It is hard to believe that our 5 week road trip is officially over. We have already gotten back to the rat race routine here at home with sports practices, band, and appointments filling our first week back at home.
And so before we close the books on our amazing #Austin2Boston books, we wanted to say a few final words.
Thank You
The amount of love and support we received from y’all was humbling. Being on the road, away form your family and friends and the comfort of home was hard on both myself and my kids. We missed home terribly, but your words of support and enthusiasm for what we were seeing and doing was incredibly motivating. so we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the time you took to like our photos, make comments on our videos and posts, and for reaching out to us.
The Trip By the Numbers
How far did we drive? 4750 miles
How many states did we drive thru? 20 states
How much gas did we use? 218.04 gallons of gas = $772.98 in gas
What’s the longest drive we did? 15 hours coming home from Illinois to Texas, most averaged 2-3 hours between stops.
How many different pillows did we lay our heads on? 17 different hotels/homes
How many “first-time foods” did my kids try? 28 new items, but they only liked maybe 12
How many amazing memories did we make? Too many to count.
What Was Our Favorites?
So if you were to ask me, I would have to say the historical sites were my absolute favorite things to see on our trip. Just being able to make the connections of the major events in United States History – such as where the Boston Tea Party occurred, where the Revolutionary War ended, or where the bloodiest battle on U.S. soil happened at Gettysburg – was amazing for me. I learned US history was a kid and even as an adult I like to read about it, but seeing it with your own eyes was incredible. I will never forget seeing George Washington’s actual war chest he carried during the Revolutionary War. Ever. And there are so many more examples of things that gave me goosebumps.
Did my kids feel the same? Yes and no. I think everyone reacts differently based on what they are interested in. I know the older 2 appreciated what they were seeing. They are both interested in the history, so they were never bored. But it may take them a few years to fully grasp all that they saw on our trip. And I can only hope my 6 year old will remember it one day. If not, I guess we have to make another trip.
Now if you were to ask my kids what their 10 favorite experiences were, they might give you a different answer. Here is what they liked the best:
Would We Do It Again?
In a heartbeat.
No, seriously. It was awesome. Yes, we had our moments where we just wanted to be home and we did bicker. And there were days I was sick of sleeping in a hotel room. But the memories we made are irreplaceable. I haven’t spent that much time with my kids non-stop in a really long time. We had some great conversations and laughs. I feel like I really got to know my kids so much better after this trip. And truth be told, I have missed them when they have been gone from me this week.
So if I have accomplished anything, I hope I have inspired you to take a road trip and get out and explore tho great country of ours. Find what interests you the most and plan a trip. You won’t regret it.
