The Lundy 5

Where we're going in September: Vegas! For the next stop as we Scrap the Map, DSP is heading to Las Vegas NV on September 9, 2011 and YOU are invited to the SLUMBER PARTY ! You can attend Photoshop World (optional) then scrap the night away in Vegas! *** Register now !*** Photoshop World is Sept 7-9 at Mandalay Bay Resort and our scrappers LOVE it! We definitely encourage you to attend if you can. There is even a FREE Expo if you don't attend the whole Photoshop World conference. Photoshop World is Wednesday-Friday and ends at 5pm Friday, which is when our scrapbooking fun will begin! *** More info !***

Having lived close to Dayton, Ohio, we're definitely up on our Wright Brothers history and had to visit Kitty Hawk and the Wright Brothers National Memorial , where they made their first flights. Of course it started in Dayton, so we still proudly claim the Birthplace of Aviation! But the magic happened here in Kitty Hawk and it was fun to learn about it and run down the same runway where the first flights happened. They did the Junior Ranger program and as usual, got a little extra attention from the friendly rangers there. The plane here in Kitty Hawk isn't the original. Guess where that is? The Smithsonian, where we're headed soon!

We spent a few days in the Outer Banks, NC, mainly visiting Kitty Hawk and waiting out a tornado! The tornado missed us though and we enjoyed our quick oceanside stay. Jack didn't love the ocean, but he did love digging in the sand.

Next stop was the Natural Science Center of Greensboro , NC. This was more natural science than physical science, so a lot more animals to see and even some to play with. There were a lot of reptiles that I don't prefer, but also cute fluffy mammals, that I like much better. The kids love them all though and had a ball. They had quite the zoo collection and it was surprising to see such a variety of animals. I also got to spend a little time with a friend I'd met in Orlando and meet her kids, so that was a bonus! Another fun day of learning.

Besides amusement parks, we plan to use our science & museum membership a lot this year. (See fulltimefamilies.com for a great deal!) What's better for roadschooling than hands-on science?! In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, we visited SciWorks and we all enjoyed it! Love that they love science!

This was our first Easter on the road and it turned out to be very fun. Our campground had a chapel service on Sunday. Plus, on Saturday, they had egg hunts, egg coloring, the Easter bunny, a golf cart parade, and a dance with a DJ, just for the kids! Matt found the silver egg - good for a white chocolate bunny! We hope you all had a happy Easter too!

I've added posts and pics to the stops on our map and we're now mostly caught up, to this month anyway. You can finally see a northeasterly swing! 2011's in blue, 2010 in red. View Scrap The Map in a larger map

This month's FOTR Blog Carnival asked about mistakes we've made along the way . Since we've been on the road for almost a year, you can bet we've made a few! Many are hard to consider mistakes though, because you simply learn flexibility and deal with things as they happen. Tires go flat, directions are wrong, campgrounds are full, but since there's no schedule ruined, you just call it another adventure. But here are a few things we'll share that we've learned the hard way: Slow down. This was our biggest lesson. If you plan to hit the road for a year, you might prefer to squeeze more in. If you plan indefinitely, like us, slow down so you have time to soak it all in. We've learned to plan work days and downtime, because it's hard to work that in when you're constantly surrounded by amazing. We'll stay a week or two in the middle of nowhere, purposefully away from anything tempting. We need time to work, plan, catch up, and rest. The...

We visited Carowinds , called the Thrill Capital of the Southeast, for a few days of rollercoaster fun! This year, we got Kings Island/Cedar Fair season tickets, good for *many* parks, so that we could have some fun stops along the way. Josh and Lizzy are tall enough for all the rides, and Matt's tall enough for most, so we stick together then trade off so everyone has fun! And we learned it's SO convenient to have your home in the parking lot! We can eat, nap, take care of the dog, nap, change clothes, and nap! Did I mention nap? That is so wonderful after walking and riding all day with these fearless kids! It's also convenient to stay til closing time, park at a store to sleep, then come right back in the morning! Carowinds is in both North and South Carolina and has a fun line down the middle of the park. Fun days!