Tales of a Transplanted Fashionista

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Tales of a Transplanted Fashionista

Get Out There!

Leigh Keller is a high school guidance counselor at Batesville High School and the director of the BHS Glass Slipper Project. She lives in Batesville with her son, Cole, and a pack of dogs.

Throughout the course of my child’s life, my ideas about money and “stuff” have changed dramatically. I don’t have the means (or the desire, for real) to give him every single thing his heart desires. All parents have experienced the frustration of giving a gift to your child, only to have them stop playing with that toy the next day.

But some gifts you can give your child that never get old are time together, unconditional love and a good, old fashioned road trip. We love to get in the car and just go, and we have felt that way since Cole was a tiny baby. I get my love of a good road trip from my parents. I was raised in a middle class family, and we didn’t have a lot of material things. But we did have so much love, so much laughter, and the shared love of adventure in the wood grained station wagon (we were the original Griswolds).

I felt that pressing need a few weeks ago to get into the car and head somewhere. My go to is usually the beach, but hurricane season has really cramped my beach style this year. Since we lost my dad last year, my mom is our steady travel bug buddy. So I booked us a comfy cabin, and off we all went, with our little dog, Lela Rose, too (she was heavily medicated because she loves to go but her tummy does not).

During our stay-at-home-time in the spring, we tried to do anything but. I crave sunshine and water, and so does Cole. Fall is not my favorite season, but my mom loves to see the trees changing colors, so we headed a little north for our getaway. We ate good food, laughed really hard, and even enjoyed a Christmas movie in front of the fireplace together. We could have done all of those at home, but there’s just something about loading up and heading out on an adventure as a family that creates those memories your children will always remember, more so than something you bought for them.

If you are able, get out there with your babies. Instead of so many gifts for Christmas, try the gift of an adventure day of hiking, biking and a fun meal together. I guarantee they will remember that day forever. *Unfortunately one of Cole’s childhood memories from this trip also involve torrential rain and a tornado warning. The sirens went off and we all crowded into the tiny bathroom with our dog who did not want to be in there, because she thought she was getting a bath. #griswoldsforever N