A "Traditional" Break

After my list on Thursday 13, of things I did for my maintenance week, I figured I needed a break with my fam. This is where we went for that break. Saturday morning we loaded up a van and a car with myself, Beloved Hubby, 3 kids, both mother's in love, my sis and her hubby and daughter. Oh and can't forget the dog. And definitely can't forget the food. Picnic of course.

We took off for a day of family, relaxation, sunshine and fun. Oh and did I mention picnic. This is one of our day trips that has become traditon in our family. A national park complete with creeks, pathways, lake, hiking trails in all sorts of difficulty levels and distances that lead to more lakes, waterfalls and beautiful areas. There's deer, moutain sheep, and bears. Yes, we've had, in past visits, a bear run right in front of our car on a road leading up to some waterfalls. It's got a cute town with all sorts of souvenir shops, ice cream & fudge shops, even a tiny movie theatre if you so desire. You can go on trail rides, rent a paddlewheeler boat and go on a tour. At that hotel in the picture (sort of to the middle left), which is one of the most photographed hotels in North America, you can even have high tea, very British style complete with cucumber sandwiches and crumpets and petite fours. But we go just to be in the mountains, be together and, oh, picnic.

One of our favorite family traditions on these trips is to get by our favorite stream, build a fire in the little outdoor wood burning cooking thing they have in picnic areas and roast hot dogs on a stick. Of course with this first comes the smoke in the eyes and getting that fire going. Then we roast away and lay out a spread. BH always says we take way too much food but that's half the fun. Whenever else do we get the fire roasted hot dogs, coal slaw, kentucky clucky (KFC), fresh cut veggies, pasta salad, potato chips (absolutely can't call it a picnic without those), tuna roll ups, and of course, the most anticipated item, roasted marshmallows. Did I mention we picnic?

The kids then played in the stream, played football, frisbee, fished and even rented bikes where you sit side by side, pedaled around the town and had a riot. And I sat and visited and read my book and ate. Put my feet up and did nothing! It was heaven. Did I mention we took a picnic? And in the midst of this beautiful place I paused lots and remembered my Creator. Like no other place, in this national mountain park, God reveals Himself to me as a loving Creator God. And I'm so thankful that I have eyes to see, ears to hear, nose to smell, hands to touch and feet to walk through and experience this wonderful gift that I like to think He gave as a special gift to us His children so that we might have just an inkling of what an mighty, majestic and artistic God that He is.