We’ve had a crazy, busy and somewhat chaotic 2017 so far in terms of traveling and various adventures. Let me walk you through just the travelling schedule we’ve had since the start of the year!
We kicked off 2017 with an epic three-week road trip down to Florida, to spend time with family in the sun. We made sure to stop both in Nashville, TN and Peru, IN to visit friends for a few days along the drive home. Not even a full week after our return, we were off to Deerhurst Resort in the Muskokas for a truly Canadian winter getaway. A few weeks after that, my dear grandma passed away and we were packing up once again to travel home to Ottawa for her funeral.
Not long after that, I was on a plane to Orlando for the first of two conferences I would attend there within a four-week time span. A week after the second trip to Orlando, we were packing up and headed back to Ottawa for some rest and relaxation with family. A few days after returning from Ottawa, I was invited back to the Muskokas with Ford Canada for an overnight press trip, which was so fun and went by too fast!
Two weeks later we found ourselves in the Niagara region for a week vacation with our friends at a beachfront cottage. On the way home from that, we stopped in LongPoint Eco Adventure Camp to spend a couple of nights “glamping” with some of our friends from GoodNites. Then, one week into August, the hubby and I were off to Chicago for the Global Leadership Summit for a few days.
When we got home from Chicago, we basically only had time to wash our clothes and repack for our final adventure, which was a week at Saranac Lake in New York State, where my husband was volunteering at a youth camp.
PHEW!!! Are you just as exhausted as I am after reading that?!
As you can tell, our suitcases have gotten quite the workout and have barely been unpacked for longer than 12 days since January!
As a family, we LOVE adventure. We love exploring new places, whether it’s riding the latest coasters at a theme park or sunbathing on a sunny beach or heading out on a road trip to an unfamiliar place, we are always up for some fun and excitement.
But as much as we love heading out on those new adventures, we also love being home. As Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz” once put it, “There’s no place like home” – and I think for my family and I, we couldn’t agree more!
Over the last week of our summer adventures, I started noticing some not-so-savoury attitudes peeking out in all three of my children at various points. I figured it was a combination of being tired and also being displaced. At one point or another, all three kids, including my three year old, have all articulated that they wanted to go home. Even amidst all the fun they were having and new friends they were making, they’ve all had those moments of wanting to be back in their safe place.
Truth be told, I’m a lot like that as well. As much as I love to travel, I’m also a bit of a homebody. There’s just something about being home and knowing you are safe – being in that familiar environment where you can fully unwind and not worry about anything (or hardly anything!)
I truly believe that part of that peace that comes from being home is knowing that our home itself is safe. I mean that both literally and figuratively. It’s safe in that it’s our haven, our place of comfort and familiarity. Literally-speaking, it’s safe thanks to our new home warranty that covers us for defects in materials and workmanship, water damage and even some structural issues.
If you can remember a few months back when I told the story about how we discovered all the water damage in our second home on Christmas Eve and how much money that cost us to repair that entire room…we don’t have those worries now with our new home still protected by our warranty. Should water leak through the structure of the home, we know we are protected.
There are a number of things that can go wrong in your home, especially in a new home during those first few years. Knowing that we have coverage – even when we are away – brings great comfort.
Going away and adventuring around the country and world can be SO much fun, but coming home and resting can be just as exciting. While September is also a busy time with kids going back into school, we are looking forward to a season where we can leave our bags unpacked a little longer than two weeks and enjoy the comfort and safety of our own home!
Note: This post was sponsored where I may have received product and/or compensation in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Amidst the Chaos possible.
