Welcome to any devotions readers who are visiting my site for the first time. You've discovered my site as I'm giving some of the tips that have helped our family experience really memorable vacations. But more importantly, these tips have helped our family become closer.
So today I'm excited to share our absolute favorite destination spot. It's not one place as you might imagine. In fact, our favorite spots are found in every state in the country. It's our National Park System.
We are HUGE National Park fans, and actually have planned vacations in order to get to specific parks. Acadia National Park in Maine is one of those incredible spots that we had to be very intentional about getting to.
So here's why we love them so much:
1) They are affordable. For example, it costs $25 to see the Grand Canyon - and that's one of the most expensive we've discovered. You can't take a family of 4 to a movie and get snacks for that amount!
2) They have many free programs. The Visitor Centers vary greatly, but they all offer something for free. Whether it's a great movie about the site, a guided tour or interesting models - it's almost all free.
3) The National Park Rangers are AMAZING. These men and women love what they do and we benefit because it shows. One of our favorite rangers was in Colonial National Historic Park in Virginia. This park includes Jamestown and Yorktown Battlefield. We have long forgotten this man's name, but we all remember his presentation. He dressed in colonial clothes, assumed an accurate accent and guided us through "his" Jamestown, from the viewpoint of one of the first settlers. And that was FREE! Wow!
4) The park system includes national historic sites and monuments, in addition to parks. Which means we get to enjoy our nation's history and beauty.
5) The NPS honors our nation's veterans through many historic sites. As we approach Memorial Day, we are reminded of the high cost it took to give us the many freedoms we have. Our service men and women throughout generations reflect the sacrificial love of God, and I am very thankful for them. The NPS has sites that start with the Revolutionary War and continue right up to the World War II Memorial.
6) Finally, one of our favorite things about the National Park Service is the Passport. This is a small blue book sold at the visitor centers. When you visit a national park, historic site or monument, you can get your passport stamped with the location and date. It's great fun to watch your passport fill up, and remember the good times.
Visit http://www.nps.gov/ for the national parks in your state. Sorry to be such a shameless promoter of something, but it hardly gets better than this for a fabulous vacation.
In His Love,
Glynnis
P.S. When we get back, I'll post some of our favorite vacations. Watch for that after June 3rd, and after I get through mounds of laundry. :-)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Yesterday I had complete intentions of posting my first vacation tip, but then an 8th grade graduation took over. Not any of my children, but my sweet neighbor Sara. My children have grown up with Sara, and she (an only child) was indoctrinated into the world of boys at an early age with our three. She was sure happy when Cathrine and Ruth joined the family! And we are so proud of Sara!!!
Anyway, as we get ready to go on our first vacation this summer, I wanted to share some of the things that have helped us plan some amazing trips. There are so many tips, that I'll need to continue this once we return.
This trip, we are headed to Florida. That's a big trip when you live in Arizona. We will stay 4 days at Cocoa Beach. During that time, we will lounge on the beach, go to Cape Canaveral National Park and Kennedy Space Center. Then it's off to Disney World & Universal Studios. Since we've grown up going to Disneyland, we will pass on the Magic Kingdom, and hit the other 3.
My guess is that many of you are wondering how can we afford such a trip.
Tip #1: Plan in Advance
We start planning really early. My husband is the master planner, and he's been working on this trip since last year. He created a spread sheet (yes, he's an engineer) with spaces for the day, the accommodations, the miles, the activity, and whether we have a reservation - and if so - the confirmation number.
Then as we make a plan, we pay for it. So we've spread out the expenses for this trip over 7-8 months. All of our tickets are purchased, and we have paid about half of our accommodations.
When we arrive in Florida, our expenses will be manageable. We'll eat breakfast and either lunch or dinner from our own supplies.
Tip #2 Research
When we pick a destination, we purchase a tourist guide, like Fromers. Then we start reading it just like a normal book, skipping over things like the most expensive hotels. We highlight activities that look interesting, and make a list.
One of our best investments was "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World" the first time we went in 1998 when we still lived in North Carolina. They included a section on the average attendance for every week of the year. We picked the lowest attendance week and had a fantastic time. It ended up being the first week in December, and everything was beautifully decorated. We had to pull the kids out of school, but it was worth it. I wrote a letter to the principal explaining that we would be moving back to Arizona, and how this would be a great learning experience - and it was approved. The kids kept a journal, and we made it a true educational experience.
Then we'll do some cross comparison on a website like http://www.tripadvisor.com/. This is a fantastic place to get real people's opinions on places to stay and activities. Then we pencil in our activities on the schedule my husband makes, and go from there.
That's it for today. Tomorrow I'll share our tip for the most affordable and educational places to visit.
In His Love,
Glynnis
Anyway, as we get ready to go on our first vacation this summer, I wanted to share some of the things that have helped us plan some amazing trips. There are so many tips, that I'll need to continue this once we return.
This trip, we are headed to Florida. That's a big trip when you live in Arizona. We will stay 4 days at Cocoa Beach. During that time, we will lounge on the beach, go to Cape Canaveral National Park and Kennedy Space Center. Then it's off to Disney World & Universal Studios. Since we've grown up going to Disneyland, we will pass on the Magic Kingdom, and hit the other 3.
My guess is that many of you are wondering how can we afford such a trip.
Tip #1: Plan in Advance
We start planning really early. My husband is the master planner, and he's been working on this trip since last year. He created a spread sheet (yes, he's an engineer) with spaces for the day, the accommodations, the miles, the activity, and whether we have a reservation - and if so - the confirmation number.
Then as we make a plan, we pay for it. So we've spread out the expenses for this trip over 7-8 months. All of our tickets are purchased, and we have paid about half of our accommodations.
When we arrive in Florida, our expenses will be manageable. We'll eat breakfast and either lunch or dinner from our own supplies.
Tip #2 Research
When we pick a destination, we purchase a tourist guide, like Fromers. Then we start reading it just like a normal book, skipping over things like the most expensive hotels. We highlight activities that look interesting, and make a list.
One of our best investments was "The Unofficial Guide to Disney World" the first time we went in 1998 when we still lived in North Carolina. They included a section on the average attendance for every week of the year. We picked the lowest attendance week and had a fantastic time. It ended up being the first week in December, and everything was beautifully decorated. We had to pull the kids out of school, but it was worth it. I wrote a letter to the principal explaining that we would be moving back to Arizona, and how this would be a great learning experience - and it was approved. The kids kept a journal, and we made it a true educational experience.
Then we'll do some cross comparison on a website like http://www.tripadvisor.com/. This is a fantastic place to get real people's opinions on places to stay and activities. Then we pencil in our activities on the schedule my husband makes, and go from there.
That's it for today. Tomorrow I'll share our tip for the most affordable and educational places to visit.
In His Love,
Glynnis
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Last week I said I would post something else my husband and I learned from teenagers. It is something that has totally changed our way of life, and how we spend our money. That is: Vacations Matter.
When we were senior high directors years ago, we loved to take the kids camping and on retreats. There's something God does in our hearts when we get away from our day-to-day life. So off we would go to the mountains with our teenage youth group to hike, play Capture the Flag at night and roast marshmallows around a campfire.
The conversation would often turn to fun times the kids had with their own families. And the stories always turned to a vacation. It didn't have to be a big expensive trip - just camping would do. But kids LOVE being away with their parents.
Back then, it was a time for no phone calls, text messages, or television shows. Kids had their parent's undivided attention. They played and talked together. Worked together setting up a tent or cooking dinner, and shared stories of who fell in the lake or burned the hamburgers last camping trip.
Right then and there, as a young married couple, Tod and I decided to make vacations a priority. And we have ever since. We set some big goals for ourselves of places to go, and have met almost every one of them.
We determined that we would create opportunities for memories to be made that our kids will hold on to forever - just like those senior high kids at church did. Here's a photo of one vacation last summer.
We are going on vacation this Saturday, and between now and then, I'll post our tips on planning great family vacations. Maybe this will help inspire you to spend some time with your kids this summer away from home. Remember, it doesn't have to be expensive to be memorable.
In His Love,
Glynnis
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
It's hot outside and most of us start to drag in the summer. Instead of letting the heat get the best of you, why not make the most of the summer of 2008. Here are some tips for family fun:
Start a tradition - Even if it’s something small, like going for ice cream after a sports event, traditions are meaningful. They create common interests and memories that last a long time.
Read more – Commit to reading a good book to yourself or out loud to your children.
Visit the library - Our public libraries are a great place to improve your knowledge of all types of things. Check out your local library.
Eat more fruit - Cut up a watermelon and leave it on the counter. Wash grapes and cut them into grab-and-go size sections. Slice some peaches and serve with brown sugar. Make a fruit-ka-bob to go with hamburgers.
Create something – With a de-emphasis on music and art in our schools, creativity must begin at home. Encourage the imagination by creating something – a new recipe, a Play-Doh® sculpture, a story or a song – then share it with each other.
Attend church together – It’s easy to fall out of this habit. Sleeping in and the Sunday paper can be so appealing. Make a commitment to attend church each week. Find a church with a Saturday service or one on Sunday nights if Sunday mornings are difficult.
Keep a summer journal - This could be a vacation journal, or just a way to keep kids writing.
Serve others – Find a way to give to others in your community. Make sure everyone in the family is involved.
Study geography – We all should know more about our world. Buy a globe or a world map and try and learn something new about another culture.
Practice hospitality – The size and condition of your home don’t matter to others as much as you think they do. Invite others into your home, make a casserole and break out a board game. You’ll all have a great time.
In His Love,
Glynnis
Start a tradition - Even if it’s something small, like going for ice cream after a sports event, traditions are meaningful. They create common interests and memories that last a long time.
Read more – Commit to reading a good book to yourself or out loud to your children.
Visit the library - Our public libraries are a great place to improve your knowledge of all types of things. Check out your local library.
Eat more fruit - Cut up a watermelon and leave it on the counter. Wash grapes and cut them into grab-and-go size sections. Slice some peaches and serve with brown sugar. Make a fruit-ka-bob to go with hamburgers.
Create something – With a de-emphasis on music and art in our schools, creativity must begin at home. Encourage the imagination by creating something – a new recipe, a Play-Doh® sculpture, a story or a song – then share it with each other.
Attend church together – It’s easy to fall out of this habit. Sleeping in and the Sunday paper can be so appealing. Make a commitment to attend church each week. Find a church with a Saturday service or one on Sunday nights if Sunday mornings are difficult.
Keep a summer journal - This could be a vacation journal, or just a way to keep kids writing.
Serve others – Find a way to give to others in your community. Make sure everyone in the family is involved.
Study geography – We all should know more about our world. Buy a globe or a world map and try and learn something new about another culture.
Practice hospitality – The size and condition of your home don’t matter to others as much as you think they do. Invite others into your home, make a casserole and break out a board game. You’ll all have a great time.
In His Love,
Glynnis
Thursday, May 1, 2008
For eight years my husband and I led the senior high group at our church. This was before we had our own children. We poured our lives into those kids, even buying our first home because it had a big backyard and pool. Senior high pool parties were so much fun!!!
One of the things we learned from those kids was that sincerity counts. Kids understand what it feels like to fall short. They know what it's like to have the best intentions, but to trip up now and then. So when they look at adults, they "get" mistakes. They get when an adult has a minor tantrum, they get when an adult forgets to record a cash withdrawal and bounces a check. They get it, because their teenage minds and actions aren't always consistent either.
What they don't "get" is hypocrisy. I don't think a kid ever understand when a person says one thing with conviction, but lives another thing. That's the type of behavior that erodes trust and respect.
But a quiet, sincere life is something else. Sincerity may not look cool (or "sick" as my kids say) at the time, but it is seriously impactful to a young person. Teenagers are watching to see if your life lines up with your words. When it does, it's like a brand on their memory.
Simplicity, sincerity, honesty. What an amazing way to make an impact on the next generation. And it doesn't cost money!
Grace & peace,
Glynnis
P.S. Check in tomorrow for another great thing we learned from teenagers.
One of the things we learned from those kids was that sincerity counts. Kids understand what it feels like to fall short. They know what it's like to have the best intentions, but to trip up now and then. So when they look at adults, they "get" mistakes. They get when an adult has a minor tantrum, they get when an adult forgets to record a cash withdrawal and bounces a check. They get it, because their teenage minds and actions aren't always consistent either.
What they don't "get" is hypocrisy. I don't think a kid ever understand when a person says one thing with conviction, but lives another thing. That's the type of behavior that erodes trust and respect.
But a quiet, sincere life is something else. Sincerity may not look cool (or "sick" as my kids say) at the time, but it is seriously impactful to a young person. Teenagers are watching to see if your life lines up with your words. When it does, it's like a brand on their memory.
Simplicity, sincerity, honesty. What an amazing way to make an impact on the next generation. And it doesn't cost money!
Grace & peace,
Glynnis
P.S. Check in tomorrow for another great thing we learned from teenagers.
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