Hello! Do not adjust your monitor! I’m pleased to welcome you to my new site.
I’ll be spending some time this week pointing out the groovy new features and content. But today I want to invite you to bask in its newness and just explore it on your own – a kind of online adventure if you will. This fits my frame of mind perfectly because you see, I just found out that The Mother of All Trips is a finalist in the Austin-Lehman Adventures “Top 10 Best Travel Blogs” contest!
There are a couple of reasons this is a real honor. For one thing, my site was chosen as one of ten from a list of 125 blogs overall. Secondly, the other blogs on the top ten list are amazing and include people who have published articles and photos in places like Outside and National Geographic. And Austin-Lehman Adventures knows from travel – they are consistently ranked as one of the top tour operators in the world.
But the really cool part is that Austin-Lehman is offering a chance for all of my readers to win a $5000 credit toward a trip for two with them!
What could you use the credit toward? That’s the fun part. Austin-Lehman offers all kinds of fun trips from European adventures to Alaska family vacations to family trips to Yellowstone. Options include cycling tours, hiking trips, multi-sport adventures, and rafting trips. In fact, they have 82 different itineraries spanning 29 countries worldwide. Now if that isn’t the stuff of Monday dreams, I don’t know what is.
To enter, all you have to do is visit the Austin-Leman Adventures giveaway page, enter your name, email, and The Mother of All Trips as the blog you came from. The sweepstakes runs through May 19 and the winner will be announced the next day. (Check under “terms and conditions” on the giveaway page for all of the small-print details.)
Why do you have to tell them you came from my site? Well that’s because if you win, I win the same prize. And so today I’m dreaming of one of you lovely, lovely people winning a big credit toward an exciting adventure – so that I can win one too! That is the very definition of win-win, is it not?
P.S. If you always look at the site in a reader or in email, this is the time to actually click on over and take a look around – it will be worth the extra effort, promise.
Photo courtesy of Austin-Lehman Adventures
I've taken with my children and those I want to take. Explore and you'll find family travel tips, information about vacation destinations, and lots of stories about our adventures! 
Mara, I love this new design. It is the perfect architecture to carry your writing forward! Congratulations!
Congrats Mara! It looks fabulous!
My already favorite family travel blog just got better! Love, love, love the new site! Looks great! I’m excited to explore it more. Congrats, I’m sure it was a HUGE undertaking.
The new site looks great! I saw your notice that the site was down last night, so I was eagerly awaiting the reveal today. It was definitely worth the wait. Great job!
I’ve been so excited to see the new site design. I love it! I love the red and turquoise…great color combination that you don’t see every day. Now I’m going to go explore your blog, and THEN go enter
the giveaway!
Mara-The site is absolutely beautiful! It is a fresh new look that keeps with your mission and personality. I love it!
The new site looks great! I always enjoy your posts, as our boys are pretty close in age and you have a very similar travel philosophy to us. But thanks for suggesting I click through, it looks even better on the blog than the feedreader!
Your new site looks amazing!! Congratulation!
I entered this draw – wouldn’t that be awesome!
This is the Mother of new blog sites! Beautiful new design Mara. Congratulations!
Mara – love the new layout! It really highlights your writing – and makes the blog so polished!!
love your new site, mara – it makes me happy, the colors and photos.
Just gorgeous! Now I’m feeling all dowdy over at A Traveler’s Library. I really love the sophisticated, yet fun look of your redesign. Fantastic. Congratulations.
Thank you everyone. I hope you all entered to win the contest! I want one of my fabulous readers to win (and not just for myself).
Way to go, it looks awesome. Makes me want to spruce up the ol’ blog myself.
Awesome, Mara. I’ve entered the comp. And I thought of you last night as I gave the kids their second dose of cholera vaccine, and again yesterday, when I realized that their passports don’t have the required six months left on them…. Ah, travel.
Love the new look! And the contest isn’t to shabby either.
Congratulations on becoming a finalist;I’m pulling for you!
Congratulations not only for being a finalist but also for the lovely blog you have! I entered the contest too:)
hmm..i guess i forgot to check the dates for the contest :d, still i am really glad i found your blog, is great:))