I wrote this blog post in the car on the way to the family cabin in Wisconsin. My husband’s family has been visiting the Reel Livin’ Resort for 40+ years. My husband doesn’t remember a summer in his life that didn’t involve Wisconsin and fishing. That’s an awesome tradition; so far, we’ve kept it up with our little family. The car ride is over 9 hours (there isn’t an airport close), and it can be a bit of a struggle with two toddlers. However, once we make it to the road leading up to the resort—a road we’ve deemed the “pretty road,” we know good days are ahead…

We are currently making our way to Hayward, Wisconsin. My in-laws have a cabin on the lake. It’s a serene escape from the city. There are long quiet days that somehow seem to go by too fast. There are endless fishing adventures and picnic lunches. Like the lyrics of a Taylor Swift song, “you can hear it in the silence.”  It’s so quiet that through the silence and isolation comes the realization that we are small in the grand scheme of it all. The trees envelop you. As you look up, you notice marks through the bark that you didn’t before. You start to ask yourself questions that you can’t fully answer. What is my purpose? Am I doing all that I can to be the best that I can? Am I on the right path?

Then you look as the waves crash over the cutest little toes. And those giggles break the meditative trance you fell into while watching the water. You realize those questions have answers in those sweet faces staring back at you. They depend on you as much as you on them. Although you got more sleep and had more flexibility before these nuggets came along—your eyes were opened to the unexplainable joy in those moments. When tiny fingers link with yours or an unexpected “I love you” brings tears to your eyes. How could you possibly love anything more?

But…that’s not where I am right now. I’m not relishing in the quiet stillness of the Northwoods. Nope, I’m in the wild kingdom of our Ford Explorer. Taming lions that are refusing to stay buckled. Feeling like I might have an underlying claustrophobia condition that I’m becoming more aware of the longer I sit in the backseat. As we stopped for a much-needed lunch break, and I took a much-needed bathroom break—I witnessed mom magic at its best. A mom was having her little boy jump up and down and hop in place while waiting for a bathroom stall. I thought to myself that she was winning the mom game today and that I should cool it with my internal negativity about this extremely long car ride. Then I remembered just minutes prior, I made everyone at the table do their “ice cream dance” in celebration of the Culver’s scoops we were enjoying. As well as playing “fireball”, a whisper game of tossing a napkin to someone while whispering the word fireball. A game I’m positive I’ll regret when we make it home. As I watched the little boy run in place, I congratulated myself for bringing the fun too. Even though on the inside I was rolling my eyes thinking of the many, many miles left to go.

I hope when things are seeming tough with the kiddos—especially with all the big emotions some of us will be working through after the first week of school, you remember you have mom magic too. That your creative distractions or bear hugs after a long day are the comfort and stability your kids need. And that sometimes those long car rides are the best time to make those core memories. So, as I watch the miles tick down on the GPS and daydream about unplugging for the week…I’ll also remind myself that it isn’t the destination, but the journey and I should learn to just enjoy the ride.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and as always, happy reading.

If anyone is interested in the Reel Livin’ Resort, the link is below along with my list of road trip goodies and activities for the kids.

Reel Livin' Resort

What I brought for the car:

Everything was purchased from Dollar Tree.

-Coloring Books

-Sticker Activity Books

-Markers and their own marker boxes

-Mini whiteboards with marker

-Handheld pinball game

*I put everything in a bookbag for each of them that we could easily access. The tablets were also in there for those desperate times after hours in the car and a movie is the only answer.

*The Dollar Tree also had building blocks compatible with Legos and a little organizing box for them, playdough, canvas prints with paint and brushes, and Crayola air clay kits for the rainy days in the cabin when we can’t be outside. Everything was a hit and because it’s all from the Dollar Tree—it wasn’t a huge hit to the wallet!