After a few errands we were hitting the Alabama State line in no time! Brayden is over taking pictures at the state signs but the girls convinced him to get out since we stopped at a different Alabama state sign than last year. This is him acting so very excited to be taking a picture.
This route has been well traveled by our family with frequent trips to Birmingham, Montgomery, and Atlanta so I decided to plan plenty of stops along the way to keep my bordom to a minimum. The kids aren't the problem on this day as it's so exciting to get going, read new books, and play on coveted electronics!
Our first stop was a favorite from when I was a kid heading to Birmingham every summer and major holiday - Priester's Pecans! I'd never taken the kids because the viewing rooms were always closed when we traveled on weekends, but not today! There are some benefits to leaving in the middle of the week! The kids stood there for 15 minutes and discussed favorites, debated recipes, and waved at the friendly candy creators!
Next Brayden fell head over heels for the key lime pie pecans. Then of course the divinity, fudge, and caramel clusters got them hooked and I practically had to drag them away. They settled for a scoop of jelly beans each and we were on our way again.
The next 30 minutes were full of oohs and aahs as they tried buttered popcorn and cotton candy. I was surprised I remembered all those flavors by their descriptions of the colors! Next up we decided to take Dave's sister's advice and stop in a downtown Montgomery splash pad. It was very refreshing and fun as always. And bonus - no injuries!
And if you know my children you know they can't resist racing down a huge hill!
After grabbing a snack for the ride we were on the road again to our park. After about a mile of interstate, the gps took us backroads the whole way - my favorite! The small towns of less than 3 square blocks always catch our attention as we read all the store signs as we slowly drive through. The last 10 miles or so were pretty curvy so Laney sat with her head up and enjoyed our latest audio book - The Penderwicks.
This park had first-come first-serve campground spots so we drove around to find the recommended spots of the Lutz family. With our new tent purchased on the road last year we need quite a bit of area, so we were struggling deciding between stellar views and bathroom proximity. The kids spotted a deer at one site and just had to have that one! It was much like European Vacation as we circled through the one-way campground loop 8 times!
We finally settled on a spot but I was nervous to set up as (you guessed it!) a very ominous rain cloud was just hovering all around us. We heard thunder all around so I made a quick snack dinner and we headed to the shelter to eat. With the motivation of pool time, we set up the tent lighting fast and headed to swim. What a beautiful view!
While I got everything set up for night, the kids busily made houses for the gagillion roly polies near our site. We even were treated to two more deer munching near us.
After a chapter of our newest book, 8 Class Pets + 1 Squirrel + 1 Dog = Chaos, and promises of a fun day hiking tomorrow, the kids passed out without a peep.
Quote of the Day: Brayden - "Momma I have a question. Why do people talk so different in Montgomery even though we are only a few hours away?" Maybe Aunt Kelly can answer that one.
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