Five summer getaways every kid should experience

Every kid dreams of having the summer off from school.... the days of endless play and the nights of staying up late and sleepovers.... Lately I find myself thinking of what we were doing last summer at this time. We were getting ready for a huge move, packing up all of our belongings and living in our travel trailer for 12 weeks in the heat of summer!!! Sometimes I can't believe we did it and that we even still liked each other when it was all said and done, and then there is a part of me that thinks it was the best summer ever in summer vacation history. When I look back, I don't remember the small quarters we were living in or the lack of "stuff" we had around us, I just simply remember the good times, the laughing and the amazing memories we made during our travels thru 15  different states in route to our new home on the west coast...

When you look at it that way, our summer was what dreams are made of and the places we got to see are among the top of my list of things that every kid should get to experience.... So sit back with your favorite summer treat, get out a big atlas and come along for my list of five summer getaways every kid should experience!!

1. Local Festivals

This is one that everyone can do, no matter where you happen to be....It could be a Peach Festival in TX,  Apple festivals in Washington State or Lavender festivals in Oklahoma! Local festivals bring the community together and give our kids a chance to learn about the area we live in and take advantage of locally grown produce or goods known to the area! There are tons of festivals that go on across the country but my favorite of all time would have to be the Moose Dropping festival in Talkeetna Alaska!! If you look around in your community I'm sure you will find one just as exciting! lol I am looking forward to the Sandcastle contest this summer in Oregon! Maybe we'll see you there?



2. Food production

Again, this one can very based on your location. For our family it is really important to know where our food comes from and for our kids to understand the how and why of it all.  We have been so lucky to get the chance to experience so many behind the scenes adventures and I really think it's something every kid should get to see! We have seen where our Wilcox eggs come from, how Wild Berry candy is made and how to make bread at Great Harvest Bread Company but our favorite by far, and somewhere that all true Dr Pepper fans should put on their bucket list is Dublin, TX home of  Dr Pepper!! We got a tour of their museum, got to watch them bottle some grape soda and we each got to taste our very own bottle of Dr Pepper, made with pure cane sugar NOT corn syrup! :) Ours kids are still talking about that trip!

3. Zoo

And what summer wouldn't be complete without a trip to the zoo?! As a kid I used to love going to the zoo but as an adult I am finding that I appreciate going to a park that really tries to work with the animals and keep them in an environment closer to what they would have in the wild. Keeping that in mind, I think that Tanganyika wildlife park in Wichita, Kansas is a must see for anyone that is able. As we walked into the park, we quickly realized that this was no typical zoo when right in front of us was a giraffe enclosure that didn't include any fences!!! The park has used nature deterants like moving water and rock walls with trenches to keep the animals in but let them have the feel of being in the wild. It was truly a magical experience... even for the big "kids" such as myself! We even got to feed lemurs up close!! How cool is that?

4. Camping

Living in our travel trailer for 12+ weeks made for an interesting summer to say the least, so for us to have spent that much time in the trailer not counting the actual travel time, it would take alot to impress us with an RV park....the Flintstone theme park and campground did just that!!! It took me back to my childhood.... it truly seemed to encompass the joy of simple family fun. They didn't have fancy game rooms, and the pool was a bit small but they did have the charm of playing a round of miniature golf with your kids and the theme park with just perfect for little ones... I'm not sure who enjoyed it more, them or us!

5. National Parks

Now, anyone that knows me knows that I have a soft spot in my heart for state and national parks. My husband and I got engaged at Old Faithful in Yellowstone park, and were married in Chugach state park in Alaska so it's no surprise when friends ask me about vacationing at a theme park and I try to sway them into checking out a national park instead (Not that I don't love thrill parks too... I just like the simplicy of being out in nature!)  I think that every American should experience the thrill of watching Old Faith go off... or take in the beauty of Morning Glory.... I have been to Yellowstone park twice now, and haven't even experienced a portion of what I would like to.... I am so glad that my kids get to see such natural beauty and hope other families enjoy it as much as we do!

While I think of all the sigths in the world we could see...the ones in our very own backyard are the nearest and dearest to my heart. As we look off into the coming summer we are making lists of new places, yet to be visited by us and I am excited that we can offer these trips and sights to our children. It's the little things they will remember and hope that we will make many new memories along the way!

Welcome summer and may you have safe travels! :)

***I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

MIA Blogger

I feel like I've been missing in action these days...the last few weeks have been a blur of packing, last minute things around the old house, emotional endings to the school year and closing on the house...all in time for a trip across the country with various stops to see family before finally arriving in Pennsylvania for a two week visit with MORE family! lol I'd like to say the trip went off without a hitch but once we got settled in to PA, we all came down with the crud and are still trying to bounce back from it all...we so need a vacation to get over this vacation! :)

Along the way, and dispite the cold weather (finally I had a guilt free excuse to shop at Goodwill! ha!) and the sickness, we did make lots of good memories and have thousands of new pictures to show for it! Did I mention that we got our new camera? lol ;) Here's just a taste of what we got to do on our trip. I really hope to write about a few of them in more detail but for now ....here we go!

Mixin' things up

I've been meaning to blog about this since we were in Montana and just haven't gotten around to it....Jason's dad came in from the garage and set this on the table asking if I wanted Grandma's mixer (his mom). I instantly got a big lump in my throat and tears in my eyes...I feel so honored that he would give it to me and SO excited to have a mixer!! It looks so cool in my new kitchen!

I know I could go out and buy some fancy new mixer but sometimes I don't always think new is better. I love the fact that everytime I use this I will have a constant reminder of an amazing lady...we all miss her so much!

What movies are made of...

Our last night in Montana could easily have been the perfect ending to a Family channel Christmas movie. Our entire time there we had snow on the ground but it had just been too cold to be out playing in it. Out of all the things we talk about missing most about Alaska, mountains and snow top the list. My biggest hope for this trip north was that the girls would see and play in the snow and our time was dwindling fast!

Jason and I had gone into town for one last stop at a few of our most missed stores. Just as we were leaving Big Bear, I started to see flakes falling ever so sparsely. Now, I know I shouldn't have been wishing for snow (considering the long trip we had ahead of us the next day) but secretly I really was hoping for one more chance to bundle the girls up in our borrowed snow gear!

By the time we got home, the flakes were falling with more consistently and by the time the girls got up from their naps it was looking like we were in a snow globe! I know for most people this entry probably seems a bit of an over-kill about something simple like snow but for me it was a snapshot in my memory that I will never forget...a healing of sorts. Living in Texas and having our hearts still in Alaska leaves me feeling like our girls are being cheated. J has seen the snow for sure but R hasn't and knows nothing of our life before her. (I know that sounds a bit crazy, life goes on...but we want it to go on in Alaska, and for the girls to grow up experiencing a culture we loved so much- not spending years in nowhere Texas! lol)

The girls don't know the dread of having to bundle up for the cold weather. For them if was all fun and games. It was a flurry of mittens and hats, snow boots and pants. They were so impatient to get out in the white fluffy unknown.

When we left Alaska I couldn't part with this little blue molded baby sled. I knew we weren't going to have a use for it in Texas but there were just so many memories and I wasn't ready to let go of it yet. I figured we were pushing the limits of even being able to use it before she'd be too big. As it worked out- it fit her perfectly and her squeals of delight as Daddy pulled her thru the yard was priceless!

I feel like that snow was such a gift and a closure I desperately needed. It was just a walk around the block in the snow but I know that I will be rewinding that night in my mind for many hot Texas days to come....

We're not in Kansas anymore!

Somewhere in Wyoming

Our First Taste of Snow

Somewhere in western Kansas,

we got our first taste of snow and it was simply beautiful! (Never thought I'd say that about Kansas!) This is the first snow we've gotten to experience in over two years and as lame as it sounds, I had a lump in my throat...I can't wait until we get to see some mountains! On the road again...