Girlymama and family will be in Southern California all week!
WOOT!
We said goodbye at 5am Saturday morning (stupid frequent flier flights) to the snow and freezing temperatures and are now enjoying things like Not Wearing Snowsuits! Sun! Palm Trees! Sand! SUN!
I've figured out how to post from my phone, so I'll try to upload some of our adventures for you guys!
Have a great week!!
images courtesy of Husband’s trip to Switzerland.
No, he did not bring me back any of that ridiculous dessert.
I love this city.
I would so move here!
I was walking around this afternoon in the city: Walking through Union Square, Spending an hour pouring through the treasure trove that is Filene’s Basement (where there were two racks of Anthropologie clothes! AND 7 for All Mankind jeans from under $100. GREAT restraint was shown.) Stopping at Starbucks for an afternoon recharge…. I love watching the people and seeing what they’re wearing.
Combined with several hours in the afternoon all by myself.
Heaven.
Tonight I’m heading out to dinner the Spotted Pig with my fellow fashion bloggers and I’m so looking forward to talking more with the amazing ladies I met this morning! The stylist approved my outfit and gave me some amazing accessories to wear. You should see the space – I can’t wait to share pictures! My clothes are spending the night there to get pressed and steamed to perfection for tomorrow’s show. This whole thing is so surreal and hard to believe that I’m going to be in an actual fashion show tomorrow. (ACK!) It will be aired live on September 8th at 1 pm on the Electrolux Facebook page and www.Kelly-Confidential.com, so make sure to RSVP!
My family are I just stayed at the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel.
This hotel’s location was fabulous – its right on the beautiful beach that Virginia beach boasts with the boardwalk just in front. The hotel was gorgeous and not at all what I expected. Very posh, but still beachy inside. Plus it is surrounded by several great restaurants and activities, all within walking distance. And check out the pool: my kids deemed it “SUPER SUPER AWESOME!”
Our room was perfect for our family of five: we had a king oceanfront room. There was plenty of room for all five of us and our mountain of luggage. It had everything we needed including a fridge, microwave, huge couch (I hate when hotels have nowhere to sit) and a gorgeous balcony. Not to mention wi-fi and free parking. And it was all for a very reasonable price.
It is an older hotel, so the rooms are not huge (and the bathroom is a little small) but it is in excellent repair and completely modernized. Our room – actually the whole hotel – was spotless.
Every staff member I encountered at this hotel was just fantastic – very friendly and so eager to help. I was alone with my three kids while my husband was in meetings all day, and several employees were offering me extra help – one even insisted in carrying one of my three huge bags up to the room for me as I was also carrying an exhausted two-year-old. I was so impressed!
The only complaint I have is that there was no bathroom near the pool. So when your little one needs to go potty, you have to trek across the pools, up an elevator and through the hotel to the lobby. Of course, the kids hardly cared 😉 It would not stop me at all from staying here again.
The day we were there the fighter jets were flying right over the hotel. A bit loud, but they stopped by nightfall, so it didn’t disturb us at all. Actually, my son was totally jazzed.
I highly recommend the Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel and would definitely stay here again with my family! They’d love to come back – they loved it too:
watching a movie before bed after a long day at the beach and pool
Disclosure: i was not compensated financially for this review. pool photo is from sheraton.com.
Thanks to all of you for all of your fabulous tricks and tips for traveling with toddlers!!
As you probably know if you read this blog, my husband and I both really love to travel. And we love to travel with our kids. We've traveled all over the place with toddler aged kids.
We've done 10-hour car rides and airplane rides across the country and even taken the train a few times. We've done quick, one-night trips to nearby cities, done
Traveling with a toddler is not easy. And I understand why people don't do it. It requires lots of luggage, flexibility and lots of patience, But, I promise you, it is worth it.
Taking our kids to India was stressful. Buckets of Purell aside, there was a huge time change and all the unexpected craziness of traveling in Asia. But our kids loved it. They still talk about it all the time and ask to go back. It was an amazing trip that our whole family will remember and treasure forever.
I have three tips for making toddler travel easier:
1. Plan ahead for delays. Pack more diapers than you think you need, bring an extra outfit in your carry on (for you and baby), take extra snacks and toys. You may get there early. It happens occasionally. But you are much more likely to get delayed. (It continually amazes me how surprised people get at flight delays! Like its unusual!) So if you're already planning for it, it will be much less stressful.
2. Be flexible. I'm a planner. I had every minute of our trips to
3. Bring a bit of home. When we travel, I bring my toddler's blanket, quilt and pillow. It takes a lot of room in the luggage, but it is so worth it. It makes him feel that much more comfy in the portable crib at the hotel and makes bedtime so much easier. A nightlight is a must for helping preschoolers find the potty. And I always bring some books, coloring books and small toys for keeping the kids entertained and not bouncing from bed to bed in the hotel. Not that my kids would ever even DREAM of doing something like that. This is why I am so excited about Marriott's new Tots Travel Too program – finally a hotel is helping parents conquer traveling with toddlers!
Don't be afraid to travel with your toddler. Start small. Go stay overnight in the nearest city. Go sightseeing and play tourist in your own hometown. Begin building memories with your toddler that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I am working in partnership with Marriott and TheMotherhood.com to cover the Marriott Tots Travel Too program and have received a stipend.
While I’m crazy-busy helping my sister get married, please enjoy the following guest post from one of my favorite ladies in social media, Beth Feldman, founder of RoleMommy.com.
As an avid traveler and lover of amazing places and deals we can share with your our readers, we are thrilled to be working with Villa Group Resorts as we help spread the word about their gorgeous resort properties in Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta and coming soon…Cancun and Loreto Mexico!
Offering families, couples and singles incredible and affordable getaway options throughout the year, this season, Villa Group has introduced ultra-inclusive vacations that include dining and beverages, a kids club, babysitting options, spa packages, golf getaways, dolphin excursions, water sports and much more!
Having stayed at Villa la Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, I immediately felt like I was being welcomed into the lap of luxury – receiving a hand massage the moment we walked into the lobby. We stayed in a two bedroom suite complete with marble floors, private bathrooms, cozy living room, dining room, massive kitchen and sweeping balcony with a wet bar…can anyone say…margaritas? While I’m culinary challenged (no need to cook since there are fabulous restaurants on the premises including the award-winning La Casona), it’s great knowing that while we’re on vacation, we can store refrigerated snacks, drinks, and breakfast items if we want to sleep in and the kids are in the mood for cereal and cartoons. And the granite countertops, state of the art appliances and sweeping views of the ocean and pool and bathrooms to die for, are not so shabby either!
As you contemplate where you’d like to go for your next vacation, the Villa Group Affiliate Travel Network, comprised of nearly two dozen dynamic parenting and lifestyle bloggers, will offer a series of helpful articles that will give you the inside track on all things Mexico. For our first post, we’re tackling important questions that most travelers ask when they travel to Mexico. Hopefully, this will help guide you as you plan your next vacation!
Q. Is it safe to drink the water in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas?
A. In Puerto Vallarta, you should be aware that incredible efforts have been made to provide safe water to residents and tourists. Over the last two decades, the Mexican government spent millions of dollars developing a safe water purification system in the area. As a result, this state of the art system has greatly reduced water-induced illnesses for travelers visiting Puerto Vallarta.
According to CaboExpo.com, for visitors to Cabo San Lucas, the resort location has never had the significant water quality problems that mainland Mexico as traditionally experienced:
“Sitting at the bottom of the Baja Peninsula, the fresh water in Los Cabos is some of the best in Baja. The local waters start thousands of feet above Los Cabos in the very tall mountains north of Cabo, drain down into local aquifers, and then are treated locally and then often treated again at the hotel or restaurant level. Tourism is just too important to let bad water become a factor.”
Q. Is it safe to travel to Cabo and Puerto Vallarta? Where are the dangerous parts of Mexico anyway?
A. According to AOL, which recently devoted extensive coverage to Mexico and issues relating to safety and even gives an overview of the places you should avoid, you’ll take comfort knowing that both Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas were ranked as being incredibly safe for travelers. As a precaution, always avoid streets that are not well lit (as you would in any country), but for the most part, your experience should be safe, relaxing and enjoyable!
Q. Are there any safety tips you can offer to a traveler who has never been to Mexico?
A. When you arrive at the airport, make sure you have made provisions for yourself and your traveling companions to take you to your accommodations. There will be many individuals offering you a ride or claiming to be your driver – while they are friendly and it is safe to ride with them, you will be better served if you book a car in advance.
If you decide to leave your resort and travel to a location in the evening, make sure when you are walking at night that you are aware of your surroundings and that you traverse well lit streets. Or, arrange for a car to pick you up after your evening is over. Better to have someone waiting for you to take you back to your hotel then go off exploring in the middle of the night!
Take precautions while swimming, snorkeling or surfing! The surf can be rough – especially in Cabo San Lucas and if you are not a strong swimmer, you may want to take precautions. Or, book an excursion that will take you on a guided water tour with experienced lifeguards on board.
Q. What about taking a road trip – is it better to book a tour or can I go on my own and explore?
A. While you can certainly rent a vehicle and explore Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas on your own, your experienced will definitely be enhanced if you register for a tour that is led by someone who truly knows the lay of the land and the water! While it’s always nice to discover new things, you can accomplish that by being a part of a guided tour and traveling with a group of vacationers like you. Of course, if you’ve been to either resort town many times, then you may feel more comfortable venturing out and returning to a favorite destination – suddenly you’ll be the expert offering tips to new travelers. But if it’s your first time, we suggest consulting with your hotel concierge who can offer some great tour options for you and your family.
Q. Are there parts of Mexico we should avoid due to the BP Oil Spill?
A. Here’s a quick geography lesson: The BP oil spill is nowhere near Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. While the spill has contaminated many US cities located near the Gulf of Mexico, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta are located on the west coast surrounding the Sea of Cortez. While travelers may believe that Mexico might have been affected by the recent environmental disaster, the hardest hit regions have been in the United States.
If you’re interested in finding out how you can book an unforgettable vacation in Mexico, visit Villa Group Resorts and check out their hot deals page – where they’ve got some incredible vacation options this summer – plus the offers run through December 2010 so you can book now and still save on your vacation!
And, there’s still time to enter the She Knows ultra inclusive trip giveaway to Puerto Vallarta. Enter today and you and a guest could win an all expenses paid vacation at Villa La Estancia…Arriba!!!
This post is sponsored by the Role Mommy Writers Network.
**This giveaway is now closed! Congratulations to Bethany, comment #47**
My day in numbers:
400: Number of miles I drove today.
7: Number of hours I spent in the car today.
3: Number of kids that were with me.
0: Number of other adults to help me.
15: Number of chicken nuggets ordered for lunch at Wendy's.
2: Number of stops for diaper changes along the way.
397: Number of times I heard "Are we there yet?"
4: Number of movies watched by the kids while I drove.
1: Number of people who saw my underwear when my son opened the door of the bathroom stall at the rest stop.
25: Number of minutes my 2-year-old napped. ALL DAY.
We've traveled all over the place with toddlers. Including a trip halfway around the world that involved 36 consecutive hours of traveling. (No joke.) Traveling with a toddler requires endless patience, a sense of humor and – ideally – the same brand of luggage
So believe me when I say that I understand that traveling with a toddler is not for the faint of heart. And, finally, so does a hotel chain.
Marriott hotels is introducing Tots Travel Too™, a program designed to make travel
easier for families with young children, that will be available at more than 2,500
Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn
and TownePlace Suites hotels in the
This complimentary Tots Travel Too program provides guests, upon
request, with a travel crib and laundered COVERPLAY® removable crib
slipcover to ensure their “traveler-in-training” can rest comfortably.
For a bit of bath time fun, a complimentary gift comes with the
COVERPLAY, an animal squirtie toy. In addition, parents who have
forgotten to pack their tot’s essentials can contact the front desk for
complimentary items, including outlet covers, nightlights, baby
shampoo, and baby lotion, plus disposable bibs will be available in the
breakfast areas.
Marriott and TheMotherhood.com are giving one lucky Girlymama reader a $250 Marriott Gift Card and a Marriott
Tots Travel 2 Welcome Basket to give away (if there's no
Marriott-affiliated hotel nearby, winners can use the gift card at Shop Marriott)! Here's how to enter:
Marriott and TheMotherhood.com
are creating "The Ultimate Traveling with Toddlers Must-Have Tip
Sheet" and we need help!
Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment sharing your best tip for traveling with toddlers.
Extra Entry #1: Leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you subscribed to my feed by email or in a reader.
Extra Entry #2: Leave another comment telling me in what way you promoted this contest (i.e., posting about it on your blog or Facebook, or Tweeting about it.
Contest ends Tuesday, June 29th. Entries such as "Enter me" or "I want to win" will NOT be counted. Winners will be selected by Random.org, announced back here on this post, and notified via email with further instructions. If I don't hear from the winner in 48 hours, I will be choosing a new winner.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I am working in partnership with Marriott and
TheMotherhood.com to cover the Marriott Tots Travel Too program and have
received a stipend.
