So Tioga Falls was amazing.. as usual.

The hike was a little longer then I remember

but just as enjoyable.

The weather was perfect

Not to hot not to cold

My favorite part about the hike

Besides getting to know some amazing new friends

was getting to carry Madelyn on my back!

Then Of course the scenery was nice too.

There were a lot of trees that had fallen down

because of the ice storm and wind storms we've had.

It still felt good to be in nature.

Due to the 4in. or whatever of rain we had just gotten the day and night before

the water fall was flowing more then I have ever seen it.

It made it even more appealing to the eye-- beautiful.

but it also stopped us from being able to explore certain areas and the water.

This day was a well spent day and I look forward to going 

back soon and to many other

places like it.

Something Beautiful

I'm so ready to see something beautiful.

I think I am going to take a hike tomorrow to

Tioga Falls..

http://gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/tioga.shtml

I used to go there a lot before having a child..

now I am ready to go again

and take her with me.

This is what I am hoping it looks like tomorrow when we go

because of all the rain we are getting today

http://flyingfishmanky.com/id3.html

I love this place for a few reasons

1. It's beautiful.
2. It's a nice getaway from the city (and it's close)
3. It's not a bad hike which means most people are able to experience this wonder.

It's not one of the 7 or whatever wonders of the world.. but if your

ever in Louisville and want a pretty piece of nature

Go to Tioga Falls!! :)



Time goes by way to fast..
Sometimes we just need to slow down
take a deep breath and just enjoy.
It's always rush rush rush..
But why?
Whose timing us?

We also need to stop worrying so much
about all the little things.
Sometimes paying so close attention to the
little details will make us miss out on all the fun memories.
Especially if your a mom..
Someone told me today that the best sentence
that they have ever read said (not a direct quote): Kids will look back at their childhood
and remember how fun mommy was, but they won't remember how
clean, neat, and perfect
the house or whatever was.
I would rather let the dishes pile up the ceiling to hang out with my
precious daughter then to miss out because I was too busy worrying
about the little crap that doesn't matter.

I've never really been an up tight person when it comes to
doing things last minute..
but for those of you who are.. I think it would be good for you
to throw out your inhibitions and have some worry free fun!

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.
100 years isn't really that long.

I am so ready to go camping.

I absolutely love the outdoors.

I once lived in a VW bus.

kinda like this one, only the one I lived in was all blue

and a little rusty :D

(I'll have to get a pic of it next time I visit)

So anyway, The husband and I lived in this thing.

(Only we weren't married then)

It was (still is) off the beaten path,

middle of the woods..

We went to the bathroom in the woods

bathed in the creek

Made from mostly natural spring water

(very cold water)

It was quite the experience.

It had it's up and downs..

Up Side

(Just to name a few)

• No neighbors
• No busy streets
• No air pollution (for the most part)
• No rules (for the most part) I could be butt naked all day if I wanted.
• No bills!!

Down side

(to some people & just to name a few)

• No indoor plumbing or electric
• No fridge
• No central air or heating
• Bugs.. lol

We had wood for a fire to keep warm

water to clean with

Food to eat, but couldn't store perishable items

Coleman stove to cook with

and a lantern to see with.

The thing that I found to be the biggest challenge would have been

pooping in the woods.

Seriously.

To go from sitting on a toilet

being nice and comfy

to trying to figure out a way to poop outside

without falling in your own poop

(which I can say has never happened to me)

is tough!

Eventually we did have a make shift toilet.

Honestly I would go back to living in that bus without a second thought!

It's so nice and freeing.

That's why one of my goals this summer is to learn

everything I can about gardening

and living off the land.

I want to, while I'm still in the city,

start my own garden and eventually have it be

over half of my diet.

(if you have any tips or recommend reads let me know!!)

Then at some point I want to get back to where I belong..

the country.

Moments.

Today I felt like the sun kissed me

and the breeze cleaned my soul.

Sitting back in the passangers seat of the car

window partly down

air flowing on my face and through my hair

sun shining.

Closing my eyes

I can almost be 10 again.

10 and sitting in the back seat of my

Dad and step-moms

blue cavalier.

Listening to the sounds of ACDC or the beatles 

or something

on the radio.

Those where the days...

not being ten..

but having a moment of enjoyable

life. 

Wow!

The Really Really Free Market was

AMAZING!

It was very refreshing to be surrounded by people

who are more interested in giving people what they need

then making money on stuff they don't want!

It was a culture shock for me for sure.

I've never really been introduced to the idea of

a gift economy before.

What's the gift economy? In simple terms it's about giving

 stuff away for free without expecting anything back.

"We don't charge for anything, nor do we advertise anything. The project is sustained by anonymous friends who donate what they can, not as a payment for what they have received but as a pay-it-forward act for someone they don't know ... someone like you." - Nipun Mehta

I know very little about this concept.. but am looking forward to

learning more.

Could you imagine if everything in this world was free..

food.

clothes.

need for nothing and want for very little.

I don't even think I can wrap my mind around a world

that isn't centered around money

and the things we do or don't have.

It's sad really.

The things people

(American people especially)

will do and have done for

money

is sickening.

They take everything there is and find the cheapest

way possible to make it..

 mass produce it

and then sell it for a whole hell

of a lot more then what it's worth.

Oh I have soo much I want to say on this subject,

but I'm just not ready to say it yet!

Anywho, here are just a few of the photos I have from the

Really Really Free Market

This is the table they had set up for the kiddo's to get

their face painted and balloons

Maddie hanging out with her free balloon and book!

Maddie on the way home.. all tuckered out.

She loves that balloon!!

ALL the great FREE stuff we got.

 



And one of the cooler things we got..







At the moment, I cannot get any pictures to load..

Which really sucks because I had some AMAZING stuff to

write about and show you.

I guess I'll have to wait.

In other news, we found something new...

well old

in our camper

A snake skin stuck under the roof of the cab part.

So after getting this shot, Maddie and I left the camper

so the husband could make sure there was no other "surprises" around.

The really entertaining part is that now

is that my husband keeps hearing hissing noises.

It will be interesting to see how he removes the snake skin.

I heard talk of a pair of pliars and some goggles.......

We'll see

as of now it's still there.

Also I remembered to get this so

I could share in the joyus memories of

my child sucking on a rock..

Here ya go!!

The rock is.. was a piece of

decoration in our living room..

now it's hiding in a closet until we are old enough to not suck on it! :)

Just as Free

Am I the only person in the world with a child that sucks on rocks?

I guess it could be worse..

I'll have to get a picture.

So, anywho

My insanely odd ball husband is outside cleaning our

motor home, camper, RV thing from the

1970's.

It's big, frumpy..

If looks could kill..

It needs new tires all the way around,

rebuilding of the motor or something like that..

It wouldn't hurt to repaint it

(maybe like a rainbow? lol)

The inside is like a smack in the face..

blast from the past of the 70's

Orange, brown, retro.

He loves it.. as gawdy

and ugly as the thing is.

Could this be our little slice of freedom?

((Theme song to my goal in life))

(That's not a spill on the couch, just the way the material
appears.. gotta love Microfiber)

Today has been a long day to say the least.

This morning the new couch we bought was delivered.

Which is amazing.

What was not so amazing was watching my

16 month old bounce around on it.

She was exceptionally wild today.

I swear I don't know where that child gets her

crazy free spirit from?! 

She is like a little cave man.

women.

The more I tell her no, the more she tells me

yes

with her actions.

I guess you live and you learn..

and right now, she is doing both.

Sometimes when she is driving me insanely crazy

I close my eyes and pretend I'm far, far away

on a beach..

or that I'm stabbing my eye balls out with a fork.

Either one is equally soothing.

Her most prized moment for the day

was when she decided to "sneak" a bowl of salad and

eat it behind our BRAND NEW couch!

At this point..

All you can do is laugh.

and lavish in the memories you'll have.

Crazy kid.