Planning Our Summer Roadtrip

With summer around the corner, Ted and I are tediously planning our summer road trip to Seattle. We will start in Altanta, Georgia and drive across the South to Palm Springs and up to our new home in Seattle. I'm gathering inspiration, tips, and everything I can learn about traveling with kids. I have an eye on Studio DIY's travel posts and especially love her #StudioDIYWallCrawl in Atlanta. Wall swoon. The picture above is of her in front of a gorgeous wall in Atlanta.

Our mid trip stopping point will be in the lovely Palm Springs! Ted's sister lives right outside of Palm Springs in Palm Dessert. We plan to visit them while still staying in Palm Springs and discovering all it's beauty. I've been on a pinning spree while discovering places to see, do, and eat along the way.

Have any suggestions for our summer road trip?!

Christmas Eve in the British Virgin Islands

I vote a Caribbean boat trip to the British Virgin Islands every Christmas Eve! This year, we did just that. Our friend Adam's brother and sister-in-law where visiting from San Diego and we all decided to charter a boat for the day. It was chill and full of fun. We went to Tortola, Norman Island for snorkeling and lunch, Sandy Spit, and ended the day at Jost Van Dyke. Wells is obsessed with anything that moves and was so stoked about being on a boat. I think, this was his favorite Christmas "present" besides his fireman outfit. Poppy "went out of the country" for the first time and on her visit non-ferry boat ride. She loved it. Besides dealing with Wells wanting to walk around the boat in choppy waters, the kids were so well behaved. Poppy never let out a peep. And we managed Wells's wiggle's with snacks.

Both kids napped on board while we stopped to snorkeled. (And everyone said amen!) Wells loved playing on each beach with his friend Isla. Both kids were great being transported from boat to shore when we anchored out. Poppy did especially well with her float in the rough waters going ashore to Sandy Spit.

Sandy Spit is magical. It is a wee bitty island in the middle of gorgeous turquoise caribbean waters. It was the only place we had never been before and probably one of my favorites now!

It was the best way to spend out Christmas Eve this year!!

Cheers

Ted and I have been celebrating our birthdays the last few days. Scheduled hair cuts, babysitters, and day trips have kept our days full. On our actual birthday, we invited some friends out to a new barbecue restaurant called Smoking Rooster. Our babysitter gave Poppy a bottle (first one given to her by anyone besides Ted). I felt way more confident about leaving Poppy with my sweet friend and sitter while we went on day trip to the British Virgin Islands.

Tuesday morning, we woke up before the sun and packed the kids into the car to drop them off at the sitter. I felt so confident leaving them. I never felt like that when I would leave Wells. I am a new woman. I have found my mommy wings.

Our trip included the Bathes in Virgin Gorda which was just as magical as last year when we went for our birthdays. Our boat anchored and we swam in to go exploring between the boulders. I pushed the power button on the Go Pro only to realize it had NO battery. I could have cried. Noooooooo..... But, I decided to take the day and enjoy just being with Ted solo... and he probably enjoyed not having to take any pictures. As if the Bathes need anything to be more magical, butterflies were flying everywhere!

After Virgin Gorda, we stopped at Cooper Island for lunch. Cooper Island Beach Club was really nice and everything was beautiful. It is now on my list to visit and stay over night. After lunch, we went snorkeling in the Caves located in Norman Island. We swam in three different Caves and saw a variety of fish. No turtles, unfortunately.

Our final stop was at Jost Van Dyke where we sipped on painkillers and floated in the water.

At the end of the day, we picked up pizza on the way to pick of the kids. Wells enjoyed playing with his friend and seemed to have a really great day. Poppy took her bottles like a champ. Our sitter kept me updated throughout the day with all kinds of smiles from Poppy.

Life is good. I am so honored to be Ted's wife and blessed to be Wells and Poppy's mom!

Cheers to my last year in my twenties!!!

Virgin Gorda, BVI

For a continuation of our birthday weekend, we hopped onto a boat and headed to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. We stamped Wells' passport for the very first time that we will remember forever. The entire trip was a dream. The Baths were beyond beautiful. It was such a fun family trip. Ted used the ergo and carried Wells on his back most of the day. We thought about bringing a hiking pack/seat carrier for him, but decided it was too bulky. I'm glad we decided upon just using the ergo. In the pictures below Wells looks very concerned, but he enjoyed himself the whole trip through. It was perfect and worked great when trying to fit between the bolders. The water was breathtaking and the breeze paired with the sun perfectly. We drank the best pina coladas to date. After some climbing and exploring, we let Wells play in the shallow water and run around in the rocks. He absolutely loved it. A fantastic way to end our birthday extended weekend.

I am already scheming my next visit and hope to include Saba Rock.