Road Trip To Iowa 2105

I thought I was super mom... Pinteresting car activities, putting together little bags for the kids, prepacking snacks...  Let's just say, the kids don't end up picking things you think are a hit, and yet they lose their head over something you think is insignificant. (Sticky hand that I bought in 2007 for a long plane trip is a perfect example.)

Soleil did like the binder I put together with pencil zip cases, filled with stickers, tiny smelly markers, post it notes, and a mini watercolor kit that I picked up at Walmart an hour before we got on the road.  I think the smelly markers got the best mileage.  The Kindergarten book was mostly ignored.  Tate, on the other hand, wanted an Archie Comic.  And notebooks.

Sidenote:  Tate has been obsessed with notebooks his entire life.  If you a longtime reader, you know that he was addicted to Blues Clues when little, and from the moment he could hold one, a notebook has been his FAVORITE thing.  He hasn't grown out of that.  He recently went to the store, saw that notebooks were 17 cents a piece, and spent his own money to buy 18 EIGHTEEN of them.  I put them away, so that he doesn't bend them all up by December, only to ask for more for Christmas.  What does he write in his notebooks?  Everything.  Plants v Zombies scenarios, Angry Birds scenarios, diagrams, short stories, journal entries a la Diary of Wimpy Kid (these are my favorite, because they are hilarious.), lists, lists, lists.  

On the way to Iowa, we spent the night in Saugatuck and visited my dear friend, Jean.  It is on Lake Michigan, and we all really wanted to go to the beach.  It is gorgeous, but oh my, is it COLD.

We stopped at Crane's Restaurant on our way out of town.

Finally, we arrived in Iowa.  Paul is from there, and his best friends all live there.  We went for his high school reunion, and for his town's annual festival.  There was a lot of this:

And the younger generation version of the same thing:

Tate played mini golf, which is one of his favorite things to do. 

Soleil and I got out one afternoon to get a pedicure and to shop at the mall.  She wanted to ride like a baby, so I let her!

Tate was very happy to be with his Iowa friends. 

The big boys played video games as well.  They all went to see the movie, Pixels, and then were inspired to fire up the centipede when they got home. 

They didn't want to say goodbye!  Such a good trip. 

Frankenmuth, MI

So I thought Frankenmuth was just a big Christmas store and a Famous Chicken Dinner.  Boy was I wrong!! It is the cutest Bavarian looking village in the middle of Michigan.  We didn't even get to the Christmas store, as there were so many places to go in the one short day we were there.  We also happened to show up on a day that had live music outside, which added to the ambiance. The kids and I went with my mom and dad, and had a great time.

Fairy Gardens everywhere!

Walt Disney World with Friends

Believe me when I tell you that this was the best vacation that I have had in nine years.  It wasn't one thing, as these things usually aren't... it was the combination of it all.  We had good friends to share the experience with, I didn't have a child in diapers or one that required naps, and we were in Disney World.

I grew up in FL.  I've been Disney a bazillion times.  But this time I saw it with new eyes: going with children is a completely different experience.  We took Tate to EuroDisney when he was almost 4.  He liked it, but didn't love it, and it was fun but not the amazing-attention-to-every-detail experience that we had at Disney World.

The customer service, as soon as your feet touch Disney soil, is amazing.  They really do treat you like a Disney Princess! In fact, one of the cast members even called me "Princess"!  (This goes a long way for a 41 year old mom who is feeling less than perfect these days.)  The food was amazing, the weather was beyond, and while we were on the go for the 4 short days we were there, we returned feeling rejuvenated and pampered.

And now for the photos:

NYC-Niagara Falls-Michigan

 Lady Liberty

 My Grandma's apartment building when she lived in NYC.

 A boy & his baguette.

 NYC Public Library.  In his element.

My sweet Bella, who drove in just to have brunch with us!

Books & Games--perfect for my kiddos.

  On to Canada...

  Finally to our destination.

 Our baby bamboo, from our dear friends, The Miravites, made the trip.  

It helped make our new house cozy.

"Slowly but surely" has been our unpacking motto. 

Our only "finished" room, aside from the purple paint that Tate is requesting we change. 

Guest Blogger: Travel with Pets!

I am honored to have my first guest post from @KendraThornton, a travel tweeter and TV personality with a Chicago following.  We are collaborating on a few articles, as we both have travelled often and would love share our experiences with you.

How to Keep Your Pets Comfortable When Traveling

by @KendraThornton.

Bringing pets on vacation is both fun and challenging. I wouldn't even consider not bringing our beloved family dog with us when we travel, but it does take some special preparations. I'm having family visiting me here in Chicago next month, and they'll be bringing along their own dog. I've shared some tips with them that I've been applying for years and I'll share some of them with you as well.

If you're traveling with a dog, flying should be avoided if at all possible. Airlines have different policies regarding pets, but the main point to keep in mind is that dogs hate to fly. A flight of any length is likely to be traumatic for your pet, especially if it has to fly in cargo. Smaller dogs may be allowed to sit with you in a carrying case, but this isn't exactly fun for them either. It's better to take a little extra time and drive. At least then the dog can get occasional breaks along the way.

If you're going to be driving a long distance, crating the dog is sometimes the best option. I don't like to do this, as it feels like we're locking our dog up in a little prison. However, many pet experts say that this is the best way to keep the dog feeling secure. It's also safer than having a dog jumping all over the car. Remember, it's only for a limited period of time. When I do crate our dog, I make sure to give her plenty of exercise beforehand.

On some vacations, we go out on boats and like to take our dog along. When we do this, we always put a flotation vest on our dog. This is an essential safety tip to keep in mind if you ever bring your dog near water. Even dogs that can swim can get into trouble if they fall into the water. They could get tired or pulled into a strong current. Make sure you bring a flotation vest for your dog if you're vacationing near water.

Before we take our dog on vacation, I make certain preparations. I always take her to the vet for a checkup. It's good to get a certified statement from the vet to confirm that the dog is healthy and has all the mandatory vaccinations. Before you travel, make sure you research any laws or restrictions involving animals. We've also micro chipped our dog, which is a procedure I recommend to all pet owners. This can be a lifesaver if your pet ever gets lost.

When we go on vacation, I try to maintain the same routine for our dog as I follow at home. In the heart of Chicago there are some great hotels for both families and dogs that will help you stay in that routine. While some things are going to be different, I can at least feed and walk her at the same time as usual. I also bring along some of her favorite foods and treats to make her feel at home.

Williamsburg Mini Trip

Williamsburg, VA in only about 40 miles away from our house.  I, however, have never been, and needed a little getaway with the kids to just relax and get away from the routine of life.

We packed a few changes of clothes, filled a big rubbermaid container with games, legos, characters for Soleil, cards, and art supplies.  I also packed a bag with snacks and drinks, and sought out a deal on priceline.  My kids LOVE hotels, and it really didn't matter where we stayed, but we ended up lucking out big time...

We booked the Historic Powhatan Resort for about $80 total per night.  We headed northward, and since it was raining hard, and it was Friday, it took us about an hour and half to get through the tunnel to Williamsburg.  The kids were amazing, and didn't care... they had a huge snack bag, and I gave in, and threw in a movie in the car's DVD player.

We finally arrived to the hotel and pulled in to this beautiful resort.  The units are like little town houses, 4 in a row.  We had an upper level, which consisted of a living room, bedroom with king size bed and bathroom, an additional bathroom and a small, well thought out kitchen.  It also had another set of stairs within the unit (steep, but carpeted) that led up to another small room that had 2 twin beds in it!!  We were just expecting a standard hotel room, and got so much more!

And then we drove around the resort.  There was an indoor pool, with 2 hot tubs, recreation room with scheduled activities, a nice restaurant, tennis courts (you could check out equipment on site), good playground, and mini golf!! We hit the jackpot.

I didn't turn on the computer all weekend.  We played games, the kids played nicely, we had no other responsibilities and it was DELIGHTFUL.  Phase 10 is a great game, and Soleil will play forever with little characters.

 We did go into Colonial Williamsburg, which to be honest, is not interesting to little kids.  They did love the gardens behind the historical buildings, and we played there in the beautiful VA sun.  We tried "Queen's Cake" from the bakeshop--it was horrible.  We joked and said that it must have been baked in the 1700s.