#3 THE PLAN

Some days I wonder how I suddenly became 42 years old. I see the smile lines, the wrinkles forming around my eyes, and I feel and see the history my body tells.

When the kids were first born, people would say to me, "They grow up so fast! Enjoy these moments!" And I, at the time, being a newbie Mom would roll my eyes.

Well, it is TRUE. Time does fly. Especially with each passing year. And that is one of the reasons we are "taking off" for adventure.

I am super stoked to say the least.

This will actually be our 2nd family adventure to National Parks.  Back in September of 2009, when Alex had just starting walking & was one, Steve, Alex, & I did a National Park car-camping road trip. We hit Lassen, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Bodie (sweet ghost town), and traveled up highway 395. That was an incredible trip as well. I think we will have to avoid those areas this trip since there has been epic snow this year in the Sierras. (Side note: We named Sierra after that range of mountains 💗)



And, here's some background history for you...

Back in my early-mid twenties, after trying a few different colleges, I ended up studying at Prescott College in Arizona.   AMAZING school... I cannot even begin to describe my experiences there. If you have a child who loves adventure, the environment, social justice issues- please check out this school or bookmark it for a later date. My experience there changed my life.  I thought I would only stay for a couple years, but actually stayed for 4 as I studied Adventure Education & Spanish. This love of teaching in the wilderness setting inspired me to work for a non-profit adventure education program, based in North Carolina.  

After spending a summer guiding in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I later returned and worked as a Semester Wilderness Guide for the same organization. I taught and traveled with my co-instructor & our students (a group of high school boys who were not experiencing success in traditional school settings). We traveled in a fifteen-passenger van, all over the Southwestern United States, visiting National Parks & wild areas. We saw and did a lot! Backpacking in the Grand Canyon, mountain biking in Moab, rafting part of the Colorado River, Climbing in Joshua Tree, and so much more. It was life-transforming. All I will say about that life adventure, for now, is that I loved the journey, and I have a long list of ideas & places of where I want to take my family to explore.

Here are a few of the places we are considering:
 
Death Valley
Joshua Tree 
Tucson/Prescott/Jerome/Sedona/Flagstaff
Grand Canyon NP/Petrified Forest
Canyon De Chelly/Crater of the Moon
Lake Powell/Rainbow Bridge NM
Arches/Moab/Canyonlands/Dinosaur NM
Mesa Verde/Great Sand Dunes/Colorado
Yellowstone/Tetons 

P.S.  I think we sold our travel trailer today, in just a few hours of it being listed online!  The price is right & I am happy to soon have the rv pad clear for the motorhome.  

Ooooooh, and I think we will have to name our new home on wheels!  Stayed tuned... I'm sure the kids will come up with something fun! ♡