The Mergenthaler Family

Having completed a long trip that took us on 4 separate flights and several scenic drives to a myriad of locations, we have compiled a list of helpful tips for weary family travelers: Tip #1:  Catch naps where and when you can--even if it is only a half hour long ride in the back of the rental car. Tip #2:  Saving money by not checking baggage may not be as practical as it sounds.  Managing 5 children, 6 carryons, 6 personal bags, 2 car seats, and one stroller may cause confusion and frustration. Tip #3:  When the temperature is 117 degrees outside, do not insist on carrying your new green backpack that is half your size, or you may look like a red-faced turtle.  In addition, your mom may get concerned looks from other well-meaning travelers. Tip #4:  Meal times can be very irregular and unpredictable.  Eat what you can when you can.  It's OK to break rules like "no more bottles" or "only milk in bottles." For example, orange...

Rick and I had a fun mini-trip to Leavenworth while we were visiting Rick's parents in Washington.  It had been a very long time since we had spent more than a few hours alone together (unless you count having Sean and the hospital which isn't relaxing at all!!) Can you believe we lived in Washington for six years and never went to Leavenworth?  Probably we were too busy living life to do any real site-seeing.  It is a fun place for people who like to be out in nature enjoying lovely weather and beautiful scenery. Downtown Leavenworth isn't really my cup of tea because on I'm not really a big time small-shop-shopper, but I love the flowers in hanging baskets and along the avenue.  They are so pretty!  I'm a big fan of colorful flowers and lots of them. While we were there, we ate as some really good restaurants.  If you go to Leavenworth, don't miss South.  We travelled to Cashmere one day (about 15 minutes away) and found another cute town with a m...

We recently returned from a 2 1/2 week long trip to Arizona, Washington, and Las Vegas.  We were able to visit a lot of friends and family and do a lot of fun things together. The trip began with a 2 1/2 hour flight delay.  Yippee!!  We did all we could to keep the kids entertained while we waited for our plane.  Our first stop was Phoenix/Mesa.  In my opinion, the scenery is not much to look at.  The forecast high for the day we arrived was 115 degrees.  The only way to survive heat like that is to be in air-conditioned buildings or by the water. We had a great day boating at the lake.  Sean loved this little red chair.  He spent the majority of our time at the lake, hanging out in the chair, drinking Gatorade.  Grandpa was good company, but even he got too hot and eventually went swimming in the lake. My mom, who rarely swims anymore, took the opportunity to cool off in the lake.  Believe it or not, balancing on thos...