Making the most of medical travel

This week Alex had a second opinion appointment in SC. As a little break from all medical information, I think I will share a little bit about the family fun we had along the way!! We decided to make the most of it and make some fun stops along the way. We had been wanting to do some hiking but had not given it a try since Alex's first hospital stay last May. We stopped on Monteagle Mountain at Swanee College and enjoyed strolling around the beautiful campus. This part of the day she got around with her walker most of the way. It was cold but refreshing.

We discovered some hiking trails and enjoyed time in nature. We heard a woodpecker and after a little searching saw a Pileated Woodpecker. This was the first time most of the kids had seen a Pileated and all were excited. They really are gorgeous birds. We hiked down to a little waterfall and climbed some rocks. These kids are big adventurers and never stop looking for the next adventure. Alex rode in the backpack carrier until it became uncomfortable for her and then Boone got a turn and she hopped a little and then was carried on Daddy's shoulders. We all love nature hikes and had missed doing this. It proved to be a group effort hauling her but well worth it.

We took the scenic route and enjoyed the mountains and rivers along the way, stopping at several overlooks to get out and stretch our legs. Popcorn Overlook was our favorite because it was a beautiful view but also because the name was fun! The kids decided the name was appropriate because the mountain range did look like the top of a bowl of freshly popped popcorn.

Boone decided this was a good weekend to be completely potty trained and want to stop every time he needed to go to the bathroom. He kept telling us his birthday is later and he didn't want his diaper. Silly boy. While we are thrilled to be close to being done with diapers I wouldn't have chosen the timing.

Even though it ended up being a really long day, we arrived at our final destination, the home of one Aunt and Uncle who were graciously our B&B for the weekend. Everyone was exhausted but it was the best kind of exhaustion. Many sweet memories were made along the way.