**Thanks to Hanes for sponsoring this post.**

When my kids were toddlers, if you asked them what city, state or country they were from, they would have answered Florida to all three questions. Right or wrong, it was a cute answer because they obviously didn’t understand the difference between cities, states and countries. Florida was more of a state of mind than one of the 50 states in the U.S.

If you ask me where I’m from, I’m not much better at answering the question than a toddler. It’s certainly much less cute when I answer. I’ve moved around so much that I don’t know if I’m supposed to say where I was born, where I currently live or where I’ve lived the longest.

The truth is that the best answer I can give is similar to a toddler’s answer. Since I’m from many different places, I’m from more of a state of mind than a state on a map. It’s like the saying, ‘home is where the heart is.’ My heart is in different places simultaneously. That’s just not easy to explain during small talk at a party.

I haven’t lived in Tennessee since I was in first grade, but it’s the place that resonates the strongest as home in my ‘state of mind.’ I was born there and I’ve visited cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents there nearly every year since my family moved away.

When I return to Tennessee, there are always new neighborhoods, stores and road construction projects. But the protected parks stay the same, just as I remember them as a child. It’s why I like to go back to the parks and see the world not only as I saw it as a child, but as generations of families before ours saw the world. It connects me to my roots somehow.

The sustained beauty of Tennessee is best experienced in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So last week, that’s where I took my kids from “Florida” to see, touch, hear and smell, but thankfully not taste, the place of their roots.

When you visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it’s always tricky to know what to wear. The weather fluctuates from morning to night and it gets much cooler at the top of the mountains. Thankfully, Hanes dressed my family in comfortable clothes for the trip, from Nano T® V-Neck T-Shirts to colorful Nano-T® T-Shirts and Comfortblend® EcoSmart® Full-Zip Hoodies for the kids, and a graphic tee from their new apparel collection in partnership with the National Park Foundation for me. Luckily, nobody fell in a stream, so we didn’t need to change.

The one time I was tempted to add more clothing was when we got out of our minivan to start our climb to the top of Clingmans Dome, which is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the highest point in Tennessee, and the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi. The air was very cool, even downright cold for a midsummer day, but it would quickly be appreciated. The light 100% cotton Hanes t-shirt was all the comfort I needed once we got started.

When we arrived at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center to ask which sites we absolutely needed to see. Clingmans Dome was at the top of the park ranger’s list, as I thought it would be. But she warned me, it’s a steep climb to the top. I told her I brought a stroller for our four-year-old, and she just laughed. They didn’t ban strollers from the path, but they strongly recommended against them. An hour later I would find out why.

 

When our family started the climb, people walking down the mountain laughed at me in the same way the park ranger did. They knew I was going to have a tough push to the top, because it’s already a hard walk without a stroller. Thank goodness the summer weather at the top of the mountain was cool or I would have had a stream of sweat running down me with a stronger current than some of the streams in the park.

After a few stops to sit down and catch our breath, we finally made it to the top. Victory! Perhaps the most amazing part was the kids didn’t complain on the way up. Granted, the youngest one was sitting comfortably in a stroller. But usually at least one of the kids finds something to complain about.

I think the beauty of the mountains was more than they expected. Every step we took was a step closer to the clouds. And when we reached the top, we were in the clouds. The visibility wasn’t great if you wanted to see long distances, but our kids were enjoying what was right in front of them.  I think they thought it was even more awesome that we were walking in the clouds.

When somebody asks my kids now where they are from, they can tell you our exact address, at least the oldest two kids can. Our four-year-old would be a mailman’s worst nightmare. But after our experience in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I know they’ll always share another home with me that can’t be placed on a map. And that’s because it’s in their hearts and literally in the clouds.

Someday, I hope my kids will take their kids to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as other national parks. It’s comforting to know that because the parks are protected, they will always be just as beautiful as the first time they saw them, I saw them or even early American frontiersmen and the Native Americans before them saw the land.

Thanks to Hanes for sponsoring this post. It’s so cool that the National Park Foundation and Hanesbrands are partnering to inspire people from all backgrounds to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. As one of the newest National Park Foundation partners of the Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque movement, Hanesbrands is helping to protect America’s national parks. Learn more about the partnership here.

My ninth year as a father begins this month. To say it’s been an adventure would be an understatement. Every day presents a new challenge, breakdown, victory and reward.

I’ve thought about why every parent feels like the years go by so fast, and I think it’s because parenthood is such an adventure that it requires you to live in the moment. Kids demand non-stop attention. If you get caught dwelling on the past or thinking about the future too long, a kid will shock you out of your daze by splashing you in the face with something or by throwing something at you when you least expect it. Resting is out of the question.

Living in the moment is awesome. Everyone should try this on a daily basis. But if there’s a downside to living in the moment, it’s losing track of time. I’m so focused on getting kids to school and soccer practice, passing out snacks and wet wipes, picking up toys and dirty clothes, etc. that it’s hard to find the time to notice how fast the time is passing.

The New String for Your Finger

Time isn’t a luxury parents enjoy. But at least parents today have something convenient to capture the ‘moments’ in the moment so we don’t forget them: the camera phone.

Prior to the camera phone, I had an expensive, fancy camera to capture every cute thing our firstborn did. The only problem was that lugging around that camera wasn’t easy. It weighed heavily around my neck, literally and figuratively. Meanwhile, I wanted to capture more than the traditional photo op.

Birthdays and Christmas are great for pictures, but every new day has an unexpected adventure and moment to remember. And I wanted to capture the simple moments like an impromptu walk through our city or a hike through the woods. And now that I have a phone that fits in my pocket beside the rocks my kids want me to keep for some reason, I can. (See below.)  And these photos stored on my phone (and some magical cloud) allow me to scroll through them and remember the moments that would have otherwise been lost in the back of my busy ‘living in the moment’ mind.

    

Focusing on the Moments that Matter

Among the thousands of pictures taken of my family every year, there are a few that stand out and deserve more attention than the occasional scroll through my phone’s photo album. The picture featured at the top of this post is one such picture. It’s a moment I want to remember. But, just as importantly, it’s a moment I want my kids to remember as well.

The picture was taken in the mountains of Tennessee where I was born. Although I moved away when I was seven, it’s always remained my ‘home’ – as in the place where I’m from. My parents ingrained in me the importance of knowing and remembering your roots, and I’m trying to do that for my kids. I want them to remember running over hills and through creeks on the family farm. I want them to remember their connection to the place of their family roots.

Kids, like their busy parents, tend to forget the places they go and see. So capturing the everyday and significant moments of their childhood in a picture can help them remember that moment forever, just like it helps me remember. When they look at this picture 15 or 20 years from now, I hope they remember playing on our family’s farm and the windy day that picture was taken. I hope they consider it a moment that matters, just like I do.

Capturing Your Own Moments that Matter

Because there are pictures that deserve special attention, I’m thankful there are companies like Fracture to help us showcase those pictures. Everything Fracture does is centered around revolutionizing the printed photo, because they want to help anyone who wants to share their story in a unique and tangible way.

Since Fracture is so focused on the moments that matter, they’re giving away a family vacation to help you enjoy more moments that matter. All you need to do is follow this link to learn more.

Embrace the adventure of parenthood, enjoy the ride and take plenty of pictures. Your future self will thank you.

How would you like to put yourself in the running to win a family vacation that would help you create new memories?

Simply enter HERE, then post one of your favorite family moments to Instagram using the #FocusOnMoments hashtag and you’re in the running!

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a sponsored campaign with Fracture on behalf of their #FocusOnMoments campaign, however the memories are all mine. Check them out HERE, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I’m not a perfect parent and I’m not a perfect camper. But I love being a parent and I love camping. So over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks to make parenting and camping possible without putting my sanity at risk – at least not any more than usual.

If you haven’t gone on a family camping trip yet, I have good news for you.

1. I’m about to share a few of my most fundamental family camping hacks.
2. Yogi Bear and Jellystone Parks is offering you the chance to win a 7-day/6-night trip for 5 to the Jellystone Park of your choice in the U.S. or Canada. You can enter the sweepstakes here.

Camping Hack #1: Wear comfortable shoes.

If you think you chase your kids a lot around the house, just wait until they have wide open spaces to explore. Keeping an eye on your kids while in the outdoors sounds exhausting, and it is, but it’s just as exhausting for your kids. And that’s a good thing for you both.

The best way to ensure your kids get a good night’s sleep at a campsite is letting them go on adventures down hiking trails, in creeks and wherever else a park allows them to go. Everybody wins. They get exercise and rest. And you get exercise and some time to spend with your significant other around the campfire once the kids are asleep.

While you’re doing all of that running around with your kids, make sure to have comfortable shoes. If my experiences are any indication, your kids will be begging to be carried down the trail at some point. And as soon as one kid is being carried, the others will want to be carried too.

Camping Hack #2 Bring plenty of snacks. And then bring a few more.

This hack should be obvious. Our kids beg for snacks so much that we can’t go to a restaurant without bringing snacks.

At a campsite, you and your kids will be burning lots of energy, so make sure you don’t skimp on the snacks. You don’t want to turn your camping trip into an episode of Survivor.

Camping Hack #3 Bring a flashlight.

I would like to think that the stars provide all the light our family needs on a camping trip. Yes, the starlight and moonlight are beautiful. But nothing is more beautiful than a flashlight when one of your kids loses something in the dark – especially if it is something like a teddy bear that your kid can’t sleep without.

I also have three kids, which means there is a 300% chance that one of them will need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Since my imagination can trick me into thinking the sound of a squirrel is a bear, having a flashlight to walk through a campground at night helps put my nerves at ease. I imagine it will help you too.

Camping Hack #4 Don’t be surprised if your plans go awry.

Parenting is unpredictable in a house, so you should expect it to be unpredictable outdoors too. It might be a rainy day that changes your plans by getting everybody soaking wet. Or, it might be a toddler who dumps a drink out and gets you soaking wet. Either way, you have to be patient and go with the flow.

Being outdoors with your kids is an awesome experience. Part of the adventure is not knowing what is going to happen next. So whatever happens next, enjoy it. Your kids will follow your lead.

So those are my parenting hacks. I’m not a perfect camper. So I don’t have any perfect tips. Perhaps my best tip is to just go camping and learn on the go.

Like I mentioned already, Yogi Bear and Jellystone Parks is offering you the chance to win a 7-day/6-night trip for 5 to the Jellystone Park of your choice in the U.S. or Canada. You can enter the sweepstakes here. As part of your entry, share a story that includes a camping hack you used that really came in handy. They will be sharing their favorite hacks with campers everywhere.

Even if your story doesn’t give you five minutes of fame, you can still be randomly selected to win the trip for five, one of 20 $100 Jellystone Parks Gift Cards

Disclosure:  This post is in collaboration with Jellystone Park Camps-Resorts. Yet all opinions and hack concepts are mine.

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One of the great things about having kids is singing and dancing with them. They are my family, so it doesn’t matter if I have a perfect voice or know the trendiest dance moves. The most important thing is that we’re having fun and spending time together. I love it.

When it comes to singing and dancing in public, I’m much more self-conscious. I usually tone things down from 11 on the amplifier to invisible. Knowing that the people around me aren’t my family, I expect there to be more laughing at me than with me. But that doesn’t stop me completely.

When I need to work up the guts to sing in public, I think of a story my dad once told me. The story goes that when Neil Diamond was a $50/week songwriter on Tin Pan Alley, he didn’t think his voice was good enough to be a real artist. So, he spent years writing songs for other people until somebody finally recognized Neil’s voice was better than he thought and gave him the chance to become the legend he is today.

Now, I’ve never tried to corroborate this story about Neil Diamond. More than likely, my dad turned Neil’s story into a Disney movie with an obvious message rather than a Behind the Music episode based on actual events. But the quasi-factual message was received. If a music legend like Neil Diamond can think his voice isn’t good, maybe my voice is better than I think too.

If you follow me on social media, you know that I spent last week and the aforementioned karaoke night in San Diego, California. If you know me at all, you also know that I rarely travel anywhere without my family. It’s not just that my kids follow me everywhere I go. It’s that I simply love being around my family. So when I was invited by Kia to attend their digital influencer event in San Diego, I had to consider two things:

1. Is it in the best interest of my family?
2. Is it worth asking my wife to watch the kids by herself while I go have fun in California and brag about it on social media – a request that could earn me an infinite amount of extra chores when I got home depending on how the kids behaved while I was gone?

Fortunately, Kia and my wife made the decision easy. It wasn’t anything new that Kia did, it was what Kia has been doing. When I’ve been going to parenting “blogger/influencer” conferences like Mom 2.0 and Dad 2.0 the last couple of years, Kia has been one of the most prominent companies supporting the parenting community. I’ve also been following the experiences of several of my friends who have partnered with Kia and watching how much respect there is for each other. So I knew Kia’s investment in family was real. My wife recognized it too and became my biggest cheerleader to go and learn more about the #KiaFamily we kept hearing about.

What I found at the event was much more like singing and dancing with my family than a business trip. Sure, there was some information about Kia’s awesome new Stinger (which actually has enough room for kids in the backseat) and other popular Kia vehicles like the Sorento and Optima. I even got to do some test-driving without worrying about kids spilling anything in the seats behind me. But more than anything else, the event was about bringing together people from across the country and enjoying themselves together – like family.

The whole event made me appreciate #TheNewKia even more. It’s not just how Kia has transformed from humble beginnings to creating world-class cars. It’s how Kia is investing in its people, its drivers and its potential drivers. Any car company can hire a celebrity and buy a Super Bowl ad (which Kia also did with Steven Tyler this year). But Kia is thinking ahead and finding real people like me in the digital space and finding ways to connect with us and learn from us.

Joining me at the event were about 45 or so other blogger/influencers, many of whom were parents like me. It made the event feel like a big family reunion, because we all see each other on social media and, more importantly, we share the same family values, Kia included.

Karaoke was the last thing on the event schedule, and somehow I was chosen to sing first. Naturally, I chose Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” Whether I sang great or not is debatable, but everyone treated me like my family. They sang and danced along with me and made me think maybe my voice is better than I think.

The whole event made me realize Kia truly is even better than I’ve always thought, and I now proudly consider myself part of the #KiaFamily – so much so that I stepped up to sing one more song before the karaoke night was over. I belted out Sublime’s “What I Got” because love is what I’ve got.

 

*Kia didn’t pay me for attending their digital influencer event or to write this post, but Kia did cover my expenses for the trip.

One of the best things about having kids is that they give you an excuse to do things you loved as a child but gave up when you became an adult. You get to jump on bounce houses again, build blanket forts, have water gun fights, drive remote control cars, catch lightning bugs and the list goes on.

There’s one thing, though, that I never gave up between being a kid and having kids of my own: eating gummies. I love them. I love eating them at the movies. I love eating them on long-distance drives. And they’re the only topping I eat on ice cream and frozen yogurt.

Gummies are my guilty pleasure. Correction: They were my guilty pleasure. Thanks to SmartyPants Vitamins, I can eat a delicious gummy while getting a full multivitamin, more than 100% of my daily vitamin D and B12, and omega 3 fish oil — all in one.

SmartyPants Vitamins has always been about family, authenticity and a core commitment to our collective well-being. For every bottle of SmartyPants Vitamins sold, the company makes a 1-for-1 nutrient grant to Vitamin Angels, a non-profit organization that distributes lifesaving and life changing vitamins to children and mothers in need. This makes each bottle of SmartyPants Vitamins a little act of transformation – helping transform not only yourself into a healthy, happy person, but also into someone who can extend that same gift to countless others.

If that wasn’t great enough, the formula for SmartyPants Vitamins actually saves you money, which is something that is particularly helpful to parents. If you bought the same quality individual components separately, you would easily spend more than twice what SmartyPants Vitamins charges per bottle. It’s why SmartyPants was created in the first place: to simplify health for everyone.

Since you were smart enough to keep reading to the end of this post, I’m going to let you know that I’ll be giving away a bottle of Kids Complete, a bottle of Women’s Complete and a bottle of Men’s Complete SmartyPants Vitamins to three winners, meaning each winner gets all three bottles.

Follow me on Instagram @ParentNormal where I’ll be posting more information about the giveaway. You can also find more information about SmartyPants Vitamins at SmartyPantsVitamins.com and on social media:

• SmartyPants Vitamins Facebook
• SmartyPants Vitamins Instagram
• SmartyPants Vitamins Twitter

The ParentNormal was compensated by SmartyPants Vitamins for this post. But my kids really do love taking SmartyPants Vitamins!