11 minute read
Travel
While our family has fully embraced and fallen in love with our Florida lifestyle, I can honestly say when we find ourselves in a snowy wonderland like Montreal, our Michigan roots start to show and we are all excited and happy to jump in and play in the cold.
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THE MAGIC OF
Montreal
Story by Tabitha Blue
Photography by Christopher Blue
Ahhh, Montreal. A city that transports you to Europe without actually taking you there, with it’s French culture and amazing architecture. It’s no wonder it’s a snow-dusted fairly tale come winter. Okay, maybe a little more than snow dusted.
After living in Florida for a few years, we were craving a romp in piles of snow. Well, my husband, not so much, but I definitely was. We bought coats, packed up the kids and made our way to Montreal, just in time for an incredible snow storm… for us, it was like a dream! The night we arrived I could barely get my kids off of the snowdrifts lining the sidewalk long enough to get them to the nearby square for classic winter fun, like snowball fights and building a snowman. For my youngest two, it was their first romp, and boy did this city know how to make it a memorable one!
I’m sharing a few top spots on Montreal and thought it was the perfect kick-off to this cold-weather inspired edition of The Fresh Edit.
Top Things To Do In Montreal
Start at Mont Royal for it’s winter wonderland. This tree-filled, slope offers amazing and expansive views of downtown. If you’re there during a fresh snowfall, you can even take advantage like the locals and snowshoe, sled, or cross country ski to the top for the postcard views.
Try Poutine. There are so many great places to get good poutine. While it doesn’t look the most appetizing, believe me, you’ll be happy you tried this dish.
Start your day out right by indulging in a classic bagel (sweeter than a NY bagel as they’re boiled in honey-infused water before being baked) or brunch in the heart of the city’s Golden Square Mile.
If you’re in a shopping mood, get your holiday fix along Saint Catherine Street finished with the famous window display at La Maison Ogilvy’s, browse the boutiques at Mile End (Montreal’s Soho), pick up a souvenir on a walk down the cobblestones of Saint-Paul Street, or even take in one of the many markets.
When you need to warm up, get across the city through the Underground City, and discover plenty of shopping and restaurants there as well.
Head to the Old Port skating rink to have a skate and take in the beautiful views of Old Montreal. Walk the cobblestone streets (or take a carriage ride) in Old Montreal and feel the magic of Christmas.
Make sure to stop by The Notre-Dame Basilica. It’s ornate, jewel-toned figured and architecture whisks you away to Europe (plus it’s where Celine Dion got married!). And don’t miss the nearby Noel Eternel boutique for a souvenir ornament. Just a short drive from the city brings some of the best skiing on the East Coast and so many other fun outdoor activities such as dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing!
Enjoy a classic Québécois meal at a sugar shack! We journeyed to a restaurant called Au Petit Poucet in Val David where this local favorite served hot chocolate while we waited. The wait was totally worth it. From the meat pies to poutine to pea soup to maple pie and maple lattes…. we were in foodie heaven.
Just up the way from there is Village du Père Noël… Santa Claus! Even after Christmas, we had an amazing visit with the big man himself. It didn’t take long for my little ones to explore the rest of the activities like tubing, train rides, sack sledding, reindeer petting, and zip lines. It gave us hours of enjoyment despite the 15 degree temps. Aria even had a little nap in the warming tent.
There is a beautiful childlike magic in exploring a new place with your family. Experiencing new climates, new foods, new cultures; these opportunities of growth and discovery are some of my favorite memories.
ESSENTIALS FOR LIFE
ON the ROAD
O v e r t h e y e a r s , o u r f a m i l y h a s p i c k e d u p s o m e k e y e s s e n t i a l s t h a t h e l p m a k e a n y r o a d t r i p ( n o m a t t e r t h e l e n g t h ) a s u c c e s s f u l o n e f o r t h e m e m o r y b o o k s .
Purposeful Planning for a Family Road Trip
There are times we all feel the urge to travel. Sometimes, the most feasible way is hitting the road… and lately, it’s been something our family has been endeavoring for more of. There is nothing that can replace the connection that comes from investing time in one another. Nowadays, when we see a chance, we pack up our bags and let the wheels spin on the pavement, adding memories to our banks in the process.
But planning a trip on the road, and especially with kiddos in tow, can definitely be intimidating. Since we’ve already had quite a few opportunities with our four kids, I thought I’d share how we plan out a fun and adventurous road trip, while making it to our destination in good time.
1. Decide on a route.
Clearly, this isn’t news, but it’s important to plan your route with the end in mind! Decide if you want to go more scenic or if you’re more about speed. The mindset you go into the trip with makes a difference!
2. Make intentional stops.
Nothing trips up a road trip like stopping 5 minutes after you get back on the road. While the occasional emergency stop will happen, we like to make our stops at places we can find a bit of grass for the kids to run while we take turns changing diapers, getting snacks, fueling up, etc. Getting all of these necessaries done at once, and allowing everyone to burn off a little energy, makes for a better drive overall.
3. Pack what you need without overpacking. This one is harder to determine until you’ve done it a few times! We now have a hitch on the back of our vehicle with a rack to hold our suitcases, so that only our road trip necessities are in the car on the drive. For this tip, pack everything you think you need, and then go back and remove a good 15-20% of what you’ve packed!
4. Let go and have fun!
What’s the reason for your trip? Hopefully it’s to enjoy time with loved ones! If that’s the case, then all the other things don’t quite matter so much! If we get too focused on the goal, we’ll lose site of all the magical moments along the way. As each moment passes, you can’t get it back, so make the most of your time away!
Road Trip Essentials
While you’ll already be packing your own essentials, tossing clothes in your suitcases etc., here are a few items we never drive away without…
Books on tape (or downloaded to our devices)
Car charger (for said devices)
Disinfectant spray. I like to make mine with essential oils so it can be used for hands and surfaces. But either way, at some point, you’ll need it (think emergency bathroom stop with no soap).
Ziplock bags. These are great for dividing snacks between kids, for holding wet suits (or clothes), keeping leftovers, and more.
Plan B: No matter how prepared you may be, sometimes things don’t go to plan. Be flexible or have an alternate vacation plan early to avoid crying out loud if things change.
ROAD TRIP PLAYLIST
I Drove All Night
Celine Dion
Life is a Highway
Rascal Flatts
Cruise
Florida Georgia Line
Sweet Home Alabama
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Dare You to Move
Switchfoot
Chicken Fried
Zac Brown Band
Dancing in the Moonlight
King Harvest
Can’t Hold Us
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Hometown Girl
Josh Turner
Glorious [Clean]
Macklemore
Don’t Stop the Music
Rihanna
This is How We Roll
[feat Luke Bryan] Florida Georgia Line
Empire State of Mind
[feat. Alicia Keys] [Clean] - Jay-Z
All Summer Long
Kid Rock
Dynamite
Taio Cruz
Body Like a Backroad
Sam Hunt
Diamonds
Johhnyswim
I Really Like You
Carly Rae Jepsen
Shut Up and Drive
Rihanna
There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back
Shawn Mendes
you can listen to our playlist on freshmommyblog
4 Essential
OILS for the
ROAD
peppermint
lavender
This is another “do-it-all” oil and it’s pretty easy to say, when in doubt, use Lavender Oil. It’s moisturizing and calming to the skin (making great for burns, sunburns, and dry skin), antibacterial (great for cuts and scrapes), can help to mentally relax and calm (used to calm during the day as well as helpful for sleep), and is great mixed with pretty much any other oil as well!
lemon
Such a great cleansing oil. First, I like to keep Lemon oil on me to add 1-2 drops to my water
(in glass bottles only) as a great detox. If I am traveling with a diffuser (sometimes, not always), Lemon is very purifying and cleansing for the hotel room air. It’s also perfect for stains! Just 1-2 drops on a stain will help preserve your clothing until you can get home to wash it since it gets out grease, gum, crayon and more. Just a drop behind your ears and on your wrists can help reduce or eliminate anxiety (great mixed with lavender). If you suffer from allergies, you can use a couple drops of Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint 2x a day on the bottom of your feet to help! Lemon oil is also something you can add with honey to warm water to fight coughs, sore throats, and fever (just make sure to use a pure oil that you trust for any internal use, which is why I use Spark Naturals).
melaleuca
Otherwise known as Tea Tree Oil, this is an antibacterial, anti fungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antiviral, decongestant, analgesic and insecticidal… so basically it’s also good for everything! Mix with Lavender for sunburns and cuts, use on bug bites, bruises, blisters, and cold sores.
100% PURE ESSENTIAL OILS USE COUPON CODE:
FRESHMOMMY
10% OFF EVERY ORDER
WWW. SPARKNATURALS.COM
PHOTO TRAVEL DIARIES
Denver
Story by Tabitha Blue
Photography by Christopher Blue
It only took five years. Five years of Florida living, warm winters, beach for Christmas and total avoidance of cleaning layers of snow and ice from the windshield on a daily basis throughout the winter months to make my heart grow fond for the absolute beauty of a winter wonderland.
There is something so magical about a fresh snow, and introducing our littlest to it with some time away through a whirlwind trip with her on my hip was the perfect way to do it.
