Spring Break Road Trip (kind of, but not really) 2011.

 So, a few years ago we started a family tradition (or maybe it's more of a lofty goal) of taking road trips every year during Spring Break in hopes of getting the kids to see every (continental) state.  So far, we've covered over half....maybe 26 or so.  Which is great, but we've just about exhausted all states in the center portion of the USA....which means road trips for us may now have to include some air flight in order to be feasible during our time constraint.   

Basically what I'm saying is there's not enough medication in the world for me to travel say, from Alabama to Oregon, on a road trip with my husband who thinks he has to drive the whole leg in one stint.  Just to see if he can. And to annoy me in the process. Because he gets a kick out of it.  :)    

All this to say that this year, due to rising gas prices and a lack of funds for 5 airfares, we did a different kind of road trip here at House of Bowling.  We actually went to a state we've all been to before, but a place we had not.  A place where dreams really do come true.  A place where magical moments occur all day, every day.  A place where memories are made, laughter is deep, and family fun abounds around every corner. 

We saw her castle.

And toured the neighborhood as well as the gorgeous gardens.

(Look, I'll just be honest, my boys are not interested in stopping to get photos taken

 when, clearly there are better things to do....so Baby Girl stands alone.)

We rode rides.

(lots and lots of rides, over and over.)

Might I say, riding them during the day is fun....but riding them at midnight is AWESOME!

We saw lots of characters.

(but didn't want to stand in line to get our pic made with them.

Again, my kids saw bigger and better opportunities on the horizon.

So, we have several pics of random people) Hey, it's just how we roll. :)

Oh, how I love Woody and the whole Toy Story clan!

We stopped dead in our tracks to watch the parades.

And of course, life would not be complete withour seeing the main man himself....MICKEY!!

He's great, but Minnie was really showing her backside.  Women. Hmph. I dont' know, maybe she's mad because he gets to ride at the tippy top every. single. time. I'd get a little miffed too. 

I mean when two are joined together, they become one, right? 

So share the limelight a little, dude.

Of course if you yell loud enough, Minnie will turn around and become all embarassed by her unbecoming actions....and Mickey, like any man, will pretend that he was getting ready to give her a swift kick in the....well, you know, aren't these parades just a bundle of fun for the kiddos?    

And the night parade....well it's amazing.

While I know part of the reason was due to extreme exhaustion and they were just happy

to take a break from ALL THE WALKING,  but I do believe my Baby Girl and Middle Child

would have sat on the front lines watching the Electrical Parade for hours.

Before the stroke of midnight we even went inside the castle too. 

 Please excuse our grunge look.  We were pooped.

Some of us were so pooped, they had to be carried out of the park.  And there were others

who were just that pooped as well, but unfortunately, we may be too big for anyone to carry.

(I'm gonna feed Elder Son as much as I can and put him on a

strict workout regimen to remedy this problem before next time.) :)

Oh it was a grand time.  I mean a real dandy of a trip. And a family memory to cherish for a lifetime. Watching tinkerbell in the light up parade, meeting so many interesting folks in the lines, riding Space Mtn. with celebrities, the castle digital photo show from pics taken during that day at Disney, and the fireworks, and tinkerbell flying out right before our very eyes, riding thunder mountain deep into the night, pineapple aloha float treats, giggling every hour.....priceless.

Alan Jackson wrote a song about it.....

.......Way down yonder on the Chattahoochie......and we decided to see for ourselves what Alan knew that we didn't. 

So, off we went for a week to the Mtns. of North Georgia, for an adventure in a lakehouse on the Chattahoochie River.

With these fine girls and their parents.

The lakehouse we rented had it's own canvas covered tubes that allowed us to take a 2.5 hour relaxing float down the Chattahoochie, every day.  Some would fish as they traveled the river, others would race down the rapids with the greatest of ease, and some of us just kicked back and enjoyed the calmness of nature.  No bustling tourists, no crowded areas, nothing to bother you but a small mouth bass, tree trunk debris at the edge of a rapid, or a few extra large rocks that hurt when your feet pound into them.  

The neighbors even had a rope swing the kids utilized.  See how great I am with the camera?  Notice how lovely the leaves of that scrub tree are in focus and my child is blurry. Yes, I know, I'm working on it. :)

As for the adults....well, we spent every night at the table with this game. Love it!

Fun was had by all....in fact, we are already looking into a repeat next year.   Alan was right, it was hot, but the water was just chilly enough to bring a perfect balance to the summer heat!