The Champlain Bridge
Our gateway out of Montreal!
I keep wondering why Craig and I find it so difficult to stay at home and enjoy the weekend in the city. I wonder if it's because we rent our house, or there is so many people and it just feels great to get out where people aren't a plethora. I keep telling myself that someday, I will wake-up, in the country, and enjoy working in my garden all day while the kids are off playing. Yet, I enjoy traveling, seeing new things, and absorbing as much as I can. I decided to share with you my reasons for taking these road trips and why our family is so active about seeing sites and getting out of the city!
My reasons for having Adventures:
My reasons for having Adventures:
1. It allows Craig and I to work together.
2. It teaches us patience, twins in a mini-van for four hours!
3. We get to see something new, yet return home to the comfort of our home.
4. It provides the feeling of mini-vacations, and we all know how fun vacations can be.
5. We see things for the first time together as a family.
6. We can teach them first hand about nature and history.
7. It has taught us how to be organized, bringing the necessary and leaving behind the rest.
8. It allows us to teach them teamwork, even if they don't realize it.
9. We get to get away from the hustle of the city or the business of home.
10. It encourages the girls to have fun together and fun as a family.
What is difficult about these adventures:
1. Getting out on time: We are getting better at preparing everything the night before. We have been known to turn around several times because we forgot this or that, but we rarely need to do that anymore.
2. Sitting for long hours in the car: DVD! I usually wait for about an hour or 90 minutes before turning a movie on. We usually talk or play "guess this song" on the IPOD, have a snack; and then after all of this, I turn on the movie.
3. Impatience: It can be difficult to sit for hours in a car especially if there are tense moments while finding your destination. We have had many instances of pure melt down with the girls, but we always end the day with something fun - swimming, ice cream, a fun play ground. If that's the last memory they have, usually it's a successful day.
4. Communication: Working together with Craig, we usually are good at knowing what are day or days away will entail. However, it can be frustrating when there is a disagreement as to where the day should take us. We usually plan ahead and do something for everyone, so that we all feel like the day has been fun. When the disagreement continues, we either scrap the whole idea and do something new, or realize it's a good day to just stay home!
5. Food: Food is the pivotal role in weather the girls and us are happy. I've learned to keep the cooler out, pack water, sodas, capris suns, a loaf of bread, mustard/mayo and bologna/ or peanut butter sandwiches and plenty of goodies to go around. We won't bring as much if we know for sure where we are going to eat, but I can't tell you how much the cooler and bread idea as saved us from having a very grumpy adventure!
6. Late nights: Sometimes the girls get in bed very late from these trips. We feel very strongly about bedtimes, but during the summer have let it slip because of these family times. We try to get back to the house by 7:30 p.m., which would allow us to have a descent bedtime and a bit of time for the girls to relax at home. Sometimes it's later, or earlier, but mostly it's about this time. The next day at home is usually really good for the girls, because they were away all day and enjoy their toys a lot more!
7. Cost: This can be the kicker to going on road trips/adventures or staying close to home. With gas prices are so high, it really adds to the cost of going out as a family. By packing our food and going to state parks or country drives to a stream or playground, it lessons the cost. It's totally up to you to decide if it's worth the money or not!
Don't forget to enter my summer thank you contest HERE!
Should I add anything to my list?
What are the things that inspire you to take a family adventure?
Where are you off to this weekend?
7 comments:
This is an interesting list for me to be reading, as we'll be driving to Wales in a couple of weeks with the girls and I don't know what to expect in terms of the joys and pains of driving with 2 small children. So I'm poring over your comments here!!
I love it when we bombard Erin with lots of visits and info, thinking 'oh she's going to forget all this by the end of the day' and then, months later, she'll suddenly comment on smthg, remember a small detail, that makes you realise YES! She WAS taking it in! It makes it so worthwhile.
I love your list. I don't have a DVD in the car, and can't decide if I want one or not. I don't want to get one and then miss out on the talking, the singing, etc, but sometimes it sure would come in handy!
Great tips! You inspire me to plan more day-trip adventures, we should do that more often. What great memories y'all are making as a family!
Like you, we try to hold out as long as we can on the DVD player in the car--thankfully music has been a hit.
If I could write in green ink, I would. Good for you.
Best wishes
good for you good planning.. we like to go to just be together.. we are going to my nephews baptism this weekend.. and get to see my parents too!
Great list!!!!! Oh did you get the good mail yet????
I can imagine that the adventures are difficult at times but you are going to have such wonderful family memories from making these efforts!
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