End: HOME!!
Miles: 219 miles (approx)
Total Trip Miles: 3,734 miles!!
We slept in a bit this morning. I mean, it's been a wonderful but LONG trip! The Marriott doesn't have complimentary breakfast, so the kiddos and I walked to the gas station to grab something to eat. It was BEAUTIFUL outside. We ate our breakfast in the hotel lobby so as not to wake Emma or Jim!
Then it was pack up and head home! HOME! While the trip has been amazing, I think we were all ready to get out and stay out of the van for a while and to sleep in our own beds! We pulled into our driveway at 2:30pm. I think this shows how happy we all were to be home:
Twenty "deep thoughts" from our trip:
1. I am now scared of hotel shampoo and conditioner because Emma said they put stuff in it to make your hair fall out! Great! One more thing to worry about. Thanks!
2. Complimentary breakfast at hotels is a MUST when traveling with kids. They can all get what they want and you can get on the road with full bellies! Because my kids want to eat ALL. THE. TIME. (which I already knew but being stuck in a vehicle with them really brings that out!!).
3. My kids are pigs and our van was their sty! I mean, seriously. Emma was a Drill Sargent about picking/cleaning up after themselves and it STILL was a mess. Sheesh.
4. You can pack all the fancy games and toys and books and at the end of the day, my kids just wanted to watch movies, play on their tablets and the Switch and color. Duly noted. Although, I couldn't find our Mad Libs Travel book from last year and I remember having a lot of fun with that. SO, I ordered one while we were gone and here's hoping I can find it NEXT year!!
5. The BEST find for our trip was a self-cooling cooler! Seriously you guys...you NEED one of these things! They plug into the van and keep everything cold without needing ANY ice. LOVE so much and saved so much space and time. For next time, we need a converter so we can plug it in the hotel room instead of having to unpack and repack it every night.
6. Use the space your vehicle gives you! Last year we had a roof topper, which blew off somewhere in Nebraska, so we knew we didn't want to worry about that happening again for this trip. Jim, ingeniously might I add, suggested we use the stow-and-go space to store the kiddos' suitcases! They fit perfectly and saved so much room in the back of the van.
7. You learn so much and are way more in the "know" when you travel with a teenager. That's straight facts! Period. I can now say the Hootie concert had lots of "bangers" and if you don't know what Tick Toks are...you really need to look them up! Hilarious. Also, teenagers like to stay up really late and sleep in equally as late (but we all already knew that!!).
8. When visiting and touring a dam, your five year old NEVER gets tired of saying "dam" jokes. Like ever. Think: "That sure was dam fun!" I eventually had to tell him he can only say them while we are physically at a dam.
9. My kids will never EVER get tired of swimming. Period. And they are 2.5 out of 3 not needing life jackets (Mac still uses one some of the time because he isn't a strong swimmer...but the little fish CAN actually swim! By far my earliest swimmer!).
10. We will never be able to go on a road trip again without adaptive cruise control. I mean, driving any distance without it is torture, but on long driving days like these, it is a must.
11. When my kids are involved, do not mention the "H" word (hike). Instead call it a nature walk! They are far more willing to go along and not complain...even though they are actually the same thing. Smarter not harder!!
12. If you suffer from migraines (me) or back pains (Emma)...bring your medication and back brace along on a long road trip. I mean, duh, right?!?! In my defense, my insurance only gave me two pills and didn't refill it until the day before we got back! Argh.
13. Blankets for everybody in the van saves so much arguing about temperature! And makes great shade if the sun is on you and you don't want it to be. They also work great as a shawl when you're in the mountains and the temperature drops over 25 degrees in a matter of minutes. See? Multi-functional. Zipper sweatshirts are also helpful and easy to get on and off.
14. When a bull Bison decides he wants to walk down the center of your lane...you let him and you don't rush him. Things are on his time table. Just enjoy the experience and the views around you!
15. If you want to enjoy the more popular spots of wherever you are visiting, you really need to get there at the crack of dawn or right when it opens. I think Mammoth Springs and Norris Geyer Basin would have been fine if we'd gone way earlier. We did that when we went to Mount Rushmore a few years ago and it was empty! Pro tip!
16. Another Pro Tip: If you have to do laundry when traveling, do it at "extended stay" type hotels. We find they usually offer it free of charge or WAY cheaper than normal hotels and have nicer facilities. Score!!
17. Sasha's presence is always felt, even if she is in a different state.
18. For being a "picky eater" Emma's culinary journey was very diverse on this trip! I was very proud of her for trying new things and stepping out of her comfort zone. Jim said on the way home that if I hadn't mentioned that Emma was a picky eater, he would never have guessed based on the things she ate on this trip!!! So proud of her. However, she did learn that if she ever orders trout again (which is a big IF), to order it without the head or skin. Now she knows!
19. The trick to Nana's popovers is to mix the batter the night before and mix for at least 5 minutes! Ha, now I know!!! I will conquer you, you darn popovers!!
20. There is nothing more precious or important than family time and making memories. We are so happy that our kiddos are growing up with their own experiences and memories of family in other states, even if we only get to see them once or twice a year. But also, this includes the time we spent on the road together. Yes, there were trying times and yelling and arguing (sometimes I wasn't sure if bringing the Switch was a good idea at all!!), but at the end of the day, we played together, talked together, ate together, helped each other, swam together and even were kind to each other (shhh, don't tell Finn he was kind to Korri!!). Times like these bring us closer together and we learn more about each other and us as a unit. Here's to many more trips and lots more family experiences and memories being made!!!
21. Bonus thought: Kidz Bop concert was WAY better than Jim, Emma or I thought it would be. Super fun for the whole family. Highly recommend it, even if they didn't perform Old Town Road! Oh and for the parents...they sell beer! I mean, they kind of HAVE to sell beer, right?! LOL
Thank you for following along on our journey. It was amazing and we know how truly blessed we are. We are thinking maybe the Redwood Forest next time (for the "nature walks" NOT hikes!!). Until then...
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