February - work trip with Travis (I cancelled, not knowing what lay ahead)
March - camping with Farleys (cancelled, but we went to a cabin instead)
April - Vegas with Isabella for her birthday (cancelled)
May - Scout Camp (cancelled)
June - Pioneer Trek (cancelled)
July - Palmyra Pagaent in New York (cancelled), Girls Camp (cancelled, held online)
August - Alaska Cruise (cancelled)
September - 20 Year Anniversary Trip -surprise location- (cancelled)
October - DC Temple Trip and NY -maybe with Gabby- (cancelled)
November - Arizona Whiting Reunion - still planned
As everything started to fall apart, we started trying to plan some other family vacation(s). So we went camping in Wichita Falls in May. We tried to go to Canada, but the Canadians wouldn't let us in. So we started looking at locations in the US. After considering a handful of locations, we decided on Gatlinburg in the Smoky Mountains. We reserved an Airbnb. We bought plane tickets and started making reservations.
It ended up being a fantastic vacation. The Farleys came along as well as Amanda. Our schedule looked something like this:
Tuesday: Fly To Gatlinburg, check into the place, go for groceries, and relax to get ready for crazy busy week
Wednesday: Crockett's Breakfast Camp for yummy breakfast, Hike to Clingmans Cove, Hike to Grotto Falls, Saw a bear, then took the kids to the arcade
Thursday: Rafting on the Upper Pigeon River, then to Delauders for a BBQ lunch, afternoon cuddles, and then the boys went Golfing and the girls played games, then family games
Friday: Morning cuddles, then to Midnight Hole North Caroline, waterfalls and rock jumping, college interview, then the Carvers Orchard & Applehouse Restaurant and a Karate Kid Marathon
Satruday: Ziplining #alwaysclimb, The Old Mill Restaurant, Gatlinburg SkyLift Park and SkyBridge
Sunday: Drive to Cades Cove, Hike Abrams Falls, swim, and 3 more bears, dinner at Geppetto's Italian Restaurant
Monday: Long sleep in to recover, Top Jump, Sky Coaster, Rowdy Bear Park, The Local Goat for dinner, and home to pack and last playing
Tuesday: Fly home, sleep to recover
Being with my family makes me happier than anything in the world. Walking away from the routine, creating memories and traditions, exposing the kids to new experiences and points of view and ways of life helps us all to grow and be better versions of ourselves.
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