...And a Fun Time was had by All!

For the first time in 11 years, my honey and I were able to take a vacation in the summer!
What do we do? Schedule separate vacations!

"Thunder Calves" & "Shuffle"

The past 11 sets of summer months have been chocked full of student camps, kids camps, retreats and fine arts festivals. I didn't complain, because we knew what we were called to do and feel blessed beyond all imagination to have done it! So, when the opportunity for vacation presented itself, we opted for opposite destinations!

On Father's Day, Terry and Dane ("Thunder Calves" & "Shuffle") joined our pastor, his two older sons, another father-son dynamic duo and "Tumnus" Winfree with 30 lb packs on their backs to hike 35 miles in the Great Smoky Mountains. 

#ManHike2012

#ManHike was the Twitter hashtag as they hoofed several scenic, monster trails and part of the A.T. -- that's the Appalachian Trail to the rest of us.

My SugarBear @ Sunset

Some of their stories are still leaking out. I've seen a strengthening of the special connection between my two guys. I love they got this summer vacation, together!

My Guys in the Smokies

Traveling YaYas

Birthday Pearls & Popcorn Tops

That same weekend, I flew down I-40, nabbed my mom in Arkansas and continued chasing the sun westward until an Oklahoma State Trooper stopped to wish us a safe vacation. He was so kind to point out the highway construction zone and shiny, new, speed limit signs to us. The next morning my mom, my mom-in-law, sis-in-law and I took to the road bright and early bent on reaching Taos, New Mexico, before sundown. 

I got my SNOW!

Sis-in-Law got her Waterfalls!

Men were banned from this trip; therefore, we decided to eat picnics wherever and whenever AND potty breaks would not involve a tree line. We were on a Mother-Daughter whirlwind vacation!

Mom & I rafted the Rio Grande River!

While the #ManHike involved sleeping in bags and hammocks, ours involved sleeping with pretty quilts and fluffy pillows!  While the #ManHike traversed the mountains by foot, ours traversed the mountains by quadruped!
The guys earned their trail names, as well as, much needed showers! The girls earned our "Cram-In-as-Much-as-You-Can-in-a-Day" & "Might-as-Well-Ain't-Gettin'-Younger" badges!


...and a fun time was had by all!


P. S.  I did NOT get a ticket! And, I ate Rattlesnake & Rabbit Sausage for my birthday! That's NOT what the 2-on-Tuesday Recipe will be at 2pm, today.