Life

Home Sweet Homaha! (+ other fall 2018 happenings)

After a month of travel throughout Southern California, we’re finally home!

And it’s been awhile since I’ve posted a family update on the blog, so I thought this might be a good time to jump back into it. After all, as much as we love to travel, a majority of our time is spent right here at home in good ol’ Omaha, Nebraska!

The planning and the waiting between travels is just as much a part of this whole big adventure, so I wanted to share a little bit more about what happens in the in-between.

So without further ado, here’s what’s happening this fall 2018:

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Places We’ve Been

While most of the US was cozying up with sweater weather, we spent the month of October soaking up the sun in…

Southern California! | It was a jam-packed month-long trip, starting in Palm Springs, and then working our way up and down the Southern California coast, from San Diego to Orange County to Santa Barbara.

We hiked through the desert in Joshua Tree, met Minnie and Mickey at Disneyland, soaked up the sun in Newport Beach, and sipped wine in Solvang.

We discovered new places, like the ‘Funk Zone’ area of Santa Barbara, and revisited old places from our past, like our favorite eats in Orange County.

Being on the road for so long was an interesting experience. It gave us the chance to a step back and learn more about ourselves and what really makes us happy; something we never could have done without being able to detach from the daily distractions of life.

We learned that 2-3 weeks seems to be our sweet spot for travel, and that returning to the comforts of home, as much as we love to travel, is really important to us.

Now back in Omaha, we have a renewed sense of energy and are excited to settle in for the next couple of months as we celebrate the holidays with friends and family!

Challenges We’ve Faced

The Pitfalls of Long-Term Travel | All of the family togetherness we’ve experienced this past month has been great, but boy, has it been exhausting too!

Being gone for a month meant no school, no babysitters, and no friends to play with. Even though Evelyn would meet kids on the playground, it was a short-lived experience that only made her long for home even more. Eventually she grew tired of the loneliness, and by the end of the month was really ready to come home.

Should we do another long-term trip like this, a top priority for us will be scheduling in playtime, either with homeschool groups, day camps, or extracurricular activities for Evelyn.

But in reality, these month-long trips will most likely be few and far between for awhile. It’s a long time to take Evelyn out of school (she’s in a Montessori preschool at the moment) and Sophie away from her weekly therapy needs.

Travels We’re Planning

Looking forward to 2019, we’re still deciding just how far and long we will travel.

Of course, keeping Evelyn in a school she loves and Sophie up on her therapy is our first priority!

We do have one trip on the books for 2019 though:

Mexico City! | We’ve got 2 weeks planned in Mexico’s capital in early February and I couldn’t be more excited. Everything I’ve heard about it sounds absolutely wonderful, and I’ve just put this book on order for some inspiration!

We’ll be staying in Roma Norte, so if you’ve been to Mexico City and have any recommendations for places to eat or things to see, please send them my way! Now all that’s left to do is get Sophie her passport!

Places We’re Dreaming About

Portugal & Spain | Let’s be real, I’ve been dreaming about Portugal for years now. And Matt is really wanting to visit Spain. So, I figure, why not do both? It’s at the top of our list for 2019 if we can manage to get away long enough!

Washington DC | Flights from Omaha to DC just keep getting cheaper and cheaper. Perhaps it’s time to finally bite the bullet and tackle this city? Am I crazy to do it as a winter city break?

The Caribbean | Aruba, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands. Guys, I’ll take any one of them! I’m just waiting for a sweet deal to come through on Scott’s Cheap Flights and I’m there!

Canada | International travel without all the jet lag and long travel days? Canada’s sounding awfully appealing! Aside from one trip in our 20’s, we’ve not done much exploring in our neighbor to the north. I’ve been seriously eyeing Montreal, though Vancouver sounds stunning as well! Any travel tips or favorite cities in Canada?

Things We’re Loving

Location Indie Podcast | I don’t have a ton of time for podcast listening (thanks, kids), but when I do, Jason and Trav at Location Indie Podcast are my go-to. Both have been living the location independent lifestyle for a few years now and offer a mix of advice as well as interviews with other location independent travelers. If you dream of living a life where you can travel any time you want, it’s a must-listen!

Freshly Picked Diaper Backpack | This was a big splurge for me after Sophie was born, but this diaper backpack has been my trusty sidekick for 6 months and counting. I love how much stuff you can fit in it, how comfortable it is to wear, and just plain how good it looks! Totally worth it.

Travel-Friendly Inflatable Bathtub | When we left for SoCal knowing our Airbnb would only have a shower, I took a random chance on this travel-friendly bath. Perhaps it was a little gimmicky or unnecessary, I thought, but worst case scenario, I’d only be out $12. Well, I’m happy to report that I love this thing! Especially for Sophie who struggles with sitting up. I think I may even start using it at home!

#RVRenovation | I may have spent hours scrolling this Insta hashtag in my insomnia one night, but guys, look at them! I’ve had a serious love for little vintage campers for years now, but the work needed to restore one seemed too daunting. I had no idea remodeling newer RV’s was a thing?! I’m obssessed and seriously considering this for our next adventure. That is, if I can get Matt on board with me. 😉

BirdRock Baby Moccasins | These are my favorite shoes for Sophie, who’s not yet mobile. They pretty much match everything, which means I only need to pack 1 pair for an entire trip, and even though they’re a little spendy, they’re much better quality than other cheap knock-off’s on Amazon (trust me, I’ve tired them all)!

 

Well, that’s all from us for now! Have any destinations or travel items you’re loving right now? Share them in the comments below!

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