Life is Full of Choices: Hey 'Bama, Remember These Vacations?

It's summertime and once again our minds stray towards vacation. I'm sitting here thinking back on some of our most memorable family visits to Alabama.

First time we flew to Birmingham the air was turbulent and Erin had to go to the bathroom. Again, and again, and again. I did not make the last trip to the bathroom with Erin as she had deposited her air-sickness into her daddy's cupped hands. "What do I do with this" he asks me? I'm in the row ahead of him with Zach and I swear I have no idea so I tell him to take it to the bathroom. And he did. Seriously... traveling with kids is definitely entertaining.

That first time you visit a place, it's magic. There are so many sights to see and with family there are tons of hugs to share.

Birmingham, Alabama - October, 1990. The kids loved visiting with their cousins - some of whom they met for the very first time.

Alabama was gorgeous in the fall. Lots of foliage tinted red, yellow, orange, and green everywhere we went. Tannehill (Ironworks Historical) State Park was one of our favorites. Tannehill State Park has more than 1,500 acres spread across three counties for hiking, camping and outdoor fun. A mini- railroad meanders through the piney woods. Some seasons you'll find the blacksmith, miller and craftsmen demonstrate their craft. Little shops open their doors in restored pioneer cabins and local artisans chat with visitors from front porches. You'll also find artifacts of Alabama’s 19th century iron industry displayed in the Iron and Steel Museum, Tannehill’s awe-inspiring centerpiece. Tannehill is a glorious retreat for day use, a weekend visit or long-term camping. There are 195 camp spots with hook-ups, a few primitive sites, or you can rent a rustic cabin for overnight use. Don't miss the Sweet Shop either. Here's their website so you can plan a visit yourself: http://www.tannehill.org/index.html.

Our next trip to Alabama came a few years later and we all traipsed up to Gatlinburg for a lovely family vacation. If you haven't visited Tennessee and Gatlinburg in particular, you are missing out on some of the loveliest spaces in our country. We rented a great three-family cabin in the mountains outside Gatlinburg and it was fabulous way to spend some fun time together. I swear I can't remember which organization we rented from, but if you search for rentals in the Gatlinburg area for cabins there will be hundreds to choose from.

The little town of Gatlinburg has a little something for everyone. It could be a romantic get-away, or a fun family adventure. There are shops, restaurants and crafts galore, along with a slick-track, zipline, a little hiking, some fishing, and white-water river-rafting. Truly - a great place to visit. If you'd like to check it out start with http://www.gatlinburg.com/ for more information.

Right next door in Pigeon Forge you'll find the same quality of attractions in a sweet locale. There's mini-golf, go-karts, bungee jumping, and world-famous Dollywood Theme Park. Dolly Parton's Theme Park has rides, shows, attractions, and a water park to boot. We had a blast in Pigeon Forge and tried just about everything... only my sister, Karen went for the bungee! Ouch. Here's the website for Pigeon Forge to get you started on your adventure http://www.mypigeonforge.com/. And if you want to visit Dollywood, check out www.dollywood.com to fix your itinerary. Serious Southern hospitality in these parts.

Next time out we were celebrating the nuptials of my sweet cousin Susan and her Kel. Fun times were had by all and we seriously have to get back there for a new entry in the blog.