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Like so many other families, we are very busy with very little extra time. When my husband and I figure out that we both have a little bit of free time on the weekend we try to make plans to go somewhere. For us, making plans means that if we still have nothing else to do when the weekend arrives, we might go somewhere. That is about as spontaneous as a family with four young boys can get.
We don't make our plans though until that day has arrived. Many times if we actually do make plans, something else comes up and we end up trying to fit too much into our schedules, or we just cancel and end up disappointed.
Often we have a list of events that we heard were happening that day and when the time comes we make a last minute decision. The kids of course are kept in the dark. It is a surprise for them and that is what makes it so much fun for all of us. It's overwhelming and exciting for them, just as all great surprises should be. They have no idea where we are going, they just know that mom and dad are suddenly planning a little trip.
I would have to say the one of the best spontaneous trips so far was a day trip to an area that we have been to many times before. It was extremely hot and we knew we wanted to be near water, so we were trying to find a little lake somewhere that we have never been to before. My husband suggested Cave Mountain Lake, it's a nice little lake, not very big and not too far away. He also mentioned that there was an attraction there called Foamhenge. Foamhenge is a replica of Stonehenge except that it is made of well, Foam. I said great, sound fun, let's go.
There was no admission to pay, we just pulled off into a field and there it was at the top of the hill. It's a silly kind of place, but kind of neat too. I have never been to Stonehenge, but Foamhenge is supposed to be exactly the same size, it definitely was big. While we were standing in the middle of a giant foam sculpture the kids got a great history lesson on the original Stonehenge and then proceeded to have a great time running circles around the giant chunks of foam.
On the way to the Cave Mountain Lake we passed a sign for the Dinosaur Kingdom, another attraction built by the same man who created Foamhenge. The kids were excited just to see the sign and begged to go. We were out to have fun that day, so of course we said yes and before we knew it we found ourselves in the middle of the woods at Dinosaur Kingdom with all sorts of fiberglass dinosaur sculptures. The kids
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Family bonding: The best road trips are the unplanned ones
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