The Top Ten Things to do in Tennessee

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#8) Breathe in that fresh mountain air
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The Top Ten Things to do in Tennessee

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#7) Learn from the pros
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The Top Ten Things to do in Tennessee

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#6) Spend quality time with those you love
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The Top Ten Things to do in Tennessee

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#5) Think about what you will be doing in 50 years
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The Top 10 Things To Do In TN

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#4) Go "Home On The (Gun) Range"
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#3) Cook Fettucine Alfredo for the masses

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#2) Snuggle

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#1) Eat, Eat, Eat

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Life Is Good!

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So, what do we do here in TN to relax? Well, let me tell you, it doesn't include much walking or being on your feet!

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No Worries

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I decided to take pictures of what we are doing here in TN for the week. It has been a very relaxing time. Hakuna Matata!

Greetings From TN

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Here we are happy as pigs in slop! Well, if that's what you want to call Grandma Bank's cooking, that is!!! We woke up on Monday morning to a wonderful hot breakfast (make that lunch, it was after noon). Sausage gravy and homemade biscuits...Grandma Banks' homemade biscuits...mmm, along with the staples...bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage patties, toast, oj, milk, soft drinks and you may as well include the kitchen sink!!! By the way, this picture was taken during fall break. The person in the actual picture is not here this time (poor Kimmy!)

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Quote of the day for 1/11/07

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A good friend will come and bail you out of jail... a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun!"

Quote of the day:

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"Creating a family in this turbulent world is an act of faith, a wager that against all odds there will be a future, that love can last, that the heart can triumph against all adversities and even against the grinding wheel of time." - Dean Koontz, "From the Corner of His Eye"

Why I am proud to be an American

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"The Constitution is the bedrock of all our freedoms; guard and cherish it; keep honor and order in your own house; and the republic will endure."

-Gerald Rudolph Ford 1913-2006

I will never be a party affiliate but I do believe in individual integrity. I feel that is something that was in Gerald Ford.

We all must learn to laugh at ourselves...

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Not this picture, the next one. This was taken at Toscana at Avalon Park. A nice, upscale Italian restaurant serving the best steak tenderloin. MMMMM!!! It was the celebration of my 46th birthday. And it was very special!
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Okay, this is why we all need to learn to laugh at ourselves...KJ made the eye patch out of construction paper and taped it to my eyebrow. The theme happened because my brother brought over Pirates of the Caribbean 2 for all of us to watch! The DVD was wrapped in the bandana I'm sporting. The sock monkey ornament just happened to be nearby and I didn't have a parrot to put on my shoulder so I had to improvise!!! Life's short, laugh out loud everyday!!!
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And the winner is....

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Karl and his design teammates Michael and Paul received first place at the BPA (Business Professionals of America) high school regional competition in Seminole County tonight for their division...Web Site Design!

They will be gearing up for the state competition to be held here in Orlando in February, 2007. I have high hopes for them and hope they place at state. Nationals would follow in NYC in the late spring, 2007. Good luck boys!!!

Paul, Michael and Karl proudly holding their plaques and wearing their medals.

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WWDFC

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What We Did For Chocolate...

Okay, so if you don't know me really well, you don't know that I have a really zany sense of humor! I laugh at a lot more things than the average person does. If you don't know this also, laughing creates endorphins and that creates better immune protection in your body.

With that said, I had several 50% off coupons burning a hole in my pocket! I "needed" to take care of that and the day was Sat. after Thanksgiving. We went out to dinner at T.G.I.Friday's and when driving out of the parking lot, Kent asked me if there was any place that I needed to go. (Knowing the stores usually close at 9 pm.) I said, "Well, as a matter of fact, there is!" I told him I wanted to stop at JoAnns to use a coupon and he said (jubilantly, I might add), "It's 9:06. They're already closed." To which I replied,"Holiday hours. They're open til 10!" (I won't say what Kent said next!)

I proceeded to pull out the coupons and cash. Then I said everyone needed to go in and that I had cash to go with the coupons for everyone. (***Droning noises***) All they needed to buy was a bag of chocolate for the new Chocolate Pro Chocolate Fountain I had purchased the week before. (You have to use this specific chocolate to make it flow easily.) So, I got out, went in, saw that they had enough for us and motioned them to come in. Kent and Sandy were the first and Teagan and KJ followed reluctantly. Karl, of course, was the last to stroll in ssllllooooowwwwwwllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Anyway, I handed them each a bag and they went to the checkout counter where the two girls working were having fun watching everyone walk up with the same item. One said to me, "Neat way to buck the system!"

So, I said, I think this is a great place for a picture and got my camera out and snapped a couple. Well, the other employee said, "Here, let me take one of all of you."

Hence the above picture named "What We Did For Chocolate"!!!

Awe, come on, laugh!!! It's funny...or it will be when they see the picture in future years to come!!! (ROTFLMAO)

Angels among us...

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Don't they look angelic when they are sleeping?!!! KJ has been staying up doing homework for hours and it finally caught up with him! He ate and went to sleep on the way home from the restaurant. We woke him up long enough to come in and lay on the family room couch only to not awaken for more homework. I wish his teachers knew how much homework he did...

Being 14

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Okay, so I didn't post a picture of KJ's birthday which was November 18th. He had a great time with his friends, had his favorite Mexican meal catered (Don Pablo's) and got mullah and gift cards to spend for the next year!!! But, I didn't put anything about it on my blog. So, here it is...

Creating

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So, this is where I'm at with my quilt. Now, I have to add the border strips and then layer with the batting and then finish the edges. I hope to have it finished by January. I want to get started on another one. I watch Simply Quilts now and really enjoy all the quilters on there.

Namaste...

Me and my shadow...

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Simba follows me around whereever I go. He meows when I'm not home and hopelessly follows everyone else until I get home, jumping on them and wanting full attention. But, who could pass up this cute face and Paul Newman eyes?!!!

The OHS 2006 Homecoming Queen

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I have the honor of personally knowing the 2006 Oviedo High School Homecoming Queen and with the Queen Mum's permission, I am happy to post her picture. So, ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you, the

Oviedo High School

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2006 Homecoming Queen...

Samantha Abelman...

and my son, Karl and his girlfriend, Teagan! (This is the part where they start playing "Isn't She Lovely...")
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OHS Homecoming 2006

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Here are Karl and his girlfriend Teagan by the pool before going to dinner and Homecoming. Don't they look stunning together?!!! (Okay, I'm biased, I'll admit it!!!)
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The Old Man and the C

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Today was senior citizen's day. Karl used his brother's suspenders and wore a baseball cap from his uncle's campground in TN. You know, the one all the old geezers like to wear?!!! LOL (Uncle Wilbur's gonna kill me for that!!!)

Happy Homecoming Lions!

For Those About to Rock

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we salute you!

Coming home...

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or homecoming which is the week we are in at Oviedo High School. I have three days of pictures so far. Karl as a nerd...Karl as a celebrity and.....Karl as Teagan (opposite day). He has been a trooper to participate in the dress ups !



















Check out the Chanel earring..

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

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ly wonderful!!! And that leads me to my dilemma. I have lots to do but don't know where to start. And, I think this will only last two days. Well, making my secret recipe chili is priority one. Then I can see about working in the garage and/or hedging/weeding. It's 50 degrees here at 8:15 am...a great day in the neighborhood!

Woo-Hoo!!!!! Look out on the road...

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Yessiree Bob! He finally got the go ahead and passed the driving test. Now, look out world...Karl Banks is on the road!

If you see him driving, and see a problem, don't hesitate to call....

1-800-mom-&dad

Namaste

You can't be too rich or too thin...

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We visited Biltmore Estates today. WOW! It blows you away. There are 255 rooms in the main house and 31 guest quarters!!! 4 stories tall with north and south towers. My favorite bedroom was the south tower bedroom which had a spectacular view of the grounds and neighboring mountaintops. Plus a nice afternoon sun.

We ate at the Stable Cafe for lunch. The food was great. I had a beef tenderloin and broccoli quiche and it was fantastic!

Walking around the grounds, we were able to see many different varieties of trees, shrubs and plants. Some in their autumn glory. I was able to take pictures at the Conservatory of many types of palms, a huge staghorn fern and other exotic plants. It was a great day!!!

Karmelkorn, fudge and taffy, oh my.....

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Today we indulged in sweets and lots of it! We had pancakes for breakfast...



Apple pancakes, Parisienne Pancakes (strawberry crepes), Wild Blueberry Pancakes...mmmmmm!!! And who could pass up an order of bacon to go along with it?!!! We returned to Sevierville to do a bit of shopping at the Tanger Outlet Mall and the Scrapbook Superstore. Then we went to play laser tag.

Finally, we drove home in under 2 hours, late in the afternoon...just in time for Grandma Bank's baked steak and hashbrown casserole. I tell ya', this is heaven! After dinner, KJ chauffeured Karl and Teagan around the property for a little southern hayride - John Deere style!!!

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Now, it's time for bed and then onto a day in Asheville, NC at the Biltmore Estate.

Visiting Gatlinburg

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Yesterday we drove to The Great Smoky Mountains for an overnight stay in Gatlinburg and stops in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.



We spent the night in Gatlinburg on the strip at the Greystone Lodge. It was quick and fun. Lots of good food and fun times. We walked down the strip to eat dinner at Calhoun's and then came back to the hotel stopping for Karmelcorn and Kilwin's fudge on the way. It was great weather and a yummy day!!!

The John Deere Picture

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Everyone has to have their picture on grandpa's John Deere! Teagan is no exception! She did a fine job and even said she would like to have one to mow the lawn back home!!!

The trip beginnings...

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We left for TN on Saturday at 7:51 am. (I specifically looked at the clock because I have been known to "make everyone wait" for much longer than that.) Well, because the male Banks are ever-so-primed to pace while I prepare to leave, KJ forgot his toiletry bag and more importantly, his retainer!!! So, I had my brother overnight the retainer by taking it to the airport USPS office Sunday night at 10 pm (thank goodness for him!). What are vactions for? Timed arrangements? Pacing and fretting? Worked up attitudes?

Today, Monday, we are having a slow start relaxing at home, having a leisure lunch, lounging and chatting. Now that is what vacations are for. Relax in the moment.

Namaste...

An afternoon walk by the creek

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We went for a walk by the creek and stopped for a group picture. The glare makes us look somewhat dreamy, doesn't it?!!!

First Day in TN

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There's nothing like spending the first day in TN lounging around the house and eating breakfast at noon!!! We all slept in...it felt good.

Sausage gravy, biscuits, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, beefsteak tomato slices, toast, homemade applesauce, strawberries and banana slices, OJ, coffee, milk...need I say more?!!!