Style Me Bloggers: My summer travel plans

Do you or your family take a family trip in the summer? I am surprised when I meet people who do not take vacation. Summer travel is some of my favorite kind of travel! As much as I like my work (yes, I actually *like* work!) we all need times to rest and recharge. I believe it is a God-given mandate! {A good read on rest and practicing the Sabbath is Mark Buchanan’s book, The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath. Click the title for link}

We like to take family trips during the summer. The kids look forward to having a break from the pressures of school and activities and frankly, I like that break as well! {I know families who school year round but that was never us – because teacher needed a break!}

Some years we take trips-of-a-lifetime like last year when all five of us went to Italy for 3 weeks or in 2010 when we visited Israel for 12 days {link here}. But then in the off years we take vacations that are closer to home like sharing a mountain cabin with friends or a trip to the Bahamas with a brother-in-law’s family. (Whyyyy didn’t I blog about these things???)

This year we are doing several things. In June, we are taking a quick trip to the Appalachian Mountains to climb Mt. LeConte and stay in the LeConte Lodge {link here}. We did this years ago, pre-kids, and now want to take the kiddos. Mt. LeConte is the third tallest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with an elevation of 6,594 ft (or 2010 m for my Canadian and European friends). Unfortunately the Alum Cave Trail is undergoing restoration so we will need to pick a different trail. The Lodge is accessible only by hiking which means that there are no roads that lead to the Lodge. Supplies are carried in by llama train three days a week. It is the highest guest lodge in the eastern United States. (I like these extremes. I’ve been to the northernmost brewery and the lowest bar.) The accommodations and the furnishings are simple. I am really looking forward to this trip!

Also in June, I will travel to Virginia and California working at homeschool conventions, two places I haven’t been to before.

Then in July, Annie and I are going on a mission trip to Honduras to visit La Esperanza de Jesus {Hope of Jesus} Children’s Home. {link here} {Want to help support us? Send any amount of money to Church of the Redeemer 4815-200 Executive Park Court Jacksonville FL 32216 with Honduras Mission Trip/DelCharcos in the memo line. We would appreciate any help we can get!}

We fly back to Miami where Michael will pick us up and then we’ll head to the Florida Keys with my brother-in-law’s family for a few days of snorkeling and lobstering. Michael has some work he has to do down there so it’s a semi-vacation for him, all vacation for us. Since Michael has an annual meeting in the Keys we’ve been a lot. Here are some pix from last year’s trip where we brought along a few friends.

We really have lots of trips on our bucket list. If only we had as much $$ to fund said trips! Ha ha! Check out what the other Style Me Bloggers have planned for the summer!

Shoes to Shiraz | Two Teens and their Mama | A Lovely Little Wardrobe |  R Squared  | Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy  The Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life |  Quilty Joy Joy  Daily Style Finds | Making The Most of Everyday | Puppies and Pretties | She Thought She Could   Foxy’s Domestic Side | Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After   Curls and Cardigans | Nick and Nik | Sprinkled Just Right | The Blondissima | X-tremely V

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