Travel

  • Wild Animal Adventures (Stanton, MO)

    The 2 tigers were together in the pen, we got to see them interact, swim, play, and relax.

    After the girls got out of Cub Creek camp in Missouri we went visited Wild Animal Adventures.  It is outside of St. Louis in Stanton, Missouri.  It was a smaller establishment, but the animals were well cared for.  We went at busy time and their parking lot was full (they had a trailer blocking part of the parking lot which made it a little inconvenient) but after a few minutes we got a spot.

    They have an indoor section with aquariums, touch tanks, birds, reptiles and more.  Outside the have both farm and wild animals in different sections.  The workers seemed to enjoy being there, interacted well with the animals and were happy to share stories about the animals.

    Our girls did two extra interactions, playing with the foxes and the dingos. The dingos also known as “singing dogs” were tired so they were laying down and let the kids pet them. I was hoping to hear them “sing” but they were not into that while we were there. The workers allowed 4 people in at one time with the dingos.  For the foxes they gave the kids “treats” aka cat food to feed to the foxes.  Our two girls were the only ones other than the worker in the pen with the foxes.  The foxes loved munching on the treats and were more energetic.  The website lists the extra activities with a price range, however, at least one of the activities was more than their list price. They need to update their website if they are not still charging those rates.

    Overall it was a fun stop for our family.  The animals were fairly active and the employees were nice. If you are driving through the area it is a nice place to stop especially if you  have kids that enjoy animals. We have included a sprinkling of photos from our trip to Wild Animal Adventures.

    The llama had some personality.

    Gorgeous colors

    The kids were not interested in the pretty flowers, but I enjoyed them!

    Their 3 legged white fox. He can still move quickly and nibbled up treats from the girls.

    This one liked to interact and have conversations with you!

    The llama was more interested in you if you had food!

    Glad this one was in a cage and behind a window.

    Beautiful white tiger!

    Wild Animal Adventures

  • TrackRock Stable (Blairsville, GA)

    We specifically picked Trackrock Campground as one of the places to stay so we could go to their stables.  Our girls love horses.  When we booked our campsite we also booked a 2 hour trail ride. They have about 65 horses on the ranch, 45 are owned by Trackrock and the other 20 are ones that people are boarding at their location.

    The horses each had their own individual personalities. The trail was a little tight and steep in some places (bushes would brush up against you) and my horse, Tango, enjoyed bouncing from tree to tree.  They had a lot of different trails you could ride on depending on the weather and wildlife in the area. There were bear tracks on one section of the trail and our horses were a little skittish in that area so we took another path.

    We had 9 guests and 2 guides on our trail ride. We walked, trotted, and cantered with our horses. The trail went through the woods, meadows, streams and more. It was a hot day, but the majority of the ride was in the shade. At one point it started raining, however, it didn’t last very long so we didn’t get too wet.  The horses were well trained yet had a lot of spunk.  Thankful for the opportunity to go for our ride at Trackrock Stables.  The kids LOVED it!

    Karlie riding Chef

    Jake on Carlos and Brina on Felipe

    Enjoying the trail ride!

    Our crew in one of the meadows.

    Are we having fun yet!?

    Trackrock Stables

  • TrackRock Campground (Blairsville, GA)

    Our family recently had a weekend trip to the TrackRock Campgrounds in Blairsville, Georgia. We left on Friday afternoon and stayed until Sunday.  The campground was very nice and well maintained.  We arrived after the office closed but they had our name posted with our campsite on the bulletin board.

    There was a mix of retired couples and families as well as RVs and tents at the campgrounds. The campsites had enough space and trees around them to give everyone some privacy.  We stayed in campsite #10 which had full hookups (water, electricity and sewer) and as a bonus wild blueberries!  They were not quite ripe yet, but there were other berries around the property and a blueberry bucket in the office so they are pretty common.

    They have a lake you can fish or swim in, a couple playgrounds, hiking trails, and more.  TrackRock has their own stables were you can either board your own horse or go for a ride on one of theirs.  They have a variety of horse trails.

    Lake with the mountains in the background.

    Barn with old farm equipment around it.

    My favorite peeps!

    Trackrock Campgrounds, Cabins & Stables

  • North Georgia Zoo & Farm (Cleveland, GA)

    North Georgia Zoo & Farm is a great place to visit with your family, especially if your kids enjoy animals.

    That turtle and zebra have familiar faces….  Thankful that the girls still occasionally “humor” me with the cheesy pictures!

    Baby goats!

    This porcupine has a fantastic breakfast, look at all those fruits & veggies!

    The beaver is munching on his veggies too!

    Beautiful animal!

    Are you sure you don’t have another treat for me!?

    Albino Kangaroo napping in the shade!

    Singing dog, so wanted to hear it actually sing!!!

    Brina loving all the animals!

    Jake and Karlie waiting for the Animal Show to start

    Soft….of course the girls wanted at least one when they found out that they sale them at this location

    Fascinating to watch it run awhile!

    A lot softer than we expected.

  • Trambahn Card Game

    Fun 2 person game!

    On a recent trip Jake picked up the game called Trambahn from Mayfair Games!  It was a fun 2 person game to play.  I didn’t win, but had a blast playing it.  It comes in a small hard box even though it is technically a card game.  It is a game that you will most likely want to play on a table because the cards will be spread out throughout the game.

    The game is built to reflect Munich around the end of the 19th century.  Each player tries to build and expand their own tramways while new routes are being created, stations are built, and existing routes gain additional trains.  The game take about 30 minutes.  The rules are easy to understand and it is fun to play.

    Thankful for a husband who enjoys playing board and card games as much as I do.  Also, grateful for the opportunity to stop and play a game together every once in awhile.  It is a fun and relaxing time together.

    If you are looking for a fun, easy, two player and card game you should check this one out!

  • Oasis Cedar Creek Cabin (Cleveland, GA)

    Beautiful with the wood, large windows, and open floor plan!

    My husband and I recently had a weekend away in Cleveland, Georgia while the girls were on a school field trip to Charleston, SC. The Oasis Cabin we stayed in was beautiful!  It was in a great location with the peacefulness of the woods and mountains while conveniently located near Helen, Georgia if you wanted to go out to dinner or exploring.  We ate at the Cowboys & Angels restaurant while in Helen which was very good.  It was a much needed weekend away together.

    The cabin was perfect and furnished with a lot of fun extras.  It had simple yet beautiful decorations, not the typical “bears, fish, and other cabin decor”.  The bath robes were very comfortable and we enjoyed playing several rounds of pool together.  We played board games, ate out on the deck, and relaxed together.  We could occasionally hear the construction workers who were building a couple of the surrounding cabins, but nothing too distracting.

    There were some cleaning issues that we had with the cabin, but after emailing Cedar Creek Cabins with the information we originally felt like it was worth visiting Cedar Creek Cabins again to see if the experience is better.  Now we are not sure if we will visit any of their cabins in the future.

    We are still very thankful for a special weekend together.  We went home refreshed and relaxed!  Just wish the people taking care of the cabins followed through with their promises and that the cabins were cleaned better.

    View from the pool table – looking towards the kitchen and bedroom areas

    PROS:

    • Gorgeous cabin with a spacious floor plan, huge windows and a lot of nice features
    • Pool Table & Board Games
    • Fairly Private Back Deck
    • Charcoal Grill
    • Keurig Coffee Machine was really nice + they left a few coffee K-Cups to use as well as a re-usable one if you brought your own ground coffee
    • Washer & Dryer
    • Blender – wasn’t aware of this one prior to arriving, but we love smoothies
    • Plenty of Storage for Food & Snacks in the cupboards
    • Comfortable King Size Bed
    • Super Soft Bath Robes
    • Automatic Recliners in the Couch
    • Fireplace
    • Jacuzzi Bathtub the huge tub that was really comfortable, does take awhile to fill up though!
    • Large Walk-in Dual Shower
    • Hot Tub on Deck nice, but needed more chlorine had a mildew growing in it by the second night so we did not get into it again after that night
    • 2 TV’s – one over the fireplace and the other by the bed & jacuzzi tub
    • Nest Thermometer was easy to use
    • Landscaping looked freshly done and really nice (new mulch)
    • Nice Loveseat Wicker Furniture on the Deck could sit or lay down on it.  We played games on the deck, ate snacks, and relaxed
    • Small Community Playground – it was small and a little faded, but was a nice touch for any families coming to visit with small kids.
    • Nice neighborhood – We felt safe enough to walk through the neighborhood and found several other families doing the same as well.

    Super soft bathrobes!

    CONS:

    • Check the Dishes prior to using!  We found a lot of dirty dishes that had been put away, possibly from the previous renters, but most of them should have been noticed by the cleaning staff.  For example – Several of the knives in the knife rack on the counter were very dirty with chunks of food on them.  Multiple items (plates and cups) in the cupboards had food chunks on them and the bowls had liquid in them.  If you opened the silverware drawer it was obvious by just looking that the silverware was not cleaned prior to being put back into the drawer.  After pulling out several dirty items we ended up washing everything before using it.  Thankfully we brought extra dishwasher soap and a bunch of disposable items because we ended up running all the silverware and a bunch of dishes through the dishwasher prior to leaving.  If you are going to require guests to wash the dishes prior to checking out then the housekeeping staff really should do a quality inspection of the dishes when cleaning the cabin to make sure that they are actually clean prior to the next guests arrival.  Honestly, it was gross and would have been an easy thing to correct while housekeeping was already in the cabin cleaning.  We realize that it was most likely the previous guests that put dirty utensils, pots & pans, and serving items back in the cupboard, however, it was pretty obvious just by glancing that the dishes were put away dirty especially when opening the silverware drawer or pulling a plate out of the cupboard or a bowl with standing water in it.  No one wants to wash dirty dishes from the previous guests in a cabin while on their vacation.
    • Top rack of the dishwasher was missing the right end cap causing the rack to come off the roller or get stuck in place.  Wasn’t a big deal other than it made using the top rack of the dishwasher more difficult to use.
    • Bring extra toilet paper! We had 2 partial rolls of toilet paper that was supposed to last for 4 days for 2 people (the one on the roller was almost gone and the one on the back of the toilet was already half used).  We ended up getting more toilet paper to get us through the weekend.
    • Fireplace thongs would be very helpful when maintaining the fire.  Not a huge problem just would make it more convenient for the guests staying in the cabin.
    • Basic Cooking Supplies especially if you plan to cook.  Maybe we cook more than the average guests or have stayed in cabins with a lot of “extras”.  There was no cooking spray, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or pyrex dish or pie plate to cook in.  One jelly roll pan and a set of pots & pans was it for baking.
    • Ability to be a Gated Community, however, the gate was never locked (even though we were given a gate code) and we were in and out multiple times every day
    • Rough Road with a lot of large pot holes the last half mile or so to the entry of the entrance.  This is probably more of a county maintenance issue, but visitors need to be aware of the road condition as it is one you’ll want to the cabins so take it slow to avoid potholes.
    • Some construction noise. This cabin community was obviously still being built.  Several cabins next to us were still being built, overall the noise from construction was minimal (mostly hammers, saws, and normal construction noises).  We could hear one of the workers radios playing if we were outside, there were several port-a-potties near our cabin, and they did work on both Saturday and Sunday so there was construction activity even on the weekend.
    • No Cabin Signage. Had to call them to figure out which cabin it was because there were no signs and we drove around the entire complex twice.  They told us where it was located and said that the construction workers had knocked over the sign and one was on order.
    • Need updated directions. Followed the directions exactly, but it appears that they have added more cabins and roads since writing the instructions because they did not lead to the correct cabin.
    • High Speed Internet – while they did have internet it did drop a few times or was really slow.  It may have been from all the construction around us because we noticed it most on Friday of our stay.
    • Landline Phone – while it was nice having the phone in the cabin we got multiple phones call from people trying to solicit money and/or services.  After a day we ended up unplugging the phone because the only time it rang was when someone was trying to advertise their services and we had our cell phones that worked decently while at the cabin.

    Overall we had a refreshing and relaxing time together.  The cabin itself was gorgeous and other than the kitchen the rest of the cabin was fairly clean.  The housekeeping not checking the dishes and the property managers failure to follow through with their promises were our biggest disappointments, really all else was minor and expected with a new community.

    We contacted the property managers and they were apologetic regarding the dirty items in the cabin.  They also offered to give us a discount on our next stay in any of their cabins.  We let them know that we were staying at another one of their cabins again in April with our kids.  Gave them the dates, the cabin we were staying in and everything, but never heard back from them again regarding the discount.

    We held off posting the review because we wanted to give them a second chance prior to posting it.  We feel like they dropped the ball in a few ways and not convinced that it would be a company we would use again which is sad because they are within a reasonable driving distance from home making it a convenient weekend place to visit.  Plus the cabins could really be a wonderful relaxing and enjoyable place to stay especially if you don’t have to clean up the previous guests messes!

    PLEASE for the sake of your future guests make sure that the cabins are cleaned better no one wants to pull out dishes with the last guests food on them AND don’t offer to fix issues or offer a discount on future stays if you do not intend to honor that promise.

    View from the kitchen & dining area bedroom, jacuzzi tub, and shower

    Relaxing on the deck lounge.  Comfortable and relaxing!

    Decorations were simple and elegant.  Not the typical “cabin” decor which was really nice!

    Loved hanging out with my man for the weekend!

    Relaxing on the couch in front of the toasty fire!

  • Cowboys & Angels Restaurant (Helen, GA)

    Jake and I went away for a weekend while the girls were on a Student Council Leadership Conference.  We stayed in Cleveland, Georgia not far from Helen.  After Jake was done with work we headed into Helen to grab a bite to eat.  We had looked at a few restaurant reviews prior to going so we had an idea of some of the places we may want to check out.

    Once in Helen we parked on the edge of town and took a stroll through the quaint little shopping area.  We passed several of the restaurants that we were considering.  We finally settled on Cowboys & Angels Restaurant When we first arrived there were only a couple tables inside (but they were reserved) and several tables available outside.  We considered staying because it was probably going to get cooler as it got darker.  The hostess and staff reassured us that they had outdoor heaters.  They found us a table in an area that would be a little warmer and a little quieter.  A musician from Nasheville, TN was singing on the outdoor patio, but wasn’t too loud.

    The weather was a little bit cooler, but it was still comfortable.  The staff was quick and accommodating.  The food was delicious.  Jake had the Longhorn Burger with Broccoli.  I had the Grilled Maverick Chicken with a House Salad both were delicious.

    Pros:

    • Location is in the heart of the shopping and tourist district of Helen, GA
    • Food was delicious and for a reasonable price
    • Atmosphere was good with live music
    • Hospitality was excellent and pleasant with prompt service from the staff

    Cons

    • Limited indoor seating.  If it is a cooler day when you visit and the restaurant is busy you may be eating outside.
    • NOTE: Staff indicated that they were in the process of expanding and hope to have more indoor eating space in the future (not sure of the exact plans or timeline).

    Overall:  Yes, would definitely try again on a future visit to Helen, GA.  They would probably benefit from more indoor seating especially during the cooler months, but I can imagine it would be a really neat venue for eating on the porch & patio throughout the Spring and Summer seasons.  The food was great and the service was excellent so if you are looking for somewhere to eat while visiting the area we recommend you check them out.

  • Three Ways Your Family can Welcome in a New Year!

    With a new year comes a lot of excitement!  The feeling of a fresh start in many areas of our lives, planning for future events and adventures, new goals, and more!  Everyday is a blessing!  While we welcome in the New Year don’t forget to reflect on the many blessings that you have enjoyed over the past year(s).  I encourage you to initiate a conversation with your family (it can be during a family dinner, game night, or any good time when everyone is present).  During this family time focus on these three things as a family to start off your New Year right.  This time together will make a positive impact on the hearts and lives of each individual family member and is worth it:

    1. Reflect back the fun memories and blessings of 2016!  Often the hardest part with this stage is getting the ball rolling.  Before the family time create a list of several good family memories to get it started.  Mention one and let others input their memories tied into that event as well as start adding their own memories.  Give everyone a chance who wants to talk the opportunity.  If there is a pause bring up a different memory to keep them going.  Before long you’ll be laughing and the kids will be bringing up memories connected to the event or new ones that you forgot about.  This is a wonderful way to end a year and begin a new one.
    2. Take a moment to think about the tough times over the past year! While the harder times are not easy to deal with or will bring back sadness or emotions they still have an impact on our lives.  Sometimes during these times of discussion you realize that a family member is still struggling with something.  Whether it is grief over a lost pet or loved one, anger, frustration, or something else.  This is a good time to gauge how everyone is doing and give you an opportunity to encourage each other or help those family members heal.  The love and support you receive from those around you can make an incredible impact on your life as you continue to move forward.  Knowing you are not alone, you are loved, and you have a team of people who want to help you can help the family member heal more quickly.  (Do not use this time to point out problems with each other, but to talk about harder times and to encourage.  Some topics made need to be tabled for a later and more lengthy conversation)  It will give you a good insight into your children and some ideas of what to help encourage them with over the next few weeks as they continue to grow and heal.
    3. Look ahead! As one year wraps up and a new one begins it is a great time to set some goals both personally and as a family.  Use this time to set family goals together.  There may be some activities that the kids have been wanting to do, but you have been letting it slip not even realizing that it was very important to them.  The goals discussed during this family  time should be family related, although they most definitely have a personal impact on each family member.  Write these goals down and review them weekly or monthly or regularly throughout the year to remind the family members of what is important to the family as a whole.  This also provides a lead in for each of the members to think about their personal goals.  It allows a great opportunity to have a group of people focused on similar goals and encouraging each other along the way.  Some family goal ideas (eat healthier, regular family game night, monthly date night with spouse and each child, daily family devotions, learn a new skill together, plan a family vacation, weekly family night, quarterly family service project, etc…).  Make a point to write the ideas down and either make a decision that day or within a few days on the family goals.  Type up a list, print it or email it to each family member so that they can be reminded of the ways your family is working together to create stronger bonds, happy memories, and improving lives.

    Setting aside a time when everyone is together can be difficult, however it is important.  It can be during a family dinner, game night, or another time when the family is together.  Make sure it is a convenient time with as little distractions as possible.  A time when everyone is more relaxed (not hungry, ready for bed, or trying to multi-task while having this conversation).  The reflecting on memories helps create a happy bond, the tough times allow family members to see that they are not alone and have the support of people who love them, and looking ahead gives you the opportunity to improve and grow into a better individuals and family unit.  If you do write down the family goals please do your best to follow through as much as possible because these goals are important to the members.

    Life has a way of staying busy.  Taking the time to spending reflecting on good memories as a way has a way of bringing everyone together.  It may cause some laughter, tears, and healing.  It is good to be reminded of the many blessings in our life and to realize that we are journeying through this life together.   Yes, we make mistakes along the way, but we can can make the best of it and have a lot of fun too.  Many blessings to you and your family this 2017 New Year!!!

  • Hotels: Hampton Inn – Anchorage, Alaska

    https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-o/0c/7a/8b/61/hotel-exterior.jpg

    While in Anchorage, Alaska we stayed at the Hampton Inn at 4301 Credit Union Dr, Anchorage, AK 99503.  Once we arrived at the airport in Anchorage, Alaska we called the hotel shuttle which comes by every 10 to 20 minutes 24 hours a day.  I think we had to wait about 10 minutes which the kids thought was “forever” in the cool drizzly mist outside the airport, but it wasn’t bad.  We just were not used to the cool rainy temperatures in the summer being from South Carolina plus we were tired.  It was 5:00 am our time back home.  The 4 hour time change had us a little bit off schedule and even though we napped on the plane it wasn’t like a full nights sleep!

    The Hampton Inn was a fairly quick drive from the airport and the driver was pleasant.  There was only one other couple in the van with us.  We were able to check into the hotel, settle into our room, shower, and crash for a few hours before getting up and heading out on the town.  It was wonderful getting a hot shower and crashing into a comfortable bed after being up over 30 plus hours.

    Why did we choose Hampton Inn?  There are multiple reasons, but here is a handful that swayed our family in the direction of going with Hampton:

    1. We are Hilton Honors Members – a lot of time when we (mostly Jake) travels for work the nearest hotel is Hampton so we tend to stick with the Hilton line
    2. Quality and service at the Hilton Hotels is pretty consistent
    3. Clean Rooms
    4. Comfortable Beds – we have slept in a variety of rooms / beds over the past 16 years of our marriage and Hilton beds typically more comfortable then other hotels that we have been at while traveling. A good nights sleep can make a huge difference on the following day!
    5. Swimming Pool – most of the Hilton’s we have been at have either an indoor or outdoor pool which is always a hit for the kids
    6. Continental Breakfast – decent and predictable breakfast (which is especially convenient when traveling with a family member that has food allergies or food intolerances) Not all the Hilton hotels have continental breakfasts, but all the Hampton Inn’s we have stayed out do have breakfast which is always a benefit when you have a hungry family every morning

    The Hampton Inn not only had shuttle service to/from the airport, but also to several spots around Anchorage.  After some sleep and a good breakfast we were ready to hit the town and explore Anchorage.  We were the only ones on the shuttle at that time.  We asked the driver for recommendations on “must see” places to visit, shop, eat, and tour while we were in Anchorage (especially since we were only going to be in town 1 day, we wanted to squeeze in everything we could during our time there).

    After we asked the question the driver took the time to pull over the van in a safe location, got a map of Anchorage out, started to circle and draw an outline of where we need to go that day, how to get there, and a variety of activities from sight seeing, shopping, tours, and great local places to eat or visit.  We did EVERYTHING recommended that morning, except 1 of the restaurants and that was only because we got hungry earlier than we expected and stopped to eat prior to getting to the restaurant which was delicious too!

    It was thoughtful and AWESOME having that 2 minute explanation and highlights of the town.  It gave us a clear path to follow throughout the day without wasting time wondering around and trying to figure out what to do.  We left the hotel at 9 am that morning and didn’t actually get back to our home to start getting ready for bed until almost 11 pm that night.  Thankful that Hampton Inn hired good drivers who go the extra mile.  It made our day in Anchorage fun, memorable, and enjoyable for the whole family.  We got to see a lot more with his assistance then if we had just roamed around on our own.  It made it more efficient and we got to pack more into our one day of Anchorage than we ever anticipated.

    I would definitely recommend that Hampton Inn in Anchorage if you are looking for a place to stay.  It is not the one downtown Anchorage but in the suburbs.  It was clean, family friendly, and a great place to stay.  It was the first hotel we had been in that had crayons and postcards that the kids could color in with crayons in the lobby and mail out.  Which was a neat “extra” piece for families traveling with kids.

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