Carrie with Children

Big Changes Ahead: I’m Following My Passion

Carrie with Children — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 19:56:27 +0000

I created Carrie with Children in September 2010 to share the story of my daughter, Molly’s diagnosis with Down syndrome. I thought a blog would be a helpful way for friends and family to follow along with her progress and that maybe by putting our story out on social media I could meet other parents that were in similar situations.

I quickly found a great support system online, I renewed my passion for writing and realized I loved being part of an online community.

Thanks to this site, I’ve gained lifelong friends, new experiences and the ability to stay at home with my girls.

Renewing my Passion

Travel has always been something I’ve loved, so much so that I even worked in travel public relations for seven years. Now that I’m a parent, I’ve become even more passionate about travel. I want to experience things through my children’s eyes — and I want us to discover new places and make fantastic memories together.

Over the last three years, I traveled the state as the VISIT FLORIDA Family Insider – exploring destinations and helping families plan their own vacations.

All the while, I was questioning myself – trying to decide what road to choose with my online community. When my VISIT FLORIDA role came to an end in June 2015, it was the sign I had been searching for telling me to continue my passion for travel.

Time to Follow My Passion

And today is the day… I’m making the jump and following my passion. It is exciting, thrilling and yep – kinda scary too. But, it also feels so right.

Today, I’m saying farewell to Carrie with Children and saying hello to my brand new home — Carrie on Travel.

I’m ready to share my travel experiences, tips, deals and more to inspire you to plan the ultimate adventure with your own family. I’m putting my heart into CarrieOnTravel.com and I’m truly hoping you’ll make the journey over there with me, too.

Today, I’ll starting the transition of renaming my social channels — Twitter will become @CarrieMcLaren and Instagram will become @CarrieOnTravel. And fingers crossed, Facebook should be just a simple name change. If you’re already following my Carrie with Children channels, then you should be redirected automatically.

What’s Next for Carrie with Children?

My CarrieWithChildren.com stories will continue to live here on this site forever, but I won’t be writing here anymore.

It was a tough decision, the past five years with this site are almost like a journal of my life. I want Molly’s stories to live forever — and help other parents too. Many people don’t know my last name, they know me as ‘Carrie with Children’ – whether I like it or not, it has become my name. And that’s the scary part about breaking away and following my heart. But, it’s also the really exciting part too.

So… join me at CarrieOnTravel.com. It’s the same old me, just with a better sense of direction and a whole lot of passion on display too. I’ve got a lot of fun stories ready to share with you and, of course, they’ll be plenty of traveling stories about Molly and Maggie too!

Onward, upward with plenty of inspiration ahead of us. Come along …

Come join me at www.CarrieOnTravel.com

The post Big Changes Ahead: I’m Following My Passion first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Carnival’s Camp Ocean: Kid-Sized Fun! #CarnivalPartner

Carrie with Children — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 13:56:34 +0000

Before we set sail on our first seven-day cruise, I was worried about whether or not my girls would enjoy the kids programming on the ship. Would they make friends? Would they miss me? Would there be fun things for them to do? I had so many questions.

As soon as we stepped inside Carnival’s Camp Ocean, my worries were gone. They wanted to spend every minute of our trip at Camp Ocean — and I can’t blame them. It was pretty awesome.

Camp Ocean is the newly renovated, ocean themed children’s programming making its way through the Carnival fleet of ships – and I was thrilled that we were able to experience it on Carnival Freedom.

From water-themed arts and crafts to ocean themed movies at night, water and sea life are the main themes and you experience it the moment you are greeted at the check-in desk.

Penguins, Sting Rays and Sharks

At Camp Ocean, kids are divided up by age with activities tailored to those specific groups.
Children ages 2 to 5 years old are ‘Penguins’ and have plenty of toys, a beach-themed play kitchen, an indoor slide and secured access to an outdoor playground too.

The Sting Rays area is for kids ages 6 to 8 — complete with board games, building blocks, books and access to Creative Cove, a place to create their own ocean-themed artwork.

The Sharks area is for kids ages 9 to 11, with video game consoles, crafts, books and plenty of room to just relax and make friends.

My girls were penguins at Camp Ocean and each time I picked them up, they couldn’t wait to tell me all about the fun activities they did while I was gone. They had fun learning about sea life and playing games with their camp counselors and I loved seeing how proud they were to call themselves penguins.

Things to Know About Camp Ocean

Just A Phone Call Away – When available, parents can check-out ship cell phones (only good for calls within the ship) to keep with you while your child is at camp. If your little one gets tired, needs something or if you want to check on them – they’re only a phone call away. We loved being able to check in on the girls any time and loved that the Camp Ocean staff could reach us at a moment’s notice.

She’s A Typical Kid – When we registered Molly for Camp Ocean, I filled out an additional ‘special needs’ form letting them know she had Down syndrome. It was my hope that she would be treated like a ‘typical’ kid and they welcomed her with open arms. Molly was a Penguin – not just a child with Down syndrome. It was the ultimate wish come true for us.

It’s Time to Eat – If you dream of an adults-only dinner, you are in luck! Kids can dine with the Camp Ocean staff each evening before making their way back to camp headquarters. With a set menu provided in advance, we let the girls decide each day where they wanted to eat. They loved getting to choose – and I loved having a few, quiet dinners with my husband on our trip. Win/win for everyone!

Cruising with kids is always an adventure and what my family loves the most is that we can make memories together as a family, but also have fantastic times exploring on our own too. And it’s Camp Ocean that allowed that to happen for us.
My girls felt at-home while they were there. It was a safe environment filled with fun. And my girls are already asking when we can go on another cruise – they want to be penguins again!

This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind. Head on over.

The post Carnival’s Camp Ocean: Kid-Sized Fun! #CarnivalPartner first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Molly Milestone: She’s Got Personality

Carrie with Children — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 02:21:00 +0000

As Molly begins the transition to a public school program for children with developmental delays, we’ve had our share of meetings over the past few months. From appointments with Molly’s teachers, therapists and even school board officials – it has been a hectic and stressful time.

There’s one moment in all of those meetings that I keep coming back to and I can’t do anything but laugh about it. When the county’s school social worker came to talk with us about Molly she asked a variety of questions to get to know Molly better. My favorite question she asked us?

“Does she have a personality?”

It’s hard to believe that Molly will be five years old next week, but this little girl has quickly developed her own personality — and she’s not afraid to show it.

From stealing your seat the instant you stand up to making silly faces as soon as she sees the camera or stealing her sister’s potato chips at lunch when she’s not looking – she’s a mischievous girl that always wears a smile.

This past weekend, we went camping (more on that adventure later), we stopped to look at the horses and when I asked Molly what she thought about the horses, I got the following response…

So when the social worker asked if Molly had a personality, the only thing I knew to do was to show off pictures of how Molly continues to make us smile, laugh and sometimes shake our heads in disbelief that one child could be so silly.

Her speech may be delayed and she may do things at a slower pace than most kids, but when it comes to her personality -she shines. And I can’t wait for her to show off that wild personality to her new teacher and classmates in a few months!

The post Molly Milestone: She’s Got Personality first appeared on Carrie with Children.

How to Celebrate Your Birthday on a Cruise #CarnivalPartner

Carrie with Children — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 14:55:00 +0000

Whether you are turning four or 40 – birthdays are special. And in recent years, birthdays have also meant traveling for our family – in particular, cruises.

Last year, we celebrated Molly’s 4th birthday on a cruise and I turned another year older while sailing on the Carnival Breeze. They were each memorable birthdays that my family will always cherish.

From cakes to special gifts to decorating your stateroom – there’s nothing better than sailing the seas for your special day.

Here’s a look at some of the ways my family and I celebrated —

Pamper Yourself

Do what I did and treat yourself to a little pampering with a relaxing spa treatment. It was so nice to take a break and truly focus on myself during our cruise. Sure, there’s always the adults-only Serenity deck to unwind, but there’s nothing better than a hot stone massage while overlooking the seas. It was the ultimate birthday gift to myself!

If food is more your idea of pampering, make reservations at the ship’s Steakhouse. You can’t go wrong with surf & turf, paired with a big, slice of cheesecake for dessert. It’s an elegant evening and the great way to make wishes for another birthday year.

Feed Me Cake

And speaking of food… For Molly’s birthday, we stopped by the ship’s Cherry on Top candy store and order her a birthday cake to be delivered at dinner the next night in the dining room. While we were there, we let the girls fill up their own candy bags with treats – gummies, chocolates and tons of sugar!

I’ll never forget when our servers surprised Molly at dinner by singing ‘Happy Birthday’ and presenting her with a cake. It was such a fun moment and we loved making friends with our table neighbors when we shared cake with everyone.

Make It A Surprise

One thing I really wished I had done was purchase a cabin decorations package before our sailing. Depending on the package, your steward will decorate your stateroom with streamers, banners and let everyone know that it is your birthday by decorating the outside of your door.

You can even order chocolate covered strawberries (a big hit with Molly), fruit baskets and for the kiddos – surprise them with a gift bag complete with Dr. Seuss gifts including books, backpacks and even a great beach towel too – all delivered right to your stateroom.

Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast Celebration

And speaking of Dr. Seuss – the Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with The Cat in the Hat and Friends is a fun way to celebrate a birthday. With French toast covered in cereal, colorful pancakes and meeting the characters from the books, this special breakfast is always a big hit with my girls.

The decor definitely gets you in the ‘party’ mood and with the songs and dancing – it’s the perfect way to celebrate your little one’s big day.

There are so many fun ways to make your birthday unique when sailing with Carnival Cruise Line. Since we’ve celebrated Molly’s and my birthdays on cruises, my husband and Maggie have been asking when we are going to sail for their birthday celebrations. Looks like I better get to planning again soon!

This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind. Head on over.

The post How to Celebrate Your Birthday on a Cruise #CarnivalPartner first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Wordless Wednesday Linky – Welcome Home

Carrie with Children — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 02:03:46 +0000

The post Wordless Wednesday *Linky* – Welcome Home first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Experience Enchanted Evenings at Waldorf Astoria Orlando

Carrie with Children — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:14:47 +0000

With just a few days left of the school year, my family and I are gearing up for a summer of fun and we are kicking off the summer at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando for their Enchanted Evenings celebration. We visited the resort last year and we are excited to return to make new family memories.

What is Enchanted Evenings?

Waldorf Astoria Orlando guests are invited to celebrate summer with Enchanted Evenings taking place on weekends now through Sept. 6, 2015. Daily poolside activities, live entertainment, mini derby car racing and special culinary experiences are just a sampling of the fun that awaits families.

Last year, my family and I spent a lot of time in the pool, playing lawn games in the activities area and each afternoon we made our way over to the Weird Science Ice Cream Social – so fun. At night, we’d return to the poolside firepits for roasting S’mores before bedtime.

Luxury Meets Fun

It was hard not to fall in love with the premium accommodations at the resort. From the marble bathtub (hello, bubble bath!) to the plush linens and spectacular views – my girls may have made themselves at home by jumping on the bed a few times. Ha! I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen again this weekend too.

And while Dad and the girls have rest time, I’m going to treat myself to a drink at the interactive Cocktail Creations at Peacock Alley. During Enchanted Evenings, guests can learn first-hand how to make their own summer cocktail. Sounds like fun to me!

And for families hoping to spend some time at Walt Disney World, the resort offers complimentary transportation to the parks. The property is very close to the parks, so I’m hoping we can hop over to say hi to Mickey while we are there too.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando is a fun and luxurious getaway for families. From the complimentary glass of champagne I received at check-in to the fantastic service each morning at Oscar’s Restaurant for the breakfast buffet – we felt like royalty. And I’m excited to experience that feeling again this weekend!

Learn More About Enchanted Evenings

To learn more about Enchanted Evenings and the fun, family activities – go to www.waldorfastoriaorlando.com/enchanted-evenings.

Also be sure to check out the Waldorf Astoria Orlando Facebook page and follow along on Twitter at @WaldorfOrlando. I’ll be posting online this weekend with the hashtag #EnchantedEvenings, so be sure to follow along with the fun!

** My family and I are invited guests of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Accommodations, parking and some meals and activities have been provided by them. Thoughts and opinions here are my own. **

The post Experience Enchanted Evenings at Waldorf Astoria Orlando first appeared on Carrie with Children.

An Inside Look: Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival Cruise Lines

Carrie with Children — Thu, 28 May 2015 19:25:20 +0000

Today is National Burger Day and I’ve found myself dreaming of Carnival’s Guy’s Burger Joint. Each trip, I make my way there as soon as we board the ship – and I’m not alone, as the line forms quickly on embarkation day.

Formed in partnership with Food Network’s Guy Fieri, these burgers are a ‘must try’ for cruisers. Found on Carnival 2.0 Fun Ships Lido deck, choose from delicious burgers, seasoned hand-cut fries and decide whether you’d like ‘super melty cheese’ and ‘donkey sauce’ (more on that in a minute…).

And stop by the topping bar filled with bacon, caramelized onions and more to make the burger your own creation. At the toppings bar, I always help myself to the cajun ranch – it’s perfect for dipping with fries.

A Look at the Menu

The Plain Jane — Choose to have your burger with or without ‘super melty cheese’, commonly known as S.M.C. and then make your way to the topping bar.

Straight Up — S.M.C. and LTOP. Translated as a burger with super melty cheese and lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.

Pig Patty — This unique burger comes with S.M.C. and a patty made completely of bacon. Yep, bacon. And it is fantastic.

Chillius Maximus — This burger comes with the works – S.M.C and LTOP, topped with Donkey sauce – which is a spicy mayo sauce and then topped off with chili. It is the ultimate burger – make sure you pick up extra napkins.

The Ringer — A ‘Straight Up’ burger with SMC and topped with Guy’s Bourbon and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce and a spicy, crispy onion ring known as the Rojo Ring. It’s a burger filled with flavor.

Here’s a look at what to expect at Guy’s Burger Joint —

Guy’s Burger Joint is included with your Carnival cruise. It opens each day at noon — you’ll know it’s almost time for lunch when the line begins! But don’t worry, the line moves super fast… you’ll be chowing down on a burger in no time!

And if you aren’t in the mood for a whole meal, grab a plate of fries and enjoy a great snack. I guarantee you’ll be dreaming about these burgers long after your vacation has ended. Promise!

Have you enjoyed Carnival’s Guy’s Burger Joint?

** My family and I were invited guests of Carnival Cruise Lines. Thoughts and opinions here are 100% my own. **

The post An Inside Look: Guy’s Burger Joint on Carnival Cruise Lines first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Making Towel Animals and Great Family Memories #CarnivalPartner

Carrie with Children — Wed, 27 May 2015 12:11:03 +0000

One of the fun surprises my family and I look forward to on each Carnival cruise are the towel animals made by our stateroom steward during turndown service each night.

My girls find it so magical and it’s always a topic of discussion at dinner every evening, trying to decide what type of towel animal might be greeting us when we return to our stateroom.

During our last cruise, I discovered that there is a towel animal folding class during each sailing and I quickly marked it down on my family’s ‘must do’ list. The thought of learning how to make our own towel animals was exciting and I just knew it would be a great way for us to spend time together on our trip.

With towels in hand, we made our way to the ship’s theater for the class having plenty of space to create. We were greeted by a huge collection of towel animals on display – it was exciting to see so many of them in one place. I just loved seeing the smiles on my girls’ faces as we entered the room.

The helpful stateroom stewards were our guides and walked us through the process of turning simple, white towels into a fun-loving creature. I was surprised to learn that there are a few standard techniques to build most of the animals, with only their heads being made differently.

Some animals were easier than others – the elephant was easy, while the dog was pretty tricky. After a few tries and a little hands-on help from a stateroom steward, we finally mastered the bulldog and Molly was so excited!

At the end of the class, we ended up purchasing a copy of Carnival’s ‘Towel Creations’ book, filled with step-by-step instructions on how to make a variety of animals.

I was happy to see that a portion of the book proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Hospital – a cause that is near to my heart, along with Carnival’s. It is a small, but helpful way to give back while I’m on vacation.

Since our trip, and thanks to the book, I’ve been trying to make other towel animals at home for the girls as a fun surprise for them.

It has been a great reminder of the memories we made together on our cruise and allowed us to bring the fun home with us too. So until our next cruise, I’ll continue practicing my techniques in hopes that next time I’ll be ready for even more fun at towel animal folding class.

This post was created for Away We Go with Carnival, the destination for getting in the getaway state of mind. Head on over

The post Making Towel Animals and Great Family Memories #CarnivalPartner first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Wordless Wednesday Linky – Stroll Through Seaside, Florida

Carrie with Children — Wed, 27 May 2015 02:00:21 +0000

The post Wordless Wednesday *Linky* – Stroll Through Seaside, Florida first appeared on Carrie with Children.

Disney’s Tomorrowland in Theaters Now! #Tomorrowland

Carrie with Children — Fri, 22 May 2015 14:47:20 +0000

A few weeks ago while I was at Walt Disney World for the festivites surrounding Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom, I had the opportunity to see an extended preview of Disney’s newest film – Tomorrowland – that opens in theaters today.

The film has many references to Disney, I found myself squealing and gasping with excitement as the story unfolds with scenes and mentions from ‘It’s a Small World’ and also the “Carousel of Progress’. It’s pretty cool how things intertwine with the movie.

Here’s the official storyline from the folks at Disney Pictures –

From Disney comes two-time Oscar® winner Brad Bird’s “Tomorrowland,” a riveting mystery adventure starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.

The movie features a screenplay by “Lost” writer and co-creator Damon Lindelof and Brad Bird and I’m especially excited to see George Clooney, Tim McGraw (swoon!) and Hugh Laurie in the film. They are some of my favorite actors! The movie is rated PG.

As a Disney fan, I’m looking forward to seeing more of this movie and learn what unfolds in the lives of Frank and Athena. Here’s a look at the movie —

For the Latest News on Tomorrowland

Be sure and “Like” Tomorrowland on Facebook and follow along with Disney Pictures on Twitter at @DisneyPictures.

Also, check out the official Tomorrowland website at www.Disney.com/Tomorrowland.

Disney’s Tomorrowland is in theaters now!

** I saw an extended preview of Tomorrowland during my participation in Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom press trip. Thoughts and opinions here are 100% my own and not influenced by others. **

The post Disney’s Tomorrowland in Theaters Now! #Tomorrowland first appeared on Carrie with Children.