RV adventures, parenting and lifestyle blog of a camping loving family
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Author: Marion Dwyer
I'm a wife, mom of a 3 year old girl and two Great Danes. Camping lover, hobby photographer, sewist and crafter. I also love to write and share our family adventures from my point of view.
The second week of August we were finally done packing up our house for the big move to Georgia. And our camping vacation through the North East was ready to start!
Kevin’s mom, the “Rolling Turd Seven Oma”, had flown in to leave with us and we were to meet friends of ours to hit the road together. Our first stop was in Vermont to visit a friend of mine for a day. After that, we were off to our first “vacation” stop. The town of Mystic, CT. But first, we spontaneously stopped in Orange, CT at the PEZ Visitor Center and factory.
The aftermath of PEZ tasting and a sugar high for everyone
When looking how far out of our way it was to stop there on our way to Mystic we decided it was well worth it. Before that day, we didn’t even know that such a place existed! Have you ever heard of it before? So, our group decided to stop. Thankfully, the Tractor Supply Co. down the street let us park our big rigs in their lot during the time of our visit, as the visitor center parking lot was crammed full of vehicles. There were signs of bus and RV parking but we did not see such an area when there. It’s something to be aware of if you do decide to visit.
Jennie heard where we were going and got super excited as PEZ are her favorite candies. And really, who DIDN’T love them as a child?! So, while the rest of the group went to park the vehicles, Oma Dale, Jennie and I hopped out and went into the visitor center to get everyone’s tickets.
We were pleasantly surprised when we walked through the doors as we didn’t really know what to expect. It was much bigger than we had thought (over 4,000 square feet!!) and packed full of fun!
You can find information about admission prices HERE.
As we entered through the big glass doors after getting our tickets, we were greeted by a giant PEZ dispenser that kids can operate by the push of a button, there were hundreds of PEZ dispensers on display from all the years they’ve been made, you could buy the candies and dispensers in all kinds of different sorts and varieties, play games and learn about the history of the company and all things PEZ. What we thought would be a quick 30 minute break from a longer travel day turned into a 2 hour long visit that was worth every second. If you’re up for it, you can take a tour of the PEZ factory connected to the visitor center. Or you can just watch how the candies and dispensers are packed through a big glass window wall.
What a fun way to spend an hour, two hours or entire afternoon! You certainly won’t be bored at this place and everyone in our group left with a big smile, a small tin bucket full of PEZ candies as well as some dispensers. Hey, “when in Rome”…
We definitely recommend a visit as it has something to offer for any age group, is inexpensive and a quick drive from the highway. Additional information about the visitor center, such as location and hours of operation, can be found HERE.
It’s been almost three months since my last blog post. Life has been a bit crazy, to say the least! So, I figured it is about time for an update!
As some of you may know, we area a military family. And as such there are always things that can change our plans. For example a move to a different state. Which is what we are about to go through. We will be relocating from the “arctic north” (WNY, but what’s the difference come winter?!) to the sunny south, Georgia! So, since the end of May/beginning of June we have been packing up our house bit by bit, planning our move and the next couple of months. But that wasn’t even all of what was going on. There is even bigger news!
Literally the day after we found out about the transfer to Georgia we also found out that we were expecting. Twins. Identical. Twins. What the WHAT?! How much excitement can a family take?? We were SO psyched about all of the news. Even though the timing may not be perfect (but honestly though, is there such a thing as perfect timing?) things have worked out great so far. No complications, I just have to take it a little easy with walking too much and, obviously, am not allowed to lift anything during the moving and packing process.
Thankfully Jennie has been dealing really well with all of the changes. Because on top of all of this craziness we had already planned 2019’s big summer camping vacation. This time we were going to explore all of New England in just about 2.5 weeks!
From WNY to Vermont, driving up to Boston and then through Maine to Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park. That’s how far we have made it as of last night. It’s been fun, albeit not as relaxing as we had hoped for the first few days. We all need to get a little bit of a break and at least we were able to get away from all of the stress of packing and selling the house.
At the top of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park
Today we are on our way to Mount Washington in New Hampshire and I’ll be blogging about all of our stops on our vacation ASAP! Thanks for being patient with us!
During the months of March and April we camped near Lawton, OK and got to do some hiking/exploring at a few very neat spots. Our first outing was to Quartz Mountain State Park. It wasn’t far from where we had set up camp and the drive there was rather pleasant. Not a lot of traffic, nice roads and easy to find.
When we arrived we saw a couple nice RV camp sites and cabins as well. The park was very clean and didn’t have a lot of traffic. Our destination was the lake so we drove just a little bit further.
Jennie “fishing” at the Lake Altus-Lugert
The lake has a really interesting history. It’s fairly new and made by a dam. Until 1947 it was the location of the town of Lugert. And the town wasn’t there for very long before it got flooded. It was founded in 1901 by Austrian immigrant Frank Lugert when the Kiowa-Comanche-Apache reservation opened for settlement. The town had a population of about 400 at its peak and Mr Lugert ran the post office, general store and train depot. Everything was great until the town was hit by a tornado on April 27, 1912 and 41 of the 42 business buildings were swept away. The town continued to exist until 1947 when the W.C. Austin damn was completed for the Lugert-Altus irrigation system and water soon covered the townsite. When you’re at the lake shore you might be able to catch a glimpse of some brick foundations of buildings, depending on how high or low the water is. Either way, it is a nice place to visit and to spend a few hours or even a weekend.
If you are looking to go there and want to camp, they have five camping areas with over 200 total campsites, eight cabins and a lodge for you to stay. There are hiking trails, swimming beaches, boat docks and other activities for everyone to enjoy.
If you’re traveling with a little one in diapers you already have a lot to pack. But I always thought I’d have to pack so much less once we started potty training. Boy, was I wrong!
To make the potty training experience as easy and stress free as possible I found a few things that would help us. And everything I bought I purchased not only with every day use at home, but also with the camper and our frequent road trips in mind. I believe that made a big difference on our way to success.
First of all, it helped to let Jennie pick and choose things from options we gave her. Being involved made her feel like she was in charge and she was very eager to get started!
The number one item you’ll need is either a potty seat or a potty chair. We actually bought both. Camper toilets aren’t usually your average toilet size like you would have at home so the seats are different, too. I found this foldable toilet seat on Amazon and thought it was perfect for us, as it can be used on pretty much any toilet seat and makes public bathroom stops a little easier on this germaphobic mom over here! You can find the seat HERE. It comes in three colors and with a neat little plastic bag that fits in a pouch where you can also stick some disinfectant wipes. Perfect for your diaper bag or purse!
The potty chair that I decided to purchase for traveling I found at Walmart. at only about $14 it was a good deal and it being by Summer Infant it was a brand I knew. What really sold me on it thought is the fact that it has a lid that closes (which also makes it usable as a step stool!!), a removable seat (you can use it without the chair) and a tray that catches their “business”. Until I found a good deal on potty liners I used up the leftover diapers by lining the tray with them, clicking the potty seat over them to securely hold them in place and when they’re done it is a super easy clean up! I thought it was perfect as Jennie’s travel potty and so far it did not disappoint! Another plus us that it fit in our backseat of either one of our vehicles and perfectly fits into the bathroom in our camper! Space can be an issue and this little potty blends in very well for us without anyone tripping over it etc. It also is available in two colors. You can find it HERE on Walmart’s website! The potty liners I”ve been using I purchased on Amazon, find them HERE.
Now, lets talk car seat protection. This is another very important thing to think about and prepare yourself for. Because there is a very high chance that there will be accidents in the beginning!! And trust me, you do NOT want to have to wash your car seat all the time. They are a major pain to take apart and put back together, at least in most cases. We own the Chicco NextFit and the seat liner I found doesn’t slide in our seat (I was worried about that for safety reasons) and has survived several washes already (told you, there would be accounts!) I purchased a two-pack so I would always have one ready to be used in case another one would be in the wash. From what I read about them they should fit almost any car seat. They’re sold on Amazon, you can find them HERE.
Lastly, here are some other items and tips that have helped us with potty training Jennie in general. Letting her pick out her own underwear was a big thing to get her started as well as finding the right bribe to use as a reward for successfully using the bathroom! Several princess dresses had been purchased on Amazon and at Walmart as they had the best “cheap” items out there. Because no one wants to spend a fortune on “potty presents”… The Dollar Store has also been a great place to find little rewards and presents! You can get so many items like stickers, sticker books, little toys, coloring books etc. Some kids may prefer candies or snacks over that but other than mini marshmallows here and there we stuck to small toys and other items that could easily travel with us.
I hope this article will help you on your quest to potty train your toddler. May the odds be ever in your favor!
When we first started traveling together in “The Turd” we began taking photos and videos mainly to keep family and friends updated via a group text and also to have a few snapshots for ourselves. But it didn’t take us more than the first day with Dale on our big trip when we decide to take as many photos and videos because we had a feeling this would be the trip of our lifetime.
From the camper needing repairs and little tweaks every few days to us experiencing a new place together to Jennie learning a new word on the road, trying a new food or popping yet another tooth. So many firsts for all of us and many things to document. So, when we arrived at the Grand Canyon (post to follow!) we had decided to start a YouTube channel when we are home and began documenting the remainder of the trip as best as we could.
From watching a lot of videos and subscribing to several camping/RV life channels we had gotten an idea of what to prepare ourselves for before we set off on that maiden voyage of “The Rolling Turd Seven”. So another reason we wanted to get started was to help others that might be looking to get into camping like we did.
Furthermore, there are so many people that may not have had the chance to go traveling to all the places we have been to and it may give some good ideas for things to do, things not to do and also some ideas for sights and places off the beaten path.
So, I will be posting more blog posts about our big 2017 trip, continuing with our visit at the Grand Canyon. And if you’d like to visit out YouTube channel you can do so HERE! Please subscribe, let us know what you think and what you’d like to see next. Thank you!
Camping with little ones is so much fun, but it also comes with its challenges. From dealing with their nap and bedtime routines on the road, them adjusting to sleeping arrangements in the RV to things like teething or sickness while traveling. Not to mention potty training! Then add pets and their possible issues. It certainly never gets boring!
I think the most amount of gear I pack for anyone is for Jennie, followed by the dogs. I always travel with at least three extra days of clothing for her because, well, she’s a toddler. They get messy as soon as you turn our back on them! But, that’s a part of having fun and making memories on the road!
So, if you’re considering to go camping with your children and they’re anywhere between baby and pre-potty trained toddler, you are going to want to bring A LOT of diapers. Because for some reason it feels like we went through almost twice as many diapers as we were at home. We also never travel without things like infant/children Motrin, Ibuprofen, cough medicine (we love Zarbees), rubbing alcohol and Benadryl. Because chances are that you’ll need at least one of them. And don’t forget the bandaids! Those are just the bare necessities you should have on hand, besides the foods and snacks.
Things that happened to us was stuff like Jennie working on not one but eight teeth while on our 5 week vacation in 2017. We went through our ibuprofen we brought along from home and then some. The poor little thing didn’t catch a teething break for months back then. On top of that we dealt with extreme temperatures due to a heat wave and our generator ran basically 24/7, which didn’t help with Jennie’s sleep on the road. Most of the nights she ended up sleeping with us, which didn’t help my sleep either haha! At least daddy, who did all of the driving, got to sleep! Thankfully this was just a phase with the poor sleeping for Miss Jennie, mostly due to the teething, I’m sure.
How did this not wake him up?!
We still had to deal with the heat outside and planned our outings not only around her nap time but also the hourly temperatures. Depending on where you go, you’ll need to make sure to know what to expect weather wise ahead of time, it will make everything so much easier during the trip! Hiking and exploring in mid to late morning as well as late afternoon worked best for us. Not just for Jennie but also for the dogs. It was important make sure the ground we intended to hike on wasn’t too hot for them and there was enough shade. A foldable water bowl for them as well as extra water was also always packed. Oh, and the Benadryl. NEVER camp without it if you have pets. Our three girls were quite inquisitive on our big trip, like most dogs are. And on one particular occasion they got into something that caused an allergic reaction/irritation on all three dogs. But Echo, our special baby, had it worst because her skin was sensitive to begin with. All I can say is that I was so happy we had an extra bottle of Benadryl for just them. We were in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone reception and no town nearby when this happened. Thankfully after two doses she almost looked like her normal self again. But it took a full 24 hrs for the swelling to go away completely.
Now, don’t let this scare you away from going camping with your two and four legged family members!! I am telling you all those things so that you know of the things that can happen and can take them in stride, being prepared for them and know what to expect. Every single camping trip was fantastic in its own way, no matter where we went. Because the most important thing is to always make the best of every situation.
Part of that is that you’ll also want to prepare yourself for rainy days, or days where it is simply too hot to be outside. If you’re a family that can be entertained by TV with movies etc, great! Jennie gets bored with TV fast and we always travel with a handful of toys she picks out herself. Something I always pack are laminated activity sheets (homeschool supplies for preschool), paper and crayons & watercolor, plastic table cloth for crafts, glue, craft paper, popsicle/craft sticks, pompoms, pipe cleaners, wiggly eyes etc. Whatever it takes to keep her happy and entertained when weathered out works for us. And it is fun for the grown ups, too!
Back to dog supplies before I finish up! We found that crib mattresses for our Great Danes work really well in the camper. Our old rig had a jackknife couch that we let the dogs have, and that was perfect. But we don’t have that option in our new one, so we had to get a little creative wit the space we have. The sheets for them are easy to wash and we also have an array of doggie blankets and towels we travel with. Other things you should think of are plenty of waste bags, maybe an extra leash or two, tie out cables/leashes, a crate (if it fits), brushes, clippers, shampoo and pet wipes. That’s our standard “suitcase’ our pups travel with, minus the crates because they’re just too darn big for our rig!
So, I hope this little article will be helpful to you. Feel free to share!
Below are a few snapshots from traveling with Jennie and the dogs. Wonderful memories were made alongside of messes, even though someone got sick here or there, it was only a short period of time and then we turned it around and made something good out of it. I hope you enjoy your next camping trip, or maybe it will be your first!
I thought long and hard if I should write this post as I have never opened up about my struggles with PPD and anxiety other than my closest family and a handful of friends that had dealt with the same or similar struggles. But May is mental health awareness month, so here I am, telling you a little bit about myself.
Before I get into PPD, let me backtrack a little to how it all started. My first struggles with anxiety and depression began in my late teens and lasted throughout my early twenties. I am still not exactly sure what triggered them other than being in an unhealthy relationship. But over the first year of my depression it had gotten so bad that I started to lose weight, A LOT of weight. I had never had that “perfect weight” to that point and, especially being a teenage girl, it can be hard. You’re mad fun of, you’re trying to fit in and find yourself. When I started to lose weight I suddenly got compliments on my figure, I started to fit into those skinny jeans I always wanted to wear. At first, it felt good. But the weight loss didn’t stop. Because I didn’t eat. Now, I would “eat” in front of others but your body can’t store what it needs on half a sandwich, an apple and some chocolate every day. I kept telling myself and others that I don’t have a problem, that I AM EATING THEREFOR I AM FINE! But I wasn’t. My depression got worse and so did my weight loss. I got myself to the point where I was completely miserable and my parents were sick with worry. One day I finally agreed to go to therapy sessions. And even then I told myself that I am only going to make everyone else happy. Well, everyone besides my controlling boyfriend of that time. And after the second session I suddenly realized what I had been doing to myself and those close to me. It was a lightbulb moment! I finally started to pull myself out of the black hole that had started to suck me in all these months ago. And, for the first time in almost two years, I suddenly felt hungry again. Fast forward to 4 sessions later, I had recognized that part of my problem was the relationship I was in and I found the strength to get out of it. I started to talk to my parents again like I used to. I went out with my friends again. And I was myself again.
Now, when I became pregnant with our daughter my OB had asked me if I had ever experienced anxiety and depression before. I told her about my previous struggles and she told me that, although the situation is not at all related, I should prepare myself for PPD and anxiety. And I am so very thankful she brought it up. Even though it made me a little nervous to think about having to fight mental illness again I was not going to be taken by surprise.
Yet, when it did hit me, I was not prepared for the intensity. It came over me like a giant crashing wave. At first everyone tells you about the baby blues but after a few months of it gradually getting worse I knew this was what I had dreaded since the chat with my doctor. Yet, it took me a while longer until I was able to open up about it to my husband. I struggled with it in silence and made myself miserable because I didn’t want anyone else to worry about me, especially not my husband who was gone on a deployment and, in my opinion, had bigger things to worry about. So, I kept on with my daily life as a stay-at-home mom and I pushed it all down. I didn’t allow myself to deal with it until Jennie was about 9 months old. That’s when I broke down and finally spoke to my husband about it for the first time. In the truck. On our way to a camping vacation. I was exhausted and drained, physically, mentally and emotionally. He could tell but I wouldn’t let him help me up until that day because I thought I could do it myself. We talked about it and he listened. I am so grateful that he tried to understand what was going on inside of me because he is not at all a person that would ever get depressed.
After our vacation I started to look into counseling, mostly because he urged me to try it. I wasn’t so sure if it would help or not. But I went ahead and made an appointment. I had five or six sessions and although the counselor listened to me and let me cry it out, I didn’t take much away from it other than “work sheets” that told me how to be more self aware and exercises to calm yourself down with. I felt like it was a waste of time and money, so I stopped going. I figured I could do it myself.
We spent more time camping and traveling and I was hoping that all the distractions would help me get over my depression and anxiety. Our big 2017 trip across the Midwest was amazing but I can’t even tell you how many experiences I missed out on because I was too tired to go outside and do stuff. I was overwhelmed yet again by my always racing mind and I needed to drag myself out of bed in the mornings and mentally yell at myself to get it together. It was then that I realized that, if I don’t get this under control, I would miss out on the most amazing time of our daughter’s life and I would get myself seriously ill again, let alone strain the relationship with my wonderful husband who couldn’t help me because I wouldn’t let him.
There aren’t many photos of me from that big trip because I was either snapping the photos myself and felt I looked too exhausted for photos of me or I wasn’t there when the photos were taken. Looking back I wish I could tell myself that it would get better and that I should just go outside and take it all in. But it wasn’t that easy.
Upon our return home I finally made a few phone calls and found a counselor very close to our house and I immediately clicked with her. After a few sessions we discussed medication and I am happy I made that choice. Because it made a huge difference for me. I didn’t realize how bad it was until the medication began to work in my body. It was like night and day. I could finally think clearer again, I slept, I wasn’t on edge anymore. I could enjoy everyday things again and didn’t have a near anxiety attack when I knew I had to go out in public with Jennie. Because I always had at least 10 worst case scenarios on my mind before when I took her out and about. There is nothing worse than driving down the road with your baby/toddler in the vehicle and suddenly having a thought pop into your mind that the car that’s headed towards you is going to somehow veer out of their lane and hit you, injuring your precious little one. Or startling awake several times at night and frantically checking the baby monitor because you thought you heard a noise in her room and now you’re worried something terrible happened to her. That kind of fear can be maddening.
After about two months on medication it all changed and I began to calm down and enjoy things again. Like I said at the beginning, I didn’t tell just anyone about my struggles, because I was afraid of what others might think. But now I think about all the other women out there that may have the same struggles, feeling alone and maybe think they’re going crazy because no one warned them about PPD, PPA and how they could show up/manifest even months after giving birth still.
If you are reading this and feel like this is something you or someone you know are dealing with as well, please reach out to someone. Your partner, your friend, heck even me. Speak to your doctor, don’t suffer in silence. This is treatable and it WILL get better! I know there are many levels on this illness but a doctor and/or counselor can help you. You owe it to your little one/s, your partner and, most importantly, yourself. There are over 3 million reported cases of PPD/PPA a year in the US. You are not alone!
PS: If this post is a little bit all over the place, I apologize. I am writing this at 4:30 am as I am apparently a terrible sleeper these days 🙂
