Some Good Ole’, Much Needed Aviles Family Fun

Wow! Warning: This is probably going to be a long post.

I just can’t believe my family’s visit has come and gone in the blink of an eye. They planned and prepared for it for so long, we painted, got the house in order and took days off in anticipation, then the trip came and we had some of the best days we’ve had together, but was gone all too quickly!

I only get to see my family a few times a year, so it’s so important that we make the most out of each and every visit, which isn’t hard to do, but it makes leaving so much tougher. But luckily, while they were here they were able to look for jobs/homes/places to live, so I think that the thought of them moving here is really becoming more of a reality! You could officially call me the luckiest girl alive if/when that happens… to have my family AND in-laws here in the same town would be a luxury for me, even though I know it’s the norm for quite a few people. But just the fact that I’ve lived away from my family these past 7 years or so, would really make living together sweet.

Anyway, while my family was here we had so.much.FUN. Just pure fun! Sure, we probably spent too much money and might have done some touristy things, but I can honestly say it was a great, great, GREAT time for everyone.

So, here’s what we did:

– Rock City and Ruby Falls in Chatanooga, TN: All the credit goes to Mr. R on this one. This day-trip was his idea, and everyone had so much fun. Chattanooga was a quick 2 hour trip each way, and each attraction took about 2 hours, so we were able to enjoy all of the sites, rocks, history and more, without ever feeling rushed.

– The Georgia Aquarium: Of course we had to visit the Aquarium! What’s a trip to Georgia without seeing the largest Aquarium in America? This was a blast, and I think everyone really really enjoyed themselves. This aquarium is big enough that we enjoyed 5 full hours there, and luckily, it was not busy at all for a Sunday, so we really got to make the most out of it.

– Alejandro’s 4th Birthday Party: I’m so glad Maddie was able to be here for a Rodriguez birthday party- these things get crazy, and she loves all the kids so much + playing at any playground, that she obviously had a blast! Check out some cute pictures below.

– Lino Antonio and Alejandro’s first baseball game: Prepare for the cuteness factor of 2 4-years-old cousins/BFFs on their first Little League team together, so excited for their first game. The game was hilarious, the kids were awesome, and I’m glad my family got to be a part of the 30-person cheering section for these two!

– Our 1st Anniversary/Wedding Video Premier Party: We had a get together on our 1st anniversary with some of our wedding party to share the full wedding video. I’ll be writing more about it soon, but it basically consisted of movie popcorn and candy, pizza, a year-old top layer of our cake and great memories of one year ago.

– Eating: We had some gooood eats while they were in town! Every time they make the trip (and vice versa when we got to Phoenix), we try to eat at places we can’t eat at back home. So, we introduced them to Zaxby’s (which Maddie loved), The Flying Biscuit, Norcross Station Cafe, Papi’s Grill, and too many other places to list! Plus, of course, Mr. R cooked a bunch of times, so our bellies were kept full and happy!

Even with all of this on our plates, we found plenty of time to relax, veg out and watch movies and TV. Some of the best moments of the trip were on our big sectional, everyone sprawled out and drifting in and out of sleep while trying to squeeze every last second out of each day and watching the second or third movie of the night, just knowing we were all together.

It truly was a much-needed and incredibly enjoyed trip. The next time I see my family can’t come soon enough, and I hope it includes a U-Haul next time. So now, I’ll leave you with a TON of amazing pictures of all the fun we had! 🙂

XO,

Amanda