Lake Norris!

Today was excellent from top to bottom.

First, I of course was off work today, in lieu of our impending mini-getaway into the Tennessee Smokies. That lent me the chance to drop Sydni off at her bus stop, something I haven't been able to do since her first day of school exactly one month ago. We got an early start, so we made a pitstop at the gas station to get mama some coffee, and an extra cup for apple juice for Sydni. Then we were off to the bus stop, where we sat for a few moments alone together eating breakfast before the other kids started showing up.

"look mommy: i look like i'm drinking coffee!"
.... (she isn't... she isn't.)

Sydni boarded the bus and Mindi gave me some final tips on what to expect and what to avoid on our trip to Norris, then I was off to head home and get going.

I read this cover to cover on the way down:

:) 

^ It's a little romantic in nature, but every once in a while, it's nice to absorb something painted a little more brightly than some parts of the real world around us. I borrowed it from my first trip to the Oakley library earlier in the week, and finished the last page just as we were entering the foothills of pure mountain landscape.

I might not leave this place. ;)

I got the bright idea to do a mini video-tour of the cabin property, instead of try to piece together 25 pictures that would do a Picasso job of the same task. Here it is: our mountain-set, lakeside slice of Heaven that we'll be inhabiting for the next two days. You can find us at the bottom of the half-mile gravel driveway ;)

It is... sublime here.
Rob and I made it in first, surveyed the scene and then left the boat parked at the top of the gravel driveway that required 4WD to travel down to the cabin. We unloaded, set up our little camp for the weekend and awaited Jesse's arrival.

I was immediately drawn to the boat dock, where I headed with yoga mat in tow.

inversions. inversions... inversions.....
#scorpion.

more work. 

Jesse arrived an hour or so after we did, so the three of us set off in search of a boat ramp, loaded in and took off for our first cruise of Norris Lake.

here we go! 

floating houses! 

Within minutes, I fell in love with this place. The water is green, but not because it's toxic. You can see the bottom in many places, and the shoreline for this place extends for several hundred miles.

We cruised until eventually we found ourselves at Shanghai Marina, where we stopped for the evening to explore and eat. We snagged a map of Norris while we were at it, certain that it's going to be put to good use tomorrow.

shanghai marina | norris lake
lafollette, tennessee

Here we are now, back at the cabin. Tomorrow will be our day to play on Norris and see what this place is really about. We already decided that our next trip here will span over more than two nights, and with any luck, we'll plan it more than a week in advance ;) Hehe.

G'Night, Rocky Tops!

xo | cmd