A few years back, the Hubs and I took our last family vacation. We had decided to separate in january of that year, but hadnt figured out the logistics and were still living together trying to plan out our next steps. Our three children had always wanted to go to Disney World. We figured Spring Break was the perfect time to take one last roadtrip as a complete family and end our 15 year run as a team.
Three days before we left for Florida we celebrated my birthday. One of my favorite gifts was a 6″ Darth Vader action figure. I had planned on keeping him boxed and on display, but my kids wanted me to take him out and play with him. So I did.
The following pictures are Darth’s experience on our roadtrip as were published in real-time to my Facebook page. I think it captures the essence of that last family trip perfectly.
#VaderAdventures
#553milesfilledwithsmiles
#EvenASithNeedsAHoliday
#PassTheFunyuns
#Disneyorbust
#VaderAdventures
#410MilesToGo
#CantStopHereThisIsBatCountry
#Georgia
#ithinkimissedastate
#248MilesToGo
#DarthAdventures
#theweatherisscaryhere!
#ThisRainHasGOTtoStop!
“Darth Vader takes a moment to ponder that one unaccounted for Spring Break at Daytona.”
#79MilesToGo
#SithGoneWild
#SPF100
#BananaHammock
When the week was up and we had to head home, the mood was somber. We had a great time and our hearts were heavy. We spent our last day in Florida with old high school friends of mine and their families, grilling, drinking, laughing and playing in the pool. All of our kids became fast friends and no one wanted to go home. We were going back to work, school, and to a home The Hubs would soon be vacating. We knew the separation was going to become “real” after this point and none of us was anxious to get on with the impending heartbreak.
“Despite Darth Vader’s natural proclivity towards the chilly temps of the Death Star or dreams of vacationing on Hoth, it would seem the sunny, warm disposition of Florida and those who so genuinely welcomed him there have warmed up his circuitry and he is experiencing genuine remorse at leaving.”
#VaderAdventuresContinue
#SadSithBlues #TheForceIsStrongInFlorida
#WarmFeelingsOfRegard
#427MilesToGo
(The Peep was a birthday gift from a friend in Florida…another favorite! ❤ )
#BackInBatCountry
#ThingsJustGotRapey
#KindOfHopingTheyMakeBabies
#298MilesToGo
#120MilesToGo
#SouthCarolina
#NowTHISisTheStateIForgot!
#Rapey? #Shonuff
#49MilesToGo #VaderAdventuresConclude
#OutOfIdeas #GetMeOutOfThisEffinCar
it’s all about the journey, not the destination. Always.
-Slacking into the future.
The Frazzled Slacker 
September 30th, 2015 at 10:29 pm
I remember the Vader adventures – I was hoping we could get Ally and Vader to create a whole montage of adventures together. Oh the laughs we could have generated!!! I wish at that time I knew about your struggles. Love you always!!!
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October 1st, 2015 at 5:45 am
Thank you, Tracie, your friendship means so much to me and I consider myself lucky for having been paired up with you for that project in 6th grade…who knew that 31 years later we’d still be there for each other and making each other laugh so hard??? I know I kept it all in and didn’t share, but you did help me through that time…more than you know ❤
I’m still up for some Ally and Vader take on the World adventures and a possible spin off (or at least our very own reality show, lol!) Let’s do this thing!
Love you always, too! 😊
(and thank you…for real ❤ )
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December 12th, 2015 at 9:23 am
You are resilient beauty and strength in motion my dear.
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