The TN mini-cation

Our mini-cation started Wednesday evening after working all day, I picked up the little kids and headed home to gather our bags and get Army Son

who isn't in the Army any more so he'll need a new bloggy name soon.

We drove the 3+ hours to our VA house thinking that we were planning to drive through the night after meeting the MIL and FIL however they had decided to spend the night in VA with us.

After a night's rest in VA I headed out bright and early for my morning run and then we headed south.

At first I was in our truck with the kids but with the MIL and FIL driving their mini-van it wasn't long before I joined them for a little more leg room.

It was hard to leave this much back seat fun!

Once in TN we briefly checked into our condo and then it was off to Mexican Night with the extended family.

Ready for some fun!

We took over the place.  We enjoyed catching up with family we don't get to see often. 

We eat wonderful food. 

We left a mess!  With full bellies we head back to our condo needed some sleep only to be kept awake by a huge thunderstorm!  Although the mattresses in our condo were so hard I doubt we would have slept much anyway.

Even though I didn't feel very rested I was determined to get out early so that the rest of my day was open for family fun.   

 Hubbs was going golfing with his uncle and the kids and I were hitting the beach but not before I admired some of the amazing properties in the area.

You can file this under:  Things I see along my way.

I also also a Raw Water project going on in the area.  Working in the water industry, I had to stop and talk with a crew member.  What a geek!

After a HOT run and Insanity we were off to the beach.

Army son decided to forgo listening to his mother the sunscreen and lay in the sun...in TN sun!

With my hands full making sure LBM didn't drown himself, I neglected to wake up remind Army son that he was in the sun and still had not put on sunscreen. 

Photo refused by Army son

Once I noticed that Army son was french fried getting a little too much sun, the little kids played on the playground to get into the shade.   

S'ghetti girl was all about the photo-op' in her new bathing suit.  But she really needs sunglasses.

What do you do?  If your kids wear glasses do you usually buy prescrip sunglasses for them?

I could hang at the beach the entire vacation but with Army son feeling the effects of too much unprotected sun time it was back to the condo to clean up and meet up with Hubbs for the shrimp boil.

The little cousins enjoyed getting to know each other.

Family reunions are very hands on in this family.

We had a great time working together to prepare the meal while the cousins rode four-wheelers and caught up on all things fun.

Day # 412 

Hubbs and I shared Running Partner Appreciation Day by sharing a run while Army son watched the sleeping little ones.  Thanks dude!

It was the second longest run he has taken since his knee surgery.  Although it was challenging due to the heat and elevation, he proved that he can outpace me in the short distance every time!

Nothing like keeping me in my place.

After our run we got a call that MIL had twisted her ankle the evening before after leaving the shrimp boil. 

Maybe a little too much wine?!? 

She had iced it through the night but it was still very painful and swollen. 

They were going to the hospital for x-rays. 

The official family reunion luncheon was held at the state park.  It was a nice gathering of many of our extended family. 

Some of the older cousins were already planning their next way to escape spending time with the grownups activity,

laser tag.  We enjoyed our meal and conversation although we were still waiting for an update on MIL.  Finally word came that they would not make it to the luncheon the ankle was broken.

After the news the MIL had broken her ankle, FIL asked us if we would head back that evening so that we could share the driving and they could break up the 11+ hour drive by sleeping for a while at our VA house.

We all decided to finish our day at the beach while FIL got prescriptions and packed up to leave that evening.

Although our time was short in TN we always enjoy getting to spend time with extended family and our own.

Even though things didn't go as smoothly as we might have liked, nothing beats a little time away together.  I am impressed with how my family has grown to be able to simply roll with our circumstances.  

This will be a mini-cation to remember and one my MIL will likely not live down anytime soon.