Make Your Own Newspaper Planter {& some mini Vacation Pics}

This weekend my cousin graduated from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. We decided to make a mini vacation out of it and stopped in Chattanooga to hit up Ruby Falls and Rock City. Have you been there? Well, let me put on my tour-guide-Barbie hat and lead you around…

Rock City is a giant…I don’t know, rock park! You get to walk through a lush garden with mountains all around you.

We went through Fat Man’s Squeeze,

investigated tunnels…

and cracks in the ground.

We went to the top of Lover’s Leap,

and even looked out to see 7 states at once!

Ruby Falls is an underground tour. The only entrance is the elevator–260 feet below the earth’s surface! The tour is an hour long and ends at a beautiful underground waterfall. It was super amazing.

However. Because you are literally in a cave, there are no bathrooms, etc. And about 45 minutes into the tour, Asa starts yelling, “I have to go potty! I can’t hold it!” And sure enough, he couldn’t. While I was holding him he started crying and went ALL OVER ME. I’m pretty sure I got more soaked than he did. It made for a lovely ending to our vacation. And clearly, he will NEVER EVER live it down. Just wait till we visit Ruby Falls when he’s a teenager!

{See what fun things I could talk about if I was a tour guide?!}

Back at Rock City, they were celebrating their 80th birthday and hosting a Southern Flower Festival. One special activity was to make recyclable newspaper flower pots! The kids made one and I thought I’d share it with you, too.

All you need is a strip of newspaper and the bottom of an old water bottle.

Wrap the newspaper tightly around the bottle.

Then tape to keep in place. (Or a sticker, whatever!)

Slide out the bottle.

Fold down one opening to make the bottom of your planter.

Turn over, fill with dirt, plant a seed or two!

(They watered it with a water bottle so it wouldn’t soak the paper!)

Isn’t that fun? I love visiting attractions during special events because there is always extra fun to be had! And I love mini-vacations because they are just as fun as big ones–but you’re not as tired! We had such a fun time being together–lots of laughs, good conversation and memories made.

When was the last time you took a mini vacation?