Adventures in Vacationing with a Toddler

When you are pre-baby/kids, going on a trip or vacation is all about sleeping in a massive king-size bed, not worrying about cleaning your hotel room, buying lots of overpriced food/trinkets/souvenirs and doing whatever it is that you want to do - whenever you want to do it.

Going on a trip with kids is WAY not like that. At all. And that's okay. Because seeing cool stuff through the eyes of your toddler, makes the convenience and flexibility you used to have, seem like nothing to lose in comparison. (Except for sleeping in...I kinda miss that...:P)

We had an awesome time this last weekend in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone National Park.

It was my first real time going there, and Daniel hadn't been since he was a kid, so it was really fun for all of us. Plus, the weather...omg perfect. 70s all day everyday. I could get used to that. I told Daniel that if we ever strike it rich, we are SO going to buy a summer home in Jackson.

Before the trip, I loaded up tons of toys, games, cards, coloring supplies and hours of entertainment on the iPad for the car ride and we barely used any of it! Jack apparently loves being in the car for hours! What?! He honestly loved the drive, which we split up into two days of travel there and two days coming back, stopping midway in Salt Lake both times to spend the night at Dan's sister's house. It was the perfect way to go.

Plus, we took silly car selfies so obviously that helped pass the time. ;) 

Since it was a five-day trip, we did lots of cool stuff, but to avoid boring you with every single detail, here are the coolest highlights. :) 

We stopped at the Snake River on the way to Jackson to stretch our legs and Jack loved it!!

But I think he liked jumping on the hotel bed even more. lol. 

We saw some beautiful sights: lakes, rivers, waterfalls and geysers...

(this pic is misleadingly dangerous, but still freaks me out when I look at it! ha!)

My happy little adventurer.

And according to Jack, we saw LOTS of volcanoes with "smoke" coming out of them (aka steam.)

(got some last-time use out of the Tula...*sob*)

And we saw Old Faithful, but we got there in the late evening and didn't see it go off.

He and WE had so much fun.

And despite being in the car lots of hours over the past five days, he was such a champ. He loved the hotel and going to the park and eating fun foods, smoothies and famous raspberry shakes. He rocked the road trip for sure. I am so lucky to have a kiddo who LOVES to travel because most kids don't, from what I hear/know.

The trip was unfortunately a little bit exhausting. Jack got sick near the tail end, which I attributed to allergies until Wednesday morning when I woke up with a doozy of a headache and sore throat. (Just in time to go back to work and work a 10-hour day!!) Luckily Jack is much more of a trooper when he's sick than I am and was more focused on having fun, which we had. Lots of it.

It was an exhausting and relaxing vacation (little bits of both at different times) but it was so fun to have our first real family vacation with all three of us together.

Now it's back to reality. Hope ya'll are having a great week!! TGIF, yo, for REALZ.