Spring break is coming up fast, and if you're out of ideas for a fun — and not too crowded! — family getaway, then we’ve got you covered. Who wants to be fighting with the masses at Disneyland or the college students in Panama City when you and the kids could go on glass-bottom boat tours, ride horses, visit ghost towns, go ice-climbing, or hike through waterfalls instead?

We’ve rounded up five underrated, yet still totally cool, vacation destinations for spring break this year that you can visit with the whole family. Whether you want somewhere cold and snowy or sunny and beachy (or something in-between), we have something for everyone. The best part? These lesser-known gems won’t be overrun by other spring-breakers, so you can truly soak it all in.

Mammoth Lakes, California

Mammoth Lakes, California, is blooming with wildflowers in the spring, making it the perfect time to visit with your kiddos. Go to the Eastern Sierra to see colorful flowers, like the ones in Snowcreek Meadow, which is an easy hike (perfect for little ones!) beginning at Mammoth Creek Park. This hike also offers views of the majestic Mammoth Mountain in the background. For hiking enthusiasts, there are plenty of other places to spot the wildflowers in the area.

Once you’ve stopped and smelled the flowers, it’s time for some adventure! Mammoth Lakes is filled with kid-friendly places to enjoy. Rent bikes and go on one of the many paved or dirt bike trails throughout the mountains, or take a lift up to Mammoth Mountain and go skiing, snowboarding, and tubing with the kids, with slopes open from November to June and July.

Horse lovers can go on a trail ride in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains outside Mammoth Lakes, where even cowboys and cowgirls as young as 3 years old can join in. There are also playgrounds, golf courses, beautiful lakes to paddle board or kayak, fishing areas, and more. It’ll be hard to fit it all in over just one week!

Ocala, Florida

While many families head to the theme parks in Orlando, take your family to the small town of Ocala, Florida, instead. This is a great spot for adventurous kids, who will love zip-lining over the beautiful limestone canyons and treetops with Canyons Zip Line & Canopy Tours. Soar over the 1,100-foot zip over Big Cliff Canyon or the smaller tour of Sky High Canyon and make memories that’ll last a lifetime. You can also go kayaking, try your hand at gem mining, or book a horseback riding tour.

Speaking of horses, Ocala is known as the Horse Capital of the World, with 600 horse farms. There are many equestrian events, shows, trail rides, tours, and the impressive outdoor art display at Horse-Fever Painted Statue Trail, with beautiful painted horses that highlight the city's equestrian spirit.

Visit nearby Silver Springs State Park to take a fabulous glass-bottom boat tour and see the aquatic life swimming underneath you. Older kids might enjoy kayaking and hiking at the park to soak up the natural beauty of the place. BTW, the area has more than 600 lakes, rivers, and springs including Rainbow Springs, Silver Springs, Juniper Springs, Silver Glen Springs, and Salt Springs, many of which you can swim in with the kids.

Mesa, Arizona

Travel back to the prehistoric times at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, where dinosaur enthusiasts will love checking out the hands-on exhibitions and archaeology collections. Not to mention the massive mammal bones reconstructed to show the impressive creatures that once roamed Arizona. Through Aug. 17, you can see the THRIVE – The First People: Yesterday, Today, and Forever exhibit created in collaboration with the Gila River Indian Community and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community that displays archaeological artifacts, unique oral histories, and the rich history and culture of the O’odham people.

Brave historians will love visiting the Goldfield Ghost Town, where they can see the Goldfield Gunfighters recreate an old-timey gun fight, pan for gold, ride on the state’s only narrow-gauge train, and even go horseback riding! (Didn’t find real gold? Head to Mother Lode Mercantile to buy some gold nugget fudge instead!) You can also visit the Lost Dutchman Mine in the Superstition Cliffs, where you can read up on the mysterious folklore of the region.

Visiting Mesa during spring break is the perfect opportunity to check out the Arizona Renaissance Festival, which happens every weekend through March 29. The medieval-style faire is perfect for kids who want to watch knights joust or go to a knighting ceremony of their own! Tons of shows, activities, shopping, and grub make this an event to remember.

Kayaking on Saguaro Lake, photographing the cacti and wildflowers in bloom in the Tonto National Forest, and watching some Major League Baseball Spring Training are more wonderful reasons to visit Mesa in the spring.

Long Beach, Washington

Let’s go fly a kite in Long Beach! This sandy peninsula in the Pacific Northwest is home to the World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame with over 1,500 beautiful kites on display from around the world, plus cool facts about the history of the 2,500-year-old spring pastime. Even if you aren’t there during the International Kite Festival event in August, you can take advantage of the museum’s special spring break activities from mid-March through mid-April, which include special exhibits, trivia games, crafts, and more. Of course, you can also fly your own kites on the beach — a classic spring break activity that’s even more fun in this beautiful area.

While at the beach, your family will love walking the board walk or grabbing ice cream at a local shop. There's also tons of fun to be had at the aptly named Funland, which has arcade games, laser tag, and VR attractions.

Make time to visit other cool local attractions in Long Beach. It’s an easy walk with the kids to the peninsula’s North Head Lighthouse, built in 1898, which still guides mariners today. The Cape Disappointment Lighthouse was built in 1856, and although it involves a steeper and longer hike to get to, it’s worth it for the views of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean.  

Ouray, Colorado

Waterfalls cascade down canyons in Ouray, Colorado, and the beautiful sight is easily accessible to families. Take the level, 500-foot walk on The Falls Trail to see the beautiful, 285-foot waterfall at Box Cañon Falls Park & Nature Center. Or take the scenic route on The High Bridge Trail or the Native Plant Loop, which are worth the extra steps with their picturesque views.

Enjoy some rugged fun at one of Ouray’s off-road Jeeping adventures, where you can go on Jeep tours or ride a 4×4, dirt bike, or OHV to see hidden, off-road beauties, learn more about local nature as you pass it, and have so much fun. The Ride-N Adventures Tours allow you to use car seats for your off-roading tour for extra safety. One happy customer review said they saw “many waterfalls, wild flowers, marmots, chipmunks, mining ruins and beautiful mountains.” It sounds like a dream!

Not ready for summer activities? If your spring break happens early enough, you can take the kids ice climbing at Ouray Ice Park, or go sledding or snowshoeing on one of the gentle slopes. Afterward, warm up in one of the city’s hot springs, which are family friendly and filled with a relaxing naturally heated mineral water.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©“Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau”.

The post 5 Underrated Family Destinations That are Perfect for Spring Break appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Three little words can change your life.

“I love you.”

“It’s a boy.”

“You have cancer.”

I’ve heard all three of these over the years, each one striking my heart like a lightning bolt. But while the first two were shocking in ways of awe and wonder, the latter simply shocked me. How could I have cancer at 29 years old? As a mom of three kids — the oldest in kindergarten and the youngest still breastfeeding — I didn’t have time for cancer!

During my journey from diagnosis to being declared NED (“no evidence of disease”) 18 months ago, I underwent six months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, followed by implant exchange surgery, 28 rounds of radiation, and one year of immunotherapy. This tough experience impacted the way I view motherhood in a huge way, and I’m still holding onto that lesson today.  

Cancer for Christmas

It all started with a clogged milk duct. A few days before Christmas, I came down with a fever and unbearable breast pain, which was diagnosed as mastitis. This wasn’t my first go-around with the infection, so I thought after a round of antibiotics and hot packs I would be fine. What I didn’t expect was a lingering pain in one of my breasts and in the lymph node under my armpit. My anxiety-riddled brain immediately thought “cancer,” but my more rational mind convinced me it was just a problem with my milk. After all, isn’t breastfeeding supposed to prevent breast cancer? After the holidays, the pain persisted, so I made an appointment with my general practitioner, still not worried about it. Since my mom had just been diagnosed with breast cancer three years earlier, my doctor wanted to do further testing.

In February 2023, they had the results, and that two-minute phone call irrevocably changed my life. Words like “tumor,” “triple negative,” “aggressive,” “fast-growing,” and “malignant” swirled in my brain, completely overwhelming me. I had a 6.5-centimeter tumor that had spread to one lymph node, classifying me as stage 3c breast cancer. This was not caught early, and the treatment would be brutal, long, and as aggressive as the cancer that was rapidly spreading through my body.

Letting Go of Control

My life became a blur of appointments, tests, scans, blood work, and more as my doctors determined the best way to tackle this disease. My mom took me to my appointments while my husband took care of our three kids, then only 5, 4, and 11 months old. One of the first things I had to do was quit breastfeeding my infant, something that made me realize how much my life was changing — and how little control I had over any of it.

Family and friends stepped up in a big way, coming through with meals, donations to help with medical expenses, and childcare. And my husband stepped up in a huge way to do more than his share around the house. Still, I was struck by the things I couldn’t do. I missed my son’s kindergarten field trip because I was immunocompromised from chemo. My youngest child’s first birthday was thrown by my parents because I was too much in a daze to do any of it myself.

My mother-in-law would pick up my kids from school and clean the house while I went to yet another doctor’s office, and I would get home to hear a five-minute update on their day before collapsing into bed from exhaustion. After my double mastectomy, I couldn’t even lift my baby out of his crib (or any other time), and he was too little to understand why his pleas for “up” were being ignored by his mama.

Reflecting on this now makes my chest feel tight because it was such a hard time. I don’t want to sugarcoat it: cancer sucks. And going through cancer as a mom to young children was a special kind of torture that even my mom couldn’t completely understand as her children were all grown when she fought it. Meanwhile, my kids didn’t understand why I suddenly had no hair, and why I was away from home all the time, and why when I was home, I was sleeping. But time and time again, my kids showed me how resilient, loving, and accepting they are, and it changed how I view motherhood.

Changing My Expectations

While going through treatment for cancer, I was forced to let go of the high expectations I had for myself. I was not going to be the one to pick up my kids from school every day or make it to all of their soccer games. But what I was going to do was show them how fiercely I loved them every single day.

Sometimes, this looked like letting my kids climb into bed with me and watch movies curled up against me. Other times this looked like bedtime stories and songs before I tucked them in at the end of the day. My connection with them grew through each hug, silly selfie, and update about their day. I played video games with them propped up in a recliner, and they sent me to my chemo appointments with their favorite stuffed animals.   

Guilt over not being able to take my kids on a summer vacation that year slowly eased as I realized that they don’t care about the big things. All that matters is the tiny moments of connection. The 10 minutes of my undivided attention. My hugs and kisses before bed. Kids don’t need you to be perfect — they just need you.

In case you were wondering, research backs this up. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that kids playing with their parents and their peers helps to optimize their development and manage toxic stress. Playing helps support their social-emotional, cognitive, language, and self-regulation skills, and it supports the formation of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships with caregivers.

Finding mutual joy in carefree play with your kids helps regulate the body’s stress response. Basically, it's doctor’s orders to spend joyful, playful time with your kids, which you can absolutely still do even if you're going through an intense or difficult time in your life.

The experience of dealing with breast cancer threatened to crush me with the weight of anxiety and depression, but my kids helped me pull through it. They're the reason I fought so hard and they were often the only thing that could make me smile at the end of the day. They tried on my wigs with me and told me I was beautiful, even on my worst days.

Looking Forward to the Future (& Enjoying the Now)

Now that I'm out of active treatment, I have more energy, my hair has grown back, and I only have periodic doctor’s appointments for maintenance. But the part of me that learned how to lean into time with my kids has not gone away.

I prioritize saying “yes” to their requests for things like ice cream and playground visits as often as I can. I make sure to talk to them about their day without distractions, and I play with them one-on-one to continue building our connections. Even though I will never be thankful I got cancer, I am at peace knowing how much the experience made me appreciate life and motherhood.  

Recently, my now-6-year-old saw a picture of me with no hair, and he didn’t recognize me. I went through the most traumatic two years of my life, and he doesn’t even remember it! However, he — and his brothers — do know that their mom loves them; a secure feeling that never waned, even in the thick of treatment and recovery. And there’s nothing that makes me prouder.

Next time life strikes like a lightning bolt, find a way to dance in the rain. It turns out that those little moments of joy (which are actually the big moments!) make motherhood so wonderful.

DO YOU HAVE A LIFE-CHANGING PARENTING EXPERIENCE TO SHARE? LET US KNOW. EMAIL US AT AHAUGEN@FLYWHEELPUBLISHING.COM, SUBJECT LINE: MY PARENTING STORY.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©MomsWhoThink / Sydni Ellis.

The post I Was Diagnosed With Stage 3 Breast Cancer at 29 With 3 Kids Under 5 — & It Made Me Re-Evaluate Motherhood appeared first on Moms Who Think.

Baby monitors have come a long way since our moms had babies. Those old-school staticky, clunky monitors may have picked up the sound of babies crying — but not much else. Today’s parents have video options, of course, but we also have the choice of full wellness monitoring for our babies. Think: room temps, oxygen saturation, sleeping data, and so much more!

Many of these monitors have high-quality video screens or Wi-Fi connections to stream directly to your smartphones. Some offer recordings, so you can see what your baby was up to if you missed something in the night, and many offer alerts if your baby seemingly stops breathing or has an unusually low pulse. It’s all designed to give you peace of mind, so you can sleep like a baby while your baby sleeps. No matter what type you're looking for, we've created a list of the best baby monitors for modern parents.

Nanit Best-Selling Camera Bundle

Price: $479, occasionally on sale for $383.20

With thousands of positive reviews, Nanit’s The Best-Selling Bundle comes with the company’s beloved baby monitor that records crystal-clear 1080p HD video and streams to the accompanying app, plus tons of other accessories to make bedtime, well, a dream! The baby monitor comes on a floor stand that can easily be moved from room to room, as well as a sensor-free breathing band and travel case.

The phone app offers real-time notifications for crying, a record of your baby’s sleep patterns, and a video recording to ensure you don’t miss anything. It also offers sleep insights and a place for care logs to keep track of your baby’s diaper changes and more. BTW, you can also get the Nanit bundle in a wall mount!

Babysense Max View

Price: $199.99

Gone are the days of grainy images on your baby monitor. The Babysense Max View has a 1080p HD screen that provides a crystal clear view of your baby’s room. It comes with two cameras (but connects up to four!) and an optional split-screen view, perfect for setting up in two rooms if you have multiple kids or for putting one in the playroom and one in the bedroom.

Extra perks include a built-in nightlight, lullabies, and white noise; a 360-degree remote pan, tilt, and zoom; and non-Wifi connection for ensured privacy. Moms love it, with one person calling the baby monitor “an absolute game changer” thanks to the “really high quality screen.” “I can see my little boy sleeping really clearly as the image is so clear and if he makes any sound it is also picked up really well,” they wrote.

Owlet Dream Duo 2

Price: $320, occasionally on sale for $320

Known for their innovative Dream Sock that provides real-time health readings while an infant sleeps, Owlet is changing the game once again with their Owlet Dream Duo 2 bundle. It comes with the Dream Sock to track your baby’s pulse rate and oxygen via a phone app and the Owlet Cam 2 to provide 1080p HD video streaming via Wi-Fi. Alerts for low and high pulse rates and low oxygen will give you peace of mind, as will room temperature and humidity sensors, and sound and motion notifications.

Through the app, you can also keep track of baby's wake windows, light sleep, and deep sleep. One happy parent said, “My husband and I would not be able to sleep throughout the night without our Owlet.”

Hälsa Baby Wellness Monitor

Price: $299

The Hälsa Baby Wellness Monitor is another option for parents who want to monitor more than just their baby’s cries. This one measures your baby’s skin temperature variation (helpful if they are coming down with a fever!) as well as room temperature and humidity. The included Smart Sensor and ankle band also monitor your baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels.

The monitor tracks sleep patterns and provides insights on the coordinating phone app. You can even set and review sleep goals and log feedings, diaper changes, and weight and height measurements. It’s an all-in-one app that parents will appreciate!

Motorola Nursery PIP11 Audio Baby Monitor

Price: $39.99

Keep it simple with Motorola Nursery’s PIP11 Audio Baby Monitor. This audio-only option is small enough to fit in your pocket and allows for two-way communication with your baby. Plus, its built-in room temperature sensor, night light, and lullabies add an extra special touch.

Miku Pro Smart Baby Monitor with Wall Mount Kit

Price: $349, occasionally on sale for $199

Track your baby’s breathing without any wearable sensors with the Miku Pro Smart Baby Monitor With Wall Mount Kit. It uses the AI platform Sensor Fusion to track motion, temperature, sound, light, and breathing pattern data.

From there, it gives you real-time alerts and keeps track of your baby’s sleep data. The coolest part is the way the app shows your baby’s breathing in a live waveform over the video feed. Being able to just glance at your phone and see your child breathing is a comfort like no other!

ChillaxBaby DM640 Daily Baby

Price: $149, occasionally on sale for $129.99

Don’t want to rely on a phone app? The ChillaxBaby DM640 Daily Baby monitor has an option for an app on your phone and a dedicated screen, so you can keep up with your baby in the way that’s best for you!

You can even log diaper changes and feeding from the screen and review it all in the accompanying app. If you want to switch WiFi off, the monitor comes with a toggle to ensure your privacy. Customers love everything from the monitor’s “nice crisp screen quality” to its “very clear” night vision.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Motorola Nursery.

The post The Most Innovative Baby Monitors Available appeared first on Moms Who Think.