Our 2024 Family Year In Review

Time keeps on slippin....

2024 Family Year in Review: On the Road

As the curtains close on 2024, we’re looking back on a year full of road trips, family time, and outdoor shenanigans. From shoveling through snowstorms at home to celebrating our 10 year anniversary in sunny Costa Rica, this year was another whirlwind.

Quarter 1: Snowstorms and Rough Seas

January kicked off with a classic Northeaster. It was all fun and games until we realized the kids were better at having fun in the snow than we were. We quickly fixed that by joining the kids out in the snow. Those damn trees are always in the way!

Dapper young man on ‘dress up day’.

By March, we were trading SADS and snow boots for sunscreen and flip-flops on a Spring Break cruise to the Bahamas, aboard the MSC Meraviglia which sailed from Red Hook Brooklyn to the Bahamas. International vibes, kid-friendly activities, and unlimited drinks and buffet runs? A win for everyone. It was a sight to see all the kids running around with endless smoothies and smiles. The seas were very rough as we sailed right into the tail end of a big storm but it made for beautiful views and just a bit of seasickness (not that bad really!). As our first stop was in Florida, we got to spend the day with family, who drove 4 hours just to see us, in Cape Canaveral and it was such a treat.

We then went on to the Bahamas and really enjoyed MSC’s Ocean Cay which is the private island that MSC ships stop at. It was built with a focus on the environment and is a project to reclaim the coral reef in the area. It was like visiting a national park but in the Bahamas. We had such a nice time exploring and admiring the natural beauty of the shore at this stop.

We ended the day with a party on the beach at night. It was a treat to see they had lit up their beautiful lighthouse with lovely a rainbow light show which we took as a special welcome. We were so impressed with MSC and how they offered such a great experience at such a competitive price compared to other cruise lines.

Quarter 2: Into the Woods

April took us to Stokes State Forest, a nearby state park we’ve not camped previously. From our camp we explored Milford, PA, and visited the Grey Towers National Historic Site (aka my summer cabin).

This was also the month we had a bear on the front porch of the house as we were eating breakfast. Nothing says “wake up!!!” like a real-life Goldilocks moment as you’re eating your oatmeal.

May brought us to Jellystone in Binghamton, NY, with some of our favorite neighbors. Picture our kids running wild, campfires at lakeside, and adults loving the deluxe bathrooms which were among the nicest we’ve ever seen in a campground.

In June, we camped for a long weekend in State College PA which we loved! What a beautiful part of the state! We were so impressed with the campus and especially the brand new art museum that was FREE! The architecture and collections were so impressive.
Can you tell we love PA??

At the end of the month, we soaked up some community vibes at Montclair Pride which was such fun, as we’ve not been to pride celebrations for too long. It was such a nice way to see a different side of NJ and we loved it in Montclair! 2 Thumbs up for the beer garden!

Quarter 3: Summertime and the Camping Is Easy

July 4th had us camping through a heatwave in Lake George NY, alongside dear friends Terry and Amy and their many animals. We love doing escape rooms with them!

August took us to Provincetown for the 30th Family Week— you probably know we consider this a magical time of bike rides to the beach to hunt starfish, bike rides to town for ice cream, and rainbow-filled joy and community with our P-Town camping crew.

Quarter 4: Fall Foliage and a Tropical Finish

By September, the fall colors were just starting so we returned to camping trip in Tioga/Wellsboro, PA, and another visit to the Corning Museum of Glass and the Grand Canyon of PA. Clearly, we have a thing for PA.

October saw us returning to enjoy the spooky season with Halloween camping in Plattekill, NY, alongside Stephanie and Sara’s family.

In November, we swapped RV life for cozy beds during a trip to Bel Air Maryland, to visit the Dodge family who used to be our next door neighbors. Watching the kids immediately run out of the truck and disappear with their old playmates, for most of the weekend, was so nice to see.

And as a bonus… we wrapped up the year with a December familymoon to Costa Rica to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. Between zip-lining and sipping piña coladas, we remembered what it was like to travel without roadside bathroom emergencies.

You may be wondering ‘why December and not October?’, which was our anniversary month. The reason was the rainy season in Costa Rica ends sometime around November so we decided to celebrate our familymoon in December which worked out because the weather was perfect. We all really loved the time we spent in Costa Rica. Of course, the kids said ‘can we move here?’. We spent so much time outside at the resort looking for lizards and other exotic species that we don’t see in our yard and playing bingo at the open air bar. The RUI Guanacaste hotel was built in the days of grand old hotels and I could see where Disney and others got their inspiration. Between the design of the hotel, the beautiful landscaping and the friendly staff, we really loved staying here.

Looking Ahead

2024 reminded us that adventure is where you make it, whether it’s reuniting with dear friends & family, making new acquaintances at the campground, or spotting big burly bears a little too close for comfort. As we look forward to 2025, we invite you to hit the road, try something new, and share your experiences with us!

Cheers to a happy, healthy holiday season—and plenty of adventures to come!

Hoping to see you out there soon,

🌈🤟🏾 Sean & Karl 🤟🏾🌈