Sand castle masterpieces... and memories too!

On our way to our beach vacation last week, Amelia was jittery with anticipation.

"Mommy! Look behind us and see if Grandma & Granddad are back there."

I explained (as best as I could to a three-year-old), that Grandma and Granddad were coming from a different direction and we'd meet them at the beach house.

6 minutes later...

"Mommy! Look behind us... NOW are Grandma & Granddad back there?"

- - -

Family beach trip 2011 may have been the best one yet. Amelia was at the perfect age to stay out on the sand digging, running, and building castles. She enjoyed the ocean with little trepidation, giggling as waves splashed against her legs. She happily munched crackers and grapes as her feet swung back in forth from the rainbow beach chair. She chattered and smiled. And she bossed around the six adoring adults who were there, seemingly, just to watch HER play.

And this year? We came together as a family team, once again, to build the best sand castles on the beach. One castle per day, growing larger each day:

Day 1:  The Lagoon Castle

Day 2: The Royal Kingdom

Day 3: Majestic Mountain Castle

Day 4: Mega Castle!

It was fun to build these together as a family. Amelia learned our technique early on, and she even helped for a minute or two. She happily played in and around each castle, and we allowed ourselves a touch of pride when other beach-goers stopped for photos. We brought extra smiles to the beach that week, and solidified some magical memories for ourselves too.

Sand art by Amelia
(c) Sep. 2011

Four steps to HAPPY family travel

My husband and I share a love of travel. We work hard during the week, and often jump in the car for day trips of mini overnights on weekends. Once or twice a year, we jet off on a "big" vacation like the Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone, Maine, or an occasional cruise.

(Still can't believe I climbed a glacier!)

Since having Amelia join our family, we have altered our travel style a bit. But only a bit. We still travel annually and on many weekends. We continue to enjoy grand adventures here, there, and everywhere. However, we keep her needs in mind by shortening any selected hikes, making sure our hotel has a pool, keeping our eyes peeled for playgrounds, and scheduling child-friendly down time.

It used to take me days to plan out our trip needs and pack everything. But these days? I can get us in the car in 30 minutes flat.

Want to know my secret?

After stressing out before many vacations, I finally realized something. I can keep Amelia happy as long as I address four major needs. If you cover your bases on these four questions while packing, you will be sitting pretty. On an airplane or in a car, ready to enjoy that break from home and some extra-special family time.

(1) What if the child gets hungry?
One extremely important key to maintaining a happy child travel companion is this: snacks. I make sure to have a lunch tote or backpack full of snack options. Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, granola bars, and yogurt raisins are some of our favorites. I always throw in a special treat as well - something she doesn't get very often, like M&Ms or Skittles. And I save those, snuggled down in the bag, until I she really needs a pick-me-up.

(2) What if the child gets bored?
Long car or airplane trips can be boring for adults, and they are torture for active preschoolers like mine. I always pack several entertainment items, such as coloring books with crayons, an egg of silly putty, books, a favorite toy, and/or stuffed animals or dolls. I have also found that the $1 store can work miracles in this type of packing situation. Five bucks at the dollar store means five activity surprises for your tiny travel partner. And just like the special treat, hide these in the bottom of the goody bag and dispense one at a time as needed. A brand new toy goes a long way towards entertainment. (One note: If you are headed for airplane travel, avoid any toys that make noise! The people sitting in front of your child will thank you.)

(3) What if the child needs to go potty?
This is a crucial part of the trip planning. If your little traveler is in diapers, then just make sure you have at least double the amount of diapers you would normally need during the travel time frame - and several extra outfits. Excess is good here, because you will inevitably face blow-outs or leaks when you least expect it.

If you have a potty-trained preschooler like I do, be aware (as in, never-ending high alert) of any and all bathrooms nearby. Similar to the diaper blow-outs, your child will most certainly beg to go potty once you've passed every available facility for miles. On a road trip, try to stick to roads that have plentiful gas stations, fast food restaurants, or hotels. For air travel, be aware of your flight time and get that child in the bathroom right before the captain requires you in your seat for the 30-minute approach and landing procedure. Fitting both of you in an airplane bathroom is an adventure in itself... but it is optimal compared to having to explain to a flight attendant why your child's seat is now soaked.

(4) What if the child gets tired?
This is the point we had to focus on the most. We enjoyed many active child-free vacations in our early-married days, but these often do not translate well to child-friendly adventures. Before we commit to any hiking trails or outdoor excursions, we have to put ourselves in Amelia's size-11 (and glittery) shoes. Can she walk that far? Is it possible to bring a stroller? Is there a height/age requirement for the activity? We have put some of our favorite excursions aside for now, but it is a sacrifice we are willing to take just to have her at our sides. She experiences new things with such shine and wonder in her eyes - and that is a sight I never want to miss.

Now I am ready for our next big trip!

How about you? Where do you want to take your family?

WW: Germany? Nah... Helen.

Weekend excursion to Helen, Georgia.

Not quite Germany.
(but that pretzel? was amazing!)

Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday: Toy

Why is my home overflowing with toys?



All she needs is a rock!

Part 2: WATER FUN

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses."
 --Joyce Brothers

Did you miss yesterday's post? Part 1: DESERT

So, what else is there to do in a land of dry air, dust and heat? Swimming pools and water parks, of course! I'm so glad we grabbed a waterproof disposable camera - the photo quality isn't the best, but we captured some fun moments!

Vacation, Part 2: WATER FUN


Ahhh, mama needed this!


"Go, Daddy, Go! Yaaay!"


"It's like the ocean!" (wave pool)


Oh, happy day!


Amelia's very first waterslide! So glad they let her go down with us.


New friends: named "plate" and "mama duck" @ Ritz Carlton


How do I make a career out of this?


Last night, different resort. Still loving the pool!

Part 1: DESERT

"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in"
 --Robert Orben

Summer vacation 2011: Arizona

We awoke bright & early and flew into Phoenix. Our agenda? See some desert sites and spend a lot of time splashing in beautiful resort pools.

Mission accomplished.

Vacation, part 1: DESERT


"Wow, we're really high in the sky! It's windy up here."


(Mom, being "creative")


One of the coolest locations for a chapel - ever.


Cougar went everywhere with us - including a morning hike over rocky terrain. He was quite a trooper.


Our desert oasis for the first few nights


"Mommy, is this Snow White's castle? I think it is!" (Actually, Mission San Xavier near Tucson)


Amelia dubbed Arizona "very cactusy".


Tombstone - very dusty. And the site of the shootout at the OK Corral.

Check in tomorrow for Vacation, Part 2: WATER FUN!

All he could eat

Today's post is inspired by The Red Dress Club prompt: gluttony.

The post is fictional (I don't have three kids!), but if you've ever been on a cruise, you know the "Bobs" do exist!

- - -
The minivan was packed. Two large and two medium-sized suitcases proudly displayed colorized tags. The three kids, ages 3, 6, and 11, chattered happily as we merged into the flow of traffic and ventured down I-95 towards the port. We could barely contain our own excitement; we cranked up some summer tunes and smiled.

This year’s cruise? Was going to be memorable. Thanks to savvy saving and a chunk of inheritance from a dearly departed loved one, we were cruising in style. No cramped, tripping-over-luggage, fighting-for-the-tiny-capsule-shower stateroom this year; we were going to enjoy paradise from a family suite. It was going to be fabulous; we would remember our luxury trip for years to come.

Fast forward a couple years. We are still talking and laughing about that vacation. It was memorable, all right; the suite was perfect, the weather was divine. We took great pleasure in awaking each morning to a new, picturesque island view.

But the most memorable? Not exactly what we expected.

Over seven days of cruising, our dinner companion earned a place in family vacation history.

We were assigned a table for eight in the main dining room, which meant our family was joined with another traveling party of three. The two ladies were nice enough; we chatted briefly at the start of each meal, comparing our adventures from the day. We did not speak much to Bob, the man occupying seat number eight. He was not one for talk - he was one for eating.

His eyes were glued to the menu the instant his large behind spread into the chair. “Gotta get my money’s worth”, he often said. (In fact, that may have been the only thing he ever said.)

Night after night, without fail, Bob selected a soup, two appetizers, an entrée, and two desserts from the ship’s featured menu. And he ate it ALL. Every drop, every morsel, every crumb found its way into Bob’s seemingly bottomless belly. My children stared in astonishment as plate after plate of food was presented, cleared, and sent away. They stifled giggles when Bob dripped soup down his shirt (often). Thankfully, they held back giggles when, at the end of each epic eating event, Bob pushed back his chair and loosened the button on his pants.

“Gotta get my money’s worth!” he chuckled, making my stomach churn.

I wish we had a photo of Bob. He was the star of our vacation. The kids insist on mimicking him at the dinner table, frequently shoving food in their faces as quickly as possible, laughing together as they remember how much he ate – and with such fervor.

They are already asking when we will go on another cruise.

I think, perhaps, I’ll insist on a private table for five.

Wordless Wednesday: Can we go NOW?

Dreaming of our upcoming vacation!

On my agenda? Hours in the pool. Maybe a fruity drink or two.

Photo credits: Hilton Hotels and RGBStock.com

Class of 2014...

- - - - - - -

To the graduating class of 2014,

Pick a career that will allow you to retire early.

Sincerely,

Burned out 30-something

- - - - - - -

Working years are long. Stressful. Monotonous. I don't remember my father working the kind of hours most of us are subjected to these days. Somehow, in the past 10+ years, our society has turned rewarding careers into pressure cookers. More work, tighter deadlines, fewer employees. Low overhead. Save money.

I look backward; I long for the days without stress. Weekends were meant for staying out late. For dancing, flirting, movies, and  road trips. But now? Weekends mean projects, household chores, and desperate attempts to catch up on sleep (failed attempts... because a certain child doesn't sleep past "sun come up!").

Retirement? Sounds awesome! No deadlines. No rationing vacation days because you only get so many each year. Spending a month in a house by the ocean just because you can.

I'm a few weeks away from 33 years old, but I am really ready to slow down. Begging to slow down. Not as much for me, but for my husband. I want to see him carefree again. Loose. Calm.

I would also like to stop worrying that he'll have a stress-induced heart attack before age 40.

So, retirement? Wait right there. We trying to reach you as quickly as we can!

Photo credit: Bumper Sticker by Top Tees, available on Zazzle.com

(This post was inspired by fatigue. And Mama Kat's Writers' Workshop prompt: "Something students these days should know".)

Does neon make me look fat?

November 2007.
Babymoon.

A chance to get away from it all and celebrate our last big vacation before the arrival of our bundle of joy.

Whose bright idea was it to go to Las Vegas?

A pregnant woman in Las Vegas fits in about as well as a small-town country girl without a penny to spend.

As my husband and I snaked our way through the crowded Vegas sidewalks, I felt enormous. Amidst all the young and pretty people, I was a whale. My feet were aching and my jacket barely zipped over my protruding belly. The guys handing out those little strip club cards? Took one look at me and quickly pulled in their outstretched arms. I could barely even entertain myself at the roulette wheel for fear of choking my baby with secondhand smoke.

There is a lot of walking to be done in Las Vegas...

A multitude of photo opportunities...

And way too many reasons to stay up late at night.

However, this pregnant mama found some comfort in the midst of sin city.

Large hotel rooms for naptime...

And buffets! Buffets with multiple dessert options. Nothing cures what ails a mommy-to-be like creme brulee. Like gelato. Oh, and cheesecake. Cookies? Yep, those too.

My child is addicted to sugary snacks. I think I blame Las Vegas.

- - - - - -

This week's writing prompt from Studio 30 Plus: LAS VEGAS

"Studio30 Plus, the brain child of Jerrod from The Yellow Factor and Jules from Mean Girl Garage, began one snowy, wintery day in January 2010. Looking for a place where bloggers over the age of 30 could meet up, exchange ideas, make some friends, and find new blogs to read, they put their minds together and formed this growing community."