For the past few years, my family has taken a trip to Virginia Beach over Columbus Day weekend. Technically, we are there to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday (which falls at the end of November) regardless of the fact that the trip always seems to fall on the weekend of my actual birthday (October 5).  Nevertheless……these trips have been the setting for endless hilarious antics by my grandmother.

The first trip to VA Beach my grandmother was mesmerized by the ‘container ships’ that floated by each day, one after the other. She sat on the balcony shouting and pointing at them and eventually proclaiming that she needed ‘to call my stockbroker and see if I can buy stock in these containers.’  That was also the trip where she told us all that this was her ‘last birthday’. She’s been saying that every year since.

On our most recent trip, I invited my best friend Kristen to come along. When we arrived at the hotel the first night, my grandmother insisted that Kristen and I play a trivia game to compete to win a ‘mystery prize’. The so-called trivia game consisted of questions my grandmother made up. The first question was to name the 7 dwarves from Snow White. Kristen and I tag-teamed and came up with all 7 names. My grandmother then declared Kristen the winner and gave her a $20 BP gas gift card. The next question was to name the Great Lakes. I only knew 2 but Kristen came out of nowhere and named them all with ease. My grandmother then declared her the winner again, gave her another prize and called me ‘baby dumbo’ for my lack of geographical insight. ‘All you have to do is watch the Weather Channel every once in a while. They’re right there on the map.’

The best nugget of wisdom my grandmother has dispensed came during our last trip, but at the most unlikely of places. We were headed to the beach and made a stop at the big rest stop right on the NC/VA border. Kristen and I helped my grandmother to the restrooms and as we were holding the door for her she suddenly looked up and said flatly, ’Girls, live hard and die young.’ 

We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sippy cups are great for kids, but when you’re driving, they often become something more like slippy cups. Enter these cute Travel Cups for kids by Contigo. They have a proprietary technology they call AUTOSEAL^®, and even if name says it all, I’d be remiss if I didn’t try to explain how it works.

Each time your child finishes taking a sip, the cup automatically shuts off any liquid. The cup does require pushing a little button to open the spout for drinking though, so I guess the “automatic” part only comes in when you’ve finished having a drink.

Contingo guarantees the cup to be spill-proof, but in the even the gasket wears out (and it will eventually), you can buy replacement gaskets.

Oh, and for anyone thinking ‘hey, that’s cool- I wonder if they have one for adults’– why, yes they do.

The Contigo AUTOSEAL^® kids travel cup is not recommended for children under the age of 4. Set of two= $12.99; set of 4= $19.99.

There are many places to visit for fun and the sun and each has its own personality.  So what makes Barbados a Jewel?  Well, it is truly a special place.  It has harbors for boats beaches to swim and fish and of course beaches to surf!  The size of the island I find perfect.  You can make it around the island in 1 day, but you will find so much rich culture and site along the way. One fact unique to this island is that is is part of a coral reef and is not from a volcanic formation.  Barbados is the only part of the reef that is above the sea.

Well enough of the fact what about the sun and hotel and sports?  Hmm. If you enjoy shopping you can get items in historic Bridgetown which is also the capital of the country.  You can get around by taxi, bus or even mini buses.  We will discuss them later in this blog, but Bridgetown has so much to offer.  You can shop for jewelry, swimsuits, perfume and much, much, more. Cave Shepherd is a great place to stop on your shopping tour!  This is a local department store that offer it merchandise at great prices and duty free with a foreign  passport.  You must bring you passport with you to receive the duty free prices.

The best parishes to stay in for an amazing beach experience is St James and St Peter.  There are beaches in Christ Church as well, but for an out of this world beach.  I believe you must go to this area.  If you want to deep in the sea and enjoy the local flavor this is the ideal location.  The proximity to Bridgetown is perfect for day trips or heading out for a night on the town. I must say that Barbados boast some of the most exciting night life in all the West Indies.

So what is that you are looking for?  Fun in the sun? The most delicious food?  Beautiful botanical gardens? A place for the entire family?  In a word Barbados.  If you would like more information please email you questions to Aleceia@minoandme.com and I would be happy to address them.  Until next time happy and safe travels!

In Anaheim for a day of fun at Disney and three days of watching 8-year-olds play in a hockey tournament. Here, I’m pretty sure I’m thinking, “Silly Ol’ Bear … how can this possibly be the happiest place on Earth if they don’t serve margaritas?”

One of the best ways to have an amazing Alaska family road trip is to be able to have a flexible schedule to go about the places you want to see and the things you want to do. Touring Alaska independently without worrying about getting left by your group or your tour bus is the kind of vacation your family wants and needs. If you plan to check out all of the must-see sights on your vacation, you will have to book your family to different hotels for a more convenient commute to your prospective attractions. So, why don’t you just drive your Alaska family vacation away with a rented RV?! A regular-sized 20-something foot recreational vehicle can be quite overwhelming for people who are used to driving a regular sedan, but make no mistake, for the kids, the RV rocks!

Instead of packing and unpacking at each hotel along the way, just taking along your lodging with you all the time is a great idea. Traveling around Alaska, after all, requires long drives from point A to point B. With all the RV parks all around the state, exploring Alaska on a motor home is just very easy.

Plan a trip to south central Alaska and begin your family vacation to Alaska in Anchorage, where the best place to stay is at the Anchorage RV Park. There are a lot of RV rentals in Anchorage, all you have to do is pick which one works out for you. Some companies like All Alaska Tours, even help you plan your day to day trip and give you safety tips on driving and traveling around with the RV. You will find how amazingly comfortable it is to be lodging an RV when you start unpacking all your things and stacking them in the RV drawers. Everything just fits! Stock the cabinets with food and other essential supplies and you are off!

The best way to introduce the wildlife in Alaska in this family vacation is a stop at the Alaska Zoo. Apt to their slogan, Connecting People With Animals, the interactive attractions in Alaska Zoo will surely be a great way for your children to get acquainted with their favorite animals and some of the world’s most endangered species. Driving from Anchorage to Portage Glacier is truly worthwhile. Be alert and have your cameras ready for wildlife sightings as you skirt the shores of Turnagain Arm. Check the posted cruise schedule once you arrive at Portage Lake. Get on board and brace yourselves for the hour-long cruise you will never forget. The iceberg-dotted Portage Lake will definitely leave you speechless.

Take another long drive (about two hours) from Whittier to Seward where you can find the Alaska SeaLife Center located just along the Seward Highway. The Alaska SeaLife Center offers up-close and personal experience with Alaskan marine wildlife. Admission rates vary depending on the season, but you can be sure that they will always be affordable – young kids can even get in free of charge!

Drive 2 hours or so to Kenai and spend the night at the Diamond M Ranch RV Park. At Diamond M Ranch RV Park, fishing opportunities are available. Take another day cruise around the rocky and rugged Chiswell Islands the next day, a natural or wildlife area that is considered a sanctuary of nesting Alaskan birds. Right after the cruise, drive 3 1/2 hours north to Hope and enjoy the views of the Inlet and the Chugach and Kenai Mountains. At Hope, board the boat and cruise along the College Fjords, and you are sure to bring home some of the best pictures of your Alaskan family vacation.

Take the 2-hour drive to Palmer for the last stop of your Alaska family vacation with the RV. At Palmer, you can head to the Reindeer Farm and pet, feed and photograph the very friendly adult and baby reindeer or check out gigantic vegetables and monster trucks at the Alaska State Fair. Conclude your one-of-a-kind RV vacation with a stop at the Mat-Su Visitor Information Center where you can find not only informative and educational materials about the development of the Mat-su Valley, but also purchase souvenirs and other memorabilia for yourselves and your family and friends back home.

Head back to Anchorage to return your rented RV. As you do so, take this opportunity to reflect on the trip with your family. Everything that happened in this trip made the long hours of driving worth it. Your children’s unending reliving of the events during your trip will make you feel that this is an Alaska family vacation they will always remember.

Photo courtesy John Paul Solis for public domain use on Wikipedia (linked source)

2PM on the East Coast and the madness has begun at airports across the nation on this, the heaviest travel day of the year. Here are some highlights:

• Currently, it is being reported that check-in lines at LAX are out the door. Every door.
• Reports from Houston, TX say so-far so smooth, which is good considering the AAA says more than 3 million Texans will travel today.
• San Francisco is expecting lovely weather today, which should help he more that 125,000 travelers passing through SFO the airport today.

More as it develops.

Along with every Travel Adviser out there, encourage you to employ PATIENCE today.

I am going to be a zombie by the end of this weekend, but I am bound and determined to finish on time.

I WILL WIN NANOWRIMO!!

Chapter 15. I’m going to bed.

UPDATE: How to get You & Your Kids through Holiday Security Fast

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Separate these items from the liquids, gels, and aerosols in your quart-size and zip-top bag.
2. Declare you have the items to one of our Security Officers at the security checkpoint.  Carrying breast milk, or formula? Click here for my report on what’s allowed and how to get through security fast.
3. Present your liquids and medicine for additional inspection once reaching the X-ray. These items are subject to additional screening. Don’t be cute and try to ’see if security will spot it.’ You’ll only waste your own time.
4. Take your shoes off as you can- better yet, wear easy to remove shoes and comfortable clothing with few metal parts.
5. Any items that are questionable, even to you? Just check them with your big bags to get through- or risk having items confiscated.
6. Consider taking an envelope with postage just in case someone forgets they have something (like small scissors) and you don’t want to have them thrown away. You can always mail them from the airport home.

Find more TSA Rules here and for even more from TSA on traveling with children, visit this link.

In economically challenging times, exchanging your home with another family for a cut-price holiday appears an increasingly tempting option — just watch out for the cows, and don’t block the toilet.

Home-exchange sites are reporting a surge in membership this year, drawing couples and families keen to taste life in a different part of the world but not so keen to pay high hotel prices.

‘Home exchanging opens up the oyster of the world,’ said Mary Behan, who is Irish. She owns four homes with her doctor husband so can more than afford to pay for luxury hotels.

‘It’s a pearl beyond price. We have made friends all over the world.’

For others, though, it can be an unhappy experience, judging by anecdotal evidence — possessions are stolen; the house they used in Thailand was on a factory site; the sewage system crashed; their own home was left filthy.

Kathlyn Gadd, who has exchanged seven times, was taken aback when a couple from the US Virgin Islands asked if the cows in the field next to her home in the Dordogne, in France, could be moved.

‘They only stayed five days and left my house in an absolute tip,’ she told AFP.

‘They hadn’t touched the washing-up, the bins were overflowing, there was empty, discarded rubbish everywhere. Fortunately it wasn’t our first exchange. If it had been, we wouldn’t have done it again.’

Home-exchanging emerged in 1953 when teachers in Sweden created non-profit Intervac and Homelink was founded in the United States.

They have been joined by the likes of 1stHomeExhange.com, Switchome.com, Homelink.com, Homexchange.com and HomeForExchange.com, all of which report a growth in membership this year of 30 percent or more.

For software executive David Ashton and his family, swapping homes changed their lives.

Exchanging their place in Phoenix, Arizona, for one in Mougins, southeast France, the couple and their four children spent a year in France and liked it so much, they returned to live.

‘This was totally and completely life-changing,’ Ashton, who has secured a job in France, said in a telephone interview.

Tatiana Rabin, Renaud Iltis and their two children swapped their homes on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion for seven consecutive months in 2007.

‘We did not sleep in a hotel once over the whole time,’ she said.

‘We left instructions on how to close the shutters in a cyclone, but were given none on rubbish collection so once spent two weeks without emptying the bins because we had no idea where or when the collection took place.’ Swapping homes requires research.

First there are some 70 or more home-exchange sites to choose from, before describing and photographing your house and finding someone to exchange with.

It’s easier to find a suitable swap if you’re a couple, or if your home is in a desirable location than, say, for a large family with a cat allergy.

Once the choice is made, it is vital to check details using all the tools available on the Internet, said John Mensinger, who has done 13 exchanges.

He said: ‘We discovered by looking on Google maps that a railway line ran right behind the lovely house in England we were interested in.

‘We queried the owners, who said they were not bothered by the trains, but when we checked timetables on the Internet, we discovered it was a main line with over 60 trains a day thundering past! We did not pursue the exchange further.’

Then there is preparing the house, finding tourist brochures, digging out domestic appliance instructions and compiling a ‘house peculiarities’ file.

‘It’s an opportunity to do all those small repairs you’ve been putting off for years,’ said Gadd.

‘I cleaned my house to within an inch of its life the first time. Now I’m a bit more relaxed about it.’ Christophe Deseilligny, who swapped for the first time last summer, had to return from Iceland a week early after the sewage system in his home in France became blocked.

‘Whether this was the fault of the 10-member family staying in our home, or a problem waiting to happen, I don’t know,’ he said, ‘but they had to spend 10 days of their holiday in a hotel and I spent it changing the sewage system.’ Still, his wife and four children were able to stay on as planned in their Icelandic family’s home.

Some websites charging a membership fee provide services like insurance or problem solving.

Ed Kushins, president of HomeExchange.com, said it introduced an insurance policy at no extra cost to members beyond the membership fee of 79 euros a year.

He said it was to help people overcome two major fears about swaps — that the other family might damage your house or may cancel their trip after you’ve bought airline tickets.

With this insurance, HomeExchange.com will reimburse up to 2,500 euros for expenses such as air fares, hotels and car rental.

Lilli Engle, director of Homelink France which charges a membership fee of 125 euros a year, said it was important to have a proper contract

UPDATE: Here’s the official word from the CDC on H1N1 virus & travel.

Current Situation

public domain photo

Due to the circulation of 2009 H1N1 influenza in the United States and many other countries, airport staff in some foreign countries may check the health of arriving passengers. Many other countries, including Japan and China, are screening arriving passengers for symptoms of the flu.

If you are sick with symptoms of flu-like illness, you should not travel. These symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people may also have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

The United States is not screening travelers who arrive from other countries or depart for other countries.

In other countries that are conducting entry screening for 2009 H1N1 flu, travelers may be checked for fever and other symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu, and their travel may be delayed. Consult the embassy of the country, or countries, in your travel itinerary for information about entry screening procedures (see Websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions for contact information).

When you travel internationally from the United States, officials in other countries may ask you to:

• Pass by a scanning device that checks your temperature. (The device may look like an airport metal detector, a camera, or a handheld device.) In some countries this may be done before you disembark at your destination.
• Have your temperature taken with an oral or ear thermometer
• Fill out a sheet of questions about your health
• Review information about the symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu
• Give your address, phone number, and other contact information
• Be quarantined for a period of time if a passenger on your flight is found to have symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu
• Contact health authorities in the country you are visiting to let them know if you become ill

U.S. Department of State

• Travel Alert: China – H1N1 Quarantine Measures (September 25, 2009)
• 2009 H1N1 Flu website

Like many Americans, you won’t be electing to fly this holiday, but don’t expect gas prices to be your friend. The American Automobile Association is reporting the price of gas will increase for the third straight year this year.

They are saying gas prices will be about 70 cents a gallon more this year than this time last Thanksgiving. Still, most people (inclusing this writer) will not be deterred. Despite gas hikes, and traffic, I think, if its an option, the Road is the way to go.

For the first two days aboard the Norwegian Spirit as part of the Sweet Cruise I was confused. Why does everyone look like they are having so much fun? I still had not gotten over my previous family reunion cruising experiences so came in with the following thoughts (read about that in my last entry)

1- We weren’t actually going anywhere: We’ll dock at tourist traps and they will only give you a maximum of eight hours there so that you can’t wander off.
2- Food, food everywhere, but I still feel like I’m starving: There is 24 hours of free food access. But, because I have become an enormous food snob and Food Coop nerd I can taste the canned, powdered and pre-cooked nature of all of mass-made food. I’m going to resort to my stowaway nuts.
3-The cruise will make an attempt to make you think that a floating Hilton with attached mall (aka the ship) is an authentic and exotic experience: For example, by hiring Chinese folks to serve the Chinese food, Indians for the Indian food….

It was not until mid-week that I was able to move past these expectations. For good reason as I was on the cruise to film a pilot (aptly named “The Lez Boat”) so spent the majority of my time learning lines or cooped up in odd locations acting as “Heather” the “Fitness Instructor.” I also was scared when my friend Katherine told me that she saw a girl with a hat that said “I took my girlfriend bow hunting.”

As I got more time away from set and into the midst of things my impressions of the cruising experience started to change. Yes, the food is blah, and yes, everyone is funneled into tourist traps, but when I accepted those things as givens (and gave my stomach a chance to get used to preservatives) I saw the positives of what was going on around me. Specifically that 1,000 lesbians were on board having a week-long party and the MTV spring break that no one gave them. People were friendly, relaxed and happy because how could you not be? Everyone was invested in having a good time and enjoying the surrounding community. Here are the positives of being on a Sweet Cruise — wet T-shirt contests, go-go dancers by the pool, Toyland workshops, queer bingo, gay country dancing, parties late into the night every night…Lesson learned: you could be in Antarctica, the Republican National Convention, or a pre-fab tourist trap, if you insulate yourself from harsh conditions with enough good people you are bound to have a good time.

First it was a gasoline charge. Then checked baggage fees. Now its a charge for… the date??

Yep. Beginning next year, the big carriers:  Delta Air Lines, American, and United will raise prices on the busiest travel days. Expect fees as high as $30 each way. This isn’t the first time its been done. Last year  the Big Three charged $50 one-way on a few flights the day after the Super Bowl. As of right now, United & Delta are already charging extra (sometimes $30) for a few select fights for the 2009 weekend following Turkey Day and New Years. So if you are flying this holiday season… enjoy it. It might be your last surcharge-free-ride.

After a string of tragic deaths occurred in my family everyone in the clan simultaneously decided that we should start hanging out more before someone else died. For two years in a row my uncles planned family reunions. They would not be outdone by reunions of the past…this would be a vacation reunion experience. So, for two years in a row 85 loud, abrasive Italian-Americas boarded a cruise ship and sailed to port cities around the Caribbean. They settled on the cruise option because it would ensure that we couldn’t help but run into each other every day. I survived by getting wasted at the late-night piano bar and throwing on a few Queens Marie outfits during karaoke night to shock-and-awe fellow passengers.

I say “survived” not because I was hanging out with my family. I like my family. They actually encourage my antics and hilarity and usually outdo me in causing trouble. For example, at the end of the second cruise (which was why there was not a third cruise) when Carnival made the grievous mistake of running out of coffee in the free dining area and charging $3.50 a pop at the specialty cafe my cousins and I banded together in a mutinous action, marching through the halls screaming “Carnival Sucks”. That night ended with a near fist-fight between my cousin and an overwhelmed security guard and a meeting between my uncle and the head of security who kindly implied that we never sail with them again.

Clearly, my family was not the cause of my suffering on the cruise — everyone ELSE was. To sum up the population that surrounded me here is a quote from a conversation that I overheard: “At least he did something, people can say what they want, but I admire him [George Bush] for doing something [Iraq, Afghanistan, ushering the US into economic collapse].” Um, yeah.

After two tours around the Caribbean on an over-sized boat/water-bound-Hilton-with-adjoining-mini-mall I said: “You couldn’t pay me to get back on a Cruise Ship.”

Two years later I was cast a lead on a pilot.
Yes! Amazing! Woohoo!

Pack your bags, we are filming it on a cruise ship.
What?!

And not just any cruise, but a Sweet Cruise and not just any pilot but one called “The Lez Boat”.

Check back tomorrow and I’ll let you know how it went.

Savvy travelers know their etiquette- don’t be a space hog. Still, the holidays are always stacked with those once-a-year travelers who seemingly don’t comprehended the idea that the overhead bins are for everyone, and not simply first come first serve (which they are also).

Here now, Gentle Reader, a few reminders to help you and your family get through your holiday trip like a pro:

1. Know your space in the overhead. Stack extra items, instead of placing them side by side so other travelers can have some much-needed overhead real estate.
2. Don’t try and make everything a carry-on. Sure, its tempting, especially with the new charges for checked bags. Try packing lighter if you can. Wherever you are going, there are to these things called ’stores’.
3. Be patient. There’s always one nasty, uptight person traveling on the holidays. Don’t be them!

Remember: the airlines have one real objective- to get you to your destination safely. They will, of course, try and be on time, but traffic control and weather are out of their hands, so be patient, relax and just take a deep breathe.

Why can’t I remember the reasoning behind all the “upsets” when I was a kid. It would really help me to relate to my own. Instead, I reason with them, they fight with me, I threaten to take away whatever fun thing was about to happen, they cry, now we are not going to the pool. That’s all they wanted to do, but instead it’s showers & straight to a museum. While they like museums, they like swimming a lot more. But eating your breakfast & wearing a rain coat are just too much to ask of a 2 & 4 year old. Growing up I remember my parents referring to this comedian “Bill Cosby”, maybe you have heard of him. Quotes like, “I’m going…to…kill…the children” & “BRAIIIIIN DAMAGE”. All I know for sure is if you don’t have a sense of humor with these creatures, someone wouldn’t make it. Oh well, I didn’t want to go sit in a hot tub & relax one last time anyway.

There’s a new report out that says travel is expected to be busier than one might think for the 2009 season.
This, despite worries of Swine Flu and a bad economy (please refer to my previous posts for more on those).

The report was filed following a survey by an independent consulting firm Deloitte Industries. They spoke with 2000 consumers within the U.S. Almost half of those they spoke with (45%) say they plan to make at least one trip during the 2009 holiday season* that will require an overnight stay.

So expect people everywhere- on the road, the train station, and the airport. More on this story as it develops.

*from Thanksgiving through March of next year.

What are you sitting around reading blogs for? Today is a beautiful Sunday all over the United States (thank you weather.com!) Then there’s the dilemma. You can’t figure out which one is tighter: your money or your time. And while the thought of getting out and playing with your  family today sounds just like what the doctor ordered, you find yourself sitting at home, yet again because of these two factors. On and on this downward spiral goes…

Never fear friends….there are gajillions of things you can do right now, many ideas of which yours truly will post here in the coming weeks. Frankly, the ideas are just what they are- ideas. Anyone can have them- the real trick here is to actually DO IT! So please, Gentle Reader, consider this post your official KICK IN THE PANTS; think of me as your family-play-drill-sergeant. So FALL IN SOLDIER!

Staycation Idea:

Our national parks are perhaps our most valued treasure. Anyone who caught the Ken Burns series on PBS recently knows that. Now take itto the next dimension: visit your nearest national park with your family this weekend. To find the one nearest to you, visit the official website here.

The word “Theme Parks” conjures up an image of rides, roller coasters and ferries. But, the theme parks that we have included will add a new dimension to theme park travel and take you into a new world of adventure and fantasy. So book your hotel deals as we take you on a jolly ride to the world’s most unique theme parks.

Diggerland

Diggerland is the name of four theme parks in England, based around the theme of diggers and JCBs. Diggerland is owned by the excavator firm H.E. Services. Book hotels in London and visit one or all of the four parks at Kent, Devon, Durham and Yorkshire. Each park has 19 different rides and drives at Diggerland. The newest rides are the Joyrider and the Digger Dodgems, which were added during the summer of 2008. Each ride is a real construction machine adapted to allow them to be driven by children.

Ride at Diggerland

Parque Tierra Santa

There could be no theme park where you can see a Resurrection every hour. What makes this park unique is that it focuses on the life and times of Jesus. This is a theme park dedicated to Christianity’s most famous protagonist, Christ himself. So after booking your hotel in Buenos Aires and having a helping of steak and tango, head off to the city’s most fascinating cultural attraction: Tierra Santa. This religious wonderland recreates the Bible’s most sacred stories. From the moment you enter the park, it feels like stepping into a completely different era.

Presentation at Parque Tierra Santa

Beijing World Park

Beijing World Park is a theme park that attempts to give visitors the chance to see the world without having to leave Beijing. Book your hotel in Beijing and get access to some of the most prominent International Landmarks at one single place. The park contains about a hundred scaled-down replicas of famous landmarks from nearly 14 countries and regions around the world, including the Tower Bridge in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Great Pyramids in Egypt. There is even a miniature Manhattan, complete with twin towers of the World Trade Center. Each landmark represents its country or region of origin and is situated in the park according to its location on the map.

View of Beijing World Park

With such unique themes and bizarre but amazing ideas, it’s time to plan your visit to these whacky, unique and amazing theme parks.

Images Sourced from: www.wikipedia.org

Woohooooo!
I took my baby on holiday and I liked it!
Jeremy and I took the munchkin to Bath, a lovely city in the south west of england for a week. The city is known for its Georgian architecture (think Jane Austen) and its roman baths (think green sulphurous water and bits of stone) and now, in my mind, for being a little family haven. We intended to stay five nights but ended up extending the trip by two more nights. I discovered so many things in the last week so here are a few highlights:

1) self catering apartments are a great idea when you have a baby. No need to leave when the cleaner comes, no need to eat out every evening, lots of room for the twenty billion items of baby related stuff you brought. Perfect.

2) baby bjorns rock when you are sightseeing. Various attractions didn’t allow for a buggy/stroller so Jeremy carted munchkin round in his baby bjorn and he loved it. So much so that he slept round most of Bath’s fascinating attractions. Interestingly many tourist attractions could let you park the buggy and lend you a baby carrier, how advanced!

3) Baby carriers get dad a lot of attention. From women. Jealous me? Nooooo. I just trailed in the wake listening to all the cooing and catching the megawatt smiles.

4) Panic buying is kinda pointless. Despite carefully studying the weather forecast and apparently packing the entire contents of our house we forgot to bring the raincover for the buggy. Cue much frantic research on google and panicked phone calls to local shops. Ran out and purchased a new cover. Did it rain? Um no. Don’t buy until you really need to.

5) Munchkin is a real giggler now. He laughs all the time especially at his dad dancing ( but hey, he’s not alone in that ) and weirdly, parrot noises. We took him to an animal park and a parrot was making a huge racket. Munchkin laughed on his own for the first time i.e. not at one of us pulling a funny face. Parrots now rock!

6) Father son bonding is lovely. We were so fortunate to have this time together. I really got to see the relationship grow between the two of them. Beautiful.

7) Most of all I learned to let go a little. I had definitely got myself into a fairly rigid routine with the baby which I think you do need to a certain extent but I learned that the world doesn’t end if you shake it up a little. We went out a lot in the morning which I don’t normally do, we bathed the baby in the big bath with me (we have now bathed in Bath, sooooo easily amused), we pretty much ditched the buggy in favour of the baby bjorn, we spent a whole day out of the house and it was fine. Most importantly Munchkin slept in his own room! We all slept better and I think the time has come to do the same at home.
I realized that my way isn’t necessarily the best way and that Jeremy is perfectly capable of making the right decisions for the baby.

In some ways our family holiday made us feel more like a family and I’ll always remember this special time.

Colorado is one of the popular vacation destinations in the United States. It is well known for its famous and beautiful ski-resorts, exciting whitewater rafting, and the majestic canyons casting its mysterious presence on the highway. The great thing about Colorado is the fact that there is always something to do every day of the year. In fact, a lot of tourists converge in Colorado just to view the impressive canyons, or to try out their skiing prowess in the spectacular ski-resorts of the state, and to enjoy splendid summer fun like whitewater rafting or camping out in the great outdoors.

Let your eyes feast on the grandeur of its mesmerizing canyons in the popular semi-desert part of Grand Junction. Stretching thirty two square miles, the sight of these awesome canyons is enough to take your breath away. The rock face of the Colorado canyons are made up of several layers of stone, possessing different hues of red and white, that it is enough to dazzle you with its brilliance and beauty. At the bottom of these canyons, you would be able to find a large assortment of wildlife like golden eagles and bighorn sheep. Prehistoric rocks bearing dinosaur fossils have also been discovered at the base of some of these Colorado canyons.

Another popular spot for that perfect Colorado family vacation are the superb ski-resorts found in Rocky Mountains. Widely popular for their exceptional ski slopes and gorgeous mountain sceneries, they take pride in having some of the best skiing and snowboarding areas in the world. The almost two thousand one hundred meters elevation of these ski-resorts always guarantees a first-rate snow which makes for a really dramatic skiing fun.

In fact, some of the world’s richest and most prominent personalities regularly visit these Colorado ski-resorts to have their winter vacations and to breathe in that  stately vista accorded by the Rocky Mountains. There are other lesser known ski-resorts though which are equally fantastic in terms of skiing conditions. These are the ski-resorts which are within the area called The Gems. A lot of families spend their skiing fun here because aside from being totally affordable, it is less crowded, which means that a lot of time could be spent skiing than waiting for the lift to take you to the top.

Another pleasure activity which you can take pleasure in while having that Colorado family vacation is the whitewater rafting adventure. It is absolutely one of the best places in America with regards to whitewater rafting. Encompassed by imposing and snow-capped mountains, several exhilarating rivers rush down into dramatic canyons, as enthralling sceneries bear witness to its sensational roar. The various challenging twists and unpredictable turns of these mighty rivers make it a great spot for white water rafting.

Without any doubt, your Colorado family vacation will give you fun-filled memories which you will all treasure for many years to come. From white water rafting to delightful skiing adventure, or even just plain jaunts at the canyons, Colorado is definitely an excellent place to spend your family vacation.

…alright readers, I’ll give you a decent post to (hopefully) save my reputation and your sanity. Apologies for the previous brief posts.

So, what’s new you ask? Well, I have been quite the busy bumblebee as usual. I had an extra long weekend in California with my family that was emotionally draining in some aspects and incredibly encouraging in others. I’d like to focus on the sparse encouraging moments.

Yosemite, in my opinion, was the highlight of the trip. I know a handful of people say they “find God” through nature. If you’re one of those people, go to Yosemite and it’ll blow your mind away. The entire valley surrounded by beautiful forests and cascading waterfalls was nothing short of  magnificence. My brother and I had mini adventures throughout our day excursion by climbing up rocks to get closer views of peaks, waterfalls, or just for a better view.

On one occasion, I climbed and weaseled my way through an obstacle course of rocks to sit perched on a massively wide boulder just inches from rushing water. It was at the very moment when I was dually in awe of the view and thinking to myself “What are you on this Earth for?” that God whispered to me “Don’t even worry, just enjoy the view for a minute…And this isn’t even half of what I’ve made for you…There’s more and THAT’S how much I love you.” It was totally moving and gave me chiiiilllls. You can’t even imagine. *sigh* What a wonderful God.

I hope you have a blessed weekend. Don’t forget tomorrow is Daylight Savings Time! FALL BACK, people!

In Him,

NK

From Kaleel ftp etc

It was a fairy tale castle if ever I saw one! And I had seen a few.

It looked brooding and distant surrounded by 410 acres of beautifully groomed, gently rolling green located in Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, in the west of Ireland.
But this 16th century castle proved to be a warm and welcoming place, with a friendly and very accessible staff.

Welcome to Dromoland Castle.

I’d seen more pretensions at places with so much less grace and magic.

Dromoland is luxurious ambiance, for sure, but don’t be put off. That’s only part of the tale of this castle-in-waiting.

The openness and hospitality of the staff are genuine, and they sincerely reach out to children and adults naturally and with terrific good humor.

From Kaleel ftp etc

When we checked in, for example, a tall, handsome gentleman swooped down on us, and carried our luggage to our room. And on the last day, when my wife was frantic with the realization she lost her camera with all the images of our entire trip, this gentleman jumped in a golf cart with Wendie and tore around to the places she had been, looking for the camera.

We found it where it was all along: in her luggage.
And we found out that the helpful man was the director of sales and marketing, Mr. John Hehir, himself getting ready for a flight to the States.

From Kaleel ftp etc

Just another day in his job of keeping guests happy.

As far as activities go, children are welcomed to any of the classic Irish recreational activities, supervised by one of the Dromoland family-friendly staff, like Dromoland Castle’s falconer David Atkinson, a handsome Irishman with a winning smile and winning ways with his falcons.
For the curious there are guided tours of the castle, with a cool introduction to the rich, and occasionally “scary” history…or a fun hide-and-seek in the forests and gardens.

Dromoland has a children’s menu, and for the popular family movie night, some great snacks (that also show up at turn-down) like lollipops, cookies and warm milk, and teddy bears.
Weather permitting, there are pedal Go-Karts and some very intimate small towns nearby to explore.
I personally enjoyed the friendly if noisy ducks hanging around the pocket-size pond.

The Irish, as I have come to know them, are very witty, fun-loving people with big hearts and a ready smile or story to tell.
As they say, although in Gaelic, “May you have the health to meet like this again and again.”

www.dromoland.ie.
sales@dromoland.ie
www.dromolandcollection.ie.

With the economy the way it is today, more and more of us have found that traveling this year might be harder than originally expected. Well fear no longer, Walt Disney is here to save the day with cheap vacations for the budget-conscious traveler. This Florida family vacation destination has many vacation deals as well as added attractions that are opening this year.

New attractions such as Stitch’s SuperSonic Celebration, Hall of Presidents and Move It, Shake It, and Celebrate it, all located in the Magic Kingdom, are sure to excite young and old, and save money. Not only is Disney World adding more attractions, but they are also offering a number of deals valid only until January 1, 2010.

A favorite is the Magic Your Way package that includes accommodations at a Disney resort, a 30-minute arcade game card, Disney’s PhotoPass, Planet Hollywood $15 gift certificate and much more. To see what else this package has to offer, visit www.mousesavers.com/myw2009.html.

If you need a rental car for your family vacation, be sure to check out the great SUV rental deals Budget has to offer at the Orlando Airport. And for travelers who like freebies, visit Budget’s Snapfish promotion. You can get 50 free 4”x 6” prints through Snapfish just for pre-paying your car rental. The best part is that pre-paid rates are discounted, too!