy to get out when I needed one. (this is my first set i realized after I mixed everything I had excess solution and needed that other shirt)

 Pour in your hot water and vinegar....

 add your few drops each of oil and dish soap

 SHAKE IT UP!!!!!

 And it's ready for use!

Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

• 12 cabbage leaves shopping list
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup instant rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces (DO NOT drain)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder 
• dash of salt
• dash of pepper 
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce 
• 1 tsp granulated sugar 
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 1 tablespoon water (approximately)

Directions:

Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water and let stand about 10 minutes or until leaves are limp. Remove leaves and drain off excess water.

Mix ground beef, rice, onions, mushrooms with liquid, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce.

Place about 1/3 cup of hamburger mixture at the stem of each cabbage leaf. Roll leaf around mixture, tucking in sides.

Place cabbage rolls seam sides down in an ungreased square baking dish.

Mix remaining tomato sauce, lemon juice, and sugar; pour over cabbage rolls. Cover and cook in oven at 350 degrees for approx 45 minutes or until ground beef is done.

Mix cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in saucepan. Drain liquid from cabbage roll pan and add to cornstarch mixture. Boil approx 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve this sauce with cabbage rolls.

Garnish with parsley or shredded cheese if desired