Vacation and back to school!

Well we survived the vacation as a family! We normally are not good travelers together. The first couple of days were kind of touch and go, and on the 2nd day, my daughter and I both had a tearful moment (about two separate things), but then after that things got much better and it was actually enjoyable! My son complained the WHOLE week - he is building his own computer this summer, and had just purchased his last piece of the computer - the hard drive - and couldn't wait to get home and put it in and see how it all ran. I can't blame him - he has my patience after all! But he is the type of kid that says "how much longer" repeatedly. He has always been this way and since he is 16 I doubt he is going to outgrow it anytime soon. LOL He did survive the trip but I think he would have much rather stayed home! My daughter and her boyfriend seemed to enjoy things once he got there (he came on the 3rd day of our vacation, because he visited one of his friends in Fort Knox right before that). We went to the Opry Mills outlet mall, Music Hall of Fame, the aquarium in Chattanooga, Ruby Falls, and the Smoky Mountains. There so much more that I wanted to do but there was simply not enough time. I really wanted to go to Rock City, but it was way too hot on the day that we were going to do it, so we opted for Ruby Falls instead. I hiked for the very first time in my life and realized just how out of shape I really am. I went on a 1.4 mile (each way) hike to Laurel Falls, and going there was totally uphill. It was described as the easiest hike in the mountains and I was sucking air just to get up to it. I honestly didn't think I would make it. Going down was a breeze though! My daughter and her boyfriend decided to climb to the top of the falls, and just as her boyfriend was about to tell her to be careful because of the slippery ledge, she slipped, and almost fell down the falls. Somehow he snatched her up by the shoulder, scraping her knee and ripping her shirt, and sat her down on the rocks. I have no idea how he did this without them both falling. I didn't really have any time to panic - it all happened so fast! (I found out later that it is a 60 ft drop!). After that fiasco, they (my family) decided to go on another hike, of which I told them I would wait for them at the car. haha I figured one hike was enough for me - I didn't want to risk a heart attack. It was sad though - I really need to get in better shape!!! There are a few pics at the bottom of this post! All in all I did enjoy myself but I hated to come home and go back to work today!!! Tomorrow, summer is officially over for my son. He has his first day of his junior year of high school. Then on Thursday night, my daughter is leaving and moving into her dorm on Friday. It will seem strange with her gone. All summer we have had a trail of her friends coming and going at the house - I will miss that! There something about a group of girls laughing and talking - its so fun to listen to. I sure hate to see summer end. I do like fall, but I absolutely HATE winter. Some day I hope to move someplace warm in the winter! Well, I don't have much more to share, so I will leave you with my vacation pics. Hope you are all having a great day!
Talk to you soon!
Steph

A favorite aquarium picture (the fish just looked right at me as if he were posing!):


Laurel Falls at the Smoky Mountains (where my daughter decided to "fall" too!):


A stream at Abrams Falls (this is one of my favorite pictures!):


My little travel dog with the wind in her fur:


My daughter and I at the I-Max theater at the aquarium (my son took it and had the focus point on my daughter. She always makes this face in pictures for me. LOL):


Ruby Falls (the falls inside the cave):