The Importance of Trips

We didn't take a lot of vacations when I was growing up.  It wasn't for lack of money.....I just don't think it was a priority for my dad back then.  The few memories I do have of little trips/vacations we took are all positive.  But, I wish we had done more.

I really think vacations are important.  I use the word "vacation" loosely because when I travel with my boys, it's more of a "family outing" instead of a relaxing vacation.  I know it will get easier as they continue to get older but let's face it- traveling with kids is exhausting.  It really should be considered an Olympic sport.  But it's so worth it!

There is always an amazing opportunity to bond with your kids while on vacation.  It's the time when you unplug from your every day life.  You leave the cell phones in the hotel, you don't check email, and you are not distracted by the pile of dirty dishes in the sink.  Personally, it's a time when I don't worry about laundry or a grocery list or anything else that comes with running a home.  The boys are not focusing on homework or studying for a big test.  Everyone gets to relax and just unwind.  And we get to do it together.

Vacations don't have to be grand.  In fact, when the boys were little.....we could have checked in at a hotel 2 miles from home and they would have had a blast.  (we actually did this)  They loved sleeping in a different place, having all of us in one big room and swimming in the pool.  It's about just being together and investing in each other.

Obviously as kids get older and enjoy doing more you have to get a little more creative in where you go and what you do.  But again, road trips rock and can be so much fun.  So, if airline tickets for a family of 4 are not in your budget......don't lose heart.  Head to Sea World or a little cabin on the river or some place fun that allows you the time to bond and mentally check-out from normal life for a bit.  You will never regret this.

Traveling is my passion.  I would take a trip every single month if I could.  I daydream about all the fun and exciting places out there and I am always trying to figure out how we can get somewhere.  I don't know if it stems back to the lack of travel when I was a kid.....but it's so important to me to make those memories.  Because one day, my boys will be grown and spending time with their own families and the chance will be gone.

Our family has been blessed to go to some fun places over the years.  Some of my boys best memories are those made on our vacations (again, doesn't always have to be huge.  My boys love our trips to Lake Granbury which is one hour from our house)  It's my hope that they will reflect back on their childhood one day and have such special memories of traveling together.

If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you have heard me say that I would choose a vacation over just about anything.  A few years ago, Jason told me that we could put new granite countertops in our kitchen or take a family vacation.  I picked the vacation (hands down) and we had an amazing time in San Diego and Legoland with our boys.  I have zero regrets about this decision because Jason was gone 7 months later.  The three of us talk about Legoland all the time and that trip holds so many special moments in my heart.  Those memories are precious to me.

I'm in the process right now of planning our family vacation in December.  I am so excited about making new memories with my sweet family.  While I'm excited about seeing a new place and marking another location off my "bucket list" ....it's the smiles and giggles and joy that comes from my boys that make it so awesome and so worth it.

Let's take a trip down memory lane:

 In Austin for a marriage seminar.  Such a great weekend together!

 In June of 2007, we took Hudson to Sea World all by himself (left 1 yr old Cooper at home with Mimi)

 Looking at the fish.........and making smores with daddy at the hotel.

Fall 2008.  Playing in the leaves at the riverhouse.

Can't you just hear those squeals?

Day trip to Fossil Rim

Family cruise- summer 2008

April 2008- Riverhouse again

October 2009- Kid free trip to St. Thomas with friends

So thankful for this trip together!!

Hudson went to Disney with Mimi and Aunt Pearl

Summer 2009- Riverhouse and Seaworld Trip with friends

Granbury 4th of July Fun!

Granbury Girls Weekend with my mom and sister

Riverhouse Memories

Christmas Cruise with my boys

Gulf Shores Beach Vacation- Aug 2011

Legoland- March 2011

I have loved looking back at pictures and thinking about all the fun we had.  The time well spent.  The love we have shared.  It's priceless!

Vacations/trips give you that opportunity to do things you might not do at home- build a sandcastle, go dog sledding, swim with a dolphin, make smores, stay up until midnight or sleep with brother in a big bed.  I try to find little ways to add a sense of fun or newness to our trips.  It doesn't always have to be something big or expensive......just something fun that you don't typically do at home.

I look forward to trips with my family.  I am always so thankful and feel so blessed that we are able to do fun things with our kids.  Because spending special time with them is something I will never ever regret doing.  They won't remember or care if we have granite in the kitchen.  So I don't either.

Math and Halloween Fun

Hudson is my homebody.  He doesn't particularly love school and he certainly doesn't love homework.  He is wicked smart but puts forth only a fraction of what he's really capable of doing.  He often lacks motivation and is extremely laid back. (my guy has a ton of amazing qualities but for this post I am highlighting a few challenge areas.  Just keepin it real, folks!)

As you know, Jason died when Hudson was in 3rd grade.  We all managed to get dressed each day and somewhat join in the activities of life going on around us but I think it's safe to say that none of us were really "there" or "engaged" in much of what we were doing.  So in many ways.....Hudson lost almost all of that year academically.  Because of great teachers, we have been able to keep him afloat (mostly in math- other areas are ok) but 5th grade is proving to be another beast altogether.  Over the last 2 weeks, the math homework has changed and has become increasingly harder.  As in....I can no longer help him.  Yea, it's ugly.

The last 2 weeks have consisted of me standing over him, looking at his homework, and scratching my head while thinking "I'm pretty sure I learned this in freaking high school."  To top it off, math is taught completely different now.  So on the rare occasion I do remember something.....as soon as I begin to explain it, Hudson tells me that it's not the way his teacher showed him.  Oh the joys!

After 2 weeks of frustration and snarky words to each other......I decided that I could never be a homeschool mom I needed to call in the reinforcements.

I texted Shawn one afternoon (after attempting to help with homework) and said "I really think we need a math tutor for Hudson."

20 minutes later (it was just 4:45pm) I texted him back a picture of this wine glass and said "Seriously."

And so I made some arrangements and our math whiz high school neighbor is coming over Mon-Thur to do math homework with Hudson and help him catch up.  Ahhh, I can already feel the weight lifted off my shoulders.

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Cooper is excited about Halloween!

At preschool, my co-teacher and I did our minimal costumes as usual.  Neither of us are big "dress-up" people so when she stumbled on these owl masks, we knew it was the perfect thing!  (our class at school is the Owl Class.)

On a side note.....how amazing would it be if Halloween fell on the last Saturday of October every year?  Yea, I'm not a huge fan of Halloween during the week.  Getting my boys up this morning was so stinkin fun.  What about you?

And yes, I know I said I'm not a fan of costumes but I just couldn't resist this.  I think I ate one too many candy corns yesterday!!

I have more Trick or Treating pictures that are on my camera but I can't seem to download them without all 1700 pictures downloading again.  I really need to take a "Mac for Dummies" class.  *sigh

Hudson lost a tooth last night while we all sat at the table and pigged out on candy.  

(sorry for the bloody drip picture)  I didn't realize until later that it was there.  Ewww.  But, I guess it was an easy way to get it out!  He only has 2 baby teeth left.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Pumpkin Patch and Stuff

Lately the boys have really been into creating comic books.  They will spend hours binding papers into books and then filling them with silly comic stuff.  It's so cute to watch them laugh as they read it to each other.

Hudson has been making his own Captain Underpants version.

I realized the other day that we are almost at the end of October and we still had not been to a pumpkin patch yet.  Our favorite one.....the one I've been taking the boys to since they were babies closed down and we've been trying to find a decent replacement.  I don't think we will ever find one as cool as that one (it had a big train and just lots of fun stuff) but we had a good time.

At the corn maze

I was quite impressed.  It had lots of twists and turns and dead-ends.  It took us a bit to find our way out.

Love my boys.

So sweet boy has been bugging me to watch the Conjuring.  I've heard that it's the scariest movie ever (lots of people on FB have commented on this) so I finally gave in on Saturday night.  Ugh.  While I do enjoy some scary movies....this one was just okay for me.  Yes, it was scary.....and even though it's based on a true story....it still seemed a little corny to me.  What did you think?

Happy Monday!

Costumes and Hair

So.....it's been sort of a busy week.  Nothing in particular but somehow I looked up and it's already Friday and I've neglected to blog.  So here are a few things going on in our world.

I realized this week that Halloween just isn't as much fun when your kids grow up and actually have an opinion about their costume.  Gone are the days of the plush costumes or themed ideas.  I went round and round with my little guy because he kept begging for something scary.....and this mama doesn't do scary.  They are both going as a Phantom this year.  Not sure what that even really is but they think it's cool.  Whatever.  Again, no longer fun.

One night this week we had breakfast for dinner.  I try to make some sort of homemade muffin and I stumbled on these yummy Cinnamon Buttermilk muffins and they were sooooo good!  Light and fluffy with just a tad of sweetness on the top.  I definitely recommend!

I've been going back and forth for a couple of years about getting hair extensions.  My hair sucks.  Sorry, but it's true.  And it's really sucked ever since Jason died because it started falling out by the fistfuls and it's really never fully made a comeback.  A sweet friend of mine is a hairdresser and a few weeks ago she posted something about recently getting her certification to do them.  I sent her a message to ask some questions and I decided to take the plunge!  I went this morning and here are the before and after pics.

(I literally washed and did a quick dry- no gel or hairspray or anything)

I am really happy with the overall look.  It does feel a little strange but I think I'm going to enjoy them.  

If you live in the DFW area and are looking for a sweet girl to install some extensions then feel free to message me and I will give you her info.

Have a great weekend!