London

Traveling can be wonderful, but it can also be stressful and expensive.  I wouldn't know this first hand, because I have never been anywhere except up and down the east coast.  I would love to someday be able to take a month or two and just get away.  I remember watching a movie once about two women, from different countries, who swapped houses for a month.  They lived in each others homes, and were able to enjoy a different country in comfort.

I'm not sure I could live in someone's house, but if I were to visit somewhere for any length of time, I would want to stay in an apartment instead of a hotel.  There are even people who specialize in finding the right apartments for tourists.  For instance, if you want to visit London, there is a couple who are experts at finding London apartments.  They have lived in France for years, and know all the places you must visit.  With the Olympics being held there this year, there probably isn't a hotel room to be found, so renting an apartment might be your best bet.  Looking for your own London apartments can be overwhelming, so why not leave it to the experts?

Do You Have Vacation Plans?

I can not believe it is the end of April.  Seriously, how are we already a third of the way through this year?  The kids only have five more weeks of school, and then it's Summer vacation.

Last year, we camped for a few days.  We are hoping that we can go for a full week this year, but we'll see.  There are so many different family vacation ideas, and I'm thinking that maybe this year we should do something different.   The kids are wanting to take another day trip to the mountains, so I'm hoping we can do that.  When we went over Spring Break, the water was too cold to really enjoy.  Junior says it will always be cold because it is mountain water, but I am sure it will feel a lot better when it is 100 degrees outside.  At least we don't have to worry about baby travel, since our youngest is eight.   It's nice not to have to worry about all the things you need for little ones when you travel, like diapers and formula and baby sunglasses.  I like that my kids are old enough to be responsible for their own things.

It sure makes vacations a little more relaxing.

If You Kissimmee, I'll Kissiyou!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.
I know you have heard the old saying, that "opposites attract". I believe that Junior and I are proof that that saying is completely true. For instance, when it comes to discussing where to go on vacation this year, we can agree on only one thing, and it is for completely different reasons. We both want to go where there will be water, only Junior wants to fish in it, and I want to swim in it.

This is why Kissimmee is the perfect place for us to go. For Junior, there are plenty of lakes to go fishing. When he gets tired of that, he can tour the wetlands, looking for turtles and alligators. He can even take an airboat ride across Lake Toho. Okay, maybe I would also like to hunt up some alligators and ride in the airboat. And maybe do a little fishing, but only after I spend some time with the kids at the water parks.

I love the rides where you can sit in a tube or a boat, but I am not brave enough for those waterslides where you just cross your arms and push off. I am slightly terrified of heights, and I would never be able to do the initial push. Who am I kidding. I would never make it to the top of the ride to begin with. But strap me in a boat with five other people, and I am good to go.

As you can see, Junior and I really are opposites. He would rather enjoy the water from a distance with a fishing pole, and I want to be in it. Thankfully, there are places like Kissimmee where we can do both.

Is There A Song To Make The Snow Go Away?

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of AccuWeather. All opinions are 100% mine.

The kids were sent home from school yesterday at noon, and they had a two hour delay this morning. Why, you ask? Because it snowed. Again. In South Carolina. For the fourth time this winter.

Enough already!

Yesterday's snow wasn't too bad though, because an hour after it finished falling, it was gone. The schools were delayed this morning because of icy roads, not snowy ones. I am a strong believer in the "better safe than sorry" philosophy, so erring on the side of caution is okay with me.

By 8:30 this morning, when we headed to the bus stop, the roads were fine and the sun was shining. In fact, I think we are supposed to get up to about 50 degrees today. We were 50 on Monday, too. Mother Nature's mood swings are really starting to drive me nuts. Junior is starting to drive me nuts, too.

Everyone was home by 2 o'clock, and the snow was falling. Brandi was napping, because she has been sick and stayed out of school Monday and Tuesday. Ryan and Kasi were in their rooms, and I was sitting here, at the computer. Junior was watching television, and at every commercial, he would switch to a weather channel. I told him he needed to just check occasionally, but no. He needed to know every five minutes if the storm started moving slower or faster. He drove me nuts!

I prefer to check the weather online, and AccuWeather tells me everything I need to know in one place. I can type in any location, and find out the weather. This comes in handy when traveling, too. My sister was able to know the weather in all the states she drove through when she left here last week, and was able to anticipate where the rain was going to be. It made traveling a lot less stressful for them, as they were able to plan their stops according to the weather.

I don't think they will be planning another trip down in February, either. The weather down here that week was just as bad as it was in NY.

The Big Fight

Where are you going be on March 13, 2010? If you were to ask my husband that question, he would probably say that he will be sulking at home. If he had his way, we would both be in Vegas, watching the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight at the MGM Grand Arena. Well, we would both be in Vegas, but I doubt we would both be at the fight. I would get him Pacquiao/Mayweather tickets, but he would have to take someone else. I get queasy at the sight of blood, and we all know how bloody these fights can get. I might go get a massage or something while he enjoys the fight.

My brother-in-law might enjoy going with him. He is a big fan of Mayweather, and thinks he will win. My husband is rooting for Pacquiao, so it should make for an interesting night.

Traveling With Kids

Are you planning an awesome vacation this summer? Junior came home today with confirmation that he got the vacation days he put in for. This means we get to go camping for three days. I don't know who is more excited, me or the kids?

It's only been in the past few years that we have started taking family vacations. When the kids were younger, I was hesitant to go anywhere with them. BabySafeTravel.com takes the stress out of vacations. If you have to travel with baby, this is the site for you. You can book your vacation based on parent reviews of the baby friendliness of hotels. I remember when my brother got married, we all drove up to Ohio. My kids were a little older, and we stayed at a Comfort Inn. The best thing about our room was the fridge, because it allowed us to keep drinks and snacks cold for the kids. My sister Tami stayed at a "fancier' hotel with her family, including her infant son, and she had to keep his formula in a cooler, because they didn't provide in room refrigerators.

BabySafeTravel also offers tips and products to make traveling with baby easier. I think the best tip is to plan your drive time around your child's sleep schedule. While you may not like driving through the night, it might be worth it to avoid cranky kids. My sister drives from NY to SC every summer, and always drives through the night. That way her kids are rested when they arrive, and she doesn't spend fourteen hours stressed out by their arguing and fighting.

Luckily the campsite we booked is only about ninety minutes away. My kids are older now, too, and they do great in the car.

Most days.