Camping season is finally here!! The Four Winds is de-winterized and we took her out for the first trip of the year to Mammoth Cave in our own beautiful state of Kentucky. We chose this spot because we studied the geography of the US this year, and Mammoth Cave was one of our features.  Since it is a short 2.5 hours away, it made for an easy 2 night camping trip.  

The kids love riding in the camper.  In fact,  Anne sleeps every time we drive in the camper for more than a half an hour.  She is such a Schneider.

We were camping this time at Jellystone Campground in Cave City, KY.  This place came highly recommended by friends who visited the cave last year, and they were right.  It was super family friendly, clean, and close to the cave.  We visited before the season actually starts (Memorial Day), so the price was great.  Unfortunately there were not many other campers while we were there, so some of the activities weren't running and the staff was busy doing a lot of maintenance to get ready for the summer.

Our itinerary for this trip was:
Day 1- Drive down, set up camp, roast hot dogs
Day 2- Enjoy the camp ground
Day 3- Break camp, explore the cave, drive home

We did it this way for a few reasons.  On our last trip of 2017, Ryan complained that we did something every day, and he didn't have enough time to camp.  So we wanted a full day with nothing planned.  Plus, by not leaving the campsite that day, we didn't have to rent a car, which saves money. With the savings, we splurged and got a golf cart! 

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After dinner I was very excited to try out two things we had purchased in the off-season: a collapsible table with cup holders and camping wine glasses!  Am I a glamper, or what? 

Let me pause between days one and two to talk about the weather.  The day before we left, it was supposed to rain the entire time we had planned to be camping.  We threw around a few alternatives, but in the end decided to risk it.  The gamble paid off!  It was warm enough to swim and we didn't see any rain until the last day, when we were going to be in the cave anyway!

Campfire breakfast cooking has a learning curve, but it turned out great in the end.  I have so much respect for the pioneers who had to cook on a fire every day or starve.  I wouldn't have lasted long.

After breakfast, the kids wanted to jump on the bounce pad.  We took the golf cart up to the camping store, only to find out the bounce pad didn't open until 1.  So we played some free mini-golf instead.  Mini-golf is painful with children, so I let it go and they had a blast.   

We had a lot of time to fill until 1pm.  For starters, we made jiffy pop on the fire!  That was fun.

The kids rode their bikes for awhile.  Then we ate lunch (sandwiches, no campfire required).  Then the kids rode their bikes again.  Finally it was 1pm and the bounce pad was open!  Except when we got there it wasn't.  No big deal, we played some arcade games, then another round of mini golf.  Then it still wasn't open.  Finally we found out the bounce pad wasn't supposed to open because the power to it was shut off.  Apparently they were repairing things around it.  The nice work men stopped working so our kids could bounce, which they did for about 2 minutes.  Rob and I tried to bounce too, but it was very hot and we are really too old for that sort of thing.

With all our bounces out, we headed to the pool.  The pool was nice, it was heated, which I always appreciate.  Then a bird flew over the pool and dropped a dead baby bird in, and we were done swimming!

It had been a long, hot day and everyone needed to just relax.  The kids snuggled up under a quilt and watched a show.  This beauty was actually a Christmas gift from Rob's sister Jenni and it has camping fabric.  Perfect!

While the kids vegged out, Rob and I made dinner.  This time it was pie iron cheeseburgers.  They were so good!  You butter your bread (of course) and add ground beef (which I had pre-browned) and a slice of cheese.  We also grilled the corn on the cob and cooked the beans on the fire.

Spend a day "just camping?" Check!

The next day we packed up the camper and headed to the cave.  The rain started right as Rob raised the jacks under the camper. Perfect timing.  I wanted to get there in time for a 9am tour, but we just missed it.  Luckily there was a 10am tour we could take.

The kids and I also took a look through the gift shop while we waited for our tour.  That's where I saw a sign saying the temperature in the cave was a steady 54 degrees.  What?!? We were all in shorts and t-shirts.  I hustled through the camper and cobbled together some warm gear for all of us.  Keep that in mind when you see my kids.  

We took the Historic Tour of the cave.  We entered through the original tunnel, heard the legend of the cave's discovery, learned about the historic mining practices that occurred during the War of 1812, and a lot of other cool history tidbits (can you say Kentucky Cave Wars?).  Shout out to our National Park Ranger, Ethan, who was a great story teller and also very knowledgable about the science of the cave.

After the tour we climbed aboard the camper and set out for home.  It was a nice and easy drive, perfect ending to a short getaway. If you ever find yourself in the neighborhood, make sure to visit Mammoth cave.

Oh yeah, someone asked on the tour, and there were no mammoths ever found in the cave.  It's just a really big cave (more than 400 miles).

Due to the miracle of jet lag, we slept until 11am on the morning of Day 2.  So we grabbed a cup of coffee from the hotel and made our way into the city.  I wanted to go l'Orangerie, the museum where Monet's water lilies are displayed, which is a dream of mine to see.  Unfortunately, we didn't make it that far.  Oh well, I guess I will have to go back some day.  

After walking about 7 miles the day before, and about 7 miles the day before that, we decided to travel by Metro.  Oh yeah, and it was raining.  Our first stop was the Monoprix grocery store.  You may think I'm crazy, but I think grocery stores are the best places for souvenirs.  I like to get jelly, chocolates, and other little things to remember my trips. Plus, grocery stores are where you can see how the people really live.

Across the street from the Monoprix was a little food court and movie theatre.

Then we walked a little ways to another restaurant suggested by Rob's captain.  This one was a little lacking in the charm department, but the food was good.

Once we realized we didn't have time for the museum, we wandered over to the Eiffel Tower.  Sadly, the base of the tower is now surrounded by a security wall and you have to pass through metal detectors to go underneath.  I understand why, but it's a depressing sign of the times.  Luckily we were able to go under and take photos the first time we came, so we didn't bother with the line this time.

It was a little chilly, and we were a little hungry, so I found a creperie on google maps and navigated us there. I love crepes.  Seriously, after croque monsieurs and duck confit, crepes are my favorite thing to eat in France.  

With our sweet tooth satisfied, we took the metro back to the hotel so we could change for dinner.  Yes, we ate A LOT in Paris.  Sight-seeing makes me hungry!

Our dinner plans were actually something extra special.  May is a big month in our family.  I have my birthday and Mother's Day, plus our anniversary is at the end of the month.  Rob had the brilliant idea of celebrating all of these things with a dinner cruise on the Seine, and I'm so glad he thought of it!  It was  a great way to see the city.  We had to take the 6pm cruise, and not the 8pm cruise because Rob had to fly the next day and he can't drink within 12 hours of flying.

And that my friends, is how we spend our Spring vacation in Paris.

On our final morning, I rode in the crew bus with Rob to the airport and then we parted ways.  He had to fly to Salt Lake City and then to Amsterdam.  I was bound for Cincinnati.  I was super lucky and got the last seat in Delta One on the way home too!  Unfortunately I wasn't able to sleep this time because my seat was next to a guy who snored.  

Instead, I watched 4 movies.  Do you know how happy it made me to watch 4 movies uninterrupted?  Ok, I was interrupted once by the flight attendant with a warm chocolate chip cookie.  I watched:
Pitch Perfect 3, terrible movie
Downsizing, strange movie
When Harry Met Sally, my all time favorite
You've Got Mail, a classic

By the time we landed in Cincinnati I was ready to see my babies! A huge thanks to my sister-in-law Jenni and her family for opening their home to our kids, and thus making this trip possible.

So after a smooth and comfortable flight over the Atlantic, Rob and I crashed at the hotel.  We woke up at 1:30 in the afternoon, Paris time.  Now, Rob always tells me the best way to fight jet lag is to not constantly think about what time it is back home.  Just be what time it is, where you are.  This is easier said than done!  If you care, 1:30pm in Paris is 7:30am at home.  

Our systems were ready for some breakfast! But, it was lunch time where we were.  Either way, we needed some caffeine!  We left the hotel and started walking, looking for a cafe for a cappuccino.  We settled on Cafe Rendez-Vous, probably because it sounded more French than Cafe Indiana which was across the street.  Cafe Indiana, by the way, was home to every stereo-type of Native Americans you can think of.  Not too PC there, Paris!

This is where I made a big mistake.  I am a sucker for Orangina.  Nothing says, European Vacation, to me like Orangina.  And yes, I know I can buy it in the States, but I don't because I'm not on vacation in Europe!  And Rob told me to be on Paris time, so why not have an Orangina at 2 in the afternoon?  Well... because my stomach thinks it's 8am and I can't take bubble drinks first thing in the morning.  I should have had a cafe au lait, but I didn't and my stomach reminded me the rest of the day.  

After our drinks, we started wandering.  We have been to Paris once before, so we've been to the Louvre, the Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, etc. (I should dig those pictures up and do a blog about that trip some time!)  This time we just wanted to relax and explore the city.  Our eventual destination was Notre Dame and I noticed on the map that between our cafe and the cathedral was Luxembourg Palace and Gardens, so that was our plan.  It turned out to be a lovely little walk!

Eventually we arrived at Notre Dame and went to the same cafe we had gone to 6.5 years ago after we had Mass at Notre Dame, Cafe Pannis.  Yes, it is probably a touristy place.  But where else can you sit and eat while staring at Notre Dame?  Plus, the food is really good.

Ok, here's a little Parisian geography.  The city is split in half by the river Seine.  In the middle of the river are two islands, Ile de la Cite is the island on which Notre Dame was built.  Behind it is Ile Saint-Louis, a quaint neighborhood with world famous ice cream and the some of the most expensive real estate in Paris.

Full of ice cream and beautiful views, we took a long meandering walk back to our hotel.

Back at the hotel we changed for dinner, which turned into a bit of a hike.  First we tried a place that Rob's captain had recommended, but it was full.  Then we wandered and wandered until we found a place with seats and the right atmosphere.

​And that was our first day in Paris!