Chattanooga after dark

As our little spontaneous trip came to a close, I walked away with these simple facts:
Traveling always gets me out of a funk.
This world is fascinating and there is always more to discover.
Sugars BBQ may have a flashy sign, a sleek decor, and live music, but their food is depressingly over-rated.
Time with the ones that I love is more valuable to me than anything else. absolutely anything.
Watching my babies learn and grow is the greatest joy I have ever known.

Jellyfish (my favorite)

Saltwater in Chattanooga

Butterfly House at Chattanooga Aquarium

Petting Sting Rays

A Dad

My kids are so lucky to have such an amazing father.
I love getting knocked over by a squealing little girl riding on daddy's back or a grinning boy dangling upside down from daddy's arms. I love that Maddi runs and jumps into his arms with complete confidence that he will catch her every single time. I love that he compliments them and laughs with them and sets clear boundaries with them. I know that my kids will grow up with confidence and love because of him. His love for them will give them the ability to be themselves, to make better choices, to seek what they truly deserve, and to live with contentment. Being a mom is so much easier when I have a super-dad by my side.

Tornado Alley at IMAX

We watch the show Storm Chasers, so the kids were super excited to see the new movie Tornado Alley at the IMAX theater.  During the show storm chasers the teams chase storms to gather footage for this particular movie, so it was pretty neat to see the entire process of tracking down the storm, collecting data, and then editing it for a film.  Although a little scary for the younger kiddos, it's a definite must-see for the entire family AND it went along PERFECTLY with the weather unit we studied in school :)