Category: Travel

Posted in Let's look, Travel

Let’s Look

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for this month’s Let’s Look.

So far this year, we’ve looked at…

  • Scheduling/organizing a busy family in January
  • What’s in your medicine cabinet in February
  • Favorite Amazon finds in March
  • I skipped April because we had pet peeves as topic for May’s Not Just a Mom post, so I saved those ideas for that post.
  • Around May’s link up, I shared a “Day in the Life” post, so that ended up including most of my morning routine

This month, we are looking at our best travel tips.

Well, I’m not sure I’m the one to come to for travel tips, and I guess things have changed through the years based on my kids’ age. Also, my “toxic trait” is waiting to pack until the last minute and then always over packing.

That being said, here are a few things that came to mind…

  • I do try to plan ahead about two weeks leading up to leaving for a trip to KC or vacation. I use my calendar to remind myself to buy anything I need for an upcoming trip about two weeks out.
  • A couple of days before traveling, I do all the laundry, and then put away what we don’t need for the trip.
  • I used to always type out a note on my phone of things to pack and then delete it after I’ve packed. Well, I still use a note, but I quit deleting it because the list includes things I never want to forget like: sound machine, Kindle, hats, purses, etc. So, now I just delete the seasonal items like swim suit or sweater and use the note as my packing list.
  • Speaking of packing lists, for a couple of years now, I’ve created a packing list for the kids on the notes app and text it to them to use to pack themselves. We’ve come a long way…I still check what they’ve packed, but it’s nice that they can pack themselves.
  • Since I am an over-packer, over the past year, I’ve made a list on my computer of what I actually needed/wore after getting back from vacation or other trips. So, if I packed four swimsuits and only wore two, then I updated my master list. Will I ever be a person who can pack in a carry on only? Only time will tell.
  • Travel packing cubes are still my favorite thing ever. We have a few sets in a few different colors. I use all different sizes to pack, and the kids usually just use smaller ones to hold socks, underwear, swimsuits, etc.
  • For travel in the car, times have changed. I used to pack all kinds of snacks, movies, headphones, books, bags with different things like coloring books or stickers. We still pack snacks, but now the kids usually just watch Netflix on their phones and have their Airpods. I do have them bring a book when we travel in the car…especially during the school year when I know they need to read for their Language Arts class.
  • When we are gone for a few days, I’ve started bringing a laundry bag to hold dirty clothes. There’s only four of us, but I like to keep everything together.
  • Do laundry when you can. If we are in KC or somewhere with a washer/dryer, we do laundry as needed and before heading home. It’s nice coming home with clean clothes.
  • When we get home, we try to unpack almost everything. Kind of like I procrastinate with packing, sometimes my suitcase is the last one unpacked after a couple of days. That being said, if everything else is put away (kids’ stuff, car things, gifts at Christmas, etc), then I feel ok just having my suitcase to deal with whenever I can get to it.
  • I have my favorite travel bag, and this past year, I started leaving the extra sound machine and a couple of smaller packing cubes in it. So, when we are just going somewhere for a night or two and I don’t need a suitcase, then I have those items handy.
  • Also, I leave the other packing cubes in the suitcases, so we aren’t looking for those.
  • I try to replenish travel size items like shampoo or hairspray when we return home, so I don’t have to scramble to buy them before the next trip.
  • We always leave the house picked up, so when we get home, cleaning/tidying isn’t something we have to do. If we are really on our “A game,” we schedule for our house to be cleaned while we are gone. It’s always so nice to return home to a clean house.

Well, most of these tips have to do with prepping to travel, so I definitely have a thing or two to learn. I can’t wait to see what tips others have to share.

I probably won’t have another post until Friday, so I hope you have a great rest of your week.

Posted in Kids, Travel

Summer Camp Packing List

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Wednesday!

I can’t believe it’s already mid-week, and we are nearing the end of the school year.

The camp emails are starting to come in which had me thinking about what Hadley takes to camp every year.

I will be the first to admit that I’m not a camper. I went to Girl Scout camp in 4th grade, and I remember liking it…but I also remember being glad when I got home.

We went “glamping” for a couple of nights over fall break 2019, and we had a good time. One thing I knew about camping that this confirmed was packing for camping is so much work!

Hadley has been to summer camp for three years. I remember being so anxious the first time we left her at camp. Many of her friends had gone to this three day camp, but the first time Hadley went, she was old enough for the week long camp.

She was so excited, and she ended up loving every minute.

I searched for her face every night in the camp photos, and she always looked like she was having a blast.

That first year, when I picked her up from camp, I was one of the first parents to pick up. Hayden had a baseball tournament that we had to get to. I will never forever seeing her big smile. She gave me a hug and asked me to sign her up for the next year! She also told me she’d lost her toothbrush and hadn’t brushed her teeth since Tuesday! haha

Anyway, the other two summers she went to camp were easy breezy.

While it was weird not having her home, I was happy and less anxious knowing how much she loves it.

If you ask her if she would go to camp all summer long, her answer would for sure be yes. Honestly, I’d probably let her her…but dang —the cost of camp ain’t cheap…and she doesn’t even go to any fancy camps!

Of course, the camp sends a list, but today I’m sharing a few things that we’ve purchased through the years.

Some things we’ve previously purchased don’t seem to be currently be available, but I’ve found some similar options.

At the suggestion of my friend who had been sending her girls to camp for a few years, we picked up this tub with wheels to store most of what Hadley needed. It slides right under the bunk at camp. We found ours at Meijer.

A few other items:

  • Camping pillow – While Hadley does take her bed pillow to camp, this smaller camping pillow is similar to what she has and comes in handy when they have had rest time in the lodge.
  • Flashlight – She always takes a small flashlight.
  • Lantern – While Hadley doesn’t take the lanterns to camp, we bought them before our glamping trip and use them in the backyard sometimes.
  • Fan – This fan is similar to the one that has worked on most of her bunks because it clips right on. If not, sometimes, she just props it in the corner of her bed for some extra air at night.
  • Dry bag– This was a gift to Travis for Christmas because during cross country season, I realized how handy it would be to have something to keep clothes dry (or put wet clothes in). I also knew we’d use it during track season. While I don’t think Hadley will want to use it for summer camp, it’s a great item to have (and they come in a few sizes)
  • Sleep sack– Hadley requested this last year. She always takes her sleeping bag, but this is perfect for on top (or inside) the sleeping bag. She’s covered up, but it’s light weight. We also take a XL twin fitted sheet for her bed.
  • Laundry bag – This light weight laundry bag is perfect for her to keep up with her dirty clothes. We actually pack a Command hook to use to keep it off the ground in her bunk. She just hangs it on the wall, and then we take the hook down when we check out. Also, I’ve started keeping one of these with our suitcases, and if we go on a longer trip, I take one to keep up with our family dirty laundry.
  • Shower caddy- This shower caddy ends up being something that Hadley uses to pack. She will use it to hold bug spray, face wash, hair brush, toothbrush, etc…along with her soap, shampoo and conditioner.

A few other ideas…

  • We use large Ziplock bags to pack, and we label each one using permanent marker. So, there’s one for underwear/socks, swimsuits, dress (usually she packs one dress for the “nicer” chapel/dinner outfit), t-shirts, shorts, pjs, etc. Honestly, we’ve re-used the same bags through the years because by the time I pick her up, those are empty, and her laundry bag is full.
  • I send her with two swim towels and one bath towel. She probably showers twice if we’re lucky! I definitely don’t send her with the good towels.
  • We store everything she needs for camp in the tub until the next year…(and we roll it under the guest bed in the basement, so we always know where the camp things are)

This year, Hadley is going to a different camp…and she’s excited. I’m excited for her, and lots of her friends are going. That being said, since it’s not the camp I’m familiar with, I know I’ll be thinking about her that much more when she’s gone.

Hayden is definitely more of a homebody like me, and he’s never been to camp. I’ve never pressed the issue with him as most summers he’s had baseball and I’m not going to force him. Last year, he started talking about going to a running camp this summer, and I think he’s going to do that. It’s just a few nights away pretty close to home, so that’s a good start.

Of course, both kids aren’t going to camp at the same time…haha

One more story…

As I typed this post, I thought of the time Travis and I went camping after we’d been dating about eight or nine months.

We were living in Columbia, Missouri (where we met) at the time. One week, he told me he’d borrowed a tent from a co-worker and knew a place we could camp. Good thing he didn’t seem like a serial killer, and I was in love, so I obliged.

Wherever we went was about an hour away from Columbia, and we left on a Saturday morning. We set up the tent and other things, hiked, cooked out our dinner, drank beer and ate s’mores. The tent was fine, and we even cooked breakfast the next morning before hiking again and packing up the camp stuff.

I sure wish I had some selfies from that trip, but we didn’t even have cell phones then!

On the drive home, he told me what a good time he’d had, and joked that I “passed the test…” and went on about how he was ready to take me with him to Kentucky for a few weddings he was in over the next few months. While that moment was sweet, I was stuck on the “test” part and told him I was glad I passed the test because I would never camp again! lol

To this day, I love a good hike, don’t mind to roast a hot dog for dinner or s’mores for dessert, but I prefer to go back to the Marriott for a shower and good night’s rest.

What about you? Did you go to camp as a kid?

If you have a kid going to camp soon, I hope this post is of some help! Also, take comfort in the fact that they are most likely having the time of their lives and not missing you as much as you miss them. 😆

Posted in Travel

Greenville, You Cute…

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello and happy Thursday!

Well, we’ve been home for over a week, but today I’m recapping our few days in Greenville, SC over spring break.

I’ve shared many times before, but by the time spring break arrives, I’m usually too tired to do much for break. Also, Travis is pretty busy this time of the year, but a few days away is always nice.

We usually try to go somewhere close enough to drive, and often times, we go somewhere new (to us). I like that we are showing our kids a variety of places and mix in activities with some downtime as well.

We’d stopped in Greenville on our way to the beach a few years ago, and Travis always wanted to go back and check it out. We have friends who went for a few days last year, and they enjoyed their time there as well.

To me, it seems that Greenville is when Asheville and Charleston collide. There’s the charm of Charleston and the outdoor activities and attractions similar to Asheville.

We had awesome weather three of the four days. Travis had planned ahead, and I’m glad he realized that many of the smaller restaurants and even some shops are closed on Mondays.

Here’s a recap of our trip:

Saturday:

One thing about me is that I hate being rushed to leave the house. So, we all slept in on Saturday, did regular Saturday activities like picking up the house and getting some chores done, we packed and hit the road a bit before noon.

We stopped at Jimmy Johns before getting on the highway. We hit some traffic, but arrived at our hotel around 5:30.

We relaxed a bit, and there was basketball on, so Hayden watched it while Travis figured out dinner.

We went to Kitchen Sync for dinner. It was busy, but we checked in online, and barely had to wait for our table.

Hayden got a hamburger, Travis and Hadley had pizza, and I had the shrimp scampi. We even indulged in dessert!

Once we got back to the hotel, we just hung out a bit more. Perks of having big kids now…they hung out in the room while Travis and I got a drink at the hotel bar. That being said, we were all in bed by 10!

Sunday:

On Sunday, it was nice to sleep in. Travis and I even had our coffee in the lobby while the kids slept a bit more.

There was Another Broken Egg nearby, so we went there for breakfast. I wanted to take the coffee mug home with me!

Then, we went back to the hotel, called the bike place, showered, and packed up. We stayed at a Marriott the first night. Since we knew we were arriving later, we stayed at a hotel right off the highway with food nearby.

We drove a few minutes downtown to our hotel for the next two nights. We parked and walked to Reedy Rides to pick up our bikes that we rented for four hours.

Like my coffee mug, my bike was just my style! (my favorite color)

FYI: The downtown area of Greenville is very walkable, dog friendly, and has many trails.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail is 22 miles long, and that’s what we stayed on for our bike ride. Before we hit the trail, we did bike a bit downtown. It was so pretty.

Then, we made our way to the trail.

I’m assuming that given the amazing weather and the fact that it was a Sunday, the trail was busy. There were so many people out jogging, bike riding, and walking their dogs.

Along the way, there were signs pointing to various destinations, a few restaurants and other attractions.

Well, once Hayden saw that Furman University was only 6 miles away, he wanted to go there. Travis had already planned on taking the kids there the next day for a track workout, but Hayden wanted to see the purple track. 😆

So, off we went.

The campus was so pretty. We parked our bikes, got Gatorade out of the vending machine, and sat by the lake for a bit.

Photo cred: Hayden

Then, we found the track.

The kids ran around for a bit.

Then, we started the 6 miles back to town.

We stopped at Southernside Brewing Co for a few apps and a beer for Travis. It was pretty crowded, but we parked our bikes, found a table, ordered using the QR code, and we had our food in less than 10 minutes. We were impressed (and thankful since we were so hungry)

We returned our bikes around 4:00. We had ridden over 15 miles that day! Then, we walked back to our car by the hotel. We stayed at Embassy Suites Greenville Downtown Riverplace, and it was so nice and convenient.

We checked in, relaxed, showered/freshened up before hitting up the cocktail hour. We’ve stayed the the Embassy Suites a couple of times, and Travis is now a big fan due to free cocktail/snack hour and free breakfast!

The kids joined us and had a few snacks, and then we headed to dinner.

We went to Soby’s which was highly recommended. Travis had planned ahead on Open Table, so it was nice to walk right in and have a seat. Y’all, we were so tired…and hungry. The food was great, but we did have to wait a bit to get our food. Thankfully, the app and bread basket held us over.

The walk back to the hotel was pretty.

The Embassy Suites has “Up on the Roof” that’s a restaurant and roof top patio. Even though I was tired, Travis talked me in to hanging out up there for a bit. We knew the weather was going to be colder the next day, so we went ahead for a nightcap.

Again, we were all asleep by 10! We were tuckered out!

Monday:

Monday morning, we slept in before breakfast.

The temps went from 80 to 60, and it was a rainy day.

After breakfast, Trav and the kids went to run at Furman. I hung out for a bit in the room, but then decided to get some steps in. I went for walk around the town…and visited some of the areas we’d walked through at night.

I was gone about an hour. Once they returned, we decided to get lunch. This is when we really noticed how much is closed on Mondays. We did go to an outdoor place called Gather that has different food trucks. They also have heaters on the patio, so even though it was colder with some rain, we enjoyed eating outside. Hadley got an acai bowl at one place, I ordered a grilled cheese at another, and the boys got hamburgers and fries. Not every place was open, but we still had plenty to choose from.

If we’d stayed another night, we would have come back here for dinner and just hang on Tuesday.

Then, we walked around a bit. Hadley’s friend had told her about Blueberry Frog Frozen Yogurt, so of course we had to stop there. It was delish.

Then, we walked around and hit up some shops.

Once back at the hotel, we relaxed for a bit. Trav and the kids went out and walked around a bit more. Since I had already done that in the morning, I stayed back, read my book and took a nap.

Then, we made plans to go to Top Golf, and we had a good time. It’s fun to go when it’s darker outside, and the sun was setting just as we got started. We had a few apps while we played.

Then, we stopped at Iron Hill Brewery for dinner. Honestly, it was just on the way back to the hotel, and we knew the men’s championship game would be on. They had lots of good food choices though.

We got back to the hotel around 10:00, finished watching the championship game and went to bed.

Tuesday:

Again, we slept in a bit (it was nice that we slept in on this trip rather than be rushed in the morning).

We went down to breakfast and then got ready for the day. We packed up and left around 10.

We drove outside of Greenville to a trail Travis found. It was just a two mile loop that included a few waterfalls.

The weather was beautiful, and it was a good hike to get some steps in before being in the car for five hours going home.

The only family photo of the trip, but it was a good one. Thank goodness for Hadley and her selfie skills.

We got back on the road and near Asheville there was a White Duck Taco. We love going there when we visit Asheville, so it was a good stop for lunch.

We enjoyed our lunch outside before getting back in the car for the ride home.

So many times when we are on a trip, we just get up and head home. I’m glad we took the time to ease into the day, take a scenic drive, and sprinkle in one more activity and great pit stop for food.

We got back home around 6:00, and of course we were all excited to see Homer.

I was thinking back through our spring break trips, and we’ve been to Hilton Head and KC, but we’ve also been to Knoxville, Asheville, and Nashville…and now Greenville. We apparently love a “ville.”

It was the perfect little getaway, and I bet we’ll visit again in the future!

I don’t think I will have a Friday Favorites post tomorrow, so I hope you have a great rest of your week and weekend.

Posted in Monthly Musings, Travel

Monthly Musings

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Thursday!

Wow! February is almost over. I know it’s a shorter month, but I feel like it’s flown by.

Since it’s the end of the month, I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for Monthly Musings.

This month’s topic is: warm weather destinations/winter travel tips

First of all…I wish I was able to travel somewhere warm in the winter. 😆

So, most of these are just my general travel answers.

1. Favorite warm weather destination

The first place that always pops in my mind is Siesta Key, Florida. It will probably always be my family’s favorite even though we haven’t been for a couple of years. I also love Isle of Palms, SC and San Diego. Even if we don’t go to SK, we at least see the ocean once a year…and maybe more if we are lucky.

2. Packing cubes: yes or no?

Yes! I love packing cubes, and have used them for a few years. I always use them, the kids sometimes do, and Travis never does. This is also the same order of the one who overpacks the most to the least! The kids usually use one to hold socks, underwear, pjs, and swimsuits. I use them for everything.

3. Favorite carry on?

I picked up this bag from Target about a year ago, and it’s my #1 carry on bag. It’s a “weekender” bag, so it’s what I pack for overnight trips as well. Also, it comes in a few other colors.

4. Essential items in your suitcase?

Well, everything goes in my suitcase. I’d say the packing cubes are essential because they keep me organized and squish all my belongings to make room for more!

5. Excursions? Yes or no? Share your favorites.

I really think in all of our vacations, we’ve only been on one excursion…and that was this summer when we went to Mexico. We spent a day on a boat with a stop at Isla Mujeres. We all had a great time.

6. Most random item you always pack?

I do not leave home without my sound machine. I need white noise. In a pinch, I’ve use an app on my phone, but it’s not the same. If we are all staying in one room, we just bring one sound machine. That being said, if we have the kids in one room and us in another, we’ll bring two. Hadley loves a sound machine as well. While my preference is “white noise,” hers is “ocean waves.”

7. Do you use a travel agent?

The only time we’ve used a travel agent was for our Mexico trip. Otherwise, Travis White is my travel agent.

8. Favorite sunscreen?

As much time as we spend at the pool and the beach, I do make sure we use sunscreen. I’m not super loyal to any brand, but these two are typically in my pool bag. The stick is perfect for our faces and the spray is easy to apply. Actually, both are easy to apply, so the kids know to come reapply every other time the pool break whistle blows!

9. Flip flops or sandals?

I’ve been wearing these Havaianas flip flops for years. I have them in rose gold and grey.

Last summer, I splurged on these big buckle Birks from Nordstrom. I absolutely love and them and have zero regrets.

That being said, both Hadley and I have been wearing these Amazon Birk dupes for the past few summers. She has them in white, and I have them in rose gold. I wear them often as does she. As a matter of fact, I think I purchased Hadley’s three summers ago, and I did tell her I’d get her another pair this summer…as her foot has grown a bit, and she’s worn them to the ground!

10. Favorite swimsuit?

I bought this Amazon swimsuit in two patterns a couple of summers ago. I still turn to them more than any other swimsuit.

I do have my eye on this one from Target:

I never think about ordering swimsuits in February, so I hope it’s still available when I decide to give it a try.

other thoughts…

This post got me thinking …about vacations. When I was a kid, we didn’t go on many family vacations. When we did, we went on bigger ones to the west coast, the northeastern states, Minnesota, etc. We did go to the Lake of the Ozarks quite a bit though.

Also, when I was in school, we didn’t have a fall break. Even when I first started teaching in Missouri, I think we only got Columbus Day off in October. Also, while we did get a spring break when I was in school, I’m pretty certain it wasn’t a week. I think it usually fell around Easter. Of course, times were different. Travel, overall, is more convenient. Also, obviously, it’s a longer drive to the beach in Missouri as opposed to Kentucky.

My kids now go on at least three vacations/trips a year. While I’m not saying they are ungrateful about that, but more…it’s all they know.

In all my years teaching, I’ve never really had the desire to go anywhere for spring break. Of course, I’m a home body, but from March – May, I just feel like I’m in survival mode…and I like nothing better than a few days at home with not much to do. I also like to take that time to do things we don’t usually have time to do like go to the movies, go for a hike, sit on a patio at a restaurant and enjoy dinner at a leisurely pace and more!

Fall break was typically only a few days, so we usually would just go to Asheville for a couple of days. Then, for spring break, we usually go somewhere for a few days. Spring break is when we try to branch out and go somewhere different but within driving distance. Through the years, we’ve been to Knoxville, Indianapolis, Nashville, KC (which isn’t new –but from there, Travis and I went to Las Vegas), and Asheville if we didn’t go in the fall.

Then, summer vacation is our bigger vacation. I am glad we try to take our kids to places they are both familiar with but then also places that are also new to them. I will say having a week at the beach in the fall “ruined” us because it really is the perfect time. After that vacation, Travis declared that he was never going on a vacation to somewhere hot again in the summer! Next school year, we get another week for fall break, and we plan to head to the beach again. I’m not sure what our summer vacation will be just yet.

On top of that, we try to get to KC to see my family at twice a year.

There are even some schools around here that just wrapped up a winter break last week which means they have fall, Christmas, winter, and spring breaks…and then summers off too, of course…and it seems some travel for all of those. (Of course, no shade to those people…travel is more of a priority for some…)

Sometimes, we feel the “pressure” to take so many trips every year. Who is “pressuring” us? Mostly, our kids…😂 They do like to go somewhere if possible.

Also, I try not to dwell on it, but it’s easy now to see that we really do only have about five fall/spring breaks left with our kids. Like…when did that happen?

Traveling is such a privilege that I never want my kids to take for granted. It’s a blessing we make these trips/vacations happen, but I also want my kids to feel content with staying home a bit too.

I also wish Travis and I could find the time to go somewhere just the two of us more than we do. I occasionally tag along on a work trip when he goes somewhere like California, but otherwise, being parents to two busy kids with both of us working full time really does take up most of our time.

Anyway, just sharing my thoughts.

The combination of this post and our weather lately, which has been perfect, has me wanting it to be summer ASAP.

How often do you travel? What’s your favorite vacation spot?

{This post contains Amazon affiliate links…Thank you for supporting my blog!}

Posted in Travel

Fall Break in Florida Part 2

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Happy Wednesday!

Well, we had snow flurries yesterday which is a far cry from 80 degree temps and the salt water we got to experience on Fall Break.

Last week, I shared part 1 of our trip, and today I’m recapping the last couple of days.

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, we all had a slow start to the day, and people kind of did their own thing. Some of the moms went shopping and took the girls. I stayed back and read on the screened in porch while drinking my coffee.

Travis took Hayden to the pool for his exercises and stretching.

Then, Travis worked from the house the rest of day as some of the others did as well. I guess this was the point of vacay where we had to put the fun aside and get caught up on work. haha

Then, some of us had some beach time. The girls (Hadley & Co.) spent most of the day at the pool.

The weather could not have been more perfect. I enjoyed my book and my Truly and continued to work on my tan. On this day, I kind of joked about how fun it was vacationing with my family (I was the only one at the beach. haha)

I headed back to the house around 3:00 to shower and rest. Then, it was the “parents night out” for dinner. All the kids hung at the house, and we ordered pizza for them.

We had dinner reservation at Old Florida Fish House. They couldn’t seat all 12 of us together, so we split up with a guys table and a girls table.

The setting was beautiful, and the food was delicious.

On our way out, we were able to get a group pic. It turned out so great!

Then, we went back to the house and enjoyed music by the fire. (Not everyone is lucky enough to travel with a talented musician and his guitar!)

Thursday:

Thursday morning was another slow one. Since it was our last day of vacay, we all knew it was our last day to relax.

Most of us eventually headed to the beach. We all wanted to maximize our time there since it was the last day.

Poor Hayden spent most of his time on the couch (or in the pool doing his exercises)

Hadley joined me on the beach. After a day at the pool the day before, the girls were ready to have fun in the sun and the sand.

Since we knew we’d have to start packing up that night and wanted to spend as much time on the beach as possible, we all headed back to the house late afternoon to freshen up and have a late lunch instead of going out to dinner. All the families kind of did their own thing. My family headed in to Seaside to go to Great Southern.

Travis and Hayden wanted one more round of oysters.

We got the calamari app, and I got a salad. Then, we enjoyed ice cream at It’s Heavenly afterwards.

Then, we went back to the house. The kids ran around and played a bit before heading to the beach for one more sunset.

We (all the moms) wanted *casual* family photos, and we made it all work.

We took turns snapping pics of each family. I love how ours turned out. (Some things do get easier with time!)

Hadley took a pic of Travis and me…

The kids gave me a few more smiles…

…before we snapped all the different combos of group kid photos. haha

Love this crew:

The girls, boys, and the oldest girls…

…and then the best pic of all. Thank goodness for a timer on the phone! (We were missing one family, but I love this pic so much.)

Then, we sat down for the last few minutes and enjoyed a beverage while watching the sunset.

It was a good one! Nothing beats a beach sunset.

We stayed until dark, and then headed back to the house. We still hadn’t made S’mores, so that was on the agenda for the last night.

Then, we all started packing up to make the morning easier before heading to bed.

Friday:

We were all up and at ’em pretty early. I did enjoy one more cup of coffee on the porch before helping clean out the fridge, tidying up the house, and doing a walk through to make sure nothing was left behind. It was all hands on deck (You should have seen the carriage house after a few days with four girls!), but we got it done.

Everyone was on the road by 9. It was quite the drive home. We hit traffic in Nashville, so it was almost an eleven hour drive back. The good thing is the kids were so tired, the slept quite a bit.

I think we all felt like we could have used one more beach day, but it was nice to have the whole weekend to unpack, do laundry, get groceries, and prep for the week ahead.

This trip couldn’t have gone any better. I think it helps that the kids are all at a great traveling age that also provided flexibility for all. If a kid didn’t want to stay at the beach, they could stay at the house. The parents were able to go out one night, all the families could hang, or we could all just do our own thing.

We’ve been blessed with amazing friendships with amazing families. It’s so nice that when the kids became friends, the parents all became friends too. I know this is a vacation (and photos!) that we’ll remember fondly and hope to do again in the future.

Thanks for following along. Now, don’t mind me…I’m off to find my winter coat. Brrr!

Posted in Travel

Fall Break in Florida Part 1

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

I can’t believe we’ve almost been home from the beach for a week, and I’m just getting around to sharing about the first few days of our trip.

Like I shared last week, it felt odd prepping for our trip as we weren’t sure the exact track of Hurricane Ian. Florida saw a lot of devastation, but the hurricane didn’t make it to the 30A/Destin area.

30A is a “hot spot” for vacations for the southern states. We have lots of friends who go there many times a year. I believe there are direct flights if not from Lexington, from nearby cities. That being said, most of the time, I think people drive. It’s about a ten hour trip. Travis and I had been there once before with friends many years ago. I’m sure we’d go there more if we didn’t have Siesta Key as our main Florida vacation spot thanks to Trav’s family.

Anyway, here’s a bit about the first few days of our trip…

Saturday:

We were sharing a house with three other families, and we couldn’t check in until Sunday. It ended up that Kentucky was playing Old Miss at noon that day, so many of our friends left early in the morning to get to our pit stop of Birmingham, AL by game time. Hayden had a cross country meet, so while many families left in the morning, we didn’t leave until about 2 pm. We arrived in Birmingham around 8:00 and just hung out. We were all the same hotel, so the kids got together, and the adults hung out too. We just got carry out dinner and watched football on tv before going to bed.

Sunday:

Since we still had about 3.5 hours left of the drive, we all wanted to leave by 9:00. Everyone was up and having breakfast before packing up for the rest of the drive. Who doesn’t love a “free” breakfast?

We hit the road, and arrived in the 30A area around 1:00. We were traveling with two families who were pretty familiar with the area as they’d vacationed there quite a few times. They suggested Hurricane Oyster Bar and Grill for lunch, and that’s where we all met up.

I had the lobster tacos, and they were so good. They kids ate and were able to walk around a bit while the adults chatted and ate. Hayden and Travis got their first oysters of the trip.

We were guaranteed check in to the house by 5:00, but just as we were getting into our cars around 3:00, they texted that the house was ready. Perfect timing!

One of the moms ordered groceries for delivery between 3:00 and 5:00. The Instacart person was in the driveway as we arrived. Again, perfect timing!

The house was pretty big and so charming. It was nestled in a neighborhood about 1/2 a mile from the beach, and the neighborhood had two pools…one of which was only a few steps from our house.

The screened in front porch was my favorite part!

We all got settled in our rooms, unpacked groceries, and got organized. There was a carriage house above the garage, and it had a king bed and two twin beds. The four girls got it. It was funny because Hadley kept calling it the “out house” at first. I told her it was a far cry from an out house. Throughout the week, they called it the “other” house, the “back” house, and eventually the “she shed.” They definitely had a good spot!

Our house also had a golf cart, so a couple of trips on that to get everyone there, and we were at the beach by 4:00.

We all sat around while kids played.

Then once we realized how early the sun would be setting (6:30!), we decided to grab some drinks from the house to enjoy while we watched the sun set. I ordered these cups from a Lexington girl (@cupsoncochran) and brought them for us to use on the trip.

I love a beach sunset. I try hard not to miss one while on vacay!

Of course, we had to have some sunset pics on the first night.

Then, we headed back to the house for dinner. I’m so glad we had made the plan to grill out at home. We were back from the beach around 6:45, and had dinner around 7:30. The kids played games, and the Chiefs were on tv. We all hung out, and I think most were in bed around 10.

Monday:

We eased into the morning with people waking at various times. Before we left for the trip, the moms made a tentative breakfast plan. Of course, we bought cereal, but then we also planned for pancakes, sausage biscuits, omelets and more. We spaced those out throughout the week.

We had coffee on the screened in porch before the moms walked on the beach. There were two other families nearby that we hung out with as well.

When we got back from our walk, everyone packed up to head to beach for the day.

First full day at the beach, and everyone enjoyed it!

The kids caught all kinds of things: crabs, snakes, fish. We even saw lots of jelly fish.

In Seaside square, the moms hit up an early happy hour…

…while the girls walked around, shopped, and got ice cream.

We made it back in time to load up and head to the beach for sunset.

The moms got a pic:

…as did the daughters. Any guesses on what the girls bought while we were at happy hour? haha

This is one of those photos (both photos, actually) that I think we’ll treasure forever.

Are you even a “tween” if you aren’t doing Tik Tok dances by the ocean?

We enjoyed the sunset before heading back to the house.

Again, it was a full day at the beach, so I’m glad we planned ahead for tacos at home. Even better, someone had the good call to put the taco meat in the slow cooker. Dinner was basically ready when we got back.

Then, most of the kids settled in for Hocus Pocus 2.

It was a great day.

Tuesday:

I had coffee on the front porch before the moms biked to Modica Market for mimosas and breakfast. The mimosas were a great way to start the day. Also, I caved and bought a Seaside sweatshirt too. Hadley gets her love of sweatshirts from me!

Travis drove some of the kids up to the market on the golf cart to pick up breakfast, so we saw them for a few minutes as well.

Once we got back, we packed up and headed to the beach.

I’m glad we got this family pic because that’s about the last time Hayden was at the beach. He’d hurt his leg the day before playing football on the beach (strained a muscle, I guess), so he laid low at the house or did stretches or exercises in the pool the other days.

The beach was never super crowded, and on this day, the water was hardly moving!

I read my book and enjoyed the sunshine.

I went back to the house mid-afternoon to check on Hayden and see what the kids were up to. Then, I took an afternoon nap on screened in porch. It was lovely.

The guys (and Hayden) went out for happy hour and oysters.

For dinner, we met up with the two other families at the Hub (which I think is also called The Big Chill now). This was the perfect place for dinner because it’s all outside, there was a movie playing, and there were many food options.

After a few hours there, we headed back to the house. Again, the kids played for a bit, and we all hung out. We ended up turning on The Addams Family which we all hadn’t seen in forever.

We had a great start to our vacay….I will share the last couple of days next week!

See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.

Posted in Friday Favorites, Travel

Friday Favorites {#130}

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

How was your week? We had a great one because it was Fall Break and we had so much fun in the sun.

Well, I can’t believe it, but it’s the last day of our Fall Break. We went to the Destin area of Florida with a few other families, and we had such a great time. Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a better trip.

As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.

It felt odd moving forward with our planned trip as all eyes were on Hurricane Ian in the days before our break. There was so much destruction and devastation in so many parts of Florida, including our usual vacay spot of Siesta Key.

Amazingly, Hurricane Ian didn’t make it to the Destin/30A area.

I’m sure I will give a more detailed recap, but…

…here are a few favorite photos from our week in Santa Rosa:

While a couple more days would have been nice, we’re all ready for our own beds and can’t wait to see Homer. Truly, it was a great time with great friends. So many memories were made, and it was such a blessing to get away for a bit.

Not Just a Mom:

Wow! Monday is already the second Monday of the month which means it’s time for our monthly link up. We’d love to have you join us.

This month’s topic is: how we host.

Honestly, it’s been a minute since I’ve hosted for a party or get together. Let me know what tips you have!

Weekly Recap:

Even while on vacay, I had a few posts this week:

Pumpkin Everything
Prime Purchases
Fall Front Porch

What are your weekend plans? We will be unpacking and prepping for the week ahead with a few activities on tap as well.

See you back here on Monday for Not Just a Mom.

Posted in Travel

KC Recap

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

We spent a few days in Kansas City visiting family last week followed by a couple of days at the Lake of the Ozarks with friends before getting back to Lex late Tuesday night.

Today, I’m recapping our trip…

…and linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites because of course a KC and lake trip include lots of favorites.

We try to get to KC every summer, but we were intentional about doing so this year in order to celebrate my Gma’s 90th birthday!

Last Wednesday was our travel day. It’s about a nine hour drive from Lex to KC. Times really have changed now that the kids are older…that drive sure is easier!

Once we got to KC, we went to my dad’s house and met up with my brother’s family who had also travelled from Lexington. We had tacos for dinner and then went to my mom’s for a few hours. We were in bed by 10:00 after a long day of travel.

Thursday we had a slow morning. Hayden’s been training all summer for cross country season. With the heat indices over 100 for our entire visit, he had to get up early to get his workouts in. I will give him credit….he did so every morning we were in KC with no complaints. I did a workout using the Beachbody app (another reason I love it!). We got ready, and then met my mom and Gma for lunch.

In order to beat the heat, we took the kids putt putt golfing which was fun.

After putt putt, we went to Rally House to pick up some KC Royals gear for the game the next day. Hayden had outgrown his last KC hat, and I couldn’t find mine…we all had luck picking something out.

Later in the evening, we went to my mom’s friend’s backyard pool. He always lets us come over when we visit, and the pool is a great spot to cool off!

Piggy backing at he pool is apparently all the rage, and my brother wins for most fun (and strongest?) uncle.

We had a late dinner and then headed to bed.

Friday morning we were up early for family photos. With 103 degree highs that day, we knew we needed pics early, so we wouldn’t melt.

Here’s a sneak peek:

The photos turned out so good. The photographer was the same one who took our wedding photos as well as the kids when they were babies. I will share more next week 🙂

After the photos, we all went out to brunch. Then, we went to my mom’s house for a couple of hours. We had pizza at my dad’s before heading to the Royals game.

Of course, we are “crazy” for going to the game in that heat and the Royals aren’t having the best season, but it was still fun to do. We knew since it was a night game, it wouldn’t be too bad…and it wasn’t. It was definitely humid, but that’s better than being hot.

I joked that Travis purchases tickets based off the price of beer in a stadium and the team’s record…haha The $12 seats were all we needed.

Hayden and Travis walked around before the game started, and Hayden was pumped because he got Bobby Witt Jr.’s autograph on his new hat!

During the 4th inning, Hadley joined the younger cousins at the “Little K” where they met Sluggerrr and rode a couple of rides.

On the way back to our seats, Hadley got this pic of the sunset. So pretty!

Unfortunately, the Royals lost, but we were all still smiling…

…because it was Firework Friday after the game.

These fireworks were spectacular!

Definitely worth more than the $12 ticket price!

It was past 11:00 when we got home, so we showered and hit the hay!

Saturday was our hottest day in KC! The heat index was above 106! That being said, we had a slow morning, and then Travis and I went to see Where the Crawdads Sing while the kids hung out at my mom’s house.

I loved the movie as much as the book. Travis really enjoyed it too!

Then, we went to celebrate Gma’s birthday with dinner and dessert. She had over a week of birthday festivities which included a happy birthday yard sign from my mom and aunt, lunch and cards with her Bridge group, dinner out at a Mexican restaurant (she sent me a photo of her wearing a sombrero and having churros for dessert) with neighbors, and then my mom and aunt organized for many friends and family near and far to send her cards for her birthday. Then, of course, she celebrated with us!

On Sunday, we were headed to the Lake of the Ozarks to meet friends, but we were able to have a slow morning and then go to Whataburger with my mom for lunch. My mom has been there, but we all were excited to try it. Patrick Mahomes owns a couple of them, so Hayden asked me to let Patrick know (via Instagram) that Hayden approved of the burger. It really was a good meal.

Then, it was time to say goodbye to our family which is always tough. We’re always sad to leave.

Then, we drove the 2.5 hours to the lake! My college friend’s family has a condo on the lake near the dam. I grew up going to the Lake of the Ozarks with my grandparents, and have so many fond memories. I don’t think I’ve been back there in 20 years!

This was our view from the bedroom:

We all got changed, and got on the boat for a few hours.

Leslie and I were neighbors in Jones Hall at MU and have been friends ever since.

Her son just turned 12, and her daughters are just a couple of years younger. The kids had lots of fun together.

The kids all took (many) turns tubing.

We all swam and floated in the lake a bit…

…before the boat ride back to the condo.

The sun was setting as we parked the boat, and the air temp was definitely cooling off with rain on the way.

Since it was about 8:00, we had pizza for dinner and were in bed around 10.

It rained overnight, and we took it easy on Monday morning. The slow paced morning with cooler temps was amazing.

Leslie and I went for walk, and then we went to check on the guys who were fishing off the dock.

Around 1:00 we got on the boat, and went to Dock Knockers for lunch. There’s nothing better than lunch on the lake.

The kids fed the fish…

…and then we had lunch.

After that, we spent the next few hours on the boat.

Everyone took turns tubing, and then it was the moms’ turn! We held on for dear life, and had lots of fun.

After we were finished tubing, we noticed smoke coming off a nearby boat…and then we saw people jumping in the water! We motored over there, and a couple other boats were helping out. Thankfully, all was ok, but that was a sight to see!

We pulled over into a nearby cove, and swam for a bit before heading back to the condo.

We grilled out for dinner and then played the Disney version of Apples to Apples. It was a great way to cap off the day.

On Tuesday morning, the plan was for the guys to go fishing before we headed back to Lex. Even though it was raining, they did get up early….so early that I didn’t even hear them get up. I got up around 8:30 and enjoyed another cup of coffee on the screened in porch. We went from 106 degrees on Saturday to 66 on Tuesday morning. It was bliss.

The rain was coming down pretty hard, so the guys came back early from fishing. Everyone had breakfast, and we packed up. We said our goodbyes and were on the road around 10:30.

We really enjoyed our time at the lake and appreciate our friends for being such gracious hosts!

As the kids get older and get busier, sometimes it’s more difficult to get back home. When we do, I love that we are able to do things that I enjoyed doing when I was growing up like go to Royals games, and going the lake was the icing on the cake.

I hope you have a great weekend! Next week is August. I have a love/hate relationship with August. haha

Posted in Travel

Mexico Recap: Part 3 (the end)

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hola! I have one more post about Mexico. Post one was all about our first few days, and post two focused on our excursion to Isla Mujeres. Today, I’m wrapping up our last couple of days on vacay.

Thursday:

Before we went to bed on Wednesday night, I deemed Thursday as a lazier day. I just knew we’d need to sleep in a bit and most likely have less activity time just after such a busy day going to Isla Mujeres.

Well, Thursday was also Trav’s birthday!

We started the morning with coffee in the lobby bar.

Then, we hit up the buffet for breakfast with kids.

After breakfast, Travis and I hit the spa. So, one of the “perks” that was included in our “privileged” package was one hour at the spa for each adult. We decided to book our one hour to start off Trav’s birthday.

When we arrived, the sweetest lady escorted us to the locker rooms and gave us a towel. We each put our belongings in the locker and then met up outside of the locker rooms. We had the whole place to ourselves. She then escorted us to the sauna and suggested we stay in there fifteen minutes, but that she’d check on us…and she did. The sauna is not my fave, and I joked I wouldn’t last five minutes. That being said, I got used to it. She checked on us at around ten minutes, and we were good to get out.

Then, she had us dip in the small cold water pool before heading the steam room. Now, we love a steam room! Again, she suggested fifteen minutes, and we did stay in there the whole time. She checked on us a couple of times and added in mint to the steam. It was so nice and relaxing, plus we did have an ocean view.

After we left the steam room, she said we could get our phones and sunglasses if we wanted because we then got to hang out in the infinity pool for the remaining thirty minutes.

It was glorious.

On other days, from the beach, I could see people up in this pool and there definitely were some who were posing by the ledge and having their photos taken. The sweet hostess offered to take our photo…we did not sit and pose on the ledge. 😂

When our time was up, we headed back to the room and then to the beach for a bit. It was pina colada time, obviously!

Then, we split up for lunch. Travis and Hayden wanted burgers and pizza, and Hadley and I hit up the Mexican restaurant again.

After lunch, Hadley got another crepe! (and I had some ice cream)

Then, I went back to the beach for a bit while Travis hung out in the room and the kids swam in our pool.

After that, we got ready for dinner.

We stopped by the boardwalk for a few photos.

Then, while we waited for our table, I took a family’s photo, and they returned the favor. This view was so nice, and I’m glad to have the family photo for the memories.

We went back to the Grille because we enjoyed it so much on Sunday, and we wanted to treat the birthday boy right!

Honestly, I’d raved so much about the sea bass that both Hayden and Travis wanted to try it.

This time, our table was inside which was much cooler, and Hadley and I had a view of the ocean.

We all got dessert, and Travis picked cheesecake for his birthday dessert.

After that, we headed back to the room. Hayden swam a bit, and we all hung out and then went to bed.

Friday:

On our last full day, I had requested Beloved for breakfast. This is the place that had the avocado toast that I loved and the chocolate chip pancakes that the kids loved. Travis usually got eggs and bacon. Both times we had breakfast there, we got the fruit plate to share. There were items on there we were both familiar with with also new to us. Hayden did try the fruit on the left…he said it was “slimy but fruity” haha

Also, while we were there, I mentioned how we never made it there for lunch, so Travis suggested I go there on my own because….he took the kids next door to Planet Hollywood. They left around 11:00 for PH and just walked next door. They checked in at the front desk, paid the visitor’s fee, and got the bracelets for access to activities and meals.

I worked out (elliptical) and then hit the beach.

Once I got to my chair, I looked up and loved my view:

I started one more book:

Then, I did hit up Beloved for a solo lunch.

If this meal doesn’t say “last day at an all inclusive,” then I don’t know what does. I ate all the things. They brought the chips and guac with my drink. I ordered the gnocchi (my fave pasta!) and then couldn’t resist the lemon cake for dessert.

While I was eating, Travis texted me the only pic from their day there and said, “Happy Mother’s Day” 😂

Hayden was excited to try a burger from Guy Fieri’s restaurant.

After lunch, I went back to the beach for an hour or so. Since I knew it would be my last bit of relaxation time at the beach, I enjoyed it.

Then, around 4:30, I went back to the room to start getting organized for our return home on Saturday. I also went ahead and showered and got a bit of a nap in before Travis and the kids got back around 5:30.

They filled me in on the lazy river, slides, and restaurants, but Hadley did say she preferred our hotel. I’m glad we made the right decision.

We had a 7:30 reservation for dinner at the Hibachi place again. We all love hibachi and don’t go often at home, so we thought we’d hit it up again.

Our server was so sweet. He was so patient and gave Hayden a few lessons on using chopsticks. Hayden got the hang of it by the end.

After dinner, we walked around a bit and kids played in the game room for about 30 minutes.

The view of the lobby as we walked back to our room was so pretty.

Per evening tradition, Hayden swam a bit in our pool, and then we were all ready for bed by 10:00.

(By the way, on maybe the third night, I finally read the sign outside on our patio and said pool hours were from 8:00-8:00…I guess that’s the big pools and the private pools. It also explains why I never really saw anyone else in their pools while Hayden splashed around most nights. That being said, Hayden was my only night swimmer, and he was quiet…and never in the pool past 9:30. Truly, it was always so quiet at night by our building which was so great.)

Saturday:

Our flight wasn’t until 3:30 on Saturday, so we didn’t have to be in the lobby for our transportation until 11:30 or 12. While we were ready to head home, it was nice to ease into the day. We slept in, packed up, and then hit the buffet one more time for breakfast (and one last churro!)

Then, we went back to the room and made sure we had everything. We were only in the lobby for a few minutes before the van picked us up. The car ride to the airport was about an hour long.

Once we arrived at the airport and got to the check in, it moved so quickly. They had so many Nexus people scattered throughout the lines that they could look at passports, ask us questions, and keep us moving. Once we checked my bag, we headed through the security lines. That was definitely a bit more hectic, but it was fine. We had about 1.5 hours until the plane left, so we shared some sandwiches, hung out, bought some snacks and got ready to board the flight.

The flight took off on time, and the kids slept off and on most of the way. I did the same along with read my book.

We landed at 7:20, went through customs, waited on my bag, and then finished up in security/customs/bag check. Then, we went out to catch the shuttle to our car. It was probably 8:45 before we reached our car. It was a long travel day, but it went so smoothly. Everything was on time, and we hardly had to wait at any point.

As soon as we got in the car, we decided on Chick-fil-A for dinner #helloAmerica and Hayden asked for a country music station! CFA was probably our biggest delay of the day! It seemed to take forever to get our food. We were back in Lex by 10:30. Everyone was excited to see Homer. We unpacked a bit, showered, and were in bed around 11:30.

Homer got lots of snuggles on Sunday…and then Hadley headed to camp!

Shew! If you made it to the end of post #3, you’re the real MVP. Let me know if you have any questions! I’m happy to answer them…especially while everything is mostly fresh in my mind.

Also, did you see the reels I’ve posted on my Insta page? I decided it would be fun to figure out how to make reels as another way (besides these posts) to remember our trip. Hadley was very impressed with what I created…which is the real stamp of approval. haha I’m posting the third reel today! They were fun to put together.

These last few weeks of summer are kind of hectic (what’s new?). I will still be posting…but maybe just a tad bit more infrequently. We’ll see!

As the bellman said when we checked out, “¡Hasta luego!” When I said, “Adios,” he said that means we’ll never be back…”¡Hasta luego!” is better because it means, “See you later!” I loved wrapping up our trip with that sentiment.

Posted in Travel

Mexico Recap Part 2: Isla Mujeres

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello!

Usually on Fridays I link up with Andrea and Erika to share all my favorites from the week, but instead, I’m going continue sharing about our Mexico vacation because it’s certainly a recent favorite for us.

I shared part 1 of our trip yesterday, and today I’m diving in to part 2.

Before we left for our trip, we had a few people tell us that we should ferry to Isla Mujeres, rent a golf cart and tour the island. So, Travis asked the front desk for information, and they actually had that excursion available that could be booked through them. So, Travis went ahead and signed us up for Wednesday. We thought that would be a good activity to break up our pool and beach time. It was $100/person and at first, I wondered if we should just get a cab to the ferry, get a golf cart, and do our own thing. Well, by the end of the day Wednesday, I was glad we paid for the excursion because it was such an amazing experience.

Wednesday:

Since we were to be in the lobby by 8:30, we decided to keep breakfast simple and go to the buffet. After breakfast, we went back to the room to get packed up for the day. I almost put sunscreen, towels, etc. in our beach bag, but then we decided to use both of the kids’ backpacks. That ended up being a great decision because we were on the go so much that day that it was easier to have our belongings on our backs than carrying a beach bag.

I hate sitting around all wet, so I did pack us all an extra swim suit in case we wanted to change at some point during that day. Again, I was glad that I did that.

A van picked us up to take us to the port. There were two other families in the van with us. At the port, all the workers spoke multiple languages. We heard Spanish, English, French, Italian and more! It was so neat.

After we got checked in, we had to wait a bit for the boats to be ready and for everyone to arrive. We chatted with one of the families from our hotel. They were from Canada and were so nice. Their kids were 15 and 19, and we ended up sitting by them on the boat to and from.

I wondered if any of us were the seasick type. We’ve all been on boats on the lake, but I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been on a boat in the ocean. Thankfully, we were all good!

Our boat’s name was Marathon which I thought was a fun name considering Travis and the kids like to run. I’d say there ended up being about six families on board (around 25 people) as well as the captain and four or five crew members.

The kids headed straight to the front of the boat. They were excited to see everything. Once we got moving and there was a breeze, I approved that decision. haha

After only about five minutes of sailing, it was time for the snorkeling. Travis didn’t really give me the details on this…but I put on my life jacket and snorkel and hopped right in the water. Seriously though, it all moved so quickly. The main tour guide told us to jump in and stay with the leader. One of the guys just swam holding a life preserver and we followed along…for probably a half a mile…we just kept swimming!

You didn’t have to snorkel, and some people did stay back on the boat.

I could tell the guide kept looking up to count and make sure he hadn’t lost any of the fifteen of us swimming. Hayden really took to the snorkeling, and if I ever needed to find him, I’d just look for the tour guide because he stuck close to him. We did see so many amazing fish and reefs. Also, towards the end, there was an “underwater museum” that had statues.

The boat had moved to pick us up after our 30 minutes of snorkeling.

Of course, there aren’t snorkeling photos but it was a great experience.

Once we got on the boat, we dried off, and got settled for the 45 minute ride to Isla Mujeres.

The water was stunning, and I probably have thirty photos on my phone that look just like this:

…and this…

The main tour guide was awesome. He was funny and knowledgeable. The other crew members continued to offer drinks and were just so kind and fun.

At one point, the tour guide told us to go stand at the front of the boat and he’d take our photo, and I couldn’t love this photo more.

….and then he told us to put our hands in the air! haha

Once we arrived at the Beach Club, the captain said he’d be back in two hours. Included in the ticket price was access to the beach club. We paid an extra $40 (or $50?) for the golf cart tour. So, those who weren’t doing the tour could hang out at the Beach Club, but otherwise, we followed one of the crew members who got us the golf carts and led the tour.

We drove for a few minutes to our first stop.

…which was stunning.

…another great photo op.

Then, we continued the drive and stopped about ten minutes later at Punta Sur. The tour guide told us we had about 15 minutes here.

So we snapped a few pics, and the kids got ice cream, and I got a coconut drink.

Then, we got back in the golf carts and drove around a bit more. Hadley and I were in the back of the golf cart, and had some of the best views as we continued the tour.

There were so many amazing houses with beautiful views of the ocean. We drove through a cemetery, and then ended the tour driving through parts of the town. We even saw some kids outside playing at school.

Then, we got back to the beach club and had about one hour to eat (the beach club buffet was included) and some beach time.

Hadley’s always up for a photo op!

The kids swam for about thirty minutes, and then it was time to get back on the boat.

Once we were settled on the boat, we had about a twenty minute drive to North Beach which apparently is the best part of the island. As we sailed there, the guide pointed out Ricky Martin’s house…or so he said!

We arrived at North Beach at 2:30, and had two hours at that stop. We all disembarked, and at first it was a bit hectic with all the people and shops. Our ticket included tequila tasting at the city center but we didn’t do that.

We walked a few blocks to a less crowded area of the beach. Again, the water was just so pretty and actually cool.

The water by our resort was warmer, and this Caribbean water was refreshing.

After about an hour in the water, we were hungry. Travis said he’d walk a bit to see if there was a good spot to get something quick to eat. Well, right in front of where we’d put our towels was the Playa Norte Beach Club. I laughed because only we would put our towels right in front of a beach club. #bouji

Anyway, we dried off and had about thirty minutes to get a drink and something to eat. Since we were on a time crunch, we just stuck with chips, salsa, and guac since that would be quick. It was so good.

Since we had to walk back to the boat and weren’t completely dry, Hadley and I changed our swimsuits, so I was glad I had the extra suit to wear under my cover up. Just more comfortable for the ride home.

We went back to the dock and boarded the boat for the ride back to port. It was about an hour, and it was so nice out. There were clouds, so we caught a break from the sun…and the kids even fell asleep!

We chatted with another family from Canada. They had two teenage girls, and were super nice. They told us they were staying at Planet Hollywood which was right next door to our resort. Travis had thought about taking the kids to another resort one day to do slides and other activities. They were so helpful with info about Planet Hollywood that Travis did end up taking the kids there on Friday.

Once we got back to the dock, we only had to wait a few minutes for our ride.

Once we got back, it was probably 6:00, and we took about an hour to cool off and swim in our pool and take turns showering.

We were tired but just kept chugging along. We were afraid if we napped, we’d never get up for dinner. haha

We decided to go to Beloved for dinner, and I couldn’t get over the sunset photos as we walked past the pools.

Then, as we arrived at the restaurant, this view stopped me in my tracks:

(and it’s now the screensaver on my phone!)

We got settled on the patio as the sun continued to set.

Hadley was excited to order the salmon (her fave) and I ordered the risotto. Both were so good. I can’t remember what Travis and Hayden ordered.

Unfortunately, while the view was pretty, for some reason, we were eaten alive and left with bug bites that lasted for days!

After dinner, we headed back to our room. It had been a wonderful but long day. We were ready for bed!

I’m so glad we took the trip to Isla Mujeres. I have a couple of friends who have said they stayed on the island on their trips to Mexico. If we ever get back, maybe we will have to look into that!

Weekly Recap:

Not Just a mom: Family Food Traditions
What I packed for Vacay
Let’s Look
Mexico Recap Part 1

I hope you have a great weekend. Next week, I’ll write one more post to wrap our trip. Thanks for following along!