First Vacation with Kaya

After almost a year break from my blog, I am trying it again.  Hopefully,  second time around I'll do better. I just need to remember how to upload pictures and then I would be set!  Ha, obvious I am a beginner at blogging!

Anyway, we just got back from the first family trip with our dog, Kaya.   We narrowly escaped being fined $250 from a resort that "strictly prohibits" pets!  How were we to know?  Here we are ready for a great adventure in the big outdoors.  What better place to bring our pet?  Or so we thought until we checked in and as we are driving to the condo read that pets are not allowed.  Boy, this put a kink in our plans.  Thank heavens we only planned one night here...but could we get out before a fine?   Trying to disguise the crate, we throw towels and coats over it as Rich tries to carry it in our condo as if it were nothing more than a piece of luggage.  I don't think we fooled anyone.  To our credit, we called the concierges desk and asked about pet hotels.  They gave us two numbers.  We called and one was disconnected and the other was out of service.  Here we are out in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains with nothing around.  We had to make a decision so we decided to hide Kaya until the morning.   Thank heavens our dog is so good!  She didn't make a peep.  In the morning, as we, and the entire condo population, are checking out, again, Rich drapes towels over the crate and walks out to the car acting as if he is carrying a piece of luggage.  Heads turn and stare at Rich and the lively conversation that was filling the air drops to a low rumble.  I slip out of the condo as if nothing is wrong we get in the car and slip away.  Praying, that noone says anything.
We now know, to ask if a condo, in the mountains, that has hiking trails everywhere allows dogs!  Needless to say, we had a fantastic time.  The next night we got a "pet friendly" hotel.  (Honestly, I can see why hotels wouldn't allow pets and I don't blame them.)
The past two days we were hiking up, down, and all over the Appalachan trail.  We had a great time!   The kids were seeing who got scratched, bruised, or hurt the most.  And the winner is....Jenna.  She took the final fall as we were running down the last hiking trail.  I guess we shouldn't have run, but it was so fun!
I believe our family is the happiest when we are outside in nature.  There is just something about breathing the fresh air and enjoying the views of mother nature.  So refreshing!