Our 6S Full Life

Florida Keys Day 1

We spent three days driving from New Orleans to Key West. We stopped at Triple C Campground, which was a great spot in the woods. It was a place we wish we could have stayed at longer but our goal was the Keys. It rained on us through out most of the next day as we drove across Florida and into the night. Storms are not fun in an RV and make Jen very nervous. Stephen is a great driver and we made it through without any trouble. Our next night was at Ft. Lauderdale KOA. This one was on our least liked spot of the trip so far. There was barely enough room in the spots for an RV. Thankfully no one was next to us, because we have no idea how they would have fit. The black waste was also above the ground and at an angle that made it very difficult to use. Not a place we would want to come again. Th kids enjoyed playing in the rain though and we all loved falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof. We were happy to leave in the morning and head to Biscayne National Park.

Brothers and wrestling go hand in hand here

Biscayne is the start of the Florida Keys and is located right outside of Miami. This was an unplanned stop, but we figured since we were in the neighborhood we would mark it off the list. The park is mostly underwater and is a great place for boats and scuba diving. We did not have plans for either of these so we made our way though the visitor center and walked along the water a bit. If we had more time it would have been wonderful to take a boat tour or snorkel, maybe we will return on another trip. The kids got their first Florida JR Ranger badge and we were on our way to Key West.

The drive through the keys is on many bucket lists and for good reason. Even with the cloudy skies it was amazing! We watched people fishing along the old train trusses and enjoyed all the colorful homes and buildings. The boats out in the blue water and the long bridges kept our attention as we drove through each key. It is another amazing place in America with it’s own unique history and culture. We are so glad we have the ability to see it.

We stayed at Boyd’s on Stock Island. This is as close to Key West as you can get in an RV. It is on the water and has everything you need for a great vacation. It was after dinner time by the time we pulled in. On this trip that means the kids take a bag of peanuts in the shell outside and enjoy the campsite while momma cooks up dinner. this campsite was easy to enjoy for it was near the water and there were chickens! Our kids love chickens and were more then happy to hang out with the roosters, hens, and baby chicks.

Drive time routines and summer learning, plus our boredom ending strategy that actually worked!

Driving around the country can sometimes mean long days of travel. We try to keep drive times to around 5 hours, but that is not always possible and we have had up to 9-10 hour drives from time to time. Keeping the troops happy during this time can be trying. So how do we manage long travel days without loosing our minds? We have found a routine helps, at least most of the time. In fact routines are how we manage most things in our full life. It is extremely helpful because all our kids regardless of special needs or not know what to expect.

C asks the same questions over and over about our day, having a routine helps limit the questions. A can overreact to the unexpected, having a routine decreases overreaction. D forgets what we have said or planned, again routines make it easier for her to remember. B, well she is pretty good with changes and does not overreact, but a plan helps her decide what she wants to do during the drive and how to divide her time.

We always start a long drive day after a good breakfast. nourishing food is not something we try to do it is our lifestyle and our constant choice. For a drive day it is best to eat a filling meal, especially for Daddy since it takes a lot of energy to drive the beast. We pack everything up, double check that all items are secure and we are on our way.

The kids start a long drive with learning (yes even during summer). We aren’t learning a lot of new stuff just solidifying things we learned all year. Every summer since they were 5+ we have done a similar summer routine. Handwriting (print or cursive), journal writing, and math review encompass the basics of learning time. Then they have flash cards of math facts or sight words as needed. After that they choose some fun work mad libs, math based puzzles, coloring fact sheets things like that. Unless they are really stalling their work takes less then an hour to complete. We once had a child spend 6 hours on it! That only happened once though since they lost out on all the fun stuff that day. This little bit of learning is crucial in our little ones greater education. Without regular reminders C, and to an extent D, forget a lot of what they have learned. Keeping up with regular reminders makes it harder to forget the basics.

After they finish work they get to read and listen to music on their tablets. The silence is amazing as they read and listen!! Although this momma’s heart sings when they exchange and share books and songs. No games though, that time is earned through out the week and used on Saturday or Sunday. Our 6S behavior system is based on earning and loosing points with rewards and consequences based on point totals, that though is a whole different post we will put together.

At some point we find a place to pull over make lunch and hopefully stretch our legs a bit. A park in a local town, a beach, or a rest stop are a few of our favorites. Since we have everything we need in the RV we don’t need much at a stop, but getting the kids to move is top priority. After lunch they decide on a dvd (we brought a bunch from home) and settle in to watch a movie or continue to read if they choose.

By 4 we try to stop again for a stretch and snack. Depending on timing though sometimes we just hand out a snack and keep going. At this point all devices are off and they have to do the dreaded entertainment without screens. Ha ha! They have toys, books, art supplies, games, each other, and the windows. Not that it is always loving and peaceful, but down time is good for everyone, including all kids. Working it into our day helps make sure it happens and the kids are not surprised by it.

What do we do if they are bored? Well we will let you in on a 6S strategy that has changed the way our children see down time. The kids never (or hardly ever) say “I’m bored” if they do it is always answered with “boredom just mean you aren’t using your brain” or “yay! Great things come from being bored and working through it” being consistent and never solving their boredom has made the words (almost) disappear from their vocabulary. Not every strategy we have tried works, but this one definitely did and our kids are better for it. They don’t rely on others to entertain them, they have developed their own brains to entertain themselves. In our world that is a gift a lot of kids are not getting.

So what helps make our travel life successful? A set yet flexible routine. We all know things happen, life never goes as expected, and there needs to be room for change. Yet having a routine set for our longer drive days helps us get through them without too many problems. Do we still get frustrated? Yes. Is there still sometimes tears, yelling, or time outs? Most definitely yes. But more often then not once we establish a routine we all feel a little better, make it through the day with more smiles, and most importantly enjoy the ride.

Mississippi

The USA is a big place and there are days where we just drive across it. This can be very interesting days as we watch the scenery change, towns come and go, and enjoy the beauty you only get by driving. The land, the roads, the plants, even the cloud formations change drastically throughout the US and we love pointing them out and learning about them. It does get monotonous at times and we try to break up long drives. When making our way from Louisiana to Florida we choose to take a lunch break in Gulf Port, Mississippi.

We found a beautiful park with a large parking lot and access to a sparkling white clean sandy beach. The water was shallow and warm although not clear. The kids splashed and swam trying to catch the little fish and pulling up hermit crabs. C is currently going through a scared of sharks in the ocean thing. It took a lot of convincing to get him off the shore but when he did he had a great time. Our hour on the beach went fast and soon we were rinsing off in the splash pad and having lunch.

After lunch we were back on the road, but it was a great mid day stop and well worth it to get in some sand and sea time. By evening we were out in the country in Florida listening to the crickets sing us to sleep.

New Orleans Day 2

We knew our second day in New Orleans would be long and hot. We filled every water bottle we had and packed lunch and snacks. Our plan was to be home for dinner. Instead of everyone carrying a bag the kids decided to bring one for the big kids and one for the littles. Then they would switch off every hour. Turned out that C never wanted to give his up and A wore his for much more then half the day. We have been working with the boys on being gentlemen and taking care of their sisters (being that they both have extra needs the girls have been helping them out for years). This little act of carrying the stuff more then their fair share, without complaint, made momma proud.

Our first stop was the St. Louis Cemetery 2. Unfortunately it is still closed to everyone except family. As we tried to decide what to do instead a very kind worker asked if we would like to take a quick look around. Of course we said yes and quickly toured the cemetery. This is definitely something worth visiting. Taking a tour or finding an online walking tour to explain all the nuances of a New Orleans cemetery is especially helpful.

We were hoping to go to the Louisiana state museum unfortunately it was closed. We ended up at a small Voodoo Museum. It was tiny, like two rooms and a hallway. It did have a lot of information including history on Voodoo as a religion, origins, culture, and slavery. We walked to the river and then back to Jackson Square for lunch.

After lunch we headed to the Creole Queen where we had booked a Riverboat Cruise. We choose the Creole Queen for their history tour and stop at the Chalmette Battlefield which is part of the National Park Service. Our cruise historian, Charles, was great. He really knew his history, he was a fabulous story teller and he was pretty funny. He definitely kept our attention during the entire 2.5 hour ride and battlefield talk. The Battle of New Orleans is not something any of us had heard about before, but we are so glad to have learned about this time in history. It is a pretty cool story about the American spirit, perseverance, and a bit of trickery toward the evil British. Lol!

Momma was able to convince the (not as friendly as usual) Park Ranger to unlock the closed visitor center and get the kids Jr. Ranger books and badges. We could not pass the opportunity to earn another badge. We were the last ones back on the boat but it was worth it. We found seats in the sun but then the boat turned around and we were in the shade! On the way back our historian told us about Hurricane Katrina and how the state of Louisiana really let down New Orleans in their time of need. Like all good cities, rich in culture and history, they have risen again stronger then ever.

After our awesome sweaty day we headed back to home to swim and eat dinner. Before long the kids were in bed and we were all resting. Three days of driving awaited us in the morning as we make our way to the Florida Keys.

New Orleans Day 1

After Hot Springs we made our way to Louisiana and to our destination of New Orleans. We spent our first night at the New Orleans KOA it was clean and the people were nice, but the trains blowing their horns for 2 minutes at a time in the middle of the night was not enjoyable. Since they did not have their shuttle to the French Quarter going we decided to switch to French Quarter RV resort for the next two nights. This one is within walking distance to everything. Although there was no train it is right by the elevated freeway and we did have city noises at all times. It’s ok though when in Rome and all. if we were going to experience the city we might as well experience the entire thing. The resort was really nice and worth the extra price to be in the heart of it all. Plus the pool was beautiful and needed with the heat both days.

By the time we switched camp sites it was after noon. So we headed into the French Quarter for lunch and to explore. We found gluten free crepes, at Holy Crepes and crab cake Po Boys at Meals from the Heart. Everything was real food clean and real food delicious.

Next we headed through the Outdoor Bazaar. There were many things to look at and we picked up a few items. We don’t usually spend much on souvenirs as we travel, usually a small thing here and there. The experiences are what we are after not the stuff. Although Jen has a hard time saying no to a great book about history or the area and if there is a penny squishing machine her coins will be in it. Stephen loves a National Park shirt, they have pretty much become his entire wardrobe. Ha ha!

We made our way though Jackson Square, watched a street performer, and visited the Saint Louis Cathedral. The Cathedral is beautiful! We discussed the different areas and statues and what they meant to the people who come there to worship. A great thing about travel is you get exposed to so much and we are always looking for an opportunity to see life from a different point of view. It was crazy hot and humid (even the locals were commenting on it) so we headed back to make dinner and swim.

As the evening progressed we were all happy to see storm clouds move in and a great display of lightening and thunder. We all love a great summer storm. Unfortunately in California we don’t get them, so if we have one while traveling we are all happy. We fell asleep listening to the rain on the RV.