So, I'm Preggers!

My 34th birthday was a more dramatic time than I had originally thought. Shortly after we learned that TK had a kidney stone, I took a pregnancy test and the lines were there. Our second child was on their way. We kind of planned it this way, but not to exactly happen at the same time as a kidney stone.

When I was only five weeks pregnant, we decided to announce the pregnancy to my parents. So, we picked up four pumpkins and wrote Daddy, Mommy, Jackson and Baby K. on them. Then, we placed them on their kitchen table and waited for them to come in. My brother saw it first and congratulated us, and then my parents walked in and hugged us. We were all very happy about these new developments. Jackson was going to have a little brother or sister. We also got Jackson a shirt to announce the pregnancy to my in-laws and it said, "I am getting promoted to BIG BROTHER." My in-laws were very happy to read the news.

At the end of September, I made an appointment with my OB and the nurse confirmed my pregnancy and told me that my due date is May 14, 2015. Then, the nausea started. I felt sick all day, but did not vomit. The only time I didn't feel sick was when I was eating, so I decided to try to eat through the sickness, and eat, and eat ... By the time my second trimester started, I was sick less and less, and by the time my 14th week came along, I was feeling MUCH better. This pregnancy was very different than my first. During my first trimester with Jackson, I was only nauseous at 4 p.m. every day when my stomach was empty. Most of my pregnancy was enjoyable until the end when I got swollen and itchy feet and hands. That was awful, but it ended as soon as I gave birth, thankfully.

At Nicole's Christmas party, I asked Colleen to take a baby bump picture of me to announce my pregnancy to my friends and family on Facebook. I really don't like pregnancy pics because they look awkward and make people uncomfortable. I decided that if I would have a bump pic taken that it would only be a silhouette so people could only see the outline of my body and not my actual body. It turned out pretty well and people could definitely tell that I was pregnant, which was the goal. My belly popped a lot earlier with my second pregnancy, which I hear is normal. I guess your body just remembers what it was like and goes right back to what it was like the last time. This time, I was noticeably pregnant by the time my eighth week came around. Last time, I was about 14 weeks before I had to stock up on maternity clothes.

For this year's Christmas card, I added another little announcement to the back of the card. The front of the card had a picture that I loved of Jackson from the summer at the Central Park Zoo and the back had an image of my 12 week sonogram that I added a Santa hat to. Some people had no idea what it was and needed someone else to fill them in. I just hoped people actually turned the card over.


In the beginning of December, TK and I also decided that would we do a gender reveal cake at my parents' annual Christmas Eve party to find out the sex of our second child. I went for my level II sonogram on December 15 and asked the technician to write down the sex on a piece of paper before placing it in an envelope. I took the envelope to Audrey's Bakery in West Sayville and had them make a cake for us. I asked that it look like a Christmas present with a huge bow on it. I also asked that they put "Bows or Bow Ties?" on the gift tag. I picked up the cake on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. By 9:30 p.m. and a few nudging text messages, we had the cake out on the table and ready to slice. My cousin and his girlfriend were set to video it. I cut into the cake and then told everyone not to look at the knife (which they did anyway) and found out we were having a GIRL! I cried like a little baby and hugged all of my family members. I also made a few of them cry as well, but it was worth it. We were all so excited to have a little perfect boy in Jackson and find out that a little lady was on her way.

I am currently five months pregnant, or halfway, depending on how you want to put it. I am trying my hardest not to buy every cute little thing that I see and there are A LOT of things. TK, Colleen and Catherine all think that I should have a girlie event like a Girls Brunch or something at someone's house, so I am considering it. I don't want a full-blown shower because I don't want to do that to people. Most of them were at my first shower and I don't feel comfortable forcing people to buy the baby gifts. If they want to buy something, that's fine and I will be thankful, but I don't want to force the issue. Also, I think we are registering this weekend for some girlie things because I can get 10 percent off everything on my registry at Babies R' Us. I need to save some dough because little girls are expensive. I'll let you know how it goes.

P.S. If you want to see the cake video, it is on my Youtube Channel, here.

Our Last Day in VA - Day 4

On our last day, we got up and got ready to leave. We made sure everything was packed up and that we didn't leave any of Jackson's cars or planes in the room. Then, we checked out and headed to breakfast. We decided on Mama Steve's House of Pancakes. It was a very quiet, unassuming spot with waitresses dressed in blue colonial attire. We all enjoyed our food and then said our goodbyes to head back home.

During the drive back, we stopped at the Maryland House rest stop for lunch and I really wanted Clam Chowder from Philips, but it was so expensive. What a bummer! On the way out, I bought everyone pretzels at Auntie Anne's and got back on the road for home.

We enjoyed our festive trip to Christmas Town, but there were a few things that I've learned during our weekend getaway:

1. Make sure you have a full bag of activities for a long car ride and only bring them out one at a time, as needed.
2. Always pack Tylenol.
3. You can't force a Santa picture.
4. Always carry snacks.
5. Bring winter gear when you are traveling for the holidays, even if you are traveling south.
6. Walk slowly while pregnant and know where all of the bathrooms are.
7. Let people help you. You can't be everything at every moment. 
8. Try your best not to eat at any restaurants that you have at home. Always go for new and different. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (Until next year ...)

Shopping in Williamsburg - Day 3

On our third day, we started the day off at Emily's Donuts & Cafe. I found the place online and on Facebook. The donuts looked amazing, so I had to make sure we stopped there at some point. Everyone loved their sweet breakfast and Emily's did not upset. I even wrote a blog post about those tasty treats on Yumness.

After we had our fill of donuts, we went shopping at the Yankee Candle Flagship Store. It is a huge store that does sell their famous candles, but so much other stuff as well. There is a fudge shop, a general store, a sign shop, a Christmas village and photos with Santa, among other things ... and they make it snow in the courtyard. It is a great place to shop for Christmas gifts. We were able to buy a puzzle, air fresheners, a sign for our kitchen and some lollipops. We all loved that place because it is more of an experience than a store.

While shopping, we headed over to the Williamsburg Premium Outlets to hit Under Armour, The North Face, Toys R Us Express and Banana Republic. While we were in UA, we noticed that Jackson was a little quiet and warm. He wasn't his usual, energetic self, so we hit our handful of stores and cut our shopping trip short to go back to the resort. When we returned, I gave Jackson some Tylenol and juice and then tried to get him to relax and fall asleep. He eventually did and then I forced my father and uncle to bring me to Chick fil A for a Peppermint Chocolate Chip Shake and some chicken.

When we returned with everyone's food, my son was back to his energetic self and his forehead was a lot less warm. What a relief! We played cards again and then we all went to sleep to get ready for our trip back home. 

Spending Christmas at Christmas Town - Day 2

On Day 2, we woke up and my parents were on their way to the timeshare presentation. The rest of us got ready for the day while we waited. For breakfast, we headed to Denny's and then to Busch Gardens to get in line before the park opened at 2 p.m.

We parked in handicap because Uncle George had his permit and it was right at the entrance of the park which was helpful in the cold with a toddler in our party. We headed in with our pre-purchased tickets, but certain areas opened later than the entrance, so we had to find our ways through certain countries to get to all of the open areas. We started in England and headed to Scotland, then Ireland, then France and Oktoberfest (Germany). We also made stops in Italy and Santa's Workshop.

Tom got a Guiness Hot Cocoa as we passed through Ireland and didn't really love it. I purchased a Peppermint Hot Cocoa in a souvenir mug and it was very tasty and warm. At one point, we stopped in a couple stores asking for toddler clothing and there was none to be found in the whole park. So, I got a Busch Gardens stein ornament and we headed over to a show.

Jax ended up falling asleep as we walked to the show in Das Fest Haus in Oktoberfest. They sang Christmas Carols and he slept through the whole thing. I eyed a towering slice of cake that someone bought and it must have been like a 10-layer cake. It was enormous and I was very upset that I didn't try it.

After the show, we headed to Italy to watch Miracles which included hymns and ballet. Jackson woke up during the show and enjoyed some snacks to keep him quiet. We had reservations for Santa's Fireside Feast, so we headed right over there. The food was like a Thanksgiving meal with the addition of Swedish Meatballs, Rotini Pasta and Tomatoes, Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken Nuggets. It was all served on a buffet with styrofoam plates and plastic cutlery. During dinner, we were able to get up and take photos with Santa before he read A Night Before Christmas to everyone.

We headed back over to Santa's Workshop to get in line to take our photo with Santa. In that area, they made is snow and that was pretty cool. The whole family was able to get in the photo, but Jackson was super grumpy, again, which made for an interesting photo.

After the photo, we headed over to a shop to scoop up some hot cocoas and a couple treats for the way out. We were cold and tired at that point, so we looked at all of the lights and decorations as we headed out and back to the hotel. 

On Our Way to Christmas Town - Day 1

In 2012, my parents, Jackson and I visited Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia and thought it was a really festive and fun way to start the Christmas season. At that time, Jax was only four months old, so we weren't able to do much, but we did get to see their amazing and serious Santa Claus. Since we thought is was so lovely, we decided to head back when Jackson was a little older, and that was this year. We also added a few people to our trip. Our travel party included my parents, Aunt Rosie, Uncle George, Tom, Jackson and I.

We left at 5 a.m. to hit the road for Virginia. By 10 a.m. we were ready to stop at the Chesapeake House in Maryland to have a bite to eat. Everyone ordered their breakfast at the Earl of Sandwich because we love their sandwiches whenever we eat them at Downtown Disney. Well, I think we should stick to lunch and dinner sandwiches because my sandwich was a little odd. I had a bacon, egg and cheese and there was an interesting sauce on it that tasted like a buttery mayo. That threw my taste buds off a little bit and I wasn't a fan. After we all made our pit stops, we were back on the road and heading to our resort. At one point, Jackson was fussy, but I was prepared with a new book of stickers, a portable DVD player and my iPhone.

It rained all day, so when we arrived at Kings Creek Plantation and our room wasn't ready, we decided that we shouldn't go to Busch Gardens because the rain just kept getting worse. We went for lunch at Cracker Barrel and of course, we did a little shopping. They have the coolest items in their store, especially around the holidays. Then, we headed over to Target to get some hotel room essentials because we were supposed to have a kitchen and dining area in our room.

By the time we returned to the resort, our room was ready and we headed in with all of our luggage and supplies. At one point, I made my father, husband and uncle go out and pick up Sonic for dinner. That's pregnancy for ya! We played cards and just hung out in the room while it poured.

Since our first day was a wash-out, we made sure that the next day would be a theme park day and we were ready. 

I turned 34

In the beginning of September, I turned 34. I didn't love being 33. There wasn't too much that went on, except being a witness to my son's growth. He learned how to say dozens of words and I heard all of them. He also went on his first cruise and got his first passport, and I was there for both.

So far, the beginning of 34 hasn't been that wonderful. Just two days after my birthday, it was a Saturday and I was getting ready to head to a child's luau birthday party when TK came home from his parents' house screaming. He ran in the door and was writhing in pain. It was shocking to me because I had no idea what was wrong with him. We all jumped in the car and headed over to the emergency room. He was in pain the whole way and he was tossing and turning when we got to the ER. They showed us to a room and while TK groaned in pain, Jackson got more and more scared. He started to cry because he saw his daddy in pain and that brought tears to my eyes. He never realized what was going on around him before, so he is growing up and that took me by surprise. I calmed him down with snacks and then I had my dad come to pick him up. We planned a birthday party for Allison and myself at 4 p.m. that evening, but by the looks of things, we weren't celebrating anything.

After a few hours, we found out that TK had a kidney stone and unless he wanted surgery, he had to pass it naturally. So, they sent us home, but TK went home and I went to a 24-hour pharmacy to pick up his prescription and some food for him. Then I went to go get Jackson at my parents' and to eat on my own. My aunt and uncle were also in from New Jersey and we weren't able to spend any time with them. For an entire week, he laid in bed and slept or cried out in pain. Some days were better than others and we had to go to doctor appointments and get scans. On Tuesday, he went to the doctor and he told TK that if he didn't pass the stone by Thursday, that he would have to get it removed on Friday. By Thursday night at 10 p.m., he passed it and felt some immediate relief. We showed up to the hospital in the morning with the stone and spoke to the doctor who sent us home. That Friday was our sixth wedding anniversary, so we went to breakfast to celebrate a pain-free day and then hung out at home. We were supposed to go to a wedding that night, but TK was still not 100 percent, so we had to skip it.

Now that it is November, I am looking back at that awful week that occurred when I turned 34 and I am hoping that the rest of the year can only get better from here. Please God, make me be right.

Dutch Wonderland with our Toddler Prince

On day two of our Pennsylvania trip, we decided to head out to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster. We ate breakfast in the Hershey Lodge at Lebbie Lebkicher's. I didn't think it was fantastic and Jax was not excited to sit down and have a meal, but they did add chocolate chips to everything, so I couldn't complain.

After breakfast, we got in the car and headed to Lancaster. Dutch Wonderland was about 30 minutes from Hershey and easy to find with the GPS. We paid $10 for Premier Parking and parked to the right of the entrance, but we realized it really wasn't necessary. The walk wouldn't have been long at all. Jax was napping when we walked in, so we just took our time seeing where everything was situated. It wasn't long before we started taking pictures of ourselves acting silly with the animatronic dinosaurs.

Snapping a quick pic with a Tyrannosaurus Rex

TK hatching from a dinosaur egg

Jackson finally woke up from his nap and we headed back over to the dinosaurs and he enjoyed RAWRing at each one of them, and there were a bunch. He also photobombed a few people's family pictures. Oops. Then, we went over to the fossil area so Jax could dig in the sand. It was really hot, so he wasn't too fond of sitting in the sand for too long.

RAWRRR!

We decided to head over to the splash area called Duke's Lagoon. The small kids' area was having an issue, so the water was off, unfortunately. Jax wasn't able to splash around and slide down the little slides, but he did stand at the end of the big slide and crack up laughing every time a kid slid down and splashed him. Unfortunately, he wouldn't go down any of the slides by himself and didn't want to walk under the sprayers, but he enjoyed himself and cooled off.

By that time, we all got hungry, so we left the park and walked down to Sonic. We sat outside and enjoyed our slushes, sandwiches and tots. It wasn't a far walk at all, so we also decided to see what stores were in the outlets across the street. The stores I wanted to check out (Janie and Jack and the Disney Store) weren't there, so we headed back into Dutch Wonderland. We rode the cars and the train together, and Jackson enjoyed them both. The lines weren't long, and we are used to waiting on lines at Walt Disney World, so it was refreshing.

Fortunately, while walking around we saw that they sold Dole Whips, and like I said, we are used to Walt Disney World, so we know EXACTLY what those are and love them. TK and I both got a Dole Whip float and then left the park. They were so sweet and refreshing after that hot day.

On the way back to the Hershey Lodge, Jax fell asleep, so we went to the lobby bar and had one drink each. I had a Troeg's and TK had a Special Dark Martini. His drink was delicious and he was able to keep the glass. When we were done with our drinks, we went back to the room to freshen up and change for dinner.

Special Dark Martini

We took a drive to see if we could check out the outlets, but they were closed and so were most of the restaurants we wanted to try because it was Sunday. We saw lampposts on Chocolate Avenue that looked like Hershey Kisses and the Hershey Museum, which was also closed. Instead of eating at a Chili's or a Red Lobster, we headed back to the Lodge to eat at the Hershey Grill. When TK and I travel, we make a deal to only eat at places that we can't get at home.

Kiss lampposts

At the Hershey Grill, we all had delicious meals and I washed mine down with a Reese's Peanut Butter Martini that was pretty amazing. I was able to keep that glass also.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Martini

At the end of our meal, we walked back to the lobby of the Lodge and stopped at the gift shop. I got my mother some chocolate and smelly chocolate wax melts. I got my in-laws a magnet and my father sugar-free Jolly Ranchers. For us, I got a Reese's Peanut Butter Bar, a Reese's Christmas ornament and chocolate lotion. I wanted to make sure I bought things that were unique to Hershey.

Jax refused to shop anymore, so we went back to our room and turned in for the night. In the morning, we got everything together to leave. We couldn't find a check out option on the remote or the television, so I had to get on line at the front desk to check out. Lazarus, the attendant, was very friendly and the process was very quick and efficient. After we were squared away, I went to the Cocoa Beanery again to get us Frozen Hot Chocolates and bagels for our ride home, and TK and Jax went to the car. The bagels were terrible, even toasted, but the drinks were delicious, even without whipped cream. I guess during the morning rush, they leave off the whip to conserve time. I prefer it with whip, so I made a note for future visits and a note to skip the bagels.

We finished our weekend away with a final drive home and decided that we loved the Hershey Lodge, the food and Dutch Wonderland for little ones. We also concluded that we probably should've waited one more year to take Jax to these parks, but he had a great time nonetheless. I just think that we would've had more fun if he was more apt to get on rides, so we stuffed our faces instead and everybody won! We enjoyed ourselves.

A Trip to Hersheypark ... with a Toddler

Since we couldn't afford to head to Walt Disney World for a long weekend, we stayed closer to home and decided to go to Pennsylvania. We booked the Hershey Lodge because the price was comparable to other hotel prices for that weekend, but it was partly our fault because we waited until the last minute to book.

Hershey Lodge

We left for PA at 4:15 a.m. on Saturday and drove all morning until we got to Lancaster. Jackson slept the entire time, so we only made one bathroom stop in Brandywine where we actually saw hot air balloons in the sky. TK said he would never go on one, but I would love it. Our destination was Shady Maple Smorgasbord in Lancaster. We heard it was like a warehouse-sized buffet with delicious food, and wanted to see what it was all about. Lancaster is famous for its Mennonite population, farming and food, and even though the folks in town will never read this, the food is really good. There was a pancake station where you can really add whatever fruit or candy that you want. I got Blueberry Pancakes before I noticed that the list included cinnamon chips and bananas. Oh well! You can get your eggs made-to-order and special French Toast. I tried their donuts and HOLY SMOKES, they were good. A man on line told us that it was the "best breakfast buffet in the state," but I don't actually have anything to compare it to, so I will say he is correct. He then found me by the buffet and told me that if I liked gift shops, that there was a huge one on the bottom floor. OK, thank you ... I think.

Buggy Parking

Shady Maple Smorgasbord

After breakfast, we made our way out to the Hershey Lodge to check in. When we got there, I got out of the car and got on line at the front desk. The attendant was nice and she gave me three bars of chocolate, but our room was not ready yet, so I went to the concierge desk and bought our tickets for Hersheypark. I also got complimentary tickets to the Hershey Gardens and Hershey Museum. You get them for free if you stay at the Hershey Lodge or the Hotel Hershey. I looked around the lobby a little and it looked very comforting with dark leather and large plush seating. The back of the lobby housed a bar and I knew I would pay it a visit some time in the next couple of days. There was also a four-sided fireplace that you could probably sit around with a hot chocolate in the fall and winter. That's what I would do.We dropped our bags off at bell services and headed out to the park.

Hershey Lodge Fireplace

The Lodge had a complimentary shuttle to Hersheypark, but we decided to take our own car. We paid $12 to park and walked right in because we already had our tickets. Jax was free because he is only two years old and considered a Miniature because he is only 34.5" tall. So, we rode two rides with him and there were other rides for him, but he wouldn't go on anything alone. We made our way to the Boardwalk area and I changed Jax into his bathing suit and water shoes so he could run around and splash around a bit. We didn't go on any slides or try the surfing attraction, but if we all wore swimsuits, we may have. The water area of the park was pretty large, but we stayed in the area for little ones.

The Boardwalk Splash Area

We forgot our towel, so we bought a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup one and made our way to the front of the park. We got our hands stamped and went to the car. I changed Jax back into his dry clothes so we could get gas and get a few things at Target. Jax fell asleep after Target and we went to go eat lunch at Smoked Bar and Grill. He slept through the whole thing and we got him Macaroni and Cheese to go. Lunch was delicious and we loved it so much that we would've gone back the next day if it wasn't closed on Sundays, like almost everything else.

We headed back to the Lodge to check out if our room was ready and it wasn't, so I went over to the Cocoa Beanery to get myself a Frozen Hot Chocolate. While I was paying, my phone rang and it was the front desk telling me that our room was ready. I scooped up my drink and went to the desk to pick up our keys. While I was waiting to get the keys, I tried the Frozen Hot Chocolate and it was like one big delicious punch in the face. I almost shouted across the lobby at TK to tell him how yummy it was, but then I saw the beautiful fireplace and kept my opinion to myself.

Our room was in the same building as the lobby because I requested an inside entrance room. It was lovely with little Hershey details all over. There were kisses on the sheets and on the wallpaper in the bathroom. I was impressed by their commitment. The toiletries even smelled like sweet chocolate and I knew that when I found the gift shop, chocolate lotion would be purchased.

Hotel Room

Bathroom Sink with Hershey Kiss Wallpaper

Can you find the Hershey Kiss on the sheets?

When we got settled in the room, I called down to bell services to bring up our luggage and to the front desk to ask about the pack n play. They delivered both and the pack n play had a Johnson's Take Along Pack in it. I was so surprised that they would give away baby toiletries to their guests and thought it was a great touch.

We got freshened up and then headed back out to the park. This time, we took the free shuttle and it dropped us off right at the gate. We headed right to ZooAmerica so Jackson could run around a little. ZooAmerica is a zoo connected to Hersheypark and it features North American animals. Admission is included with admission to Hersheypark, but you can buy a ticket to get into to ZooAmerica without going through the park also.

Jax checking out the fish in the bear exhibit

After Jax got to see a bunch of animals, we headed over to some of the carnival games and he played the one where you throw the wiffle ball into the cups, and he actually won! He got a Despicable Me Minion for getting the ball in a gold cup. Not bad!

Finally, we decided to get some snacks so I got a slushie in a Hersheypark cup and TK got a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae, and whoa, was that sundae delicious! Jax had apple juice and pineapple tidbits from a cup of fruit I had for him. He isn't big into baked goods or ice cream. Whose kid is this?

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae

After we had our snacks, we decided to head back to the Lodge for the night. All day, we didn't see any Hershey characters walking around the park, unfortunately.

Jax put himself to bed that night and I was shocked, but he was done, so I understood. We were done too. It was a long day of traveling, eating chocolate and laughing, and we were ready to do it again. 

Cars Second Birthday Party

On July 12, 2014, we celebrated Jackson's second birthday with a Cars birthday party in my parents' backyard. He is obsessed with cars, trucks and planes, so it seemed fitting. I found invitations at Party City for $3.99 per pack and chose the Saturday after my son's birthday as the date.

I was able to prep for the party a few days before and bought checkered duct tape and covered all of the water bottles in labels like checkered flags. Last year, I covered water bottles in Mickey duct tape for the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse first birthday party and guests really liked it, so I decided to do it again, but the checkered tape was the only Cars-related tape I could find. Again, guests thought that they were fun, but I was unable to redeem the bottles afterward because all of the labels had been removed. Aw well!

Racing Fluids

The day before the party, I started on the cake. Weeks prior, I did some research on Pinterest to see what kind of cake I wanted to make for Jax. I decided on a big #2 with a road on top and toy cars driving on it. I bought a box of black fondant to roll out for the road and white gel icing for the lines on the road. For the cars, I bought Cars Micro Drifters at Toys R Us. I used box cake mix to make one yellow cake layer and one chocolate layer, then I shaped each of them into a 2 and did the same with the fondant. I had extra fondant so I was able to make wheels for the sides of the cake as well. I frosted the cake, stacked them and then added the decorations. I think it came out pretty good, which was reassuring because it could have been a disaster.

Cars #2 Cake

On the day of the party, we started decorating pretty early so we could get everything up. Fortunately, we had a nice day, so we set up the inflatable pool and the sprinkler pad for all of the kids. For the decor, my mother found hanging decorations, which included colorful pennants, a Lightning McQueen and Mater photo drape with props, a cardboard Al Oft (the blimp from Cars) and Lightning McQueen hanging decorations. The deck was decked out! As an added bonus, I drew eyes on a long white strip of paper and placed it in my mother's car's windshield so it looked like a real Cars character was parked in front of the house. Some people thought that it was a sun shield. I just laughed.

Cars Decorations

Since Jackson's seven little friends were coming to the party, I made sure that they had fun goodie bags to take home. The boys got Cars cups, Cars candy, Cars stickers, glow necklaces and a variety of other fun stuff. The girls got Frozen cups, Cars candy, Disney stickers, mini tiaras and a variety of other fun girlie items. After writing each name on the cups, I put each group of goodies in a cellophane bag, added some shredded colored paper and secured them with bendy ties. Each kid seemed happy to get them on their way out.

Fun Goodie Bags

After hours of fun, food, family and friends, we called it a night and cleaned up the backyard. We were able to preserve some of the decorations, but the cake was basically gone and so was most of the food. The party raced in and raced on out, but it was a winner. It was a very Happy Birthday for our little speedster.

A Reminder of My Regret, or 'Planes: Fire & Rescue'

Planes: Fire & Rescue Theatrical Release Poster

The weekend that Planes: Fire & Rescue came out, we decided to take Jackson to see one of the first showings of the day at a local theater. Fortunately, when we pulled into the parking lot, it was empty. Jackson's ticket was free because he is only two and the children's ticket age starts at 3 years old. Maybe that should have tipped me off that 2-year-olds are too young for the movie theater.

TK kept Jax outside in the lobby area until the previews began. It may have been better if he waited until the actual movie started, but Jax sat and watched the previews and liked them all. One was for Annie. Another one was for Big Hero Six and another for The Book of Life. There were a few others, but I cannot remember which ones because I just wanted them to end so that the movie could start. That was out of character for me because I love the previews; sometimes they are even better than the movie. I just knew my toddler's clock was ticking and the longer he was happy, the longer we were happy.

I love animated features and my favorites are made by Walt Disney Studios. So, the fact that my son loves them too, makes me very proud. Fortunately, I was able to pass this hobby on to him already because he will sit and watch Cars, Planes, Toy Story, Frozen and even Finding Nemo. I love it and one of the main reasons is because I've loved drawing since before I started school. It is one of my biggest regrets that I did not go farther in animation than the 3D rending class during my junior year. I had a professor that didn't have the patience to teach me the things I was having trouble with. So, after I barely recreated a mug using a step-by-step process, I could not get it exactly how it should look or get any extra help, so I withdrew from the class. That was basically a turning point in my life. I had to settle with the fact that I would not become an animator or work for Disney and Pixar. It crushed me, but I went along with my art degree, which I don't actually use in my current day-to-day life, and this is where the regret lives.

As we watched Planes, I was completely captivated by the backdrop of each scene. That's exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to be the person that drew the elaborate background settings for animated features. One of my favorite scenes from an animated feature is when Peter Pan, Wendy, John and Michael fly over London and you can see the whole city lit up at night. It is just a beautiful piece of artwork. At one point during the movie, Dusty flies by a waterfall and I felt the tears well up in my eyes. I was overcome with emotion because I felt like I really failed myself and my passion. I love my family and my life, but I just wish that art (my real passion) was a much larger part of my life.

After an hour and five minutes, Jax decided that he had enough and didn't want to sit any longer. Unfortunately, we did not get to see the last 20 minutes of the movie, but we know that we will see this movie a hundred times, just like we've seen the first Planes almost a hundred times. Planes: Fire & Rescue was a good movie, from what we saw. The artwork and characters were well-developed and the jokes were funny. We would love to see the rest of the movie, and we are sure it will be part of our collection shortly after.

Trip Report, Day 8: Final Day on the Norwegian Gem

We got up early and got our stuff together to leave. We all met and had breakfast in the Garden Cafe Buffet. Our departure time was 9:30 a.m. and we had pink tags on our bags, so we had to get back to our room to scoop up our stuff and find a spot to wait. We hung out in the lounge area near the beer and whiskey bar waiting for pink to be called.

When pink was announced, we walked around the ship and got in line to check out. We first had to be cleared to leave the cruise and then we went to find our bags. As we gathered our bags together, TK went to look for a porter with a baggage cart. When he came back with the porter, he started to pile the bags on top of each other because we had a lot for seven people. He sped us through the line and through customs. We gave the customs agent our passports and the declaration slip, and we were on our way.

We had a great time cruising together on the Norwegian Gem and want to take many more cruises as a family in the years to come.

Just to make decisions on future cruises easier, here are some highlights and negatives from our trip on the Norwegian Gem:

The Highlights
- Food was available somewhere, 24 hours a day. 
- The private island, Great Stirrup Cay, was amazing and relaxing.
- The cabana rental was perfect for our big family.
- The Hippo Slide was fun. 
- The waitstaff was friendly and attentive.
- The stewards will get you whatever you need.
- The Chocoholic Buffet
- Alcoholic beverages were tasty. 
- The Pub Crawl was a good time.

The Negatives
- Apple juice was difficult to get for my toddler after breakfast.
- There was nothing for a toddler to do after 8 p.m.
- You need a ride to go anywhere at Port Canaveral. 
- The pools were crowded.
- Atlantis was a waste of time, unless you spent hundreds of dollars.
- No cupcakes, cookies or brownies
- Alcoholic beverages were pricey.
- Our room was quite small. 

Bon Voyage! 

Trip Report, Day 7: Last Full Day at Sea

Today, we woke up, had breakfast and went looking for our family. My mother took a zumba class and saw us on her way back to the room. My dad, Uncle George and Aunt Rosie were all playing bingo, so we went to meet them. TK played video blackjack for a little while as we waited for them to finish playing bingo. After they lost at bingo AGAIN, they headed to the casino and Jax and I did more laps around the ship.

I met my father, Uncle George and TK to have some sushi for lunch. Jax snacked on some Cheerios as we ate some delicious rolls. I started with Edamame and then had a Shrimp Tempura Roll, but everyone else had two or more rolls. We loved them and the sushi chef was very friendly and taught me about the different types of fish in each roll. Finally, when everyone was done, we went to see the crew talent show, but I had to get up with Jax because he bumped his head on one of the chairs and would not sit still. I took him to the top of the theater and we watched the show from there. My mom and Aunt Rosie came to the rescue with some grapes for Jax, and he was content.

We walked around the shops a little bit after the show was over and TK made a deal with me that if he won some money in the casino that I would be able to buy a dress from the shop. I don't usually spend $50 on a sun dress. Fortunately, he won exactly the amount of the dress and I made the purchase. TK went back to the room and I walked Jax around while he fell asleep. Then I went to the atrium and watched people perform Just Dance 4 on Nintendo Wii. It was pretty funny and entertaining. Since TK forgot to return from the room to meet us, we went back to the room to relax before our dinner reservation at the hibachi restaurant.

When we arrived at Teppanyaki, we sat around the hibachi table and ordered some cold sake. The food was delicious (especially the sauces) and the show was entertaining. I couldn't figure out the origami lesson on the menu, but I did catch egg in my mouth on the first toss, so I felt slightly accomplished. After dinner, we went back to the room to get our bags packed and ready to be taken by the stewardess. Deisei took our bags and we met back in the atrium for coffees and hot cocoa. We also made sure that Jax took a final picture with his friend Tetiana. Then, we turned in so we could get up nice and early for our departure the next day.

Trip Report, Day 6: Chocoholic Day at Sea

We refused to get up for breakfast at 9 a.m., so by 10:30, we made it to the buffet to just grab bagels. Then, we went looking for our family and our little guy. We found my mom first in the shops and then saw my dad and Jax as they were walking around and looking at souvenirs. He loved the wind chimes and found this $700 bracelet that he liked and needed to show me. It had light blue stones in it and wasn't something I was interested in buying for that amount of money.

They all went to the casino because the guys wanted to enter a Texas Hold Em tournament, but immediately realized that it wasn't worth it. It was $300 for the three of them to play and they could only win $350. So, they just played table games instead and did pretty well. Jax and I did laps around the boat while we waited for them to finish playing.

After the casino, my dad, Uncle George and TK entered a putting competition in the lounge. Some of the shots were from the top of the stairs. Jax and I left to go to the kiddie parachute play session, but Jax wasn't interested in the parachute and just played with the blocks and cars in the room. When the session was over, we went back out to the kiddie pool and Jax went in again. After he splashed around for a while, we went back to the room to rest and then get ready for dinner.

When Jax woke up, we all got dressed in white and headed to dinner. Jax had a mini meltdown during dinner, so someone had to take him walking every few minutes. This is where it really helps to have a large traveling party. After dinner, we went to take formal family pictures in our matching outfits where the photographers were set up with a few backdrops. It was the White Party night, which we missed, but we showed up in time for the enormous Chocoholic Buffet. There were some interesting treats, but again, no cupcakes, cookies or brownies. I enjoyed the Chocolate Cheesecake and Cream Puffs with a nice cold glass of milk. When we had our fill, we went back to the room with Jax to watch a movie because there wasn't anything else for us to do that would keep him entertained. We called it a night.

Trip Report, Day 5: Nassau, Bahamas

Atlantis Outdoor Mall

Today we had breakfast at somewhere other than the buffet, the Grand Pacific Dining Room. I had a Belgian Waffle with Banana Compote. Yum! After breakfast, we headed out to Nassau and to a Tortuga Rum Cake store and Del Sol, a heat-activated clothing store. Jax got a few Disney color-changing t-shirts. When we were done shopping, we got on a ferry to head over to Atlantis. It was $4 a person. On the trip over, we saw Nicolas Cage's vacation house and a hut that was used in a James Bond movie.

When we got to Paradise Island, we walked to Atlantis and through their outdoor mall, which was a serious trek. The only areas in Atlantis that we had access to were the mall and the lobby of the hotel. We couldn't take Jax in the casino and we weren't allowed to even see their grounds. We needed a ticket or a room key, and when I asked about complimentary activities, the desk clerk laughed at me. They charge $40 per person just for their aquarium and I heard that wasn't all that fantastic anyway. TK, Jax and I decided we were going to head back toward the boat. We stopped at Ben & Jerry's first and wasted $20 on nothing. TK got a waffle cone and I got a really small cup of lemon sorbet and a Coke Zero. $16.55. WHAT?? I officially dislike Atlantis.

Strawberry Daiquiri and Conch Fritters

We took a cab back to the pier and then walked a long way to the Fish Fry. On the way, we passed Junkanoo Beach which should have been our first stop instead of wasting our time at Atlantis. At the Fish Fry, we ate at Frankie Gone Bananas and had Conch Fritters, Conch Chowder and a girlie drink each. The Fritters and Chowder were good and had a little kick, so we needed the frosty drinks. After eating, we took a cab back to the ship. We got back early and Jax fell asleep, so I decided to go use my spa credit for a facial. My appointment wasn't until 3:45 p.m. and I was there at 3, so I popped into the library to have some quiet time and I did a crossword puzzle that they had available. Twenty minutes before my appointment, I went to check in and they allowed me to hang out in a lounge chair at the front of the ship.

Samantha, my esthetician, came out to greet me and bring me into the spa room. We talked about my skin and then I got ready for the facial. I didn't have to change my clothes or put on a robe, which was odd to me. Every other spa I've been to, I had to get out of my clothing, but this time, she just wanted me to bring the straps of my dress down and take my hair down. The facial was great and refreshing. It was my first facial ever, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Samantha also gave my hair a treatment that allowed me to put a brush right through it when she was done. When does that EVER happen? Never. She also spoke to me about how I should be cleansing my face every week. Eventually, I will follow her advice, but with a facial mask for $50, I will have to wait.

Afterward, I went back to the room and saw TK, Jax and Uncle George. Apparently, while I was getting a facial, my family was worried about us because they couldn't get in touch with TK or me. TK and Jax were asleep in the room and I was getting pampered. I told them where we would be when we left them in the casino, but they weren't sure if we made it back to the boat and that it might leave without us. So, we all met out by the pool and Jax refused to swim with my dad, so we had to take him back to the kiddie pool so he could splash around for a little bit.

Chocolate Decadence

Everyone met for dinner shortly after we showered and changed. That night I had the best dessert (I counted the ice cream as a snack). It was called Chocolate Decadence and I was waiting for something completely indulgent and full of chocolate ALL week. Also, I didn't see a cupcake all week. I thought that was odd. Chocolate Decadence was so delicious, sweet and warm, and it had berries on it. I tried to share it with everyone, but my dad said it was too much chocolate. What does that even mean?

After dinner, we went to the atrium where the Ranger game was on the big screen and we sat at the bar and took turns taking Jax for a walk. We also met a really cool couple, Kevin and James. My parents took our sleeping baby for the night and we decided we were going to hang out for a while. When the Rangers lost, we headed over to the Bliss Night Club to see what was going on over there. The club had all 20-somethings in it and I was disappointed to see that more of them got up to dance to "Cotton-Eyed Joe" than "Hypnotize." What is going on in this world? At 3 a.m., the lights came on and we said good bye to our two new friends.

Trip Report, Day 4: Great Stirrup Cay

Today, we got up, had breakfast and prepared to head over to the private island, Great Stirrup Cay. We reserved a cabana on the island, so we received VIP tender tickets which allowed us to take any tender boat we wanted to head over to the island. We decided to take the earliest boat possible. A tender is a boat that will take you to the island because the ship cannot dock at a pier and has to anchor in the middle of the ocean/sea. I didn't know what they were before this trip, but now I am very familiar with them.

So, we got on the tender boat and it was rocking back and forth as they let people on and idled in the middle of the sea. I ended up popping a Dramamine because the boat was seriously swaying and I didn't want to be nauseous while swimming at the beach. Even Jackson was holding on to us because he was uneasy about it and he jumps headfirst off of couches. When we started moving, we both were fine. It took all of 10 minutes to get over there.

When we got to the island, it was awesome. We just had to grab our bracelets for the cabana and then head over to cabana #9. It was the second farthest, of course, but it was lovely. Already at the cabana was a plate of fruit and chips with salsa. There were also bottles of water in the refrigerator, towels, lounge chairs and yellow foam floats. Fortunately, it was not a far walk to the beach and there weren't too many people on the beach with us, so we went right in. Jax went in the water with TK at first and then Uncle George brought down the yellow floats and Jax walked across them. After a little bit, he got out and we played in the sand with the bucket of toys we brought from home. He liked being able to stand in the water and throw rocks and shells.

After a little while, I went to get my snorkel and swam along the rocks on the coast. There were tons of little striped fish hanging out in there and a few big fish also. I let TK try the snorkel so he could see what I saw. It was great and I was glad that I made the decision to buy a snorkel at Target when I did.

We got out of the water and went up to the cabana for a snack. With the reservation, we received a $50 food credit to order food from a menu they gave my parents. The food we ordered, including beer, fruit and shrimp cocktail, arrived and the barbecue down at the entrance area also began, so we decided to take a walk. My dad and Aunt Rosie stayed back with Jax. At the barbecue buffet, there was an interesting array of food including pizza, burgers, brownies, salads, ribs, chili, hot dogs and chicken. We brought back a few plates of food, but my father decided that he would wait for my mother to get back, but she was shopping at the little shopping area that was set up and I figured that might take a while. We saw some guy walk by sipping a drink in a coconut shaped like a monkey's head and when TK asked him, he said he got it at the bar. The cabana had waiter service, so we asked the waiter for two monkey heads with pina coladas. The drink was so refreshing that it was hard to go back to my Blue Moon afterward.

After eating, we pulled out the lounge chairs and soaked up some sun. A few minutes later, TK's curiosity got the best of him and he wanted to take Jax down the Hippo Slide. So, we walked down to the big inflatable slide that we could see in the distance. I had to use the restroom, so I stopped on the way. Unfortunately, Jax fell asleep on the way, so we couldn't take him on the slide. But, that didn't stop TK and I. We met up with my mom and she watched Jax as we climbed up to slide down together. It was pretty high and a lot of fun. We ended up colliding at the end. Oops. When we exited the ride, we got our flip flops back on and decided to do a little shopping for our niece and Jax. We got Genny a little straw purse and a t-shirt with little beads. We bought Jax a Bob Marley t-shirt. That was a sweet find, even though we were in the Bahamas and not Jamaica.

When we got back to the cabana, we headed back to the water before laying out in the sun again. Unfortunately, by that time, it was time to head back to the ship, so we scooped everything up and headed to the tender area. On the ship, we went right to our rooms to get changed and ready for dinner. I had sunburn on my upper back only. The rest of my body that saw the sun was just tan, thankfully. We headed back to the Grand Pacific again and I had a soup, a salad and Gnocchi. It was great and just the right amount of food.

We hung out in the atrium before ordering a martini and arriving at the Happy Family Dance Party in the Bliss Night Club. Jax didn't love it and I took one for the team when TK didn't want to participate in the Nickelodeon contest. We did a musical chairs-ish game and it came down to me and a three-year-old girl, so obviously I had to lose and take a whipped cream pie in the face. Unfortunately, when that little girl won, she got a pie in the face too. Poor thing. They should've given her a prize of some sort instead. After wiping the whipped cream from my face, Jax was finished dancing and being happy, so we went back to the room to watch a movie and go to sleep.

Trip Report, Day 3: Port Canaveral

Today, we had breakfast at the Garden Cafe Buffet again and were prepared to go ashore. We were allowed to leave the boat at noon, so we met my cousin Georgie, his girlfriend Paige and her son Garrett. We love them! They rented a car and also took their own so we could all travel wherever we wanted to go because there were 10 of us. We even had a car seat for Jax. It was very nice (and smart) of them.

Our first stop was Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach so we could do a little shopping. I got Sanuk Flip Flops that I love and a small Dakine pocketbook. TK got a hat and a tank top, and we got Jax the cutest shark pail and shovel. We also bought stickers for our cars, and future cars. Georgie bought Jax a Ron Jon surfer van, which was very nice of him. My mother bought Jax a full Hawaiian outfit. It was adorable, I have to admit.

When we finally finished shopping, we headed to Historic Cocoa Village. It is a nice, small, coastal town that has a number of shops and restaurants. It is small enough to walk it all. Our first stop was Ossorio Bakery & Cafe for lunch. I had a lemonade and the Sara Salad. They had pizza, sandwiches, free refills for iced tea and lemonade, and homemade ice cream, so we made sure to get some on the way out. I had Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream in a waffle cone and it was seriously delicious. While eating our amazing ice cream, we took a walk down the street to a cute toy store, a great flip flop store and home decor shops. Paige bought a pair of flip flops because the Flop Shop had some seriously comfortable ones and the prices were comparable to other places I've been. My mom asked one of the store clerks if there was a park close enough to walk to and there was, so we headed there.

We walked a couple of blocks and found a park with a jungle gym, a swing set, a volleyball court and a fountain. Jax played around a little bit and TK and Paige played a game of volleyball with two random middle school girls who were on the volleyball court. Then, Jax found the fountain and made a beeline straight for it. My dad and Uncle George ran with him through the fountain and he got soaked. He wasn't happy that we had to leave, but  I changed his clothes and he passed out in the car on the way back to the ship. Georgie and Paige had to go, so we said goodbye and headed back to our rooms to get ready for dinner.

That night, we had dinner in the Grand Pacific Dining Room, but Aunt Rosie wasn't feeling well, so her and Uncle George stayed in their room and got room service. The Grand Pacific is fancier than the Magenta, but still included in the price of the cruise. That night, I had Red Snapper, something I had never eaten before. That was one thing I wanted to do while on the cruise: eat something I've never eaten. It was delicious and light. I was kind of surprised because I like shellfish and mollusks more than I like actual fish, or so I thought. Now, I will consider Snapper when I am eating seafood.

After dinner, TK and I headed over to Shakers Martini Bar for a couple of beverages, but then decided to head to the Java Cafe in the atrium. Jax made friends with the piano player, Tetiana. She played "Let it Go" for him and he loved it. Eventually, Jax fell asleep and we called it a night.