Travel: A Lifetime of Yes Days

I’ve always loved to travel.

Some of my earliest memories involve packing suitcases, boarding airplanes, and heading off to places that felt both familiar and exciting.

I was born abroad, and after my family moved to the United States, we returned regularly to visit our extended family. Those trips were about more than family reunions. They were opportunities to explore, learn, and experience life beyond our own backyard.

While visiting family, we would take side trips and embark on age-appropriate adventures. Sometimes it was sightseeing. Sometimes it was a cultural experience. Sometimes it was simply spending time in a place that looked and felt different from home.

Those experiences taught me something that has stayed with me my entire life.

The world is vast.

It is varied.

And it is absolutely incredible.

The world is far too beautiful and far too interesting to spend our lives standing still.

As I grew older and eventually became a mother myself, I wanted my children to experience that same sense of wonder.

Of course, we continued traveling to visit family. Maintaining those connections was important to me. But I also wanted my children to understand that there was a big world waiting to be explored.

I wanted them to experience different places, different cultures, different landscapes, and different perspectives.

I wanted them to know that life existed beyond the routines of school, homework, sports, and daily responsibilities.

Most of all, I wanted them to create memories.

And so we traveled.

The Magic of Vacation Mom

Along the way, I introduced something that became one of my favorite traditions.

I called them Yes Days.

Vacation Mom was different than Regular Mom.

Vacation Mom was fun.

Vacation Mom liked adventure.

Vacation Mom believed that sometimes the best memories come from saying yes.

Can we get ice cream before dinner?

Yes.

Can we stop and explore that random roadside attraction?

Yes.

Can we stay a little longer?

Yes.

Can we try something we’ve never done before?

Absolutely yes.

Vacation Mom understood that travel wasn’t just about seeing new places.

It was about experiencing life.

It was about embracing spontaneity and finding joy in the unexpected.

For a few days, we could set aside many of the responsibilities and routines that filled our everyday lives and simply enjoy being together.

Some of our greatest family memories came from those Yes Days.

Not because they were expensive.

Not because they were elaborate.

But because they were shared.

Creating a Lifetime of Memories

As my children grew older, our travels evolved.

We still traveled to visit family, but we also began traveling simply for the joy of travel itself.

Road trips.

Beach vacations.

Sightseeing adventures.

Weekend getaways.

National parks.

New cities.

New experiences.

Each trip brought something different.

Some gave us unforgettable adventures.

Others gave us funny stories that we still laugh about years later.

Some gave us moments so meaningful that they remain etched in our memories long after the suitcases were unpacked.

The destination was never the most important part.

The memories were.

Travel has a unique way of bringing people together.

It removes us from our routines and places us fully in the present moment.

It invites us to pay attention.

To explore.

To connect.

To appreciate.

And perhaps most importantly, to create stories that become part of our family’s history.

A New Season of Adventure

Today, life looks different.

My children are grown.

They live independently.

They create their own adventures.

They no longer rely on Mom to plan the itinerary or organize the fun.

And while there is certainly a bittersweet element to that transition, there is also something exciting about it.

For the first time in many years, I get to travel for me.

For my partner.

For the simple joy of doing whatever we want.

The possibilities feel endless.

The wish list feels even longer.

There are places I’ve always dreamed of visiting.

Experiences I’ve always wanted to have.

Roads I still want to travel.

Cultures I want to experience.

Foods I want to taste.

Sunrises I want to watch.

Memories I haven’t created yet.

And that realization fills me with excitement.

The Adventure Isn’t Over

One of the gifts of midlife is perspective.

I understand now that life moves quickly.

The years pass faster than we expect.

The children grow up.

The seasons change.

But adventure doesn’t have an expiration date.

Even in my mid-years, I still feel young.

I’m generally healthy.

Somewhat fit.

Still mobile.

Still curious.

Still excited about what lies ahead.

There are countless places I haven’t seen and experiences I haven’t had.

And while I may no longer be planning Yes Days for my children, I fully intend to keep having them myself.

Because life is too short to postpone joy.

Too short to ignore curiosity.

Too short to stop exploring.

What You’ll Find Here

This section is for those who believe that adventure doesn’t end when the children leave home.

You’ll find destination inspiration, travel stories, practical tips, road trips, weekend escapes, and reflections from the journey.

Some adventures will take us across oceans.

Others may simply take us down a road we’ve never traveled before.

Either way, the goal is the same.

To keep saying yes.

To keep exploring.

To keep creating memories worth carrying home.

The world is waiting.

And as far as I’m concerned, I still have a lot of Yes Days ahead of me.

Where am I planning to go?

Yes.

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