A few weeks ago I asked for questions you might have for me via Instagram. I answered many in Round One so if you missed that post, please be sure to check it out!
I’m starting with an easy one! Hands down-a bath and a book at night. I just finished, The Look-Alike, which was GOOD if you’re into thrillers!
I’m the worst breakfast chef. There’s just something about my kitchen being all clean in the morning that makes me want to make breakfast be the most simple meal of the day. I make my kids a lot of waffles via the toaster with peanut butter, nutella, honey, etc. My go-tos are any frozen egg bite that requires just a microwave {Trader Joe’s cauliflower are my FAVORITE with hot sauce on the side}, frozen protein waffles {the Van’s brand are good}, or a protein bar. For lunch, I usually eat leftovers. This week I’ve had a sandwich, leftover sloppy joe meat topped with spicy pickles {I’m having a moment with spicy pickles}, and leftover chicken and rice.
I’d start by researching adoption agencies and deciding which agency you want to help you during this process. Congratulations-by the way! Adoption is so near and dear to my heart. I love hearing about other people adding to their family through adoption.
AAAHHHHH!!!! I feel you, Mama! So much of our consequences depend on the child but depending on what works for your kid-no screen time, extra chores, alone time in his/her room, etc. Those are all my go-tos when we’re working on correcting behavior.
This year has been tough! It’s hard to interact when parents aren’t really allowed up at school much. I’m Bowen’s room mom {I share the duties with another mom friend} so I am in and out of his room much more frequently than I’m in Nixon’s class. For Bowen’s teacher I try to stay in contact via e-mail letting her know I’m available to help anytime. The co-room mom and I were up a lot during the holidays to help with parties but I haven’t been in his room since Christmas.
This summer we’re doing something completely different than ever before and we’re heading out west…Utah {we’ve been to Utah before but we’re seeing a different side of it this time}, Montana, and Wyoming. My boys are so excited about it-Ebby Lee has her doubts. She was vying for a beach. If you’ve done this kind of vacation and did something you loved, please share!
Our COVID numbers spiked here in July and then went back up around November-January. Since February numbers have been much lower. Now I must tell you I live in a county with a lot of people so the actual numbers are pretty relative to our area. And when my mom who lives in a much less populated country county shares her numbers they’re WAY different.
9! Can you see that via the pages of this blog?
Remember you’re ON THE SAME TEAM!! I needed someone to tell me this in those early years of marriage {especially during those tired mama of two babies, I was exhausted days}, because I often found myself keeping score. There was no need!
My first suggestion would be to just take the jump and get started by setting up a blog, sharing things you’re passionate about, and then encouraging friends/family to read. My biggest tip is to be consistent no matter what or how you decide to do it. {Says the girl who is the most inconsistent poster on Instagram 😩😩}
Did you see my post on Monday? I didn’t do a big play-by-play recap because we really and truly got lots of work done.
I’m a solid 5-day-a-weeker. 😉 I will say that during quarantine when I had all the time in the world with no place to go, yes, I worked out everyday because I had the time but with life more back to normal and kids’ tournaments covering my calendar on the weekends I typically only work out Monday-Friday. Twice a week I go to the gym to do more strength training/weight lifting. The other three days I ride the Peloton, run/walk, do a Peloton app workout, a Pinterest workout, etc. My motto right now is to MOVE my body and do something I enjoy for 30-45 minutes five days a week.
I think I have one more installment of questions coming up next week and then I’ve hit them all! Thank you so much for following along!
XO
Your Q and A posts are so fun! Thanks for sharing!!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Love these Q & A posts! And I need to try those egg bites!
If you are going to Yellowstone National Park…we were there a few years ago. We stayed outside of West Yellowstone in Island Park, Idaho. Right where Idaho, Wyoming and Montana meet. It was a great vacation. We didn't make it to the Utah side of things. We LOVED renting ATV's and going thru the mountains that way(outside of the national park). We also white water rafted in Montana. Old Faithful was cool but a ton of people. Eat huckleberry anything when there!
Grand Tetons and Yellowstone was one of my very favorite summer vacations ever! Maybe because we left the kids at home! Ha!!!Seriously though, the Bar J Chuckwagon dinner was a MAJOR highlight. I just heard they are closing down after this summer, so defintiely do it! Jackson Hole is the sweetest downtown, so plan to spent time there. IT was all just so much fun!
We did an out West vacation last summer. We did hit up National Parks. Hands down our favorites were Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. My family of 5 all agrees on this. You guys will have a great time. So beautiful 🤩
We did Yellowstone and the Tetons last summer and loved it. Jackson, WY is one of my favorite places. Rafting in Big Sky, MT as well. So fun. Just like Annie M. mentioned, we stayed in Island Park. If you are renting a house in the area do not, do not rent from Kabino Rentals. They do not clean their houses in between guests. We realized about 7 pm that all the sheets and towels in the 5 bedroom house we were in were dirty. We stayed up until midnight washing. Do not trust them as I read about someone else whose experience was worse than ours. Other than that, one of my most favorite vacations.
We’re going to Utah this summer too! Arches National park and canyon lands National park. So excited!
If you're going to Utah, my biggest recommendation is to try and hike The Narrows. It's in Zion National Park. I'm not sure how far you would be able to go with the smaller kids, but it is so worth the attempt!
We did a 2-week trip West with three middle school girls years ago and is our favorite family vacation to date. If you're going to Yellowstone, be sure to look into the Old West Dinner Cookout. It was great for all ages and really family friendly! We also went white water "floating" in Utah. I'm not sure if we got lucky or not, but our guide was amazing and had the kids out of the raft floating down the river and stopped often to show different wild animals. Out 2 hour float turned into a 4 hour adventure. It's a great trip that we talk about doing again often!
You need to hit up Lagoon when you are in Utah! It’s an amusement park that is so much fun for families.
If you want any suggestions on things for your Utah/Wyoming/Montana trip, I'd be happy to give some. I live in Utah but we have a place in Star Valley, Wyoming. We also spend a lot of time in Montana since it is so close.
I live in MT… you are going to love coming this way for vacation!!
Adding "The Look-Alike" to my reading list. Thrillers are my favorite genre.
I love spicy pickles. I sure hope Trader Joe's brings theirs back!!!
OMG, one of our most favorite vacations was out west. We flew to Montana, visited family in Billings, drove to Bozeman (The Museum of the Rockies at Montana St. University is awesome!) and then spent time at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks as well in Jackson Hole. We're not really repeat vacation people b/c there's too much to see in the world. However, I'd do this trip again hands down. Everyone loved it!
My parents have a house at Flathead Lake in Montana and we go up every summer! Where are y’all going? It’s amazing in the summer! Go fishing or rent a boat on a lake. The water is crystal clear 20 feet down but is much colder than southern lakes ����. Kids don’t usually mind though! We’ve also done Yellowstone several times and are doing Teton this year. For main attractions like Old Faithful, plan to do those first thing in the morning and get an early start to squeeze in as much as you can. Traffic around those areas gets super congested in the afternoon and you spend a lot of time sitting in traffic. We love to stay in West Yellowstone right outside the park- super cute, fun town that’s completely walkable. Don’t waste your money staying at a lodge inside the park- you pay premium prices for motel 6/cabin type tiny rooms. Nothing amazing about the experience or the food there, so we always recommend staying outside the parks. Have the best time! This area is so fun to explore in the summer!
We went to Utah in October. If you are going to Arches National Park get there early because they are only allowing so many in at a time. Best thing ever and I never thought I would do this was a small plane ride over the parks. Can't recommend RedTail Air Adventures in Moab enough. Yellowstone is a must. Artist Point is my favorite place on Earth. I could stand there for hours. God's creation at its best. If you are in Jackson Hole check out the Jackson Hole Playhouse. Dinner and a show always great. And they have gunfight reenactments on town square too. I wasn't sure about going out West my first time either. Wanted that beach too. But now I love it and we are going to Yosemite in September.
Hi Erika! I live in MT and we are only 2 hours from Yellowstone Park, 1 hour from Big Sky and 4 hours from Jackson, WY (such a special place for us- we met there and then later got engaged back there- that was 15 years ago!!) My brother and his family live in Jackson so we visit often and know some great stuff to do!! Would be happy to give you tips/ideas for MT and WY! You’re gong to love it all and have so much fun!!
Use the app Just Ahead in National Parks. You have to pay by park but it is worth every single cent. The app narrates as you drive and ensures you see the most important things and skip the so so things. We do a national park trip every other year (I have named them brown sign adventures) and this app really helps us understand what hikes/walks are appropriate for our kids and time allotment. We also enjoy learning about where and how to spot wildlife. Yellowstone is HUGE and you need a game plan. Be prepared your cell phone will not work in 80% of the park and you need a way to navigate thru the park without your phone. Tetons is small. We were in both in August of 2020 and our cell phones worked in the Tetons. Just Ahead app works without cell service.
Dude ranch, horseback riding, fly fishing are great in Wyoming, Utah and Montana. Might be able to catch a rodeo somewhere as well. Not sure of your route, but Bryce and Zion National Parks are exceptional.
You are going to LOVE the west!! I moved here to the southeast corner of Idaho (SLC is my nearest big airport) for work about seven years from the south, and I have never been happier. I echo every single suggestion above for Jackson Hole. Try the dinner show at Bar J Ranch – the Bar J Wranglers are a must-see. Horseback riding (at any ranch) is a blast. The Pioneer Covered Wagon dinner is a treat, as well. My favorite Jackson restaurant is Genevieve's!!! Great food and a great patio. There are fun mountain coasters at Snow King Resort that your kids might adore, right in the town Jackson. In the summer, you can ride the Gondola at Jackson Hole ski area and eat at the restaurants at the top of the mountain. We often ride the Gondola up and walk down the mountain – a great afternoon adventure! Floating on the Snake River is a MUST. And the list goes on – hahaha – Yellowstone is incredible as well, in addition the cute town of West Yellowstone, Montana. Even your teenage girl will love it all! =)
I feel like you're speaking to me with the be consistent when blogging thing. 😂😂😂 It's so true though!!! I need to get better. Also, every time you mention the bath, why do I remember you telling me a story about Nixon or Bowen busting in on you in there? Or was it on the blog? Was that even you? Now I'm not sure. 😂
That Inspired Chick
The Utah National Parks are gorgeous! Of course Zion is the most well-known but my family loved Bryce Canyon, Arches, and even Canyonlands. There was so much to explore that warrants a return visit for us. Also recommend getting the National Park pass cause it's 1 per car and saves so much on entrance fees! Have fun and can't wait to see your pictures/trip recap 🙂
Visit Gardiner MT and do a rafting and overnight trip with Wild West Rafting. It was a blast.
Go to Yellowstone National Park! You will not regret it! BEAUTIFUL!
Ok so if you are heading to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone you must use the Gypsy Guide for Yellowstone / Grand Teton. You listen to it in your car and it's the BEST! So informative and it picks up where you are when driving and it just helped us see and understand SO MUCH! Loved it out there and dream it about it. It was one of my top vacations! 🙂
I’m reading through all the comments! We are going to Colorado, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Utah this summer too! There will be 6 families total in our campers!
We're headed to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons this June. I'm loving reading all your comments! My family went a few times when I was a kid, now I get to share it with my husband and kids – we're renting an RV. You definitely need to do a Rodeo night-I'm not sure where you're going in MT and Wy to give pointers. You're going to LOVE it!!!