mamawanderer

Adventure

Detour – East Coast Adventure

By mamawanderer August 3, 2018

School’s out and we are all ready to enjoy the added freedom that brings. The start of our summer vacation happened to coincide with the McLeod family get together so this was the perfect vacation to kick off summer fun. We were retracing our steps all the way back to the East Coast and Kiawah Island, South Carolina was our destination but first, we had some work to do. After arriving in Las Vegas we decided the safest bet would be to unload our entire car and all our belongings into a storage unit for safekeeping while we were away. Off we went unpacking in scorching desert heat. The good thing is by now we are pros at packing and unpacking so it was pretty speedy and left us time to enjoy some Vegas fun before heading out.

Our flight was smooth as we left the low hundred degrees desert heat and landed in the dripping humidity of South Carolina. Matt and his family vacationed on Kiawah Island when he was a child so it was fun to watch them relive memories and introduce this special place to the next generation of McLeod’s. It was a big clan with Mom and Dad, our 5, and Pete and Laura and their six kids. The more the merrier as we ran from the house to the rolling waves and sandy beach. The water was warm, the sun was hot and laughter was loud on this island paradise. There was sand castle building, body boarding, wave chasing, crab catching, cold drinks, great food and even better company. The kids are already making plans for next year as there is nothing like spending morning until night with your cousins by your side. We will see where that adventure takes us.

Adventure

Brian Head, Hurricane, St. George & Dinosaur Tracks… it’s sounding weird

By mamawanderer July 30, 2018

Welcome to Utah

We drove out of Yellowstone and made it to Salt Lake City where we spent a night to break up the drive. We have found the kids do better if we don’t have super long drives and it’s probably the same for the parents. We were also planning on camping for the next 4 days and with it being summer we wanted to find a campsite early. Our camping plans were quickly kiboshed after Lennox got sick. We decided to find an Airbnb rather than stay in a tent with a puking child. The temperatures were also dropping into the low 40’s at night in the area and although we could do it, that is pretty chilly for the kids. Our last minute search lead us to a place we had never heard of, Brian Head, Utah, for a few nights. It’s always good to be flexible while traveling and also can be fun to discover places you may never find otherwise. Brian Head is a super small town/ski resort sitting at an elevation of 10,000 ft. It is way up there and you can feel it. It is about an hour from Bryce Canyon National Park and we discovered 10 minutes away was Cedar Breaks National Monument. Being at a ski resort in summer meant we had the whole place to ourselves and it ended up being a perfect spot to relax and recover our sick little guy and then explore some spectacular parks.

Brian Head and Cedar Break National Monument

The drive up the mountain to Brian Head opened our eyes to the destruction a forest fire can cause. There were stretches of trees charred black for miles. In 2017 a wildfire burned 71,000 acres of the land here, the aftermath is very sad to view. Cedar Break National Monument is an enormous amphitheater of beautifully colored sedimentary rock that has been carved away into beautiful formations. We viewed this park from above and it was a spectacular site. It is part of the Grand Staircase, a geological formation which begins at the floor of the Grand Canyon and steps up across the Western US. Seeing these natural wonders and learning about the geology behind their formation makes you realize just how fluid the earth’s surface is and gives you perspective on time and the mere blink of an eye we stand on this earth.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is out of this world. From your drive into the park the red-hued rock formations are spectacular and as you explore further it becomes even more impressive. Looking out from above the park offers amazing views of the hoodoos balancing below and as you walk into the canyon your perspective changes and you begin to appreciate the enormity of the formations surrounding you. We started our day here early to beat the heat and it is a good thing we did because it gets smoking hot at the bottom of the canyon. We took the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden trail which starts at the rim of the canyon and quickly descends in elevation while you walk along a windy path with steep drops. This always makes me a little nervous with the kids but they did great and the path was quite wide and well traveled. As we dropped down it was evident how difficult the steep hike up was and we knew we would have some work on the other side getting out. We enjoyed our time and our surroundings, many of the rock formations have names, like Thors Hammer, the Queens Garden, Wall Street, so it is fun to look at these and make up your own. Being at Bryce is like walking through a fairyland, each hoodoo formation is unique and unbelievable. I’m not going to lie our hike was tough, it was 3 miles and 600 ft of elevation but the heat was a factor, and the kids aren’t always sunshine and rainbows. They did realize in order to get back to our car we needed to climb out of this canyon so with many breaks and some snacks they pushed on. We were playing leapfrog with another family with small children so this added some excitement. I was happy when I saw the mom carrying her little one up the steep hills that Lennox was only pulling on my arm and still able to walk. There were definitely some big cheers as we reached the top of the canyon and cold drinks needed, it was a great accomplishment and well worth the trek to the bottom.

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Hurricane, Utah

After leaving Brian Head we had a short drive to our next Airbnb in Hurricane, Utah. It is right next to St. George which we discovered is the fastest growing metropolis in the United States! There is construction on every corner of this place and it is pretty wild. You can see why people are coming here in droves, the weather is warm and it is surrounded by amazing rock formations. It is an outdoor playground with lots of mountain biking and a short two-hour drive from Las Vegas. We had a week here and our main goal besides exploring was finishing school. I appreciate what teachers endure at the end of the school year so much now. The last month was a struggle, we, however, promised (or bribed) the girls if they finished their books by the end of this week they would be able to buy guinea pigs upon our return. With lots of hard work, they both busted through their books and I was as excited as they were to be done with their homeschooling year!!!

Zion National Park

We heard Zion gets super crowded and in order to secure parking, you have to arrive early. Early isn’t too hard for us so we were fine with that. In addition, it was going to be another hot one so the morning hikes are best. We didn’t anticipate just how many people were swarming on Zion though. By the time we got in line for the bus into the park, the wait was already an hour! The hour passed as the kids chased lizards and frogs and did some Junior Ranger work. Not so bad. We opted for 3 shorter hikes and this gave us a perfect first taste of Zion.

Searching for Dino Tracks

We were full of excitement to find out we were staying in an area with evidence of dinosaurs nearby. We had to go investigate. The first site we went to was ok but a bit of a letdown. We found the marked tracks after hiking a short ways in scorching heat, they were small and hard to decipher. To the non-paleontologist I think they look like scratches in the rock but that’s ok, knowing this was a path actual dinos stepped foot was amazing and we were glad we went, the hunt was still on though. The next day we ventured out to the second site. This was an adventure, lots of dirt road driving through the desert with no cell signal and no cars in site. It’s amazing how remote so much of the land in the United States is. It felt like if our car broke down we may never get help but that didn’t happen and we always are prepared with lots of water just in case. When we arrived at the actual site there was great signage explaining the tracks and what dinos they belonged to. These tracks were huge and it was well worth the desolate drive to see them.

Adventure

Yellowstone – Part 2 Lightning crashing and Colors colliding

By mamawanderer July 10, 2018

Yellowstone continued….

Day 4 – Norris Geyser Basin – Caught in the storm

Today was our day to explore the Norris Geyser Basin. Although it was sprinkling when we set off, we all had our raincoats and were ready for anything. There is so much to see here and we were not going to let the weather get in the way of any of it. The reward of bad weather in nature is usually abundant beauty which was definitely the case here. The misty grey cloud filled air enveloped the geysers and brought their milky colors to light. It was a breathtaking scene.

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The most fascinating part of the hot springs to me are the colors they produce. Streams of color spill along the flowing water and both the colors and patterns are ever changing. It is mesmerizing.

After walking the short loop around the geysers we came to Steamboat Geyser. This geyser has been in the news as of late because, after being dormant for 4 years, in 2018 it’s already erupted 11 times. This is considered a big change and when you are located on a supervolcano any significant pattern shift is cause for exploration. Of course, we were hoping to see this geyser in action but weren’t that lucky. It did erupt the day we arrived and the day after we left and we saw some steam and bubbling action from it which was cool. At Steamboat, we took a family vote whether to continue our trek of the 1.5 mile lower loop or head back. Although the rain was picking up the vote was to take the hike. It wasn’t long before it started to downpour, but long enough that turning back wasn’t an option either. Soon above us it started roaring, thunder and flashes of lightning lit the sky. We knew being surrounded by a basin of water wasn’t the best place to be during a thunderstorm so we quickened the pace and as the storm intensified started running. Colette was terrified, as in so scared she thought she was going to die. Meanwhile Sienna was skipping along loving the rain. We made it back and between laughs and tears and extremely wet clothes we will never forget our hike around the Norris Geyser.

As we exited the park we drove out of the thunderstorm, into the sunshine and saw this giant bison walking along the road. We went to dinner and the meat eaters had some pig fired sausage. After dinner, we walked out to hail! The weather is crazy here, quick changes and you should be prepared for a little bit of everything.

Day 5 – Bubbling Mud Holes

These mud holes are so cool to watch. Depending on how much water there is makes them more or less thick. It is amazing to watch this thick liquid bubble and pop.

Day 6

Our last day in Yellowstone and my birthday. Such a great place to spend it. We decided to rise early in an attempt to catch the animals and with the cold temperatures, our first animal encounters were frosty bison. The light, fog, and crisp air made for a very picturesque morning. Our travels were even delayed by a herd of bison meandering in the road. When we arrived at the Hayden Valley where we anticipated seeing animals it was totally covered by a thick blanket of fog so we shifted plans and made our way to the falls.

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Upper Yellowstone Falls

The falls were beautiful on this frosty morning. We only stayed a few minutes as the kids were complaining about how cold they were so early in the morning. You can hike down to the lower falls which would be amazing but we saved that experience for next time. On a side note, Matt saw a huge grizzly run out into the road and then quickly scurry back into the woods. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch much except maybe a little bear booty.

Yellowstone Lake

We drove the entire lower loop which brought us by Yellowstone Lake, a magnificent site. The blue water was calm with still morning air and the snow-covered mountains stood majestically in the background.

Wildlife sightings…. a swan, blue heron, elk and ice faces

Grand Prismatic

This was the granddaddy of Yellowstone for me. We hiked to the overlook to start our exploration of this hot spring and looking down I was in awe of the size, many colors and sheer beauty of this hot spring. After our hike to the overlook, we traveled to eye level where you can view the beautiful intricacies of this spectacular natural work of art. Amazing.

From above

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On the boardwalk – the Grand Prismatic, Excelsior Geyser, Turquoise Pool and Opal Pool

Overall, our Yellowstone experience was far more incredible than I think any of us anticipated. I would return in a heartbeat. There is unlimited exploring to do here, such a vast stretch of land filled with amazing natural wonders and wildlife. Truly a highlight of our National Parks in the United States.

Adventure

Yellowstone – Part 1 Birthday, Bison and Blasting Geysers

By mamawanderer July 2, 2018

Day 1 – Our first glimpse of Yellowstone

The vast land of the West makes for long drives, we try to keep a days drive between 3 and 5 hours but lately we’ve had some big ones. Spokane to West Yellowstone was a long haul, the good thing is the land is beyond beautiful. Skies that fill the earth and your eyes for infinity, mountains soaring, rivers rushing and we were even lucky enough to spot a moose wading through the waterlogged land. When we finally arrived in West Yellowstone our curiosity put us right back in the car to check out the park for a few hours. We spotted our first bison off in the distance and were trying to convince Matt to turn back to get a closer look. We weren’t successful but everyone began laughing when just up ahead we saw an entire herd in the field. It was beyond my expectation to come face to face with these larger than life creatures, it was astonishing. We were also lucky to see an elk and its baby nestled below the road in some trees which was really amazing, along with an Osprey perched on a branch staring directly at us. Our brief first day was enough to entice us to rise early on day 2 to head to the Lamar Valley where we heard there was potential to see wolves, bear, badgers, wolverines, bison, moose and elk.

Day 2 – Rise and Shine – to the Lamar Valley in search of animals

Bison in the early morning light gave us a spectacular start to our day. It was soon to get even better. After waiting for some road construction for 15 minutes we were anxious to continue our drive towards the Lamar Valley when suddenly we saw a gathering of people alongside the road. To our amazement, we came upon a mama grizzly bear with her two cubs grazing in the field. We watched the cubs wrestle and play and it was one of the most spectacular sites I have ever witnessed. I was also envious of all the people with their mega telephoto lenses capturing shots as our lens just couldn’t quite get as close as I wished. Hopefully, you can get a sense of this special moment and these incredible creatures.

The Lamar Valley greeted us with impossibly picturesque views, land stretching for miles shaded with every color of green until it meets the grey mountains and brilliant blue sky. The view alone is worth the visit but our search for wildlife was also a success. We saw elk, huge herds of bison roaming, and pronghorn. The cool thing about this time of year is seeing the baby bison. They are so sweet, walking alongside their mama’s with gangly legs learning the ways of the bison world. One thing about Yellowstone is it is vast, to get to the valley from West Yellowstone took us a good two hours. The park is actually 3,472 square miles! That is a lot of protected land to explore.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Our first views of hot springs did not disappoint. The thermal springs here average 170 degrees and have created the most amazing travertine terraces. The water is mesmerizing as the sun brings about various colors but even more so are the subtle shades of the stacked formations. The textures created by the mineral deposits are so beautiful its hard to believe nature’s design skills are this amazing. You could probably come each day and experience a new wonder among the flowing water and glowing rock. Incredible and a great contrast to our earlier animal encounters. We close out Day 2 in awe of our adventures and eager to discover more in this magnificent park.

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Day 3 – Celebrating Lennox’s birthday geyser style!

Today brought us a birthday boy, and the big 5 at that! For a long time, Lennox has stated his spirit animals are the buffalo and eagle so I think it was fortuitous his birthday fell while we were in Yellowstone. We woke up to a super excited boy, excited to open presents that is, and he went along with the idea of checking out the geysers. We started at Old Faithful which was scheduled to erupt around 9:30. After about 10 minutes of on and off spurting water and steam, each of which we and the rest of the crowd were sure was the start of the blast, Old Faithful finally showed us its power and there was no mistaking the real thing. It was spectacular to see all this water shooting up to the sky and hear the rushing sound and pressure exploding. I think the kids expected it to shoot all the way to the moon, their imagination can at times dampen the reality of mother nature. We did learn each eruption is different and they range from 130 to 180 feet which is pretty impressive.

5 years old!

Old Faithful

Geyser Loop Trail

After seeing Old Faithful I kind of expected everything on the Geyser Loop Trail to be less spectacular but I was so wrong. This thermal basin is full of geysers, hot springs and their colors, textures, bubbles and eruptions all are incredibly unique and amazing. We were lucky to catch some small geysers bubbling and erupting and super lucky to see the Beehive Geyser which shoots water 200 feet into the air and only erupts every 16 – 18 hours. We also saw the Grand Geyser erupt, you can see photos below of this spectacular geyser. If I could I would walk this loop 1000 times because it is everchanging and such a beautiful and rare piece of nature.

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Grand Geyser

We waited about 30 minutes for the Grand Geyser to erupt. Lennox was super impatient and repeatedly said, “But we already saw a geyser erupt!” I guess extra patience didn’t come with the number change to 5 but he does think he grew a few inches overnight. Anyway, the Grand Geyser was worth the wait and so different from Old Faithful. The eruption lasted a long time and it had a second side eruption at the end which was really cool.

Snow storm!

I don’t think this is unusual for Yellowstone but we have been in some pretty spectacular spring weather and our day was sunny enough to sunburn so coming across snow/hail as we exited the park was surprising. We first noticed cars approaching us with snow on them and were a bit perplexed. Then the traffic slowed as we ran into the snow. What followed was incredible, the bison began crossing a river with their babies, they were up to neck deep and the babies had to swim. It was quite a site and also fun to end Lennox’s birthday with some white stuff.

Yellowstone to be continued…..

Adventure

Roaring Ocean and Giant Trees – Northern California

By mamawanderer June 4, 2018

Redwood National Park

California is a huge state and we had a long drive North after leaving San Francisco to our next stop in Northern Cali. The drive was beautiful, through mountains and valleys, and amongst ocean views and giant trees. We arrived at our Airbnb nestled on top of a little mountain with the steepest driveway I have ever seen. From the house, we could look down on the tiny town of 350 people, Orick, California. It was perfect! For the next few days, we explored some of the most beautiful forests in existence. We hiked amongst the largest trees in the world, the Coastal Redwoods. The forests here breath life straight into your soul while making you feel like a mere pebble on the surface of the earth. Your eyes can wander up to space typically filled with clouds and see deep red veined bark and green boughs gently swaying. Walking among these monsters is so unexplainable and unearthly you must experience it for yourself but here are some photos to try to give some perspective on the wonders of the forest.

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Fern Canyon

We ventured off to Fern Canyon for a hike and getting there was half the adventure. I’m not a very experienced off-road traveler and although there was a “road” it was a good thing we had our big vehicle to navigate through the rough terrain. There has been lots of rain here so we had to drive through a fair amount of water, bump over potholes, through a river, and rumble along the gravel road. The ocean’s foam tipped wavey surface stretched off into the horizon on one side and Elk grazed casually on the other, both were pretty spectacular. We started our hike at Fern Canyon tiptoeing around trying to avoid the water but soon realized we were all in and the only navigable path was to jump in the water. The kids were soon knee-deep and having a blast. The vegetation around us was almost a glowing green as the sunlight illuminated the canyon. It felt like you were in Jurassic Park, and in fact, one of the movies was filmed here. This hike ranks high on the list for beauty and adventure and the rush of spring water made it even more exhilarating.

Agate Beach

We started looking for agates even though we don’t know exactly what we’re looking for. The ocean was spectacular on this spring day and we enjoyed searching for stones and sea creatures. We still don’t know if we found any agates, most likely not, but we had a great walk on the sandy shore.

Elk

It was amazing to see elk grazing in the grass so close to the road. Each day they seemed to wander to a new spot, sometimes right by a local house. There are many road signs showing elk attacking humans and the bodily harm they can cause which, although serious, was so absurd it made us laugh.

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Paul Bunyan and the Trees of Mystery

When Paul Bunyan and Big Blue are 50 feet tall you must stop for the photo op. Of course, we checked out the Trees of Mystery which had some interesting things to see and the best part was the sky ride to a beautiful overlook. Well, that was the best part for everyone except for Sienna. She is a bit afraid of heights and once at the top decide she would hike down the “extreme trail” instead of board the sky ride again. Thankfully Matt volunteered to join her on the hike which ended up being super steep and hardcore. They were troopers for sure. After we stopped at the drive-through tree which was a bit tight for my comfort in our oversized car but we made it!

Ocean Power

The ocean in this part of California is no joke. The wind whips, waves roar and it would eat you up if you let it. It gives you perspective on all those who brave these waters and the elements. What an amazing land to walk along.

Final hike and scenic drive through the most magnificent grove of Coastal Redwoods

The kids completed another Junior Ranger Program and we bid farewell to these majestic trees. It still blows my mind some of these trees are thousands of years old. Imagine what has walked among them and the earth’s changes they have experienced, resilient creatures they are. It is also sad to note that 95 out of every 100 of these magnificent trees were logged in the past. We are lucky to have the National Parks to preserve and protect these wonders so our future generations can experience their grandeur.

Adventure

Visiting San Francisco without actually visiting San Francisco…. What?!?!

By mamawanderer May 25, 2018

Truly Golden

Our “San Francisco” trip didn’t even take us to San Francisco. The closest we got was crossing over this beauty on our way to our Airbnb. Sometimes we choose to leave out things because we can’t do it all and our life on the road is just that life, not a vacation. We will come back for this sweet city another time but had an amazing time circling its surroundings.

Pleasant Hill

We drove from Yosemite to Pleasant Hill and we were so excited to see our friends Robin, Ryan, Lacey, and Josie. I went to college with Robin and time available to see great friends when you live states apart is never enough. We were happy to relax at their house after many nights in a cozy hotel eating at restaurants. The kids ran around and were wild as usually but adored Lacey and Josie. When we left the house they immediately asked for another play date. The one thing about traveling is the kids are really solo, they have their siblings but no buddies to play with. I think sometimes this is hard for them so it was great to see them making new friends on the road.

The next day we met up at Mt. Diablo State Park. Wow! I decided to drive that day and the road was insane, s-curves, blind corners, steep cliffs, and more curves, winding up Mt. Diablo, no guardrails and lots of bikers! The views were amazing, it seemed like you could see all the way to the ocean. Once on top, we found “Rock City,” trails and rock formations which the kids had a blast climbing on. The day was sunny and beautiful and we hiked to Sentinal Rock. Ryan quickly ascended the steep steps with Josie the adventurer but it was a little much with the steep drop-offs for my comfort zone for our kids. I made it to the top with some encouragement but didn’t stay long! Robin and Lacey braved the climb as well, impressive.

It was great to see our friends and sad to say goodbye but I’m so happy to have these moments and to see our kids become friends as well. From here we headed to Cupertino, a slight detour before getting to our next stay at Muir Beach.

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Cupertino – Apple HQ

You could call us Apple fanatics, especially Matt, but we both LOVE Apple. The HQ made us fall in love even more. When you first enter there is a 3-D model of the entire facility and you are given an iPad which transforms the model into an interactive virtual space. You can enter the buildings and get a feeling of what it is like without moving. Pretty amazing technology. The kids were mesmerized by the computers, iPads, and phones and the employees were very knowledgeable showering us with interesting facts. 100% of all Apple facilities in the US and abroad are powered by renewal energy, an incredible dedication to more than just the products they produce. Seeing an enormous company substantially reduce their carbon footprint and approach sustainability with creativity and innovation makes me want to strive to do better as an individual.

Muir Beach

We arrived at our Airbnb after winding down the mountain. The curves almost make me car sick but at the same time, it is such a beautiful place I enjoy the swirling road and mountain views as well. Our Airbnb was the perfect place to enjoy a quieter side of the San Francisco area. We crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge but that’s about as close as we made it to the city. Sometimes its good to settle in and live the local life. We enjoyed the ocean every day even in chilly weather, tide pooling and sea glass searching. We visited friends and family, the kids reconnected with their cousin Lily while searching for anemones and we had a great dinner with our cousins Daryl, Cassidy, Lily and Aunt Beth. It is great to connect with family we don’t see very often. We also spent time catching up on school, playing games, relaxing and enjoying our little beach house.

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Muir Woods

We just came from seeing some Sequoias in Yosemite but this place has so many enormous trees it gives you an entirely different feeling. Large ferns are coming to life again with spring and everything is green and lush. Looking up is as incredible and the trees reach so far it almost makes you dizzy. We had a great hike through the towering trees, and it is amazing to see this natural wonder preserved on the edge of an enormous city.

A double dose of Pizza with the Pisaturo’s

I met Sabine and Mimmo while studying in Italy and although that was a long time ago everytime we see each other its as if not a moment has passed. A few more kids, and laugh lines but all the love is always there. We were lucky to have the World Famous Pizza Napolitano made by the Pisaturos, they should probably open a restaurant so you can try it. Soooo yummy! The kids made new friends and we enjoyed a few nights laughing together. We’re hoping next time we meet up is sooner than later!

Stinson Beach

We ventured over to Stinson Beach to visit Aunt Beth and her dog Gracy. It was much colder than we anticipated but this didn’t stop the kids from getting wet. The beach is beautiful, a gorgeous sandy beach which stretches for what seems miles. The cool thing is we found quite a few sand dollars. I’ve always looked for sand dollars but generally only come across pieces. I think we either had a lucky day or this is the beach to come for sand dollars. We will remember this beautiful, flat sandy beach and hopefully come back when it’s a bit warmer someday.

Bay Area Discovery Museum

The kids always have a blast at museums and this is a great one with so many hands-on activities. They built 3-D objects with cardboard. (no photos unfortunately) Made safety gear headbands and built a pod racer of some sort. It was also a gorgeous day which made the open air museum and playground extra enjoyable.

Adventure

Santa Monica to Carona Del Mar…and Everything in Between

By mamawanderer May 7, 2018

Griffith Observatory

Cool place with great views. It was super windy when we went up and Colette is pretty sure she almost blew away. We had a picnic on the lawn, enjoyed the sunshine, views, and were mesmerized by the Foucault Pendulum which we watched until we saw a peg knocked over.

Glasses and Earrings at Fashion Mall

We had a little snafu which left Colette with broken glasses. The great thing is we weren’t in Joshua Tree or somewhere remote, we were in LA. (at least the LA area) It was a blessing in disguise as her prescription had changed. We ended up with same day glasses and she loves them! Killing two birds with one stone is our style so while getting the glasses we stopped by Claires and Sienna had her ears pierced. We told her she could get them when she turned 8 so she was pretty excited. After the first hole, she almost forfeited the second but she was a trooper and the earrings look beautiful on our not so little, little girl.

Crystal Cove State Park

Crystal Cove is a beautiful place which has been preserved from the housing takeover along the oceanside in this area of California. What an amazing place to protect, its natural beauty is spectacular. It is a little hike down to the ocean from the parking lot and the ranger told us a rattler snake lives along the way. This was true excitement for the kids even though we didn’t end up seeing it which I was pretty happy about. The ocean is always a peaceful place for Matt and I and a place of discovery for the kids. Sienna and Lennox especially love finding creatures among the rocks. Their little eyes seem to be able to spot even the most disguised creatures which is amazing, ocean time is always our favorite.

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Sienna’s Birthday Bash!!! – Knottsberry Farm

Sienna’s birthday was April 17th and we knew we were going to be in Yosemite. We told the kids this year for their birthday they can choose a big day of their choosing. Sienna had lots of options, Disney, 6 Flags, Universal Studios, but she landed on Knottsberry Farm. The day we went it was 85 degrees and I won’t say the park was empty but there were virtually no waits which pretty much never happens nowadays. The park turned out to be the perfect mix for our family, lots of fun rides for smaller kids along with some giant rollercoasters for the more adventurous. I think the overall favorite was Camp Snoopy. I ventured on the Silver Bullet with Colette, the only kid who was tall enough to ride, she almost backed out at the top, which I was encouraging her to do, but we went through with the dangle feet style, multi-loop winding coaster. It was super crazy and fun but I also was so dizzy after I’m not sure I’ll be able to go on many more of those. Matt went solo and we enjoyed watching him on the crazy ride doing loop-de-doos. Sienna enjoyed her special birthday at Knottsberry Farm and there was more celebrating to come at dinner.

Closing out Sienna’s Birthday Bash at Medieval Times

I remember going here as a kid and I thought it was the coolest place ever. Eating with your hands while watching Medieval Knights battle! My dad ended up being called from the audience to play horseshoes with a toilet seat so that in itself was pretty spectacular. While driving to Knottsberry Farm we happened to pass by the castle and quickly decided to see if we could spend Sienna’s birthday dinner here. It all worked out and I don’t think we could’ve found a more perfect place for our 8-year-old horse lover’s birthday. There were beautiful horses, knights jousting, a queen and messing eating which is Sienna’s forte. It was a great end to a fantastic day.

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Santa Monica to Redondo Beach – the only place it takes 1.5 hours to go 16 miles!!!

Santa Monica, the pier, the beach, the people…. quintessential “California,” so we joined the tourist crowd for the experience. The kids ate ice cream as we walked the pier and they tried to talk us into the boardwalk games but we passed. We took advantage of a quick trip to the REI store to replace Sienna’s backpack which had been eaten by a squirrel! haha… This is a totally different world from our camping stop a few weeks ago in Joshua Tree that’s for sure. The best part of the day was meeting up with our cousins Hannah and Michael for a wonderful dinner. We saw a “quieter” side of the LA area and enjoyed seeing family we don’t get a chance to spend time with very often.

The Hollywood Stars

The Hollywood stars! When in LA you must see the stars so we did. It is cool to walk down the street and read all the names, Sienna wanted lots of photos and was willing to lay down on for them. Colette was after the Harry Potter crew and Lennox found Star Wars. Following this we also experienced the full effect of LA traffic which is completely insane, I’m lucky Matt drove or I’m pretty sure I would’ve given up on getting back to our house. While driving in LA style we saw all lanes of the opposing traffic stopped, and an animal catcher chasing a small dog around in the middle of the highway, Crazy in California!

The Magic Castle

Entering The Magic Castle takes some magic in and of itself and we were lucky enough to have luck on our side and STB (soon to be) Aunt Taylor who hooked us up with a magician wielding tickets! This is a club for magicians and requires a magician’s invite to enter. We attended the brunch which is a bit more casual than typical suit coat attire. I won’t say too much but the experience was indeed magical. I have no clue how magicians practice their trade but I tell the kids I guarantee they spend most of their lives practicing to be that good. The slight of hand is the most amazing to me and we really enjoyed the shows and atmosphere. Thanks, Taylor for that special treat!

California Science Center

The California Science Center is an amazing place and entry is free which makes it even better. We only scratched the surface here but did see the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the King Tut exhibits which were phenomenal. We also timed the blossoming to the rose garden perfectly as you can see from the beautiful pictures taken in the park.

Space Shuttle Endeavour

We have officially seen the three remaining space shuttles on our trip! All three were displayed in their unique way, and all were spectacular. We love space exploration and teaching the kids about the history of space travel, very inspirational. At the California Science Center, they have the solid rocket booster which is absolutely enormous. A really cool site to see and not easy to get a picture of since it is so large.

King Tut – Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh

We were lucky to visit the California Science Center while they have the exhibit on King Tut. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen objects this old and the intricate beauty and details of each piece are awe-inspiring. 100 years ago they discovered King Tuts tomb and the history they uncovered at this time is amazing. It is hard to believe he was only 18 when he died in 1323bc and had ruled since the age of 9.

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Adventure

New Adventures in the Old Southwest – Bisbee, AZ

By mamawanderer April 24, 2018

For the most part, our Airbnb’s on this trip have been great. We have stayed in a range of places from good to amazing and this was our first strike out! I know, as much as we tried to like it, it just wasn’t happening. The place was cave-like, not super clean and just really dingy. It was livable and always good for all of us to experience the not so perfect side of the world so we stuck it out but it didn’t create the best atmosphere for enjoying this quirky Southern Arizona town of Bisbee.

A Glimpse of Bisbee

Copper Mines

Bisbee sits in the mountains surrounding the Queen Mine where massive amounts of copper were mined. The mine is closed now but the pit remains and it is so enormous you can’t even see to the bottom from most vantage points. The town is very eclectic and it’s hard to tell the hipsters from the people who have lived this fad their entire life. Needless to say, it’s a cool place to visit despite being way off the beaten path.

Queen Mine Tour

A journey back in time and 2000 feet into the deep recesses of the earth. That’s how Matt and the girls spent their morning, exploring the old Queen mine. Lennox was too young to go so this was a daddy/daughter excursion. Colette and Sienna were both a bit nervous to go into the cave. After having watched Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom, I think they had a screwed up perspective of the “mine ride”. The actual tour was fantastic. Our guide played the tour like everyone was a new miner coming to work. He went over everything from safety, explosives, transportation, and ways to find the ore itself. They saw drilling tools, a mine elevator and even a bike modified to ride on the mine rails. A very fun way to spend a couple of hours and if you find yourself in this neck of the woods, definitely stop by. The kids really enjoyed riding the little train into the mine but I think for them the most fun part was picking out some dollar rocks from the gift shop!

Devil’s Claw Wash

We were lucky to visit Aunt Suzie and Uncle Jeff while in Arizona and even luckier to go on a great hike with our trekking guide Aunt Susie and her dog Bonita. Bonita was not so lucky as 8 devil’s claws (the biggest, gnarliest burrs I’ve ever seen) stuck to her fur. We hiked along a wash which was relatively dry and the kids loved the challenge of navigating through water and uncharted land. It was a lot of fun. Uncle Jeff didn’t join us because he was cooking a delicious meal which we all enjoyed following our hike. It is always great to meet up with family on the road and we really enjoyed our time together.

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Tombstone

Just a half hour drive from Bisbee is what my kids have deemed the “OLD OLD WEST” I guess it makes sense, if it was the Old West to me it must be the really old west to them. Yes, Tombstone is a real town, and it was the center of cowboy fighting, saloon swinging ruckus for quite some time. I never watched many old westerns but Matt did and he knows all the characters from Doc Holiday to Billy the Kid who roamed the streets of Tombstone. It’s a tourist destination for sure but we bought into the stagecoaches, saloons, old time photos and ice cream shops creating our own Western adventure.

Chiricahua National Monument

On our last day in Arizona before heading west to California we debated if we should make the 2-hour drive to Chiricahua National Monument. We decided to go for it and we’re so thankful we did. After driving miles and miles through flat barren desert land we came upon some trees, wound through some mountains and were faced with enormous rock formations. The rocks seem to be stacked and balanced on top of each other as far as the eye can see. Looking out at the formations is spectacular but we were lucky to find a hike which wound us down through the rocks and ended at a grotto we could climb into and explore. Climbing within the balanced rocks was even more thrilling than being surrounded by them. We have found whenever a hike involves scaling giant rocks the kids love it, and we do too, it was a great hike. The day was extremely windy which made for some interesting moments but thankfully our only windblown loss was a Junior Ranger book.

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Adventure

Tumbling out of Santa Fe

By mamawanderer March 21, 2018

Santa Fe

Downtown Santa Fe is a fun place to wander around with many little shops. It’s not as fun with kids, at least the shopping part, but we still enjoyed bopping around. Pop your head into St. Francis Cathedral, it is a beautiful space with spectacular designs.

Petroglyph National Monument

I’m taking over for Katie for this section as she was gone to Colorado for a super fun girls weekend. The kids and I decided to head out and see some Petroglyphs. These marking are 600-800 years old and were used as detailed signposts by the native people. The meaning is a bit more spiritual than that, but hopefully, you get the basic idea. There are numerous sites around Albuquerque where you can view the petroglyphs in the National Park. We just hit one that had a few different stops. The glyphs are awesome to see. We all felt the cool sensation of watching something that was written when the land was still desolate and the people were few. On the sadder side of things, I also used this as an opportunity to talk to the kids about vandalism. Many areas within the park have been vandalized and stupid people have cut their names or dumb sayings into the rocks. It really hit home with the kids how bad this practice is and I think it’s a lesson they will take with them in life. ( at least the older ones). It was great spending the day in the hot sun, doing school (Junior Ranger), hiking and having some laughs.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

What a hike! Tent Rocks is such a fun adventure and the geological formations you see blow your mind. Looking from afar is impressive but when you make your way through the narrow passages of the slot canyon to the tent rocks the views are magical. A climb at the end puts you above the rocks on a plateau looking out over vast land which seems to extend to the edge of the earth. Spectacular views and well worth the travel.

Chimayo/Taos

I read about the weavers in Chimayo and really wanted to check out this art. We ventured off on our way to Taos and what we found was amazing. We happened to stop in the Trujillo Weaving Shop first and we probably didn’t need to go anywhere else. The work was beautiful, we were able to see weaving in progress and the colors, yarns, patterns and finished products were all stunning. As 7th generation weavers, their story, tradition, and preservation of an art form is truly amazing.

From Chimayo, we took the scenic road to Taos which equated to lots of winding around, by the time we arrived Colette didn’t feel great. We didn’t stay long but the drive was beautiful and worth the curves to the top of the mountain.

Folk Art Museum

There are a group of museums on “Museum Hill” in Santa Fe which is a pretty neat place. We choose to check out the Folk Art Museum and it was well worth the visit. It is hard to describe all the amazing things here, art from around the world and a really great hands-on section for the kids. One cool thing, we noticed a weaving created by the weavers in Chimayo we had just visited the day before.

Adventure

Tumbling into Santa Fe

By mamawanderer March 16, 2018

Santa Fe

We made it to Santa Fe and were super exciting our Airbnb was an adobe house. We had cactus in our yard and it’s really feeling like the west. Our stay here was extra long because Matt was going on a ski trip with his friends and on his return I was heading off for a girls weekend to Denver. Before Matt’s trip, we had a day to get acquainted with the town and it sure is cute! It was also small enough that I was comfortable driving our huge vehicle around so that was good.

Rollin’ with the tumble weeds

Santa Fe Children’s Museum

The Santa Fe Children’s Museum was just a few blocks from our Airbnb and we had an afternoon of fun there. Most Children’s Museums I’ve been to are amazing but pretty controlled, this one was wild and free. There was an art center with fabric, paper, beads, glue, feathers etc. and you could make whatever you wanted. There was also a water area, blocks, gardening section, and the highlight for our kid’s face painting! (Oh and making big messes is encouraged!) To be able to paint their own faces was such a treat and their individual personalities shined through perfectly with their paint choices!

Bandolier National Monument

We decided to venture out to Bandolier National Monument on our second day without Matt. 90% of the time he drives so I was in charge of driving which isn’t a problem and navigating which I will be the first to admit, I think I was born with a broken compass in my head. The good thing is phone navigation makes things relatively easy nowadays, the bad thing is sometimes in the middle of nowhere navigation doesn’t work. We made it there and back safely. The drive was beautiful, I love this desolate land, all the blonds of nature, the miles you can see in front of you. It is also amazing how you can be driving along in what seems to be flat land for miles, make a turn and there is a big canyon. We popped up on Frijoles Canyon as we entered Bandelier National Park and then wound down switchbacks until we came to the visitor center. A short hike from the visitor center with Junior Ranger books in hand brought us to cliffs in the distance where the Pueblo people made their homes. We made our way past the Kiva, then to the ground dwellings and finally to the cavates (alcoves carved into the canyon walls). Wooden ladders allowed you to climb inside and check out these small houses. I will say it is pretty cool to perch inside these dwellings and imagine living with a family here 800 years ago. This area once was covered with 1000 feet of volcanic ash which turned into tuff. Over time, in areas with less density in the rocks, hollows formed, and then Native people used tools to carve out these holes for dwellings. We also saw petroglyphs carved into the rock which is always astonishing to imagine the hands that carved these lines and the stories they were telling. The kids loved our adventure, they all became Junior Rangers and we had a great day to tell dad about.

Super STEM Saturday

While watching the Olympics Colette saw a commercial for “Super STEM Saturday” she declared we had to go. To be honest I didn’t want to make the drive to Albuquerque but when your kids are that excited about science how can you not. We got up and headed out early and it was more than worth the trip. Super STEM Saturday, full of amazing science experiments, robots, math challenges, Bob the Science Guy, and Star Wars! It was so much fun to see such excitement and so many kids enjoying the wonders of science.

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Santa Fe, the land of Georgia O’Keeffe. I was so happy to visit this museum dedicated to her work. I loved that they gave the kids sketchbooks to create art while in the gallery. This kept them occupied while I enjoyed the paintings. I cringe at Lennox with the phone in the gallery but I consider it insurance against us ending up with a multi-million dollar destruction of artwork and a front page news story. He wasn’t as thrilled about browsing O’Keeffe paintings as I was.

Kakawa

A shop dedicated to sipping chocolate, wow! We stopped in for a treat and found an extraordinary gem. From sipping chocolate to truffles and even ice cream this place serves the finest flavors and its atmosphere is amazing. We all fell in love with this soul-warming experience.

Meow Wolf

Ok, where do we even start… if you bottle up creativity and put it in a building and shook it vigorously you would have this amazing place. It is so crazy and cool it is pretty much indescribable and all I can say is go! If you ever have a chance get there and soak up the experience, I know I did. From giant robots to playing music on the ribs of a wooly mammoth skeleton, glow rooms and eyeballs of all sorts staring at you from the walls, climb into a washing machine or walk through a refrigerator, places light up and sing, tight spaces, shrinking walls and dance party rooms, you will never want to leave. Enjoy a taste of the magic.

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