Nunetipskidstravel

But Mom, Where's the Rain? Seattle 2017

2018-01-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

“Did it rain the entire trip in Seattle? Nope! We couldn't ask for a better weather." Wow... there was so much to see and do and not enough time! I found it very easy to work out an itinerary in advance from home, and booked online or phone. At least for the customized tours, get a driver or naturalist, so you won't be disappointed! We loved hiking the national parks and taking a day trip over San Juan Islands, taking in the view from the Space Needle observation deck, walking in Pike Place Market. Those are just a few that I am naming! We had an unbelievable time in Seattle, Washington. Everyone should at least visit once!

Christmas Break in Breckenridge, CO

2018-01-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

Although we had our Christmas vacation planned, it exceeded all of our expectations. We tried to do as many activities as we could in such a short time. Breckenridge is such a beautiful small town filled with so many fun things to do with family & kids. Breckenridge is a top ski destination. We all took ski lessons and by the end of the day we were like pros -- well, just a little! Click on the video above.

Family trip to the Atlantis Resort Bahamas

2013-08-08T20:29:00.001-07:00

The minute we passed Customs is when our Bahamian vacation had begun. We were all pretty tired flying a red eye and changing two planes with three kids (ages 7, 12, and 16) to get here but I knew it was going to be perfect. How can it not be perfect-- you’re going to the Bahamas baby! This was our family's first time in the Bahamas so we decided to stay at the Atlantis since we had heard so much about it. While our shuttle was driving through the streets of Nassau for about 40 minutes to our resort, we could see the Atlantis from a far distance at Paradise Island, and it took my breath away.

Finally we arrived at our destination, which was the Coral tower, one of many towers the resort offers for guests to stay at. This is the tower where you do all your check-ins & check-outs. The check-in went smoothly and they told us our rooms were ready. The best part about it? We didn’t have to wait until 3:00 pm to get in our rooms like we were originally told to. Atlantis has the nicest staff you will find. I’d say the day is going real GOOD!

Now we’re ready to go check out our joining rooms for 5. We are heading through the long, beautiful hallways to finally settle down in our rooms at the Beach Tower (the tower connected to the Coral Tower). Later that same day we took a tour on our own of the mega-resort Atlantis property and everywhere you turn it is manicured to perfection. This place almost looks like the real Lost City! We quickly got over how tired we were after seeing the grounds and waterfalls, lagoons filled with sharks and stingrays, fast-moving streams, beautiful walkways, plus the aquariums hidden in caves all around the resort.

Did I mention the crystal clear, turquoise blue beaches awaiting us? You really come to appreciate this little paradise called The Atlantis. JUST BEAUTIFUL! Now, I'm a planner and I don’t like to go somewhere with high expectations and later get disappointed. Thanks to all the reviews I’ve been reading online, I knew I got this.

While in California I was able to make some important and money-saving choices. I heard about an online grocery store called www.foodstore2go.com/ Someone was thinking of us moms! It is a great service for arriving guests at any hotel who have a mini fridge in their room and are on a budget, especially Atlantis guests. I had preordered my items while still in California. Once we arrived to the resort, our food was delivered to our room only an hour after our arrival. Wow, now that’s good service! In case you’re curious to know what kind of items I had ordered, it was mainly breakfast items (although the service isn’t just for breakfast) like a gallon of milk, yogurt, apple juice, ham & cheese, 24 bottles of water, etc. I had a large carry-on bag that I brought with me on the flight filled with small cereal boxes, sandwich bread, bagels, chips, nuts & dry fruits, chocolate for the sweet tooth, cereal bowls, and spoons, which all definitely came in handy. This also gave the kids, my husband, and I some extra time to sleep in instead of worrying about missing the breakfast buffets. We all ate breakfast at our own leisure without having to spend a fortune.

You have to remember that the Atlantis is not an all inclusive resort and everything here is four times the price with 15% mandatory tip added to your food bill. So we have to be smart about our spending for 5 people in the next 8 days. The Atlantis resort is pretty impressive and expensive. Of course we already knew this before hand and planned it ahead

Now, enough said about savings. Our first morning we spent at the beach, which was only one of many that the Atlantis has to offer. The three beaches: Atlantis Beach, Cove Beach, and Paradise Beach. They are so clear you can see through it, and so blue it almost looks like a post card. I really wish we had some beautiful turquoise beaches like this in California. We did a lot of swimming with the kids, and they loved it! They couldn’t believe that they were actually in the Bahamas!.

Later that day we headed for the Aquaventure. (Atlantis’ very own water park) We walked several miles per day around the park, most of it consisting of just getting around the resort. Don't worry about putting on extra calories on here! My kids could not get enough of Aquaventure! Mom & dad, just so you know, the kids have to be 48 inches tall to go on the BIG slides, which include the Leap of Faith, Serpent slide, Challenger Slides, Jungle Slides, the Drop, The Falls, The Abyss, and the Surge. Plan ahead and don't get the kiddies disappointed.

Note: Free shuttles transport guests around the property if you're to tired to walk.

Tip: All Poolside food and soft drink services are reasonable and open till 5:30pm.

They also have several locations for little kids, one of which includes Splashers, Ripples, Poseidon’s pool & water park. I went there with Thomas and we had a blast. His favorite part was the bucket on top that pours down on you once it is completely full! You will get soaked! They do have slides for smaller kids as well so no one is left out.

Note: All pools at Atlantis close at 7:00pm

Note: Gym goers can sign up and pay as you go or you can save by signing up for the week for only $50 and go as much as you want.

Atlantis has 11 separate pools including 3 kiddie pools. Our favorite spot was at the pool closest to the entrance of Mayan Temple, simply called the Mayan Temple Pool.

You can easily lose your family however if you don’t plan well. At least I thought we did? We all decided to leave our belongings near the pool we were at and head for the big slides. All three of my kids are pretty adventurous and daring, so I had no worries there. Nelly, Thomas, and I jumped onto the Surge and my husband and Anthony went on the Abyss. Now, the Surge has those inflatable tubes you sit on and the Abyss does not. The Surge leads you straight into the lazy river, but be warned: this lazy river is definitely not “lazy”! It is known for its rapids, drops, and also for its paths leading in completely opposite directions. Nelly had been recording us with the water camera while we were making goofy faces into it, when while we weren’t paying attention, the river took over, and separated her from me and Tommy. We found each other almost one hour later by our belongings. As for Anthony and my husband, they were safe in sound in the hotel room watching TV all along while we ran in, soaked from head to toe.

Note: You'll be given a room key which is also used to charge everything you eat, do and play onto your room key and paid at the end of your stay by credit card or cash. Immediately notify the front desk for your missing key and they will give you a new key free of charge.

Our nightly routine was going to the Marina Village to have dinner (and also people watch!) This is the place to see million dollar yachts, walk along the piers, see the nightly Junkanoo parades Wednesday and Saturday nights, and dine at all the awesome restaurants that are amazing. Our favorite go-to restaurants were Johnny Rocket’s, Marina Pizzeria, and of course for dessert, Ben & Jerry’s

The Marina at night-just beautiful to take in...

Thomas' 8th birthday celebration!

Another must-see attraction that the Atlantis has to offer is what is known as The Dig. The Dig holds the record for being the largest such exhibit in the Caribbean and one of the largest in the world. I could get lost just staring and getting mesmerized into the marine life The Giant Manta ray had to be my favorite. The gentle giant has to be one of the most beautiful sea creatures out there. Seeing all this took my breath away. Once again, all this is one of many beautiful creations of God. I feel so blessed and am so grateful to my Lord for letting me see all of this.

And so, the stare-off begins...

Manta Ray swimming in the top left corner, a gentle giant and true beauty!

I had arranged a power boat excursion to the Exuma Islands for the family, in which I had secured a 10% discount by booking directly with them ahead of time at http://www.powerboatadventures.com/

My husband and kids had no idea what they were about to experience. I couldn’t wait to see the look on their faces once the power boat jets off! We were collected from the Coral Tower at Atlantis at 8:30 am as promised.

We were taken to their boats on the Paradise Island harbor, and just after signing a contract, the trip began with a 45 minute high speed boat ride and a cranked up James Bond theme song made the experience that much more fun! It was just awesome! Our first stop was an island inhabited by iguanas in a beautiful location where you are provided with a handful of grapes for each person. We found sticks on the shore and popped on the grapes. Soon, we started chasing after the iguanas to make sure they are fed. Although they were very friendly, be warned ladies with red polish (or any color polish for that matter) on your feet: the iguanas have poor eyesight and tend to mistake painted toes for grapes, so they will bite them if you do not bury them in the sand.

The crew offered us a dive off from the front of the boat. Whoever did not want to take the jump climbed off the ladder in the back, but for those who were feeling more adventurous like my hubby, daughter, and older son Anthony, had jumped from the front!

After about 15 minutes of iguana mingling, we were back onto the boat for about a 10 minute high speed ride to our private island. We arrived at our dream destination. By the look of it, I knew this day was going to be fantastic! Wow, these guys really had this adventure planned to perfection! The kids were pretty excited getting off the boat onto our private island. Once we were on the island we went for drinks at the open bar, all included. They put out chips & salsa and some sandwiches for our hungry appetites before they serve us the all you can eat buffet after about an hour or so of snorkeling in waters and feeding sting rays and sharks. During our encounter with petting and feeding the amazing rays, I couldn’t believe how they would swim onto our laps to pick up the food and just be friendly with you. This went on for a while and later the staff had lured in the sharks from open sea for us to see while we were on the edge of the shore. They were there to push the sharks away from us with a long pole. However, they were still splashing around, teeth bared and all, just waiting to be fed whole fishes on a pole.

Thomas made new friends and also received a friendship bracelet. Cool kids!

Later in the afternoon our tour guide made tasty, fresh, and healthy conch salad for us right on the beach, using onions, limes, tomatoes, and, yes! Real conch from inside conch shells. Thomas, my youngest, ate the conch salad without any hesitation. Now that’s not something you see many kids do! Despite getting the sunburn of our lives, I can go on forever about this beautiful island & our excursion but instead let the pictures do the explaining.

This morning we all decided to have breakfast buffet at the Market Place. It is also my baby’s 8^Th birthday! We all enjoyed the breakfast very much. Time for mom to get some action going here for Thomas’ birthday! First, I whispered to our waitress letting her know about his special day. Of course, little Thomas was curious as to what I just said to her, so I told him that I wanted her to bring more “cups” to the table. He wasn’t convinced but let it slide. About 10 minutes later, my daughter gets out the camcorder and whispers, “Mom, look over there.” We both look back and in the far corner of the restaurant, there were about 3 waiters and our waitress, all with some sort of musical instrument. Now, we had no idea what was going to happen, but we knew it was for Thomas, because they were all pointing over to our table, as if to verify that he is the birthday boy. Next thing we know, the restaurant erupts with music and singing as the 4 made their way through the tables like a mini parade! Of course, everyone else had no idea what in the world was going on, that is, until they looked over at our table. Thomas had the brightest look in his eyes, knowing that all this was for him, but at the same time, you could tell he felt a bit weird getting all this attention. Afterwards, all he could say was, “Oh mom, I knew it.”

Is the omelet ready yet?

Love his facial expression here!

That afternoon at 1:15pm we got ready to take our last tour of the week which was the city tour & Ardastra Gardens. Our first stop was at Fort Charlotte. It was originally built for the invasion of the French in 1789, but unfortunately they never arrived. Instead, the British attacked with a surprise invasion. Today the Bahamas is celebrating 40 years of political independence from Britain. Happy Anniversary Bahamas!

Ardastra Gardens is a beautiful small quiet zoo located in a historic part of Nassau. This was a nice break from the water activity at Atlantis. First thing we did when we arrived was to head for the lorikeet feeding. Guests go into their enclosure and are given apple slices to hold up. The birds come flying and landing all over your hands, shoulders, and heads! Everyone’s reaction was priceless.

Afterwards we headed to the Arena to view the marching flamingos. This had to be the highlight of the day. These flamingos were trained over the years to march like soldiers and follow any command that is given to them. They followed their trainer’s commands and marched around the enclosed arena. Around the end of the show, several kid guests were invited into the arena with the flamingos to take pictures and to get a chance to march with them. As you could have guessed, with it being Thomas’ birthday, that day he was invited in with the flamingos. When his turn came, he had to stand on one leg surrounded by the flamingos that were featured in the National Geographic magazine in the October 1957 issue. One of them even gave him a little kiss on the back of the head! That was my happy mom moment to take a million snap shots. Overall experience: Wonderful!!!

On our last day, we were off to the airport to fly back to sweet old California, but we had no idea what was on our hands. Long story short, we didn’t actually get home until about a day later, we couldn’t fly to our stop in Newark due to severe weather, and we were basically stuck in Albany, New York until the weather cleared up. Thank God, it did. This has truly been one trip to remember!

Albany, NY

Bon voyage everyone! I'm flying home!

Wildlife in Moorpark, CA

2013-01-23T17:42:00.001-08:00

The flying speed of California condors is 55 mph, and it can fly at a height of 15,000 feet. The bird on the bottom is a bald eagle; its wingspan is 7 feet.

We recently visited the Moorpark Community College American Teaching Zoo with my family and I was very pleasantly surprised with what was in store for everyone. The learning opportunities and hands-on learning experience for the family that were provided were absolutely exceptional and very educational for all. They made learning about wild animals actually quite interesting and really FUN for the whole family! It was basically a smaller version of an actual zoo, but it was so much more educating and personal.The bald eagle is not really bald."Bald is from an obsolete English word meaning

An adorable coati getting his yummy treat after his act.

A curious serval.

The daily animal feeding at the zoo involved any wild animal from a mountain lion, hyena, ocelot, lioness, or singing dogs (plus much more) and is accompanied by a discussion and learning experience about the animal's diet and its behavior in the wild.

The African lioness has the most beautiful face.

The mountain lion is tasting the raw meat that was given to him by the trainer.

The zoo mainly uses positive reinforcement when working with the animals, and it allows its students to do their homework on how creatures think, what kind of rewards these animals like for performing their actions, and what they can and can't do physically. We aren't all that different in this perspective, we have one thing in common for sure and it is that humans will respond to rewards as well, just like the animals expecting to get their treats after a trick is performed by them.

It is actually a neat little zoo to visit if one is looking to have some fun without spending a whole day doing something. It is a great little zoo to spend a few hours at on a nice Sunday afternoon, and a good place to take the kids for an educational zoo experience. My kids enjoyed the 2:00 show with the animal introductions and acts in which the trainers brought out different animals for all to learn more about, such as llamas, vultures, rabbits, and more. (You will also get a chance to touch a live Madagascar hissing cockroach! The trainers will bring around the cockroach to the audience, offering to anyone who would like to touch it and feel its surface.) Guess who held a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach? That's right, my two brave boys! As for me and my daughter, we usually get freaked out seeing creepy crawly things! Yet I volunteered to hold it and dropped it pretty quickly (oops!) before I got a chance to hold it. But I do have to admit they are pretty amazing looking with their orange shell.

My boy is amazing!

Great book for kids to have & read!

We also stayed for the 3:30 carnivore feeding for the hyena, mountain lion, and an African lioness. Let me tell you this, I never knew I could possibly fall in love with a hyena! This one was a winner in my heart... There were also two adorable dingo dogs, also known as “singing dogs”, on a leash with their trainer being given treats for performing various tricks. What I found to be interesting is they looked like regular dogs but with a wild & exotic personality. I guess I had a different visualization of dingoes.

Have you guys ever seen a waving hyena before?!

The zoo also does birthday parties (WOW!); in my opinion this place is a gem indeed.

Note: Animal shows are at 12 noon and 2:00 PM on the clock. Don’t be late!!

Note: Don’t miss the 3:30 animal feeding! Highlight of the day!

Tips: They do have hand sanitizers at the zoo, but bring your own just in case.

Note: Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM.
Admission is $8 for Adults, $6 for Children & Seniors.

http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/index.shtml

7075 Campus Road

Moorpark,CA
(805) 378-1441

Have any of you ever been to Moorpark Community College Zoo? If so please let me know how your experience was in the comments below!

Christmas Train at Fillmore

2013-01-13T20:13:00.000-08:00

This December of 2012, we tried something different and hope to make it a Christmas tradition. We boarded a vintage train at the Fillmore train station and enjoyed the ride to the Santa Paula Christmas Tree Farm. It was about a 45-minute train ride to the tree farm which was so much fun!!

Did I mention that I also spotted Tori Spelling with her beautiful family waiting at the station to board on the same train ride as us? My daughter politely walked up to her after I had mentioned to her who Tori Spelling was and asked if she may have her photo taken. She was a sweetheart and happily posed next to my daughter.

During the scenic train route, everyone on board got a wonderful surprise from none other than Santa Clause himself! All of the kids got to take a picture with him as Santa made his way through the train passing out candy canes to all the good boys and girls. The visit definitely put a huge smile on the kids’ faces!

Soon, we finally arrived at our destination and to our surprise there were two camels at the farm! I thought for a second my eyes were playing a trick on me, but sure enough, there were two camels with a large sign saying “CAMEL RIDES” with different prices depending on the number of passengers. What a special treat for the whole family around Christmas time! I’m not sure who was more excited: me or the kids. The kids got in line, and soon were riding away on a camel, of course with an assistant guiding the camel’s path.Our kids got off the camel, Tori and her kids wait by the stairs to board the same camel.

Finally the search for the best Christmas tree in the whole world had begun! After awhile the trees mostly started to look the same. It wasn’t easy, but we finally found one that we could call our own! It was a very special feeling I had seeing my husband sawing down our own Christmas tree, it really adds a sense of spirit to the holiday season.

The Perfect tree!

We chose the 2:00 p.m. train so that we were able to see the beautiful sun setting on the return trip back to the station. The three-hour round trip between Fillmore and Santa Paula, includes an hour stop over in Santa Paula. This was a memorable family outing for us. Not to mention my 7 year old’s love for ALL trains!

FILLMORE & WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY

(805) 524-2546 / www.fwry.com

Tip: You will see a beautifully lit carousel for the kids to ride on while your waiting to board and lots of other great photo ops around the Christmas decor.

Tip: Bring cash! The camel/pony rides and food vendors are cash only, with no ATM machines in the area.

Note: Several types of weekend excursions offered through out the year.

How was your train travel during the Christmas season?

Hike The Hollywood Sign

2012-10-30T21:39:00.002-07:00

I grew up in Hollywood but never got a chance to hike up to the Hollywood sign. I thought to myself it should be a piece of cake finding the trail. Boy was I wrong!! GPS was failing to do its job; nothing but dead ends. Through persistence by not giving up easily we spotted this nice young gentleman who gave us directions to the sign. "Take Franklin and turn right on Beachwood and you should see the trail for the big sign," he directed. Great!!! We're about halfway there and I know we're getting closer but we're still not sure which street to take up. Are we confused? Yes. excited and anxious? Yes. Are we actually going to think about giving up? Not! Are you nuts?

The residents in that area didn't like to be bothered by outsiders. We decided to ask this one older gentleman if he knew the way up to the sign. He sharply replied and told me there is absolutely no way to the sign; if you want to see the sign, you would have to take photos by standing on the curb and zoom in. His response didn't convince me one bit, BOO to you too! At this point I was very determined to get to the sign! I knew it had to be near and I wasn't about to give up and let my children down. With some trial & error, we found the tight, narrow street leading up to the sign. We continued straight north on Beachwood like we should have, as this street took us straight to the parking entrance to the hiking trail. There was free parking in an unpaved dirt road, but it’s not very big, so try an get there early. (Be aware that this is a fairly tight one way road. I remember another car and I came face to face, so I had no choice but to slowly back up (not the easiest thing to do in that small of an area), but we both some how managed to pull through it.

We knew that we had arrived at the trail head when we saw a sign that was hand written and had two boards: one said 'Hollywood Sign' with arrows pointing to the right and another said 'Horse Trail' pointing to the left. We heard from some that were hiking back to their cars that it was going to be a 2 mile hike going up to the sign (Say, about a good hour with three kids and grandma). Nothing was going to stop us now, not even my cowboy boots hehe.

Our hike finally started and I would have to say it was a moderately easy trail, not to mention you will encounter lots of horse poop in the first part of the hike. The inclines are slightly steep, but remember it’s a great workout; it was wide enough for hikers and horses to pass through. I had to be real watchful with my youngest since the sides of the trail can have steep drop-offs so you need to stay near the trail centers with your younger explorers.

1. Do bring at least one bottle of water per person,

2.Wear a light weight jacket it can get a bit breezy up there.

3.Sunscreen is also a must you don’t want to get a sun burn ouch!

4. My mother started vomiting at a higher elevation, so please pack accordingly before you leave the house. No need to over pack really.

5. Elevation could be from 800 to 1600 ft. I would have to say ours had to be 1600 ft

The horse stable on the left is right by the trail and there are horseback riding's being offered to those who don’t wish to hike. I love riding horses but only on flat ground and not around cliffs; it honestly scares me, but that's just me. We are continuing with our hike and we encountered some cool looking wild plants and a lizard lounging on a rock. Don't forget to bring your camera because you never know what you might see!

We are almost there and the dirt trail turns into a paved asphalt trail. After continuing with our hiking we looked out from the hill top where we could see the Forest Lawn Cemetery. Just an amazing sight to witness from up above....

We're all pretty excited at this point. Every 10 minutes would be the most infamous phrase heard by all mothers on long trips: "Moooom are we there yet!?" Less than 10 minutes later we saw a restricted area in front of us. That's where the fenced up famous iconic Hollywood sign is! We're finally here! We couldn't stop "Wow"-ing, "Oooo"-ing, and "Awww"-ing. This went on for a good five minutes.

Later, Anthony discovered a dirt path on the left of the fenced up Hollywood sign road, so we all climbed up the ridge trail all the way to the Wisdom Tree at the end where we discovered the panoramic views of L.A. & the Inland Empire. The children were proud of themselves for making the hike all the way up to the sign and I was also proud of them and my mother for not quitting on me. I tried to take a photograph of the Hollywood sign but it is so large that it is difficult to photograph the whole sign at once! This is a sight not to be missed! Most definitely a breath taking sight indeed.

I found this to be HILARIOUS! As if it was some kind of pride he was holding.

Ristricted Area! Don't think about climbing over the fence!

Hiking back down, we continued going right to see the front of the Hollywood Sign. That's as close as you can get. This was the best hike I have ever done! What better company than your kids & grandma--they loved it!

Walt Disney & Nick Resort 2011-12

2012-04-12T14:57:00.003-07:00

Arrived at the Orlando Airport

I believe I am the biggest kid at heart. I decided to take my family of 5 to Disney World for the holidays in the week of December 25, 2011 to January 1, 2012. What better & happier place can you be at?? This was our second trip to Walt Disney World Florida. This time around we wanted to share some of the magic with our six year old, who was not able to go last time. The trip was magical from the time we stepped off the plane in the Orlando airport to leaving the parks.

Our Disney vacation started at Champion World Resort
in Orlando, it is an official Walt Disney World “Good Neighbor Hotel” (ehhhh... it was ok). Just an average hotel nothing special. The only good thing is that it is pretty close to the attractions and it is right off a main road so it is highly accessible. For the price I guess I can’t complain, it was a decent place to lay your head for a few hours and off we went to the attractions all day. I must mention we had accumulated points so we used it on our 5 night stay at this resort. They do offer free scheduled shuttle rides to Walt Disney World Theme Parks. We used their shuttle service only once for the Animal Kingdom Park, that was the only Disney park we visited. For the rest of our stay we used a private shuttle by ‘Discover USA Tours’. They were the most reasonable we could find; it cost us around $25 to $80 r/t (round trip) depending on the distance of where you wanted to go. It was worth every penny!

Disney is not the only thing worth coming to Orlando for. I had begun researching the area we intended to visit for events or activities available during the time of our visit six months in advance. If you've come to Orlando and seen only the Walt Disney Parks, here are some suggestions for other experiences. The list is endless but I will share our experience of all the fun things we did.

We went to see the ICE show at The Gaylord Palms Resort. This was our first time going and we weren't sure what to expect. Oh my goodness this place is breathtaking indeed! This place is like its own city. Ginormous indoor resort with great scenery complete with alligators and turtles. The atrium is incredible. It is climate-controlled so while it's cold or humid outside, you can be in the atrium and feel like you're outside but really you’re inside. Before we went for the ‘ICE’ sculpture exhibit the boys had a great time running around the paths. We had lots of photo opportunities around the lobby and were able to listen to a live Christmas concert show. It put us in the cheery holiday mood for sure. Finally we are headed for the big freeze! ‘ICE’! Upon entering you are given a coat (Parka) to stay warm; they come in every size, even for kids!

~ DAY 1 ~

It is FREEZING in there! Please wear closed toe shoes and long pants. I can’t stress this enough: bring your scarves & gloves and maybe an extra jacket to wear underneath your blue parka (coat). It is a shocking 9 degrees inside. Brrr! There are several employees standing around to make sure you are not sitting on or touching the ice sculptures. (Shhh--we did!) This place is unique and mind blowing. I have honestly never seen anything like this! What a fun excursion. The attraction is built around a “Shrek the Halls” theme featuring the animated ogre and family as ice sculptures. (Note: Theme changes every year) Everything was amazing. The kids were cold even with the provided parkas as well as the multiple layers, gloves, and mittens we brought. However, our red noses were well worth it! We also tried the thrilling ice slides that are more than two stories tall. I have to admit not only the kids loved it but so did we. I can’t say WOW enough… The Nativity scene carved from crystal clear ice – it will astound you. Don’t forget your cameras! Afterwards, we enjoyed walking around the beautiful resort, warming up with some delicious complimentary hot chocolate, looking at the huge Christmas tree in the center of the resort, and listening to Christmas music throughout the resort.

The Nativity Scene

Note: Stay for the 'Illumines' show in the evening, beautiful light displays!

~ DAY 2 ~ We cut back from four parks to one this trip to Disney and really enjoyed our time at Animal Kingdom. I recommend riding Kilimanjaro Safaris as your first stop to the park. This was our second visit to the park and missed the Safari ride on our visit in 2005. You don’t want to miss it! I loved the setting, and how it makes you feel like you are in Africa. The animals are real and amazingly beautiful. This is a perfect ride for the entire family. Once you are off the ride, you will see a Disney photographer who will happily take a photo of you and save it on a Disney Photo Pass that you can view at home and order online. She will take you to just a couple of safari props that you can take pictures with.

Next we headed for the ‘Expedition Everest’. We needed an adrenaline rush! As we were walking on our way we saw the crowd lined up for ‘Nemo the Musical’ and joined them just on time! We had to get in and we did! ‘Finding Nemo the Musical’ is beautifully staged with dozens of large puppets and multiple sets. The way the story is presented is very touching, sweet, and humorous. This kind of show is something you could easily pay a lot to see elsewhere. It will definitely keep the attention of adults and little ones alike. They only do the show a few times a day so check the times when you go into the park and fit it in. One of my other favorites is the ‘Tree of Life’, a beautiful sculpture that is very impressive in person. They took all the wild beasts of the savannah and carved it into the tree—JUST BEAUTIFUL TO SEE!

Due to the down pour out of no where that day, we had to find an indoor ride fast before we got soaked! Oh well, it was too late and we got soaked anyways. It was actually fun and a little wet! We spotted the ‘Dinosaur’ ride next. The ride consists of a time rover and goes back 65 million years into the past. This was an indoor ride. I had witnessed a family ahead of us walking out, because the little girl was in tears & terrified of the darkness. My little guy, the six year old, did great! I have to admit I was a bit worried at first but it all went smoothly. A surprisingly good ride and it kept us dry!

I highly recommend for youto pack some ponchos into your suitcase incase of a downpour!

Finally it had stopped raining. We all decided to go see the ‘Festival of the Lion King’. It is amazing, and a must see every time we go. If some of you have seen ‘Cirque du Soleil’ as we did in 2005 in Downtown Disney, the acrobatic style is similar to that. A must see for the entire family!

Another good one that you can’t miss is ‘The Pangani Forest Exploration Trail’. We were all fascinated by the gorillas, but yet so sad to see them in captivity. Yeah yeah, hillsides and waterfalls, but they are still in captivity…it’s just sad. They just seem so much like you and me. Someday I wish to visit them in their natural habitat, the real Africa.

It’s time to leave and we are tired and ready to go back to our hotel. The ‘Animal Kingdom’ is a gem not to be missed.

Note: The park usually closes at 5:00pm. Even if the park stays open late, the animals are taken in by 5:00pm. Get there early and make the most out of your day.

~ Day 3 ~

When we visited Gatorland we didn't know what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised. We strolled around the lakes and ponds gazing at the gators and things around us. This is a good chance to relax and get away from the crowded theme parks.

Gators? Snakes? Creepy-- Ok I admit I’m not a big reptile fan, but I did this for my kids and what an experience this turned out to be for all of us.

All three of my kids got up close and personal with a Gator. They got a chance to sit on the Gators back and get their picture taken by a professional photographer. Towards the end of the day we purchased our photos with the Gators, it makes a lovely souvenir to take home.

Watch a live wrestling match between man and gator!! We all thought this was an awesome show to see. The people who work here are awesome too. Extremely knowledgeable, and most of all loads of fun! They add so much humor to the experience. It was a joy to watch.

We also got to feed many colorful parakeets and also took a train ride around the back half of the park. It costs an extra $2 above the basic admission.They also had a zip line around the entire park over the gators, we passed on that one.

Note: Gatorland is open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM so get there early and enjoy all the shows and animals.

~Day 4~

We visited the ‘Islands of Adventure’ two days before New Years Eve. We had bought our tickets online so we could skip those long lines. We had met a family there and they had told us they were going to come the day before, but the park was over crowded by 11 A.M., therefore it was closed to the public. Ugh, if that would have happened to us I would have been furious! I kind of prepared myself for delays, and even closures, due to all the researches I had done before hand. Thankfully that didn’t happen to us.

Finally we got in! The first and only ride we had on our minds was to head for The ‘Harry Potter and the Mysterious Journey’ ride. After seeing the long lines we decided to get a bite to eat before hitting the crazy never-ending lines. It is the most popular area in the park. To tell you the truth we’re not big Harry Potter fans, but due to the hype we had to try the ride. My husband and 11 year-old son decided that they didn’t want to wait in the long line, so instead they went to try the other rides. So it was my daughter, six year-old & I left for the adventure of ‘Harry Potter’!! We had to wait 3 hours in line that twisted and turned through the park just to get a return ticket -- which would allow us to go into the ‘World of Harry Potter’ and once we were in, another 2 and a half hours of waiting in line just for the ride---craziness!! I saw a family with a younger child walk away after 3 hours of waiting, just before getting into the ride.

He is pooped!

So proud of my 6 year old for hanging in!!!

We are finally in and to our surprise it started to snow inside of Hogwarts! We are about to get on the ride—we all had this great sense of accomplishment. We did it after 5 and a half hour!!! We didn’t fly all the way from California for nothing! Just have patience and you can do everything. We tried to get as many rides in as possible before the park closed.

Tip: Keep your receipts and don't forget to pick up your photos on the way out, it makes a great souvenir.

~ Day 5 ~

This morning we are getting ready to check out from the Champion World Resort.
We are all waiting for our shuttle to take us to the world famous Nickelodeon Resort! My six year old kept on asking me if we can spend the night there (shhh, he has no idea what is about to happen).

We visited Orlando in 2005 and he was 3 months old, but didn't come with us. So I made a promise that when he turned 5 we would return to continue our trip. My baby being 6 and a half, the promise was a little overdue. He had no clue we would be staying at the Nickelodeon Resort.

After checking in and seeing our new room (which had 2 bedrooms, one with a Sponge bob theme and a master bedroom, and a spacious living room!), my daughter and I went and found one of the hotel’s photographers and asked her a huge favor: “My son has no idea that we’re actually staying here for 3 days,” I began, “when we were back home in California, we had told him that the only way you guys would let us stay at this resort was if he sang the Sponge bob Square pants theme song. If he sings it correctly, then ‘we’ll get a hotel room for 2 nights and 3 days’. Would you mind being the one to make it all happen?” She loved the idea and agreed to it. We handed her a bag which contained a giant Sponge bob hat which we bought from the souvenir store at the mall inside the resort and told her to hand it to him when he is finished singing as a reward. She handed him the bag and said you were the best singer we’ve had all day! His face was filled with joy and started to dance around. He had a big smile on his face for the rest of the day ( mission accomplished my babies dream came true!

We did the character breakfast our first morning (12/31/11), extremely memorable event for us. I made the reservation way in advance while we were still in California, It’s a must do if you have younger kids. A little pricey, but my kids LOVED this. We took many pictures with all the Nick characters. The kids had a blast dancing with them as well. The Sponge Bob 4d show cost's 12.00 a person but I had bought a package that had everything included. We had access to all the shows plus more. The live shows by the pool were fun and definitely ‘slimy’! My daughter was chosen as one of the volunteers for a game they were having by the pool and got slimed with a lot of other people. We created memories to last a lifetime.

Thomas dancing with Sponge!

Note: IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: Reserve hotel activities and shows in advance at the Guest Services Desk inside the mall.

The Mall is where most of the action takes place. Catch a live show at Studio Nick. Slime time live, Sponge bob show, 4D Theater, souvenir shops, a lounge, kiddy’s spa, a food court, an Arcade. Buy your Nickelodeon souvenirs at Nick Stuff. Sponge Bob fans will find many Sponge Bob items at Nick Stuff.

Waiting to get slimed!

Traveling will make kids come back feeling more self- confident, more independent, open minded, and knowledgeable about the world we live in. Let’s enrich their lives forever! Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

Happy New Year 2012!!

Grandparents Died of a Broken Heart

2012-02-23T11:48:00.006-08:00

After being married for almost 60 years, my Tatie & Papi (grandma and grandpa) died within a day and a half of each other. Grandma (age 76) was admitted to the hospital with fluid in her lungs. She suffered from chronic conditions of heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes.

My Tatie was hospitalized for 10 agonizing days. She had a breathing tube in her mouth when I went to see her several times that week... The ninth day of her stay she was able to breathe on her own without the horrible tube. That day was like a celebration for all of us hoping & praying for a miraculous recovery. She was chit-chatting with her kids and asking where I was. Oh, how I wish I was by her side that day seeing her beautiful big brown eyes staring into mine and to tell her how much I loved her.
She hadn’t eaten for nine days, Uncle Elia gave the rest of his coffee to his mom, and he knew it was restricted but gave it to her anyways. It just wouldn’t go down his throat seeing his mom begging for a sip. Glad he did, because that was going to be her last coffee. The next evening I received the worst call...my grandma wasn’t going to make it; I rushed to the hospital. As we all stood around her and held her hands, we saw that she still had life in her and her eyes wide open, but she wasn’t looking at any of us as if she was staring towards the clock. I held her beautiful hands and asked her to squeeze my hand if she could hear me, and she did squeeze back, she knew I was by her side. I started running my fingers through her beautiful thick hair and was telling her everything was going to be ok (but in my heart I knew it wasn’t) and that she couldn’t leave us.

"I still had to make some tolma for you Tatie jan," I said and just started sobbing. At this time her blood pressure was dropping and her breathing was getting slower. We were told to move out of the way they had to perform CPR chest compressions. I had told the Dr. to do everything they can and that was to perform CPR. At this time, we’re all holding hands and praying for her to come back, within seconds they announced we lost her. My world around me came crashing down; my whole body started getting numb… I was in denial and I couldn’t accept the fact that she was gone. I started running my fingers through her hair once again and gave her a million kisses all over her face and I was talking to her as if she was still here. The day after my grandma died I found out I was one month pregnant with my second child… If only I would have known this one day before she passed away, oh how happy she would have been.

Tat jan, you were my best friend and I wish you didn't have to go. You raised me as a baby and I owe it all to you. You were the woman with the heart of gold! You were my mom first and later my grandma, my friend, my spiritual guidance, my mentor. You & Papi were my rock when I was young. I love you with all my heart and miss you so very much. Almost all the time I dream about you & Papi and it’s so real then I wake up and wonder if it is your way of telling me that you are watching over me or giving me some kind of message. I wish I had of known about my pregnancy the night you passed away. You are always in my heart & in my mind. I love you so so much

Me at age 9 years old with my Tatie & Papi!

My Papi (age 78) also suffered from chronic conditions of heart disease, bronchitis, arthritis, mild form of Alzheimer's.
Half his ear was removed due to the skin cancer and later he went for radiation to make sure it won’t come back again. Few years had gone by now the bacteria have gone into his head. He was admitted into the hospital for surgery of his whole ear being surgically removed. Oh what a horrible day that was, my poor Papi went through a lot. Then with grandma going to the hospital for long period of time… he knew in his heart his wife was not coming home this time. He had told me this while we were in the car going to see grandma. While at the hospital It broke my heart to see him putting his hand into grandma’s hand and had bent over to give her one last kiss with those beautiful blue teary eyes and telling her she was going to be ok. Couple of days later now grandpa was admitted to the hospital due to stomach pain and short of breath. Dear God our plates were full, I don’t know how much more we could handle from this suffering. I saw him the first day and he was weak but alert and could talk to us. After that everything had changed for the worst.

The next day we were told Papi needed surgery in his stomach. We were devastated by the news but still hopeful that he would be ok. His stomach had lost a lot of blood flow and they were not sure if it was going to start working. Later that day more tests were done to find out if he had cancer and we got the news that Papi did have cancer and had only 6 months to live. They had put a tube down his throat so he could breathe. He was still in a lot of pain, always heavily sedated so I never got a chance to talk to him and to tell him how much his granddaughter loved him. I had sat next to his bed and cried so hard because I thought I was going to lose my grandpa too. We started making arrangements for grandma’s funeral while grandpa was still in the hospital only to find out a day and a half later we lost my grandpa too… Three days after his surgery Papi mysteriously passed away…. We never told grandma about grandpa being in the hospital and grandpa never knew about grandma’s death.

My Papi was a humble, modest, down-to-earth kind of man who touched each of our lives in different ways, ways that will never be forgotten. He was a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather, an uncle, and a friend. His legacy is in his family and his friends. His legacy is the people that he has helped, and in the lives that he has touched. He has left us a history. A history of pride in family. Now this history is in our hands to carry on where he left off. My tough little Surte General! As he would always say with pride. (served as a French General in the army) Grandpa I love you with all my heart and I miss you so deeply!

I can’t believe it’s been 12 years this January of 2012 and I still have dreams about my
grandparents,
like the kinds that trick you into thinking they will be there when you wake up. Then I realize they’re gone forever and start crying silently without anyone hearing me. My Papi was a father figure to me. I know my Tatie & Papi are well taken care of in Heaven & they are both angels looking down on me. I truly love you and miss you and hope to see your faces again when my time comes to be with you. We thank you for all you gave us. You both meant so much to all of us. You taught us so many things. We know you're watching over us & your both together again. Someday we'll meet again in Heaven. We miss & love you both deeply!


   Grandma &Grandpa did see some of their great-grandchildren. More great-grandchildren came along after their passing

God’s Garden

God looked around His garden
And found an empty place
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face

He put His arms around you
And lifted you to rest
God’s garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best

He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain,
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.

He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered "Peace Be Thine."

It breaks our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.

~ Libertie Treenery Semanko

My grandparents survived by their loving kids,
Two sons Elia and George,
Three daughters Madlen, Hayastan, and Shake.
Grandchildren 13
Great-grandchildren (12),

Walt Disney Vacation 2005

2012-02-03T17:24:00.014-08:00

While we were still in California I sketched out a daily itinerary for each day of our stay. Every plan made was thoroughly thought of, well, so I thought. In 2005, I planned our first trip to Walt Disney World. My dream finally came true during our first visit to Walt Disney World. We stayed for 5 nights & 6 days in late October. It was an amazing experience to have with my family. We were finally at the airport waiting for our suitcases at the luggage claim, but nothing showed up. We went to report our missing suitcases and to our surprise we were told they have been taken to the resort already! (Compliments from Disney) I should have known this right?

Dont leave home without one of these books!

Note to remember: A few weeks prior to your arrival, registered guests will receive an Airport Transportation Booklet containing general information and special bar-coded luggage tags which need to be attached to the guest’s luggage before departure, please read and don’t make the same mistake as we did.

　
NOTE: Luggage delivery service is available for flights arriving between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 p.m., Guests must collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the Disney Motorcoach, just like any other airport trip.

Finally the time has come! *ahem* DRUMROLL PLEASE! *drum roll goes off* the feel of an African game reserve at The AnimaI Kingdom Lodge
The kids could feel the energy as we arrived. We arrived at 6:30 a.m. and were able to get a room within our arrival after my husband had told them that our daughter missed the step in the bus and had a great fall. They were very compassionate and understanding about it and said they would accommodate us right away and within 15 minutes we got our key to our room. Thankfully no broken bones.

You can see the Giraffe in the background

Amazing to see giraffes, zebras, and other wild animals roaming around outside from your own balcony! How cool it was to have our room above the savannah. This is a once in a life time experience you will never forget. The Animal Kingdom in my opinion is one of the world's best kept "secrets"... Wow what an experience that was for us!!

From Animal Kingdom Resort Buses:

Disney's Hollywood Studios: 10 minutes
Epcot: 15 minutes
Magic Kingdom: 20 minutes
Animal Kingdom: 5 minutes
Downtown Disney: 15 minutes

~Day 1~

　
The very first park we visited was ‘The Animal Kingdom Park’, of course. My advice, get to
Animal Kingdom early and head to the safari first. The animals are waking up, stretching and out looking for food. When we arrived at the park after 3:00 p.m., we tried to do as many rides & attractions as we could in such a short time because of the park closing early. We hopped on the ‘Kali River Rapids’, which took us spinning around in the water and dropped us down little hills. You never knew who was going to get soaked next!

Anthony 5 years old

Afterwards, we went to go on the Kiliminjaro safari, only to find out that last one left at 5:00 p.m., what a bummer to hear that we just missed it. One last show we had to catch before the park closed was ‘The Festival of the Lion King’, we loved this show; the fact that the ‘Lion King’ is one of Disney's best productions, this show is one amazing movie, lots of humorous characters, and amazing stunts, all combined into the perfect show on an arena stage. The acrobatic displays are stunning, and the whole family will enjoy the performers, and your kids’ eyes will light up; they will be shouting, "Woooah!! That’s awesome!!" So glad we didn’t miss this one!

~Day 2~

The Magic Kingdom, it lives up to its name as the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’. Our visit to the park was positively great! Sure, there were a few long lines but the ‘Fast Pass’ feature is an outstanding way of doing what you wish without waiting in the long lines. You simply go to the attraction, get a ‘Fast Pass’ ticket and return at the designated time to enjoy the attraction, while waiting in line for as little as 2 minutes!
I went for the pleasure of watching my daughter and my son enjoy their happy moments together in a magical world. A promise was fulfilled… Sure, I enjoy riding at most of the attractions and seeing the shows, but sharing the moment with your kids and seeing their faces light up is just a priceless moment. The fact that they had no idea that such a place existed made it that much more enjoyable.

Nelly 9 years old

My daughter’s face lit up as she met Ariel the mermaid for the first time ever, as that was her favorite Disney princess. She had a little chat with her, and after she had said goodbye to her, she looked over at me. Her face was amazed, as if she couldn’t believe what just happened.
　

~Day 3~

Epcot is different than most Disney parks. It is more about the experience of visiting other countries all in one place at the same time. There are a number of fun rides throughout the park. The rides we enjoyed the most included GM Test Track, (my husband’s and son’s favorite ride!) Other rides include Launch rides, Soarin’, Living with the Land (boat ride), and Mission Space.

Epcot has plenty of stuff for kids. There are people from their originating country in the various lands, which adds great authenticity to the experience. Each country has at least one restaurant, some better than others, but all will give you an enjoyable taste of the country and culture. The additional countries were set up with kiosks and such all around the lake in the middle of the park.
There are many stores to visit in each country if you're inclined to shop. If you have your heart set on a specific restaurant, please go ahead and make reservations in advance so you won’t be disappointed and turned away. We tried dining in at a Mexican restaurant, but we were told we needed reservations. That’s ok because we had so many countries to choose from. So instead, we went to China! No reservation required, I guess the restaurant wasn’t all that busy that day?

You can see performers from around the world and it is like going on an all around the world trip that you can do in 1 day. Different parts of Europe had mini Shakespeare type plays going on that involved audience participation (it would be a lot of fun for you if you were the type who likes to act!) My favorite and the family’s of course was the acrobatic act at the China pavilion. The young performers were all between the ages of 9 and 12. Amazing to see!! Didn’t think that it was possible to bend in such ways while spinning plates and chopsticks on your head and feet.
‘Reflections of Earth’ is a spectacular 14-minute, live fireworks show that brings together the past, present, and future of our planet and its colorful nations. You can’t miss this nighttime spectacular bursting with surprises for the entire family. My husband had to carry my 5 year old over his shoulders so he can see past the ‘human giraffes’ that had blocked his view.
　

~Day 4~

‘Hollywood Studios: Is probably the smallest and most compact of the Disney parks but also has some of the coolest Disney rides. There are several shows that you should NOT miss while at this park. All attractions and shows have various times, so you will need to get a daily info sheet and map. My absolute favorite is Tower of Terror – terrifyingly incredible. You sit in an "old, run-down elevator" from the 30’s, while a creepy elevator man tells you "Enjoy your stay…" Go up 13 stories and you see 4 ghosts walking in front of you, (they’re the people who supposedly got shocked on this elevator, not to mention that this ride was based on the popular T.V. show, the Twilight Zone). Our 9 year old daughter and 5 year old son surprisingly did better then we expected.

The Jedi Academy training, which is done outside the Star Wars ride and features children (maybe under 12) being 'trained' as Jedi's, get to face Darth Vader himself. It was worth stopping for a moment to watch the action! ‘Lights, Motors, Action!’ is a stunt show in which they show you the behind-the-scenes secrets to car jumps, explosions and a lot of car action in Hollywood movies. Get there early for a good seat! We all enjoyed it, especially the boys. ‘Hollywood Movie Ride’ takes you through several famous movie scenes of old time classic Hollywood stars. How amazing that was! It really gave you the feel that you are actually behind-the-scenes on famous movies. ‘The Muppets: 3D’ was a 3D show that involved lots of hilarious situations, idiotic moments, and not to mention some fiery explosions in the laboratories including all of your favorite Muppet pals, like Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and more. This is definitely a show you will want to take your kids to, they’ll be begging to see it again when it’s over!!

We really wanted to go on the ‘Rock 'n' Roller Coaster: by Aerosmith’, but my 5 year old was not tall enough for the ride. Oh well, everything happens for a reason I guess, right? Maybe next time. Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular! – Just like the movie, full of action and nail biting stunts.　 One of the best shows at the park, moves on to the scene from the ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ with a giant boulder chasing "Indy" down a narrow path. That was nerve wrecking to watch but fun at the same time.　The show builds to an explosion of action and special effects and a little bit of audience participation. Definitely another show your kids will want to see!

A great restaurant at this park is the ‘50's Prime Time Café’. Good "home-cooked" meals that were just absolutely yummy. Everyone at the Café had sung Happy Birthday to our kids, waiters, people walking by, and guests at other tables! What a special touch that made us feel at home. We did not stay for ‘Fantasmic’ (the light show that happens every night). The kids, husband & I were beat and tired and just wanted to get to our room.
　

~Day 5~

The next morning we headed for ‘Disney's Blizzard Beach’ which features lots of water attractions, including thrill rides, ‘chill’ rides, family-style raft rides, areas for little squirts and plenty of cool lounging places for mom & dad. When we were at the water park it had begun raining when we were swimming in the water! We got evacuated and were sent to a dry spot to stay until the rain stopped, because of the weather conditions. Walking in the rain with my daughter while wearing our swim suits is something I’ll never forget, mainly because the whole situation was kind of humorous. What a fabulous way to end our vacation.

Whether you head out of the country to visit a new city or decide to buy a tent and camp out in your own backyard, remember that it is not what you spend on the trip that makes it memorable. The love and laughter that you share with your family is truly what makes any vacation worthwhile. Whether you’re staying at a fancy- hotel, or some Inn, remember no one is really going to be impressed with where you stayed when you come back. It’s the memories that you made with family is what’s important. All I can really say is, go. Go and do what you can in this life. Life is not short, but sweet. For once, think like a child again, be happy again….remember age is just a number go to Walt Disney World and have fun! It was a family vacation that is still fresh on my mind today. I am so glad I was able to take my family on this amazing journey.

This was our package:

2005 Magic Your Way Package plus Deluxe Dining

This plan gave us 3 meals and 2 snacks per person, per night of our package stay, and the flexibility to enjoy any combination of select table-service and quick-service restaurants. We were able to choose dining at over 100 restaurants throughout Walt Disney World Resort. We also choose to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge with the safari view.

It's Time for TRICK OR TREAT!

2011-10-27T12:08:00.009-07:00

Department stores put up their Christmas display... are they nuts?

We haven't even had Halloween yet! I love Christmas so much just like anyone else, But Christmas trees and ornaments should be displayed after Halloween is done! Right?? Back to Halloween,

my kids do not want to wear the same outfit that they wore last year because that would make you look the same as last time, I'm OK with that. Make sure that you pick something appropriate and fun at the same time.

The reason why I like Halloween is because it’s an opportunity to let our children dress up and express themselves while having fun. Mom's rules are no inappropriate outfits or horror costumes allowed with me. Anthony's & Thomas's school does not allow things like weapons, blood or other scary things as part of a Halloween costume and I don’t think that it should be allowed either. When I was a kid costumes weren’t like this, the dresses would come up to your knees, now the dresses barely cover your butt.
At Party city I saw costumes for 8 year old girls which were really short, how do the parents allow their children to pick these costumes??

Some don’t have moral standards of their own, and our society encourages that sort of thing unfortunately. I would never let my daughter dress the way I see some girls dressed on Halloween or at any other time. I am blessed to have good kids who don't argue with me when it comes to choosing a Halloween costume or anything else.
Little firefighters use your imagination,with this exceptional quality fireman costume! Holds up to endless role play rescues. My son loves to wear his!

It's time for TRICK OR TREAT! This is the best part of Halloween, look at all the candy that came out of your bag checking out the goodies to stuff yourself with. Also check the candy some people might put hazards into...be careful!! Watch out for hard candies if you don’t want to run the dentist bill, these can break your teeth if you bite too hard. And make sure that you take out any candy with ingredients your allergic too. If you’re not sure throw it away, better safe than sorry. Happy Halloween!

Lombardi Ranch

Getting ready for trick or treating!

Good times at Armenian school

My boys at the school fair

Thomas in kindergarden with Ms. Lundin :)

Lombardi Ranch

"One Love, One Heart" Our Trip to Jamaica, 2009

2011-10-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

We stayed at FDR Resort in Runaway Bay from June 2–9, 2009. It was truly a family vacation. The unique feature about this resort each family has their own "vacation nanny" throughout their stay. The nanny also stocks your fridge with yummy snacks and delicious drinks, cleans your room, and is generally helpful, for example, signing your kids up for activities. My kids 4, 9, and 13 were kept busy from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm everyday either with our terrific nanny, Terian.. Oh do we miss her!

The kids participated in almost all of the activities being held at the resort. Most of these activities my kids joined in were arts & crafts, fishing, shell collecting, crab racing, goat racing, beach games, talent shows, fashion shows, tie-dyeing, snorkeling, nightly disco for kiddies, evening movie, playground time, glass bottom boat rides, tennis lessons, treasure hunts, daily scavenger hunts (mostly dad & Anthony would play), and so much more. There will be lots of nannies playing with kids in the resort, which means your kids nanny are always watched by the other nannies, parents, etc. We really felt at ease. Our 13 and 9 year old would be playing by the bay with other kids, sometimes till midnight. I and my husband felt very safe at this resort. All the staff members knew our names, and made us feel like we are one BIG family. Love them!!!

One of their most popular attractions in Jamaica is the World famous Dunn's River Falls (Yes!!!) It’s that time to go climb the beautiful falls with the whole family including our (4 year old) and our wonderful nanny Terian, of course. We also had our chance to choose a personal guide recommended by our Vacation Nanny Terian (felt like our family in fact) a moment after discussing with our 4-year-old Thomas, turned to announce, “Yes, he’s climbing up the falls!” And to our amazement, and with his wonderful assistance, He climbed half ways up to the fall and was taken off to go play at the beach with our nanny Terian. Afterwards Thomas was really upset with Terian for taking him off the fall. We just wanted to play it safe and didn’t want to see him get hurt, at least he could say he climbed half ways, right?? There was also a family with us who had a 3 year old that was able to climb all the way to the finish. (Good Job kiddo!)

Oh did I mention through out all this stuff going on my little Thomas was going through a terrible cough and a stuffy nose? Thomas is a tough kid and I am so proud of him for hanging in there. The day before our departure, the FDR staff and our amazing nanny Terian had arranged a magical fourth birthday for my cute little Thomas. All the kids at the resort had been invited to the birthday and we had all sung Happy Birthday to him. He got gifts, cake, and played many games with everyone! He even got to stab the cake numerous times!! (He didn’t do it intentionally; he wasn’t sure how to cut the cake). So much fun!

Saying goodbye can be very difficult. Close friendships do not happen everyday. We made a special bond with everyone at the resort, ranging from the staff (Bosco, Curtis, Daniel, Sandra, Terian, and so many more!) to other hotel guests who have become friends. I cannot put in words what a nice, caring, respectful, and down to Earth man Mr. Franklin (the hotel owner).

He greeted us and also took a picture with us during our family photo shoot on the beach. There is one other person who has made a huge impact on my kids and me: Terian, our wonderful, beloved, sweet, caring, and beautiful nanny. Till this day we keep in touch by e-mail; a bond that will never be broken between us. I hope to return some day and see all the people that had made a touching difference in my kids’ lives, and mine.

If you’ve been to the FDR or any other resorts in Jamaica, I would love for you to share your story in the comments below?

Preparing Pumpkin Seeds

2011-10-12T12:46:00.002-07:00

Kids love preparing pumpkin seeds. You can make a healthy, delicious seasonal snack from the leftovers? It's simple to roast pumpkin seeds, and they make a yummy end to a pumpkin carving session with your little helpers in the kitchen. My youngest loved helping me sort out the seeds.

When it comes to food, Thomas is always ready to give a helping hand. I love my little helper!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds out of hollowed out pumpkin
1 teaspoon sea salt or other salt
4 tablespoons melted butter

Give your kids something to do!.
Clean pumpkin seeds out from the mushy mass of strings with water and pat dry. Let dry overnight. Mix ingredients together and toss pumpkin seeds to coat evenly. Place on a cookie sheet in an even layer and bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour or until seeds are browned. Stir once or twice during baking.

Thomas Caught in the Filming at Gentle Barn!

2011-10-03T17:15:00.000-07:00

Halfways through our trip at Gentle Barn, Thomas spots a red tractor and decides to hop on and "take a ride". To our surprise, a few men about 50 yards from us had cameras and were filming the area with Thomas on the tractor! At this time, Thomas wanted to go feed the horses so we left. One of the gentlemen walked up to us while we were headed towards the barn. "Excuse me, but we were wondering if you could please sign this permission form for us, because we filmed your son in the green hat on the tractor for a movie we're making." he told us. Wow! Thomas was filmed for a movie that might end up in theatres! Oh, let me not forget, of course I signed the form and said "Yes." :)

Gentle Barn With Thomas

2011-10-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

My sweet boy Thomas asks, "Mom.....Mom what are those pointy things on the pig?" The volunteer there replies before I got a chance to say anything, "You know, those are his nipples." I replied, "Thomas, you have them too." Thomas with a confused look says, "Oooh, OK..."