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We visited Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose TX and had quite the adventure. It’s such an amazing and beautiful place to bring kids, explore outdoors, learn about dinosaur history, and have a picnic!

The park itself is over 1100 acres with abundant wildlife, trails, and a turquoise river. It surprises me how much natural beauty there is in Texas as you don’t often see it in your daily commute or surroundings. You have to go out and seek it.

We started our trek at the Main Track Site where you cross the shallow river stepping on large rocks as your path leading to the Ozark Site. Here you’ll find sauropod tracks that once roamed the earth.  Jonah was amazed by the size of these massive fossils. As we made our way across the river and over the rock formations, a short and relatively easy hiking trail awaits. The views of the river were a spectacular sight as I’ve never seen a river so turquoise before; beaches and oceans yes, but rivers no.

First sauropod tracks in the world discovered by R.T. Bird

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail leads up to an Overlook which was the perfect spot to stop for a picnic lunch and take in the valley views from the top.  The top of the Overlook can be a little dangerous if you have little ones full of energy as there are cliffs. But if you take caution and hang on to your wild ones, the views from the top are rewarding and worth the climb.

View of the Paluxy River Valley from the Overlook

 

After lunch, we made our way back down the trail and took the kids to the children’s play area. This was the perfect outlet to let the little ones run free and play without the dangers of high cliffs or falling.

Dinosaur Valley State Park has many points of interest and so many more trails. You can easily spend an entire day here exploring. For our first visit here, we spent the the right amount of time exploring to keep both kids’ interest and to tire them out before Baron’s nap time. We definitely plan to come back to explore the rest of the trails.

Travel Tips for visiting Dinosaur Valley State Park:

  • Come early in the morning as soon as the park opens and visit before March before the crowds come. Crowds start to visit later in the spring and the park gets busier.
  • Pack a lunch and enjoy a picnic at one of the many scenic areas.
  • Crossing the river is a highlight – be prepared to get your feet wet then explore where the first sauropod track was discovered.
  • Check out the larger than life size dinosaur models at the entrance or on your way out. Great for photo opps.
  • Visit the gift shop where you’ll find dinosaur-related gift items. All proceeds benefit the park and provide free educational programs.

 

 

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It has been four months since we sold our house, left Washington and moved to Texas. I’ve been reluctant on writing this post because I just didn’t feel like I was ready to express all the emotions that come with a move/relocation, a new city, new state, new town, new life, new everything. As the end of 2017 nears, I’ve had a few months to reflect and am ready to share my thoughts on our recent move.  It has been both exciting, liberating and joyful, yet there are times I feel sad and miss the place I was so familiar and comfortable with. Being a Seattle native, I’ve only lived away from Seattle to go to college in Pullman and to study abroad in London England for a semester. At age 32, the biggest move for ME at the time was moving from Seattle to the Eastside (Issaquah to be exact).  It was the first time in my adult life that I’ve felt such passion and connection about a place and a home before.  I felt more content than I ever had before. It wasn’t until my husband, children and I did life there that I discovered a new found appreciation for everything about it. I loved the natural beauty surrounded by mountains and trees, the lake nearby, the landscape, the proximity to Seattle and Bellevue, the charming small town feel, the craftsman architecture, the neighborhoods and the excellent schools. I loved how we had access to everything outside our front door and could walk to the park, playground, community center, library, market, shops, and hiking trails.

 

 

With the real estate market up and more equity built up in our home, we knew we wanted to sell to buy and design/build our next dream home and stay in Issaquah.  What we didn’t know was how quickly our home would sell. We listed the last weekend of June and by the second week of July, we accepted an offer and went into contract.  This gave us very little time to go with the plan to build a new home in Issaquah and we hadn’t found any listings that we loved.  The same week that we accepted an offer on our house, John got a call from his employer about a position in Fort Worth and if he was interested, he could start in August.  As in next month August. Freaking out, with no plans or leads for any Issaquah homes, we jumped online to check out potential Dallas/Fort Worth real estate listings. We were surprised by what we saw, especially for the price point. You get a lot of house and land in Texas for half the price of what you would pay in the Seattle/Eastside areas, allowing us to increase and save our net proceeds, and invest in another project.

After discussing the opportunity and weighing our options, whether to stay or move, I wholeheartedly agreed and supported John’s decision to relocate our family for his job.  After all, John has supported my career choices during our entire relationship, going along with my career plans and changes.  It was time to return the favor and encourage his career decision.

As John and I began discussing and comparing our wish lists and requirements in a new home, we compromised and agreed on a ranch style home on half an acre in a country setting about 35 minutes outside of Fort Worth. We worked with a virtual agent who was so helpful in touring and video recording properties for us all over DFW. She wrote up the offer and within days we had mutual acceptance, an inspection date and tentative closing date.

Everything happened so fast that we didn’t have an opportunity to see all of our friends and family that we would have liked to or for a proper farewell. Packing seemed like it was never ending, but we managed to get it done in two weekends and all the hours during the week in between. The task of packing in such a short window gave us the opportunity to purge a lot of unnecessary “things and stuff” that we kept and collected for no reason over the years. I applied some elements of the KonMari Method during the purge and it felt so good to get rid of stuff that we didn’t need or that didn’t spark joy.  I also had fun selling a lot of stuff quickly on OfferUp, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace.

Moving day came and I found it feeling similar to how I felt first going off to college. There’s excitement and fear of the unknown. I remember those college days well… I was homesick at first, yet I knew it was time for that next chapter.  I had no choice but to go forward.  Looking back, those were some of the best years of my life. I never learned so about myself and what I was capable of doing.  It’s a different time now and it’s not just about me anymore – I have a husband and two children now.  I need to show them that life here can be and will be great. It already is great in many ways if we open our eyes and look for it.  It’s also an incredible opportunity, a chance to try new things, explore more of the world, make new traditions, celebrate life and grow.

No matter how much I miss my old life, there’s no better time to move forward – for my husband, our sons, and for myself.  The timing of it all just fell into place organically as if there was a bigger plan for us just waiting to unfold but it was up to us to put in the work and make it happen.  We feel truly blessed.

Closing Day August 28, 2017

So here we are, in our new home and new state. The boys have adjusted so well, better than I expected. I know it’s their age that has helped make the transition easier. Jonah at age 7 going on 8 at the time of our move, loves his new school and hasn’t looked back. Baron at age 2 during the move is just enjoying everyday. We like to look at photos together on fb and Instagram of our friends and relatives from back home and the kids do remember the fun memories we had.  We love our new home and are happy with our decision on where and what we purchased. I have plans to make some updates to the house in stages, but for now, I am finding joy in making this house our home through projects such as decorating, repurposing, and styling a whole new blank canvas. (House tour pics coming soon).  Frequent trips to Target (Super Targets in Texas) have been therapeutic and have helped me ease into my new environment here, while discovering new places to eat, shop, play and explore have made it an exciting adventure for the entire family.  There are also Drybar‘s here in Dallas and Fort Worth, hallelujah! I just need to find a new hairstylist and I’ll be good to go.  Speaking of shopping, Dallas is the place to be if you love to shop. John has found his outdoor gun range, and the kids have a cute little park, beach and lake nearby.  At the end of each day, we find tranquility in our new country surroundings.

We appreciate the close friends and relatives who have been supportive and those who have rooted for us (you know who you are) in our decision to move. It really means a lot to know that it is your true friends that have your back no matter what, and uplift and encourage you to live your best life. I’m all about #goodvibesonly. Designing the life you want involves risk, challenges, uncertainty and figuring some things out as you go. There will be voices and negative nellies that tell you “It’s too hard” or “It just doesn’t make sense.”  In fact, our brains are scientifically wired to prevent us from doing things that are uncomfortable, uncertain or scary in order to protect us and survive. But at the risk of sounding cliché, I believe sacrificing a life inside a comfort zone for the sake of living a better, richer and fuller story is the best kind of life worth living.

 

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One of our favorite summer family traditions is to go camping, or car camping, or as I sometimes refer to it as glamping.

Every year since Jonah was born, we’ve always traveled to Deception Pass for its convenient location from Seattle, proximity to water and the scenic views. This year, I thought we’d try a different campground and state park to change things up, and explore more of our beautiful state. Another reason I sought out different accommodations was to have a more turn-key and convenient experience with our now mobile toddler. Setting up camp isn’t the easiest task, especially when you have an 18-month old who thinks anything that looks dangerous, sharp, or hot is fun. Enter cabin camping, not a new concept, but new for our family.  John loves to rough it and roughing it is what he does well and with ease via backpacking or car camping.

Up for the new experience, John agreed to the change in camping accommodations this year as long as I agreed not to pack as much glam (yeah right).

We booked a cabin at Camano Island State Park, just an hour and a half north of Seattle by car. Known for its rocky shoreline and beach, I always love camping by the water, not to mention the scenic drive and views of the surrounding mountains not too far from home.

 

Being that there are only five cabins at Camano Island State Park, I loved the idea of our campsite being more private, not crammed with too many neighbors, and the added convenience of not having to set up a tent! The cabin came furnished with beds, a refrigerator, freezer, microwave, chairs, and table, and a rolling cart for food prep. Some friends joined us for the weekend and were able to book the last cabin just across from ours. The kids freely explored around the cabin sites, trails, and rode around on their bikes and scooters while us parents relaxed and enjoyed lots of wine and beer by the fire.

 

There happened to be a boat festival down on the beach and the kids had the opportunity to craft their own wooden boats.

 

We ate well, drank well, explored the nature setting and spent time with good friends. Now that we’ve experienced cabin camping, I think this may be the route our family will take going forward.

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My family and I recently returned from Walt Disney World, and after surviving Disney with an infant (6 months) and a 6-year-old, we feel that we can conquer almost anything!

To say I was nervous about the trip is an understatement. I envisioned waiting in long lines everywhere, having to navigate through crowds, and feeling overwhelmed by the size of the parks. My vision couldn’t have been further from reality. Sure, those things existed, but despite all of that, we did experience the Most Magical Place On Earth. Here are my tips on how you can do that, too with an infant and child.

Plan, Plan, Plan .

Before even setting foot in a park, have a plan.

  • We knew which days we wanted to visit which parks. With a few days in Orlando, we decided to get a two-day pass allowing us to visit the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
  • Downloading the Disneyworld app was our bff before and during the trip. It was helpful having our all our dining reservations, ride times, schedule of attractions, and photos all in once device.
  • Know what rides are most important to your kids and send someone there first. Each day upon entering a park, I sent my husband to get in the FastPass line for the most popular rides (Toy Story, Splash Mountain, etc.), so we reduced wait times there. For us, Disney dining and the Star Wars Experience were the focus for this trip, which we successfully conquered. We spent one full day at each park (Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom) and still didn’t have enough time each day. There is just so much to see, do, and experience with so much ground to cover! DW is HUGE!
  • Expect lengthier travel times to and from the parks if you’re not staying in the park. From the Magic Kingdom parking lot, you’ll still need to catch a shuttle to the entrance gate, then take the monorail or ferry boat to the main entrance of the Magic Kingdom.

Seek out nursing or resting spots to feed baby and rest. I found respite in the lobby of Star Wars theatre to sit down and nurse. This to me was pure bliss. Air conditioning, dark and quiet with no one around! Another favorite spot to just sit down and relax was at the garden outside Cinderella’s Castle. It was the perfect little outdoor area to people watch. It’s landscaped with turf suitable for little ones to sit and crawl on and it’s surrounded by a lovely flower garden filled with spring blooms.

 

The Food

Walt Disney World definitely takes it up a notch with their Signature Dining. There are also a ton of walk-up counter service restaurants throughout the parks, and of course a selection of character dining options. The Signature Dining and character dining books up fast so be sure to make your reservations early.

Fireworks view at the California Grill from the top floor Contemporary Resort We enjoyed dinner and dessert at California Grill at the Contemporary Resort complete with views of the Nighttime Spectacular Fireworks – what a treat!

1900 Park Fare at the gorgeous Grand Floridian Resort was another favorite where we enjoyed dinner during Cinderella’s Happily Ever After and character visits from Cinderella herself and Prince Charming.img_0284

The highlight of our dinners was at Be Our Guest. The ambiance, food, service, and entertainment were most memorable.

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Overall, we had an amazing family vacation at the Most Magical Place On Earth. We did what we wanted at our own pace, let Jonah decide on attractions and rides he wanted to experience, we ate well, laughed together, made wishes, and enjoyed being in the moment. For Jonah’s and Baron’s first time to WDW and for us as a family, we’re already planning our next trip. We can’t wait to come back!