Just Some BS

She Took Her Kids to All 63 National Parks: Here’s What It Taught Her About Life

Brandon Stanchock Episode 92

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What would you do if life kept reminding you that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed?

In this episode of the Just Some BS Podcast, Brandon sits down with Leigh Ann Wilson, the organizational powerhouse who took her two kids to all 50 states and all 63 U.S. national parks — across 19 major trips, often with only carry-ons, school breaks, and a razor-tight budget.

Leigh Ann shares:
• How losing her mom and nearly losing her husband shaped her “life is short — book the trip” mindset
• The exact moment her family travel project turned into a book
• What traveling with kids really teaches you (and them)
• The hardest meltdowns, longest hikes, and funniest “we’re never doing this again” moments
• The packing systems, logistics hacks, and planning strategies behind 19 trips
• The national parks that shocked her (good and bad)
• The park experiences every family should steal
• Why she wrote “Dear Nolan and Odette” as a love letter and legacy for her kids

Whether you love travel, dream of visiting the parks, or just want to hear what’s possible when a family decides to go all-in on adventure, this episode is packed with heart, humor, and life perspective.

Leigh Ann’s Links
My website has links to the book.  
https://la-order.com/travel-book-1
Publisher- https://store.bookbaby.com/book/dear-nolan-and-odette
Amazon- https://a.co/d/5xOmqgf
Barnes and Noble- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-nolan-and-odette-leigh-ann-wilson/1148669467?ean=9798317819668

Chapters 
0:00 – Intro: 50 states, 63 parks, and a book
01:05 – Why Leigh Ann started documenting everything
03:20 – How grief shaped her “life is short” mindset
05:00 – The first trip that set everything in motion
07:25 – Traveling with kids: chaos, cliffs & bathroom emergencies
10:10 – What her kids taught her on the road
12:20 – Parenting meltdowns, backseat battles & device rules
14:00 – Alaska, near-misses & finishing the 63-park journey
16:15 – Most surprising & underrated parks
19:45 – Planning 19 trips + impossible logistics
24:30 – The organizational systems behind the madness
30:00 – Travel hacks every family should steal
33:40 – Life is short: the mantra behind the book
37:00 – What she hopes her kids feel when they read it
43:00 – Top five parks and why they matter
46:00 – The cost of 19 trips (exact number!)
50:30 – Her website, the book, and what’s next

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