On Our Best Behavior
On Our Best Behavior is a heartwarming podcast where Mom, Kelli and 15-year-old son, Maccoy delve into the complexities of school, life's struggles, highs and lows, and various challenges. With a blend of humor and sincerity, they navigate through these topics while sharing their own experiences and insights. Their conversations are not only relatable but also enlightening, offering listeners a fresh perspective on everyday issues. Alongside their engaging discussions, they welcome intriguing guests, adding a dynamic element to each episode. Tune in to join this duo on their journey of growth, learning, and discovery.
On Our Best Behavior
Heidi, Minnesota Fun Mom
Ever woken up from a nap in a puddle of your own drool? We've been there, and this time we're dishing out the laughs and sharing the quirky tales that'll make your day. Join us, Mac and Kelli, for a rollercoaster ride of real-life anecdotes – we're talking bunnies gone wild for their new automatic food dispenser, to the perils of eating when your nose is out of commission. It's all the fun of catching up with your best pals, without any of the awkward silences (unless you count our momentary lapse into the world of mild winter woes and the ice fishing enthusiasts left high and dry).
Feel like you're the only one who's ever been abandoned in your hour of need, complete with a case of the sniffles that just won't quit? Think again! As Kelli recounts her epic battle with an illness that rendered her desperate for sympathy, we reflect on those less than glamorous moments that life throws our way. Sit back, plug in your headphones, and get ready to nod in agreement (and maybe even snort with laughter) as we navigate through the trials and tribulations that keep us all humbly human.
Heidi (@minnesota.fun.mom) who is an expert in Minnesota Adventures and Travel joins us today sharing fun places to bring your kids around the Twin Cities and suburbs!
One.
Speaker 2:Hey guys, welcome back to Honor and Best of Behavior. You're here with Mac and Kelly. You nailed it. I know I'm so good Killing it.
Speaker 1:Killing it on the mic Mac dog.
Speaker 2:I'm killing it, yup.
Speaker 1:What up?
Speaker 2:NAP. I'm kidding. You did take a nap, I did fall asleep, droll bucket, oh my god.
Speaker 1:You brought it up, anyway. Oh, there it is. See it works, it works. Got an automatic food dispenser for the bunnies and Mackey was really intrigued of how it would work and it just dispensed. And see, they know the noise until they come running to the dish, except for they're scared that you're in here. They're not sure about that. What's new? Tell me something good. Tell me something good, wham, wham.
Speaker 2:I mean, there's not really much going on. Tell me that you love me. I mean, I do love you. But Thank you, I don't know. There's not really much going on.
Speaker 3:I just like.
Speaker 2:I don't know. We're slowly getting out of the winterish vibe here. Heck yeah, hasn't really been winter at all. It's like 48 degrees outside it is 44.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:When.
Speaker 1:I left work. It was 48.
Speaker 2:It is January, yeah, and that is about March temperature. Yeah, I love it. We're like almost in spring weather here. We're getting close.
Speaker 1:All the people who are upset about like no ice fishing, it's, it's my turn, it's my turn to have a mild winter.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, I don't like ice fishing. I don't know me either.
Speaker 1:I feel like the most people who like ice fishing are the people who just like to get drunk. Usually, and they just put their line in the water as something to do while they get drunk. That's just my opinion, you do, you yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you got a lot of dead air.
Speaker 1:I know Where's that energy I don't have that energy you had that energy last week.
Speaker 2:I know I did.
Speaker 1:You're the one that wanted it. You're like let's do the podcast. Yeah, I thought you were like up there. I didn't want to lose your energy, but you didn't bring them.
Speaker 2:I don't really know, I don't really have the energy. I mean, it's Monday.
Speaker 1:Well, do you want to know what's been going on with me? Yeah, are you sure you didn't ask?
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's just go on yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. So first of all, I died last week. I was so sick.
Speaker 2:You know, I haven't died last week.
Speaker 1:I haven't been that sick in a long time.
Speaker 2:I was even that bad. I wanted to die. I didn't think I was that bad.
Speaker 1:You weren't home. You and Justin left me for dead.
Speaker 2:I had to go to my dad's. I didn't have to, but I wanted to. I'm just saying.
Speaker 1:I'm just saying I know my role in this family left for dead left for dead. Everyone was too busy to take care of me. I still am nasally and it sucks Wow.
Speaker 2:Why did not last that long?
Speaker 1:Because I'm old and you're young and you have a better immune system than I do. So today is the first day in six days that I have been able to breathe out of my nose.
Speaker 2:Oh, so you just were able to breathe out of your nose now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, today, and I think I was suffering from oxygen deprivation to the brain because I couldn't breathe. It was really a struggle. Then I had to breathe through my mouth.
Speaker 2:The worst part about not being able to breathe through your nose is when you eat. And I had to like and I got to stop to breathe. I hate that. That's like the only thing I don't like about it is I like you can't do.
Speaker 1:You can't eat and breathe at the same time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know I got to like bite it and I got to stop and breathe. I hate that. That's the only bad part about it, mainly.
Speaker 1:I try to go to sleep like focusing on breathing through my nose, and then I wake up and like my lips are dry. My mouth is dry because, of course, once you like go unconscious and you're asleep, you're like breathing through your mouth and then everything just dries up and gets disgusting. Yep, that's basically it. Yep, I hate it. It sucks, it sucks to suck. Your mom is learning how to shoot a gun.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I heard about that.
Speaker 1:this weekend Went to some gun classes, bang, bang, and I just have one more class to do and I'm getting my permit to carry.
Speaker 2:I don't need my permit.
Speaker 1:Nope, you don't. But you can fire a gun better than I can, so that's okay.
Speaker 2:I mean, I haven't heard it in a while.
Speaker 1:Well, we're going to be going to the gun range, so will you?
Speaker 2:go with me. I guess we'll find out.
Speaker 1:Okay, We'll see who can shoot the target better. Who do you think? I think?
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:I think you're probably a better shot than I am. You've had way more experience.
Speaker 2:I have, but like it's been a while, it's been like a year maybe it's been a minute. Yeah, it's been a hot second.
Speaker 1:The other day I was.
Speaker 2:I can't. I know I hate it.
Speaker 1:I'm going to delete it all out Now that I'm really good at editing. I was what is the word I'm trying to think of Like describe, Like when you feel like like somebody compliments you and it makes you feel good. What's the word for that?
Speaker 2:I don't know Me either.
Speaker 1:I can't think of it either. Anyway, one of your friends said that I was hot and that made me feel good. Oh, yeah. Because I heard you guys talking downstairs and I'm like what did he say about your? Mom, in a year ago, your goal. See, I'm telling you, I had the lack of oxygen to the brain this week.
Speaker 2:It's taking some time to I don't need you.
Speaker 1:I think you just do not you just really don't like having Regenerate my brain cells.
Speaker 2:I think you do not like breathing through your mouth. I think, that's it right there, okay.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm showing you my lack of intelligence right now, because I can't think of the right words.
Speaker 2:I guess so.
Speaker 1:And I am always a woman of many words. So anyway, yeah, I'm like, what did that guy just say about your mom? And he's like mom, he just said you're hot and I go, oh, tell him, I said thank you, and then you go, he says you're welcome. So that made me feel nice. I went. I've been back at the plasma donation place and I haven't gotten.
Speaker 2:I can't believe you went there when you were. You're not feeling good, you feel like shit.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, they check your vitals, they check my temperature, they checked all my things and I passed. So this was my mindset, geez.
Speaker 2:If I had to go to work.
Speaker 1:If I had to go to work, I can do everything else. I didn't stay home sick from work one time and I wanted to, but I didn't. So if I can go to work and deal with that situation, then I can go do everything else. That's my mindset.
Speaker 2:I guess that makes sense.
Speaker 1:So this weekend when I was left for dead, I watched a lot of TV and a lot of Tik Tok and, number one, I binged the show Love on the spectrum, season two. Love on the spectrum is such a cute show.
Speaker 1:It's about people with autism trying to find love and they're so cute. Like when I watch that show it just makes me smile because I just love how cute and when they're happy and what they want. And it's just so cute. Justin's like well, what are we watching? When he finally came home, when I was at like the very last episode and I'm like you can, you can get through this 10 minutes because thanks, thanks for coming up.
Speaker 2:finally, what is autism? Kids, what, what?
Speaker 1:is it? What is?
Speaker 2:autism. So, yeah, what does it do, like, what do you? Is it in general, like I don't understand what that even is? Okay, I'm not going to lie.
Speaker 1:So autism is like a it's technically and if you have autism and I'm wrong, like holler at me because I would love to be educated. But my understanding of autism is a developmental delay and it can affect people at different levels, like some people are more strongly affected by it than others. So a lot of people. It's just like the way they react to things or handle social situations can be difficult, sometimes intellectually, can be difficult for them to process. Sometimes it can, sometimes it can be super smart but have a hard time, like getting things out the right way. Sometimes a lot of times. It's like social interaction and how to deal with social cues and whatnot.
Speaker 1:So sometimes I think it can be difficult to kind of function mainstream, so does that make sense? But I think there's a lot of people out there that may have autism that it's not as noticeable. All right, the next excitement that I had this weekend in my death bed was. I found my new favorite TikToker, and her name is Alexis Simone.
Speaker 3:And you need to follow her on TikTok.
Speaker 1:Her handle is it's Alexis Simone. And guess what she does? She goes to all the dollar trees and she finds the shit. And you know me, I hated the dollar tree.
Speaker 2:Oh, my God, you're doing that.
Speaker 1:You went to the I hated the dollar tree and this girl. I'm like I want to go to the dollar tree now because I want to find all this sweet shit that she finds and she swears and she calls me bestie when I watch her and that just hits home to me.
Speaker 2:You were watching her live.
Speaker 1:She's like no, no, no, I was just watching videos of her. She's either in the store like oh my gosh, you got to get this, you got to get this, or she's at home, like showing you the things she got. And then she's like, hey bestie, oh my gosh, you're never going to find out what I got at the dollar tree. And she's like blah, blah, blah, blah. What the fuck? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And it's just really exciting, her energy is. I'm going to show you a video because her energy is up here and I love it. Okay, all right, are you ready for our interview today? Yeah, let's go, do it, do you know who it is no, it's Minnesota Fun Mom.
Speaker 1:So what Heidi does is she has an Instagram account and she has a million followers and she finds all the cool shit to do in Minnesota with your kids. So that you don't have to figure it out, you follow her on Instagram at Minnesota Fun Mom and then she creates reels so that you can see I want to go there, I want to go there. And then she tells you this is free, this isn't free, this is cheap, this is whatever, but she shows you all the hot spots, so you got to follow her. Okay, all right, all right, without further ado.
Speaker 2:Here is Heidi Minnesota, Fun Mom.
Speaker 1:We're listening to another episode of On Our Best Behavior and today I have a very special guest. Her name is Heidi. I actually found her on Instagram because, as a Minnesota mom, I'm always looking for stuff to do in the area, and Heidi has a Instagram page, minnesota Fun Mom. She resides in the Twin Cities suburbs and she's an adventure and travel mom and you're also a travel agent. So, heidi, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 3:Well, I'm Heidi. I have two kids, a nine year old and a seven year old, and ever since they were little we have always gone on tons of adventures, because if I keep them home they destroy my house. So we love getting out and doing things. We love doing things around the Twin Cities, around Minnesota, Wisconsin, and even further when we have time to go on vacation.
Speaker 1:So how did you start discovering all the opportunities, of ways to get out of the house?
Speaker 3:It started mostly when my kids were younger, on Facebook just seeing things that other moms were doing or going to, or they would post in local moms groups like hey, there's a snake discovery girl, we'll be at the library this week and stuff like that. So we just started getting out of the house as much as we could. It was tons of fun.
Speaker 1:So you've been doing this for a while, because how old are your kids now? Nine and seven, okay, so it's been a minute, so you've experienced the good and the bad and the great. What are some family friendly adventure spots in Minnesota that are high on your list?
Speaker 3:I mean around the Twin Cities, especially this time of year where it's gross outside, we love doing all of the indoor playgrounds and all of the local indoor water parks During the nicer months, any park. I feel like Minnesota has so many great big parks, but really this year it's been fun to watch my kids use their imagination at some of the smaller neighborhood parks as well, just because there's less for them to do there. So they have to use their imaginations and it's just so fun to watch Like it's so creative.
Speaker 1:Is there places that they'll request to go more often? Or do they ever say, like mom, it's not fun here, can we go somewhere else?
Speaker 3:They do. Sometimes, especially like after like an hour at a playground, they're like, okay, let's go to another playground. And I'm like, oh my gosh, we just got here. But that's kind of their experience, they're kind of their ages, but it's okay. Well, there's lots of times where I know that we'll be like park hopping quote, I should say and so I will plan our afternoon so we can go to like two or three or four parks in a row, just because I know they'll probably want to leave after 45 minutes to an hour. So we can change it up. It's fun, like how busy it is.
Speaker 1:If there's anything fun going on, how many?
Speaker 3:other kids are planning.
Speaker 1:Yes, are there any hidden gems or lesser known attractions in Minnesota that you've discovered during your adventure seeking?
Speaker 3:Tons. Two of my favorite ones most recently is Reeves Play Cafe in St Paul. We went there a few weeks ago. I have heard about it but we hadn't been, so we went there a few weeks ago. So it's just a coffee shop with tons to do for kids and I feel like it's a little bit different than some of the other, like play cafes around the Twin Cities, because you don't have to pay for your kids to play, which is a good thing, especially because I know there's like a lot of stay at home moms that don't have the budget to take their two, three, four kids out, you know, to a play cafe and pay eight, $10 a kid, you know. So this is just a little bit more affordable for moms that maybe can't do all the things that cost money all the times, and I mean their drinks there were super affordable.
Speaker 3:I think it was like $3, $4 a drink and my kids played for like an hour and a half. They had Legos, they had tons of climbing things, tons of toys, a play kitchen, lots of like what's the word I'm using for looking for? It's like the Pickler Triangle Climbing Set and stuff. It was super cute. They had a ball pit. It was fun.
Speaker 1:Wow that's a lot, and then they have like coffee and stuff for the parents, so that you have something to do as well, right? Yes, it was perfect.
Speaker 3:And then another place that I feel like not lots of people know about. I haven't posted about it yet, but I probably will by the time you post it.
Speaker 1:It's probably hard to like give up some of your secrets, right? I mean, you want the place to do well, but like also, you don't want it to be so populated that when you go it's like ah.
Speaker 3:Yes, it's called 9th Street Coffee and soccer. I think that's the right word, but it's a coffee shop that has a soccer field attached to it in Minneapolis. It's right by the? U and it's adorable, and whoever invented that is a genius. And so a lot of the times they have like adult sessions there, but three days a week they do open play for kids and then I think they might have some more things for kids, but I just know about the three days a week for open play, but it's a genius idea.
Speaker 1:That is amazing. Yeah, let the kids go run in, like, burn off all their energy and get super tired, and yeah, and then you and you know, I do think it's always a perk like I always think that, too, when I bring my kids somewhere, it's like, okay, what am I going to do for our hours, you know, depending on how long you're there, because then sometimes it's like, oh my gosh, it's only been 15 minutes. So if you have like, if you can have a coffee, and then you can whatever read a book or something, that's lovely.
Speaker 3:And I feel like my kids are at that age where I don't have to be hovering over them all the time. So it's nice to find spots where I can just sit down and I can go through emails or I don't know, clean pictures out of my phone, get an Instagram post ready, like stuff like that. It's nice to just have like that downtime for a little bit to kind of do my thing. Well, they are still doing their thing.
Speaker 1:So do you feel like when you find places like that because this is my next question for you is like how do you balance the adventure plus you getting some real relaxation? But it sounds like that's kind of the jackpot. They're busy, they don't need you hands on. So then you're like you go, do your thing. I'm going to kind of decompress and do my thing.
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely, especially when I take them somewhere solo, it's kind of nice for me, so they can kind of do their thing and I can do my thing. But like when we go on like a family adventure and my husband is with, I feel like we like to balance it with like some more adult activities that are a little bit kid focused as well, like we'll go to a playground or an ice cream shop but then we'll stop at a brewery and play some board games while we can share a flight, and then we'll move on and do something kid friendly after that. It's kind of nice to be able to balance all of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I do like that about breweries and they're super popular here, for sure, and they do make it very family oriented, where you can play a game while having a drink or whatever, and they're not just staring at each other and yeah, and then the kids can come to. And I'm a big dog person, so I always love all the dogs that come to breweries, because then it's like a petting zoo for me.
Speaker 3:There's always tons.
Speaker 1:Alright, so any favorite outdoor activities. We live in a state where it's, let's be honest, winter more than summer, or I don't know if you're into hiking or any outdoorsy things that are successful with your family and your kids and tolerable for you.
Speaker 3:I know right, I feel like I'm not super outdoorsy compared to some other girls on Instagram. I like to go to a playground or like an outdoor swimming pool or an outdoor water park, whereas, like I mean, we do some outdoorsy stuff with our kids like that's more my husband's jam. He likes to go fishing and boating and do all of that where I'm like, okay, I can like walk around Afton and we can go on like a 30 minute hike and then I'm ready to move on. I feel like living in Minnesota, most people are like, yes, let's get outdoors and go on a hike and I'm like I don't mind just going to a playground.
Speaker 1:Inside with temperature control. Yes, that too, I know. I know I really struggle with the winter, because people will ask me like what do you guys do in the winter? Nothing. I always say like we hibernate, like we really just hunker down. It's been more mild this winter, so that's been helpful, but I'm a terrible. I don't like anything to do with skiing, ice fishing, snowboarding, snowmobiling. None of that is my it's not my jam. It's not my jam.
Speaker 3:No, my husband loves it.
Speaker 1:He usually does that for winter.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:Then do the kids like to go do that, those kinds of things with him.
Speaker 3:Yes, definitely. This is kind of speaking of winter and another hidden gem I don't know if they'll open up this winter because we don't have any snow, but it's Trap Farms Park in Egan. They have like a warming house and then a snow tube rental and it's perfect because I don't have to stand out in the cold the entire time my kids are tubing. I can go inside and get warm and then I can go out and watch them and then I can go back inside. It's perfect. That's up my alley, yeah.
Speaker 1:So what were your go-to spots when your kids were younger, when you had to kind of be with them a little bit more often?
Speaker 3:Definitely the Children's Museum. That was probably our go-to spot all the time A lot of the local libraries, just because so many of them have like perfect little climbing areas or little toys for kids to play. And then we spent a lot of time at Good Times Park. We still go there a lot, but I feel like we spent a lot more time there when my kids were younger.
Speaker 1:Do you find that as your kids are getting older, they're saying things like mom, we don't want to go there anymore, we're too old for that.
Speaker 3:My oldest is kind of starting to say that about playgrounds and it makes me so sad. But I feel like we've kind of found a good balance, like I could say, okay, let's bring a basketball or a soccer ball with, and then he thinks it's cool, versus him just having to go to a playground and play on the swings and stuff. It's kind of that sad age, I guess.
Speaker 1:That transitional, like trying to be too cool but yet still want to be a kid. But then he has a younger sibling who is kind of like come on play with me. Yes, what are some of your fondest memories from family adventures here in Minnesota?
Speaker 3:That's a good one. This is probably one of my newest favorite ones. We last minute decided to do a day trip to Mankato and we got to go to a couple breweries. We went to the Children's Museum there, which is absolutely adorable, and I think everyone should go there at least once. And then they have the Holiday Lights show and it's free and you can either walk through it or drive through it and it's amazing, especially I shouldn't say this, but it's amazing especially compared to some of the ones in the Twin Cities that you pay money to go to. It's way better. Highly recommend to anyone.
Speaker 1:And that's a good find when it's something that's not a waste of your time, right? Because we've all been to things that are like, oh, it's free, let's check it out.
Speaker 3:And then it's super chintzy and you're like, oh well, don't do that again Adorable and I want to go and do it like, make it a tradition and do that, something like that, every December. It was adorable, I loved it.
Speaker 1:I didn't know, Mankato had their own Children's Museum, so that's interesting. It's good to know.
Speaker 3:It's the cutest thing ever and it's it would like my kids. We probably played for like three hours there. They probably could have played longer, but if I had younger kids I feel like they could play all day. It's definitely worth a trip down there, even though it's a little bit far from the cities, but still tons of fun.
Speaker 1:It is. There's a lot to do there and it's a pretty area. Have you ever brought your kids to that state park with a buffalo?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we drove through there and that was like our first snow of the season, so it was just kind of like coming down a little bit of flurries, but it was super pretty and super fun yeah.
Speaker 1:Did you see a lot of the buffalo? They were like out a little bit further.
Speaker 3:I mean, we could see them, but like I tried to take pictures and videos and it was kind of hard because there's flurries and then there's just a group of them, so it just kind of looks like a brown pile.
Speaker 1:You're like. Well, I know it was a buffalo.
Speaker 3:I promise yes.
Speaker 1:We went there one time in the spring and there was baby buffalo was so cute, oh that's adorable, yeah, that's definitely if you're going to Mankato to do all those other fun things that's definitely a spot and they have a super cool hiking trail there too. I don't know what it's called, but they have like a waterfall and it's beautiful.
Speaker 3:Yes, my husband and the kids did that. Well, I sat in the car. That sounds terrible.
Speaker 1:Sometimes we need a break, right? Oh my gosh. Yes, so you're a travel agent. So with your, with your background of being a travel agent, being a mom doing fun things traveling, what are your top travel tips for traveling with kids or your family?
Speaker 3:Have lots of patience is number one, not just for your kids. Sometimes you need them for your have. You need some patience for your spouse as well. Oh yeah, I will always say less is more. I tell this to everybody less is more. I feel like most places that you go on vacation, if you don't bring it, you can get it when you get there and it's okay, because I hate having to drag stuff through the airport and on a plane. I hate bringing extra stuff with and I feel like it just makes your hotel room and feels so much more cluttered. I am a firm believer is less and less is more. I also am a firm believer in not checking luggage. People think I'm crazy, but I feel like luggage gets lost and also people bring so much stuff with. I'm like what are you packing in that giant suitcase? We never check bags and also TSA pre check or clear some credit cards it's free with. Otherwise, I think it's like $80 a year and it is 100% worth it, because I hate lines at the airport.
Speaker 1:I feel like if you travel with your family one time, you're going to pay over that in baggage. Yes, if you're checking them. Yes, I used to have so much anxiety about traveling, did I bring everything and I got to bring my own shampoo and my own soap and once I let that go and I was like had that mindset, like guess what? I'm like I don't have to go to the store all across the country. Yes, if I need it, I can probably just buy it somewhere. Yes, once you just accept like you're on vacation and you can use hotel or resort soap and shampoo because you're just going to be. When I travel, it's usually somewhere hot. I'm just going to put my hair up anyway because I'm just going to be a sweaty mess. So who cares? I know.
Speaker 3:I mean I bring like carry on size sunscreen and I bring conditioner, because I usually hate hotel conditioner. I can survive for a week without a lot of stuff. It's fine.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know my son, so the reason that I started this podcast is my son wanted to start a survival channel. This was a compromise, and so I'm always like you're fine, you wanted to live in the woods, yeah, I think we got this.
Speaker 3:I know I'm always like, okay, we're going to a beach, like we're going to be in our swimming suits every day. Why do you need all these outfits with?
Speaker 1:Right, right, all right. Favorite vacation spot outside of Minnesota.
Speaker 3:I would have to say Mexico, just because it's always relaxing when I go there and I do love a million other spots, but Mexico just is so relaxing to me, especially with kids, just because my kids can just play in the water and I can get in the water, or I can sit there on a chair and have a drink and just watch them and it's relaxing. Or they can go to kids club and we can have a few hours without kids and it's just a different level of relaxation when you're on vacation. It feels like an actual vacation versus like a trip where I have an itinerary for us.
Speaker 1:And I feel like it. I would agree. I've been to Mexico a couple of times and it's way more just laid back there. It doesn't seem overpopulated where I've been and, yeah, it just seems way more chill. However, when I was a kid, my parents brought us there for vacation and my brother and sister are significantly younger than me and they ordered like a. You know, they wanted to have like a strawberry daiquiri or whatever, and they had alcohol in it.
Speaker 3:Oh, my gosh, oh my gosh, Don't drink that.
Speaker 1:And so every time they got one because they just wanted, like whatever virgin one. My parents were like we have to try that first. Yes, oh my gosh. I always remember that, and my mom was always super paranoid about us going in the ocean and getting like sucked under the riptide or the undercurrent. So that's my trauma as an adult.
Speaker 3:Like I always think about that.
Speaker 1:That's so funny. And are you ever worried about leaving your kids at like a kid club with people you don't know?
Speaker 3:No, um, partly because we usually stay at like a smaller resort. I'm just not a huge fan of, like some of the bigger resort complexes. We usually stay somewhere with like 300, 400 rooms and I feel like the kids clubs then are usually like right next to the pool and we can see what's going on. So we've never had a problem and I feel like the kids are out like walking around doing stuff and like we're watching them the whole time. We're sitting there.
Speaker 1:So you can see them. They're not like in a yeah, okay, yeah, yeah. What is a place that you want to visit, experience or vacation to that you haven't yet?
Speaker 3:Probably Ireland. I've been telling my husband that I want to go for years, and now my nine year old has started saying that too.
Speaker 1:So hopefully when you can get your kids to gang up on your spouse. Yes, I know yes. And I'm like, I'm sorry I was gonna say. My husband says to me all the time like you guys like conspire against me and then you're on the same team and then come at me.
Speaker 3:Yes, Maybe no. I feel like it's just a little bit different of something that we, something we've never done as a family. Most of our family trips either involve, like Disney, a beach. I've taken my kids solo a few times to other states, but trying to get my husband to go somewhere that's not a beach is hard for me. So hopefully, hopefully, soon.
Speaker 1:That's interesting to me that he's like so outdoorsy. I mean not that a beach is an outdoor, but like that's how I am. If I'm going to go on a vacation by myself or like with my friend, I'm going to go to the beach. But if I'm going on a, if I or the kids are going on a trip and we're going with my husband, we are like up at 7am, on the go until midnight and it is go, go, go, go, go, go, go, because we are going to see every single thing that we possibly can while we're here, because we might not ever be able to see it again and it's exhausting.
Speaker 3:Yes, I did that over MEA break. I took my kids to Vermont by myself and we were on the go 24 seven. It was great, we did it and we'll probably do something just the three of us again next MEA and we'll probably do something like that again. Save the beach for patients for when my husband is with. Yes, I'm taking them to Disney solo for spring break and I know we'll be busy and on the go 24 seven. Do you have any?
Speaker 1:reservations about that? No they've.
Speaker 3:We've been to Disney before. It will be fine, We'll have a good time. It will just be exhausting, since it will just be me and my husband. It won't be there, but it's fine.
Speaker 1:Do you get? Do you get excited about Disney?
Speaker 3:Um, yeah, in a different way than I feel like a lot of adults get excited. I'm not like a huge like Disney adult per se, but I love seeing the magic through my kids eyes. Um, it's just a different kind of magic that you can see through their eyes. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I just saw this commercial on TV yesterday. I don't know if you saw it, but it's about Disney and it's like you know, this place is magical. And the first clip is like a couple and he's proposing to his girlfriend and it's like, oh, it's magical. Have you seen this? No, and then the next, the next clip is like a guy and he's with like Chewbacca from Star Wars and he's just like over the moon and it's like this place is magical. And then the last one is this little girl and it just almost makes you want to cry and she is in a theater and it's like the frozen sing along and her face is just like this is the best thing that's ever happened to me. And she is singing along and just a look in her eyes and it's like this place is magical and it's like, oh, they did a good job with that.
Speaker 1:I've never been to Disney and I don't know if I even have like a strong like. When I see that commercial, I'm like, oh, I feel like you should go once in your life. My son is almost, he'll be 15 this month and so he I feel like he missed that window and I'll ask him like, do you want to go to Disney. He's like meh. And then my uncle just moved to Orlando recently and he's like, hey, you should come down anytime. We live super close to Disney. And I'm like I feel like I should just like not let that opportunity, you know, escape me and take advantage of it and just do it to put it on the bucket list.
Speaker 3:Yes, even if you just did like Hollywood studios and like, did the Star Wars stuff or something or Epcot, like It'd be fun, and your son's at a good age to go to Universal Studios.
Speaker 1:So what triggered you to go to Vermont?
Speaker 3:So when I was looking at flights, I picked like the two cheapest spots over MEA because I wanted to go somewhere my kids hadn't been and I wanted it to not cost me an arm and a leg, and it was either Vermont or Denver. And I'm like, okay, I've been in Denver plenty of times before and then I'm like I feel like Denver is a spot that you can almost go any time of the year, like Vermont it's always good weather.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, where's Vermont? I'm like, okay, it's peak fall season, like to see it in the fall and I am so glad that I made the decision. It was amazing and the colors there, like I know, Minnesota has beautiful fall colors, but the colors in Vermont it's different. It just is, it's gorgeous and everyone should go in the fall.
Speaker 1:Have you had? Was that your first trip there? Yeah, okay, I know it's kind of my. My, my new traveling Itinerary is I feel like you know, I wanted to, like I want to see the whole world, right, and then I was like you know what? There's so many beautiful places in our country and it's way cheaper and easier and a lot of them you can even drive to, just get in the car and go and so yeah, so that's why I was wondering, like, what brought you to Vermont?
Speaker 3:It's so pretty, I loved it.
Speaker 1:Were you by the ocean.
Speaker 3:No, we flew into Burlington, which is just across the Lake from New York, and then we drove around Vermont a little bit and then we did drive over to New Hampshire For one morning. It was like an hour and a half drive, I think. Um, because there's a science museum like right on the border and it was fun to be able to go into New Hampshire so my kids could say they've been in another state, um and so it. When we drove into New Hampshire, it's it was Dartmouth's Homecoming weekend and we went to this bakery and we stood in line forever and I didn't realize like it was their homecoming weekend and there was all these parents with like Dartmouth shirts on and stuff. I was like, oh, that's kind of cool like a weekend to come here. See, all these like Parents who are probably spending a lot of money to be here right now.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, and just seeing like that way of life where there's a big university like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Do your kids think that you're fun?
Speaker 3:Most of the time, not all the time. Sometimes they're like that's fair, right, you gotta be a mom. I know. No, sometimes they're like let's just stay home today, let's just stay home and play Legos or play games. But yeah, most of the time they think of fun.
Speaker 1:Are they at the age at where they've noticed other kids and what their life is like at home, and then are they like oh we, our life is so much funner than my friend. They never go anywhere.
Speaker 3:I wouldn't say like about Minnesota things, but about traveling. Yes, like my kids are like, well, my friend hasn't been a Vermont, my friend hasn't been to Disney. And I'm like, well, it's hard to explain to them like that they get all of these opportunities and they shouldn't take it for Like, they shouldn't take it for granted, because it's so hard to explain that to a seven-year-old and a nine-year-old. My nine-year-old is kind of starting to understand it, but explaining that to a seven-year-old, she's like well, we should just go to Disney every single year, right?
Speaker 1:no concept of cost. I'm nothing.
Speaker 3:I.
Speaker 1:Know, I feel like that, that you hear that a lot like oh, my friends never even been on an airplane or they've never been out of the State, or I mean, so it's, it's a definitely, you know, a nice experience to be able to, to happen, to give your kids. Is there anything else that you want to share with us? I?
Speaker 3:just feel like I want everyone to know that Adventures don't have to cost a ton of money or take a ton of time. It's okay just to drive 15 minutes to the next town and explore some different parks that might not be Right where you live. I feel like sometimes that's simple, stuff is just so overlooked, and we have a lot of fun just doing the simple stuff.
Speaker 1:What made you start doing your Instagram page, where you started pointing out all the fun that we could have here in Minnesota with our kids?
Speaker 3:Um, actually, it was through someone that I met on Instagram. I didn't actually I had met her on Facebook before we became Instagram friends. Um, she reached out to me. She's from Minnesota as well, and she was writing for a blog called Families who Love Travel, and she was asking me if I had any pictures of my kids that she could use in her blog posts, and so we exchanged some emails back and forth. She was like you should start an Instagram, why don't you have an Instagram? So I started it, and she is still one of my very best Instagram friends to this day. Her handle is me to Rome, and I talked to her every single day, probably Multiple times a day, and it's just fun to connect with someone like that, and I'm so glad that she inspired me.
Speaker 1:I Know it's the greatest thing about the internet. I don't know how old you are, heidi, but when I was a kid this didn't exist. Yeah, so I Just always. I have been realizing this more and more often, like if I was, if the internet was the way it is now when I was in like high school and college, gosh, I wonder where my life would have went. But it it is so nice that there's people out there that you can connect with and never even meet, or or maybe you do meet them through this channel of Finding your way. And, yeah, I just think it's super cool. Like I would have never found you without Instagram, so Made to roam, thank you.
Speaker 3:It's fun to make some connections and then it's fun to meet people in real life too, because Sometimes when I like meet them in real life, like at an event or something, I'm like, oh, it's so nice to like put in your face to your name and like get to know you in person. It's so much different.
Speaker 1:What's next for you, heidi? What are you looking forward to? It's a new year. I.
Speaker 3:Feel like I am trying not to put a lot of pressure on myself. I really want to make some more memorable connections with some people from Instagram, like outside of Instagram, doing more events and and running into people. It's tons of fun and for my travel business, I just want to continue growing my business and having fun with it. I feel like it's my outlet outside of being like a Mom and a wife and it's just for me and I really feel like I need that on my stage in life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, absolutely right, we need. We need our own identity, other than just being so-and-so's mom and so-and-so's wife and all those things. So, all right, well, thank you so much for being on the podcast and chatting with us and letting us in on some of the secrets of all the things that we can do with our kids. And I think you're right.
Speaker 1:I think a lot of us are afraid to go out of our radius that we are comfortable with. And once you get out of that radius and even yet connecting with people on Instagram who have blogs or recommendations and, like you said, even Facebook mom groups like you can just really meet a good community of people who are looking for the same thing that you're looking for and are so nice and easy to talk to. And just that community you can find even if you live in White Bear Lake, like you can find community in Minnetonka or Burnsville or Coon Rapids, so it doesn't have to just be where you live For sure. All right, heidi. Well, thank you so much again for being on the podcast and I'll talk to you soon, thank you.
Speaker 3:Isn't.
Speaker 1:Heidi lovely, didn't you love her? She had so many good tips. And also, let me tell you something else After I talked to Heidi, we booked a trip to go to Orlando Disney.
Speaker 2:Here we come, surprise, I'm taking you to the most magical place in the world I'm kidding, the most magical place in the world. What day?
Speaker 1:are we leaving February 11th? That's less than two weeks, uh-oh.
Speaker 2:What are we going to do?
Speaker 1:I just told you we're going to Disney, oh yeah. We're going to the beach.
Speaker 2:We're going to go to Donut Places. There's some W ones Shipplies here. Krispy Kreme, yum.
Speaker 1:And I don't know, we might go to Universal Studios. I'll have to show you and see what you want to do, okay, all right, so some fun things for you and I. I'm going to ask you a question about your driver's permit. Are you ready? Yes, I'm ready. Are you ready for it? Yeah, okay, I have to find it, so you talk a little bit.
Speaker 2:Um, okay, are you ready? That was fast. She's not talking. I just said one thing.
Speaker 1:I knew that you wouldn't think of anything fast enough. I have to be quick with you.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:I'm ready. Okay, so I'm going to ask you a question. What should you do? Should you come to a complete stop? Should you increase your speed and pass the vehicle? Should you adjust your speed or prepare to change lanes, or all of the above are acceptable. Do you know what? What does it mean by triangular? So, if you see like a triangular reflective sign on the back of somebody's vehicle, do you know what it means, do you? Know, what a reflective triangle triangular shape looks like I think it's all above.
Speaker 2:It's not. It's not Okay, it's not Number one.
Speaker 1:You can't speed up and slow down at the same time, so that doesn't make sense. Okay, reflective.
Speaker 2:It's like, isn't that, on snow plows?
Speaker 1:Yes. So what does it mean? You just pass them.
Speaker 2:Do you know what this sign means? Oh, no, wait. No, you slow down and wait behind them.
Speaker 1:Reflective triangular sign.
Speaker 2:No, Tyson.
Speaker 1:I was like what is that Okay?
Speaker 2:You slow down, if you see this sign. Yeah, you slow down and you got to wait behind them until they're done.
Speaker 1:It means slow moving vehicle.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:And so the correct answer would be.
Speaker 2:You got to slow down, adjust your speed or prepare to change lanes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, good job. Do you have a? Would you rather for me? No, okay, I'm kidding.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Because I know you're lying.
Speaker 2:I know All right, are you ready for it? I'm ready for it. Would you rather dumpster dive for food for like dinner or get sprayed by a skunk?
Speaker 1:Is dinner optional, Like could I just choose to not eat.
Speaker 2:No, you have to eat it. You feel like physically have to. I would choose dumpster diving because I would just be very selective about where I went to dumpster dive, like I'd go somewhere where I know they probably get rid of a lot of like good food that they have to get rid of at the end of the day, if you go to a dumpster, they bag their old donuts up and they toss it in there.
Speaker 1:How do you know that?
Speaker 2:I just do oh, I've seen it. I've literally seen it in backs of dumpsters all the time.
Speaker 1:So do you think, like all the homeless in Anoka, are going to hang out there now?
Speaker 2:No, I feel like if they're genius and they have nothing to eat, I would go back there and say holy shit, chocolate donut.
Speaker 1:So what are you picking? Are you dumpster diving for dinner? I'm dumpster diving. Are you getting sprayed?
Speaker 2:by a skunk. I'm dumpster diving for dinner.
Speaker 1:I heard it's really hard to get the skunk smell off you. Yeah, it is. Yeah, how do you get it?
Speaker 2:off Something with like sauce or something, sauce, I don't know. It's something that you don't spread on your body. That gets rid of it. I don't remember.
Speaker 1:Well, that's not helpful.
Speaker 2:Search it up. I don't know.
Speaker 1:I'm not fast at searching anything up. You should know that.
Speaker 2:Okay, how do you get the skunk smell away? I don't know.
Speaker 1:You can search it up later. How come I always have to be the searcher-upper? I don't know, because you have your phone out right now. You always have your phone in. I'm always like oh, if you don't know, you should look it up. You're like oh, that's okay, I don't care, I just think you should never have to wonder when you don't rat me out, man. No, it's not ratting you out, it's the truth I feel like you do it all the time.
Speaker 2:It's true, yeah.
Speaker 1:You shouldn't be so lazy about knowledge. Knowledge is power. You know? Yeah, I know. Do you want to know? A funny joke.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's hear the funny joke.
Speaker 1:Okay, here it comes. Not my best one, okay, All right. What do you think is your best one? My favorite one is when I said how does the Jewish priest make coffee? He brews it. He brews it.
Speaker 2:You're so goofy.
Speaker 1:That is the funniest one. So if you haven't heard that one spoiler but it's on a previous episode Okay, what do you call a restaurant that sells only beans?
Speaker 2:I don't know.
Speaker 1:A gas station.
Speaker 2:Oh, my God.
Speaker 1:Thank you for stopping by on another episode of Honor Best Behavior. We have some really great stuff coming up next week. I don't remember who it is, but it's going to be exciting. Bye, mackie, bye.
