Mary Graham

Trusty Chucks Blog

You should go camping

We camp because we want to.
We camp because we have to.

“You like to camp because it’s good for your mental health,” my counselor said this winter as we discussed my weather-related sadness in full effect.

Huh, I thought. I never made that connection before.

This is why I pay for counseling, so someone smarter than me, someone with a better view of my life can help me make sense of it.

As we rolled into the state park a few weeks ago, I watched the bars on my cell phone signal slowly go down. I’d been working on the two-hour drive in, but as we made our way back to the campground, my connection to the internet, my work, and my stress slowly lessened its hold on me.

I could feel the untangling as we drove.

I could feel the deeper breaths I was finally able to take, the tension in my shoulders releasing, the endless to-do list in my head quieting.

I am made to go, strive, make lists, check off tasks, do things efficiently, think about what’s next, what we should be doing instead of stopping. This helped me balance a full-time job with grad school and a newborn. It helped me survive teaching and coaching and two small kids. It allowed me to work 50+ hours a week in the classroom, take on freelance writing jobs, and still find time to sleep enough.

But it does not make turning my brain or my hands off easy.

Stopping only happens when I have no other option. Stopping only happens when I cannot work around my exhaustion, my family, or my lack of internet.

And so we camp.
We camp to rest.
We camp to stop running.
We camp to slow down.

At 37, I understand the only way I stop is when I can’t figure out a way to keep working. It is what it is.

So here we are, spending our summer camping as much as possible. Camping so I can take a break. Camping so Chris doesn’t have to do more projects. Camping so I’ll have nothing to do but read a book or take a walk with my kids as they race around the campground on their bikes.

I do this on purpose as a way to survive.

Lessons come slow sometimes. I wish I had understood this sooner, understood that I have to trick myself into not working. It might have made my twenties easier. It might have made the last few years less stressful.

But I’m thankful for the lesson now. For the camper we can tow to a campsite in the middle of a no-cell-phone-reception forest. For a bed with no plug nearby so I can’t look at my phone before I drift off to sleep.

We’re heading out again soon. Heading to another place to rest. The moments before we pull out of the driveway are busy–is everyone packed? Can I get one more hour of work done really quick? Please pick up this mess. Let’s just make one stop on the way out of town. Wait, I need to grab one more thing.

I literally can’t stop wanting to cram one more thing, idea, or task into my day. I’m annoying even to myself.

I camp to get away from my own brain.

I don’t know if it’s like this for you too. Maybe you’re better at turning the world and lists and things off? Maybe not. Maybe camping sounds like the opposite of enjoyable and relaxing. But what are you doing to rest? Where do you go to stop your brain and your schedule?

I didn’t know I needed to be asking these questions. I’m glad my counselor pushed me to.

I camp because I want to.
I camp because I have to.

(Pictures from a weekend at Clifty Falls State Park in Madison, Indiana.)

Visit St. Louis

Sometimes it’s nice to be told what to do, so I’m going to come right out and say it: plan a trip to St. Louis, Missouri sooner rather than later.

When the girls were still in school, we skipped town for a few days and headed to St. Louis. I love that it’s within four hours of Indianapolis; close enough to go for a weekend, but far away enough to feel like a vacation.

While we were in St. Louis, we stayed at the Drury Plaza Hotel, and we really need to talk about it. We normally travel with our camper and skip hotels. It’s more cost-effective for us to travel most places (especially within a day’s drive) with our camper. BUT. The Drury Plaza Hotel changed the game for me: a great view of the Arch, a breakfast buffet that felt like an actual restaurant, unlimited popcorn and pop in the lobby all day, and something called a 5:30 Kickback they advertise as a snack time but is an actual full meal…all included in your room rate.

When I shared my shock and awe of the Drury Plaza Hotel on social media, people weren’t as surprised as I was–PEOPLE KNOW HOW WONDERFUL THIS PLACE IS. And they never told me. If this was supposed to be a secret, I’m refusing to stay quiet. It’s a magical place (there’s a rooftop pool! look for part of Ellie’s tooth if you’re there!), and we should all have the experience at least once.

You can get to Gateway Arch National Park and the Old Courthouse in less than a five minute walk. This isn’t the Arch of your childhood either, the grounds, the entrance, and the underground museum have all been remodeled and updated. It looks amazing. When we were there in 2015, it was under construction and not very pretty to look at. But now! Now it’s amazing. Make sure you leave enough time before your tram ride up to the top of the Arch to explore the museum exhibits. It’s kid-friendly, utilizes universal design making it accessible to almost everyone, and really interesting (unfortunately, the actual Arch isn’t as accessible; the construction makes it pretty much impossible to redesign or make friendlier for more people). The museum curators also did a good job of addressing some painful parts of our history in relationship to westward expansion. The exhibits tell the story of the area from three different perspectives: the white settlers, the Native Americans, and the Mexican settlers. It’s done really well.

(The Park suggests you buy tickets online ahead of time if you want to ride the tram or do any of the boat/helicopter tours. Especially in the summer, things sell out fast and you don’t want to have to wait hours for your ride time.)

Make sure you actually visit the Old Courthouse too, don’t just walk by in your way to the Gateway Arch. The Old Courthouse is part of the National Park Service and worth a stop. Both the Dred Scott case and the Virginia Minor case were heard in this courthouse, so the American history is rich and important. You don’t have to spend all morning there, but don’t miss it.

The park, formerly known as Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, was renamed Gateway Arch National Park and became an official national park in 2018. The National Park Service has worked hard to make the whole park an experience, not just the Arch. The grounds are beautiful and spacious. As we walked around, people were biking, using electric scooters, running on their lunch breaks, and playing frisbee with their dogs. You could easily spend the day at the park between the courthouse, museum, Arch, and the surrounding areas. Behind the Old Courthouse is Kiener Plaza complete with a splash pad, fountain, and playground. (If you’re there in the morning, walk the few blocks over to Pharoah’s Donuts. When you walk in, there is powdered sugar hanging in the air so you know those are going to be good donuts. It’s nothing fancy to look at, but the donuts are so good. Grab a box and head back to the playground to eat them.)

If you’re not into a picnic lunch (but seriously, why not?), take a stroll over to Laclede’s Landing where there are food and entertainment options. We ate at Mas Tequila Cantina and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re bad at making choices and just want to be told where to go (i.e. the first paragraph) for good food.

What’s great about the Drury Plaza Hotel location is that later in the evening, you can walk the few blocks over to Ballpark Village at Busch Stadium for a Cardinals game. You don’t have to mess with traffic or parking, you just waltz on into Ballpark Village carefree and fancy free. If you don’t have a ticket, you can grab food and a seat at one of the many restaurants or bars in the Village, but if you can get a ticket, seeing a game in Busch Stadium is bucket-list worthy. We got to take the girls to their first major league baseball game in St. Louis, and it was an experience they won’t forget.

You could hit a few highlights on a long weekend in St. Louis, but if you have the time, try to stay a little longer. This was our family’s third trip to St. Louis and every single time we leave wishing we had just a few more days.

-I’ve got so many recommendations for St. Louis. If you need more (like the not-to-be-missed City Museum or all the free attractions), you can see this post from our first visit and this one for our second visit.

-There’s still time to plan a trip for the 4th of July weekend! Fair Saint Louis is happening at the Gateway Arch National Park July 4th, 5th, and 6th (2019). It’s humbly called “America’s Biggest Birthday Party” and includes musical acts, air shows, free family fun, and fireworks celebrating our nation’s independence. Any time is a good time to visit St. Louis, but this weekend will be extra special

–DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post in partnership with the National Park Service and Explore Saint Louis. All opinions are my own.

Cemetery dirt

We live across from a cemetery.

Less than two acres with a sloping hill, it is nestled between trees and a busy road. The gravel driveway takes you on a half-circle loop before depositing you across from the boundary line that separates our house from my aunt’s.

For decades, my grandpa was the caretaker, mowing the grass in the cool of the evening, picking up silk flowers as they blew off headstones, and helping to prepare sites for graveside services.

I never knew to be concerned or weirded out by our closeness to the dead. I wore frilly dresses made by my grandma as we hunted Easter eggs in the front yard, steps away from the cemetery. We celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving nestled in the small den–where my grandparents kept all the toys–as cars crept slowly down the rocky lane to visit their deceased loved ones.

My grandpa is now buried in the cemetery across from my house, the house he and my grandma built, the one that became too much to care for after he died, the house that we bought in 2017. My niece, the baby taken too soon, who only lived a short thirty two days, is laid next to him. My grandma’s name is already etched on a headstone, patiently waiting for her to join my grandpa.

In the summer months, the girls and I walk the dogs in the cemetery. They race their bikes down the hill as I wander through the headstones looking for the oldest one, the youngest one, the one with the kid born the same year as me but who didn’t make it through high school.

The day before a funeral, a friend from high school’s dad will show up with a backhoe to dig a new grave. He works alone and efficiently, rain or snow or shine. The next morning, the funeral home arrives, erects their tent, puts down the odd pretend grass-carpet, and sets up folding chairs. From my office window, I attend a graveside service for someone I don’t know, bowing my head when they bow their heads, and standing when someone plays taps.

Last month on my trip to Fort Wayne, I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon at The Genealogy Center in the Allen County Public Library. Their library is the second largest genealogy library in the country, only topped by Utah’s Mormon genealogy library. People travel from all parts of the country and world to research ancestors, property, and family trees there. The sheer volume of resources, family histories, and yearbooks from around the United States will take your breath away. Standing in the stacks, thinking about the miles of books just telling us about people who lived before us felt reverent to me.

I can’t begin to explain all the information accessible through this library. Those family tree websites? You can use them for free at the library. Those trained ancestry professionals you see interviewed on TV? Those are the people who work at this library. All the old newspapers, land deeds, census records, and birth certificates you might want to gather as you trace your family back multiple generations? You can get them there.

Before the trip, I was asked to submit some family information: who are my parents, when were they born, where were my grandparents married. When I arrived at the center, I met with a Genealogy Librarian who had spent a few hours completing my family tree for me. I walked away from our time together with a stack of family documents (census records from my great-great grandparents, birth certificate for my namesake relative, pictures of headstones in Illinois from five generations back, pictures of my grandparents’ grandparents…) and the name of every person on my family tree back six generations.

It’s a little unheard of to be able to fill in six generations back so quickly, the genealogy librarian told me, it’s not normally this easy.

It helped that my lines were so solidly American. The Keatons and the Ritters, the Kimerys and the Spitzners have been in the Midwest for a long time; we immigrated to America in the early 1800s, worked our way west pretty quickly, and then stayed put. We came mostly from England with a little bit of Germany and France mixed in; we became farmers and teachers and factory workers and we didn’t move around much. We liked Illinois and Indiana, the land was good for farming and the cities were just close enough for those who wanted to work in developing industries.

The researcher was able to show me where our German last names were slowly Americanized and the names of the many relatives who took up arms in the Civil War to fight against the confederacy.

I learned it’s often hard to track families back this far because our patriarchal society didn’t always keep record of women well. Maiden names weren’t important and obituaries identified women as “Mrs. Christopher Graham” instead of “Mrs. Mary (Ritter) Graham.” Often when we start digging into our ancestors, we get stopped on maternal lines. I was proud to see the women in my family often carried their maiden names around on official documents even if it wasn’t common for the time period.

You could keep going easily, the librarian told me as our time drew to a close. We didn’t stop your tree because we got stuck, we just ran out of time. But you could come back and probably go a lot farther without too much trouble.

When a grave is dug, and then later, a casket is covered, you don’t need as much dirt as you took out. It seems silly to tell you that detail, but if you live across the road from a cemetery, it’s important.

In the corner of the cemetery, near where the bumpy gravel drive drops off at our property line, is a pile of dirt. An old sign, created by my grandpa years ago, shares the “Free Dirt” proclamation. The fresh, rich earth goes fast so you have to hurry if you need some for your yard, for your garden, for your field. I’ve received text message reminders from my aunt when the good dirt arrives.

There’s good dirt over there if you need any.

In warmer weather, Chris will hook up the trailer to our riding lawnmower, the girls will jump in the back with their kid-sized shovels, and they’ll take a trip to the graveyard for dirt to fill our landscaping or to top off the garden. I don’t try to think too much about why the dirt is extra fertile or what I’m shoveling as I spread it around my newly-planted bushes. I know why it’s the good dirt, and I leave the thought at that.

I am not a farmer like my ancestors.
I don’t work in a factory like my grandpa and my great-grandpa.
I was the first person on my dad’s side of the family to earn a bachelor’s degree, the second on my mom’s.

I dreamed about leaving Indiana, the Midwest, the cornfields and the soybeans when I was growing up. This place was not meant for me.

But here I am, living in the house my grandparents built, sending me kids to the school my parents went to, passing my uncle on the road as he drives the school bus and learning how to garden–with the rich cemetery soil my grandpa cared for–from my aunt who lives next door.

I’ve decided to stay put.
I’ve decided to tell my daughters they don’t have to get rid of their names to live a happy life.
I’ve decided that small and quiet is better for me.
I’ve decided that staying put, taking walks around headstones, and growing things here, in the Midwest, is where I’m supposed to be.

*If you haven’t visited The Genealogy Center in Fort Wayne, Indiana, I think you should. You can check out their resources or get access to their trained professionals who want to help you find the pieces of your family tree on their website. You can also sign up for a free 30-minute consult with one of their librarians. I got a little extra help and attention, because I was there to write about my experience, but you have access to all the resources and information they have.

*Fun fact: If you ever come across old yearbooks or family histories (a lot of families have bound books about their ancestors), and you don’t know what to do with them, The Genealogy Center will gladly accept them. They’ll add them to their shelves (and electronic records) so people can have access to the information for generations to come.

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. I VISITED THE LIBRARY IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SPONSORED TRIP WITH VISIT FORT WAYNE.

Visit Fort Wayne, Indiana

Traveling to Fort Wayne, Indiana, wasn’t on my summer travel plans, but I’ve learned the error of my ways and now I’m here to save you from the same mistake.

I’ve lived in or around Indianapolis my whole life. Why did I need to visit other parts of the state? Indianapolis and its suburbs have everything I need.

Except, they don’t. I needed Fort Wayne, and I didn’t even know it.

I got to spend a few days in the northeastern part of Indiana and was blown away with how great it was. Confession: I took a trip without my family on spring break. The girls were off school and with family while Chris stayed home and worked.

I have no regrets about this. I pretended the trip was “research” for a summer road trip. I figured out what was fun, and what the girls would love (answer: so many things). I also “researched” all the things we shouldn’t do when we come back, you know, to save time and money later (answer: nothing, but still worth researching).

Here’s what my tireless research uncovered and what you should do when you take your trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana:

I stayed at the Hilton Fort Wayne, which is connected to the convention center. It has a Starbucks inside and was easy walking distance from a lot of the places I’m going to recommend. We normally travel in our camper; you could go that route and still enjoy Fort Wayne. Northeast Indiana is home to the RV capital of the world (Elkhart) so you know there’s quality camping nearby as well.

Where to eat in Fort Wayne? SO MANY CHOICES, SO LITTLE TIME.

Coney Island :: Get a coney with onions and mustard. I also had a cup of chili soup and do not regret it one bit. If you visit their website, the photo of the restaurant is almost identical to what you’ll see when you walk in today. Eat at the counter and watch the employees sling dogs like a well-oiled machine. And get a Coke in a glass bottle just because you can.

DeBrand Fine Chocolate :: I sampled chocolates and a mocha that was so rich I thought I was going to die at the downtown location. If you have time, go out to their factory and take the tour so you can see how they craft these extravagant chocolates.

Hoppy Gnome :: Hoppy Gnome describes itself as an upscale taco shop with lots more than just tacos. I don’t care how they describe themselves, their food is really good and that’s all that matters. Get the chips and guac (always get the guac, duh) and make sure you order the s’mores for dessert. The marshmallows are homemade, and they bring out a tiny fire pit for you to roast them on. I don’t even like marshmallows, and I could have eaten five of them.

Tolon :: This farm-to-table restaurant is run by a husband and wife team. The place is beautiful, the food is unbelievable, and the atmosphere makes you want to spend the evening around their table with friends. If you don’t do anything in Fort Wayne, go to Tolon and order their crispy Brussels sprouts. I’m serious. Do not leave without trying them.

Proximo :: You can eat any meal here, but I recommend breakfast. Especially if you’re hungry and you like breakfast to be your biggest meal of the day. I felt like I was in a New York City brunch spot. Everything on the menu is good, of course, but please do yourself a favor and order the chilaquiles. I dream about these.

Hop River Brewing Company :: Yes, it’s a brewery, but it’s also a great place to pass a rainy afternoon with board games and snacks. Their homemade chips are amazing, and they’re open for all ages to eat and play. Fort Wayne has a thriving brewery scene so if craft beer is your thing, you’ll find plenty of new things to drink there.

Bird + Cleaver :: I don’t know if you can order a charcuterie board to go, but if you can, put on your stretchy pants, stop by Bird + Cleaver, and then head back to your hotel room to watch trash TV. You can eat there and you won’t regret it, but sometimes hiding in your hotel room with really good food is okay too.

Sassie Cakes :: Please go here and get their cookie dough shots. Don’t ask questions, just do it. Don’t just get one either. You’re going to need more than one, trust me.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse :: I know this isn’t a local place, and you might even have one in your own city. I don’t care. Go anyway. Get the cheesecake. Email me your thanks afterwards.

Also, Northeast Indiana is full of Amish who make delicious food. I’m not saying that’s all they do, but they do this really well. Find a local market to buy their homemade donuts or the incredibly decadent and wonderful biscuit-egg-cheese present-in-your-mouth. (That’s not really what it’s called, but I think that is what it should be called.)

Truthfully, if you just want to go to Fort Wayne and eat delicious food the whole time, you can. There is lots of stuff to do, but eating is really important so maybe plan your trip around all the great food stops?

What to do in Fort Wayne?

-Stop by The Hedge for an art class and to see 100-year-old printing presses. They also have a small gift shop where you’re bound to find something you love. (Sassie Cakes is right next door too.)

–Botanical Conservatory :: Fort Wayne Parks runs this beautiful conservatory. Admission is inexpensive, and you could easily spend a few hours wandering around. They have a dedicated kids’ area and if photography is your jam, you’ll be in heaven.

–Promenade Park :: The amount of rivers and lakes northeastern Indiana has access to is crazy. I’m showing my ignorance, but there are SO MANY water activities. I was able to get a sneak peek of the new Promenade Park opening in June 2019 and I am so excited to go back when it’s open. They’re planning a huge weekend of events and programs for the grand opening, and if you happen to be near Fort Wayne June 21-23, it would be worth a stop just for this. ((EDIT: Because of the rainy spring we’ve had in the Midwest, the grand opening celebration has been pushed back to August 9-11. You can stay up-to-date on the schedule here.))

–Arts United :: This cultural center houses art shows, a restaurant, and Fort Wayne’s professional ballet company. You can glimpse professional ballerinas practicing, grab something to eat, and see the latest local art installation. I got to see the last day of an underwater exhibit made exclusively of plastic trash. It was unbelievable.

–Museum of Art :: Kids and adults will love this museum. It’s not huge, but there is a lot to see. Also, they have a Chihuly piece you don’t want to miss.

–Science Central :: Plan at least four hours for this amazing children’s science center. Housed in an old factory, the Science Center is full of hands-on exhibits and learning experiences kids (and adults) will love. Don’t miss the room where you can view real-time satellite images of the earth. I could have spent all day watching.

–Embassy Theatre :: Fort Wayne gets a lot of traveling Broadway acts stopping through on their way to Chicago. Even if you don’t see a show, stop in to see the beautiful architecture.

–TinCaps baseball at Parkview Field :: Fort Wayne is home to the nation’s best minor league baseball park. Catching a TinCaps game is fun for the whole family. We’re going back this summer and scheduling our trip around a TinCaps home game, because I want to experience a game at this beautiful park.

–Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo :: THIS ZOO. We travel a lot and visit a lot of zoos. Not all zoos are created equal, but the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo does it right. I’ve known about this zoo for a while, if you live in Indianapolis or surrounding areas, you’ve been told you need to visit this zoo because it’s amazing. I’m here to confirm it is, in fact, amazing. I can’t wait to take the girls back this summer.

Also, Fort Wayne’s downtown district is covered with lots of beautiful murals you’ll love. They commission local artists to create the pieces, and they’re adding more every year. Going on a mural hunt while you’re in town would be a fun adventure.

I was in Fort Wayne for three days and felt like I only scratched the surface of things to do. Everywhere I ate, everywhere I visited, someone recommended another place to see or thing to eat. It’s the Midwest so people are nice and helpful and I needed them to stop telling me about exciting things happening in the city because it made it really hard to leave.

On the positive side, I’ll be back with Chris and the girls this summer, and I can’t wait to show them Fort Wayne.

(I have one more recommendation for Fort Wayne, but it warrants its own post so come back tomorrow. I’ve got some stories to share with you.)

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED POST. I TRAVELED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VISIT FORT WAYNE TO EXPLORE THE CITY.

The happiest place on earth

We ended the week at Disney World.

After Universal, we stayed at the campground on Wednesday to do laundry, swim, and take naps. We knew the next two days were going to be full so taking a day off to recover felt necessary. (Another sign of a family of introverts: we have to take fun breaks or we don’t survive.)

We woke up Thursday morning energized and ready to go. This was going to be our longest day all week because we were doing the Magic Kingdom from 9 AM to 6 PM then Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party from 7 PM to midnight.

We travel with our dog, Blue, and because this day was going to be too long for him to stay inside, we booked him a reservation at Disney’s doggie daycare, Best Friends Pet Care. He spent the day playing with friends and going on long walks on the beach…just kidding, no beach. I just felt that sentence had to end that way. So we played at Disney for fifteen hours on Thursday and Blue lounged at the dog spa.

Not popular confession: I liked Disney, but I don’t really have the desire to go back anytime soon.

I KNOW.

Please sit down and breathe into a paper bag.

Don’t get me wrong, it was fun. We loved the two days we were there and there were lots of things we didn’t get to see or do. But it just seems like so much hype and money and chaos–it’s not the way I like to vacation. I don’t regret the trip at all, but we’ve been lots of really great places (a ski resort in Michigan, Yellowstone National Park, the Florida coast) and I don’t think Disney was any more special or exciting than any of those.

Plus, our goal of all fifty states by the time the girls graduate won’t happen if we do the same trips again and again.

Was Disney a bummer? Absolutely not. We loved it. We loved the old school rides and the brand new Toy Story section. We loved the crew members and the live shows. I’m so glad we went. The girls were the perfect ages (seven and nine) so they didn’t tire easily and they’ll remember this forever.

I’m glad we’re home. I’m glad we can mark it off the list. I’m glad next time we can go explore some other new place. And you can bet I started planning our next trip on the way home from Florida.

*To see how we prepared for the trip, check out this post.
*To see the first part of our week at Universal, go here.

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We solemnly swear we are up to no good.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Universal Studios and Disney World over fall break felt impossible. We travel often, but we do it on a budget. We pull the camper to stay inexpensively. We eat out, but we also eat at the campsite a lot. We see new things but most of them are free or nearly-free. We’re committed to showing the girls all fifty states, but also saving for college and so we do it carefully.

Universal Studios and Disney World felt too frivolous.

Universal Studios and Disney World felt too out of reach.

But then our renters abandoned our rental property, we spent all summer (and all our money) getting it ready to sell, and when it sold above asking price in a hot market, we suddenly had the money to do something we thought could never happen.

So before I share all the fun stuff we did over fall break, I feel it’s important to say we know this extravagant trip was a gift from God. The God we serve was showing off when the house sold and He was showing off with the extra money we were given. This trip was never going to be a reality for us. It’s not the way we choose to spend our money, and I’m too responsible to spend money on a vacation if I know we need to use that money elsewhere.

Being a financially responsible adult is the cross I bear.

God has been showing off in 2018 and this trip is an example of that.

OKAY, ENOUGH OF THAT. WE WENT ON A MAGICAL TRIP AND HERE’S WHAT WE DID:

We pulled the camper 1000 miles to the KOA Kampground in Orlando. (If you can book early enough, Disney has a campground that is amazing: Fort Wilderness Resort). We broke up the trip over two days because travel with a camper, two kids, and a dog is sloooooow. We boondock while traveling to our destination so while we don’t have electricity (or heat…or air conditioning…), we also don’t have to pay for a site. We stay in Wal-Mart parking lots surrounded by other campers and road-trippers in well-lit lots with security cameras. I know it might sound shady, but it’s legit and lots of people do it. Drive by a Wal-mart located near an interstate late at night sometime and count how many campers or semis you see in the back of the parking lot.

We stayed at the Orlando/Kissimmee KOA for the week. Six nights of campground fees cost us $416 which compared to a week at hotel is shockingly good. Before you get too excited though, I’ll mention driving your minivan to Florida costs at least 50% less than what pulling a camper with a giant SUV does. So we save money with the camper, but it also costs much more to get it down there. (But for us, it’s still less than a hotel bill which makes it worth it.)

The Orlando/Kissimmee KOA is about 15 minutes from Universal and 10 minutes from Disney World so it was the perfect spot for a week spent visiting both places.

We got to the campground and settled in on Sunday afternoon then rested up for Universal first thing Monday morning. I feel like Disney people will be insulted to read this, but we were most excited for Universal because of Harry Potter.

The girls knew we were going to Florida for fall break but didn’t know we were doing anything specific. We told them we’d be near a beach and just relaxing, so on Sunday morning as we neared Orlando, we broke the news to them, and Ellie lost her little mind.

She was excited for the trip, but I, having held in this surprise since April, was even more excited. It is not a competition, but if it was, I WOULD HAVE WON.

We did two days at Universal with the park-to-park pass going between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. (You can check out this post to see why we needed it for all the Harry Potter experiences.) I had prepared so much for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter that I sorta forgot there was other things at the park. I’m so serious–we walked into  Springfield home of the Simpsons and I was just shocked that it existed.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is magical. I’m not sure I have words to adequately describe how surreal it is. I’m not a Harry Potter super fan; I love it because Ellie loves it so much, and I love it because of what it does to her, but even I was overwhelmed at times during the Harry Potter experiences. It actually feels like you’re in the books and Hogwarts is real. The attention to detail was inspiring, and I don’t know how to describe the joy I felt getting to take Ellie there and seeing her excitement. It was worth every single penny we spent.

If I could go back and prepare more for the trip, I would have paid attention to all the movie experiences we’d be a part of. My kids rode the E.T. ride with NO IDEA what the movie was about; I was so disappointed in myself. We shot aliens and saved the world with the Men in Black, but my girls didn’t understand why they zapped our memory with a light at the end.

We are failing our children with all the movies they haven’t seen.

If you’re planning a trip to Universal Studios, I’d recommend introducing your kids to
The Simpsons
Marvel Superheros
The Blues Brothers (duh, ours already knew this movie really well *high five*)
Popeye
King Kong
Jurassic Park
Harry Potter (I feel like this is a given…)
Dr. Seuss
Despicable Me
Spongebob Squarepants (gag)
Shrek
Transformers
Revenge of the Mummy
Fast & Furious
Men in Black
Woody Woodpecker
Curious George
Barney
An American Tale with Fievel

Okay, so your kids probably know the more current cartoon characters and some of these aren’t appropriate for younger kids, but you get the idea. We came home with a list of movies to watch so the girls could see why the rides and experiences were so awesome.

Going over fall break made the crowds a lot more manageable. We didn’t wait in a line more than 30 minutes and everything seemed to move fast. It was really hot all week–like record-setting highs for October–so that made the days a little less comfortable, but in Indiana it was freezing rain and nasty so I’m not going to spend any time complaining.

Tomorrow: Disney World!

*To see how we prepared for the trip, check out this post.

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Universal and Disney World, but for cheap introverts

I did what anyone starting to plan a trip did: I Googled some things.

But instead of finding answers, I just found myself overwhelmed. We wanted to go to Universal and Disney World for fall break last month, but the information was never-ending, and it felt like everyone was telling me different things.

What I wanted was a low-key trip to a few amusement parks, but what I found was anxiety and stress. Too many articles. Too many tips. Too many ideas. Too many things to do.

So before I tell you how our fall break trip to Orlando was, I want to tell you how we prepared. Not because you can’t find a million answers on the internet to these exact questions, but because I feel so much of it was unnecessary and confusing. What if you want to go do Disney but you don’t go three times a year and spend all week there and know all the secret handshakes? What if I’ve never been to Universal Studios and you just want to make sure you don’t miss anything your kids want to do?

I want an introvert’s guide to Disney and Universal, if someone could write that, please and thank you.

Until that happens, I’ll tell you how we prepared for the trip, what we took with us to help lessen some in-park expenses, and what tips we actually used once we were in the park.

Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida
The main point of Universal was taking my Potterhead daughter to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The months leading up to our trip, I slowly collected Harry Potter shirts for all of us to wear. We spent two days at Universal and so we each needed two shirts. What’s great about HP is it’s so popular (still, 20 years after publication) you don’t have to struggle to find anything Harry Potter related. I picked up shirts at Target for the girls and Kohls for Chris and I.

I ordered robes from Amazon, and the party aisle of Wal-Mart supplied Harry Potter glasses and wands. We planned to buy wands from Ollivander’s once in the park, because they have special wands that allow you to do magic in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. (You can take a test here to determine what wand is best for you; Ellie got the wand she tested best for, but Harper just picked one she liked with no concern for the test results. This drove her sister crazy.)

My girls didn’t know we were going to Universal Studios or, specifically, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so I printed Hogwarts letters with their names on them to surprise them with the news. You can print your own letters here. Both girls still have their letters and treat them with the upmost care.

Because two days doing all things Harry Potter was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for my girls, we planned on letting them pick out one thing from a shop in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade as well. Harper got a Crookshanks stuffed animal, and Ellie got a quill set. We also stopped at Honeydukes for chocolate frogs, and we tried butterbeer (frozen and chilled versions) at the Leaky Cauldron.

We spent much less money at Disney or elsewhere in Universal, but for us, the pinnacle of our trip was Harry Potter so we lived like we had unlimited funds at Gringotts for a few days.

At home (AKA: the camper), I had stickers, character dolls, and pencil cases waiting for them when they crashed into bed at night. It was easy to say no to lots of expensive junk at the stores when I told them they had surprises waiting for them already. Our local Party City also had great Harry Potter stuff I picked up before the trip so we wouldn’t be tempted to buy over-priced things at the park.

Everything I had read told me to get into either Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade first thing in the morning before it got too busy. Part of the Harry Potter experience is riding the Hogwarts Express, but to do that, you have to have the park-to-park pass. If you get a ticket for just one park, you can’t ride the train or visit the other part. You could do one park each day and have plenty to do, but riding the Hogwarts Express is a really neat experience. Make sure to ride it both ways because each one is different.

We ate one meal at Universal, and it was ridiculously expensive. After that, I packed lunches and snacks in our backpack, and we only spent money on their refillable cup so we could drink pop or water whenever we wanted to. I would buy the refillable cup again, we definitely got our money’s worth over two days. (You can bring water bottles and drinks into the park, but carrying around a bunch of water in my backpack sounded horrible, so we sprang for the unlimited refills cup.)

Disney World in Orlando, Florida
I prepped for Disney the same way. I picked up Mickey and Minnie shirts for us at a Disney outlet mall this summer. The second day, we wore other Disney shirts (Moana, Star Wars, Lilo and Stitch, etc.), and if I didn’t get it at the Disney outlet, I picked it up at Kohls.

One day when I was brave, I asked my Facebook friends what Disney tips they had. We only had two days and I wanted opinions on what parks we should focus on for our very first visit. Without hesitation, people recommended Magic Kingdom. Some said Animal Kingdom was their favorite too, but we ended up choosing Hollywood Studios for the second day. We did not do the park jumper tickets because there was more to do in each of those parks individually so it was going to be a waste to add more things to do (plus many people said travel time–when you have a limited visit–wasn’t worth it). We also attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party one evening so I bought Minnie trick-or-treating bags for the girls at Wal-Mart plus unicorn headbands and tails at Target. I wanted them to be able to wear costumes, but I didn’t want to carry anything bulky around all day so I found small things to shove in the backpack.

Many Facebook friends said to order lanyards and trading pins on Ebay before we went to Disney and then trade pins with the crew members. I found lanyards on Amazon and a lot of 50 pins on Ebay before we left so when we arrived at the park, we were armed and ready to trade pins. The girls (and Chris…I didn’t buy him a lanyard for pins, but I learned the error of my ways when we ended up at the store the night before Disney buying one for him) had a lot of fun trading pins with crew members. Buying pins at the park is crazy expensive, but I got 50 for less than $30 and would HIGHLY RECOMMEND you do this before you go. Everyone came home with cool pins; Chris ended up with a whole lanyard of Star Wars pins and Harper completed a set of Mickey pins. It was a fun extra thing to do there that many people weren’t aware of. We had more than a few people ask us what we were doing and how many times we’d been there to collect that many pins.

We didn’t buy an souvenirs at the Disney parks. I had enough goodies like Mickey stuffed animals, stationary, tattoos, pens, and sticky notes at home from Target, the Dollar Store, and Party City to keep us out of the shops and kiosks.

I learned my lesson on day one of Universal so we came to Disney prepared with sandwiches and snacks. It was convenient and easy to eat while waiting in line for something so we only spent money on special snacks like LeFou’s Brew and the giant cinnamon roll at Gaston’s Pub. Of course, we had to get Mickey ice cream, but it was so so hot that it didn’t last as long as everyone would have liked. I think Harper’s ended up on the sidewalk. Ellie tried a Mickey pretzel (it was a hit), and we had decadent cupcakes at the ABC Commissary.

When you buy tickets, you get three FastPass options with each ticket. 30 days before your visit you can select what rides or experiences you want and at what time. I wasn’t too concerned when the 30 day mark rolled around and selected our FastPass times later than I should have. We still had good options, but if I had done it the day it came open, I think I would have selected a few different rides. A lot of people make food reservations, but we weren’t there to eat food so we skipped that.

Okay, that’s it for my low-key tips and suggestions. If you’ve got some, leave them below, but remember, I get overwhelmed easily so talk quietly and slowly.

Wednesday: Universal Studios!
Thursday: Disney World!

 

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In the hills of West Virginia, on a hot, hot weekend in July

Chris’ younger brother joined the Marines after high school and, when he finished, never made his way back to Indianapolis. On the east coast, he found a new life, a wife, and a family so we don’t get to see him very often now.

In 2017, Mike and Kristin had their first child, a girl named Savannah.

Kids change the game.

Nothing makes the passage of time more apparent or in-your-face than kids growing. In the blink of an eye, they’re big. Ask me how I know this.

There are more Graham kids than just ours now, and we want those kids to know each other. So we headed east last week, and the other Grahams headed west, and we met in the hills of West Virginia for a long weekend of camping.

At night, we sat around the campfire. In the morning, we sat around the picnic table with coffee. In between we biked and walked and sidewalk-chalked and grilled and swam and floated and ice-creamed.

Savannah decided Harper was the bee’s knees and did everything she could to keep up.

Ellie looks like her daddy, and Savannah looks like her daddy so we compared their noses and cheeks and eyes. We marveled at how genetics work, and I told Kristin you have to wait until the second baby to get one that resembles you in the slightest.

West Virginia was hot so we escaped to the cold air conditioning of our camper, thankful for the extra space and the luxury. We spent the weekend covered in sand, sticky no matter how many showers we took, and happy.

The past twelve months have brought a lot of changes to Chris’ family. Graham kids started to say things they remember, things they’d like to forget. They started learning about each other and what they experienced–both together and separate–which has shaped them as adults. Adult children of alcoholics carry a weight with them.

And while it’s not my story to share, but I can tell you (with a million stories to back it up) that it takes just one person to stop hiding and that change becomes like dynamite, blowing up all the lies and denial and pretend-safety a whole family was operating in.

After Mike fulfilled his commitment to the military, he moved farther up the east coast. He had met a girl and wasn’t ready to come home just yet. I think, unintentionally, the decision to not come back to Indy saved him. Sometimes the best medicine is distance.

I’d say it is intriguing Mike and Chris both married strong, opinionated women. Kristin and I are alike in more ways than not. I’m sure psychologists wouldn’t call it intriguing, they’d call it stereotypical and then explain why it worked that way. I’m not smart enough to analyze it or, frankly, very interested in it. But it’s there: they married similar women.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about the legacy we’re bringing these Graham babies into. But I’m also really hopeful. Cycles and secrets and shame only continue in the dark, in the shadows, in the enablers, and in the manipulators. But once it’s all been exposed, there’s space to start again.

So in the hills of West Virginia, on a hot, hot weekend in July, the Graham boys brought their wives and babies to a campground to talk about what went wrong, what went right, and what we do with it all. And I think—I pray—that’s what change starts with.

Details about our trip:
-We stayed at the Huntington-Fire Fox KOA in Milton, West Virginia. While I normally rave about KOAs, I was not impressed with this one and wouldn’t recommend you stay there. We were close to a small town, local restaurants, and a few cute ice cream shops, but the campground was kinda crappy. I’d stay somewhere else if you’re around Milton.
-We ate ice cream at The Twist in Milton, and it was perfect on a hot summer day. Most of the Yelp reviews were not favorable, but most complaints were about the time it took to get your food, not the actual food. So we chanced it, had a great experience, and would go back if we’re ever in the area again.
-Milton is also home to the Blenko Glass Company, and it’s definitely worth a visit. You can take a self-guided tour and watch the workers blow glass in a bazillion degree factory. It’s mesmorizing to watch and even though you think your face will melt off, I would go back again. The girls got glass souvenirs from their amazing showroom. You could drop some cash in that place. If you bring kids, make sure to take them to the register with you, they let the kids pick out a handful of marbles as a parting gift.

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Summer Travel Must-Haves

I hope you’re traveling this summer.

Whether it’s across town, to the neighboring state, or across the world, I hope you have the opportunity to go somewhere new, see something different, and be someone else for a minute. There are a million reasons to travel, but those three are near the top of the list for me.

We’re on the road right now, somewhere in the hills of West Virginia with our dog and our camper. We don’t have any grand plans this summer, just short three-to-four day trips as Chris settles in at a new job. We were in New Orleans in March and in October we head to Florida, but for now, it’s just quicker drives and longer weekends.

As I was packing the car and camper last week, I realized my favorite travel items are probably things everyone should know about because they make our trips easier, keep stress to a minimum, and help us have a good time while we’re away from home. I think that’s a goal everyone has when they’re gone so I’m sharing my very-limited amount of travel wisdom here for your reading pleasure.

What I LOVE to travel with:

-Phone tripod
Listen, I don’t own a selfie stick and I never will. I have principles and standards and I just cannot handle a selfie stick. There I said it. BUT I will allow a phone tripod (like this one) to hold my phone if we need to take a family picture with all for of us. A selfie stick feels like it’s all about me, but a tripod feels like it’s about including everyone. That’s how my brain works. Deal with it.

-the book Road Food: An Eater’s Guide Across American & the Yelp app
I’ve shared this before, but our travel rule is we eat where the locals eat. I want to explore new restaurants and fall in love with food I can’t get at home. Remembering a location by a great place to eat is fun for us so we pick restaurants one of two ways: with the Road Food by Jane and Michael Stern or the Yelp app on our phone. The Sterns traveled the country writing this book well before the internet told you all the great hole-in-the-wall treasures available so there’s something nostalgic about carrying this book in our car and checking to see if we’ll be near any of the places. There are only about 3-5 places per state (if that) so more often than not, we use the Yelp app on our phone to see what’s nearby and what the people are saying. We have never had a bad dining experience as we stick to four and five star spots. People are brutally honest with their review on Yelp and I really appreciate it. I still remember the ONE time we went to a Mexican restaurant near a place we were staying in Washington, DC and didn’t check Yelp. It was disgusting. A bad food experience sticks with you. Yelp for safety, guys.

-a really comfortable maxi dress
Okay, maybe it’s a muu-muu. There I said it, I like to travel in muu-muus. But here’s the thing, all that good food? All that sitting in the car while getting to your destination? You don’t feel your best, leanest self on vacation. Enter: GIANT DRESSES. I don’t think I really need to convince you, but here goes: they’re amazing to travel in, they work as bathing suit coverups, you can sleep in them, you can wear them to dinner and look like you care about your appearance, and, once again, they’re amazing to travel in. I might even be wearing one as you read this. Go check Instagram. (This is my favorite black one I wear all summer long. I use this one as a cover up. Or you could just search muu-muu on Amazon because the options are endless.)

-Redbox movies
I know all the fancy people download movies to tablets and let their kids watch them, but we don’t do that. I’m pretty much anti-iPad if you haven’t picked that up yet. But traveling for long distances without some kind of electronic is also really hard. Yes, kids can do it, generations before us traveled across the United States without so much as a Walkman, but we do let our kids watch a few movies when we travel. We sprinkle Redbox movies (found at most gas stations or McDonald’s restaurants) in with coloring, reading, playing, and staring out the window wishing you weren’t stuck in a car. It’s all about moderation, and the $1.50 movie rental is a perfect addition to our long hours in the car.

-DJI Osmo Mobile
I take a million pictures when we travel, but rarely do I take longer videos like my parents did back in the day. I’ll share snippets to my Instagram Stories, but I’m not really taking videos that would equate to the home movies my parents made during my childhood. Am I alone in this? Do you find yourself recording longer videos when you travel? When we went to New Orleans in the spring, I got to test out the DJI Osmo Mobile compliments of Verizon, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was to remember to take longer videos as we traveled and how professional they looked. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m *really* good at taking shaky videos that make viewers want to barf, but with the Osmo Mobile, it steadies your hand and your cell phone so you can take amazing videos that look like you had a camera crew with you on vacation. Plus, the app lets you edit videos to share instantly so you can make everyone at home jealous with your adventures.

-Chatbooks app for your drive home
I shared this in an email before, but I still love it so much and think you will too. Chatbooks are a great way to finally get all those pictures off your phone and in physical form. I have the app on my phone and while we’re on the road heading back to Indiana, I’ll upload the pictures I want to print onto a private Instagram account and then let the Chatbooks app put them in book form. (Side note: don’t do this on your regular Instagram account that people follow, THAT IS SUPER ANNOYING. I will unfollow you in three seconds flat if you post multiple pictures a day or use Instagram like a Facebook album. THEY’RE NOT THE SAME THING. And if you want to upload all of pictures for something fun like Chatbooks, make a new, private account that no one has to scroll through then just pick one or two favs for the public, follower account. I’m serious. We don’t want to see all your vacation pictures on Instagram. Stop it.) You can also use Chatbooks through Facebook so you don’t have to have an IG account at all. I print a 6×6 book after every trip and it becomes a scrapbook of our adventure we can grab off the shelf anytime we want to reminisce. If you use this link, you’ll get your first book free and I’ll earn $5 toward my next one which is a win-win in my book.

What about you? What’s on your must-have travel list? Anything you can’t live without that the rest of the class needs to know?

 

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Spring Break in New Orleans

I didn’t think it was a good idea to go.

We were just beginning to recover from the financial stress of rehab bills and treatment costs, Chris being unable to work, and living with very little income.

It felt irresponsible to take a vacation.

When I talked through my worries and fears with my counselor, she encouraged me to let Chris decide. So much of our relationship the past few years had been me leading and making all the choices because when I tried to involve Chris, he would avoid committing or helping at all cost. He would agree with me even as I asked for help in my decision or a conversation about a choice.

So Lisa said, “Let Chris decide whether you go or not.”

Interesting. Okay. I’ll let Chris decide.

We had already let the girls know vacation might be postponed. While they don’t need specifics or enough information to worry about anything, I believe it’s important to talk to our daughters about money and the choices we’re making with our money. We talked about the big car repair expense we had recently and how it felt too tight to go on vacation right now because vacations cost money and it might not be the best use of money at this moment.

They understood but were bummed.

A week before we were supposed to leave, Chris said we should go.

And so we went to New Orleans for spring break.

I wanted to go because VACATION. But I also didn’t want to go because ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES weigh heavy on me. Allowing Chris to decide meant I didn’t shoulder all the weight of our decision. Allowing Chris to decide meant I got to follow someone else’s lead.

It felt good, but it also made me nervous.

A year ago, I would not have wanted or trusted Chris’ decision-making skills. I didn’t yet know he was spending his days and evenings drinking in secret, but I knew I couldn’t trust him. Now with over five months of sobriety, hard work, and a morning routine that involves AA recovery books and the Bible, I had seen enough action (not words, because those don’t hold much weight with me…) to know he was acting with a clear head and in the best interest of our family.

It took a long time to get to that point. There were times I never thought it could happen.

But here we are, seeing the fruit–finally–of a long, hard road where Chris is working hard, not just me.

And so we went to New Orleans for spring break.

It was just what we needed. For the first time in months, we weren’t at home living in a house where so much hurt still resided. We weren’t running away from the hurting and healing, but we were taking a short break from it.

We did a lot of nothing on vacation. I have a hard time doing nothing at home, but I’m an expert at doing nothing on vacation and my family appreciates the break from constantly-moving-and-doing Mom.

I appreciate the new eyes I gained for my husband on vacation. I got to remember the fun parts of Chris, the parts that make him a great dad, the parts where he loves adventure and learning and exploring.

We spent time with friends who have been with us through the twists and turns of the past year, friends who were with us during the first rehab stint in 2010. Friends who forgive and guide and pray for us even as they themselves have been hurt and lied to in this mess. The most powerful examples of Jesus are often found outside the walls of a church and getting to do life with people who live thousands of miles away from us but still show up when they’re needed is humbling.

It doesn’t hurt that our girls love each other and get along well either.

We went to New Orleans for spring break and while we were gone, the calendar turned to six months of sobriety for Chris Graham. The day was quiet with no mention of what the number meant. Chris is proud of his sobriety, but still carries the shame and embarrassment of what led up to his last day of drinking. So milestones are bittersweet. We acknowledge them in small ways and then move on. There’s still a lot of work to do, but the work behind him is good too.

The decision to take a vacation made me worry. I didn’t think much of the stress I was causing myself, because I am so used to carrying the weight of our family’s well-being and health on my back. Making sure all the bills are paid, making sure we’re all in counseling, making sure we’re saying I love you and backing it up with our actions, making sure everyone feels safe and secure, making sure there is laughter and lightness, making sure my kids get to be kids and that they have a healthy mom and a safe dad.

But with the vacation decision, I got to see a glimpse of what healthy marriages do. I got to feel what it was like to not carry everything on your own, to rely on your spouse to also make wise and thought-out decisions, and to trust them. I got to see what shouldering a burden equally looks like.

It feels lighter when you do that.

It looks like communication and health when you do that.

It was, perhaps, the first time I got excited for what’s to come. I got a hint at what a healthy, balanced relationship can look like, and I got hopeful for the future.

We went to New Orleans for spring break, and it was good.

If you follow me on Instagram (@themarygraham), you know that our trip was full of amazing sights, delicious food, and quiet rest. I had lots of questions about where we stayed and where we went, so below are the details if you’re interested in camping near New Orleans in the most luxurious campground you’ve ever been to and eating delicious food with your family.

-On the drive down, we stayed in Cave City, Kentucky for the night. We had planned to boondock (just pull in somewhere, like a Wal-mart, to sleep without unhooking or plugging in), but we didn’t make it far enough south to get to warm weather so we had to pay for a spot and turn on the heat. So we camped at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave and spent time at Dinosaur World the next morning before getting back on the road. The girls (and Blue, because it’s dog friendly) loved Dinosaur World. I don’t think we’ll do another Dinosaur World because once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, but it was a fun one-time spot. (We’ve camped near here before when visiting Mammoth Cave and also highly recommend the KOA at Horse Cave. We stayed there over the Memorial Day weekend a few years ago, and the place was clean, had cute animals on a small farm, and put on a great fireworks show.)

-We stayed at the amazing Reunion Lake RV Resort in Ponchatoula, Louisiana for the majority of our trip. It looks good online, almost too good to be true. But when we pulled in, I realized it was even better in person. We stayed in a spot overlooking the lake (site 159, to be exact) and only a stroll away from the lazy river, swim-up bar, adult pool and hot tub, and the family pool. Oh, and also near the mini-golf course, playground, and the basketball courts. The last two days of our stay were spent watching them build a huge water attraction/obstacle course in the lake near us. We had amazing 80 degree weather most days, but their busy season starts April 1st and I can just imagine how busy and exciting this place is in the summer. If you have a camper, put this place on your list. There’s also a restaurant, game room, bar, and a Sonic Drive-Thru at the entrance. You could park your rig here and not need to leave all week.

-From Reunion Resort, you’re within a 10-15 minute drive to tons of great local places to eat. Two we tried and really loved were Our Mom’s Restaurant & Bar in nearby Hammond (spend an evening walking around their main street) and Habanero’s in Covington (their homemade chips and salsa plus the bacon-wrapped BBQ shrimp tacos were a hit).

-One afternoon we ventured to Kliebert’s Turtle and Alligator Farm and had an unforgettable experience. Their website claims the farm was established in 1957 by the original “Swamp People” and I would one-million percent vouch for this claim. Guys, I want you to visit this place, because it will be memorable, but also it will scar you a little? I don’t even know how to explain it. The girls got to sit on lots of animals, even ones we probably shouldn’t have. Our guide (who until a few weeks ago, was a waitress at a local restaurant) WRESTLED an alligator in bare feet so she could tape his mouth shut so we could all pet and sit on him. It made me so nervous and I did have a little mental breakdown while trying to be adventurous, but you only get to see that madness if you follow me on Instagram. I get sweaty and giggle/cry if I think about it too much. But seriously, visit this place and then tell your friends. It’s the weirdest experience ever and I don’t want you to miss it.

-Between the two of us, Chris and I have been to New Orleans six or seven times so we didn’t do much of the typical Canal Street or neighboring areas visits. We didn’t have the desire and kids probably shouldn’t go there. But we did visit Jackson Square, shop at the French Market, watch beignets being made at Cafe du Monde (and eat at Cafe du Monde…), and enjoy gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice at the Gumbo Shop. If you’ve got a Jr. Ranger badge collector, there are a few National Park places to explore near the water as well as a children’s museum and aquarium.

-We had planned to spend one last day in New Orleans before heading home, but a pretty wicked storm rolled in and so we packed up early and headed north. We had dinner in Bessemer, Alabama, at the delicious Bob Sykes B-B-Q and ended the night in Huntsville, Alabama, where we slept in a Wal-Mart parking lot (it’s where all the cool people camp, FYI…) then walked into the U.S. Space & Rocket Center the minute it opened the next morning. This is where they hold space camp, and since it was spring break, we braced ourselves for tons of kids and field trips, but apparently if you go right when it opens, the place is empty and we got to do everything we wanted with no waiting. By 11:00 things were getting crowded and lines were getting insane. We stayed until lunchtime and then hit the road home. You could easily spend a full day (or more) there, but it was at the end of our trip, we were getting tired, and ready to be home. But if you’re near Huntsville, definitely visit the Space & Rocket Center.

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