Hit the road jack...

Tomorrow Ezra and I head out on our first real-deal Ryanhood tour!!

Originally the plan was for Ezra and I to fly round trip into San Francisco and stay with a good friend(s!), however Ezra really really misses Ryan when he is gone, and since this tour offers a lot of short drives (I think the longest drive is only 4 hours), we thought, "this is our chance to really do what we've dreamed of...tour as a family!" Sadly this meant having to change our original plans of staying with friends in SF from 5 days to only 1, and to not getting to see our friends in Turlock at all, but it feels like the absolute right decision for our family (and they are all super understanding people :).

Ryan drove to San Diego today, and tomorrow Ezra and I will fly in and meet him in San Diego and drive north to LA for the day. Other stops include (possibly out of order): Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and San Francisco.

The evening after Ryan and I made this decision to change our trip and tour as a family, I started reading this new ebook: Bottles to Backpacks: The Gypsy Mama’s Guide to REAL Travel With Kids . It is a co-write, and one of the authors is our friend Jenn Miller, of Mama Bus fame, as well as creator of The Uncommon Childhood. I read and read and read, until finally Ryan said it was time to go to bed. It was so encouraging to hear "someone" say, "Go for it...live your dream...and don't listen to the naysayers!" As well, there were lots and lots or practical tips about traveling with young ones: how to pack (or rent baby items...genius!), entertaining kids in the car/plane, and sooo much more. I HIGHLY recommend you check it out..it's really that informative and inspiring (and, yours truly may have also written a short little bit in it as well :). To check it out, please just click the button on the top right column of my blog that says: The Gypsy Mama's Guide to REAL Travel With Kids.

And speaking of buttons on my blog, did you notice there is now also a button for my Etsy store? Yup, just click on that and it will take you right to my site! Sadly, I don't have much posted right now...I had planned on posting tonight, but my external hard drive for photos is in the van in San Diego. Oops! If you are in Tucson, you can always check out my items at Little Bird Nesting Company on 4th Ave.

Alrighty, that is it for tonight...I hope to post from the road!