Tag: tent

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Camping Essentials: Have Tent, Will Travel

For many years, my motto was “Have tent.  Will travel.” The kids knew that if they wanted to visit new places, they had to be willing to sleep in a tent.  They’ve slept in tents in Quebec, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Florida, South Dakota, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and several other states. They even slept in tents when visiting the capitals of both the United States and Canada: Washington, D.C., and Ottawa.  And when they wanted to see the ocean? Guess what–they slept in tents in New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. While our need to cut traveling costs diminished as the children grew older and flew the coop, camping remains a great way to see the country on a budget.

A dog stands next to a baby boy who is seated in a blue bumbo chair in a wooded area.
First time campers–Alabama, age 8, and Josh, age 4 months.

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Confidence: A Cross-Country Road Trip

When I was young, my mom insisted that we all learn how to swim because she wasn’t a strong swimmer herself. She took us to lessons at the YMCA in the winter and local lakes and swimming pools in the summer. We all learned to love to swim and passed it down to our children. That confidence served us well.

A History of Road Trips

My mother was also never confident about her ability to drive long distances alone. To be honest, she never had to do it.  My dad usually did most, if not all, of the driving on every trip we went on. I will always remember the first time Mom drove through Toronto. We were supposed to stop and switch drivers, but didn’t, and she passed with flying colors. It was just us girls and the kids–no men to do the driving for us. Continue reading “Confidence: A Cross-Country Road Trip”