OUR NEXT CHAPTER

 

FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS OUR LIFE HAS BEEN FOCUSED ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY....SURVIVE THE BABY YEARS.  DURING THIS TIME OUR FAMILY HAS GROWN LEAPS AND BOUNDS.  WE NOW HAVE 3 AMAZING BOYS AND LIFE COULDN'T BE MORE COMPLETE.  WITH THE LAST ONE CREEPING UP ON HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY WE CAN SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.  DON'T GET ME WRONG, I LOVE THE BABY STAGE AND I HAVE SO ENJOYED IT MORE THAN I EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE.  I HAVE HAD A HARD TIME COMING TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT SOON THIS STAGE WILL BE OVER.  (IT'S WHY WE NOW HAVE 3 LITTLE ONES RUNNING AROUND)  HOWEVER, I KNOW THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE YEARS.  LIFE SHOULD GET A LITTLE LESS CHAOTIC AND THERE WILL BE NEW OPPORTUNITIES COMING OUR WAY. 

 

THIS GOT ME THINKING THOUGH.  WE NEED A FAMILY GOAL IN OUR LIVES.  SOMETHING WE CAN BE PUSHING FORWARD TOWARD.  SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I CAN LIVE IN MY HEAD A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH, THINKING ABOUT WHAT I WANT MY LIFE TO BE.  HOWEVER I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS ALLOWS ME THE CREATIVITY TO DREAM.  SO WHAT IS OUR NEXT GOAL.  TRAVEL.  MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WORK JOBS THAT ARE NOT LOCATION INDEPENDENT, BUT WE STILL WANT TO SEE THE COUNTRY.  SO WE MADE A DECISION.  WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT A POINT TO TAKE FAMILY VACATIONS EVERY YEAR TO THE PLACES WE WANT TO SEE MOST.  AT THE TOP OF THE LIST...OUR BELOVED NATIONAL PARKS.  WE HAVE COMMITTED AND WE HAVE TAKEN THE FIRST STEPS.  WE HAVE STARTED EARNING OUR FLIGHT MILES, WHICH WILL HELP WITH OUR AIRFARE COST AND WE HAVE MADE OUR FIRST BIG PURCHASE TOWARDS THESE ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRIPS. 

 

SO, HOW DO WE PLAN TO DO THESE BIG VACATIONS ON A BUDGET?  OUR PLAN IS TO GET OUR FLIGHTS AT A DISCOUNTED RATE USING OUR FLIGHT MILES THAT WE EARN OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO.  THEN WE WILL BE CAMPING...YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT CAMPING.  WE WILL BE PACKING ULTRA LIGHT AND FLYING OURSELVES AND OUR CAMPING EQUIPMENT OUT TO OUR DESTINATION.  FROM HERE THE COST OF THE VACATION SHOULD BE FAIRLY LOW.  WE WILL SPEND OUR TRIPS LEARNING, EXPLORING AND BEING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY. 

 

SO WHAT IS THIS FIRST BIG PURCHASE THAT WE MADE TOWARDS OUR FUTURE TRIPS?  WELL IN ORDER TO CAMPING WE NEED GOOD EQUIPMENT.  THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS OUR SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS.  WE ALREADY HAVE A TENT SO THAT IS COVERED.  HOWEVER WE NEEDED GOOD SLEEPING BAGS AND SLEEPING PADS TO KEEP US WARM AND COMFORTABLE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.  WITH 3 LITTLE KIDS THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS EVERYONE COLD TIRED ALL NIGHT LONG.  SO WE MADE OUR FIRST BIG PURCHASE AND EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY GOT THEIR NEW SLEEPING NECESSITATES.  IN ORDER TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF THIS NEW HOBBY WE ARE SLOWING SELLING ALL OF OUR BABY STUFF...AND LET ME TELL YOU WE HAVE A LOT OF BABY STUFF.  OVER THE NEXT YEAR THE GOAL IS TO GATHER ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT WE NEED FOR OUR TRIPS AND THEN IN 2019 WE WILL BE PLANNING OUR FIRST BIG FAMILY TRIP.  2020 WILL BE THE YEAR WE START TRAVELING.  WE WILL BE TAKING FAMILY VACATIONS IN THE MEANTIME LOCALLY AND WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE. 

 

SO ALL IN ALL WE ARE TRADING ONE DREAM FOR ANOTHER AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO BRING YOU ALONG FOR THE RIDE!