Big Trees

Jason loves trees.  They are his passion.

One of the reasons for this trip was that Jason wanted the girls to see the huge coastal trees in California: redwoods, sequoia and giant sequoia.

Jason has read a lot about these trees over the years and so, when we got there, he spent quite a while talking to the park rangers and naturalists.  We learned that while these trees are maybe 2000 years old, they are descended from trees that were started 2000 years before that!  It's pretty amazing when you think about it!  These trees often grow in circles, the middle of that circle once stood the original tree from whose roots these trees sprouted.  That tree died and decayed, the soil has been tested and its been confirmed that a tree was there and had been for a long period of time based on the amount of matter that decomposed.  It was fascinating!

It is humbling to stand near these trees.
You realize how short a period of time we have been here.
How minuscule some of our problems are.
How the world will keep turning and trees will keep reaching toward the sun.
Pretty awesome.

I kept singing the REM song, "I remember redwood trees, bumper cars and Wolverines..." and well, that irritated my family.  That was, of course, when they were not making me go on crazy hikes where we were walking on 18 inch wide ledges on the sides of sheer cliffs!

But we had fun and I am so glad we went!

For All of You Who Hate to Travel

I am not a traveler.  I've said it before, I will say it again.  I am afraid of flying, my sleep and digestion get screwed up when I travel.  I like my bed, my life, my routine, my friends, my predictable, stable little life.  But.....I want my girls to know that a great big world exists filled with all kinds of people and places.  I want them to experience different cultures.  I want them to see rocky mountains and beautiful vistas and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is something greater than us out there that created all of this--this beauty is not happenstance, it was formed and created.

So, I keep telling myself how important it is that we travel a little as I pop xanax in anticipation of this flight--I didn't always fear flying, it's mostly after several planes crashed into the Atlantic in the last couple of years.

We found out this week that Jason's car needs some repairs.  it turned out not to be as expensive as I had feared, but it threw me for a loop...and seemed like a good reason to cancel the trip for a day or two.... ;-)

I lay awake at night worried there will be a hurricane while we are away....the last two years our state was pummeled pretty bad in hurricanes.

I am at a point where I am saying "when we get back".  And I hate that.  I hate putting stuff off.  "When we get back, I will plan a Girls Weekend with friends (for some reason going to a hotel at the Jersey shore for a weekend isn't the same as traveling further away)".  "When we get back Allie will start Algebra".  "When we get back we will go here or do this or do that".  "When we get back maybe we will start looking for a dog or make a decision about fostering dogs".  "When we get back....".

Oh and the whole grocery thing that last week.  I despise that.  Eat what is in the fridge or cupboard because no sense buying more or opening a new package when we will be away and it will go bad/get stale.

The truth is I am a homebody.  The truth is I am crazy enough to love grocery shopping and cooking big meals and making a home for my family.  The truth is I would rather paint furniture and make elaborate meals and spend a day laying in bed with a good book than traveling.  The truth is I like to keep my feet firmly planted on the ground.  The truth is I don't like being far away from home.  Home provides safety and stability that I need.

I worry that we would be at war with Syria when we fly.  Hijackers.  Chemical weapons at airports.

I worry that our government will shutdown...part of our plan is to visit a National Park.  I called the other day, hoping they would tell me not to worry, they won't close.  But no, they said, "We have been told to tell callers to keep an eye on the news and call a couple of days before they are due to arrive and we can give them more information then.  We will reach out to you if we know that we will be closed during your stay and we will refund the money for your stay here."

So, we are in limbo.  If the park closes, we will postpone the trip.  And I will continue to say, "when we get back..." until we actually take the trip and come back.

And I know I have it good.  I am lucky to be able to travel.  I am fortunate to have this opportunity.  I believe in positive energy and I am trying really hard to hang on to positive things.  But anxiety is a slippery slope...

I know we will have fun and make memories and hopefully take amazing photos that we can frame.  I keep telling myself that.  I look around my home for where I can hang pictures of this trip.  I imagine the photo books of this trip.  I imagine how funny my husband is on car rides.  I imagine my girls' awe and my husband's eyes shining when we see certain sites.  I look forward to the memories we will create.  I pray for our safety.  That's how a homebody gets through traveling.

Buttermilk Falls

One of the things Jason and I did for our anniversary at the beginning of the month was to go to Buttermilk Falls.

17 year anniversary

 Seventeen years ago, we were so young.  I was just out of college, ridiculously idealistic, working as a recruiter for a personnel agency and devoted to the WorkFare program to put people who were collecting state aid to work.  Jason was working for a tiny tree company and going to college at night.  We lived in a really cute apartment.  We had some pretty amazing friends.  We adopted a dog to keep me company when Jason was in school at night.  We knew we wanted to buy a house and have kids, but we had no idea...

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

We didn't know then that Jason would be offered an awesome opportunity in upstate NY, an opportunity that made him think twice about finishing college.  We had no idea that we would buy a farmhouse in Connecticut and have two little girls.  We had no idea we would ever homeschool.  We had no idea how we would grow together.  There were no blogs then, the internet was a new thing.  So much of that time was about faith, as is so much of life, we have no idea what tomorrow will bring.

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

Buttermilk Fall, Ithaca, NY

Seventeen years ago, we were just hopeful, optimistic, idealistic, naive kids.  We were from two totally different backgrounds and types of families, but we knew we wanted the same thing: a solid, stable family life and that was all that mattered to us.  We wanted a house and kids.  We both wanted the kind of life some people find boring, but we thought of as comfortable.  We wanted family dinners, falling asleep on the couch watching TV, a cozy home and lots of laughter around the dinner table.  We have never been into glitz or glamour.  We don't want to be famous.  We have always found more happiness in the small things and appreciating what we have than in chasing after an elusive gold ring.

Seventeen years ago, Jason used to drive me nuts because I would expect him home after his class or work and he wouldn't come home for hours and hours.  We didn't have cell phones then and Jason was not used to answering to anyone.  He would go to a friends' house and hang out until midnight or later and think nothing of it.  I would be pacing at home thinking he was dead on the side of the road.  He and his mom started calling me controlling.

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

 There was a time about a year after we got married, where we really, really thought about divorce.  We were just too damn different.  He was from a very free-spirited, hippie do-whatever-you-want and don't worry about telling anyone where you are or what you are doing and if they don't like it's their problem background.  Live for today and do whatever you want without thinking of consequences was not how I was raised and we were just too different.  It drove me crazy that he didn't tell me he was going to a friend's house after school or work, I would pace the house until all hours.  It drove me nuts that he would spend thousands of dollars on stereo equipment or things to soup up his truck and not talk it over with me first--we were paying for his college and trying to save for a house.  It drove me batty that he maxed out a credit card.  It drove him nuts that I wanted to know where he was or how he was spending our money.  He didn't want to be chained to anyone, he wanted to be free and his family encouraged him to be free and to do whatever he wanted.  It was a difficult time.

Buttermilk Falls, NY

Buttermilk Falls, NY

 My parents told us anything worth having was worth working for and Jason always said he wanted to keep working at it, even when I was ready to throw in the towel and move back home with my parents.  I thought about grad school, my friends all getting apartments in the city or Philly.  It would have been easy to leave.  But there was something there...that shared dream of the house, the comfortable life, the kids.  And I would stick it out.

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

 Over time, Jason "grew up".  Those are his words.  And life stabilized.  We have cell phones and he calls or texts if he is going over a friend's house after work.  He doesn't spend money on stereo equipment and stuff to soup up his car, now we have mutual interests: we spend money on cameras and lenses, yoga retreats and festivals, craft beer and our kids.  Jason is into playing guitar again and was happy that we had money to buy a nice guitar.  We are content to go to sleep after spending an evening laughing with our kids.  We are blissfully happy with our stable, solid life.

Buttermilk Falls, Ithaca, NY

And we share a love of nature and photography and hiking and being connected to the earth and each other and our family.  This "Yoga Weekend" has brought us even closer together, as I let go of my resistance, I let go of my need to always do what is expected, and I embrace a connectedness to the earth which brings me closer to my husband.

Family Reading Initiative, Children's Gardens, Art and Science

 I had heard really good things about Ithaca, NY.

My parents said there were lots of hippies so I would like it.

My friends spoke of intentional communities and eco-villages and that sounded cool.

I had wanted to visit this small city in upstate NY for a while, so when Jason found a yoga festival there and it happened to be on the weekend of our anniversary, we decided it was the perfect time!

Family Reading Initiative

The first thing I noticed when we pulled into town were these signs on many, many buildings...like the natural foods store, the supermarket, an office building, a restaurant, the post office...and of course, the public library.  Read to Me!  Any Time!  Any Place!  A family reading initiative.  Instantly I felt transported back in time to college, when I believed these kinds of programs were possible...over the years, I have become so jaded...but here it was...the kind of program I had learned about and hung my hopes on!

Ithaca, NY Family Reading Initiative

Children's Garden

As we headed toward the yoga festival, held in a farm field a couple of miles outside of town, we found this...

Ithaca Children's Garden

A Children's Garden!

With free programs every day during the summer!

Children pushing wheelbarrows and working throughout the garden with master gardeners while their parents sat in drum circle or reading or nursing infants.

I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.

I wished fervently that I had known of this place when my girls where small and we had lived here where such amazing programs were offered.

Entrance to Ithaca Children's Garden

The vegetable garden invited guests to come in and nibble and explore!

Jason spoke to a woman about funding, they did get some money from the town and from grants, but also donations.  We happily made a donation.

I love these little houses.  Children were inside playing together.

I grew up during the seventies.

My college professors were probably right around the age to have been hippies and to believe that family reading initiatives and children's gardens were worthy endeavors for towns.  I am convinced of the same.  But we live such busy lives these days and so often people don't make the time for community programs, our budgets are tight and these are the first programs to go.  It was so nice to see them thriving.

I just love this.  It brought back memories of days spent in child development classes learning the importance of places like this.

There were several trees with children reading books.  It was magical.

Art & Science EVERYWHERE!

Let the wild rumpus start!  One of my favorite things in Ithaca was this huge "Where the Wild Things Are" mural on the side of a building

Everywhere we looked there was art.  On the street corners, in the parking lots, in front of homes.  It was awesome and spectacular.  Jason and I just walked around snapping photos and exclaiming to each other.

 So many children in Ithaca looked like they would fit in perfectly with our homeschool group.  I started to wonder if they were all homeschooled.  Ithaca would be such a perfect place to homeschool...if it were not for all of the regulations in NY State.  But...in a town with two colleges, a family reading initiative, science and art on the streets and a children's garden...the public school system is probably pretty amazing.

Travel Tips and Tricks for Healthy Families

by: Kendra Thornton

Travel Tips and Tricks for Healthy Families

I love spending time with my family and the family vacation is my favorite trip of the year.  It is important for my family to enjoy the vacation and maintain the same healthy eating and living habits that we have at home.  Over the years, I’ve developed some great trips to traveling healthy.

1. Breakfast IS the Most Important Meal of the Day: We always eat breakfast at the hotel before heading out for a day at a theme park.  This way I can make sure my family gets a healthy meal instead of a bag of cotton candy or hotdog on a stick.  Since many hotels provide an included breakfast, it saves me money, because I don’t need to waste money on expensive park food. I used Gogobot to sift through a great list of Orlando hotels to find family-friendly continental breakfasts that were offered for free!

2. Great Reminders: Children love to draw, so combine that with the new places, people, and food they encounter on the trip.  I have found by having them draw or list new foods they’ve tried and enjoyed, it is easier to encourage them to try new healthy foods at home.  I also by postcards from the cities we visit and get them to write something about their trip.  I’m sure, when they become adults they will have a great collection of postcard memories.  

3. Pack a Snack: With a little preplanning, the kids and I pack a variety of healthy dry snacks for a long car ride or flight.  We pack string cheese, pretzels, cut up fruit, a little trail mix, and some M&Ms.  This allows me to make sure we all get a healthy snack and save money that I would have spent at airport stores or rest stop vending machines.  

4. Plenty of Stops: Children can be little balls of excess energy.  A great way I keep my children from getting too restless in the car is to make frequent stops.  Stopping at a rest stop or park allows the entire family to get some fresh air, stretch our legs, and burn off some of that energy.  It is a great way to make a long car ride more bearable for everyone.  

5. Timing is Everything: I have found it is easier to travel with my children when they are wide-awake.  I plan car travel and airline flights to coincide with periods in their schedule when they are awake and active.  It is much easier to travel with an alert child than one who is overtired and cranky, because they are missing their normal naptime or bedtime.  

With a few simple tricks and some great pre planning, I have found that it is easy to have a healthy family trip that everyone enjoys.

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Kendra Thornton is a mother of 3. Before being promoted to the full time position of mommy, Kendra was the former Orbitz director of communications and was able to travel all around the world.

She's personally been to 28 countries on 6 continents and has been quoted in the news about seasonal travel trends and destinations all over the United States. 

Catching up...Allume, Hershey, Whitaker Science Center

Catching up...

In many ways I feel like I have not blogged in so long...prior to Hurricane Sandy, I had taken on the Nester's challenge of blogging about 1 topic for 31 days.  So much happened in that time and now that our lives are getting back to normal, I'd like to share some of that with you...

I went to Allume...

I learned a TON, but the best part was meeting so many bloggers that I had never met in person...I kept hugging them and saying, "You are REAL!  You don't just live in my computer!"  They must have thought I was REALLY crazy ;-)

Jason and the girls came with me.  Years ago, Jason and I went away without the girls and it was difficult for all of us.  When we came home we promised them that we would not go away without them again until they are ready.  

I loved having them with me.  I have a really hard time spending money on myself.  Ask my husband, if I buy myself even a shirt or pair of shoes, I also buy him a shirt or a sweater and the girls each something.  I don't know, it's a thing I have.  I feel selfish if I spend money on myself.  So, knowing that Jason and the girls were getting a little mini-vacation out of the deal really helped me to be able to feel okay about going to Allume.

Bridges in Harrisburg

 Jason is happy going anywhere as long as there are photo opps.  He loves to set up the tripod and play with the settings on his camera and get some great shots!

Capital Building, Harrisburg, PA

Hershey Park

On Saturday, Jason and the girls went to Hershey Park.

Cowgirl

The girls were able to

in Hershey Park, which worked out great since Halloween was completely cancelled where we live due to power lines and trees down after Hurricane Sandy.

The bumper cars were apparently a huge hit and they enjoyed all bumping into each other over and over and over and over and over and over....

 They came back happy and excited with bags loaded with Hershey's candy from trick or treating in the park.  They were excited to tell me about their day and eager to hear about mine.  As much as I loved Allume, I kind of would have rather been with them!  These are the things we learn about ourselves...

Whitaker Science Center

One day Jason and the girl went to the Whitaker Science Center, which was conveniently attached to our hotel so they were able to go see an Imax movie, come back and eat lunch, go back to the museum, come back and swim, go back to the museum...

They said it was the best science museum they had ever been to.  First of all, it was not as crowded as the science center by us usually is. Secondly, the people that worked there were eager to show you things and talk to you.  They were able to go into a hurricane simulator and learn about the filming of one of our favorite movies: "Julie and Julia".

There was also some kind of a mind control game that Jason did not get photos of but apparently you can move a ball through a tunnel using your brainwaves.  I would like to go back just to check that out.