For the past year and a half, we've been saying that "once the weather was nice," which in Texas is about 6 days in the fall and about 6 days in the spring, we would go tent camping with the new tent I bought Marvin for his first Father's Day. Finally, this past weekend, we headed to Fredericksburg, TX, to break out the new tent and spend some time outdoors.

Emmett's birthday party this year was much more low-key than last year's party. This year, we utilized the pool instead of coming up with games and we kept the menu simple. With the help of our family and friends, it was still loads of fun, and Emmett had a great time (though he gets shy when he's in the spotlight).

* Written by guest blogger Leslie Campos, of Well Parents.

​Going on vacation is a fun and exciting way to try something new. Going alone comes with both challenges and benefits. If you plan to trek out on your own, consider these six tips to help you make the most of your trip and stay safe during the process. 

Having lived in Clearwater for three years during my college years, I have spent quite a bit of time on the beaches around the Tampa Bay area. With my brother still living in the area, I have returned dozens of times to visit. Tampa is one of my favorite U.S. cities to visit with Emmett, as it is full of fun things to do with kids!

One of my favorite travel experiences to date was teaching English in Chengdu, China, to students aged twelve to eighteen years. I was in college in an English education major. I co-taught with a fellow student, and we had students in an intermediary English level class. Our students were amazing! They were eager to learn and eager to please. Their families took us out to eat and made us feel so welcome in their country. And although this was a volunteer opportunity, the school administrators provided on-campus housing and took us site-seeing on the weekends, including to the Panda Preserve there in Chengdu and to the Giant Buddha in Leshan.

Teaching English overseas is a great opportunity to see the world while earning a little money. It also offers an amazing opportunity to meet wonderful people, really learn about the people and culture of the country in which you teach, pick up some of the local language, and make a difference in the lives of young people.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Alice in Wonderland. I have the animated 1951 Disney film practically memorized front to back. I love the live action remakes with Mia Wasikowska and Johnny Depp. I even love the animated 1988 Burbank Films Australia version of Alice in Wonderland.

If you're like me, you may wonder where you can find Alice in Wonderland-themed statues, restaurants, and shops.

My parents, Mark and Cindy, recently celebrated their 40th anniversary with a cross-country trip on Amtrak. They purchased Amtrak's USA Rail Pass and made several stops during their cross-country adventure, visiting friends and family and seeing some of the country's sites.

I read a meme recently that said, "Traveling with kids isn't a vacation. It's just taking care of your kids in a different place." I laughed because of course there is some truth to that. But as parents we do not travel just to go on a nice, relaxing vacation. As kids get older and more self-sufficient, there will of course be times you will be able to relax and enjoy your vacation, but travel should be more than just lying around on a beach. Many of the reasons Marvin and I love to travel - for education, for cultural awareness, for personal growth, and for just a general change of scenery - are also reasons we want to travel with Emmett.