In our house whenever we take the kids somewhere we tell them we are going on an “adventure.”  Usually this means we are going to the grocery store or to get the oil changed.  Sometimes it means we are going thrift store shopping or to buy new shoes.  The only reason we trick cajole the kids into getting into the car is that occasionally we hit the zoo or the children’s museum.  However this year we are actually going on adventures.  Real ones.

First, we are taking the family reunion to California.  Dan and his brothers and sister, along with their parents, are heading to Lake Tahoe for a week.  We came up with this idea a year ago and, after bouncing it around, everyone joined in.  In trying to figure out how to get there, we realized that 4 plane tickets plus a rental car was going to start running the price up.  If we were going to spend that much, why not just drive? We are both teachers and we NEVER take advantage of having a whole summer off. Plus, how many cool things are between MS and CA anyway?  I will tell you. A lot.

The shortlist:
Albuquerque
Mesa Verde
Grand Canyon
Los Angeles
Yosemite

On the way back:
Yellowstone
Dinosaur museums
Mount Rushmore

So we will be traveling most of July.  We will hit all of those things and maybe a few extra.  Plus we get to hang out with the family in Lake Tahoe!

While we are gone the kids will be blogging also.  This is all practice for the Year of Adventures: Part II.