World Traveler....

Today I was just reflecting on the places I have been in just short 27 years of life, and I feel so blessed! I know many people who don't get to travel much, due to lack of time, resources, finances, or opportunities, but I have to admit, I LOVE TO TRAVEL and have been blessed with the opportunities that I have had!

Growing up, my parents worked from home, so they were able to take time off and travel with us kids! Some fun memories I remember as a younger kid were going to the Grand Canyon with my parents, grandparents, and brother. (Although it was a ridiculously long drive and I think I was sick, eating ice chips, on the way out!) But, it was a trip to remember, including ice wars in the hotel rooms with my brother (Eric) and dad. Mom was usually hiding under the covers, not condoning what we were doing! Ha!

My family was also VERY much into the outdoors, so camping was a MUST! We would spend a few weeks at a time at our absolute FAVORITE location, Ludington, MI! There just is NO PLACE ON EARTH that is better to go camping than Ludington! :) My entire family shares oodles of memories together, including eating icecream from House of Flavors (Heaven on Earth!!), watching the Ferry go out, watching fireworks on the beach (or a movie if it rained), floating down the river on rafts, riding the bike trails over and over and over, laughing around a campfire making smores, catching racoons with fishing poles and watching them fly up a tree (ha!), and even being the victims of "The Perfect Storm"-scariest night of my life! You just had to be there! It is a place that we loved SO MUCH, that we would leave the night before, REALLY late, and sleep in the car at the last rest stop, just to wake up and be minutes away from our favorite place! Yes, we are crazy! But it is a place that I can't wait to introduce my kids to and to start a lifetime of memories for them! I know they will love it just as much as their mama!

We also took a family vacation to Florida, but to be honest, I don't really remember a whole lot about the trip except the "nicknames" we all came home with, Earnest goes to Wet 'n Wild, and the "meal money" my parents gave us. You know, they were trying to teach us responsibility, so they figured out how many meals we would be eating, about how much we would need for each, and gave us that money at the beginning of the trip. Whatever money we didn't spend on food was ours to keep, so you better believe I ate CHEAP that week, because I wanted to have money to bring home! haha! Funny, because I LOVE to eat out, but to a kid, money was more important!

My Senior year of High School, my oldest brother, Ryan, got married in New York, so that was the last "major" family trip that we took all together. We were hillbillies from Indiana, loading up a mobile home and driving out East! Ha! But, it was a good time together before the first of us was "married off." We toured DC for a day and spent some time in New York City. I remember going to the Ground Zero Memorial site, and this was in April of 2002, just a few short months after the attack. It was heartbreaking, to say the least, and something I will never forget.

Now, I know that I called this post "World Traveler" and I have just talked about traveling in the US, but I really have been outside the US many times, thanks to the wonderful company of Shaklee! Growing up, I felt pretty spoiled to be able to take A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. trips all over, FOR FREE, with my family! With Shaklee, I went on a Caribbean Cruise, to Vancouver, Canada, to Hawaii, and to London! Again, these trips were because my parents helped others grow their business, and because of that, we had experiences at a young age that we NEVER would have had if it weren't for Shaklee! And those trips are FULL of memories! Vancouver was my first trip, and it was amazing to be spoiled in the Kids' Club of Shaklee. One of my favorite memories was spending the night IN the Aquarium in Vancouver, and having fish literally swimming over us as we lay below in our sleeping bags! It was AWESOME! The Cruise was so fun for Eric and I because we thought it was SO COOL that you could get food ANYTIME you wanted, so I think we ate our fair share of Hamburgers out by the pool! We were able to swim with Sting Rays and go snorkeling, and ate food at the fancy dinners that we didn't even know how to say! What memories! :) London was a trip I went on just with my parents and it was one of sightseeing, history, and fun. Anyone that knows me knows that I am more of a "beach" girl, but I wouldn't trade seeing that beautiful city! And Hawaii, what can I say? This was right before my Freshman year of college, and it was a fun trip for Eric and I, now being older, to get to explore and enjoy the amazing resort. All in all, the trips brought SO MANY memories!!!!!!

Next came a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I had in college. My junior year I chose to take a semester to go abroad to the Pac Rim- so China, Australia, and New Zealand. (We spent 1 night in Korea as well, so I can claim I've been there too!!) This was a trip that not only allowed me to see parts of the world I would have NEVER dreamed of, but it also strengthened my faith and relationships with those at home. Kyle and I were seriously dating before I left, and this experience only brought us closer together! Now, don't get me wrong, I spent a FORTUNE (at least $200-$300) in phone cards so I could call home ever day! :) And, just 2 short days after I got home, we were engaged! :) I was SO homesick when I was gone, but I know that God used this trip for me to deal with some things inside me and to really allow me a time (3 and 1/2 months!) of leaning SOLELY on Him! It was AMAZING! And the places I saw, the people I met, the food I ate....all made the trip one to never forget! I could go for some REAL Chinese food like NOW, and I would take the beaches of New Zealand everyday! Each place was so unique, and when you think you had seen the most beautiful place that God would ever create, He would just blow our mind with yet another breathtaking place! There were so many memories and experiences (like SKYDIVING!!) that I will NEVER EVER forget!

And now, Kyle and I have started our own "travels" together. We have been to St. Louis twice, to the BEAUTIFUL Tennessee on our honeymoon, did a weekend drive to Oklahoma City(crazy, I know!), and a few other places. But the best is that we get to start our OWN World Travel now with our own Shaklee Business! In May of this year, we went to the San Fransisco Bay area for our first Shaklee Trip (A FREE trip for our 5 year anniversary!!), were in DC in August, and in just 10 SHORT DAYS we will be leaving for an ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP TO Atlantis, Bahamas! (Not that I am counting or anything.....ha!) We have our eyes set on Vegas, the Mayan Riviera, and a Kenya Safari this next year! We love that we get to start making our own Shaklee Trip memories and the best part- we don't have to pay for it!! I love to travel, but let's face it, "STAYcations" or more popular than vacations due to the expense of it, so this I am very thankful for with Shaklee! And, I LOVE that I get to offer those same experiences for my kids as they grow up- getting to travel the world, learn new things, and meet new people as they grow! This is a priceless thing in my eyes!

Wow, I guess looking back, I have been to quite a few places, some of which weren't even shared, but I am more excited with the new trips we will be going on each year with Shaklee! Let's go, my bags are packed, and there is room in my bag for you!!! :)