• world_polio_day
    Health - parenting - Travel

    Ten Facts About World Polio Day #WorldPolioDay

    October 23, 2016 - By 

    This week as we mark World Polio Day I wanted to share a few facts about polio and the vaccine that saves lives. Just one week ago I was in Zambia doing a fellowship with the UN Foundation’s global vaccine program called Shot @ Life. On our last day in Livingstone, we visited the Mahatma Gandhi clinic where moms and dads brought their babies to receive the appropriate vaccines needed for their age group. Many babies were receiving the oral polio vaccine, as shown below. It’s the type of global vaccination initiative that Shot@Life supports in many countries around the world.…

  • cruise_packing
    active family travel - Travel

    What to Pack for a Cruise – 5 Must Haves #Travel

    October 18, 2016 - By 

    What to pack for a cruise. It’s something you’ll be thinking about for some time once you decide to take a vacation on the sea. Of course there’s the standard swimsuits, shorts, etc., but there are a few things you don’t want to be without. Every diehard cruise lover knows there are a few cruise hacks and products that simply make the sailing smoother. Not really essentials but cruise hacks for packing. A few of these are oddball things you might not think of, but trust me they can make your cruise so much sweeter. So if you need to know…

  • haunted_houses
    active family travel - family - Travel

    5 Top Haunted Houses in the US

    October 12, 2016 - By 

    Halloween in the United States is the season for all things scary – particularly haunted houses. Most areas have a local haunted house, but for those looking for an extra terrifying thrill, there are many elaborate haunted houses throughout the country. Here are 5 of the best haunted houses in the United States. Terror Behind the Walls. Terror Behind the Walls is an annual haunted house that takes place at the Eastern State Penitentiary located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Can you picture that? The setting itself is enough to terrify me. The Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the most infamous…

  • cruise_dining_packages
    active family travel - Food - Travel

    Cruise Dining Packages Are They Worth It?

    October 11, 2016 - By 

    Cruise food can be amazing. The buffets and regular dining rooms are superb and as fancy as you wish to make them. But, if you want a richer experience then you can opt in to the specialty dining rooms, so long as you book and pay in advance. Cruise food packages are an expense that people are always up in the air over. Is it worth the extra cost? Aren’t meals included, anyway? I just paid for an entire all-inclusive cruise, why would I pay even more for a cruise dining package? These are all the questions that people –…

  • cruise_booking
    Travel

    Cruise Booking Tips – What to Look For Before You Set Sail

    October 4, 2016 - By 

    Cruise booking is a big deal. You’ll be saying yes to a full week out on the sea, or on the ocean, where you’ll be at the mercy – good or bad – of the cruise line you booked with. It’s important to do your homework before you put the money down on your cruise vacation. You want to have a blast, not get blasted, with a disappointing vacation. There are a few smart cruise booking tips I have collected from the numerous family cruises we have booked and taken. So, I thought I’d share them with readers in hopes that they…

  • cruise_series
    family - parenting - Travel

    Launching My Cruise Series #travel

    October 3, 2016 - By 

    Oh Baby, it’s October. Around here that means one thing..or maybe two things, Halloween and time to start planning fall and winter travel. Most years since we started cruising that means I am thinking about cruising and evaluating costs and ports of call and where we want to go. This year I am unveiling my Cruise Series. That’s right all of October I am running cruise stories – one a week until the month is done, because I know you have questions and you want to know if cruising is right for you. I happen to think it is pretty…

  • vow_renewal
    active family travel - family - parenting - Travel

    Vow Renewal – A Few Memorable Destinations #travel

    September 27, 2016 - By 

    Vow renewal is a beautiful and romantic thing. It’s a way for couples to reaffirm their commitment to one another in a way that’s more than just the everyday “I love you” and the occasional flower bouquet. I’ve been thinking about this lately and contemplating whether this is something we should do for our 25th wedding anniversary. I like the idea of building a memorable romantic trip together as a couple. Renewing our vows could add a touch of magic to our marriage. It might remind us how we felt that day when we first slipped those rings on our fingers in…

  • flying_alone
    active family travel - family - parenting - Travel

    Flying Alone – How Will You Know When Your Child Is Ready? #travel

    September 20, 2016 - By 

    Flying alone is a big step for any child. It’s a big step for a child’s parents, too! It can be a terrifying proposition. After all, the operative word in flying alone is ALONE. Your child will be out in the world, flying and checking in/being picked up on their own far, far away from you. Terrifying. So how do you know when your child is ready to take that step? Flying Alone – A Litmus Test to See if Your Child is Ready Sending a child out into the world is more about their ability to interact safely in…

  • active family travel - family

    Family Memories – Preserve Them in a Unique Way

    September 14, 2016 - By 

    Family memories are something we usually preserve with tons of photos. Whether they’re action or candid shots at a party or family portraits, we document our lives with photos. But very often they stay on our phones, our Facebook or Instagram feeds. But what if we could take our photographed family memories and do something really unique with them? Actually, with Canvas N Decor you can. Family Memories in a Memorable Way My family loves to travel. For us travel is one of the greatest ways to make and build shared memories. We take a lot of pictures when we…

  • ramada_plaza
    active family travel - parenting - Travel

    Ramada Plaza Le Manoir Du Casino in Gatineau #travel

    September 13, 2016 - By 

    In the summer we visited the Outaouais Region of Quebec and stayed in Gatineau. Our first two nights we spent at Ramada Plaza Le Manoir Du Casino. The suite we were given for the two night stay was exceptional and the location was ideal for many different types of travellers. Here’s what to expect when you stay at Ramada Plaza Le Manoir Du Casino. We drove several hours and left early in the morning to be sure we made it to Gatineau in good time to start our day. Of course I had scoped out the Ramada Plaza a bit…