Fruit Inspection

Each year, in the fall, my parents take the family on a weekend retreat. They pick a state park, rent a cabin, and we all hang out for a few days, taking in the local fun spots. Two weeks ago we headed down to Pine Mountain at FDR State Park near Callaway Gardens.

As the kids have gotten older, there are some traditions that they look forward to. Including, in no particular order, the making of a fire, roasting marshmallows, sleeping with the family member of their choice, and hiking in the woods. This year Nanny and Grampy also surprised us with tickets to Fantasy in Lights and also the nearby Wild Animal Safari.

Here is Emery feeding a giraffe. These guys would come right up to the bus and stick their heads inside to get the food. It made Savannah a little nervous, but Emery thought it was great! Other animals we got to feed were zebras, camels, water buffalo, pot bellied pigs, ostrich, deer, and my personal favorite, big beautiful elk.

The next day we visited the park where my dad watched the kids a few minutes while my sister, mom, and I walked around a small lake. Then we played some hide and seek before jumping on a hiking trail. The weather was perfect and after a few hours of fresh air, we were ready to head back for snacks and naps!

After waking up refreshed, we dressed warmly for an evening enjoying Christmas lights. Callaway Gardens has a phenomenal light display that takes an hour to drive thru on an open trolley, which included music, warm beverages, and a Christmas house full of handmade gifts.

This is also where the kids got their requests in early with Santa. Emery made it a point to tell him that he wanted Planet Heroes…”the whole set, Santa” and when Savannah asked him for Littlest Pet Shop toys she didn’t leave out the fact that what she really wanted was a rabbit “but Daddy said no.”

Before coming home the next day we stopped into Callaway one more time to visit the Butterfly House. For whatever reason, Savannah is deathly afraid of butterflies. But we did get her to agree to go with us and take her art supplies in hopes of looking through the glass and drawing them. In a way we were trying to desensitize her. It sort of worked too. After a while I asked her to come just inside the door and sit with me on a bench. She did, and soon after, she asked me to walk with her down the path. Unfortunately we didn’t get far when a group of butterflies zoomed past her face and she panicked, screaming “Get Me Out of Here, Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!!”

All in all it was a fantastic weekend. For me, it’s really the first year we’ve gone that I felt like I could sit back and relax. I didn’t have to worry about someone falling off a deck, getting burned in a fire, packing tons of diapers, pack-n-plays, or special foods. Everyone enjoyed being together as a family and a Mom, nothing makes me happier.

Thanks Mom and Dad for starting this wonderful family tradition!