TRAVEL

Better than those quarter rides, an adventure at Crossroads mall

March 13, 2013

Quarter rides are great, especially if you go to a place like Crossroads Mall in Bellevue (yes, it’s the same mall where you’ll find the famous Wiggleworks and if you haven’t been to that mall in a while, it’s definitely worth re-visiting) where they’re interspersed through the mall so you can shop, do a ride, […]

Best kids’ bathrooms in Seattle

March 12, 2013

As much as I want to know about where to eat, where to sleep and what to do when we go on vacation, I totally also need to know where to take the kids when they need to go! We were in the midst of toilet-training when we first took the boys to Asia and […]

Leodas Kitchen and Pie Shop (Lahaina, Maui)

March 11, 2013

Maybe this should be called the day I wanted pie so badly I talked up the petroglyphs behind the pie store to get it. (Thank goodness for these petroglyphs!) We passed Leoda’s on the way to Lahaina from Kihei and I saw people lined up outside as we whizzed by to another destination so I […]

Eating pupus with preschoolers in Maui

March 5, 2013

“Check out these pupus!” I told my husband. “They look pretty yummy and they’re so reasonable!” POOPOOS! The duo cheered. Oh dear. Not the kind of pupus I was talking about. But really, I should have cheered too. Happy hour is the way to go in Maui. And actually, in so many places we travel […]

Road to Hana with two active boys (Maui with kids)

February 27, 2013

For some reason the Road to Hana is like some holy Grail in Maui. Can you drive it with kids? Should you drive the road if you’re in Maui with kids? What are the best Road to Hana stops? Is it going to be a day of fun, or a day full of whining, screaming, […]

Before I ward off Winter Completely (Granville Island, BC)

February 23, 2013

One of my fondest memories as a kid was getting hot chocolate at Blue Parrot Coffee with my family at Granville Island in Vancouver. They put the best dollop of chocolate-y whip cream on top of their drinks and on a chilly day there is nothing more delightful than a warm drink in a warm […]

Most Romantic Resort with kids in Maui (Napili Kai Beach Resort, Maui)

February 22, 2013

Last summer I went to a Maui tourism event and I was intrigued by a resort called Napili Kai. They were really proud of the fact that they didn’t nickel and dime their guests with hidden costs like resort or parking fees. When you stayed with them, you were supposed to feel like family. Fast […]

If you decide to ride the Sugarcane Train (Maui with kids)

February 20, 2013

*Apparently this Sugarcane train is now closed. Thank you Rick for letting me know and if anyone hears otherwise, please message me too! We weren’t sure if we were going to do this one. I couldn’t find a lot of information on it, and I wasn’t sure if it was a full length ride or […]

Kihei (Maui with kids)

February 15, 2013

I tend to book places when I get a good feeling about the place. Kihei had a pretty name, it was close to the airport (our flight arrived at 11pm) and I managed to find a condo on the beach for a reasonable rate. We like small hotels especially in Hawaii: the type that […]

Did somebody pinch me? (Maui with kids)

February 12, 2013

How is that we’re already back? Weren’t we just at the top of a crater minutes ago? Or exploring caves? Paddle-boarding in an ocean teeming with whales. And driving gorgeous but treacherous roads along an incredible coastline. We even got chased by a cow. (All the while chugging Dayquil on the beach and trying to […]

Packing

February 9, 2013

I wish I was a gifted packer but alas I am not. I can pack quickly but it doesn’t look pretty. If it were up to me, I’d just transfer this pile directly to my suitcase. I believe it’s technically packing as long as everything ends up in the suitcase. Volia! Packing complete. But the […]

Magic Carpet Ride (Seymour Ski Lessons)

February 8, 2013

If you sign your kids up for lessons at Mount Seymour (maybe 30 minutes from Vancouver, BC), you’ll see 3 little words that all parents dream about in their sleep. Parent Free Zone. What does this mean? It’s simple. When you drop your kid off in their ski wear, you don’t even have to fight […]

Travel Tips Tuesday: pack a bunch of samples

February 5, 2013

You know how I love me a good makeup subscription service (Hello Birchbox!) or Sephora because I get a bunch of samples with every order. Well there’s definitely a good reason for this. Every trip we go on, I grab a handful, stick it in a big zippy bag and stuff it in my suitcase. […]

Winter-themed one year old party and a really cool idea

February 4, 2013

I’ve been meaning to post this one for so long. My friend Sandee is super-creative so when her little guy turned one she put together a fabulous party at her gorgeous home. I loved the red, white and turquoise color-theme which is perfect for December parties. I absolutely loved the cake table. The guys were […]

Maui Revisited

February 2, 2013

See these tired, shiny, almost-brand new parents? Our guys were 9 months old and we headed off to Maui for our first vacation as a family. A bunch of trips later and we’re heading back to the island pretty soon and I can’t wait. All I can remember from the last visit was a lovely […]

A birthday

February 1, 2013

Somewhere in another city my dad is celebrating a birthday. One of those big milestone ones with round happy numbers and hopefully no flamingos on the lawn. I’m not sure if you’re a flamingo guy, eh dad. But I do know that you’re a coffee guy and every time I go to a coffee shop, […]

When your kids are braver than you are

January 31, 2013

See the blur? That’s my guys jumping off the diving board for the first time. They just pranced across the thing and fearlessly bounced of the end. I’d be proud except I’m terrified that they’ve learned a new and ridiculous skill: I know this because later when we were at the Pacific Place mall on […]

Number two dog poo incident of 2013

January 26, 2013

I meant it as a joke when I said I’d tally the dog-poos of the year, but now we’re actually at three. But the third poo is probably from another animal at the farm, maybe goat or sheep and not technically dog poo that made its way under my shoe so I’m not sure it […]

holding sloth in Costa Rica wearing bug-proof shirt

Bug-Proof Clothing

January 22, 2013

I’m not sure why, but bug-proof clothing is one search I get a lot on this site, and as someone who puffs up into one giant mosquito welt if I get bitten, I thought I better share some of my real faves: I love this shirt. That might even be an understatement. If I hear […]

We’re 6C and we know it (A travel tip)

I wish I could say I only do this when we travel, but I learned this trick when the boys were babies and I got so scatterbrained that I would lose the “Silver bus” everywhere we went. Thank you to my handy smartphone (I swear this is the most mom-friendly invention of all time), I […]