Kids and Travel during the Holidays

Posted on November 15, 2017 by llpitlwp

Kids and Travel during the Holidays

Kids and Travel

There is no argument here, kids and travel is hard, no matter what mode of transportation. Car and plane trips have many different difficulties but there are ways to make the experience less stressful.

Travel in the Morning.

Kids are generally happier in the morning providing that you do not disturb too much of their sleep to leave very early. Making travel an adventure for both you and them helps

Empathize With Your Kids, Not Other Passengers.

If you are traveling by plane shift your focus away from what other people think. Think about your children and how they are actually feeling. Empathy can go a long way to relieve your children’s boredom and anxiety about being confined to a seat for x numbers of hours.

Be Prepared. Kids in the House

Pack interesting snacks and small toys to distract your little ones. Take them out periodically during the trip. These little surprises will definitely help and buy segments of peaceful time during your trip.

KIDS AND TRAVEL

Think of Kids and Travel as Family Time, not a Vacation.

Challenging and stressful are words to describe holidays and travel. Try to view it as important time with your kids and family time which is different that a vacation for yourself. By changing your expectations you will avoid anger about being disappointed that this is not a relaxing time away from home

Childproofing away from home

Posted on July 2, 2016 by llpitlwp

Childproofing When You Are Away From Home

Small children are at risk for accidents especially at home since that is where they spend the most time. There are all kinds of services and ways to go about making a child’s environment safe and providing a play area that is welcoming and worry free.

What about when you go away to a relative’s home or to a hotel, that safe environment is sometimes more challenging to acquire.

I just came across this video which is so helpful for those parents traveling during these summer months or actually anytime. Here is Childproofing 101!

Here’s to a safe summer for everyone including your littlest travelers who are curious and ready to explore everything that is new and different!

Here’s how to spot potential dangers when away from home and what to pack in your safety kit.

Source: Childproofing away from home | Video | BabyCenter

Mom2Summit in Scottsdale

Posted on May 5, 2015 by llpitlwp

Mom2Summit

Last Wednesday, I made my way to Scottsdale, Arizona’s Phoenician Resort and my fourth Mom2Summit.

There is always something new to learn at Mom2.0 but the best part is the energy these young women, mostly moms, have and the love they have for what they
do in the world of social media and blogging.

Mom2Summit was all it was meant to be.

Kia picked us up at the airport and delivered us in style to the Phoenician resort in Scottsdale. It was my first ride in a Kia, my husband and I loved the ride and he even got to test drive a Kia during our stay.

Dove welcomed us with products and a beautiful book celebrating the curly haired girls. Dove has some fabulous new products for those of us with
natural curls…I am thrilled. Thank you Dove!

The first evening cocktail party was so beautifully sponsored by Breyers Ice Cream and In the Raw Sugar… outdoors on the lawn. But alas, jet lag and the Arizona heat overtook me so I joined my family for an early bedtime.

Happily, before my evening ended, I had already met a few of my virtual friends in person. It is always special for me to meet new friends at Mom2.0. There are just so many talented women and moms raising this generation of children …so inspiring how they are willing to support one another in social media and on blogs.

Sponsors are important to so many bloggers and it is interesting to see some bloggers make the most of their sponsor relationships without losing their own authentic voice. I also have utmost respect for those moms, who respect their children’s boundaries and privacy.

It isn’t an easy task to balance yourself and your values when you want to monetize your blog but it is so important in my eyes.

Daphne Oz spoke to a group that I attended. Actually, it was an interview with Katie Rami from ABC television in Phoenix. Daphne spoke about work/mom balance and how it is constantly evolving as her daughter grows. In October she will add a new baby to her family to challenge her already hectic schedule. She too discussed privacy and boundaries and the care that she takes now that people have begun to recognize her daughter when she is out and about in NYC. To me, Daphne seemed to have a good handle on her goals as a mom along with handling her mom responsibilities which is no easy task. She also spoke about lending her support to certain products and is careful to curate what she sponsors.

Thursday night, I attended a dinner with Beech Nut baby foods where I met a lot of moms and learned about a brand that my family has used for three generations. Beech Nut has listened to moms and now has a whole line of organic foods and textures for baby and toddler. These foods are so very tasty that we enjoyed them in billinis and in our salad dressing at dinner … delicious!

Friday was a day of so many great sessions. I wish I could have split myself to attend many more of them.That night was the Iris awards … It was a late night which
I was unfortunately not able to attend .

I was so happy to see the winners posted on Facebook, but truthfully I was able to predict some of the winners myself!

Congratulations to all the nominees and the winners!

My husband came to Scottsdale with me and was amazed to see the sheer numbers in attendance. I dubbed the two of us, Grandma and Grandpa Mom 2.0. He said there were just too many women for him. I will miss him at Laguna next year but I
I’ll be there to absorb some energy from this great group of women!

Thank you to all those who made Mom2Summit possible!

Sand and Sun in the Caribbean

Image

Sometimes sand and sun is all I need to rejuvenate me…what about you?

For the past few days, I have been relaxing and taking in the beautiful hospitality of Grand Cayman.

It is a wonderful island …the beaches are pristine and the water is welcoming, especially after leaving sub-freezing temperatures in Chicago.

Tomorrow reality will return as we travel back to the cold…but in the meantime even though it is cloudy today, there is still a little sun and sand alongside the beautiful Caribbean.

See you all stateside…Happy Thursday!

What Do Your Kids Do During Summer Vacation?

Posted on July 22, 2013 by llpitlwp

Instead, I’m choosing to teach them that breaks are a good thing. That they don’t need to wring their brain cells dry to be good students. That their hard work during the academic year deserves the reward of relaxation.

I’m teaching them that right now, they should experience fun and freedom and mischief and food and yes, a goodly amount of TV and video games. I’m teaching them that they are good enough, and I don’t expect perfection.

I’m teaching them that they’re still kids. And that’s really all they need to learn right now.

via I’m Not Teaching My Kids Anything This Summer | Summer Learning.

Truly…I could not say this better myself…as I stare out the windows at the water which beckons me to just go with the flow on any given day!

Summer vacation has always been a time that I valued with my kids and now I continue to value it with my grandchild.

My own Nana, God bless her, taught me that summer was for…

Days full of unscheduled activities as much as possible…

Summer was for days…

Full of ice cream cones, sandcastles, swimming and beaches along with…

Rainy days full of painting, make-believe and cookie baking.

What better excuse to be a kid myself…

Celebrate…Four Seasons Chicago Staycation!

Posted on November 21, 2012 by llpitlwp

Happy Anniversary Champagne Toast – Four Seasons Chicago!

My husband and I have been married for 35 years.

Over those years, we have celebrated many memorable occasions together with our family at The Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago.

Birthdays, Mother’s Days, Christmas and even St.Patrick’s Day are some of many family holidays and events made more memorable by the wonderful staff at the The Four Seasons.

For our anniversary we agreed, it had to be something special and our 4 year old granddaughter needed to be with us. We also wanted a “stay-cation” in Chicago because we love to spend time enjoying the City that is so near and dear to us.

So it was natural for us to choose to stay at The Four Seasons …something for us and something for our granddaughter.

Jeff, “Welcome Home” Four Seasons Chicago

“Welcome home!”, Jeff said as he greeted us on our arrival.

It was so perfect that Jeff would meet us at the door. We have been met by him many times over the years. Even when we come to Chicago for the day, we stop to say hi to Jeff and ask about his family.

At check-in, we were greeted warmly and our granddaughter was treated to a small gift from the “toy chest” conveniently located at the front desk.

She was ecstatic!

We then made our way to our room in the sky…with a beautiful view of Oak Street Beach and Lake Michigan. Truly, one of my favorite corners of the city.

It is this view that is so spectacular when it is lit up at night and even more beautiful at sunrise!

“Room with a View”

After relaxing and enjoying lunch in our room…we were ready for “pizza making” with our granddaughter…so off we went to the Four Seasons kitchen…

Pizza Making with Chef Matt”

Thrilled is the word to describe our granddaughter when she met Chef Matt and the staff of the Four Seasons kitchen… donning apron and hat she went to work creating gourmet pizzas which were to be our appetizers at dinner later in the day.

“Afternoon Milk and Cookies”

After the “hard” work of pizza making she was treated to a delightfully refreshing chocolate milk shake which she made with the help of her “Papa” and fresh cookies which were waiting for her in our room…

“Happy Anniversary Grandma and Papa” from Four Seasons Chicago

My husband and I were greeted with chocolate covered strawberries and champagne from the Hotel staff along with some beautiful flowers from friends!

After our snacks, we headed out to the 900 Shops on Michigan Avenue.

Conveniently, the hotel directly accesses one of the premier shopping areas in the country. Our first stop was Galt Toys…a favorite for unique children’s items…a definite “don’t miss” on my trips to Chicago.

Then it was time for an early dinner at Allium. This was our first time dining there. For appetizers we enjoyed our granddaughter’s pizza….they were delicious as was the rest of our dinner.

The “Pappardelle & Chicken Thighs” was my entree choice, my husband feasted on the “Wisconsin Walleye”…just superb!

Pizza Appetizer compliments of our Granddaughter

A surprise Anniversary dessert arrived to complete our delicious dining experience!

A beautiful Anniversary dessert!

: Hello …Ice Cream Man!

Then it was time to retire to our room ….where our granddaughter was surprised by a visit from the Ice Cream Man.

After a bedtime sundae…it was good night to all of us!

Early morning quiet time on the window seat!

Sunday sunrise did not disappoint!

Our little one was enjoying a relaxing moment on the window seat while we enjoyed an early breakfast in our room.

At quick trip to LEGO Water Tower Chicago!

These days a trip to Chicago is never complete without a visit to LEGO in Water Tower Place!

A quiet lunch before heading home!

After Water Tower Place we sat down for a quiet lunch at Allium before leaving to return home.

Since we were also running a little late…our server, noticing we were concerned, arranged for us to have a later check-out so we could relax a little bit longer and enjoy our meal.

After lunch it was time to leave…

Good bye and Thank you…Four Seasons Chicago!

Our weekend was wonderful…The Four Seasons made our stay so memorable. We left with smiles and stories to tell … this being one of them!

Disclosure:

I was not compensated for this review. We were given a special rate on our accommodations. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Beach Party…

Posted on July 19, 2012 by llpitlwp

Fuller Beach, Edgartown, MA

A day at the beach with kids sounds like fun and it can be with a great deal of effort usually on the part of the adults, usually the moms.

For many years we vacationed on Martha’s Vineyard, where we were a short walk away from the beach in Edgartown and a beautiful short ferry ride from the beaches on Chappaquidick. It was idyllic in many ways and I have so many fond memories from those vacations with my daughter, her friends and various family members who joined us for all or part of our vacation time.

Martha’s Vineyard and MOM

Our house was small but could sleep 7-8 people in a pinch or 6 very comfortably. It was not air-conditioned which proved to be somewhat hellish at times when the temperatures soared to the 90’s. We did have boxed fans which kept humming through those sultry days and nights. Some times it was even to hot to pack up and make the “trip” to the beach…those were the days spent on the sofa in front of the fan reading.

Martha’s Vineyard…

You probably are wondering what prompted this post…well I happened across two blogs today that discussed what it takes to create a fun day at the beach.

My answer… MOM and lots of planning…food, toys, umbrellas, towels, coolers, chairs, sunscreen…drinks and plenty of sweat and patience. If you have really little ones then of course you need extra bathing suits and swim diapers.

I would begin packing in early June for our July trip to the Vineyard…why?

Because summer rentals on the Vineyard usually do not come with linens. So I would send stuff ahead to the Mailroom in Edgartown where it would be waiting for me. We would take a very early Ferry on Saturday and hustle off to pick up our cartons filled with the sundries necessary for a comfortable couple of weeks at the beach.

I would be remiss if I did not include here the fact that we had to fly from Chicago on Friday night and drive to Woods Hole where we would all pile in to the Nautilus Motor Inn for the night…in later years we stayed with a college friend in Falmouth for the night.

Woods Hole, MA

From the Nautilus you could hear the comfort of the Ferry horn and quickly walk to the dock. We had to purchase our Ferry tickets in February in order to take a car on board…all of this was done by MOM. Even the Nautilus had to be booked well in advance…as it was a very popular place come summetime.

All the preparation was worth the lazy days spent on the Vineyard which still remains one of my favorite places and memories.

Finally on move in day ..there was the obligatory trip to Stop and Shop and Cronigs to buy staples like chips and dip and drinks. We would shop each daily for the catch of the day and head “Up Island” to the Farmers Market for our favorite pies and jams and containers of Pam’s Pesto.

Each morning MOM (me) would assemble all the “stuff” for the beach. Now mind you we stayed there most of the day…so snacks and lunch were necessities. The beaches that we liked had no concessions so you were at your own mercy when it came to food and drink.

There were always many hands to get us to the beach and back…but those hands disappeared fast when it came to washing and drying the towels and cleaning the cooler making ready for the next day.

Then there was dinner for the hungry souls that had spent the entire day reading, roasting, rollicking and eating in the sun or under one of the umbrellas that we had lugged along with us.

Finally after a relaxing dinner…day was done after a short walk to SCOOPS in Edgartown for the obligatory ice cream.

Vineyard Scoops

Yes, MOM made it happen…but this MOM really enjoyed those days and sultry nights at the beach.

Martha’s Vineyard just makes me feel nostalgic about times gone by…but now it’s on to this MOM and trips to the beach (no longer Martha’s Vineyard)…SIGH… with grandchildren, where I am still the organizer with help from PAPA.

It is hard to know who enjoys the beach more us or our grandchild.

Who plans fun with the kids or grandkids in your family?

Lifes Not A Beach With Kids | Kid Scoop.

Beach Break….

Posted on June 27, 2012 by llpitlwp

For me, there is nothing that can quite beat a relaxing day at the beach… gentle breezes, the voices of children at the shoreline, and the sounds of seagulls over head.

….and toys abandoned for a quick snack

…and “love letters in the sand”

…and carefully created sand formations…

and views of beautiful spinnakers…beckoning me to come aboard and sail…off into my imagination…

Where do you find renewal?

Where does your imagination take you when you are relaxing and daydreaming?

As a mom and now a grandmother who writes, I find these moments of renewal so important to maintain balance.

So this week, my blog will take a short break from its regular scheduled program

while “grandma” unwinds.

jekyll and hyde days

Posted on June 7, 2012 by llpitlwp

Last week I was on a “break” in Rhode Island…where I go from time to time to relax and stir up some creative thoughts.

Spring has come along the Rhode Island coast line… it is beautiful to experience the chirping birds, the cry of the sea gulls and the off shore breezes. Sunrises never cease to be a grateful view.

The ever-changing water currents and winds bring daily weather changes, sometimes ones that are very slight and hardly noticeable and others, dreary and full of drama.

We had one such dreary and dramatic day…a Nor’easter which hit us early one morning with pounding rain and whistling wind. The waves were tumultuous and white caps made for ominous boating conditions. It was a day for soup, sandwiches and a good book…as well as make-believe play and a trip to the Children’s Library in between wind gusts.

The next morning…it was like the day before had been a dream. The sky lit up at around 5 a.m. and the sun shone brightly another hour later. The Wind had subsided.The birds were back and the water sparkled with its calmness. Boats were cruising again.

It was a Jekyl and Hyde couple of days…on the coast of Rhode Island!

I’m glad to be back…

Posted on May 8, 2012 by llpitlwp

Last week, I attended the MOM 2.0 Summit. It was mostly bloggers but there were some entrepreneurs mixed in with sponsors and probably many others whom I did not have a chance to personally meet.

The venue for the conference was the Ritz Carlton in Key Biscayne, FL….it was a magnificent backdrop for a very well organized, business mixed with fun event.

I just returned to Chicago late this afternoon and really cannot wait to sit down and write, but traveling really does take its toll on me.

So for now here is my comment on the MOM 2.0 Summit, Facebook page…more to come.

My first MOM 2.0…loved it. The sponsors were wonderful…if I missed visiting any of them I am sorry…I know they made the event happen. I enjoyed the wonderful women who shared so much both the attendees and speakers. Those who were not welcoming at your lunch table at the Aldi lunch…thank God you were in the minority…get over yourselves! All the rest…xoxo

Parenting in the Loop

Category Archives: Travel

Kids and Travel during the Holidays