While it may appear that we have a grand ole' time and no big problems on all of our journeys, this is not always the case. Matt and I are very compatible when it comes to traveling and being prompt. I think this is an important thing to see eye to eye on as it is one of mine (and his) pet peeves. If we say we are leaving the house at 9:00 am.... we are usually pulling out of the driveway w/in 5 minutes of our goal - usually early. We find this is best accomplished by one word: preparation. This means the night before departure is work, work, work. I'm talking all the way down to the shoes and coats being lined up by the door, kids clothes laid out, diaper bag & snacks packed, game boys charged, GPS loaded, etc. Back to traveling... we usually get gone as we intended. However, it is not without its hitches.
Some trips are quite pleasant, and others not so much. We do have a tv in our car to aide in "child" entertainment. We have also discovered the boys can play their "plug n' play" games to pass the time away and Jordyn enjoys Baby Einstein movies. Of course, as soon as we get in the car at least one child is hungry, one wants to know how much longer, and one has to pee or has a dirty diaper.
After a few stops for various reasons, we make it to our destination and then the race is on. Matt and I are all about timing and if you have kids, you know what I mean. You hit the restaurants EARLY - like as soon as they open for lunch/dinner. Once everyone has a full belly (and someone spills a drink or doesn't like their food) its time to hit the main attraction - whatever that may be. Now, keep in mind, seeing the main attraction is a very abbreviated version. It's not like Matt and I can head into the various shops (as we salivate through the windows at all the clothes and shoes.) In guided tour places, we can't just take a tour and learn all the history (not that I'm terribly interested) and detail of the castle, wall, or church. Instead, we get a glimpse of what it looks like, take a few pictures, and run out of the place before one of the kids decide to jump over the wall or start throwing a temper tantrum.
While strolling, we see people who think the kids are oh so sweet. You know, the sweet little elders who goo and gaa and smile at you. Then, we meet MANY who have a different opinion. We get rolling of eyes and looks of disgusts when one of the children decides to take a 90 degree turn out of the blue, falls down on his "heelies", or begins throwing everything possible out of the stroller. We also have to let the little one stretch her legs and walk a bit which is hard, but she is learning to hold our hand.
So, the choice is ours. We either choose to go and see all these beautiful sites with the kids, or we don't. It's simple. Matt and I know that we will probably never have this opportunity again and the kids won't remember hardly a thing. But, we don't want to have regrets, so we choose to put ourselves through a little torture in order to explore. We figure if we come back all in one piece and we are still speaking to each other when we pull into the driveway, we've had a successful excursion. Some turn out to be more fun than others, but they are ALL an adventure.
With all that being said, our latest trip was to Koln, Germany. It is known for it's gothic cathedral which is something else. If you're interested: go to http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/cologne-cathedral.htm . During WWII, it was the only structure in Koln left standing and untouched and it was completed over a period of 600+ years. We didn't get to climb the spiraling staircase to the top, or stroll around for long, but we got to buy a 1 Euro pamphlet to read in the car on the way home and see with our own eyes the highlights. It was GORGEOUS. I can't even put it into words. I normally don't take pictures in church's but people were snapping them right and left, so I decided to snatch a few for myself. Breathtaking.... Here are a few:
So, no matter where you live, how many kids you have, how much money you make, or what you do... Get out there and explore the world around you. The world has a lot to offer and we are only here for a little while before God decides to bring us home. :)
9 comments:
I love this post! I was just commenting the other day about how we never take Sam anywhere. Tim and I are big chickens and hate when we feel we are making others suffer when our child is misbehaving. But that is so sad! I want Sam to do things that I didn't get to do growing up. So Tim and I need to suck it up and start taking him places!!
That is a great story, you know we do have our time here for a short while, so why not live it. I need to be a stressed and be adventurus.
Thanks for that girl
I totally agree. I would do the same if I were you. We travel- with the camper- and love taking our kids on adventures. I'd go as much as I could if I were in your shoes! I'm jealous of all you are seeing!
Jolee, what a great post! I think Poppy will have to be a GoGoGo type of kiddo. Greg and I never slow down. I always thought it was a fault, but now I see, they will accomodate! Your kids will appreciate all of these experiences and it sounds like you all are already! Keep it up!
i think that's hilarious. here i thought you had it all together and were able to actually drink in all the sights, and come to find out, you're us, only with one more kid! we are total pre-planners, even for church, and we are literally at a destination long enough to make it look like we were there longer, then we're outta there! good post.
Hi! It's Mitzi's friend, Kara, here. I love reading your blog and following you guys on your trips and adventures. I wish we were there with you! I'm so jealous of all the sights you are getting to see. Keep it up and keep making it look so easy to the rest of us. I'm traveling to all these sights through your pictures! Where are we going next? Ha!
Hi Jolee! I went to high school with you (my maiden name was Sparks). I've recently joined the world of bloggers, so it's neat to find people on here! Your kids are adorable and I love reading about your adventures. We are wanting to take my little girl (who's 2 1/2) to North Carolina to see my brother, so this really gives me some good pointers! Thanks!
Blah, blah, blah. I've got kids. We travel. We plan, plan, plan. Yada yada yada. Just kidding! I think Landen and Hayden will remember more than you think, especially when they look back at pics. I'm so jealous that you guys get to go to all those places. And your (Matt included) ability to cart around 3 kids does impress me. I know I sure couldn't do it.
What a wonderful opportunity to expose your kids to such wonderful places. It's so great that you are taking the time to do just that - even if it means a little stress to get out the door. I love seeing all the photos of the beautiful places you have visited.
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