Explorers | Pad Patter 27 July

[bellbird]

Where have you been exploring lately?
Is it summer where you are and you've been beach combing and rockpool exploring? Visited a small town or somewhere in your hometown you hadn't been before? Or have you been exploring more everyday places like stores?
DD needed fabric for a project next week so today we visited the only real store that stocks it here and turning every corner felt like a new discovery that only crafty people could appreciate but i wished i had had extra time to keep exploring, it really didn't feel like shopping until we had to wait at the register!

 

[GlazeFamily3]

We have spent the whole summer exploring different states I feel like. It has been one adventure after another, which has been both tiring and exciting.

Our best adventure was in Colorado. We went out for my husband’s youngest brother’s wedding. One day, we just set off driving into the mountains and wound up finding this amazing aerial tram in Estes Park. It was so fun to set off with no set destination and stumble across something so unique.

I am such a planner that I don’t normally leave a lot of time for that but it makes me realize you don’t always NEED to have plans. Looking back on the summer, I am realizing almost all of my favorite moments were spontaneous adventures.

 

[Tanyia]

We moved to the Columbus, GA (Fort Benning) area for my husband's work in Dec of 2016 and now this past Jan he moved out near Ft Stewart (outside Savannah) and he is living there and coming home on weekends or we visit him etc just until the last kid graduates which she is going into her senior year now so we didn't want to make her move again for that. So, in the meantime I am having fun exploring the city he lives in, all the fun stuff in Savannah, getting to go out to Tybee Island and go to the beach again rocks!

My husband is not military but he is a contractor so we have had to move a lot, throughout the years. We have been married now 20 years and his move was the 14th. Before I married him though I grew up poor with a single mom so I have been a nomad all my life really. So I really love exploring new cities, new states, etc. Every one always teasing me about how fast I learn my way around places.

 

[EHStudios]

Next week I'll be exploring a bunch of waterfalls, maybe a cave, & lots of sights on my honeymoon with Josh! He's not gotten to travel much in his life, so it'll be fun to see everything from his point of view.

 

[amien1]

We spend every waking moment out at the lakehouse (inlaws have a house on Lake Coeur D'alene, ID). It is just gorgeous out there in the summer & thankfully only about a half hour away from our home!

We leave tomorrow for a fun week of exploring- Fairmont Hot Springs, BC/Lake Louise & Banff, Alberta/Calgary/Waterton/Glacier National Park= then home! We're SO excited to explore that part of Canada & Montana. We live only a few hours away from the British Columbia border, so it'll be a fun, not too long road trip! I'll update when we get back!

 

[Cherylndesigns]

We have major road construction ALL around us. Going out anywhere is an adventure - in frustration. We went out yesterday and it was major road-weave and we saw so many wrecks - 3 and 4 cars! They do the major road work in the summer when the traffic isn't so bad from tourism and the "snowbirds".

 

[carrie1977]

We haven't done much exploring...work kind of gets in the way of that. Next week is my last week of four ten hour days so I think I'm going to take the kids to Santa Cruz, CA on Friday...hit the boardwalk..maybe stay the night and check out the Mystery Spot on Saturday before heading home.

 

[Angela Toucan]

as a family we are always out exploring when the weather is suitable.

 

[jenn mccabe]

Haven't done too much of that lately - a little kayaking and hiking. I'd like to hit a beach one day this weekend if possible - somewhere new to us. Mostly we've been low key and chilling at home poolside and soaking up all the time we have left with my oldest before he's off ... . My camera has been neglected this summer!

 

[bellbird]

We haven't done much exploring...work kind of gets in the way of that. Next week is my last week of four ten hour days so I think I'm going to take the kids to Santa Cruz, CA on Friday...hit the boardwalk..maybe stay the night and check out the Mystery Spot on Saturday before heading home.

We have major road construction ALL around us. Going out anywhere is an adventure - in frustration. We went out yesterday and it was major road-weave and we saw so many wrecks - 3 and 4 cars! They do the major road work in the summer when the traffic isn't so bad from tourism and the "snowbirds".

Gridlock & 10hr work days do get in the way of exploring _ even DS is beyond the age of fascination with diggers of all sorts, I feel your frustration Cheryl, but can't begin to imagine how you survive those days Carrie! (what's a Mystery Spot?)

 

[bellbird]

Haven't done too much of that lately - a little kayaking and hiking. I'd like to hit a beach one day this weekend if possible - somewhere new to us. Mostly we've been low key and chilling at home poolside and soaking up all the time we have left with my oldest before he's off ... . My camera has been neglected this summer!

I always love your kayaking perspective shots! Glad you can soak up that time with DS & enjoy the moments!

 

[bellbird]

We spend every waking moment out at the lakehouse (inlaws have a house on Lake Coeur D'alene, ID). It is just gorgeous out there in the summer & thankfully only about a half hour away from our home!

We leave tomorrow for a fun week of exploring- Fairmont Hot Springs, BC/Lake Louise & Banff, Alberta/Calgary/Waterton/Glacier National Park= then home! We're SO excited to explore that part of Canada & Montana. We live only a few hours away from the British Columbia border, so it'll be a fun, not too long road trip! I'll update when we get back!

Wow that's a dream trip (have been to Banff, I have a few paper scrapped pages of it that's how long ago lol! )Enjoy exploring!

 

[bellbird]

Next week I'll be exploring a bunch of waterfalls, maybe a cave, & lots of sights on my honeymoon with Josh! He's not gotten to travel much in his life, so it'll be fun to see everything from his point of view.

Looking forward to your nature shots! Love me some waterfalls !

 

[michele hillam]

My Grandkids were visiting this last week so we got to explore some old favorites (Dinosaur Ridge in Golden...The Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster) as well as some new destinations (Tiny Town in Morrison....Kidspace in Westminster). I am tired, but they had a blast. Check out my Traveler's Notebook in my Gallery if you want to see more. Perfect timing for this challenge so I can scrap all of their recent adventures!

 

[BevG]

This might sound whiny, but for some of us it is a big deal (I keep denying it but it is happening). They are closing 17 Kroger stores in our area, including the one just 1.5 mile from my house. Now granted, they are putting Harris Teeters in 5 of them, but HT is more expensive than what we are used to having and has less variety.

So where do we go while they remodel for the HT? Do I drive past the Food Lion to visit the overly congested exisiting HT that is further away? Or like today, do I fight the traffic & pedestrians to visit Whole Foods next to Duke University's campus? They asked for my phone number of my Prime membership and then didn't give me the 10% discount and I got one small bag for $76. Yeah, not happy about that.

So yeah, exploring grocery stores.... meanwhile, the shelves are almost totally bare at Kroger and they don't close to 8/14. I think I will go take pictures so I can scrap this sad, sad occasion. I sure TLP has a kit for it...

I would buy everything at Costco, but they don't have everything....

 

[bellbird]

Every one always teasing me about how fast I learn my way around places.

this is a great skill to have! i am no navigator! (my fam always said i'd get lost in a walk in wardrobe) It sounds like you have had the opportunity to explore a lot of places with all those moves and i hope your DD appreciates getting to finish out school at the same school

 

[bellbird]

We have spent the whole summer exploring different states I feel like. It has been one adventure after another, which has been both tiring and exciting.

Our best adventure was in Colorado. We went out for my husband’s youngest brother’s wedding. One day, we just set off driving into the mountains and wound up finding this amazing aerial tram in Estes Park. It was so fun to set off with no set destination and stumble across something so unique.

I am such a planner that I don’t normally leave a lot of time for that but it makes me realize you don’t always NEED to have plans. Looking back on the summer, I am realizing almost all of my favorite moments were spontaneous adventures.

Sounds like you made a lot of summer memories! we're planners too but as you said, often the most memorable things we've seen or done, we just stumbled on!

 

[Sokee]

I really have not done exploring this summer...... a few weeks ago me and hubby went and visited my son who moved 2 hours West of us and ended up visiting a couple of Vineyards one was just a tasting room and the other one actually made the wine there. We said that one we were going to schedule a tour for a next trip.

 

[bellbird]

This might sound whiny, but for some of us it is a big deal (I keep denying it but it is happening). They are closing 17 Kroger stores in our area, including the one just 1.5 mile from my house. Now granted, they are putting Harris Teeters in 5 of them, but HT is more expensive than what we are used to having and has less variety.

So where do we go while they remodel for the HT? Do I drive past the Food Lion to visit the overly congested exisiting HT that is further away? Or like today, do I fight the traffic & pedestrians to visit Whole Foods next to Duke University's campus? They asked for my phone number of my Prime membership and then didn't give me the 10% discount and I got one small bag for $76. Yeah, not happy about that.

So yeah, exploring grocery stores.... meanwhile, the shelves are almost totally bare at Kroger and they don't close to 8/14. I think I will go take pictures so I can scrap this sad, sad occasion. I sure TLP has a kit for it...

I would buy everything at Costco, but they don't have everything....

so i don't know the shops you are mentioning (apart from Costco, they aren't here) but i get how frustrating it must be - if they took away my fave stores and put in ones that cost more for less, i'd be as well! (And the downside to exploring at the fabric store was since we went last, they 'remodelled' (read: took away 2 of the service desks around just the floor we were on and there were only 2 employees, one just at the door and the other at the only counter left, so that's where the waiting at the 1 register behind someone trying to find 'this red ummm...fabric?' (pointing at a photo on her phone of a non-store photo with no caption or idea of what the fabric was called and dragging the employee off on a lap around the store definitely took away the magic of the experience - it makes you appreciate how fast and easy digi checkouts are!)

 

[bellbird]

I really have not done exploring this summer...... a few weeks ago me and hubby went and visited my son who moved 2 hours West of us and ended up visiting a couple of Vineyards one was just a tasting room and the other one actually made the wine there. We said that one we were going to schedule a tour for a next trip.

Sounds like a plan!