I was planning to send a Black Friday email today, but I had a revelation this week and I wanted to share it with you instead. You know those moments when something hits you out of nowhere and makes you stop and smile? I had one of those this week. I was thinking about this community and how much it has grown. When I first started sharing our adventures, I wasn’t sure anyone in KC even wanted to get outside as much as I did. I definitely didn’t expect to find so many people who love exploring...
29 days ago • 2 min read
Stay Warm This Winter A few years ago I read the book, No Such Thing as Bad Weather and it changed the way I thought about winter. Before that, I really struggled to get outside in the winter, but I had also never invested in good clothes to keep me warm or learned how to layer properly. Once I got myself decent weather clothes, it made winter so much more tolerable, I daresay, enjoyable even! I still usually hit my winter weather limit around mid-February, but being able to get outdoors...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Spooky Season in the Midwest Spooky season is here. While we love pumpkin patches and apple cider, sometimes it’s fun to add a little thrill to our fall adventures. The Midwest has plenty of haunted legends. I have even experienced a few inexplicable things myself. My spooky story: My husband and I stayed at the Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs, MO for a romantic night away from the kids. We went on the ghost tour that night and they told us before the tour that our room was one of the stops....
2 months ago • 3 min read
Weekend Escapes- Small Town Fall Vibes For those of you who are following my adventures on social media, you might know I am in Morocco on a women’s trip right now. It feels a little weird to be sharing about weekend trips when I am in another country, but I figure most of you are looking for something a little closer to home. (And I wrote this before I left, don’t worry, I am not working in Morocco!) There’s something magical about small towns in the fall. We visit Weston, MO every year and...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Time to Hit the Trails Fall is my favorite season to hike! There is just something about the colorful trees, crunchy leaves, and cooler weather that makes me happy. Plus the kids actually enjoy being outside because they aren’t melting in the heat. This week I am headed to New England for a fall road trip with my husband to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. This is a bucket list trip for me, and I can’t wait to peep every leaf I can. If you’re looking for some places closer to home to hike,...
3 months ago • 2 min read
The Best Season for Camping If you ask me, fall is the best season for family camping. The kids love collecting leaves, we love sitting by the fire, and no one wakes up sweating in the tent (hallelujah). I also love nature even more when there are fewer mosquitos and ticks. Camping is one of the most affordable ways to get outdoors, travel, and spend time with your family. Even if you just stay at a state park cabin, it's still usually cheaper than a hotel and more fun. 4 Tips for Camping...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Pumpkin Patches + Fall Fun for Families Let me tell you a sad story, with a happy ending. Once upon a time, there was a girl who dreamed of doing all the fun fall things she saw in movies, but instead she grew up in the hot land of Texas. Pumpkin patches were just pumpkins on hay bales in grocery store parking lots. The leaves didn’t really change and October never got cool and crisp, it just got less hot. Then when the girl grew up, she moved to the Midwest. She went to a real pumpkin patch...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Gator in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana March was a WILD month! I kicked things off with an incredible girl's trip to the Galápagos Islands and Quito with Into the Wild Adventures for 10 days. We got to see blue-footed boobies, snorkel with sea turtles, and a sea lion literally swam up to me and around me. It was like I accomplished a life goal I didn't even know I had. After that, my family and I headed south for spring break in Gulf Shores and Jefferson Parish, just outside New Orleans. We had...
9 months ago • 2 min read
It's FINALLY here! I am so excited to announce that my Kansas map is finally launched! For ONE WEEK ONLY it's on sale for 40% off! This map integrates with Google maps and it is the easiest way to find the coolest places to explore in Kansas! There are 550 pins, sorted by hikes, accommodations, attractions, and more! Get it now! Who this map is good for: Anyone planning a road trip through Kansas looking for cool places to stop on the way. Planning a trip to Colorado? There are so many great...
10 months ago • 1 min read
