10 Things I LOVE : 09.05 Roadtrip edition!

It’s easy to find 10 things I LOVE about Roadtrips.
And probably as easy to find 10 things I hate, but we’re focusing on the love here, baby.

1. Freedom. I love getting in my car and just going. No stress getting to the airport on time, if you’re stuck in traffic, you have all your comforts with you, if you want to stop you may and if you change your mind, you just go somewhere else. Ahhhh, freedom.

2. Turtle-syndrome. Is that a thing?? I love having my home on my back, all my stuff with me wherever I may go. Flying you pack 1 bag plus 1 carryon which has tons of restrictions. In my car? Dvd players, laptops, iPods, snacks, coolers with drinks, a change of clothes, 10 pairs of shoes. Seriously – who wouldn’t pack 10 pairs of shoes if they could??

3. Saving money. No matter how we cut it, our trip to Cali was $1,500 or more LESS than if we’d flown and rented a car down there. AND – the cost doesn’t go up much if we bring 2, 3 or all 4 of the kids!

4. Peace + quiet moments. Airplanes? Naps do NOT happen, even on (daytime) long-hauls. Bumpity, moving, swaying car? Guaranteed with my kids. They generally nap longer, or take TWO naps as well! Bliss. Mommy’s iPod tunes Bliss.

5. Wal-Mart Super Centres. I gotta say it again, sorry. I LOVE the fact that you can stop a few hours, you don’t have to pay $100/night for a dumpy 2-star hotel, security watches over you, and that you can shop at 2:30am if you want! Crazy fun!

6. Changing my mind. Because I can. And I will. Our last two major roadtrips, we found out-and-about places (beaches) that changed our minds on previously planned activities. And it was so easy to do with our own car, time and schedule.

7. Stocking up on new DVD’s. We use every road trip as an excuse to buy tons of new (or new-to-us) DVD’s. It passes time in the car, especially for the kids, and gives us something to hunt for on all those 2:30am Wal-Mart Super Centre shopping sprees.

8. Finding new places. Other than beaches, by car you find all kinds of stops you’d never have noticed. Outlets, Waterslides, Tulip Festivals, Olive capitals – you name it, it’s probably on the side of a major highway somewhere.

9. Real quality family time. When there’s no yelling, crying or screaming, that is. Nothing like hours and hours in close quarters with the ones you love! Really, nothing. Side note – this could also go on the “hate” list.

10. And my #1 reason to LOVE roadtrips? Because it doesn’t require me to float up in the air on a giant metal tin can. I-ya. I’d drive to Maui this summer if I could. Seriously.

*(ewwww – no makeup!)

Go take a roadtrip! Even if it’s just across town!

10 Things I LOVE : 09.04

1. Spring! When it’s NOT raining. It’s not my FAVORITE season – that’d have to be fall, but I do love the newness and anticipation that Spring brings. I love the starting over. I love knowing that summer is near(ish). I love starting to get outdoors again. I love making all our holiday plans!

2. Eating from my own garden! There is nothing better than making a recipe and saying “Oh, I have this ingredient down in my garden. I’ll go get it.” Of course, all I’ll have this year are tomatoes and raspberries, so we’ll be eating a LOT of tomato salad and raspberries on French Butter Cake…

3. BLOGGING 😉. I’m 160 posts in, and busy as all heck, and still manage to have things to say just about every day. People are even reading – AND COMMENTING! I love – LOVE – getting comments and answer every single one. It’s validating, sure, but I also enjoy the ongoing conversation of it. The comments always add to the piece, so it’s cool that way. I already have the Poetry of Life poems set up to post twice a month through until OCTOBER. Ooooh, the anticipation !!.

4. Dinners. Family dinners, dinner parties – give me 90 minutes in the kitchen, and preferrably an unlimited budge, and I’m in my happy place. Dinners out get harder the better you begin to cook, but if it’s something I woudn’t cook at home, I still enjoy it! Once a year I get two dinner cravings – and only ONCE a year : for a Big Mac and for Chinese Food. Chinese was done last night, so I’m good for another year. We’ll talk about that Big Mac.

5. My sleep… Oh, I do love my sleep. I miss my sleep, desperately. I love my pillow – I take it with me on every holiday to ward off bad sleeps. I love my warm fuzzy blanket. I love my med-hard bed. So far these two hotels have offered THE ABSOLUTE BEST sleeps : Manteo Resort in Kelowna, BC and the Sofitel at the Heathrow Airport in London. THE best beds in my life.

6. OPI. We have a bit of nailpolish and are ever-collecting, but must say OPI is our fave. Not only great colors, but they go on smoooooth as silk, and aren’t too soupy or gloppy. Are soupy and gloppy words? Who cares. We particularily liked the “France” collection.

7. Fashion. Love to look at clothes. Always have. Always will. Wish I had money and time to dress half way decent. Always have. Always will. ‘Nuff said. Check out my “wish list” and my “Fashion picks“. I won’t bore you with a photo of how I currently dress. Yawn.

8. Homeschooling. I’m so excited for September to come! To get a teacher-aide, to get fresh new boxes of books, to watch Tt on his first soccer team, to sign up for piano (oh, wait… that will likely be painful…). Ahhhh, it’s hard to wait for Sept when you really don’t even have to ;-). Tt? Not sure I would use the word “excited”. He still thinks that school IN ANY FORM is “optional”. *sigh*.

9. Thrifty shopping! Guilt-free shopping – who knew? So far the only things I pick up are collared shirts for the boys (mostly Boo – the older ones are too worn or just plain old UG-leee), and kitchen gadgets, but it’s the thrill of the hunt. We’ve about exhausted the thrift stores and will be moving up to “home consignment” stores in the near future. Will keep everyone posted, I’m sure ;-).

10. Tea. Nothing like beginning the day with a cup of tea while making the boys breakfast, reading our Bible story and talking. And nothing like ending the day with a cup of tea while softly tapping away at my computer (except for that DANGED “I” key which Boo yanked off that never sits quite right and so I BANG it into place and say bad words) visiting people near and far. Ahhhhh, tea. Especially on tuesdays ;-).

Which ones do YOU love too??

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Other posts you might enjoy:
10 Things I LOVE : 09.03 Recipes!
10 Things I LOVE : 09.02
10 Things I LOVE : 09.01