Tidbits:
Summer is coming to an end. What did your family do this
year? Picnics? Vacation? Maybe just a road trip to see family and friends?
Well…my family has had quite the year altogether, and we have noticed that
“stop and smell the roses” is just a small part of how we should really treat a
day in the life on this earth.
Our year started out interesting to say the least, and this
spring and summer we decided not to let things get in the way of family time!
Making the most of every moment, because we never know when the last may be (as
we have learned is sad ways this year already), we have begun to focus on the
little things that make us happy. Such is the bliss of having children. When we
(the parents) made our wish lists of the things we would like to do and the
places we want to go, we consulted the children for their input as well. Of
course, as adults, our list consisted of things like “Go to the beach. See the
Grand Canyon. Travel the world!” When we asked the children, their lists were
quite different. “I want to go to Illinois. I want to go to MawMaw’s house and
ride the go-cart. I want to play with Lassie and Dixon (the little dogs at my
family’s home). Can we go to Chuck E Cheese too?” In that moment, the lists
took a new form.
So many times we make plans for the bigger things in life,
when it is often the little things that give us the biggest joys.
So, what have we done this year? Instead of going to Disney
Land we have gone to Adventure Park; a local place with go-carts, mini golf,
and arcade games to play till you drop! Instead of Six Flags we have gone to
Chuck-E-Cheese. Trips to Los Angeles were replaced with trips to the Sequoia
Trees a little over an hour away from our home. We’ve gone camping in a tent,
fishing, hiking, sightseeing in the local area, and just general driving
around, enjoying ourselves as a family, finding fun things to do close by.
Did we do something big this year? Oh yes! We drove across
the country, from our home in California to my parent’s home in Illinois. Road
tripping is something we enjoy doing, most of the time…LOL
When we left California, the temperatures were upwards into
the 100’s and above. One day, and many miles, into the trip we reached Veil
Colorado, where the temperatures were around 38 degrees, and there was snow
everywhere! It was amazing! In Nebraska, where my husband’s family is located,
the boys enjoyed operating an excavator, and rode in an 18 wheeler truck with
Sean’s father. They had a blast! They had some fun watching Sean and his dad
help take down a grain bin that was standing empty in the back of a field near
a creek as well.
In St Louis, MO. We got to enjoy the Arch, the Zoo, Science
Center, and a trip to see my 103 year old great grandfather on his birthday! On
this particular leg of the journey my children were able to get their first
taste of some delicious frozen yogurt with us and a dear friend of mine I had
not seen in nearly 5 years as well.
When we planned out this trip, my mother
and I had all kinds of things on our agenda.
Thankfully, we included the hopes
and dreams of the children, and ended up enjoying a successful, fun,
adventurous vacation trip. And yes, the boys got to ride that go-cart at
MawMaw’s house. They got their personal tours of the fire and police stations, and meet awesome people. They
were witnesses to new baby chickens hatching, went fishing in PawPaw’s pond, and
drove the golf cart around the property as well. There was never a dull moment,
and the sound of happy people filled the air.
Back in California, we are still making plans…lots and lots
of them! Some big, and most small. We won’t be in this state long, and we want
to make sure we enjoy every moment we have left.
Tips:
Although summer is nearing its end, and most children have
already gone back to school, there are still trips to be had, and things to do.
Long car rides can be difficult for some families, dealing with boredom and
restlessness. While on the road, if the kids enjoy maps, give them an atlas and
have them follow where you are going. One fun thing is the live map
applications that are one smartphones and tablets these days. My sons enjoyed
the live map, showing the little blue dot that was our vehicle moving along the
roads. Paper games, electronic games, songs and activity games, and frequent,
short stops that become a little fun activity as well are great boredom busters
for long rides.
Road Bingo; I spy; rhyme games; scavenger hunt; electronic
games; movies (if the vehicle has a DVD player and TV); Songs and trivia; and
many other options are out there for the road trip. Including the kids in making
or buying snacks helps too, no matter how young they are. My 3 year old enjoyed
picking everyone’s drinks to share on our cross country adventure.
Before the trip, searching for ideas on Google and Pinterest
is a great idea! They are a plethora of free printables, games, ideas, crafts,
and other boredom busters, as well as great sights to see along the way that
are low cost or even free! Utilizing these resources is something I do daily,
and I practically glue myself to my research when we have an adventure coming
upon us!!
Just remember, it’s the small things that bring great joy.
No matter what you do, if you ENJOY yourself, have a blast, and make the best
of each moment, it will be well worth every effort.
Happy summer’s end to you all!
*Becca*
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