Anniversary weekend trip

This weekend we celebrated our 16th anniversary by heading to the mountains sans children.  A.k.a: the weekend during which we have every conversation we're going to have for the year.

After we dropped off the last 2 kids and headed west on Friday, Pete started to tell me something, and then stopped himself and said, "I love being able to just TALK to you without interruptions!  How long has it been since that happened?  I think it's been a full year."



It is also the weekend each year in which we pack in all of our restaurant eating for the year.

And it was a great time to just hike and explore and meander and relax and enjoy each other.

It seemed fitting that we started out in Boone, a college town, since we both still think we're about that age.  It didn't take us long, however, to realize we are not really that age.  At the restaurant on Friday night, amidst all the other college students, Pete announced it was "way too loud."

I couldn't laugh at my "old" husband too long, though.  When we got to our hotel and unpacked I realized that I forgotten not one essential item, not two, but FOUR rather important things.  We are old.

But that didn't slow us down.  In addition to Boone, we explored Blowing Rock and Valle Crucis, and went on a couple of great hikes.  And we talked and we talked and we talked.

The leaves were already changing up there in the highlands.... even the parking lot of our hotel looked like this:

 I loved having Pete's attention all to myself for 48 hours....  Well, almost all to myself.

All of this was graciously made possible by Dan and Amy, who kept Strider and Rayna for the weekend, and Mom and Dad who kept Colsen and Miles.   All reports from the kids were full of excitement as they regaled their adventures, so I think it was a good time for all 6 of us.  Maybe we need to move this annual tradition to more of a monthly schedule.  :)