Spring Break: Part One

 We were able to have a mountain getaway thanks to Grammy and Grandpa!  We enjoyed three nights in the Blowing Rock area to start Spring Break 2021!  As you will remember, spring break last year was a few weeks into our "sheltering at home" phase of the current pandemic.  This meant that the only places we traveled to last spring were the neighborhood school and track area along with an occasional hike on some surrounding trails.  It was so exciting to pack the car on Friday morning and know we could see some of God's beautiful creation!  We took Burke with us since he is starting to get really anxious when we go out of town.  He enjoyed getting to ride along with us and get some new sniffs in around the house we stayed at!  We stopped in downtown Blowing Rock to get lunch (at Mellow Mushroom) and walk around downtown until our house was available.  It was rather cold after some milder temperatures so we tried to keep the kids moving at the playground or walking path nearby.  Of course, the Houstons had to stop for Kilwins ice cream before heading to the house no matter how cold it was outside!

On Saturday, we had a leisurely morning with a yummy breakfast provided by Grammy.  Then, we went exploring at Moses Cone Memorial Park.  Our group made it for the 2 mile trail that went from the Manor down to a scenic lake.  We all enjoyed rest time or naps after the fresh mountain air!  We ate dinner at Woodlands BBQ (hence Maddox's picture with the "piggies" in the background)

On Saturday, we also attempted a swim in the hot tub!  The kids had never been in a hot tub before and while it was still pretty chilly outside, we enjoyed about 10 minutes of the warm water before opting for warmer temperatures and indoor entertainment!

Sunday morning, we celebrated Easter.  Zack read from Matthew 28 so the kids and adults could remember the real reason while this holiday is so significant to us.  Grammy even brought along a children's book that explains Easter and a connection to the Easter egg.  Of course, the kids were excited to see if the Easter bunny had found them away from their homes.  They enjoyed hunting eggs they found that were left around the house and went on a hunt to find their Easter baskets that were tucked in the loft area!  

Then, we headed to Tweetsie for the day.  The kids loved the train ride, carnival rides and petting zoo where they could feed various animals such as burrows, deer, emus, goats, sheep and llamas.  Both boys agreed that the day at Tweetsie was their favorite part of this mountain adventure weekend!

While all the festivities on Easter were incredibly fun, I continue to hope and pray I always point our children to the real reason we celebrate holidays such as Christmas and Easter.  Time with family and presents are always exciting but what's more exciting is the ultimate gift our Savior gave us by dying on the cross for our sins, providing mercy and grace we didn't deserve and a future we couldn't earn on our own!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has give us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" - 1 Peter 1:3

It seems that time away with family is always so special and goes by so quickly.  We tried to take a few pictures this morning before we left to document the incredible view we had from our porch.  Since the temperatures were warmer today, we actually sat on the deck and enjoyed the fresh air before heading back down the mountain.

A couple other pictures from last week... Grannie shared Daddy's preschool graduation picture and we can definitely see the similarities between Maddox and Zack!  I also had to share a picture of Maddox from Zander's ball practice one night last week..... he just seems to be getting big way too fast!