When Lemon begged to go to the Grand Canyon I was apprehensive and more than a little grumpy. It's a beautiful place, but it's kind of the Disneyland of National Parks and I thought that the kids aren't really a good age for hiking. Also I was terrified of Memorial day weekend. We were able … Continue reading Grand Canyon NP
Petrified Forest NP
Sometimes I get a little excited when I look at the map and I think WE ONLY HAVE FOUR HOURS to drive. And then I do things. Things like deciding to schedule two stops in 1 day, which is waaay more ambitious than it sounds. Of course, as adults, a two hour drive with a … Continue reading Petrified Forest NP
Pecos NHP
We passed Pecos on the way from Fort Union to Albuquerque, and I looked in the rear view mirror and saw 2 sleeping kids, and one lost to the world of his Nintendo DS. So we did what any sane parents do, we drove right past it. Which made it a perfect Saturday trip to … Continue reading Pecos NHP
Saint-Gaudens NHS
This was another one of those experiences where I knew nothing about it and then got there and realized that I actually knew stuff about this and had never put it together. I never really remember things like band names, or songs, or albums, which bothers my husband to no end. Apparently my art history … Continue reading Saint-Gaudens NHS
Gettysburg MP
I have been to Gettysburg one other time, when Ranger was 4 and Lemon was 2. It was crowded, and is remembered by us for being the first place we ever lost a kid in public, swallowed by the 150th Anniversary crowds. But this year we have been going to Civil War sites, doing a … Continue reading Gettysburg MP
Antietam NB
With as strenuous as Harpers Ferry was, I wasn't going to push another badge stop. But we got up and were packed, and the kids said "What park are we going to?" I'm not sure if they just expected me to pack another in or if they were genuinely interested, but I offered them Appalachian … Continue reading Antietam NB
Harpers Ferry NHP, Pt 2
I got our Junior Ranger Badge books from an older ranger. He clearly loved the Civil War and he began telling me about many things, while the children ran around this smaller Ranger Station. Wild Thing in particular seemed bent on destruction, so my patient husband chased him, while the other kids stamped their passports. … Continue reading Harpers Ferry NHP, Pt 2
Harpers Ferry NHP, pt 1
Where to even begin? I am going to talk about the park first and then in the next post specifically talk about the Junior Ranger badge, because I wasn't entirely sure what to expect and was met with a vast historical crossroad. I knew about the John Brown revolt, but was entirely fuzzy on the … Continue reading Harpers Ferry NHP, pt 1
Great Smoky Mountains NP Pt. 2
Great Smoky is a stand out park for a few different reasons, one of which is that the money was raised by LOCAL PEOPLE. When the federal government approved the creation of the park they refused to fund it. It was funded with local citizen donations, school children, from all walks of life, collecting nickels … Continue reading Great Smoky Mountains NP Pt. 2
Great Smoky Mountains NP pt 1
When planning our eclipse viewing I tried to keep a couple things front and center in my mind. 1) It could be cloudy and 2) The kids may find this monumentally unimpressive. To mitigate both of these concerns it was really important that the focal point of the trip have something great to visit in … Continue reading Great Smoky Mountains NP pt 1