Flying Lad Goes Cruising


Flying Lad Goes Cruising

Recently, Flying Lad went cruising for the first time. Flying Dad and Flying Momma are big fans of cruise life–relaxing days at sea, all the hamburgers you can eat. We weren’t sure how Flying Lad would take to cruising, and we were unsure of cruising with a toddler, but we were willing to give it a try, so we booked a 4 day cruise out of Tampa stopping in Cozumel.

The Good

Getting Ready for the Seuss Parade

Getting Ready for the Seuss Parade

While we didn’t utilize the kids club, we did enjoy our ships’s Seuss at Sea activities.  On our first day at sea, Flying Lad participated in the Seuss-A-Palooza parade and story time.  With noisemakers and signs in hand, he and dozens of other youngsters marched from the aft lounge down Carnival Blvd. to the forward lounge.  There, the children could sit on stage for a telling of The Cat in the Hat, with live actors chosen from the audience.  Bonus for Flying Lad:  Flying Dad was chosen for the part of the Cat in the Hat.

this actor’s portrayal was a riveting, moving experience that I will never forget. I was driven to tears

The Audience Flying Dad

 

Flying Lad with Cat in the Hat

Flying Lad with Cat in the Hat Cutout

Even more fun than parade and story time was the Seuss at Sea Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast.  This cost $5 per person, but it’s worth it.  The dining room is decorated in a Dr. Seuss theme, including a Cat in the Hat ice sculpture.  The kids get visited at the table by Thing 1 and Thing 2 and you get to take pictures with a variety of characters.  The food is creative and delicious.  Flying Lad got the waffles, which arrived decorated in a colorful blue and red pattern.  Another little guy at our table got the green eggs and ham, which were fun, but not the most appetizing to look at because the green eggs were two scoops of scrambled eggs dyed bright green.  Other table mates got the cereal crusted french toast.  One had Cheerios stuck to hers, the other Corn Flakes.  Good to know:  you can bring your favorite Dr. Seuss books on the cruise with you and get them “autographed” at the breakfast.  Just remember to bring the books with you to the breakfast, because if you’re like our table mates and forget them in the room, you may not want to make the trek back to get them.

Dr. Seuss’s Beginner Book Collection (Cat in the Hat / One Fish Two Fish / Green Eggs and Ham / Hop on Pop, Fox in Socks)

The Not So Good
We booked a shore excursion to Isla Pasion for a nice beach day, with an all you can eat buffet, open bar, hammocks (including water hammocks), and more. We could just walk to the end of the pier and then load up onto a catamaran, which we liked because we didn’t bring our car seat with us and were wary of riding in a taxi or van without one. Flying Lad enjoyed the whale watching tour, so we didn’t think this boat ride would pose any issues.  However, the 45 minute

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April 6, 2016 / 1 Comment / by / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Flying Lad in Maui! Part 2

Flying Lad in Maui! Part 2

Click Here for Part 1

Sunset at Haleakala

After much reading, and knowing we didn’t want to get up at 3 am and drive for 3 hours, we decided to take a drive up to the summit of Haleakala for sunset. However, traffic had something else in mind. Since we were staying in Lahaina, there is basically one way in and one way out. And when we were leaving, there was an accident that completely shut down the only way out. So we turned around and went home.

But as luck would have it, the next evening that we had open to drive up there was going to be a full moon! I must say it was spectacular. Soon after the sunset behind the clouds, the full moon rose right behind us. The pictures don’t do it justice as we travel light and shoot with our phones, but it was amazing. When you get here, you will have to pay an entry fee, so if you plan on hitting several spots, it may be worth the annual pass.

Haleakala Sunset

Haleakala Sunset

If you go, keep in mind IT WILL BE COLD AND WINDY! I know it’s Hawaii, but you’re 10,023 feet up in the air here. Plan accordingly. While driving up you’re going to pass through nearly every sort of climate zone that exists. And it’s likely going to be foggy for stretches so be careful and drive slowly. Along the way there are several local residents who sell their ample fruits and flowers on the roadside, usually “Honor Stands”. If you think you might want something, bring small bills and get it now. It’ll be dark when you come back.

Speaking of Long Drives – A few days later we decided to make the trek out to Hana.

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March 10, 2016 / 1 Comment / by / Tags: , , , , ,
Flying Lad in Maui! Part 1

Flying Lad in Maui!

We just got back from a 3 week trip to Maui!

The Highlights

Whale Watching
We did a whale watching tour on the Pride of Maui, leaving out of Maalaea Harbor.

Wine for Momma!

Wine for Momma!

This was a very kid friendly adventure. They don’t charge for kids 2 and under with a paying adult, so  parents will like that. I have seen some questions across the internet about whether or not such a trip is good for such a little guy, and our official answer is: it depends. Only you know your child and whether they will enjoy boat rides, being out on the water for a couple of hours, etc. We CAN say that it is very safe (so long as your kid isn’t actively trying to escape). The trip includes a nice lunch spread (hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken sandwiches–yummy!) and drinks( wine, beer, and mai tais).

Flying Lad Whale Watch

I’m FLYIIIING!

Captains Chair

Hang on to the wheel momma!

Flying Lad even got to sit in the Captain’s seat! Captain Jason provided a lot of great information and played some good music. Did you know whales like Taylor Swift? They were out in the water dancing! We had some great whale sightings. The pictures don’t do it justice. You’ll just have to go on a tour and see for yourself. Flying Lad’s favorite moment may have been the trip back in. It was VERY windy and he insisted dad hold him up in the air at the top of the boat so he could feel like he was flying! By the way, Pride of Maui has a really good blog with a lot of top lists–Top 30 Read more

March 10, 2016 / 1 Comment / by / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
A Perfect Bargain Travel Tote

A Perfect Bargain Travel Tote

Note- this article contains product affiliate links for which I may receive a small concession if you decide to purchase. However, I only write about things that I use and believe in.

I’ve been in the market for a tote bag. I’ve looked at Louis Vuitton, Coach, and every other high-end place in between.

I needed something that could hold my stuff, my kid’s stuff, and my laptop, when going places.  I’d been eyeing the Louis Vuitton Never Full.  I read great things about it on the LaJolla Mom Blog who highly recommended getting it.

But even she says

After I purchased this bag, someone alerted me to problems other Louis Vuitton enthusiasts have with the leather splitting on the handles of Damier Ebene Neverfull bags.

I might rather spend a little less for this purpose and save the LV for later in life when I’m not hauling who-knows-what for a toddler as well as everything I need to haul around for work.




On my recent trip to Maui the salesperson informed me that LV’s are priced about 10% lower there than where I live in Read more

March 8, 2016 / by / Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Cross Country Road Trip!

Cross Country Road Trip!

When Flying Lad was six months old we drove cross country, from Florida to California. Mom got a new job and Flying Lad’s brother (Not-Flying Dog) didn’t fly well, so we piled into the ’96 Accord, with whatever would fit in the trunk and started our road trip. A road trip with a baby. It took us about a week and this is the route we took. Not many people manage to bring an infant and a dog on such a long drive, but we did! And here’s what happened:

We made many stops along the way. Here’s a list of our top 5 favorite moments of the trip:

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March 4, 2016 / 2 Comments / by / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,