Another Monday! And I can't believe it is already August. So exciting and this will be a very busy month for me. In a few days we'll be headed out for a family vacation. Looking forward just to get out of town for a few days. We are traveling as usual with my BFF and her 2 kids. Long road trip again this year, but always a ton of fun. I love the family road trip as it is a great way to spend time together as a family. So traveling with 5 kids 15, 13, 13, 6, 5 is always an adventure.
I'm feeling mildly nervous as I always have some amount of aprehension with travel. I know it's posisble to travel and not gain weight, even lose, if you're very careful. Again we'll have a very active trip planned so that will help. It's amazing the kids of things we enjoy doing (at least I do) compared to a year ago. This year we were looking for somewhere different to trek and easy on the budget so we'll be driving up to South Dakota: Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Badlands and then to Omaha to visit the in-laws. The Omaha Zoo is top notch and I'm looking forward to that as we haven't been there in many years.
We lived in Omaha for 3 years while I did my residency at Creighton University. We like the town and the people, but the winters were for shit, so we high tailed it back south as soon as we could. PLUS this way we're closer to OU home games! Anyway, we'll be visiting all the neato things to do in Omaha, and there are a few. There's the zoo and a couple of good museums there the kids should enjoy. The SAC museum is great with lots of aircraft and there is a train museum with old trains the kids can explore.
We've never been to Mount Rushmore and that area I am really looking forward to it. I love seeing new places and anywhere the kids can climb on rocks and dig in dirt they will be happy. It will be a super long drive, but that's OK. Soon our older kids will be too busy and way to cool to vacay with mom and dad or Aunt and Uncle so we will relish all of it. Yes, even the: Stop touching your sister, stop making that noise and NO we're not there yet parts.
This week I'll start packing. Packing for a family of 5 to travel is always a bummer, but it's better now that we don't have the baby gear any more. Much more simple. We've rented a big SUV so we won't have to take 2 cars this year. Next vehicle I buy will be an 8 seater something so we can avoid this. The down side is that all riding together means we have to be conservative on the packing. The technology has helped so much in keeping kids busy in the car. SOOOO much better than when I was a kid. Between movies and iphones and gameboys and such, there really is no reason for kids to get bored. Of course they DO so I've got some new coloring books and movies in waiting.
The big news this week is also that I'm testing for my blue belt in TKD on Saturday. SO excited as I realized this morning that after Saturday, I'll be 1/2 way to black! My son will be testing for his red-black which is one belt from black. I'm so proud of him as he has worked so hard learning all the TONS of material. I'm excited and nervous. I know all the material. I'm still perfecting a few of the new kicks. I just have to remember to slow down and use good technique. I'm kind of nervous about the sparring, but that's just mainly because of my breathing issues. I'm not scared, but It is rigorous cardio!
The weekend went well with my food. I ate a little above my usual budget, but not terrible, 1500 calories on Saturday. I did a lot of housework and yard work. Saturday I weighed in down another pound and now I am almost back to my pre-steroid weight. I have a meeting with my trainer today and I'm going to try to find time to get in a few extra TKD classes to review before the test. So a busy busy week ahead for me. Hope you all had a good weekend, I'm working to catch up on my reading and commenting. I just do not have time on the weekends! Anyhoo...have a great and healthy day!
When my oldest graduated HS 3 years ago we told him he could choose a location for a spring break trip. He wanted to go either to Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon. Love that:) Both were too cold that time of year so we did the later in June. I'll be interested to hear about your trip. If you drive through Kansas City, wave!
ReplyDeleteAs for road trips, we have a big one in two weeks to take the teen, who would NEVER choose a family vacation, to college. I find it very hard to eat well when on the road like that. Sigh.
Have a great time on vacation. Those are such precious moments. And I can already tell they pass way too fast. My last vacation taught me that walking a lot really helps, as does splitting the local goodies with my kids. Enjoy Doc! You've earned it with all your hard work. Good luck on blue belt, too!
ReplyDeleteJust back from a vacation. I am not going to weigh in for a while, but feel I did good.
ReplyDeleteI am with Alan, walking helps. I bet you can rent bikes in some of those places, too. That might be fun, plus a way to play together and burn some calories.
Something I did this trip is take along an apple slicer. That might sound silly, but I liked having my apples cut up. I eat slower when I am eating pieces of things like apples vs the whole thing. I bet you will take a cooler, maybe have one just fro you with some fruit, yogurts and other low cal things. It has helped me. But, no matter what: enjoy some well deserved time off with your family and extended family. Life is too short: enjoy now while they are captive. michele
Ann your vacation sounds wonderful! We are headed to Lincoln Nebraska next week. My hubby and I grew up there! The Omaha zoo is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWe took our kids to Mt Rushmore, the badlands and had a great time! They loved it!
Pack healthy snacks and don't think of every meal as a "vacation" meal and you will do fine.
Have a grand time! We're heading out this week for Destin with the kids. Nothing like waiting until the very last minute before school starts for a road trip, is there? We'll return next week, send the younger ones to school the day after we get back and then ship the older one back to college the following week.
ReplyDeleteI plan to hike up and down the beaches for hours on end, even if it's raining there. In fact, I'll enjoy hiking in the rain. Its' been so long since I've seen any, it will be refreshing.
Stay cool over there!
Enjoy your vacation! We're heading out later this fall, and the boys are thrilled to death they're going to miss a little school (1/2 a week) for once in their lives. Actually, I'd go over summer, but this year the trip is Disney and since we're Florida residents there's no way in the world I'm dragging the offspring to see The Rat That Ate Orlando in this heat.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your TKD blue belt test! You'll rock it :)
Here's to a great vacation!
ReplyDeleteSomewhere in the Black HIlls of Dakota lived a young boy named Rocky Racoon!
Have a great time!
Get away from some of this DFW heat!
Have a great adventure with your family and friends! South Dakota is a great place to visit. Your kids will remember this family vacation for the rest of their lives. I bet they even model their own future family vacations off this one. Make it one that counts. :-) Your kids won't remember what they ate on the trip, but they WILL remember climbing around on rocks and any physical adventures.
ReplyDeleteChristine
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