Hello from the Fanns

This picture is one of my all time favs, and I have it hanging up in my living room. This reminds me where it all started. Have you ever wondered if you can still travel and enjoy it with kids? This is the moment where we found the answer to that question. We have five kiddos, three boys and two girls. Back in 2017 we had three kids under three. Our traveling up to that point had always been a family beach trip with the grandparents. This was not only a fun time with lots of memories to share, but also necessary to be able to get all of the luggage, high chairs, baby floats, toys, and you name it to the destination. If you have little ones you know the amount of “things” they need. Traveling with our family also brought a lot of additional help and support that had been vital. But this particular trip in 2017 opened up a whole new world for us as a family.

We had decided to book a cruise in February of that year. The cruise left out of New Orleans and stopped off at two ports in Mexico. This was not only our first big trip without the added help from the grandparents, but the first time we would be taking our kiddos out of the country. Oh, this was exciting and so nerve-racking at the same time. Could we do this? Could we keep our sanity? Could we actually have fun???

The beginning of this adventure added some extra obstacles that we hadn’t anticipated. A couple of days prior to leaving one of our kiddos came down with strep throat and a subsequent rash. We weren’t sure if he would even be well enough to travel. Praise the Lord, the morning we woke up to make the drive from the Atlanta area to New Orleans, our son was completely back to his happy, healthy self! If that wasn’t enough stress, once we entered into the city, our GPS had us going to one location only to find out it wasn’t the correct place. Our ship was leaving at 4:00, and we had to travel to the other side of New Orleans during Mardi Gras! Every road our GPS said to take was being shut down right before our eyes for a parade! Oh, was the stress high! We did finally make it to the parking garage and began the never ending walk toward the cruise terminal. When I say we made it by the skin of our teeth, I mean it. We were the second to last family on board. We had to board and immediately report to our muster stations for the safety briefing. After that, we found the burger joint on board and sat staring out the window as we set sail down the Mississippi River. It was that moment that my husband and I let out the largest breath of relief and felt that the vacation had truly begun.

We all had an amazing time on that cruise. Our kiddos enjoyed every moment. One of my favorite memories was when we were in port in Cozumel. We had taken a taxi to a little beach and our kiddos played all day with a coconut they had found along the shore. It brought pure joy to my heart watching my children truly enjoy the simple things.

This trip, this picture, opened up our world to traveling with our kiddos. I have enjoyed nothing as much as watching my children explore, learn, and experience God’s amazing creation. Traveling with kids can be done. It doesn’t have to brake the bank. And most importantly, it can be fun and enjoyable for all. Thank you for joining me as I share our family’s adventures, and I hope to inspire you to begin your own adventures.