Just Wait – Your Life Will Never Be the Same!

We wish we had a dollar for every time we heard that before having kids.

And while people weren’t wrong, here’s the part they don’t tell you: life changes in some pretty incredible ways, too.

Before kids, we were fortunate to enjoy some amazing trips together - Tanzania, Costa Rica, Spain, California, the Pacific Northwest, Paris. We never repeated a trip, always chasing the thrill of someplace new!

But at this stage of life, with two little boys, there’s something beautiful about going somewhere familiar. Somewhere that doesn’t require overplanning or overpacking, yet still feels like vacation.

As Jana always says: “It has to feel like vacation!”

For us, that place is Manchester, Vermont.

This is our fifth year in a row coming here, and it’s become our family’s happy place. A quaint New England town with everything we love: great hiking, cycling, a huge park, fantastic restaurants, a local bookstore that we could spend hours in, cozy coffee shops, nature programs for kids, story time at the library, and farmer’s markets.

It’s easy. It’s grounding. And most importantly, it’s fun for all of us.

As busy working parents, there’s nothing better than slowing down, leaving our phones behind, and having true quality time together as a family. The memories we create here year after year are a reminder that “vacation” doesn’t have to be complicated.

And truthfully, being organized (something we shared in this blog about keeping our lives together) helps make getaways like this possible. Staying on top of schedules, tasks, and even snacks means we actually get to enjoy the downtime when it comes. Pair that with our focus on staying active and fueling right, and it all adds up to making these trips more restorative than exhausting.

Parenting comes with surprises at every turn — but when you build routines, stay flexible, and carve out time for joy, you can embrace those surprises and still feel like yourself.

Now we’d love to hear from you:

What’s your favorite place to unwind?

Because whether it’s a faraway adventure or a familiar town you return to year after year, the point is the same: being with the people you love, in a place that fills you up.