New Adventure

Sixteen years ago Jay & I graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. We went on to build a life and family in Ellijay, GA where the mountains are beautiful and the southern hospitality is wonderful! But year after year we talked about Searcy with fondness. Always wishing to return one day and be part of the Harding family again. Last October we returned for a visit over Harding’s Family Weekend. We took the kids to a speech given by a fireman who survived the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9-11. We also saw a juggling act in the Administration Auditorium, showed them where we got married, went to a Bison football game and attended worship at the College Church of Christ. It was a wonderful weekend. Our kids loved it and it was hard to leave. This made our desire to return even stronger.

So, we began praying and contemplating how we could turn our dream into reality. Two weeks ago we posted our house for sale on facebook but then quickly decided to rent it instead. Within a day we had a reliable renter all lined up. We then contacted a friend who we knew owned rental property in Searcy. When we asked him if he had anything coming available he told us about a great brick home in a neighborhood we remembered. He sent us a picture of the outside and a description of the inside. We told him we would take it and began making plans to rent a U-Haul to move our belongings. As we began packing we couldn’t decide what to take because we hadn’t actually seen the inside of the house. We weren’t sure what would fit. So, we decided to make a quick trip out to Searcy to see the house. We planned to leave our truck and take a few boxes and other things. We decided to stay in the rental house since it was supposed to be vacant. This would allow us to take our 13 week old puppy as well as save money on a hotel room. We borrowed an air mattress, loaded our vehicles and we were off.

It took us about 11 hours, but finally we arrived in Searcy. With great anticipation we made our way to the rental house. The kids were excited to see their new rooms and we were excited to see the house as well. As we pulled into the driveway we recognized it from the picture that had been sent to us. However, there were some differences. The yard was littered with beer bottles and cigarette butts. The gutters were missing in places and there were holes in the trim around the roof. Each of the yards to the sides and behind the rental house had dogs, and they all started barking in unison. We began to become concerned. Jay went to the mailbox to retrieve the key that was supposed to be there, but was unable to find it. Bewildered, he called the realtor that was supposed to leave the key. The realtor informed him that he had had a hard time contacting the previous tenants and had been unable to get the keys. He promised to call us back and hung up. At this point our kids were saying, “Please don’t make us stay here,” and our middle child was crying. We were tired from our trip and our oldest had begun running a fever. Since we weren’t sure when or if the realtor would be able to get the keys that night we began looking for a hotel that would let us bring our dog. We went to one and called several more only to learn that they were all booked. Harding students were returning this weekend and their families had rented all the rooms. As the sun began to sink lower we became more and more concerned. About this time, the realtor called back. He said he was at the rental house with the keys and could we come back. So, reluctantly we said okay. Jay decided he would go in with the realtor and we would stay outside. When they returned the look on Jay’s face said it all. The inside was even worse than the outside. The property had been entirely trashed by the tenants and there was no way we were going to be staying there. Back to square one! What were we going to do now?

Our friend, the property owner, felt terrible. Knowing that we had driven such a long way he offered to pay for part of our hotel expenses. So, we began calling hotels again. Finally we found a room at the La Quinta Hotel. It was one of the last rooms they had available. We just wanted to lie down and decompress. It was about 7:30 and we were tired and still had not had supper.

All during the past few hours Jay was on and off the phone with people. The landlord had another house that would be vacant in two weeks and he thought maybe we could look at that house to see if it would work for us. The renters were very busy, but they took the time to call us back. Reluctantly, they agreed to let us come over at 8:30 pm that night to look things over. We said we would be there and piled everyone in the car again. This time Jay, Blake and I went in. Carley and Parker stayed in the car with the doors locked. We just hated to drag the whole Motley Crew in, plus Carley was sick and running a fever. This house was much better. Clean and being rented by a nice family. We thanked them again and again for allowing us to come over and left. I stopped off to get medicine for Carley and pick up dinner as jay took Carley, Blake and Minnie back to the room. Finally, we were able to rest. We sat down as a family and thanked God for our blessings. Then we asked Him to guide us as we decided what to do. Now, for a good night’s rest. Oh, did I mention that the only room they had was a king? So, we had one bed for five of us and a dog. Hmmm…Carley ended up sleeping on the couch and the boys slept with us. Not exactly the best night’s sleep. Still, we were so thankful to have a nice clean room and a place to lay our heads.

The next morning Jay woke me up by saying, “Everything is going to be okay. I think the house we saw last night will work for us.” Ah, Sigh! Everything always looks better in the morning. As the kids and I ate Razorback waffles in the hotel lobby I smiled knowing that even in this God was blessing us.

Not really wanting to take both vehicles back to Georgia with us, we began to look for a place to leave our truck for two weeks. Finally we decided to leave it in the back yard of the rental house we are going to move into. We rented a small storage unit to put the boxes and tubs we had brought along with us. The owner of the storage facility was a member of the Downtown C of C and waived the lock fee for us. After hearing our story he said he would just loan us one that he had. All was taken care of. We were able to relax for a few hours. Driving around town we saw all the new additions to the Searcy business community and the new housing development being added to the Harding campus.

After, another good night’s rest we headed back to Georgia. On the way home we began sneezing and having sinus headaches. Carley had successfully shared her germs with us. Wasn’t that nice of her? The whole family (except Blake) is now sick. As we spent our first day back in Georgia sick in bed, we talked about what all needs to be done. We are looking forward to being back in Searcy Labor Day Weekend Lord willing. In all things God is there. He walks with you and guides you if only you will let Him.

Stick House

Mother's Day 2011

After two years on the road it is time to move home! We are trading our house on wheels for one made of sticks and bricks as they say. The kids are excited to be back under a roof where they have their own rooms and we are not blown back and forth by every storm that comes along. We are making some long awaited improvements to the house, such as new kitchen counter tops, a new stove and landscaping for the front yard. For now we are enjoying the extra space and time in Ellijay. What will be the next chapter of our Hall Family Adventure?

Branson, Missouri

After leaving Mark Twain Landing we headed south to Branson, Missouri. On the way we stopped in Springfield to worship with some old friends and to eat at Lamberts-Home of the throwed roll! Mmmm...What yummy Southern food. It is impossible to leave hungry!

While in Branson we got to visit with some wonderful friends. The Wheeler's have been part of Lydia's entire life and have just adopted Jay from the beginning. You will never meet more warm or giving people. We look forward to going to Branson just to see them. They are always such a joy. We were also able to go to the Titanic Museum while we were there. Everyone enjoyed it, but of course Parker was over the moon! The only disappointment was that we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum.  Everything is under a Federal Patent.  But still, what a way to see history come allive! A little expensive but the experience did not dissapoint. We would recommend it to any family who is interested in learning more about the Titanic.

You simply can NOT go to Branson, Missouri without visiting Silver Dollar City. We have been with the kids before and they were excited to go back. Fall is always our favorite time to go because the days are cooler and it is decorated with pumpkins and scarecrows. This was Blake's first trip and he loved everything about it. We even tried chocolate covered oreos. Mmmm what a sinful invention. I enjoyed showing the kids the glass blowers at work. That was always something that fascinated me growing up. I hope they enjoyed it. It didn't hold their attention as long as I would have hoped, but that is not unusual.  :) 

Another day we took a day trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We wanted to take the kids to The Great Passion Play. This is an outdoor play about the last few days of Christ's life, complete with hundreds of actors and live animals. While we were there we also walked to the Christ of the Ozarks Statue and went on the Living Bible Tour. We enjoyed hearing the stories told by Bible characters as well as seeing the recreated Old Testament temple.  This was something that just made the Old Testament come to life. I hope we are able to do something like that again when the kids are older. It is something you could definately see more than once.  

Work Camping

In March of 2011 Jay decided to post his resume on Workamper.com. He was really hoping to find some mowing or light work in exchange for our site expenses. A few days later he received a call that would change our summer and impact our entire family. The call was from a campground manager in Missouri. She was looking for an Activities Director and wanted to talk to me. (Hey, I wasn't even on the resume. I wasn't looking for a job! ) Hesitantly, I agreed to talk to her though and we hit it off great. We signed a contract and agreed to work at Mark Twain Landing for the summer season. I worked in the Activities building organizing events for the resort. We had crafts, games, scavenger hunts, outdoor movies, contests, trolly rides, water fights and even a chocolate slip-n-slide! The kids came with me to work each day and participated in all the events that we had. They made new friends and spent a lot of time painting ceramics.  Their favorite part of the summer was the water park though. As part of our compensation package we received season passes to the waterpark. We rode waterslides, the lazy river and played in the wave pool for hours on end. I've never seen the kids so tanned. Jay worked in the store waiting on customers and making reservations. He also took the weekly newsletter that I wrote and put it on the resort's closed circuit tv channel. This was in addition to running our online business. So, he was a busy man. It was tiring at times, but also invigorating. We loved being busy.

While we were there we worshiped with the Hannibal Church of Christ. What a sweet congregation of believers. We enjoyed getting to know them. They helped us by recommending restaraunts, giving us directions and telling us about the best mechanic shop to get our van worked on.  That is what family is all about! We were very blessed to meet each of them. 

Hannibal, Missouri is the home of Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain. We enjoyed visiting his house and museum as well as hiking up to the see the town's historic lighthouse. Another famous Hannibal resident was Molly Brown. Of course Parker was so excited about that. We drove by several times and he wanted to go all summer. We were finally able to visit before we left for the season. We enjoyed seeing some Titanic history and learning more about the "Unsinkable Molly Brown".

On October 1st we said goodbye to all the sweet friends we had made and pulled our rig out of it's summer home. What a fun and memorable summer!

Wanderlust

It's hard to describe wanderlust to those of you who don't share our love for RVing, but I will give it a try. When we have been sitting still, parked in the same spot for a month or more we just start getting restless. Itching to see new places and meet new people, we begin to count down the days till we will be back on the road again. We especially look forward to being able to be outside enjoying the sunshine. This month was no exception. As the weather man began to forecast yet another North Georgia snow we eagerly packed everything up and headed south to the Sunshine State! We happily traded our snow boots and winter coats in for our t-shirts and sandals!

Fort Wilderness Campground is one of our favorite places to visit. It is the ultimate campground. Conveniently located on Disney property, it has all the amenities of a Disney resort plus all the camping activities we enjoy. We can ride bicycles, take walks, play at the playground or just sit in a lounge chair and read all while watching wild turkeys and squirrels nearby. If we want to do something a little more "Disney" we can go to the Chip & Dale sing-a-long or watch a boat parade and fireworks from the beach of the Seven Seas Lagoon. Of course you can visit one of Disney's awesome theme parks as well. We have definately enjoyed our time here and look forward to the days we have left before we hit the road again!

Home Again & Other Stuff

Well, our summer adventures have come to an end. We are back in Ellijay enjoying time with family and friends. We had a wonderful time and truly miss many of the people and places we experienced along the way. Hopefully there will be a time (some day) when we be able to revisit a few of our favorite places.

We will keep you posted when we hit the road again, for those of you who like to follow our journey. Hopefully it won't be too long. For now, home is where you park it!

Flume Gorge

"For this is what the Lord says -

he who created the heavens,

he is God;

he who fashioned and made the earth,

he founded it;

he did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited -

he says:

"I am the Lord,

and there is no other."

Isaiah 45: 18

As we visited Flume Gorge in Franconia Notch State Park today, I could not help but be amazed by God's beautiful creation. I was reminded of his glory and thankful for both his love and mercy. As Blake said, "God made dat." to his daddy I smiled and thanked God for these blessings. How beautiful heaven must be.

Thank you Father.

Picking a Good Campground

Well, we learned a valuable lesson this week. You can not trust a website to provide an accurate visual picture of it's facilities. When looking for a place in Massachusetts we found one who had a nice website with beautiful pictures and glowing descriptions. So, we made reservations for two weeks. Tired from several weeks of busy sight seeing we were looking forward to relaxing and taking it easy. However when we arrived we discovered that there were a lot of aspects of the campground that had conveniently been left off of the attractive website. See photo for exhibit A. Most if not all of the sites there were full time residents who did NOT maintain their campers or sites. Web designers who make places like this look so appealing should really be called magicians in my opinion. Needless to say we did not stay the planned two weeks. We found a campground in New Hampshire that a friend recommended so we knew it would be clean and safe.

After our experience in Massachusetts we will be much more diligent in checking out campgrounds before we book them. For any of you out there who also like to camp here are two websites that are helpful: www.rvparkreviews.com & www.thatscamping.com We have always looked for reviews online but for some reason we let it slide this time. I guess we were in a hurry or something. Trust me we will not make this mistake again.

New York City

So wonderful to see our family again! After being apart for over a month everyone was really missing each other. The kids were especially excited about seeing their cousins. For 4 days we drove about an hour one way from our campground to their hotel and then took the bus into the city together. We took a double decker bus tour that allowed us to see the majority of the city and get off when we wanted to see something more up close. We also took a cruise on the Hudson River where we got great pictures of the skyline and passed right by the Statue of Liberty.

Of course the kids would probably say that their favorite time was riding the ferris wheel in Toys R Us or playing the giant piano in FAO Schwartz. Blake was a little shy about playing on the piano, but finally got into it. Then of course he didn't want to stop. He went again with Carley in the next group. The adults just enjoyed being inside with AC since it was in the 90s again!

We couldn't tell you about our time in NYC without mentioning our visit to ground zero. What a humbling and sobering place. Even though we all watched the coverage on television and saw pictures in the newspaper it is still amazing to see the place in person. They are currently building a memorial there, so there is lots of construction on the actual site. We went across the street to St. Paul's church. This is where many of the rescue and recovery workers went after working on the pile for hours and hours. They would be fed here and could sleep on cots. Now there is a little museum there around the edges of the sanctuary. They have included pictures of victims, notes and memorabilia sent from people all over the country. It was really a neat place to visit, but that seams like the wrong way to say it. It made us remember how we felt and where we were the day the towers fell. May America never forget...

Crayola Factory

For some odd reason our family really enjoys factory tours. Of course it helps when they have really cool things for the kids to do as well. While in Flanders, NJ we were only a half hour from the Crayola Factory in Easton, Pennsylvania so of course we HAD to go. Since John & Jennifer went with their girls at our last stop our kids had heard all about it from Morgan & Maggie. They were so excited! It was a nice drive and a wonderful day. Different craft projects were in each room and the kids were able to take everything home with them. They also received a small pack of model magic, crayons and a marker.

As a bonus there was a Canal Museum on the 3rd and 4th floors. We didn't think the kids would enjoy that, but we were wrong! Each child is given their own boat and they float them around raising and lowering the locks to make the boats float through a small canal. The boys could have stayed there forever! I think they went through the process three times before we said, "okay enough". In another room they had a working train with a small city. Blake thought that was fabulous!

We are anxiously waiting for Jay's family to arrive. They are flying to NY and we are going to meet them in NYC for a few days. The kids are excited about seeing their grandparents and cousins who they have missed so much!

Sick Babies & Saying Goodbye

This week we were looking forward to seeing all the historic sites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We planned to see Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell etc... but that was not to be. Instead we were catching puke, cleaning up diarrhea, going to the doctor and taking antibiotics! Carley ended up having Strep Throat (again). She was running 100 to 103 degree fever, so we took her to a walk in clinic near the campground. Blake's sickness was a little more interesting however. He was playing at Uncle John's camper one night when he found Morgan's gel deodorant. It had a fruity smell, so before anyone knew it he went through the entire tube. We aren't sure how much he got into his system but evidently it must have been quite a bit. He didn't start having problems right away, but around 11 p.m. I heard a strange sound. I didn't figure out what it was until a few minutes later I detected a horrific smell as well. When I followed my nose I found Blake laying in a pool of poop. For the next 36 hours he had diarrhea and throwing up off and on. He slept a lot. We are just thankful that the Lord answered our prayers. He is now 100% back to normal. He is eating, playing, laughing and throwing fits just like his old self! :)

Once the kids were feeling better they were able to play outside and met some amazing new friends. They spent countless hours riding bikes and looking at the duck and turkey families that kept walking through our campsite. It was actually nice to slow down and relax a little after going non stop for so many weeks. Jay was able to work and we were able to plan the next leg of our trip. This morning as we left we said farewell to John, Jennifer and the girls. We are so thankful that we were able to have this time with them. Everyone got along well and we were able to see many unforgetable things.

Washington D.C.

Even with temperatures of 103 degrees we had a wonderful week in our nation's capital! All the things we have seen in books and on television we were finally able to see with our own eyes. It is hard to put into words how you feel when looking at the Lincoln Memorial or seeing where Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream speech". But by far I think three of our favorite things were visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, Mount Vernon and Ford's Theatre where President Lincoln was shot. We feel extremely blessed to be making memories with our family.

Colonial Williamsburg - 4th of July

While visiting the Historical Triangle we were continuously amazed how history came alive before our eyes. We were immersed in the sights, sounds and smells of history. It was wonderful to visit Historic Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, the Powhatan village and Yorktown Battlefields. All of us especially enjoyed spending the fourth of July at Colonial Williamsburg. We listened to a patriotic concert of fifes and drums and then watched the most awesome fireworks show we have seen anywhere! I don't know when I have ever felt more patriotic. Hope all of our friends and family had a wonderful holiday as well. We miss you!

Norfolk, Virginia

Note to self...

Warning! When preparing to cross the Chesapeake Bay (via the underwater tunnel): Do not miss sign that says for RVs to exit in order to be inspected. It is not fun to be pulled over onto the side of a bridge and forced to turn around while driving a motorhome that is towing a van!!!! So not fun. Can you say stressful? God is good though and once again provided for us. Thank you Lord!

Kitty Hawk, Ronoak Island

While we were staying at the Outer Banks we took a day trip up to Kitty Hawk, NC.

The Wright Brothers National Memorial is there. This is where Orville and Wilbur Wright completed their first successful flight on December 17, 1903. We were able to stand on the actual spot where the plane was plus see a replica of the plane. The kids flew kites and became Junior Flight Rangers!

After we left Kitty Hawk we went to Fort Raleigh on Ronoak Island. We learned a little about "The Lost Colony" and the kids worked for another Junior Ranger badge. The National Parks Service awards them to kids who complete questions about the park and attend Ranger classes. The kids have earned 3 so far and are excited about getting more. It is a great way to learn about the area and a nice souvenir as well.

Outer Banks, NC

After spending two days in Statesville, NC. We left for the Outer Banks! It was a long day of driving. The kids were definately not thrilled with being in seatbelts for so long. Especially Blake who still has to ride in his booster seat. However, after seeing the spectacular views, we can definately say that it was worth the drive! Absolutely beautiful! So far we have enjoyed bicycle rides next to the water, beautiful sunsets, afternoons on the beach, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and some wonderful family dinners with John, Jennifer and the girls. Later in the week we hope to take some day trips to some of the other islands.

1st Day of Our Adventure

As Bible camp came to a close we looked forward to hitting the road! Our first destination - North Carolina! Some highlights of the day were driving through the Nantahala National Forest and watching white water rafters come down the Chatuge. Blake kept shouting "nother one" each time he saw a raft. Parker wanted to stop right then and pile into a raft to try it out for himself. We stopped along the way for a lunch in Wal-Mart parking lot. Blake had put his bubble gum in my hair so Jennifer helped me with that little gift. Needless to say no more gum for the little munchkin! We stayed two nights in Statesville so we could worship on the Lord's day and not travel. Also enjoyed a nice Father's Day dinner w/John and his family. Next stop - the Beach!

Camp Wetoga

We had a wonderful week at North Georgia Bible Camp! Carley and Parker made many new friends and memories along the way. Lydia helped teach one of the girl's Bible classes, so she was able to see Carley some. We all enjoyed learning more about the spiritual armor that God has given us. Reconnecting with old friends was nice too, but the icing on the cake was sleeping in the air conditioning every night! :)

First Month & Mother's Day 2010

Friday marked our one month anniversary of being a full time family! We are still amazed that we are doing this and that the time is passing by so quickly. I'm sure we will blink and a year will be over. We will wonder where the time has gone.

Sunday was Mother's Day! It was quite unlike any other Mother's Day we have celebrated before. We spent almost the entire day outside! After lunch we went to Grandma's house to visit. The kids played outside on their bikes for over 2 hours. While living in our sticks & bricks house we didn't have a yard that was flat enough for the kids to play in. We lived on the side of a hill, so it made it hard to run and ride bikes. Plus we were so busy with household chores and duties that we let ourselves be "trapped" inside most of the time. Well No More! Today Carley and Parker were able to learn to ride their bikes w/out training wheels for the first time. This is something that just never seemed to be accomplished because of where we lived and the opportunity to practice. It was exciting watching them learn something new. They were proud of themselves and enjoyed being in the warm sunshine with their family. After we left Grandmas it was back to the campground for more frisbee. This is quickly becoming a daily routine for us. The kids are always asking dad when he will come out to play with them. I am thankful for the intrest in something that is not an electronic toy. :)

After evening church services we had a late Mother's Day dinner with my mom & older brother. We enjoyed visiting together and catching up on things. May we be blessed with many more times like these. Thank you Father for your wonderful blessings.

Nights Like Tonight

Nights like tonight are why we decided to do this. After supper Jay took the kids for a walk so I could clean up and have a minute of peace. Then I met them at the playground for awhile. After swinging and putting on an imaginary circus show for us we all went back towards the camper and played a great game of frisbee. The weather was beautiful and we thank God for this simple blessing.