Cataloochee and Creek Cafe

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Since I didn't have school today, Dad and I took a trip to Cataloochee last night.  Except for some ice, especially when the sun went down, it was a fantastic night to ski!  After the 4:30 day pass people left, there was no lift lines to wait in at all!

"Selfies" are not my thing.  I don't like to hear the word or apply it to myself.  It's just annoying.  So this is not a selfie.  This is a picture of me at Cataloochee.

 

Today I did something else I've been wanting to do for a while!  That seems to be happening a lot lately, doesn't it?  After letting breakfast digest, Mom dropped me off at the Jefferson City Community Center so I could swim and run a little bit.  She went to Walmart while I was doin' work.  One of my new favorite places is in downtown Jefferson City, called The Creek Cafe.  The place is so cute inside, the workers are super nice, and the food and drinks are delicious! 

 

I brought my devotion book to read, too.  Today was about being fresh in desiring the Lord, not stale.  God has given us new life to desire Him and to be satisfied in Him!  When we feel stale, it is because our relationship is not focused right.  Just go to God, and He will restore your spirit! 

What I got to eat was their homemade chicken salad sandwich on fresh apple wheatberry bread.  Oh man, could I eat that every day.  That's the best chicken salad I've ever had!  They also have a lot of coffee flavors, and I got vanilla.  The flavors are so good, I didn't even have to add any creamer!  Refills on flavors are only 50 cents, too.  The ice cream they serve in their store is delivered each week from Sevierville's Apple Barn!  That is one of my other favorite places!  You just can't go wrong with a place like this.  The 4 flavors I've gotten lately are Bear Claw (which has brownies), Irish Cream Cappuccino, Caramel Turtle Fudge, and Peanut Butter Fudge.

 

Lately, I've really been trying to make the most of every opportunity I get, because life is so short.  I just love life and all that God has blessed me with, so I want to use every moment to do something good.  It was also a great day off from school getting to spend time with my mom, because since things are moving so fast now, we don't get to be together as often!  Today was a great day of bonding.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Another morning to sleep in!  I wanted to change up my exercise today, so Mom and I went to the Jefferson City Community Center.  While I swam for a while then ran 11 minutes on the treadmill, Mom sat in her Yukon in the parking lot and occupied herself.  We then headed back toward town and met Dad at Taco John's for lunch.  This is also a festive restaurant!  They even add "Nachos Navidad" to their menu each holiday season, and they also put up decorations.

When we got home I finished what I had planned for lunch and tried something new.  I am very frustrated that I could not find any Christmas candy corn this year, because it makes an amazing snack with nuts.  Instead, I mixed some almonds, pistachios, and peanuts with honey and cinnamon.  YUMMY. 

Let the fun begin!

You have no idea how much I have been looking forward to this night.  It is my favorite night all year.

This is my lovely Granannie.  She is my dad's mom.  I just love how sweet and cute and beautiful she is.  We have so many terrific memories!

These are my cousins Matt and David from my mom's sister.

These are two of my favorite people in the whole wide world!  My mom's parents aka Mamaw and Papaw.  Their house is where we spend every Christmas Eve.  Mamaw says she feels like she feeds us the same food all the time, but I LOVE IT.  I could literally sit and eat all the vegetables she makes all night.  However, I had to stop myself to save room for dessert.  On Christmas and Thanksgiving she gets a ham, and other times she makes meatloaf.  Her fudge and peanut butter fudge and sweet potoato and pumpkin pies are also phenomenal!

After leaving Whitesburg (the little country town where my grandparents live), we went back to Jefferson City to my friend's house for a party!  We stayed until after midnight.  Here's some of the adults breakin it down...literally rockin around the Christmas tree at the Christmas party hop!

This is my good and crazy friend Danny.  His parents are the ones who host this yearly party, but he was tired from and early basketball practice and refused to let go of his blanket.

This is another one of my friends from Jeff, Alexandria.  Believe it or not, she is actually a grade younger than me.  Yes, I am short, I know.

Every Christmas Eve, I read the Christmas Story to Mom and Dad before we go to bed.  Because of the partying, it was 2 am before we got into bed, but we are celebrating Jesus here, not ourselves! 

Here is another passage of scripture that I have become very fond of this year.  It is in Isaiah 9, a prediction of Jesus's birth.

*He was born for us.

*All decision-making and governmental principles should be based on him.

*He is here to give us guidance.

*He is stronger than any earthly power or struggle.

*He never fails or ends.

*He gives us peace that cannot be reached through our own strength.

*There is no end to His rule and peace.

 

This is where the true joy of Christmas comes from!