A few months ago I decided to make a list of the things I want to do in life. Call it a life list, a bucket list, or whatever else you want, for whatever reason I was inspired to start keeping track of the things I’d like to be able to see and do.

Not surprisingly, of the 7 things I put down initially, most were travel related.

One was super random, and I really can’t even explain why it was on there in the first place, besides the fact that it would be super duper cool – Snorkel with whale sharks.

I had no idea what that pipe dream would entail, and assumed it would require travel to some far off, insanely remote destination. But then, in looking at some all-inclusive resort information for Cancun (visiting the Mayan ruins is also on the list) I stumbled upon a whale shark snorkeling tour.

Apparently, these gentle giants spend their summers in the waters off of Cancun. Who can blame them, really?

Video courtesy of dfinney23 via Flickr

Further research on that led to the discovery of a little island off the coast of Cancun called Isla Holbox. Basically, it’s everything you would want in a teeny tropical island. The photos and descriptions remind me of Los Roques, which is an archipelago in the southern Caribbean Sea, where we spent 2 days of our Venezuelan honeymoon.

Sandy streets, brightly painted buildings, beachfront restaurants, fishing boats lining the beaches…

Photo courtesy of ann-dabney via Flickr

Photo courtesy of Robert Brands via Flickr

AH, I would love to be on that beach right now, lounging in a hammock with a margarita in my hand. I’ll have to dream about it for a few more years, though, since Ollie will have to be 5 to be able to swim with the sharks…at least that will give me a long time to plan the perfect trip!

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We’re in the middle of a slump.

Dylan can’t seem to get his bat to make contact with the baseball, and I can’t seem to get my butt out of bed in the morning to go to the gym.

Dylan’s batting woes are much more painful than my inability to leave my warm bed. Watching your kid strike out time after time is hard, you guys. Especially now that it’s really gotten into his head. He’s so bummed out. After his first strike out the other night he lost his shit in the dugout and I had to give him a pep talk.

It went something like “I know it sucks, but everyone strikes out. You can’t hit the ball if you don’t swing the bat! Suck it up, dude, and don’t worry too much about it. You can’t cry about it! It’s BASEBALL! THERE’S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!”

I may have borrowed a few of my inspiration quotes from parenting books. And 20-year-old movies.

(Side note: I typed 20-year-old movies without knowing exactly how long ago A League of Their Own came out. 1992, people. It came out in 1992. That is insane.)

So we’ve put some extra effort into getting Dylan comfortable batting again, and I’m hopeful that it will pay off in today’s game. The kid needs a hit to get him back on the right track.

As for my inability to get myself up and out the door to the gym, I was going to have my girlfriends (one of whom is the personal trainer who teaches the class I go to) start to give me guilt for not going, which would theoretically force me to start going again. But then, I found myself in Old Navy the other day, and man they have some cute shorts out right now.

Turns out, I don’t need my girlfriends to motivate me, the dressing room did that for me when I tried on a few pairs of shorts!

Keep your fingers crossed that by Tuesday morning, our slumps will be over and we’ll be on the right track again…

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So…I made a big decision a few weeks ago.

I’m going back to school. And by “I’m going back to school” I obviously mean I enrolled in an online course, because the very LAST thing I ever want to do again, in the whole wide world, is step foot into a classroom. Those days are long behind me.

Yesterday I registered for school, and I’m going to become…

DUN DUN DUN

A travel agent!

I’ve always loved helping my friends plan trips, and given the opportunity, I love to travel, so it seems like an obvious choice.

It should take me about 4-6 months to finish the course, at which point I’ll be working from home as an independent contractor, associated with a larger travel agency.

I have bigger plans in the long run, but I’m going to get my feet wet on this side of things before I try to figure out how to take my next steps.

I’m not entirely sure what to expect, but I’m excited about it.

And also a little bit terrified.

So, tell me – when I’m your travel agent, where will you want to go?

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In some ways, I remember this day, four years ago now, as if it were yesterday.

Heather and I had only met in person 8 months before, but we had become fast friends.

We’d spent time texting & google chatting through several of Maddie’s previous hospital stays, and for the most part, this one appeared to be no different.

Until, in the blink of an eye, it was different. The walls came crashing down and nothing was ever going to be the same again.

Maddie was gone.

Everything was unfair.

Awful.

Horrible.

And beautiful.

The world rallied. Around Heather and Mike. Around their families. Around Maddie’s memory.

The little girl was, and still is, so loved by so many people around the world, it is truly amazing.

She really will never be forgotten. It’s so cliche to say, but in this case, it really is true.

At her service we released purple balloons.

Today at sunset, we are going to release purple and blue balloons, because earlier this week another beautiful soul joined Maddie in our hearts. It is only appropriate that we remember them both today.

We love you, Maddie. We miss you.

We love you, Dawn. We miss you.

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This blogging thing is pretty cool sometimes. Take two weeks ago, for example, when I received an email from the good people at LEGOLAND asking if my family and I would be interested in joining them for a night to get a sneak peek of the new LEGOLAND Hotel, complete with 2-Day Park Hopper tickets!

It took me all of .3 seconds to reply with a YES! ABSOLUTELY! SIGN US UP!

So we packed up the big boys (to make things easier on everyone (read: me) Ollie stayed home with Grandma) and headed down to Carlsbad on Tuesday.

The outside of the hotel is pretty impressive.

There were a lot of “oohs!” and “ahhhs!” as we drove up to main entrance.

And once inside, the Lego themed fun continues. The wall behind the check-in desk is decorated with almost 5,000 Lego mini figures, there are LEGO figures around every corner, and there is even a giant Lego pit to help entertain the kids while you get checked-in to your room.

Seriously, I wasn’t sure how we were going to get the kids to leave the lobby. But then Nadia, who checked us in, gave Zach a treasure hunt of sorts, and told him that if they followed the directions and answered the questions, it would lead him to a “treasure chest” in our room. Needless to say, we took off for the room without any hesitation.

The thought and attention that went into the design of this hotel is apparent everywhere you look. There’s a kid-sized surprise at the elevator bank, and let me tell you- My kids thought it was the coolest thing EVER.

Complete with a disco ball. How awesome is that?

Our room didn’t disappoint – each of the 250 rooms in the hotel has a set of bunk beds (with an extra trundle) for the kiddos, with a big bed for the adults. We were lucky enough to get a Pirate (our choice) Premium themed room, so much to our delight, the room was decorated to the hilt.

This guy greeted us as we walked in the door (he was perched atop the “treasure chest” -

The boys LOVED their bunk beds -

and everyone loved the decor in the main part of the room -

After checking out the room and letting the boys complete their treasure hunt, we headed down to dinner at Bricks, the hotel’s all-you-can-eat Buffet style restaurant.

Once again, they proved that they really did design this hotel to be kid-friendly.

There is a kid-sized buffet, complete with kid friendly foods -

The waitstaff (shout out to Devin and Adan!) was amazing – they were GREAT with the kids, and were incredibly attentive to our needs. We loved the array of foods, and of course the kids loved the self serve ice cream machine for dessert.

There is no alcohol in Bricks, but the bar is across the hall, or your server is more than happy to fetch you whatever drinks you desire. I opted to get my own, since I like to look at menus, and I’m glad I did…the beer & wine list is great (along with a full bar), and there is even a kids drink menu!

After dinner there was kid-friendly entertainment in the lobby lounge, which Zach ate up. Dylan wasn’t as interested because it was interactive (he’s not a dancer), so he played in the lego pit.

Ater being Knighted -

He followed around his Adventure guide and participated in a series of games. He loved it.

Breakfast the next morning was at Bricks again, and the choices were plentiful. Pancakes, French Toast, Omeletes, Biscuits & Gravy, and fruits galore. And that’s just a small portion of their offerings.

It wasn’t without hiccups, though. We had a hard time finding a server for coffee (coffee is served table-side, and isn’t readily available in the buffet area). After a few minutes of looking around and trying to flag her down (she somehow managed to get to everyone around us, but completely missed us sitting at our table) I finally got up to hunt her down and ask to be served. I needed my coffee! We were finally served and pounded our cups, since the kids were ready to get out of the hotel and enjoy Legoland.

Overall, we loved the hotel. It is the perfect spot for a family with young kids (Legoland is geared to kids ages 2-12, and that’s probably about right for the hotel as well). Besides what I have already mentioned, the rooms all have a kid-height peephole in the door and the toilets have a built-in toddler seat. Seriously. A built-in toddler-sized toilet seat. Amazing.

A few things we were not as enthused about* -

• Our bed was missing a top sheet. Not sure if this is a hotel wide issue or if it was simply missed in our room, but we only had the duvet cover. We were missing that sheet…
• The water pressure in the shower leaves a lot to be desired. A lot.
• There were no plaques in the hallway telling you what direction to head for your room. We were in room 2004, but weren’t sure if we were supposed to go left or right when we got off of the elevators.
• The lobby shop doesn’t allow you to charge your purchase to your hotel room, so if you head down there to pick anything up, be sure to bring your wallet.

All in all, we had an amazing two days at Legoland, and we really enjoyed the hotel. It is definitely something we would recommend to people who are planning a trip to Legoland who have kids in the 2-10 range. The hotel is an experience in itself, and the fact that sits at the entrance to the park is a huge bonus.

Check out more (iPhone) photos of our trip here.

*None of these are make-or-break issues for us, and seeing as we were enjoying the resort before it officially opened, they might have even been taken care of by now.

Disclaimer – We were provided with a night’s stay at the hotel, including dinner & breakfast, and 2-day park hopper tickets to Legoland. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Remember a few weeks ago when I said that we’re taking a Spring Break trip to the snow? Well, the day has arrived. Except, the snow has left.

A few weeks of daytime temperatures in the 60s have melted the snow.

Whomp whomp…

So now, instead of it being a trip to a cabin in the snow, it will be a trip to a cabin in the woods, where we will have to get into the car and drive to the local ski resorts to play in the snow.

Which, fine.

It’s still a vacation and we’re going to make the most of it. The boys are super excited. Especially Ollie who says “Yay! We’re going to the snow!” and, unbeknownst to me, even seems to know what snow is, because when I asked him he said “It’s really, really cold.”

So, I apologize in advance for the plethora of Instagrams that are sure to follow!

Spring Break Vacation, here we come!

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Eight years ago today, I was smiling at this face -

Today, I’m smiling at this face -

Happy Birthday, Dylan. You are an amazing kid.

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I won’t let you, mind you, but you’ll want to.

A few weeks ago I stopped in at Lush, in celebration of our (mostly) completed bathroom and bought some bath and shower treats. I bought the boys some bath bombs and bubble bars, but since our master bath only has a shower, I bought myself a smoothie. A body smoothie. Specifically, Almond & Coconut Smoothie.

OMG, it smells great, it’s not overwhelmingly coconut-y, and it feels super luxurious and creamy. But the best part is that my skin feels amazing.

Ah-MAH-zing, if you will. (Just call me Penny)

My arms are so soft and smooth that DJ even commented on it. Which is noteworthy, because he probably wouldn’t notice if I dyed my hair purple and shaved my eyebrows. Seriously. He wouldn’t.

What I’m trying to say is, I love this stuff so much I wrote this post instead of watching Criminal Minds taking Ollie to the park. You should go out and get some for yourself asap. You won’t regret it.

So now my awesomely smooth arms and I are going to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

Just as soon as this episode of Criminal Minds is over.

*Not a sponsored post. I seriously just love this stuff.*

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We haven’t been on a family vacation in, well, forever. We’ve taken a few quick trips the past few years, to visit family or attend a wedding, but we have never been on a trip that’s been just the five of us.

That’s all about to change.

After talking with some friends about spring break vacations, I fell down the Groupon rabbit hole of getaway offerings. I saw a deal for a Big Bear cabin rental, and after discussing it with DJ, we decided to go ahead and take the plunge.

We’ll be spending 3 nights in a charming, wood-paneled cabin, that has room for sledding on the property and is just a few blocks from some (apparently) great (and quiet) sledding areas in the National Forest.

To say I am excited would be an understatement. As a kid, we used to take vacations in Lake Tahoe, and I have great memories of being in the forest, near the lake, surrounded by pine trees. I am excited for my kids to make some of the same memories. I’m hopeful that this turns into something that we can do on a regular basis.

I also think it will be great for the five of us to get away and take a break from working on the house, which has been our main activity for the past year and a half. WE NEED A BREAK FROM CONSTRUCTION!

We’re keeping it a secret from the boys for as long as possible- for two reasons. 1) I think it will be a super fun thing to surprise them with, since they always ask about going to “the snow.” 2) I can’t imagine spending the next 3 weeks listening the their questions about how much longer it is until our trip.

Now I just need to round up some snow gear! Our usual wardrobe of flip flops and t-shirts won’t cut it this time!

Photo Credit – Nigel Matthews via Flickr

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To go along with my new hair I decided to give my blog a facelift.

I woke up in the middle of the night a few days ago and thought that California Dreamin’ was a good direction for my site. I’ve been wanting to focus a bit more on where we live, and giving my site a vintage travel poster inspired theme seemed like a good, fun direction to take.

So, I threw together a new header and background.

Inspiration for a new MeghanGWine focus?

Time will tell.

But for now, I have to say I’m happy with the first draft.

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