We enjoyed our first stay in Saint James, and awoke the next morning ready to continue the journey.

After some delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast, we began our trip with a visit to Greentree Christian Church in Rolla. They started a Sunday morning service at 9:15am, and we greatly enjoyed the fellowship there.

The Largest Bass Pro Shops in the WORLD!

Along our way, we discovered the origin city of Bass Pro Shops: Springfield, Missouri! Johnny Morris started his original shop in a small 8-square-foot section of his dad’s liquor store.

Springfield is now home to the largest Bass Pro Shops in the world, including an award winning Aquarium, two museums, a conservation school for kids, aisles and aisles of fishing tackle, and many aquariums of live fish, turtles, and even an alligator!

I’m so glad we stopped by this incredible store. We’ve always enjoyed our visits to Bass Pro Shops. 

80 MPH in Tulsa, Oklahoma!

Yes, 80 MPH! I felt like we were flying. The speed limits out WEST surprised us and also made our trip a little quicker than expected.

Packing for our trip!

When I speak about vacations and travel, I’ve heard a variety of reactions to the thought of packing for these trips. Some like it, and some do not.

Personally, I really enjoy packing, and I especially like to manage filling up the vehicle in the most accessible and space-saving way possible. (I love puzzles!)

Though this adventure was our longest itinerary away from home, we managed to pack lightly enough to see through the back window via the rear-view mirror! That’s an accomplishment. 

With older children in tow, the packing was much easier. Even our youngest enjoyed selecting his own clothes, choosing how to put them in the luggage, and assertively suggesting they be placed next to him in the back of the van. Can you tell he has teenage siblings?

The teens each packed themselves and carried their own luggage from stay to stay. This trip was super fun to pack for and to plan for.

Hiking Accessories

Tim invested in some hiking items from Amazon to be best prepared in Sedona, AZ. Here’s what he bought:

Thankfully we did not need the bleed stop, but we will have it ready for a future time if needed. Our hiking bag is ready for our next adventure. 

Besides these supplies, we also invested in insulated water bottles for each of us. These bottles were excellent, refreshing additions to our travel experience.

Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen!

Because we would visit the beach, the national parks, hiking, and more, I made sure to stock up on sunscreen. In addition to spray-on and lotion, I’ve made a routine of wearing facial sunscreen by including application in my skincare routine.

I’ve used Mary Kay for years, and I love their face wash and moisturizer. When it came to sunscreen, I wanted to use something more natural. Thrive Natural Facial Sunscreen has been an excellent choice, and my son and I have been using Thrive since 2021.

Thrive has a citrus scent to it, and it feels quite fresh to put on my face after my skincare routine. (An unscented version is also available.)

My daughter’s skin is more sensitive to lotions and perfumes, and I sampled another kind of facial sunscreen for her care. I found Hawaiian Tropic’s Weightless Hydration Facial Sunscreen.

This has been a win, and it has also helped cut down on acne development. We’ve been very happy with both sunscreens.

Conclusion

Day 2 surprised us with a visit to Bass Pro and fast speeds on the interstate! As we looked at the fish, I couldn’t help but think about how little these three children were just ‘yesterday’. They grow up faster and faster! I’m grateful for a trip like this will ALL three in tow. Memories we will cherish for years to come.

More to come….

Please stay tuned to the blog for more posts about our family trip to the Western United States.

Thank you for reading. I hope you find encouragement here.

Keep walking friend,

Christina