Two Places I've Traveled... {thursday thoughts}

Man, over two years ago I started a list of ten posts I wanted to write over the next ten weeks. Well. It's been like, 104+ weeks since then and I still have two of those posts to finish. This is one of them. Here are the first eight of them:
ten nine eight seven six five four three

I haven't traveled extensively in my life but I have explored some really awesome places in the last 30 years of my life. Two stick out especially in my mind because they're the two trips I left the country.

01. Canada
I lived with my aunt and uncle for a couple years and made so many great memories with them & my cousins. We took a trip that included a stop in Canada and it was the first time I ever left the United States. I was 17 years old at the time which is old enough to soak so much of it in but just young and inexperienced enough to not realize the depth of what a cool and unique experience this was. We saw Niagara Falls - on the 4th of July! - and went to a super amazing amusement park in/near Ontario or Toronto called Canada's Wonderland. That was easily one of the best parts of the trip! I remember standing in line for a ride and there was music videos playing on TVs above us and an Ingram Hill song started playing and I could NOT believe what I was hearing... a local Memphis band playing IN CANADA?! What are the odds?!

We went camping in several different states and Canada and I did and saw so many things I'd never experienced before. I'm the type of person who would happily go to Walt Disney World every single family trip but traveling to Canada and having such a perfect, funny, amazing time really made me think twice. There is something special about traveling to new places and having new experiences.

I remember I helped cook pancakes one morning and my uncle made fun of me because they were just about as thick as hamburger patties! This is also the trip my aunt and uncle talked to me about the importance of just being and living in the moment. They talked about how they bring their cell phones on vacations for safety but they turn them off and choose not to use them so that they can be present exactly where they are. This was before the smart phones and social media we experience today but it the need to observe this on your vacations applies now more than ever.

The best part of the entire trip was spending that time with my family.

02. Mexico
The only other time I've left the good ole USA is when I went to Mexico for another family vacation! This time it was with my husband, cousins, sisters, mom, aunts, uncles, & grandparents on my mother's side of the family to celebrate our grandparents anniversary! We stayed at the Ocean Coral Turquesa Resort & I was 23 years old and about 9-10 weeks pregnant with Presley in the thick of the first trimester. For me, the first trimester (especially when pregnant with my two girls) was full of nausea. So, I think I would have enjoyed the trip a whole lot more if I hadn't felt sick 80% of the time. BUT! There were some awesome memories made on this trip and I'm so incredibly grateful to have had that time with so much of my family!!! Absolute favorite memory was playing beach volleyball with my cousins, sisters, & our significant others. It was hilarious and so much fun! We stayed at a beautiful resort with beautiful pools but when I look back all I remember is feeling so sick the majority of the time. Not to mention I couldn't get drinks with everyone else!!!

My takeaway from the Mexico trip was different. I felt like I didn't want to leave the country anytime in the near future... especially not when there were so many beautiful, amazing places to see within the United States. (I think that had to do with the fact that we couldn't drink the water there and being a little scared of local crime.) But at this point I really wouldn't mind doing something like that again! The sun, the beach, the water.... sounds like a dream!!!