Follow along as we visit the North Carolina side of Great Smokey Mountain National Park. We stayed at Big Bear RV Resort and our most favorite RPI park yet, Pride RV Resort. We also got to see our best friends for the first time in over a year!
We tried. We tried to love Atlantic City. But it was rough, y’all. I can honestly say it’s one of the few places we’ve been in the last 3 plus years that we did not feel safe. We quickly rode the wheel at the Steel Pier and left. Thankfully, we have other areas of New Jersey to explore during our stay – come on Jersey – help us love you!
While we absolutely Pennsylvania, it was a long and frustrating month of unsuccessful RV shopping. We drove through the tip of Delaware this afternoon and will be in Jersey for the next 3 weeks. We’ve actually been to Jersey before, but it was for a super fast one night stay in 2019. We were leaving the northeast after Jonah broke his arm and we had to stay put while it healed. Then in the middle of a layoff, we had no money for fun stuff and I needed to return to Texas for work. We were in a huge rush! I’m so happy to be back and we have so many fun adventures planned! Including Atlantic City and Steel Pier, Diggerland, Cape May and a whale watching tour for the whole fam. We will also jump back over to PA for a day in downtown Philadelphia. After laying low for a month we are ready for some adventure!!
Follow along as we spend a day at Kennedy Space Center! We loved seeing the space shuttle Atlantis, the Challenger exhibit and the new Planet Play playground!
I love sharing little things I overhear in our family. When Taryn was little she used to say “yesternight” for last night and “knee pit” for the area behind your knees. Jude once told me he loved the song “Get Lucky” because it was about playing the lottery. Jonah….he’s said so many funny things through the years, like the time he imitated his sister reacting to a bug at only 2 years old.
Zachary keeps us laughing too. So much so that I started a note on my phone with all the funny things he says. I thought it’d be best to document that here with the rest of our life….
Probably = Plobably
Hand Sanitizer = Handitizer
Z has a hard time saying his V sounds. I once asked him to say “seven eleven” and he yelled “I nezer say sezen elezen!”
Crayons = Crawyons
Jason’s personal favorite is when Z barks like a dog “Woos Woos!”
“Our next campground will be gooder!”
Humpty Dumpty = Humpy Dumpy
“We can go all by our selvesus.”
Watching a tree being cut down: “Oh no JoJo, they taking our oxygen!”
Lemonade = Lemomade
Zachary will say “yes sir” to Jason. He started saying it to me a few weeks ago. I reminded him he should say “yes ma’am”. His reply: “Yes man!”
I told Z I wanted to look up where Diggerland is here on the east coast. He asked where it is again and I said I didn’t know but I’d look it up. Then he said “Momma, make sure it’s not on another planet!”
Me: Z what do you want to be when you grow up?
Z: ALONE.
Ready for a good old 10 on Tuesday?! Let’s go….
1. RV shopping has been completely overwhelming. There are the usual challenges of deciding on a layout, making sure we don’t go over budget, etc. Then even finding RVs to tour – it feels like a full time job all on its own. No matter what, sacrifices are made in order to live small. Prioritizing of those sacrifices for our individual family is a lot to figure out.
2. Jason has been working a ton. His longest day was 16 hours last Friday. Between work, RV shopping and school with the kids, we haven’t been doing much else. I’m ready for some adventure!
3. I’ve barely picked up my camera lately. Noticing a theme here….we are in a rut. I’ve had no motivation or desire to pick it up or edit. I’m am fairly caught up on videos though, which I love! I’m only 2 videos behind right now! Did you see our most recent Space X Rocket Launch video?
4. For some reason Z takes off his shoes the second we get to a playground. Even if it’s cold.
5. That little green jacket has my heart. It’s gone through 3 rough boys, Jude, Jonah and Zachary. It’s over a decade old with heavy wear and it still looks brand spanking new! If there ever was an ad for the quality of GAP kids clothes, this little green jacket is it. It’s going to be so hard to part with it when Z outgrows it. Jude was even wearing it the day we picked up Maggie and brought her home 11 years ago – that was such a great day for our family. I’m not sure I am going to be able to part with it.
6. We may leave Pennsylvania early if the trillions of cicadas invade as predicted. I am just not sure I can cope y’all. So gross.
7. Snuggle bugs. It’s been chilly here and my bed has been the place to snuggle here lately. A few days ago Zachary was being loud mid-snuggle and Jude and I were trying to teach him how to whisper. Whenever he tries, only his lips move, you can’t hear a single thing he’s “saying”. There is no middle ground between the silent whisper and the OMG why are you so LOUD?! Anyway, Jude and I were giving him some examples of how to whisper, Z leans in, looks Jude right in the eyes and successfully whispers “I am better at this than you.” HA! That kids reminds me SO much of his big sister!!
8. No one tell my teenagers that snuggling mommas and siblings is uncool. They didn’t get the memo even at 15 and 13 and we all love it.
9. Speaking of Z acting just like Taryn, I usually take both to the grocery store. One day last week I took Jude and Z instead. As Jude unloaded the basket on to the belt, Z got mad and told him he was doing it wrong, that’s not how sissy does it, etc. Jude just kept on going but Z got louder about it. Finally, Jude leans in and sweetly says “How would you like me to do it?”. Z scowls and says “The RIGHT way! MY WAY!” Oh my gosh, I though the cashier was going to totally lose it. He has earned his loving nickname of Tiny Dictator.
10. We will be in Philadelphia in a few weeks. Any suggestions on things to see and do while there? I was hoping to visit the US Mint but it’s still closed to the public. We have zero planned so far but I’m thinking maybe the liberty bell? Any tour suggestions?