Hey everyone! It feels so great to be back in my hometown and blogging again! I have to give a quick little recap from our family vacation. If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (lotsofjules) you might have seen most of this already, but here we go!
Our first stop was in the Redwoods! These things are magnificent and our silly pictures do not do them justice. It was beautiful and there was so much to see in such little time. Our next stop was Crater Lake in Oregon, but the route we drove took us on Highway 1 and we just couldn't help but stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery for a bit.
Our last stop before Idaho was Crater Lake. We stopped here because we had people from BOTH sides of our family recommend it, and because its the deepest lake in America! You guys, this lake was the most pristine lake I had ever seen. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to hike down to enjoy a swim, but we spent as much time as possible soaking up the beautiful views and plan to take a trip back.
Finally time to get to Idaho! I have to admit, I was super nervous when we were planning this trip about how much driving it would require with a toddler. Seriously guys, my friends thought I was crazy. But Isla was basically an angel the entire trip. *mic drop* No, I mean it. I do not have the child most people would consider a "trooper", but this trip she definitely was. We planned ahead and got her all her favorite things; chapstick and her iPad. I don't know what it is about this girl, but giving her chapstick is like a go-to when we need a break or a second to get something done. She is obsessed and loves the texture I guess! Anyways, on to Idaho!
This place was like our own personal little paradise. I feel like Northern Idaho is one of America's best kept secrets, no one ever talks about it but it's so incredibly gorgeous! Our first trip here was the summer of 2015; I never wanted to leave! This trip was no different and just solidifies my desire to move there one day. We camped at Priest Lake on Kalispell island, you can't get any more remote or beautiful of a location. I don't think any other camping experience I ever have will top it.
If your kid loves the outdoors, they will love camping. I was very hesitant about taking a toddler camping for the very first time, but she just had so much fun you guys. Jet ski's, tubing, hiking aka 'bear hunting'. We told her there were bears on the island and she spent the entire trip begging us to go on walks to find the bears. There were no bears, of course.
Surprise! Andrew bought me a paddle board for my birthday! He bought it the day before we left so that we could all enjoy it on the trip. I cannot wait to wear this baby out! Isla loved it, surprisingly, and wasn't scared a bit so we will be doing this regularly! I have been wanting to try paddle board yoga for awhile now and this was really my first attempt. SO much harder than it looks. I got crow down solid, though!
As you can see, this was a very strenuous, stressful trip.
On our last day in Idaho, we visited Coeur d'Alene. One of the most gorgeous and tourist-y spots in Idaho. The hotel there is amazing and they're known for their spectacular golf course and floating green. We walked around the town and stopped in one of the cutest toy stores (because we are giant children, of course) and picked up some trinkets for Isla and ourselves. If you're ever on a road trip, buy 'Dark Stories'. It's a game where you describe an outcome or scenario and the other people have to try to guess the events leading up to that scenario asking yes or no questions only. It's a real brain-buster and provides hours and hours of entertainment. Isla got some plastic stretchy dinosaurs and was in heaven.
Well that's it! We had a great time as a family and can't wait for next years vacation! I can't help but think about how fortunate we are to raise a child in this beautiful country and be able to take her to see all the places we've seen. She has done more traveling in her 2 years of life than most adults have done in their entire lives! I hope to instill in her a sense of wonderment and wanderlust for the world around her and I'm so glad we were able to make it happen this summer. Can't wait for next year!