Alabama Here We Come

  This is what travel day looks like when a huge, unavoidable, pothole sets off a high pitched sensor alarm for your air ride system, and the part you need is still 2 hours away and no one on the phone can help you shut it off.

  3 brave souls remain out front, utilizing noise cancelling headphones from the races.  Everyone else is hiding in the back bedroom!?
​?
  Never-the-less, we are Alabama bound!

 ​  UPDATE 1 hour later:

  Dale was pushing buttons on the dash and cleared the error code. (Why didn't the guy on the phone tell us to do that?!)

We still need the new part but don't have to hear the alarm! Hallelujah!  :)

  When we come to Birmingham, our favorite park is called Oak Mountain State Park and it has the NEATEST things for families to enjoy.

 Like a working farm petting zoo, hiking trails, horse stables, places to swim and fish, and even a BMX track to jump your bike on if you are into that sorta thing.

  We grabbed dinner at Jim N Nicks, some groceries and called it a day....

Score! $50 worth of blackberries for $10 at Publix.  I checked the tag like 5 times.  Yup 98 cents a carton!

  We saved some out to eat fresh, but the rest went into baggies with other fruits for smoothies....

  The next morning we watched our Florida church on the big screen, while it wasn't as wonderful as sitting in the auditorium, we still received the Word of God and powerful messages.  

  Ones I wanted to remember, so I made a couple new cards for our fridge door....​Powerful stuff, right?!  

Church inspired fridge words to live by!

  I headed to class, again, no pics because well, I am working. Haha! It was a ball, southern ladies are SO FUN and funny to hang out with!!!!

  It was about 8 pm when Dale came to pick me up, and he told me about this cute little hole in the wall he read about called Pho 280. He said Destiny had the kids in bed and he was taking me out!

  We decided to share the Shaking Beef dish as well as the oh so famous, 24 hour simmered Beef Pho.  HOLY AMAZING!

  We left, promising ourselves we'd come back ASAP.

  I had Monday off, so we decided to quick get school done and have an adventure.....

   But our morning was interrupted with some EXCITEMENT!
  The horses got out of their pasture and went flying by. Dale ran out to herd them away from the main road... he had a oh shoot what have I gotten myself into moment as they ran full boar at him, but they turned at the last minute and kept running. 
Here the stable hands were trying to chase them down:

  Once everyone finished up their work, we headed to do the hike to Peavine Falls. 
  Sophie was excited to get included!  A lot of parks don't let dogs on the trails, but this one did.

  The kids picked the more challenging blue trail and off we went...no, we didn't do all 7 miles!  ;)  Just the falls and back.

  The path was very rocky and we spent a lot of time manuvering over boulders and down steep slopes, but man was it cool!

  And then, we could hear it, the FALLS!!!!!!!!!!  

  We were the only ones there too.  So we kicked off our shoes and waded around and enjoyed the peace and quiet before a group found us.

  My adventurers had a little less pep in their step back UP the rocky slopes.  We had to sit a couple times to rest.  Hee hee, everyone is sleeping GOOD tonight!

  On adventure days, I think planning ahead an easy supper is CRITICAL to everyone's happiness and success.  We had a yummy cold pasta salad waiting for us in the fridge!  Here is the recipe.  

  We added rotisserie chicken, and increased dressing to acommodate the addition.  This is a simple and yummy recipe! Season to taste.

  Knowing I was teaching class the next night, some of us took a walk down around the lake and enjoyed the sunset.

  Before my evening class, we took the kids with an early dinner at Pho 280.  They are big asian cuisine fans, and wanted to try it after hearing us rave about the food.

 I had the Ramen bowl with soy sauce soaked hard boiled eggs, YUM.  Everyone loved what they got!  If you are ever in Bham, you have got to go check it out!

  I had a lovely class with a back porch full of lively southern belles, and we chit chatted the evening away until all of a sudden it was almost 11pm.  MY GOODNESS, time flies when you are having fun!

   That evening, while I was gone, Avery made friends with the new neighbors, and Dale told me of their plans the next morning to go pat and ride the horses at the stable.

   Sure enough, the next morning, Mr. Hollie offered to take Avery for a ride.  He later, let her lead Funny Face by the rope while we were packing up to get ready to go.

  Pretty special stuff for my little horse fanatic!

  Our kind neighbors took this photo as we pulled out.  Until next time!

  We are off to Huntsville, AL for some more oil classes with our awesome team here.

Hugs, T