10 Things I Love About...Knoxville

If you are like me, sometimes you might have trouble coming up with things to blog about. My life feels so boring sometimes, even though it's a very full and enjoyable life. Anyway, posting about Sundown in the City made me think about all the things I love about living here in Knoxville. I thought I would start a new series called "10 Things I Love About..." and cover various topics. Each time I write about something, you guys will be tagged to either comment or blog and give me your 2 cents. So, here it goes...

Here are 10 Things I Love About Knoxville (and East Tennessee):

1. Market Square and The Old City--This is a historic area of a few blocks in Downtown Knoxville that has been restored and made into an awesome area to hang out. There is always something going on, and usually, it's free!! I mentioned Sundown in the City, which is a free concert series on Thursday nights during the Spring and Summer, but this is only one of the many things offered. The restaurants are soooooo very good! The shops are one-of-a-kind! Also, it's easy to walk around--people who live in the apartments and homes surrounding the area would never really have to drive. I know many cities offer areas and events like this, but Knoxville has something that many cities don't have...

2. Four Distinct Seasons--The weather here is fabulous!! Each season is a good length, in my opinion, and each season is also equally great in its own way. In the winter, it snows in many areas, which, if you ask me, is the only reason to ever like winter. Winter without snow sucks! But, there's not so much of it that you have to shovel your way to the car every morning. Spring brings color galore here in Knoxville!!! One major event in the Spring is the Dogwood Arts Festival, which celebrates the blooming of the many, many dogwood trees here. There are over 70 miles of "official" dogwood trails here and they are so gorgeous. The mountains are covered with different shades of green and it's a joy to be outside here. On a side note...without allergy meds, Spring can be brutal here. Summer in East Tennessee is great, too, because it gets nice and hot, but not for too long. There are lakes everywhere here surrounded by beautiful mountains. My husband grew up with endless places to ski and camp. And, finally, there's nowhere else in the world I would rather be in the Fall than in East Tennessee. The mountains are covered with a blanket of rich colors that go on hundreds of miles. Most places we've lived don't even have a "real" Fall. In Idaho, it was just brown and dusty everywhere or else it was white with snow. In Alabama and Mississippi, as my Dad always says, there are only 2 seasons--Summer and January. I'm not trying to insult these places--we loved things about those places that Knoxville doesn't have, so don't get offended. I am just highlighting the fact that a good Autumn is rare!

3. Mayfield Ice Cream--I love some good ice cream and Mayfield is the BEST! My favorite is the Peppermint Stick that only comes out between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Yummy yum!!

4. The Population--There are lots of great cities that have a lot to offer, but most of them are HUGE! I like living in areas that have more to offer, but I like still being able to see people I know when I go out to eat or go shopping. I guess it's my upbringing in Little Rock that formed that in me. Knoxville is a little larger than Little Rock, but it's so similar in that it's a "little big town." Knoxville also has a small town, Southern feel where people still say "hello" and smile and hold doors open for each other. Love it!

5. My In Laws--This is something that is not on most people's "love" list, but it's on mine. My husband's family is awesome! They are so much fun and they have become just like my own family. Aaron's sister, Amy, is my age and we've always been close, but since living here, we've grown so much closer. I can truly say that it's great to have a sister!!! Aaron's mom and step-dad are great, too. There's nothing better than Fall Saturday afternoons watching football, eating, napping, and playing at "Nana" and Dib's house in Kingston. Time with them is never forced and that's so refreshing to have!!!

6. Honey Smith--I don't have a picture of her, but Honey is my best friend here who I have talked about before who has the 5 kids (2 sets of twins). That always seems to be what is highlighted about her, but there is so much more to her than being a mom of many children. She is hilarious--she makes me laugh out loud every time we talk. She always brings me "back to Earth" when I start to worry or fret--or when I start to let my ego take over. It's also great to have a friend who is just as transparent as I am (if that's possible)! She's an amazing cook, and makes a point to share this gift with me and my family whenever possible. Most importantly, Honey inspires me to cling to the Gospel in every season of life, no matter what is happening. She's a breath of fresh air and I love her dearly!!

7. Fountain City --This is the area of Knoxville where we live and it's so neat! I've talked a little about it before. It is full of old, restored homes, and big trees. There is also a potpourri of different types of people--from different races, religions, and income levels. This is very important to us in raising our children. The schools here are great, too. Combine these things with all the neat locally owned restaurants, shops and services, you have a recipe for a great place to live!

8. The University of Tennessee--Okay, okay, I'll admit it, I love UT!! It's a great college. I won't go as far as to say that I am a Volunteer Fan, because I will always bleed RED for the Razorbacks!! Go Hogs!!! But, UT is a really neat college campus that is right in the middle of Downtown Knoxville. It's also nice to live in a college town that's a decent size. Again, it's not too big, not too small. Since UT is here in Knoxville, football fans abound and I love living in a place that appreciates college football--more specifically SEC football!! Plus, Volunteer Fans aren't mean-spirited, so I don't fear getting mugged when I wear my Razorback gear to the gym to work out! The bad news...my children will probably all be brainwashed into being Vol Fans. Jack already knows Rocky Top and he refuses to learn how to call the Hogs. Oh, well. There are more important things to be concerned with.

9. Cornerstone Church--Aaron and I are members of such a great church family!! I could sit and list so many wonderful things about Cornerstone...the vibrant worship service, the emphasis on the importance of sound teaching, the free babysitting (thanks a-million, Sweet Cara), and the accountability from great friends. Sure, it's not perfect--only Christ is perfect, but we are so thankful to God for allowing us to be apart of this church. We certainly don't deserve it! And finally.....

10. Aaron Bradley Mitchell--East Tennessee is the place where my wonderful husband was born and raised!! There is no one on Earth who I would rather be with than Aaron. He is my best friend and no matter what the atmosphere has been like in the places we have lived, Aaron has made them wonderful places!!! So, I list all these great things about Knoxville, but they would mean nothing apart from God's wonderful grace in sending me my Sweet Mitch. No list of mine is complete without him.

Okay, there you have it!! Now for the cons to living in Knoxville. It must be said that I absolutely hate living 9 hours from my family in Little Rock!!! If Knoxville was just a few hours West--like, say, where Jackson is, except the Mountains have to come with it, then it would be absolutetly perfect! Also, another con is that a lot of people who live here are very rude. I'm not talking about people who are from this area--I am talking about the people from all over the country who move here because of the low cost of living. Specifically, the people who live here who are originally from Ohio and other parts of the Northeast. All they do is walk around and criticize the stereotypical things about the area--the Southern accent, the bugs, the rednecks, etc..... I saw this a lot when I was at Harding, too. Good grief, Folks, why did you move here? It was your choice...stop complaining and just go home if you don't like it here. That's like barging into someone's house and insulting everything about the decor and the people who live there. Who do you think you are? Okay, I'm glad I got that out of my system--I feel better! Your assignment is to comment or blog 10 Things you love about where you live. I can't wait to see what you guys have to say!!!