Tag: travel

Road Trip Adventure Log: 4 New States in 4 Days

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Well, it is official…. I only have EIGHT more states to go until the big goal of setting foot in all FIFTY STATES is complete!

My husband, Waring, was such a trooper on this trip. He knows I have been itching for adventure lately and dying to get some more states crossed off the list. Although driving to Oklahoma and back in a four day weekend was probably not his 1st choice for a fun-filled family vacation, he buckled in and took to the road just for me!

We set out after a small group bible study at our house on Thursday afternoon and drove to Atlanta for the night. We woke up before sunrise the next morning and headed to Memphis, TN. We stopped for famous Memphis dry rub BBQ for lunch and a quick art studio paint session for Addie before hopping in the car again bound for Bentonville, Arkansas. We swam in the hotel pool (Addie’s favorite) before crashing for the night. On Saturday we stopped at two donut joints before noon, cruised along historic Route 66 in Oklahoma, made it across the Kansas state line, and spend the afternoon in Branson, Missouri. The Ozark’s were beautiful to ride through and Branson did not disappoint with its kitsch. Addie (and Waring) wore themselves out at Fritz’s Adventure Park before making the drive back to Memphis, TN that night. Sunday we spent the day exploring Memphis sights and attractions before heading back to Atlanta, GA. Monday morning we headed to the Atlanta Children’s Museum for a little exploration before making it back home around 5pm that evening.

My goal this year was to knock out 2 new states. I really wasn’t sure if that was going to be possible at all, considering I am not allowed to travel after the end of April and soon after we will have a brand new baby to celebrate and party (stay up all night) with. I know it sounds like our trip was a whirlwind…and it was…but it was also a great deal of fun and adventure. I am so thankful for my husband, who puts up with and even encourages my hair-brained schemes.

PS: Addie is turning out to be a great little road trip warrior!

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Bucket List Year-End Review

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I still can’t believe that 2017 has already exited the scene to make way for 2018. This past year was full of the usual adventures and a few new ones too. We celebrated birthdays, enjoyed two full years of living in our new home, explored NYC with the girls,  took a family cruise to Mexico, enrolled Addie in Pre-K 3 and dance, visited Disney again, and again, and again, and took a weekend escape to check Niagara Falls and Cedar Point off of the bucket list. Oh yeah…and we decided to invite a new member into our family….Baby Harvey #2 is coming in June 2018.

Here is the progress made from this year: (not too shabby if I must say!)

  1. Write my own manifesto (from Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project)—-CHECK! Maybe I will share this with you guys one day… I love Gretchen Rubin and recommend any of her books if you are looking to be more intentional in your life.
  2. Write a letter to my future self—-CHECK! April @ age 30.
  3. Celebrate my last day of my 20’s—-CHECK!
  4. Plan (and have) a spa day—Hubby helped with this task! The facial and massage from Milan Esthetics was wonderful!
  5. Do Adult Disney—CHECK! We got to see visit the Inaugural International Festival of the Arts at EPCOT!
  6. See the Rocky Mountains— CHECK! Rocky Mountain National Park was just as amazing as I thought it would be. Colorado is a MUST SEE state in my book!
  7. Fly fish— YES! We look lessons in Estes, Park Colorado. See photo evidence below!
  8. Sand surf–-YES! We made life-long memories here in Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. BTW…the sand gets up to 150 degrees so make sure you wear SHOES!!! (Thanks for NOTHING Trip Advisor, hahah!).
  9. Stay in a Deluxe Disney Resort– NOPE I can’t part with the cash to pay for the price tag of this particular adventure.
  10. Hang Glide— NOT YET
  11. Sleep in a tree house—NOT YET
  12. Learn about floral arts— DOES PINTEREST COUNT?
  13. Take a cooking class-–YES, thanks Justin and Meredith!
  14. Master the art of the sugar cookie—-HM…maybe next year!
  15. Plant bougainvillea–-YES, thanks Hubby for the birthday gift. I hope the cold hasn’t killed them this week. 😦
  16. Reach goal weight (finally)—Well, I am currently expanding due to this new baby.
  17. Pay off student loans— YES! CHECK!
  18. Develop a “big girl” skin care routine—Well, sort-of…but I could use more work on this one so I am going to keep it for next year too.
  19. Visit a new state-— CHECK and CHECK!!! Michigan and Colorado. Currently on 38
  20. Visit a new country—Nope, although we did go back to Canada and Mexico this year.
  21. Explore Universal’s Harry Potter World—NOPE!
  22. Complete a Reading Challenge—-HAHAHAH. Do Addie’s  books count?
  23. Learn Spanish (again…)—-NOPE
  24. Prepare for an emergency (so we won’t get totally caught off guard by something like Hurricane Matthew again.)—-This is about half way complete, but we could still use some more work.
  25. Attend Dragon Con-–CHECK!!!
  26. Plan and implement seasonal bucket lists/monthly challenges-–CHECK! I got a little slack after morning sickness set in, but other than that we were pretty consistent.

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Lake and Beach: 2 Weekends with Addie

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With only 940 Saturdays between birth to 18 I want to make sure I savor each and every one in Addie’s life whether we are adventuring around the world or our hometown, I want to hold on to these precious moments. Some weekends we celebrate the mundane….but the last two weekends have been extra-special.

Elijah Clark State Park Weekend Adventure

We camped, we ate Mexican AND Italian (who says Lake Life can’t have some global flare), we tie dyed, and we swam and played!

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Day Trip to Downtown Amelia Island/Fernandina Beach

We came, we played, we ate, we left!

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Wanderlust Wednesday: Ireland

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Today went down in the books as another fun summer day with Addie and family! Her cousin Aubrey is in town for the 4th. They swam until they dropped today at the Splash in the Boro.

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While I do like celebrating Independence Day in the USA, I have to admit that I do miss bringing in the 4th in Ireland while Waring and I were on our honeymoon EIGHT years ago. I miss this place… Maybe we will make it back there for our 10th year anniversary. A girl can dream….

5 Reasons Why I Love Ireland (and you should too):

  1. Round-abouts and left-sided driving make everything more interesting
  2. Bed & Breakfasts are WAAAY cooler than hotels. Each host is a treasure trove of knowledge and each place seems to have a sweet dog as their mascot.
  3. Small town vibes are everywhere. You can explore the country by traveling from town to town and not feel overwhelmed.
  4. Absolute 360 degrees of beauty EVERYWHERE you look.
  5. When the heat index is over 100 degrees here in Georgia….the high is a crisp 60 degrees in Galway.

A Few Saturdays With Addie (and Crew)

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I am not trying to brag here, but the last couple of weekends have been pretty amazing. A girl could really get used to this. School is out. Summer is in, and a whole lot of fun is about to be unleashed in the Harvey Household! We have some catching up to do!

A few weekends ago, Addie and I had visitors of the best sort! My most best-bests came into town for a Mini Friend-cation. We spent literally five minutes at the beach, ate some fresh local grub, and headed home for a night of tie-dye, take-out, and Disney movie marathons. Yes, this weekend was quite perfect, especially because of who we shared it with. No matter the distance or time between visits, spending time with these gals is always my favorite.

The follow weekend was equally fun-filled. We went to….Disney’s Animal Kingdom with my mother and grandmother. I can’t think of much more special than getting to take a four generation picture at the base of the Tree of Life. There were rides to be ridden, faces to paint, characters to dine with, showed to see, and of course food to be eaten. We all took naps and then ended the night at Magic Kingdom. Addie had a blast, and so did we!


This past weekend we hosted a five-family yard sale. To be fair, it was five different households, but we were all in the same extended family! Although I was happy to get a few items gone, I can’t say that we made a ton of cash. We did have a lot of fun. We ate Little Debbies, drank Coke, and sat in the shade talking (gossiping), laughing, and relaxing with each other. When it was all over we packed up the remaining items and sent them off to GoodWill and a local ladies’ charity organization. It feels nice to have a little extra cash for Disney World, a donation tax deduction, a good deed done for charity, and a little less clutter in the home.

So, as you can see….this Summer is stacking up pretty nicely. I am soaking up each moment of this precious time. Bring on the next weekend!

Wish I Were There Wednesday….Blue Ridge, Georgia

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Today was tough! It was one of those days that you just have to hunker down and brace yourself for all that comes your way. Satan was certainly at work today, but I am so thankful that my God is bigger, stronger, and never surprised or intimidated by the obstacles and challenges that seem to come my way!

With the cool weather and the coming of Fall I just want to hold spend time with family, draw near to good friends, and take each day as it comes. With all that being said, I am so EXCITED to get to spend a much needed weekend-cation away in Blue Ridge, Georgia with some of the sweetest friends I know.

So, even though it is only Wednesday and this is just a “wish I were there” moment, I am excited that this wish will come true in just a few short days!

 

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I can’t wait for a weekend filled with apple-picking, campfire making, s’more roasting, chili cooking, small-town boutique shopping, Appalachian trail walking, and relaxing with friends!

Although I feel like this year has been one of the host hectic times in my life, I feel like I have been surrounded and loved by my friends. I am so thankful for each of you. (You know who you are!)

Wish I Were There Wednesday: Doolin, Ireland

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All of the rain here in South Georgia has got me thinking about our stay on the Emerald Isle. In 2009 Hubby and I spent a week traveling across the country wondering as many narrow roads and footpaths as possible to see the beauty that was/is Ireland. One of our favorite little spots was the town of Doolin. We stayed at a beautiful B&B, ate great food, and listened to traditional pub music (which is supposed to have originated in the town many years ago!) I hope that we will have a chance in about six years to celebrate our 10 year anniversary and relive these great memories once more.

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Wish I Were There Wednesday….BONAIRE!

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A few years ago, Waring and I had the opportunity to travel to a GORGEOUS island next to Aruba and Curacao. Unless you a are diver or windsurfer, you have probably never heard about this little of piece of paradise. This island is home to pristine coral beaches and has arguably the best coral reef habitat on this side of the globe. We know divers who claim that this little island has better dive sites than the Great Barrier Reef. (It’s not that I don’t trust them….but I would like to see the Barrier Reef myself one day and make the judgment for myself.)

Once you are on the island, you can check into one of the many dive resorts on the island and pick up your rental truck. After a quick check out dive they give you unlimited air or nitrox and you are free to roam the island looking for great diving spots. Each dive site entrance is marked by a yellow stone with the site’s name written on it. You walk to the ocean and swim a few meters out the reef and embark on an adventure under the sea.

Take a look at the awesomeness that is Bonaire!

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Labor Day Weekend Camping

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We made it back from our Camping Adventure Weekend in one piece. The camper has been unpacked, clothes are in the washer, the house has spruced up, and the bathrooms have been cleaned. As the workday looms near, the only remnants left of this weekend are the pictures and memories that we have made. This weekend reminded me that sometimes a little bit of nature can go a long way to ease the stress of every day life. I know a lot of people travel in order to escape something in their life, or to hide from a problem that just won’t go away, but for me travel is more about connecting with the ones that I love and seeing new sights and new perspectives. I hope the thrill of the unknown and adventure always excite me just as much as it does today!

Trey and Kristen on the paddle boards!
Trey and Kristen on the paddle boards!
27 Weeks and Counting!
27 Weeks and Counting!
being silly....
being silly….

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The trail was nice, but the bugs almost carried us away!
The trail was nice, but the bugs almost carried us away!
Acorns=Fall is on the way (even though you couldn't tell from the 85* temp!)
Acorns=Fall is on the way (even though you couldn’t tell from the 85* temp!)

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They call these little guys "sparkle berries!)
They call these little guys “sparkle berries!)

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Stand Up Paddle Board Fun!
Stand Up Paddle Board Fun!

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School and another busy week will start all over again tomorrow, so it is time for a little cat nap and snuggle time with Miss Lily!

Happy Labor Day!