Road Trippin' - Alabama

Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  Also known as our family.

My parents made plans to go to Alabama to visit the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament for the Feast of the Assumption Mass, see some family friends, and attend the EWTN's Family Celebration Weekend.  Since Justin just happened to be off that weekend, we decided to tag along and also add the Huntsville Botanical Garden to the list of fun!

However, we knew that Xavier wouldn't care for a lot of the pilgrimage festivities and we wanted to head home to take care of Rupert, so Justin, Xavier, and I only stayed one night, while Lissie stayed an extra day to enjoy the two things that she loves most: hang out with her Lolo and Lola and spend time with Jesus.

It was only a two-plus hour drive to our hotel, so we made our way down to Alabama early Thursday evening, stopping halfway - at the huge rocket welcome center at the border of Alabama and Tennessee  - to have a picnic dinner.  By the time we got to our suite, we were all ready for bath and bedtime since we were going to wake up bright and early to be ready for 7am Mass at the Shrine.

At the rocket welcome center with Lolo and Lola

As expected, Lissie was mesmerized by the beauty of the church, and Xavier couldn't have cared for it much less.  Luckily, Lolo and Lola had Lissie near the front (her preferred spot every time we go to Mass), while Justin, Xavier, and I stayed in the back - alternating going outside when Xavier had his fill of holiness.  One day he'll like going to church....right?

After Mass we went to a breakfast reception celebrating Mother Angelica's anniversary into the convent and we said our hellos to my "aunties" Nelly and Nena before making the trip to the botanical garden.

Oh, the botanical garden!  We went mainly to check out the special exhibit, Alice's Garden Wonders, but we also enjoyed spending time in the amazing Children's Garden and the splendid Butterfly House.  We could have easily spent all day here.  My only regret is forgetting the kids' swim gear so they would feel more comfortable splashing in all of the fun places to get wet!  

A little surprised that the teapot sprays water.

We are all pawns in his eyes.

Prepping for the ultimate tea party.

Beware the jabberwocky!

Seasaw fun.

The kids wanted to join in on the fun.

My Tweedledum and Tweedledee

A flower girl in a flower maze

With Lolo and Lola

Trying to catch butterflies in the butterfly garden.

Mesmerized by the beautiful butterflies.

Hangin' in the hammock.

An awesome sandbox castle

Water play!

After a picnic lunch at the gardens, we said our goodbyes to Lissie as we headed home.  Lissie had a grand rest of the trip where she went to her Lolas Nelly and Nena's place to pick vegetables and have dinner, attended another Mass at the Shrine, prayed and learned and saw new things with her Lolo and Lola at the grotto and Eucharistic Center, and enjoyed going out to eat one last time before I picked her up on Saturday from her Lola's house - just in time to attend a friend's birthday party!  Whew - busy weekend!

My parents never did make it to Birmingham to attend the Family Celebration Weekend, but I think we all agree that introducing Lissie to the Shrine and appeasing her natural curiosity of the Mass and her faith was totally worth it!   Next up?  Her special breakfast with the bishop!

As for Xavier, we're taking baby steps to get him to appreciate the Mass in his own way.  Lissie is helping us teach him about church with our new Mass kit that we made.  We're workin' on him.  Slowly, but surely.....

And, in all, it was a great little road trip weekend.  I can definitely see us going more often and even checking out more of what Huntsville has to offer.