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Family Fun at Utah’s Olympic Park

Utah Olympic Park was the perfect day trip from Salt Lake City. It was a beautiful 1/2 hour drive from our Salt Lake City KOA. We had a blast, surrounded by beautiful scenery, great 90’s music piped throughout and fun active adventures all day long. Dad is a past Olympian, so of course, we are a family who loves anything to do with the winter Olympics!

With our gold wristbands, we were able to experience all of the fun activities as we wanted throughout the day. These unlimited, all-day wristbands cost $65 for adults and $40 for kids 12 and under.  The kids weren’t old enough to do the bobsled run yet, as you have to be 14. There is an additional cost for that, but they’ve all already put it on their teenage bucket list.

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We started out at the hardest ropes adventure course in the middle of the bobsled track. I chickened out but the rest of the family had a ball accomplishing the two courses here.  Yes, my children are up on that top level!

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Afterwards, the kids did the zipline which ended at the drop tower. I just love that all of my kids are adventurous and willing to try all of these challenges. They certainly didn’t get this from me.

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I experienced ziplining for the first time here. Only one of the boys weighed enough to do the extreme zip line and he really wanted a partner to go with him, so I decided to join him. The guy working the cables promised me I would enjoy it if I just tried it. I’m not a big fan of heights nor am I an avid thrill-seeker, so I was hesitant. But, he was right, it was quite fun and I had no problem tackling the smaller lines after. I’m glad that I didn’t read that this zipline is one of the steepest in the world before I did it!

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The Alpine Slide was new for all of us and was probably our favorite activity. We rode the chairlift up the mountain several times, just to take that slide down again and again. The views were absolutely stunning!

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One of the most exciting highlights of the day was sitting and watching athletes train for their skiing events by going down these slopes and into the pool. It was so fun sitting there having our picnic lunch and watching the talent. They even have a kids camp/private lessons that our kids would love to try one day! The cool thing about this too, is that this is free. You can just bring lunch and come sit and watch these guys if nothing else.

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It was so exciting knowing that we were in Olympian territory. The reminders of Salt Lake City’s 2002 Olympic games were all around and we had an amazing family day together. We all highly recommend this park the next time you visit Utah!

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Utah Olympic Park generously comped our family’s day gold wristbands. Any written review is 100% my honest opinion.

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What’s Behind the Yellow Sign with The Carneys in Salt Lake City

We all couldn’t wait to get to our first KOA stop of the trip in Salt Lake City, Utah. Everyone questioned why we would want to stay in the city, but we loved our time in Salt Lake and the KOA was a perfect home base. It was only two miles away from Temple Square and an easy 1/2 hour drive to Park City for us as well.

After long days of touring Utah Olympic Park and This is the Place Heritage Park, we loved coming back to the ease of the campground for the evenings. We enjoyed jumping on our bikes and riding along the river behind the grounds as well as just tooling around the park.

KOA bike riding

There was a fun basketball court, playground, and swimming pool for the kids to burn off some steam. The WIFI worked perfectly the entire time and everything was clean, safe, and quiet.

#1 RV Rental Marketplace

Nico’s was a great Mexican restaurant right at the front of the KOA parking lot, which made for a quick, inexpensive first night’s dinner. The Trax light rail stop is right outside of the park as well, making it an easy $2.50 cash ride into downtown if you don’t feel like driving yourself.

Boys KOA basketball

Not only does camping provide lots of opportunities for play, but it also helps bond the family as everyone pitches in to set up and break down at each stop! The girls take the inside while the boys shut down the outside. Onward to our next adventure…. Keith and boys

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One Week on the Road with the Carneys

We’ve been on the road a week now and if you’ve been following, you know we’ve really been having a ball. The beauty that we have seen in just seven days has overjoyed us immensely!

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Inside Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona

I’ve totally embraced this RV lifestyle so far I have to say. Easy to do when you’ve only been gone a week and you’re surrounded by glory I guess. But, I’m enjoying the low keyness to this. I think I’ve put makeup on twice and I haven’t blow-dried my hair yet. (I said blowdry, not wash.) My model perfect manicure is no longer and my preteen precious daughter was sure to point out yesterday how ugly my nails looked.

Amy outside RV

So far our family highlights have been Lower Antelope Canyon near Lake Powell, Hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park and wandering through the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon. Did you know that Bryce Canyon isn’t even a canyon? We are learning a lot along our travels already! The kids have earned two Junior Ranger badges and done a lot of geocaching at every stop too. Read more

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Why You Should Put Zion’s Narrows Hike on Your Bucket List

Hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park was our family favorite excursion we did on our RV adventure around the USA.

The river hike exceeded all our expectations and I highly recommend everyone put this on their bucket list if you haven’t yet been to Utah’s First National Park. It was absolutely breathtaking and really a unique experience.

The Narrows Family Hike in Zion National Park

What is The Narrows Hike?

The Virgin River has carved an amazing gorge in the upper reaches of Zion Canyon. The Narrows river hike is definitely an unforgettable experience with its soaring walls, sandstone grottos, and hanging gardens. You access the river hike by taking the Zion National Park shuttle from the Visitor Center to the last stop The Temple of Sinawava. From there you follow the signs for the River Walk and hike one mile down on the paved path until it ends at the Narrows and wade on in!

TIP: We had the kids wear their regular tennis shoes to hike the River Walk and then change into their water shoes once they got there. We just left our tennis shoes and socks up on the banks while we were in the river. The kids were very happy to have dry shoes and socks to put on at the end. Keith and I hadn’t brought a change of footwear and wished we would’ve.

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Family Fun at Lower Antelope Canyon

Eagle at Lower Antelope

Our guide pointed out various rock formations throughout the canyon.
Can you see the eagle from a postage stamp?

Lower Antelope Canyon was the highlight of our two-day trip to the Lake Powell area in northern Arizona. Our kids loved this, as did we! It’s always nice to find a beauty that the entire family can enjoy together. Be sure to do your research and book reservations in advance as its popularity requires it.

The slot canyon, located on Navajo Nation land, was named for the herds of pronghorn antelope that once roamed the area long ago.

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There are two options you can tour- Lower and Upper Antelope Canyons.

They are actually across the street from one another but are quite different. We chose to do Lower Antelope because it is longer, less crowded, and cheaper in comparison. In order to go through the canyon, you must book a tour but you can do so by just driving to the parking lot and signing up. We did this and easily got on the next tour and were on our way within 10 minutes of arriving around 11 a.m. Our guide was a student at the University of Arizona, who is a native of the area. Our kids were quick to follow her and led our group of 12 the entire way!

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We paid $28 for each adult (13 and older) and the kids were $20 which includes an $8 Navajo Park Permit; Kids 6 and under are free. You can only pay by cash (or travelers’ checks). Tours start at 8:30 AM and end at 4 PM and are scheduled every 20 minutes. They usually last about an hour but can also depend on your guide and group. Ours definitely went longer!

The canyon is a photographer’s paradise and our entire group was constantly snapping photos. Lower Antelope Canyon is open seven days a week year-round. Be aware that they will close Antelope Canyon for any rain forecast around Page due to possible flash flood risk.

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The upper canyon is an easier walk because it is more spacious at the base, but the lower one we did requires a little more effort with its ladders and tight quarters at times, which actually adds to the adventure. Our whole family was in awe and highly recommend doing Lower Antelope if you come to Page, Arizona.

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Have you visited Antelope Canyon yet?

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Day One RV Adventures at Lake Powell

“Don’t worry about a thing ‘cause every little thing is going to be alright….”

A young guy sporting only his swim trunks and a guitar belted out the popular Bob Marley song on the banks of Lake Powell and his words were a complete blessing to me. His singing, along with the majestic scenery, in front of me brought a feeling of peace over me and I instantly dubbed this tune our family theme song for this trip.

Yesterday we took off on our big journey across the USA. Our first stop is two nights at Lake Powell in Page, Arizona. Overall we had a perfect first day, with a few minor inconveniences.

Lake Powell Arizona Family RV Trip

How breathtaking is this spot?

When I heard those lyrics sung at sunset tonight, it set the tone of the trip for me. He was exactly right, little things are going to happen throughout this entire adventure, but it reminded me to brush those off and focus on the big picture.

Lake Powell Arizona Family RV Trip

We left our home a couple hours later than we had hoped to yesterday morning. This put us further in to the heat of the day which meant pulling over on the side of the hilly northern Arizona freeways to calm our RV (otherwise known as Ally B) down so she didn’t totally overheat. Ally B is pulling quite the load as you can see, so no one complained about giving her little breaks to regroup her composure, even though we had to do it quite a bit.

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One Week Until We Hit the Road

Are you all ready? It’s the big question that everybody has for me these days and I honestly don’t know how to answer that. Can you truly ever feel “ready” to embark on a trip around the United States in a motorhome with four kids for seven months? I’m coming to the realization that the answer is no.

We pull out of our Arizona driveway in one week. We’ll head the six hours up to Lake Powell for our first stop. Our RV spots are all booked for two months and we have some basic ideas of what we might do in each area, so that’s “ready” I guess.

Our motorhome has been making its rounds to various mechanics and handymen ever since Keith drove it back from Florida. She needed a new windshield, the suspension fixed, a propane tank installed in the “basement,” towing contraptions put on, Direct TV satellite installed and today it is still with the handyman doing small touch ups on the inside.

So not one thing has actually made it’s way inside the motorhome yet. She hasn’t actually stayed put long enough for me to get in there and do anything. Piles are stacked up all over the house and garage awaiting delivery into their new home on wheels. There’s the plasticware pile in the kitchen. The kids clothes in the guest room. The road school pile of books, history movies, audio books and even Rosetta Stone’s spanish DVDs in the laundry room. I’m starting to feel prepared, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever actually be ready.

I keep telling myself, whatever gets packed will be sufficient and what we find we’re missing we can just pick up along the way. Normally, I pride myself on my packing skills and my ability to usually remember everything we might possibly need. But, this trip is quite different. I don’t really know exactly what we’re going to need and my Type A self doesn’t like that feeling. We’ve never camped per say and I really have to be mindful of what I’m bringing as to not weigh down the coach.

I’m a little overwhelmed with the feeding people portion of this adventure too. I assume I will fall into some great routine between my crockpot and the grill. In the meantime, I’ve loaded up on Herbalife shakes and bars for now to get us through until I can navigate my way around that little strip of a kitchen.

The road schooling part can take me to a place of anxiety quickly too. I want to have some solid plan for the kids, but yet I want to free us all from the burden of too much schooling. I will do some math program online, but honestly school just let out and I’m not there yet. Although, when these kids want to sit and watch tv and play on electronics during every drive, it’s going to make us nuts, so I know I need an educational plan. I’ll work on it.

I’m a little baffled by what to bring clothing-wise as well. We really have to be minimal in this area which is exciting, yet tough at the same time. We do have a little washer and dryer in our motorhome, so I should be able to wash whenever we are parked.

I’m letting go. What will be will be. What I forget to pack, Walmart will most likely carry. So, I guess the answer is yes, I’m almost ready!

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Why Camp at KOA?

I am so excited to be partnering with Kampgrounds of America (KOA) for our RV adventure around the USA. We will be staying at several of their campgrounds along our journey starting with Salt Lake City June 9-12. KOA provides a more upscale experience than what you would normally think of in a camping environment. You’re not exactly roughing it at their locations, which is ideal for our family.

KOA is the world’s largest system of open-to-the-public family campgrounds with close to 500 locations throughout the US and Canada. Even if you aren’t a seasoned camper, I’m sure you are familiar with their popular logoed yellow signage. KOA is known for its family-friendly atmosphere while adhering to excellent standards at all of their sites.

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The ease of booking with KOA has truly been fantastic. Their beautiful, easy to navigate website has been a dream to find locations and special offers as well as fun tips. They also offer a Value Kard Reward program that you can join for just $27. As a VKR member, you get a 10% discount on all daily registration fees and earn points with each stay, which can later be redeemed for rewards and additional savings. Members also receive valuable exclusive offers, so I highly recommend joining this program!

I also have KOA’s free App on all of my devices, which will be very beneficial while continuing to book future locations from the road. The new App features a campground finder; an integrated online navigation system and driving directions as well as up to date special offers and an alert system to inform campers about road closures, storms or other emergencies.

KOA is an obvious choice for our family as their individually owned campgrounds feature a variety of amenities. Most locations offer free Wi-Fi, a KOA store and various activities to keep us all happy and entertained. I equate it with camping’s version of a cruise ship! Scavenger hunts, crafts and inflatables keep kids busy, while there are wine tastings or other events scheduled for some adult fun.

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Not only are KOA’s perfect for RVers, but over half of their locations also have deluxe cabins which sleep four to eight people and feature bathrooms, comfortable beds and sometimes kitchens. This is a perfect choice for those families who don’t own an RV but still want a comfortable camping experience. Nearly all KOA’s offer a wide selection of spacious tent sites with picnic tables, water hookups and fire pits, as well as clean restrooms and showers nearby.

If camping is on your summer radar, be sure to check out KOA and all that they have to offer. Get to booking though, because their locations fill up fast!

 

 

 

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Intentionally Simplifying….

I love this time of year. Our Arizona weather is just perfect; the kids competitive sports are over (or should be, ahem… soccer…. that’s for another post) and my husband’s hockey job is coming to an end after yet another season. Our evenings and weekends tend to be more relaxed making time for bike rides around the neighborhood, board games and the occasional little league baseball game and practice. We all welcome this simpler pace.

Simplifying is one of the main reasons we are pushing pause on our normal existence. People either think we’re out of our minds for wanting to do this cross country RV trip as a family or others say they are envious and would love to do it. Many tell me stories of how they traveled around the US every summer hitting different spots with their families growing up. Family travel builds connections. It says to each member you are important and worth investing in.

I’m aware that what we’re about to do is not feasible for most people financially or time wise. I am fully aware of the blessings we have been bestowed in order to pull this off. I don’t take any of that for granted. I thank the Lord every single day.

But, if we’re being honest… how many people would really do this trip if they could? One friend called it very courageous and that’s stuck with me. I think she’s right. What we’re about to do definitely takes courage on many levels.

Right now, I relish my Mondays because after hectic weekends alone with the kids, my house and time is quiet once everyone is off to school. I can actually think straight. I know a lot of us, whether we stay home with the kids or not, relish that time when the kids go off to school and we’re alone with ourselves. There’s not going to be a lot of quiet time in 43 feet of living space with 6 people up in it for close to a year. Whoa. There will be a lot of prayers going up for patience I’m sure.

Let’s look at it this way. What if you found out you only had a week left to live, or a month or even a year? Would you be so worried about sending the kids off to school every day? Would you still race around to all the sports practices, games and lessons? Or would you drop it all and do what you’ve always wanted to do with them, whatever that may be for you?

See this is how I look at this trip. Do I really want to be home (road) schooling per say? Not exactly. Like I said, selfishly I enjoy those quiet hours of each day that are mine and that the kids are actually being taught by licensed individuals. But, I will have many quiet hours ahead of me. With four kids born within 18 months, our home is going to get quiet fast.

Parenting in the day to day can feel monotonous. Take time to think about the heart of your family and what you want your kids to take away when they grow up and move to the next phase of life. Think about simplifying your family routine. I say stop the madness even just for a little while. Push pause. I don’t think you will regret it.

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It Pays to Recycle in California

 

Recycling picIt’s tradition. Recycling bottles and cans in California for cash. It’s what we do. It’s what we’ve done ever since the kids have been old enough to understand about making money and helping the environment at the same time. Kids of this generation need ways to make a little hard earned cash themselves. It’s important to find opportunities like this for them to earn their own vacation money. It’s not easy at their ages to find ways to do this.

It pays to recycle

Whenever we know we have an upcoming trip over to our Dana Point house, we start saving our bottles in Arizona. We load up the car top carrier and whatever we can fit around our luggage in the back of the Suburban and off we go to Cali. Life lessons take a little crazy effort people…

 

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Yes, the kids get a little dirty doing this and the older they get, the less they are into it. They used to go down Laguna Beach picking up bottles all day long because every nickel counted to them. Now they take what we’ve saved in Arizona and are happy with that! This RePlanet is really close to us behind our Ralphs Grocery Store, so it’s nice and convenient.

There are a couple ways to get your money. You can feed each container through one by one and make the amounts shown or you can fill the trash cans with bottles and you get paid by weight. It usually depends on how much we have and how busy it is. Today we did a little of both. You definitely make more by feeding them through, but it also takes a lot more time.

k and a feeding bottle CRV amounts

barrels of bottlesweigh in

Once you’re done, you will get receipts like this that you can turn into the grocery for your hard earned cash. Split between the four kids, it came to about $8 a kid. Not bad for a little time and effort. I know they will be happy spending that in the Laguna Beach candy shop later and we will be happy that we don’t have to hand over any money at the same time!

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