As a child, we traveled a great deal. I lived in three countries. Attended three preschools. Three elementary schools. Two middle schools. And one high school. Lived in seven homes, including one hotel. Yikes that’s a lot of moving!

As well as moving, we vacationed all the time. When we first moved to the U.S., my parents weren’t sure how long we would stay. Consequently in a 6- to 7-year period we visited Niagara falls, Williamsburg (VA), Skyline Drive and Luray Caverns (VA), West Point (NY), Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the Jersey shore, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

One memorable trip was a quickie visit to Disney World. It was 1974. I was about 8. My parents knew that a return to England was in the near future. We stayed off site at a motel in Kissimmee (FL). March can be chilly even in Florida, so I recall wearing a sweatshirt while we were there. It was back in the day where you bought tickets for each ride. We had a handful of “A,” “B,” and “C.” As near as I can recall, you needed 2 A tickets to ride one ride, but only a C ticket to ride something else. While we didn’t ride every single ride, I have vivid memories of Captain Nemo’s 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the Hall of Presidents, the Country Bear Jamboree, Tom Sawyer’s Island, the magic Tea Cups, and the Polynesian Resort.

Disney IS the most magical place on earth. While we had taken the kids twice to Disney World, none of us had visited Disneyland. I was anxious to experience a Southern Californian Disney with my husband and kids. After a stay in San Diego, a visit to LegoLand, and a brush with celebrities in Hollywood, we were ready to do Disneyland.

On Day 6 of our trip to Southern California, we hit Disneyland. Our experience was magical from start to finish. Our day began at the park bright and early after a buffet breakfast at our hotel.

We took a spin on Buzz Lightwear’s Astro Blasters in Tomorrowland. Everyone loves to laugh about Mom’s low score. I guess I have a little hand-eye coordination problem! While we were in Tomorrowland, we also rode Autopia, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Space Mountain, and Star Tours the Adventure Continues.

This is not my score!

Heading to Tom Sawyer’s Island. I was the most excited to explore the island. The kids were meh about it. Disneyland’s version of Mark Twain’s classic story of growing up in America is very different to Walt Disney World. We spent close to 45 minutes running through caves, climbing ladders, hopping on swing bridges, and generally having a boatload of fun (pun intended!). This part of Adventureland is actually called Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer’s Island.

Autopia otherwise known as “Who let that 8-year-old get behind the wheel?!” Actually everyone was a better driver than mom. I needed the hefty bumpers!

I was given passes to Disneyland and California Adventure. We paid for our own flights, car rental, and hotel accommodations while in Southern California. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

With a Kid, a Preteen-now-Teen, and a Teen, finding something fun for all of us to do is a challenge. You wouldn’t think so, but it is. Years ago, we could pop in a DVD. Go to a museum. Go out for ice cream. But, then school intervened. And homework. And weekends packed with birthday parties, sports, and play dates.

I struggle and stress and fret about the amount of time I have left before my oldest heads to college. She is one of those kids who never gave me a backward glance when stepping on the elementary school bus. Who was already planning what AP classes to take in high school when she was in 6th grade. Who now as a 10th grader is loving the envelopes that have started to arrive post-PSAT. She’s ready for college. I’m not ready to let go of her.

So, I have made it my goal to find fun things to do both at home, in our neighboring towns and cities, and in the places we visit for vacation. We’re not a family that travels to far away places every year. We have had years where we grabbed a quick week at the beach with the grandparents. Other years we have visited Niagara Falls–the Canadian side; Colonial Williamsburg, VA; Pennsylvania Dutch Country; and of course, the beach. Two summers ago we took a long-awaited, yet hastily planned trip to my home country…England. We had a fabulous time. I wish we could do a big trip each year, but we can’t.

Last summer, the chips fell in to place. I purchased a BlogHer ticket at the early bird rate. I planned to find a roommate and fly to San Diego by myself. The more I thought about going to SD and BlogHer, the more I wanted to involve my family.  How could I think of visiting California without them? But, how would I bring them?

A quick check of Southwest.com showed that we could get reasonably priced flights for all 5 of us. Not bargains, but not out-of-sight prices. I had a room at the Marriott Marquis and Marina, which would do. It was a relief not to look for a roommate. Although going to a conference with a roommate in tow is super fun, especially if it is your first blogging conference. With a hotel and flights, all I needed was an itinerary.

Within days of booking flights we had our itinerary planned. While I gallivanted about at BlogHer meeting people, making connections with brands, and of course, having fun, my husband and the kids toured San Diego. Post-BlogHer, the plan was for me to join the family and tour L.A. and Anaheim. Obviously our family works well under stress and tight deadlines…in fact we thrive on it.

Our itinerary went something like this:

• Wednesday — Travel Day. Arrived in San Diego. Kids and husband relaxed in the room, while I met up with some bloggers at a wine party hosted by @guavalicious. What can I say…BlogHer is part work and part play!
• Thursday — Day One — Sea World. While I attended one of the pre-conference sessions hosted by Procter & Gamble, my husband took the kids to Sea World. While I was very sad to miss out on the amazing-ness of the San Diego Sea World, my son and I got to experience the Orlando Sea World.
• Friday — Day Two — San Diego Zoo. I was very sad to miss out on a zoo I have heard so much about, but obviously I had obligations at BlogHer. Don’t worry, I had my husband text photos and tweet while he was there with the kids.
• Saturday — Day Three — Hotel pool. Bus to the airport. Pick up of rental car. Drive to beach. Husband and kids accomplished all this while I was hauling myself and sundry swag bags from the San Diego Convention Center Expo Hall  to my hotel room to meetings to sessions back to the Convention Center Expo Hall back to the hotel room, with a quick pitstop before the evening events and parties began. I was exhausted. I’m not a beach or pool lover, so I wasn’t upset about missing the beach and pool day. Highlight for my kids and their dad was catching a beach volleyball game. We’re East Coast volleyball players. They weren’t able to play, but loved experiencing a bit of Southern California.
• Sunday — Day 4 — Legoland. With BlogHer over and bags packed and swag exchanged at the Swag Room, we hit the road to drive to LegoLand.
• Monday — Day 5 — Starline Tour of L.A. and Hollywood. I was so glad to experience Southern California with my family!
• Tuesday — Day 6 — Disneyland. Our first experience of Disneyland was a success. Yes, it was crowded, packed, and we missed out on a couple of rides towards the end of the day when Fast Passes ran out, but we had an awesome day. Probably our best day as a family on our trip..
  
• Wednesday — Day 7 — California Adventure. Second day of Disney…we hit our stride. Figured out how to maximize the Fast Pass. Got prime “seats” at the World of Color. And, I may have been persuaded by a certain Kid to ride California Screamin’. Whoa that was an experience!
• Thursday — Travel Day. Sadly, we had to say farewell to Anaheim and Southern California. And say hello to our lives back home.

I was given passes to the attractions in this post. We paid for our own flights, car rental, and hotel accommodations while in Southern California. The views expressed in this post are my own. I follow the tenets of Blog With Integrity.

The end-of-the-school year was a chaotic, mad dash, harem scarem, crazy mess. Come to think of it the school year wasn’t much better. We raced from homework to activity to school to the sports field. Isn’t it supposed to get easier as kids get older?? Not so in the Musings from Me household.

I always thought that once all of my children were in full-day school that magically my days would get easier. Wrong. Wrong. And did I mention…wrong. Instead of easier, our days are harder. From homework to parent-teacher conferences to science fair projects to after school activities to sports to you-name-it-and-we-are-probably-doing-it, every day is long and complicated and wonderful and awesome. But, did I mention long??

We’re slowly but surely adjusting to summer. Finding a rhythm. Getting in to a routine. The summer is less scheduled than the school year. We still have swim team, a few camps, and a few activities on the calendar but nothing like the August-June calendar. By comparison out June-August calendar is very tame.

How about you…how is your summer going?

And, we had a fabulous time. Back in January, we enjoyed the parks on a three-day break from school and work. We truly seized all the family time we could. We spent as much time at Universal Studios as we could. Islands of Adventure, too. The three-day break was just “what the doctor ordered” for each of us. The Kid and Tween were 3 and 8 the last time we ventured to Orlando. Both have a combination of hazy and vivid memories of our last trip. The Teen was on a break between semesters at school. As we left the park on the final day of our three-day weekend, she expressed how grateful she was to be able to have a getaway. I am “building a business,” working long hours, and generally tired and exhausted. My husband is adjusting to a new job, all while hunting for a new job. It’s safe to say that we ALL needed a break at Universal in Orlando!

The parks have slightly shorter hours in the offseason. On the plus side, finding a hotel room is much easier than in busy holiday and summer seasons. Did we have trouble getting on any rides? Nope, the wait time for rides was minimal. Even the Harry Potter ride — The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — only had a long wait on Monday. During January, tour groups of students from South America come to Universal Studios in what is their summer vacation. Of the three days we were at Universal — Saturday, Sunday, and Monday — Monday was by far the busiest, especially in the town of Hogsmeade where the Harry Potter attractions are located. Now on the Saturday and Sunday of our trip we rode the Harry Potter rides 2 or 3 times each day. On the Monday, we only managed the Harry Potter rides once each.  We couldn’t spare more time as we had other rides to do at the parks before we had to catch a ride to the airport.

But, seize family time we did. My parents even joined us not at the parks, but at the hotel…the Portofino Bay Hotel, which is on the lagoon, a short boatride from Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Staying in a hotel is highlight for my teen. Sometimes I think that she is more interested in the hotel than in the place we are visiting. She loves it all…the hotel beds, the soaps and shampoos, the large TV near her bed.

Our hotel stays were anything but pleasant when she was little. The lights in the room were too bright. The bed was too big. The hotel room had no toys. Staying in a hotel with little ones is a test of endurance. Many nights I stood in the bathroom rocking a scared child to sleep.

Kids love home. Kids love when a hotel room seems like home. I recently particpated in a blog tour for Marriott #nickyourstay. Marriott has teamed up with Nickelodeon to give kids a taste of home when they stay at a Marriott.

Recently, Marriott and Nickelodeon came up with a great new promotion to keep kids happy and busy throughout their stay.  Moms and dads can arrange to “Nickelodeon Your Stay” at nearly 2,000 hotels with the Marriott brands. All kids get free activities including a Nickelodeon bracelet with a code to access free online games at Nick.com, and an activity book with challenging puzzles and mazes.  Kids who eat at the hotels’ restaurants also receive a placemat featuring favorite Nickelodeon characters: SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.

To further the experience, Marriott and Nickelodeon also offer an upgrade package at several of Marriott’s brands, including Courtyard, Fairfield Inn & Suites, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites  locations for $10 that includes all the free items plus a SpongeBob activity bag and splash ball, Nickelodeon sunglasses, and a 3-D build-your-own SpongeBob craft. The package costs $20 at Marriott and JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts and kids get all the above items and a special SpongeBob SquarePants or Dora the Explorer pillowcase and storybook.

Marriott and Nickelodeon make the stay easier and more engaging for us as parents and for the kids. Visit www.nickelodeonyourstay.com for more information on the promotion and to start booking.  This site also has free, downloadable, Nickelodeon themed travel games under the free goodies section, including a travel journal, travel bingo and coloring sheets.

Editor’s Note: I removed the link to the Nick giveaway as the contest ended. I apologize for not checking the link before posting.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Marriott and received a Nickelodeon gift pack to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

We may not be hikers or outdoorsy people, but we stay active. Teen and preteen play volleyball. Kid plays lacrosse. All three kids are on the swim team. Dad is in a volleyball league. Mom — even I — works out at a health club. Some of us are more active than others…ahem.

One constant in any of our active activities is the value we place on safety. Whether it is wearing a helmet for lacrosse or skiing. Or wearing appropriate shoes for volleyball. Or getting enough sleep before a swim meet. We stay safe.

Underwriters Laboratories and Disney have a list of tips for summer safety — pool, water, and playground safety.

Keep your family safe by reading the following tips:

POOL SAFETY AT HOME
·    If you have a pool at home, install a fence. The fence should be at least four feet high and have a self-closing, self-latching gate that has a locking mechanism beyond a child’s reach.
·    Cut overhanging tree limbs and remove chairs or ladders from the pool area to prevent children from climbing over the fence that surrounds the pool.
·    Keep grates and drain covers in good repair and secured in place. Alert your family and guests to stay away from these devices, as the suction from drain outlets can be strong enough to cause entrapment of hair or body parts, which can potentially cause a person to drown.
·    Make sure you know infant and child CPR if you own a pool.

BE SAFETY SMART WHILE SWIMMING
·    Supervision is a must. Follow the 10/20 rule when you’re at the pool. The 10/20 rule states the supervising adult needs to position themselves to be able to scan the pool every 10 seconds, and reach the water within 20 seconds.
·    Always have rescue devices, such as UL-LISTED life preservers, nearby.
·    Flotation devices, toys and inflatable swimming aids are not safety devices. They are toys and can easily puncture and deflate.
·    Always drain wading pools after children are done playing. Infants can drown in just a few inches of water.
·    Have a telephone nearby and appropriate emergency numbers posted.
·    Remove all toys when you leave the pool. Toys may attract children to the unattended pool.Check out these guys…Timon and Puumba from the Lion King…in a video teaching kids how to stay safe while swimming during the summer, and all year long.

BEFORE INSTALLING A BACKYARD PLAY SET…
·    Make sure your backyard is large enough for playground equipment. The site must also provide good visibility and security. Before setting up equipment, look out for obstacles, such as the garage, tree branches, utility poles and wires.
·    Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions when setting up play set equipment. Be sure your child’s weight and age fall within the manufacturer’s recommended limits for the equipment.
·    Install protective surfacing, such as rubber tiles or mulch under the play set, at least six feed in all directions, to prevent serious injuries should a child fall.

BEFORE HEADING OUT TO PLAY…
·    Carefully inspect backyard playground equipment. Make sure equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed and bolts are not protruding.
·    Check for spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs. These spaces should measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
·    Always supervise children on play set equipment to make sure they are playing safely.
·    Never attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, pet leashes or cords of any kind to play set equipment. If used improperly, they can be potential strangulation hazards.
·    Watch for potential trip hazards, such as rocks, tree stumps and concrete footings. Make sure you’re children are aware of them as well.
·    Do a sandbox check. Before letting your child dig in, rake through the sand to check for debris or sharp objects. Also, inspect for any animal contamination or insect problems.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Underwriters Laboratories. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

If you are traveling to a city by yourself or with kids, you need to know that you have booked in to the right hotel. There is nothing worse than checking in to a hotel that has seen better days. Or what about the hotel that says it is kid-friendly, but in actuality only offers a 5-star restaurant for patrons. What if you use a wheelchair and discover that the hotel is not as wheelchair friendly as you thought.

As a seasoned traveler, I rely on hotel websites, word-of-mouth, and recommendations from friends. All of these resources work for me, but wouldn’t it be helpful to have a central location for finding the right hotel to suit your needs?

Yesterday, I discovered Oyster through a post written by Leticia. Oyster is a comprehensive website listing hotel reviews for D.C., Hawaii, Las Vegas, Orlando, New York, and many other cities. Wow! I know just where I will look the next time I need a hotel!

As an example, I recently returned from Orlando. I was part of a mom and kid blogging trip sponsored by the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau. Our group toured Disney Studios, Gatorland, Sea World, and Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. After long days of walking and touring each park, we returned to our hotel exhausted each night.

The Royal Pacific Hotel was chosen not by me, but by the Orlando Convention & Visitors Bureau. In its review of the Loews Royal Pacific Hotel, Oyster focuses on the free water taxi from the hotel to Universal Studios, the VIP access to rides at Universal with your room card key, the large pool with many kid-friendly features, and the up-to-date guest rooms. I would add that the Loews Royal Pacific Hotel has character dining in the Islands Dining Room (my son had his photo taken with Fiona, Shrek, and Scooby Doo), lathery shampoo, comfy beds, and two bath robes in each room.

Need a kid-friendly hotel? A hotel for Spring Break suitable for your family, not a bunch of college students? Check out Oyster.com.

My son and I were provided with a trip to Orlando by the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau. The opinions expressed in this article are my own (and my son’s!).

Movies theaters cost an arm and a leg. My teen did not want a birthday party this year. I am very relieved. I offered to host a party for her. We talked about a few ideas. Our top three:

• A sleepover for a large group.
• A movie outing with a small group.
• Something else.

She chose the something else option. She loves getting together with friends, but I think she also values her alone time. She is the type of kid who has NEVER said “I am bored.” If she is even the tiniest bit bored she finds something to do. A party for her friends would be  fun, but very chaotic and loud. I think she would prefer a more low key option.

Her parties have been anything but low key over the years. Let’s see if I can remember all her parties and themes. I’ll flex the old mental muscle:

1. Baby’s 1st Birthday — Teddy Bear themed party w/family and friends.
2. 2nd Birthday — Sesame Street. She was overwhelmed by the people…walked in to a wall, cried when we cut the cake, and opened her presents sitting in her toy box with her best friend.
3. 3rd  Birthday –  Teletubbies. First year we purchased a store-bought cake, Teletubbies. Had to postpone the party as she was sick.
4. 4th Birthday — Cinderella. First birthday with preschool friends.
5. 5th Birthday — Muffy van der Bear. She had a collection of Muffy’s — a small bear with an enviable wardrobe. As part of the party she narrated her Muffy scrapbook. I am not sure what the other kids thought…but she had fun.
6. 6th Birthday — The princess party…her 1st birthday party with her Kindergarten friends. She wanted to invite boys…I said No since she also wanted the girls to do princess crafts and wear dress-up dresses!
7. 7th Birthday — she got her wish and invited some boys. Of the 4 boys invited, two came, one boy’s mother called with many questions about how many boys would be at the party, and one never RSVP’d. I devised a science theme. Researched and planned for weeks. In the end I let my husband be the party leader…I chickened out! Oh, and did I mention I was about 7.5 months pregnant.
8. 8th Birthday — 1st sleepover. I stashed the baby monitor in a far corner of the room the girls slept in. I didn’t need the monitor since the girls were SO LOUD. The monitor…it was found  almost immediately.
9. 9th Birthday — 2nd sleepover.
10. 10th Birthday — Party at Splashdown
11. 11th Birthday — Another sleepover…yes, I am a glutton for punishment!
12. 12th Birthday — She wrote a movie script. That’s right…she write a 27-page movie script with parts for 12, stage directions, and costume notes. Her friends were invested in the production. All of the girls came ready to act or direct or film. We had an “Oscar Movie Premiere” after the movie was filmed. The girls loved it!
13. 13th Birthday — Spa theme. She set up the family room, kitchen, and hallway for a spa-themed party with stations for relaxation with magazines and massage chairs; facials with cucumbers; makeup; hair; and finger and toe nails. Highlight of the party…she persuaded all her friends to put their cell phones in a box. All the girls did it!

So, here I sit on the eve of #snoMG II. I will need to get some rest before I tackle the teen’s plan for her “something else” party. I thinks she wants to take one friend to the movie and shop at the mall. Wow! I may have hit on the cheapest birthday party yet. It has only taken me 14 years!!

My teen has been on the swim team since a teeny tiny 2nd grader. She wore almost the same size swim suit as her 5-year-old sister. Then and now she is skin and bones. Hates cold water. The swimming pool on an afterschool afternoon in May swim practice is not her idea of fun. No with a capital NO.

Her idea of fun would be going to the pool and lounging on a beach chair with her favorite novel under an umbrella. Ahhh, bliss. Unfortunately for her she has Mean Mom for a mom. Are you a Mean Mom? I’m one as I require her to do swim team each summer for the following reasons:

• exercise and muscle building for the sport she loves — volleyball. Her ability to hit serves has improved exponentially over the years due to in large part to swimming. Swimming 5 practices a week and a meet on Saturday for 8 weeks is a total body workout.
• it’s a family activity. Even before the kid could swim on swim team, I would tote the baby version of him along to the girls’ practices and meets. He would be the first face they would see as they got out of the water from their races.
• it’s a cheap way to organize summer for kids. $75 per swimmer for a 2-month season. You cannot beat that when summer camps are $200 plus for one week. As I tell my friends, we have swim team each morning and whatever else we do that day is a bonus.
• I love a sport that all can participate in: the kid is a 6 and under, the preteen is  9-10, and the teen is a 13 and over. That’s swimming lingo for the age groups they swim in or the summer season.
• parents have fun too. I’ve met many moms and dads while waiting during swim practice and meets. I am now communications person for the swim team. I created  blog to list the details about our swim team and the fun stuff: photos, swim team pep rally, swim team dinners. 

But back to the teen… She’s a good swimmer — has been since she was 5 or so. The swim team is a mixed blessing for her as she loves warm weather, wearing flip flps, and cute teen summer clothing, but, and this is the deal-breaker for her. She is thin and being in cold water does not make her happy at all. In fact she has been known to shiver her way across the pool. She steps out of the pool and immediately envelops herself in a towel. I’ve seen her fantasize about doing swim team practices in a waterproof robe while lying on a motorized raft as she sips a cool drink. Look I didn’t make this up…she actually said this!

Today no swim team meet or practice. Tomorrow back to the afterschool practice for the teen. Wish for bright sunshine.

My husband is at work this week, which means I have to take the children to swim practice all week. I actually like sitting around and chatting to the other moms or reading my book. Boy 5 is much easier this year…less mischief. He has a little friend on the swim team and a couple of buddies at the pool.

The problem…and yes, with me there always is a problem… After the practice, all of us wanted to do something different. Girl 12 was ready to go home and do her own thing…I’ve never known a child more able to amuse herself. There are days when I think she could live by herself. Girl 9 wanted to have a swim team friend over or stay at the pool to play with the friend. Boy 5 wanted to play tennis. Mom 43 wanted to hang out at the pool reading a book, but sadly housework and laundry was calling.

So I left the pool with one happy child and two mopey ones. We’re home now and all seems well.

I even got the children to do some cleaning up. My oldest loves to clean her bathroom…I think she is finally getting grossed out by all the toothpaste slobber in the sink.

I think we might head back to the pool for a barbecue or a “grill” as my 5-year-old puts it.

The absolute magic about joining a pool is that I don’t have to plan our day. We have practice and then we either come home or stay at the pool.