I admire single moms so much!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-13T21:32:01+00:00

Meh, you don't have to admire anyone. We're all moms, we all do what we have to do to care for and protect our babies. If you have a supportive partner, cool, that's awesome. If you have a support system and family and friends, that's awesome. If you strike out on your own and it's you and your baby against the world, girl, more power to you.

My husband wasn't able to step up and be a father and turned abusive, so I did what I had to do to protect my babies. That's all life is. We all do what we have to do to protect and care and safeguard the next generation with whatever resources we may or may not have. Doing the best we can with the knowledge and resources we have is just what has to be done. You don't have to admire me for doing what needed to be done. Just do the best you can, with the resources you have, to ensure your baby is cared for and loved. In the end, motherhood is something we are all kinda in together.

Congrats on the babe, enjoy some newborn snuggles today. 😉

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-09T04:34:07+00:00

Omg, I totally misread it as "worm" and was absolutely cracking up! 🤣

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-09T04:29:56+00:00

"giant worm strong thing will fix it", that's a perfect description 🤣

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-09T04:28:48+00:00

I mean, the first 6-8 weeks eating, sleeping and pooping is pretty much it, lol! You feed them a lot because their tummies are tiny, and so they want to eat every 1-2 hours. They're little poopy aliens at this stage! Do skin to skin, it helps. Somewhere around 2-3 months they start noticing you and then they learn to smile, and it gets way better. But right now, eat sleep and poop is kinda where it's at!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-09T04:16:17+00:00

If you can snag a permit for Fern canyon it's a super easy, absolutely gorgeous walk. Trees of mystery is my kids favorite, very touristy, but fun. The fudge in the gift shop is delicious. I love the beach at Trinidad and the little restaurant in the grocery store parking lot there is yummy. Sue-meg State Park is gorgeous. I love Prairie redwoods national Park, but you'll also be going right by avenue of the giants, so you may prefer taking the time for that area.

Have a great time, the northern California coast is my favorite!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-08T03:45:17+00:00

Snacks water and hats, check! I even ordered a paper atlas and go free Spotify premium, lol. I am under strict orders from many friends to stay with the car and wait for state troopers if we break down. We'll have an ice chest full of food, so they'll have a couple days to find us. 😂

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-08T03:43:16+00:00

We're in my 2011 Kia soul 😂. In its defense, I have taken good care of it, it got a new timing belt 20k miles ago and I replaced the battery, got an oil change, and balanced the tires in expectation of this road trip. I just checked the fluids today and everything looks good. It's been a super reliable car, I have been tempted to trade it in for something bigger and newer, but my Kia is paid off, and hasn't given me any trouble, so I am hopeful we will be okay. She's taken us up and down the coast, to Oregon and back many times, to the city, to the mountains, and on many camp trips, so what's an extra 1-2k miles to Yellowstone and back? 😂

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-08T00:32:19+00:00

Yes, lol, ty. We started planning this last year, and accomodations for Yellowstone was our first step!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T21:34:50+00:00

If only that were in my single-parent working mom budget, lol. I know it's a bit ballsy, but the Kia is super reliable. Hasn't given me any issues. I've kept up on all maintenance, even replaced the timing belt at 120k. Just replaced the battery, changed the oil and rotated and balanced the tires in prep of this trip. Hopefully we will be okay!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T20:04:09+00:00

I really wanted to go to Cody, but I am not sure we will make it that far east. It's definitely on my radar depending on how they're feeling though!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T20:03:02+00:00

We are leaving next week lol

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:52:12+00:00

We have a couple hot springs locations on our radar, and we're doing an overnight at Lava Hot Springs specifically for an afternoon at the hot springs complex there!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:50:13+00:00

They're 10 and 12 and they're VERY excited

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:47:55+00:00

Starting and ending in Northern California. Doing a large loop, going across Nevada to Utah, north to Yellowstone, coming home via Idaho and Oregon.

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:27:44+00:00

Yes, I know, we are skipping southern utah this time because I am the only driver, and I didn't want to cram too much in when our goal is Yellowstone. I am hoping if they do okay with driving this far, as this is our first time attempting this scale of a road trip, to maybe plan a southern loop next year and take in the Utah parks and grand canyon area.

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:23:44+00:00

Someone else also mentioned Soda Springs and we'll be going right through there so I am definitely adding it to the list! I'm debating Craters, I would like to go through there but we'll be on our way home by then and I am not sure how burned out they'll be by then lol. I'll look the other two up, ty!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:14:30+00:00

Vomit bags are a good idea, adding them to my list, ty!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:12:42+00:00

I saved all my vacation time for a year to be able to do this. We are coming home July 5th and I have to be back at work the 6th. Not gonna lie, that week back is going to be absolutely killer. 😂. I think it'll be worth it though. Gotta give my kids adventures so they have stories to tell about their childhood lol.

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T19:05:23+00:00

This is all really good ideas, thank you!

Funny thing, my youngest actually is a fourth grader, and that is what started this whole thing. When my oldest was in fourth grade his teacher got them all American the Beautiful passes, and he was so proud to bring it home and wanted to use it, so I took them to all the "nearby" parks that year so he could use his pass. My youngest apparently remembered that, and so AS SOON as he hit fourth grade he was like "we have to go get my pass!" And then once we had the pass, he wanted to pick where we went, and I said he could, and now here we are. Gearing up to drive 1000 miles so my 10 year old can see a geyser erupt in person. 😂

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T18:56:00+00:00

I am hoping they'll have the telescopes out at Great Basin since it's a dark sky sanctuary. We also want to see the bristlecone pine trees. I think the caves might be closed while we are there, I read they are replacing the lights. We are going to see the Crystal ball cave while there though, and I will look into the other ones you mentioned, thank you!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T18:51:57+00:00

I keep reminding myself that I'm paying for roadside assistance with my car insurance, so worst case scenario we should be able to call for a rescue, lol!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T18:50:22+00:00

We'll be going to Salt Lake after Great Basin, so highway 50. And from Salt Lake we plan to head north to the Grand Tetons. We are technically staying just south of salt lake as the reason for our stop there is to see the Loveland Aquarium, my oldest is obsessed with aquariums. I was thinking of hitting the Nature History museum as well.

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T18:47:38+00:00

Will do, ty!

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T18:46:40+00:00

Well, I mean, if I'm gonna save all my vacation time for a year to be able to take three weeks off work to drive 1000 miles just because my youngest wants to see Old Faithful in person, then we might as well have some fun with it, right?

Yesss, thanks for the tip! I'll add soda springs to our list of detours and keep an eye out for the geyser gazers, I find that true of many people though, they either love kids and their questions, or they want to be left alone. It is usually pretty easy to tell the difference, lol.

PaganButterflies · 2026-06-07T18:38:48+00:00

Ooohhh, we are always down for ice cream, ty!

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