Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Orlando, FL: Mel's Drive-In in Universal Studios
We had chicken strips and fries, a kids mac n cheese with grapes and carrots, a root beer float, and a milkshake. Everything was really good. The atmosphere was pretty cool too. We loved looking at all the cars outside. Eat here! It's a great break. There is indoor seating and outdoor seating.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Orlando, FL: Universal Studios Resort-Islands of Adventure
Universal Studios Resort: Islands of Adventure
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 224-4233
The heroes were by far my son's favorite part! They are so great with kids. It's amazing. Spiderman showed him how to shoot webs. Captain America showed him how to pose like a super hero. The rides were great. Now that we're home, our little 5-year-old can't stop talking about how amazing his birthday was at Universal. Everyone should bring their kids here.
My first tip is to get in line as soon as you see a superhero or character that you want to take a picture with. You may find that this will be the only time you see these people. Sometimes, they're hard to find.
And everyone, please note these very simple rules:
1. There is a line and there will always be a line. This line might not always be very long. And sometimes, this line will form before the character even arrives! So please, do not assume that you can just walk up to the superhero and get your picture taken with them. I saw someone do this (as if they didn't even notice the huge line) and they were very rudely (and justly) told by the people in the front to go to the back!
2. When the times on your map say that the character will be there from 2pm-2:30pm, you can get in line to see them until 2:30. However, once this time has been reached, there will be an employee standing at the end of the line to tell everyone that this is the end of the line. Don't get angry. Accept it.
The Spiderman ride is so much fun! It's similar to the Transformers ride. Go on it! I would say it's worth the long line that inevitably forms.
The Cat in the Hat ride is kind of boring. It's not terrible or anything, but unless you have small children, I would skip it.
The Incredible Hulk coaster is always a very long line so unless you're super attached to sitting next to the people you're with, go through the single rider line. It usually cuts the wait time in about half. My husband was the only one that wanted to ride this ride, so he did this while we waited outside.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is a cute little ride that all small children should ride! If you don't follow along with the song, you could get a little wet (my son did this on purpose!).
Pteranadon Flyers. Oh what should I say. First of all, please know that this ride has a very small window of height allowed for children. And as an adult, you can only ride this with a child that fits in those height restrictions. And the people at the beginning of the line are kind of rude. They are there to make everyone aware of these strict height rules. However, my husband wanted to stand with us in line and then just walk through while my son and I rode this and they told him he couldn't do that. What? Seriously? I don't care about your stupid wait times! They're always wrong anyway so maybe it would do some good to throw a couple extra people in the line to make the times even more realistic. He had to just find someplace to sit while we waited in line for close to an hour! The point is, know all of this in advance so that you're not disappointed.
Storm Force Accelatron is a fun little ride. It's basically the same as one of those teacup rides. It's located right next to the Hulk coaster.
Oh! The Stories You'll Hear! is worth seeing if the time intersects with the time you're free. After the show, the characters do meet and greets. This is a great time to take pictures with these characters. You can get all of them in one fail swoop.
These are the only rides we rode on while we were there. I hope this helps!
6000 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 224-4233
The heroes were by far my son's favorite part! They are so great with kids. It's amazing. Spiderman showed him how to shoot webs. Captain America showed him how to pose like a super hero. The rides were great. Now that we're home, our little 5-year-old can't stop talking about how amazing his birthday was at Universal. Everyone should bring their kids here.
My first tip is to get in line as soon as you see a superhero or character that you want to take a picture with. You may find that this will be the only time you see these people. Sometimes, they're hard to find.
And everyone, please note these very simple rules:
1. There is a line and there will always be a line. This line might not always be very long. And sometimes, this line will form before the character even arrives! So please, do not assume that you can just walk up to the superhero and get your picture taken with them. I saw someone do this (as if they didn't even notice the huge line) and they were very rudely (and justly) told by the people in the front to go to the back!
2. When the times on your map say that the character will be there from 2pm-2:30pm, you can get in line to see them until 2:30. However, once this time has been reached, there will be an employee standing at the end of the line to tell everyone that this is the end of the line. Don't get angry. Accept it.
The Spiderman ride is so much fun! It's similar to the Transformers ride. Go on it! I would say it's worth the long line that inevitably forms.
The Cat in the Hat ride is kind of boring. It's not terrible or anything, but unless you have small children, I would skip it.
The Incredible Hulk coaster is always a very long line so unless you're super attached to sitting next to the people you're with, go through the single rider line. It usually cuts the wait time in about half. My husband was the only one that wanted to ride this ride, so he did this while we waited outside.
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is a cute little ride that all small children should ride! If you don't follow along with the song, you could get a little wet (my son did this on purpose!).
Pteranadon Flyers. Oh what should I say. First of all, please know that this ride has a very small window of height allowed for children. And as an adult, you can only ride this with a child that fits in those height restrictions. And the people at the beginning of the line are kind of rude. They are there to make everyone aware of these strict height rules. However, my husband wanted to stand with us in line and then just walk through while my son and I rode this and they told him he couldn't do that. What? Seriously? I don't care about your stupid wait times! They're always wrong anyway so maybe it would do some good to throw a couple extra people in the line to make the times even more realistic. He had to just find someplace to sit while we waited in line for close to an hour! The point is, know all of this in advance so that you're not disappointed.
Storm Force Accelatron is a fun little ride. It's basically the same as one of those teacup rides. It's located right next to the Hulk coaster.
Oh! The Stories You'll Hear! is worth seeing if the time intersects with the time you're free. After the show, the characters do meet and greets. This is a great time to take pictures with these characters. You can get all of them in one fail swoop.
These are the only rides we rode on while we were there. I hope this helps!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Orlando, FL: Golden Corral
Golden Corral
5535 Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL
(407) 447-1032
Our son is notorious for going places and then not eating. Well, good old Golden Corral had tons of choices and he ate an entire plate full. They had cotton candy for dessert. Everything was delicious. If our picky family can find things to eat, anyone can. And the price was good too. The biggest downside to this place are the people that work there. They seem to be quite trashy and very loud, which is not the greatest when you have a small child with you.
5535 Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL
(407) 447-1032
Our son is notorious for going places and then not eating. Well, good old Golden Corral had tons of choices and he ate an entire plate full. They had cotton candy for dessert. Everything was delicious. If our picky family can find things to eat, anyone can. And the price was good too. The biggest downside to this place are the people that work there. They seem to be quite trashy and very loud, which is not the greatest when you have a small child with you.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Orlando, FL: Best Western
Best Western Plus Universal Inn
5618 Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL
(407) 226-9119
website
Everything about this hotel is exactly on par with what we are used to when it comes to Best Westerns. The room seemed clean. The breakfast was pretty good. The pool was nice. They had towels by the pool. Good location. It was right behind Universal and there were lots of food choices nearby. Great value. There is a shuttle to and from Universal (and Sea World). The times while we were there were leaving at 8am and 10am and coming back at 5pm and 8pm. You just have to sign up the night before. There is a mini fridge and a microwave in the room. With a Walgreens so close, you can easily eat a couple meals in your room if you want. Breakfast was pretty normal. Your usual meat, waffle, pastries, fruit selection with coffee and juice. My only complaint was when we first got there, it was really late (11pm) and we just wanted to check in so that we could go to bed and the guy at the front desk was on a call for about 10 minutes. But that's it. I definitely recommend staying here.
Overall, I would give this place a 4/5.
5618 Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL
(407) 226-9119
website
Everything about this hotel is exactly on par with what we are used to when it comes to Best Westerns. The room seemed clean. The breakfast was pretty good. The pool was nice. They had towels by the pool. Good location. It was right behind Universal and there were lots of food choices nearby. Great value. There is a shuttle to and from Universal (and Sea World). The times while we were there were leaving at 8am and 10am and coming back at 5pm and 8pm. You just have to sign up the night before. There is a mini fridge and a microwave in the room. With a Walgreens so close, you can easily eat a couple meals in your room if you want. Breakfast was pretty normal. Your usual meat, waffle, pastries, fruit selection with coffee and juice. My only complaint was when we first got there, it was really late (11pm) and we just wanted to check in so that we could go to bed and the guy at the front desk was on a call for about 10 minutes. But that's it. I definitely recommend staying here.
Overall, I would give this place a 4/5.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
A cute teacher gift basket (mostly from Etsy!)
I'm only a substitute at a preschool so I've never actually received any teacher gifts. However, since my son started preschool this 2014-2015 school year, I have given a couple. Now, as I am preparing to make a couple more for the end of the year, I am looking around for a couple ideas. Now, I will not be using these for myself because I think some of these wouldn't be necessary. After all, in my son's preschool, the teachers don't even have their own desks. However, as he grows and has teachers that are in elementary school, I want to keep some of these ideas for later.
Now, before we get started, I would like to point out that I don't think teacher gifts are always necessary. I have had some terrible teachers growing up that were mean and didn't care about me as a student at all. Personally, I don't think they really needed anything. However, there are so many amazing teachers that go above and beyond when it comes to caring for their students and I think we, as parents, should recognize that and give them a little something extra. That doesn't mean that you need to spend a ton of money on gifts. Especially if your child is in junior high or high school and they have like 10 different teachers! Yikes!
And honestly, most teachers would probably appreciate just a gift card more than anything else. But that's just not my style. Sorry teachers. So this is what I've come up with.
Personally, I like gift baskets. They are my bread and butter when it comes to gift giving. For a really successful gift basket, you have to start with the vessel. This doesn't necessarily have to be a basket. It can be some kind of drink container. Or a bag. Or a crocheted basket (I sell those!). Or go to Dollar Tree and look for something. I know sometimes these can look cheap, but honestly, it's not the basket that matters. And if you think it does, then get one of the things I suggested earlier. You can find something small or large there:
Like this mason jar
or this basket
or one of these
Now, for the stuff you're going to put in there. Again, gift cards are great. Or personalized items. Or practical teacher things. Unless you know the teacher you're making this for loves a specific food item, I would leave any edibles out. Here are a couple things I've found on Etsy:
Personalized stationary like these chevron apple notepads are a great choice. They come in 3 different sizes ranging from $6-$15. Add some cute pens or pencils to make this gift even better.
I love this cute personalized desk name plate that you can get for $14.95.
So of course I had to choose something from my own shop to put in here. But seriously! How cute are these little pencils! They come in 3 different sizes and range from $10-$14
And for my personal favorite, this amazing personalized stamp. How cute is that? It costs $10.50. And trust me when I say this (because I've recently bought something from this woman's shop), from the time that you order it to the time that you receive it is very fast compared to most things you will buy on Etsy. Now add in a stamp pad and you're good to go!
Now, if you were to buy a nice basket and buy every single one of these things, it could easily cost you $100. I don't think any teacher expects you to spend that much on them unless that teacher happens to work at an exclusive private school that costs as much as college. I would only buy one or two of these things and then fill the rest with cheaper items like drink mix-ins or pencils and pens.
At the very least, I hope this helped to add some inspiration for a clever teacher's gift.
Let me know in the comments what you've given to your kids' teachers.
Now, before we get started, I would like to point out that I don't think teacher gifts are always necessary. I have had some terrible teachers growing up that were mean and didn't care about me as a student at all. Personally, I don't think they really needed anything. However, there are so many amazing teachers that go above and beyond when it comes to caring for their students and I think we, as parents, should recognize that and give them a little something extra. That doesn't mean that you need to spend a ton of money on gifts. Especially if your child is in junior high or high school and they have like 10 different teachers! Yikes!
And honestly, most teachers would probably appreciate just a gift card more than anything else. But that's just not my style. Sorry teachers. So this is what I've come up with.
Personally, I like gift baskets. They are my bread and butter when it comes to gift giving. For a really successful gift basket, you have to start with the vessel. This doesn't necessarily have to be a basket. It can be some kind of drink container. Or a bag. Or a crocheted basket (I sell those!). Or go to Dollar Tree and look for something. I know sometimes these can look cheap, but honestly, it's not the basket that matters. And if you think it does, then get one of the things I suggested earlier. You can find something small or large there:
Like this mason jar
or this basket
or one of these
Now, for the stuff you're going to put in there. Again, gift cards are great. Or personalized items. Or practical teacher things. Unless you know the teacher you're making this for loves a specific food item, I would leave any edibles out. Here are a couple things I've found on Etsy:
Personalized stationary like these chevron apple notepads are a great choice. They come in 3 different sizes ranging from $6-$15. Add some cute pens or pencils to make this gift even better.
I love this cute personalized desk name plate that you can get for $14.95.
So of course I had to choose something from my own shop to put in here. But seriously! How cute are these little pencils! They come in 3 different sizes and range from $10-$14
Now, if you were to buy a nice basket and buy every single one of these things, it could easily cost you $100. I don't think any teacher expects you to spend that much on them unless that teacher happens to work at an exclusive private school that costs as much as college. I would only buy one or two of these things and then fill the rest with cheaper items like drink mix-ins or pencils and pens.
At the very least, I hope this helped to add some inspiration for a clever teacher's gift.
Let me know in the comments what you've given to your kids' teachers.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Travel: Flying With Young Kids
We tend to take a vacation at least once a year. I would rather spend my money traveling than on things. But don't get me wrong, we have plenty of things too. That being said, we didn't start taking our son with us until just 1 ½ short years ago when he was 3 ½. Now, he has just turned 5 and we took him on a plane for the 3rd time (8th if you count round trips and layovers). I'm no expert by any means, but I have been lucky enough to have a near-perfect child during these flights! He's a brat sometimes, but with lots of planning and research, I have found different ways to entertain him. Even with all this planning, it has been by pure luck that we haven't had a meltdown with crying and yelling. Here are some of my tips for a toddler happy flight:
1. Bring snacks. You don't necessarily need to pack a large amount of snacks, but rather a large variety of snacks. Kids get distracted and bored of snacks as easily as they do with toys. So they may only eat a little bit of something and then want to move on to another thing.
2. Bring something to draw/color with. This can be as simple as a pencil and some plain paper. Kids don't care. They just love to draw and color. Older children will appreciate the coloring pages more. What I do is print out some coloring pages that have something to do with our destination. Disney Cruise: Mickey, Nemo, Olaf, etc. Universal Studios Resort: Spiderman, Minions, Harry Potter, etc. The Beach (anywhere): Starfish, Whale, the Beach, etc.
3. Bring Travel Presents. These don't have to be anything overly grand, but my mom used to give me travel presents when I was little and I loved it so I now do it for my boy. This last trip was during his birthday so some of the gifts he got this time were a little bigger than normal, but you'll get the idea. Some of the things he got include: Spiderman Pez, Avengers Play Pack (seriously! Those play packs are awesome!), a couple books (for nightly storytime), a new movie, some Lego minifigures, and some twistables crayons (to go with those coloring pages I printed out)! We even wrapped them up in tissue paper so they were like real presents.
4. Load some movies and TV shows onto your phone. Or bring a portable DVD player. If you're one of those people that has very strict screen time rules for your kids, I get it, but this is supposed to be vacation and it's most likely that while you're at your destination, your kids will be doing things and not watching TV so just relax on those rules for the short couple of hours you'll be traveling.
5. Go to the bathroom right before your plane starts boarding. Kids have small bladders. If they need to pee during the flight, sometimes it's really difficult to get back to the bathroom. When they bring those huge carts through to get you a drink, it's really difficult to get past them sometimes and trying to do that with a child is nearly impossible. It's just easier to go potty before you leave. But even then, sometimes you have to make a trip to the back for the bathroom.
6. Pack light. I know so many people are into the whole carry-on luggage thing where they pack everything for their trip in their carry-ons and not check any luggage. I'm not one of those people. In fact, most of the time, I find some of these people to be extremely annoying. Why? Because they stand right next to the counter and wait so they can be the first person in their boarding group to board so that they can take up all the overhead space and not leave any room for anyone else. It doesn't really seem fair that I'm the first person to be anywhere near my seat and the overhead space is already taken. Well, this is the reason that my husband and I started bringing small, tiny carry-ons. My son has a small backpack. I have a large purse. My husband has a regular-sized backpack. That's it. We don't bring a giant carry on plus our personal item. This really does make everything easier though when traveling with a child. You have less things to worry about. You have less things to keep track of.
7. Go with the flow. This is very important. Sometimes flights get delayed. Sometimes kids throw hissy fits. Sometimes other people are extremely rude and as much as I want to yell at them to quit being a jerk, it's important to remember that this is your vacation and there's no reason to get upset. In the end, everything will work itself out. If the airline loses your luggage, just go to the store and buy some cheap t-shirts and some toiletries to get you through (keep your expensive electronics in your carry-on).
What are some of your tips for flying with kids? I want to know!
1. Bring snacks. You don't necessarily need to pack a large amount of snacks, but rather a large variety of snacks. Kids get distracted and bored of snacks as easily as they do with toys. So they may only eat a little bit of something and then want to move on to another thing.
2. Bring something to draw/color with. This can be as simple as a pencil and some plain paper. Kids don't care. They just love to draw and color. Older children will appreciate the coloring pages more. What I do is print out some coloring pages that have something to do with our destination. Disney Cruise: Mickey, Nemo, Olaf, etc. Universal Studios Resort: Spiderman, Minions, Harry Potter, etc. The Beach (anywhere): Starfish, Whale, the Beach, etc.
3. Bring Travel Presents. These don't have to be anything overly grand, but my mom used to give me travel presents when I was little and I loved it so I now do it for my boy. This last trip was during his birthday so some of the gifts he got this time were a little bigger than normal, but you'll get the idea. Some of the things he got include: Spiderman Pez, Avengers Play Pack (seriously! Those play packs are awesome!), a couple books (for nightly storytime), a new movie, some Lego minifigures, and some twistables crayons (to go with those coloring pages I printed out)! We even wrapped them up in tissue paper so they were like real presents.
4. Load some movies and TV shows onto your phone. Or bring a portable DVD player. If you're one of those people that has very strict screen time rules for your kids, I get it, but this is supposed to be vacation and it's most likely that while you're at your destination, your kids will be doing things and not watching TV so just relax on those rules for the short couple of hours you'll be traveling.
5. Go to the bathroom right before your plane starts boarding. Kids have small bladders. If they need to pee during the flight, sometimes it's really difficult to get back to the bathroom. When they bring those huge carts through to get you a drink, it's really difficult to get past them sometimes and trying to do that with a child is nearly impossible. It's just easier to go potty before you leave. But even then, sometimes you have to make a trip to the back for the bathroom.
6. Pack light. I know so many people are into the whole carry-on luggage thing where they pack everything for their trip in their carry-ons and not check any luggage. I'm not one of those people. In fact, most of the time, I find some of these people to be extremely annoying. Why? Because they stand right next to the counter and wait so they can be the first person in their boarding group to board so that they can take up all the overhead space and not leave any room for anyone else. It doesn't really seem fair that I'm the first person to be anywhere near my seat and the overhead space is already taken. Well, this is the reason that my husband and I started bringing small, tiny carry-ons. My son has a small backpack. I have a large purse. My husband has a regular-sized backpack. That's it. We don't bring a giant carry on plus our personal item. This really does make everything easier though when traveling with a child. You have less things to worry about. You have less things to keep track of.
7. Go with the flow. This is very important. Sometimes flights get delayed. Sometimes kids throw hissy fits. Sometimes other people are extremely rude and as much as I want to yell at them to quit being a jerk, it's important to remember that this is your vacation and there's no reason to get upset. In the end, everything will work itself out. If the airline loses your luggage, just go to the store and buy some cheap t-shirts and some toiletries to get you through (keep your expensive electronics in your carry-on).
What are some of your tips for flying with kids? I want to know!
Monday, April 27, 2015
Diet
So, today I started a new diet. It just needs to happen. I don't know how I've let myself get this far. Currently, I weigh 320 pounds.
There are a couple reasons I want to lose weight. One being my son. I want to be able to do all the fun things like run around and play sports with him. I also want him to grow up to be healthy and I feel like I'm not setting a very good example for him. My other reason is purely selfish. This year, we went to Universal Studios Resort in Orlando. I did my best, but I was very exhausted at the end of every day. We had to take multiple breaks because I physically couldn't walk anymore. I couldn't fit in some of the rides because I was too fat. While our vacation was amazing and I had a great time, I could have had a better time if I were in better shape.
In 4 months, we're going to Washington, D.C. for my husband's cousin's wedding. While there, we're going to spend 1.5 days seeing the sights. That is a lot to do in a short amount of time so we're not going to have any time for breaks. I need to get in better shape! Then, in almost exactly 1 year, we're going down to Florida for my best friend's wedding. I'm going to be a bridesmaid and I'm the only fat one so it would be great to not look completely out of place. In exactly 1.5 years, we will be going to Disney World! I'm so excited to bring my son. But I don't want that vacation to be like the one to Universal. I want to enjoy everything! I don't want to have to ruin everyone's time by taking lots of breaks.
Let's get started! Do this with me! Today, we are going to eat right. We're also going to start slow with our workout routine and go for a walk. Then, we're also going to prepare breakfast and lunch for the rest of the week.
There are a couple reasons I want to lose weight. One being my son. I want to be able to do all the fun things like run around and play sports with him. I also want him to grow up to be healthy and I feel like I'm not setting a very good example for him. My other reason is purely selfish. This year, we went to Universal Studios Resort in Orlando. I did my best, but I was very exhausted at the end of every day. We had to take multiple breaks because I physically couldn't walk anymore. I couldn't fit in some of the rides because I was too fat. While our vacation was amazing and I had a great time, I could have had a better time if I were in better shape.
In 4 months, we're going to Washington, D.C. for my husband's cousin's wedding. While there, we're going to spend 1.5 days seeing the sights. That is a lot to do in a short amount of time so we're not going to have any time for breaks. I need to get in better shape! Then, in almost exactly 1 year, we're going down to Florida for my best friend's wedding. I'm going to be a bridesmaid and I'm the only fat one so it would be great to not look completely out of place. In exactly 1.5 years, we will be going to Disney World! I'm so excited to bring my son. But I don't want that vacation to be like the one to Universal. I want to enjoy everything! I don't want to have to ruin everyone's time by taking lots of breaks.
Let's get started! Do this with me! Today, we are going to eat right. We're also going to start slow with our workout routine and go for a walk. Then, we're also going to prepare breakfast and lunch for the rest of the week.
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Travel: Snack Buffet
My husband and I were trying to come up with some ideas for what to bring as far as snacks for the flight down to Florida this year. I first saw this idea somewhere on Pinterest and decided to do my own take on it.
First I went to the store and looked for the perfect box for our snack buffet. I found a box that I thought would do the trick. It seemed like a lot of them just snapped closed, but then I found this one that latched closed so I thought that looked the most secure. I found it at Wal-Mart for $3.99. I brought it home and my husband, son, and I started planning the little boy's snack buffet box. Well, my husband and I thought it sounded really cool so we decided to go back to the store and buy two more! We each wanted one for the plane ride.
For snacks, we decided to go for a wide range of things. I thought it was important that everyone have a fruit or vegetable (we all chose fruit), meat, cheese, something salty, some kind of cracker, and something sweet. Plus, everything had to be kind of small so that we could fit a lot into each section. But I liked how these boxes could be customized with how small or large the sections were. This general idea is how we got to our final plan.
My Box: Reese's Pieces, pretzel sticks, cubed cheese, goldfish, starbursts, summer sausage, seasoned crackers, and grapes. (I thought it would be fun to stick the pretzel sticks in the cubed cheese.)
My Son's Box: Jelly Beans, MnMs, summer sausage, pepperonis, goldfish, pretzel sticks, seasoned crackers, Ritz Bits with cheese, and grapes.
My Husband's Box: Teddy Grahams, Peanuts, Hershey Kisses, goldfish, dried pineapple wedges, cubed cheese, seasoned crackers, and beef jerky.
These boxes really worked out well for us. When we got to our destination, we went to the store and bought some more snack items and then packed one of the boxes every day and took it with us so that we had snacks throughout the day. Then, we refilled them for the flight back, and we were set!
What would you put in your box?
First I went to the store and looked for the perfect box for our snack buffet. I found a box that I thought would do the trick. It seemed like a lot of them just snapped closed, but then I found this one that latched closed so I thought that looked the most secure. I found it at Wal-Mart for $3.99. I brought it home and my husband, son, and I started planning the little boy's snack buffet box. Well, my husband and I thought it sounded really cool so we decided to go back to the store and buy two more! We each wanted one for the plane ride.
For snacks, we decided to go for a wide range of things. I thought it was important that everyone have a fruit or vegetable (we all chose fruit), meat, cheese, something salty, some kind of cracker, and something sweet. Plus, everything had to be kind of small so that we could fit a lot into each section. But I liked how these boxes could be customized with how small or large the sections were. This general idea is how we got to our final plan.
My Box: Reese's Pieces, pretzel sticks, cubed cheese, goldfish, starbursts, summer sausage, seasoned crackers, and grapes. (I thought it would be fun to stick the pretzel sticks in the cubed cheese.)
My Son's Box: Jelly Beans, MnMs, summer sausage, pepperonis, goldfish, pretzel sticks, seasoned crackers, Ritz Bits with cheese, and grapes.
My Husband's Box: Teddy Grahams, Peanuts, Hershey Kisses, goldfish, dried pineapple wedges, cubed cheese, seasoned crackers, and beef jerky.
These boxes really worked out well for us. When we got to our destination, we went to the store and bought some more snack items and then packed one of the boxes every day and took it with us so that we had snacks throughout the day. Then, we refilled them for the flight back, and we were set!
What would you put in your box?
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Travel: How to Plan a Successful Vacation
How to Plan a Successful Vacation:
There are a lot of things that go into planning a great vacation. And for everyone, the definition of a “great” or “successful” vacation is different. Some people love to have every second of every day planned. That sounds good. You're never bored, that's for sure. But for me, I'd rather not have to worry about something taking too long and throwing off the entire day. Some people don't plan anything at all. I've never understood how those vacations turn out. I mean, unless you've never had a great vacation so in your mind, your mediocre vacation is fun because you have nothing great to compare it to. I'm somewhere in the middle. I think this is where a lot of people want to end up, but find it hard to get there.
In fact, my sister was talking to me about how she wishes she could plan her 3 vacations she is going on this year, but just doesn't have the time what with running her own business, having a 1.5-year-old child, and being pregnant with her second. I understand. And these tips I'm going to give you are not going to be easy, quick things you can do in 10 minutes. So let's get started.
Step 1: Set your budget. – If you're planning to do something ridiculous like going to Orlando or Paris or something, then take the budget you have in mind and double it! I'm only slightly exaggerating on this one. For our 5-day Universal Orlando/Legoland trip we just planned, we started with a budget of $2,000 and quickly upped it to $3,500 to accommodate everything we wanted to do. Make sure you budget for souvenirs and food. Those things can really add up.
Step 2: Determine your dates. – Sometimes this is just when everyone in your family is available to go. Other times, you'll want to find out when you can get better deals. You might even be at the mercy of the airline you want to fly with.
Step 3: Book the big stuff. – The big stuff might include your flight, the hotel, a cruise, or a car. These are the things that are most important to your vacation.
Step 4: Book the medium stuff. – For our upcoming trip, this would include park tickets for Universal and Legoland. Sometimes, if you book in advance, you get a discount. Also check with the company you work for. Sometimes they have special discount programs. For a cruise, this might be any excursions you want to take.
Step 5: Book the small stuff. – I got the Photo Connect add-on for Universal which means I got unlimited digital access to all the photos that are taken by Universal employees and the ones taken while on rides. This might also include special dinner reservations, Character meals, renting a stroller, etc. Most of this stuff can probably wait until just a couple weeks before you leave.
Step 6: Research everything. – This is probably the part that will take you the longest. Researching a little before you book anything is essential. You need to make sure you're going to like the hotel you're staying in. However, most of my research occurs after I book the big stuff. This way, I know exactly what I want to book as far as all the extra stuff goes. My two main places for research are Pinterest and TripAdvisor. Without these two websites, I would be lost. Search by location. Search by activity. Search by age. There is so much information out there. I even look up tips on flying with children and what kinds of food to bring on an airplane and packing, oh packing. Yikes!
Step 7: Take notes. – While researching. It is essential to take notes. You're never going to remember everything you read. When you read something you find interesting, jot it down. Or better yet, open up a new WORD document and type it out. I end up with pages and pages of information based on restaurants, activities, hotel, photos, etc. Organize them. Make sure all like information is together.
Step 8: Make a vacation binder. – I have a mini binder where I keep all of this information. I print it out and put it in the binder and divide it into sections. This way, when my husband asks where I want to go for dinner, I can simply refer to the binder in the restaurant section and ask what he's in the mood for. Steak? Great. I have 3 choices for him. No reservation required? Great. Now I have 2 choices. Good children's menu? Awesome. I have just the restaurant. It really is that easy (as long as you can get everyone to agree on what they want).
Step 9: Make lists. – I make lists for everything: things to buy before we leave (travel-sized everything!), things to do before we leave (hold the mail, lock all the windows, turn off the ac), a master packing list, a carry-on list, food to buy when we get there (we don't eat out for every meal), etc. And then I put all these lists in my vacation binder.
Step 10: Pack. – Put all that research that you've done to good use. Oh, during your research, you learned that you should pack lanyards for everyone? Awesome. Put them in that suitcase. You were originally planning to pack 1 tube of sunscreen, but your research shows you might need 2 because purchasing it on the cruise will be VERY expensive? Super. Throw that extra tube in there.
Step 11: Go on vacation. – You might think we're done now, but we're not. While on your vacation, use the binder. Every night before going to bed, it is a good idea to sit down with the decision makers (you and your spouse or the entire family? You decide!) and make a plan for the following day. We do this every night! It helps to not have your entire week planned. This way, if you thought you were going to do certain things during the day, but didn't end up getting to them, you can put them on tomorrow's list without moving things around. Decide on activities and food.
A couple years ago, we decided to go with planning one fun family activity per day and eating out for dinner. We had breakfast and lunch in the condo and then went out for dinner. Dinner didn't take long to plan because we had a nice list of places to go. The same happened when planning our activities. Then, everyone was able to spend the rest of their time doing whatever they wanted to like going to the playground, swimming in the pool, hanging out at the beach, attending a planned activity at the kid's center, etc. It was so great. We weren't bored, but it was still pretty relaxing.
Step 12: Have fun. – Even if all of your planning ends up wasted and nothing works out, just remember that you are spending time with your family and making memories that will last a lifetime. (Too cheesy?)
There are a lot of things that go into planning a great vacation. And for everyone, the definition of a “great” or “successful” vacation is different. Some people love to have every second of every day planned. That sounds good. You're never bored, that's for sure. But for me, I'd rather not have to worry about something taking too long and throwing off the entire day. Some people don't plan anything at all. I've never understood how those vacations turn out. I mean, unless you've never had a great vacation so in your mind, your mediocre vacation is fun because you have nothing great to compare it to. I'm somewhere in the middle. I think this is where a lot of people want to end up, but find it hard to get there.
In fact, my sister was talking to me about how she wishes she could plan her 3 vacations she is going on this year, but just doesn't have the time what with running her own business, having a 1.5-year-old child, and being pregnant with her second. I understand. And these tips I'm going to give you are not going to be easy, quick things you can do in 10 minutes. So let's get started.
Step 1: Set your budget. – If you're planning to do something ridiculous like going to Orlando or Paris or something, then take the budget you have in mind and double it! I'm only slightly exaggerating on this one. For our 5-day Universal Orlando/Legoland trip we just planned, we started with a budget of $2,000 and quickly upped it to $3,500 to accommodate everything we wanted to do. Make sure you budget for souvenirs and food. Those things can really add up.
Step 2: Determine your dates. – Sometimes this is just when everyone in your family is available to go. Other times, you'll want to find out when you can get better deals. You might even be at the mercy of the airline you want to fly with.
Step 3: Book the big stuff. – The big stuff might include your flight, the hotel, a cruise, or a car. These are the things that are most important to your vacation.
Step 4: Book the medium stuff. – For our upcoming trip, this would include park tickets for Universal and Legoland. Sometimes, if you book in advance, you get a discount. Also check with the company you work for. Sometimes they have special discount programs. For a cruise, this might be any excursions you want to take.
Step 5: Book the small stuff. – I got the Photo Connect add-on for Universal which means I got unlimited digital access to all the photos that are taken by Universal employees and the ones taken while on rides. This might also include special dinner reservations, Character meals, renting a stroller, etc. Most of this stuff can probably wait until just a couple weeks before you leave.
Step 6: Research everything. – This is probably the part that will take you the longest. Researching a little before you book anything is essential. You need to make sure you're going to like the hotel you're staying in. However, most of my research occurs after I book the big stuff. This way, I know exactly what I want to book as far as all the extra stuff goes. My two main places for research are Pinterest and TripAdvisor. Without these two websites, I would be lost. Search by location. Search by activity. Search by age. There is so much information out there. I even look up tips on flying with children and what kinds of food to bring on an airplane and packing, oh packing. Yikes!
Step 7: Take notes. – While researching. It is essential to take notes. You're never going to remember everything you read. When you read something you find interesting, jot it down. Or better yet, open up a new WORD document and type it out. I end up with pages and pages of information based on restaurants, activities, hotel, photos, etc. Organize them. Make sure all like information is together.
Step 8: Make a vacation binder. – I have a mini binder where I keep all of this information. I print it out and put it in the binder and divide it into sections. This way, when my husband asks where I want to go for dinner, I can simply refer to the binder in the restaurant section and ask what he's in the mood for. Steak? Great. I have 3 choices for him. No reservation required? Great. Now I have 2 choices. Good children's menu? Awesome. I have just the restaurant. It really is that easy (as long as you can get everyone to agree on what they want).
Step 9: Make lists. – I make lists for everything: things to buy before we leave (travel-sized everything!), things to do before we leave (hold the mail, lock all the windows, turn off the ac), a master packing list, a carry-on list, food to buy when we get there (we don't eat out for every meal), etc. And then I put all these lists in my vacation binder.
Step 10: Pack. – Put all that research that you've done to good use. Oh, during your research, you learned that you should pack lanyards for everyone? Awesome. Put them in that suitcase. You were originally planning to pack 1 tube of sunscreen, but your research shows you might need 2 because purchasing it on the cruise will be VERY expensive? Super. Throw that extra tube in there.
Step 11: Go on vacation. – You might think we're done now, but we're not. While on your vacation, use the binder. Every night before going to bed, it is a good idea to sit down with the decision makers (you and your spouse or the entire family? You decide!) and make a plan for the following day. We do this every night! It helps to not have your entire week planned. This way, if you thought you were going to do certain things during the day, but didn't end up getting to them, you can put them on tomorrow's list without moving things around. Decide on activities and food.
A couple years ago, we decided to go with planning one fun family activity per day and eating out for dinner. We had breakfast and lunch in the condo and then went out for dinner. Dinner didn't take long to plan because we had a nice list of places to go. The same happened when planning our activities. Then, everyone was able to spend the rest of their time doing whatever they wanted to like going to the playground, swimming in the pool, hanging out at the beach, attending a planned activity at the kid's center, etc. It was so great. We weren't bored, but it was still pretty relaxing.
Step 12: Have fun. – Even if all of your planning ends up wasted and nothing works out, just remember that you are spending time with your family and making memories that will last a lifetime. (Too cheesy?)
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Fort Lauderdale: Duffy's Take Out
We searched online for someplace to get take-out because we just really weren't in the mood to go to dinner. We found Duffy's and decided to give it a try. I got Maryland crab cakes with a house salad with ranch and a baked potato. My husband got Caribbean jerk chicken with coleslaw and french fries plus a bowl of lobster bisque. Our son got thin spaghetti with marinara sauce with french fries and mandarin oranges plus chocolate milk.
When my husband went to go get it, thy kept forgetting things. First, they forgot our son's oranges. Then, they forgot his chocolate milk. Then, after my husband came all the way back to our hotel, he realized they forgot my salad. So he graciously went back to the restaurant to get it. Thankfully, the food was quite delicious.
I would have given this place a 5/5 because the food was absolutely delicious. However, since they couldn't get their act together, I can only give them a 3/5. I really hope their service inside is much better than their take-out service.
When my husband went to go get it, thy kept forgetting things. First, they forgot our son's oranges. Then, they forgot his chocolate milk. Then, after my husband came all the way back to our hotel, he realized they forgot my salad. So he graciously went back to the restaurant to get it. Thankfully, the food was quite delicious.
I would have given this place a 5/5 because the food was absolutely delicious. However, since they couldn't get their act together, I can only give them a 3/5. I really hope their service inside is much better than their take-out service.
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