As 2019 comes to an end, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on all of our fun adventures this past year. Afterall…
‘Tis the season for reflection!
I have always wanted to write an end-of-the-year recap post for Minivan Adventures but never quite figured out how to lay it out… until a couple of months ago. I read this post written by my friend, Angela, on her Tread Lightly, Retire Early blog. In celebration of her wedding anniversary, she shared a picture highlighting a special event from each month of the previous year.
Upon reading her lovely tribute, a light bulb went off in my own head. What a simple and lovely way to recap the year! I could do something like that, too.
Thank you, Angela, for the inspiration!
2019 Highlights for Minivan Adventures
It was an exciting year for our family and for the Minivan Adventures blog. Here is a quick look back at the highlights from each month.
January
The most notable thing that occurred for us in the month of January was a crazy number of snow days from school. The kids had an entire week off due to cold and freezing temperatures. Thus, we stayed home, snuggled up, sipped hot cocoa and tried to not drive each other crazy.
February
February brought even more “snow” days but this time due to ice and power outages. It made for lovely pictures though! By the end of the school year, my children stayed home for 14 (maybe 15?) snow days total!
March
In March, we spent a day at the beach in Grand Haven. Have you visited the shores of Lake Michigan in winter before? The ice and snow formations are an amazing sight to behold!
April
We spent some time exploring Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio during the month of April. We explored caves, walked over a land bridge, and saw several waterfalls. It is one of our all-time favorite hiking experiences.
May
Move over, California! We discovered a West Michigan “Super Bloom” right here near Grand Rapids, Michigan! While hiking at Aman Park, we discovered fields and fields and fields of wildflowers.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention that I saw Hamilton the Musical in May! This has been on my bucket list for years.
June
In June, we enjoyed several local hiking trails.
July
July was a really big month for us. Our family went on a major 16-day road trip out to Yellowstone National Park (and beyond). We drove a wagon at the Laura Ingalls Homestead, we hiked in the heart of the Badlands, we were rained on by a geyser, and we even explored cave-like lava tubes in Idaho. Watch for more posts about these adventures in the upcoming months!
August
We visited Leila Arboretum and its Fantasy Forest in Battle Creek, Michigan. What a cool place!
September
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! We followed the yellow brick road in Holland, Michigan to check out the city’s new Wizard of Oz public art exhibit.
October
In October, my husband and I went on a weekend getaway to Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island. We visited a Dark Sky Park, rode bikes around Mackinac Island, and saw some amazing fall foliage.
November
November was a low key month for us. We mostly stayed home. However, our family did put together this cool road trip-themed puzzle of the United States. Impressive, right?
December
In December, I was interviewed on the Healthy Lifestyle Show by Happy Trails Hiking. You can check out my interview here: Travel Tuesday with April of Minivan Adventures.
Also, our family went on our annual holiday visit to the GR Public Museum. While we were there, our children were delighted to find Santa in the Old Town Streets exhibit and Rudolph in the wildlife exhibit.
Thank You!
Thank you for following our minivan adventures! What a great year 2019 has been! We can’t wait to see what adventures await us in 2020, and we are so glad you are coming along for the ride.
By the way, are you following our minivan on social media yet? We would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
You’ve had wonderful adventures this year! I hope you have even more in the coming year.