Wanderlusting Winter

ElyseandPete

Wanderlusting Winter

I never know what life changes will throw at me or how I will deal with those changes. What I do know is that I have a passion for travel and adventure. Please follow along as I travel around and experience life to the fullest.

“If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.” – James Michener

This blog was created for our families and friends to follow our experiences and journeys. Also, so I could remember what I have encountered during the time abroad & beyond. If you have stumbled upon my blog I hope that you have found it helpful for your travels or an interesting insight to my experience.

Me- 29 countries & 42 States and DC
Husband- 20 countries and 18 States
Son- 7 states




North America » United States » Indiana » Indianapolis February 2nd 2015

My quick overview of our time in Central Illinois to Indiana & back to Chicago. Jan 1st – traveled to Mahomet, IL stayed with Alyssa (1st cousin) & Nathan and saw Caitlin (1st cousin) & Sam as they were having a movie marathon weekend. Watched the Oregon Ducks kick Florida State Seminoles booty in the Rose Bowl which advanced the Ducks to the 1st Annual College Football National Championship Game (ahem-won't talk about the results of that game). Jan 2nd – Bennett turned 9 months old & we traveled to his 7th state visited, Indiana. Rented from Enterprise Rent A Car in Champaign, IL and drove to Indianapolis, IN to visit Laurence & Carli and Kali’s family. We were excited to learn the news that Laurence & Carli are expecting their 1st born June 29th. Bennett ... read more
Friends in Indy
Son's 7th state
1st Cousin lives in suburbs of Indy

North America » United States » Illinois December 30th 2014

This is what happens when you try to write about a trip that occurred a month ago....Better late than never. Christmas Eve Santa & Mrs Claus on our flight 1613 to Chicago Kids received Large Plush Rudolph stuffed animal from Santa (Bennett LOVED him) Adults & ticketed children received $100 gift certificates for Southwest Airlines Carroll Family Christmas @ Todd & JoEtta’s with Santa (Bennett didn’t enjoy him) & Midnight Mass Christmas Day hung out at my Sister's and didn’t open a single gift that day (a 1st for me) Dec 26th – Chilled and then went out for Cousin's 21st birthday...the party bus was a school bus Dec 27th – Mosher Family Christmas at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and then went to Sister’s home to socialize – 61 attended My Sister hosted my 1st... read more
Christmas Day
Mosher Cousins
Happy 21st Birthday

North America » United States » Nevada » Las Vegas November 28th 2014

Finally getting around to typing up this blog that occurred 2 months ago. Life has been busy and I have had a mental block on writing. But during the drive from Redding to Sonoma, CA I decided to type up the big memories of our trip to Las Vegas. My Husband really wanted to go to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving as his family started this tradition while we were living in China. The 1st year, 2009. had the best attendance as many of the cousins didn't have children then. In 2010, we were back in China after getting married in Santa Barbara, the holiday brings back sad memories for myself as this is when my Father in Law was diagnosed with advanced stages of Melanoma Skin Cancer that had metastazied to his brain & lungs. You ... read more
1st Thanksgiving as a Family of 3
The Winter Family - great attendance in 2014
The Grandkids with their Little One's

North America » United States » Illinois September 18th 2014

We traveled from Portland, OR to Chicago, IL for my cousin's wedding. We had decided to make it a quick trip (4 days/3 nights) as we didn't know which projects my husband's new business would be doing. Of course, we packed those 4 days full of visiting Family & Friends. After living outside of IL for the last 11 years, I have come to realize no matter how long the visit is, it is never long enough. That being said we learned from our trip to IL in May with a baby in tow, we would prefer nonstop flights over stopovers and layovers. Our flight left PDX at 6:30am and that meant we were up around 4:30am hoping our son would stay asleep. We made it successfully to the airport without any surprises, checked in and ... read more
Bennett and Lakynn meet
Mommy & Bennett
The Whole Fam Damily

North America » United States » Oregon » Seaside August 23rd 2014

Two weeks, prior to the event a family friend asked if I would like to walk in the relay race as one member had to step down. I contemplated it for a short while and responded "Yes". I then attended our team meeting where I would find out that I was walking two of the twenty four sections of the relay race. We would be camping overnight along the route and the finish line was in Seaside. I knew this family friend had walked the event in the past and about half of the twelve member team was doing this walk for the 1st time. I saw this event as a great motivator to get me back into working out on a regular basis, do something I enjoyed before Motherhood and it would be fun to ... read more
For Tits & Giggles
don't mind me, just cleaning out my breast pump
Ready for bed...it was cold that night

North America » United States » California July 30th 2014

I have been wanting to start writing our blog again but I just hadn't sat down to do it. Not because I haven't had time, internet access, lack of travels or any other reason/excuse to write but today that is coming to an end. I have lots of blogs to catch up on since June 2013 and realize this is no simple task but one that I am willing to tackle. So much has changed in our lives and I realize that I haven't written since becoming pregnant in July 2013. For those of you who follow our blog this is new and exciting news, but for our friends and family that have seen Bennett, our son, grow up on FB or even had the pleasure of meeting him in person. A quick recap of why ... read more
Optima Loaded & Ready
1st Pit Stop was Daddy's Alma Mater - UCSB
Baby Bennett rocking his UCSB onesie

North America » United States » Nevada » Las Vegas July 11th 2014

One may wonder how this all started, why would you take a 3 month old baby to Vegas in July? It all began back in October when my SIL asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. As the months grew closer to planning the bridal shower and bachelorette weekend the choices were one weekend in May or one weekend in July. I was neutral to either weekend but preferred July since our due date was April 11th. There are 7 bridesmaids and many friends invited so I wasn't going to be the one to rock the boat as that isn't my style. I knew I wanted to breastfeed and didn't see it possible leaving our little baby for a weekend in Vegas but was trying my best as we lived in So Cal, SIL ... read more
Bennett & his Auntie chilling in the Cabana
Breastfeeding in Vegas...that is a 1st for us
Bennett meeting his Great Aunt for the 1st time

North America » United States » Illinois May 13th 2014

Thinking back to last Fall, I remember when my cousin told me they were going to get married on 5/17/14. I knew I was pregnant at the time but hadn't shared the news with family yet. Our Due/Guess date was 4/11/14 and I knew if we went late that flying back for the wedding would be pushing it as many airlines want newborns to be 2 weeks old to fly. As a First Time Mom(FTM) so many thoughts went racing through my mind: will the baby get sick from being enclosed in the airplane for 4 hours, will the baby scream the entire 4 hour flight, what will we have to pack and are we crazy to travel 2,000 miles with a newborn? Sure it would be wonderful to introduce our son or daughter, as we ... read more
Meeting Papa for the 1st time
4 Generations
Meeting Uncle Aaron & Aunt Amanda

North America » United States » California June 24th 2013

Since my last post about walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Santa Barbara, CA on Sept 7-8th. Two of my former coworkers have signed up to do the walk with me. By the generosity of 28 donors and 5 weeks I hit my $1800 goal and have surpassed the goal by raising $2406. Now I am asking you to help my friend raise the remaining 90% as she has raised $180 of her $1800 goal to walk. My newest and closest friend in Orange County is struggling to raise money as she didn't grow up with the typical nuclear family. At the age of 9 she bounced around from foster home to foster home after her mother died at the age of 33. She has the biggest heart and the will power stronger ... read more
Jess' 30th Birthday Balloon Release
watched until we couldn't see any more
it was such a beautiful day

North America » United States » California March 8th 2013

Traveling is a passion of mine; Santa Barbara, California is one of my favorite local escapes and now I get to combine these two for one great event. I've committed to participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. It's a big commitment one that will require me to spend the next several months training and fundraising. But breast cancer is a big disease one that still affects far too many people and I'm determined to do everything I can to help put an end to it. The money I raise will be managed and disbursed by the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade to help provide access to care for those who most need it fund educational programs and accelerate research into new treatments and potential cures. I'll be just one of thousands of people who ... read more




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