Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!

If only we could all have a fairy godmother to make our wishes come true. I would probably wish to be back at Disney World right now, IF my fairy godmother could make Orlando a cool 75 degrees all year long. Some wishes may never come true! Luckily we did go to Disney World for spring break at the end of March/early April.

Where We Went:

• Magic Kingdom
• Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Epcot
• Animal Kingdom
• Back to Magic Kingdom

Where We Stayed:

• Polynesian Village - 3 Nights
• Grand Floridian - 3 Nights

Day One – Chicago > Walt Disney World

Considering we had an early flight to Orlando, it went rather smoothly. My parents met us by O'Hare at a parking garage where we had two spots reserved.  You never know what you're going to get when you're flying with three kids, especially a baby on his first flight, but we flew American and it was uneventful. When we landed, thanks to Disney's Magical Express, we didn't even have to pick up our luggage or find a ride. It was wonderful!

Our first stop when we got to the Polynesian Village was to grab some lunch by the Lava Pool. Then the girls had to go swimming. It was the perfect weather for it! Somehow we lucked out (haha) and the temperatures peaked around 90 degrees the week we were there. Usually it isn't quite that warm at the end of March.

That evening we went to Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show and it was fantastic! The food was delicious and the show held the attention of Margot (3 ½) and Isabelle (5 ½). Margot even whet to the front to try out some hula dancing.

Day Two – Magic Kingdom

After a quick breakfast in our room, we took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Wow, I knew it was going to be busy, but there were a lot of people! Although with Tom's expert Fast Pass planning, we got on a ton of rides that day, like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mickey's PhilharMagic and Prince Charming Regal Carousel. Isaac (6 months) even went on a lot of rides. It was so funny to see his expressions, especially on his first ride, Peter Pan's Flight. I think my favorite was Enchanted Tales with Belle, because Margot volunteered to be the Salt Shaker in the little reenactment. She was so, so cute! And guess what, Belle is her now favorite princess. So surprised, right? We spent pretty much the entire day in Fantasyland, including lunch, a break for ice cream and meeting Rapunzel, Tiana, Minnie Mouse and Daisy. At the end of the day we took the water taxi back to the Polynesian. It was a very relaxing way to travel. For dinner we made the girls sandwiches and got take out for the adults. We had adjoining rooms with my parents, so it was really nice to hang out in one room while the kids fell fast asleep in the other.

Day Three – Disney's Hollywood Studio

It was another busy day that started with a shuttle bus ride over to Disney's Hollywood Studio. I'll just say this, I'm not a fan of the shuttle bus. At least when strollers are involved. Once at the park we started off with the Toy Story ride where we spun around in a car playing a 3D video game. (It was 1000% better than the Buzz Lightyear version at the Magic Kingdom.) We also saw the Frozen Singalong show (my favorite), the Disney Junior show (the kids' favorite) and rode the Great Movie Experience ride. Isabelle and Margot also met Sophia the First and Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates. The lines were pretty reasonable at MGM and no fast pass was needed to meet the characters. For lunch we ordered from Min and Bill's Dockside Diner. Their pulled pork sandwiches and loaded nachos were delicious! The girls devoured their hot dogs and chocolate shakes. Bonus, we found a spot to sit in the shade and could still see part of the Star Wars show. After a long day at Disney's Hollywood Studio, we went swimming at the Polynesian's low-key Oasis Pool. It was Isaac's first time swimming and he loved it! The girls didn't want to leave so Tom made sandwiches for the girls and they ate by the pool. The adults got take out from the Oasis Bar and Grill. Later that night Tom and I went for a walk around the resort. Our main goal was to buy Margot a little treat (we didn't forget the other kiddos!) because she had been dancing around my parents' room and got a nasty bump on the head. Thankfully she was fine, but the new Minnie Mouse bracelet helped improve her mood.

Day Four – Epcot

Our day started with packing and getting our luggage picked up so we could switch resorts. So easy! Then we got stuck on the monorail. That's right. We were coming from the Polynesian and the monorail pulled into the Grand Floridian, but the doors wouldn't open. It had the same problem right before we got on. Should have known better! They had to pull off one of the doors and we had to break down the double stroller to get it out. Other people in our car had to climb over the seats to get out. Then it was taking eons to get on a shuttle bus, so we took a cab (a large van) to Epcot. Best decision ever! It really wasn't that expensive and we didn't have to break down the strollers. They just put them in the trunk. We had already missed a few of our Fast Pass rides, so before leaving the Grand Floridian, I did speak to Guest Relations about our experience. First they gave us a No Strings Attached ticket to get on the Nemo Ride. Then another person with Guest Relations gave us a No Strings Attached ticket to get on ANY ride that day at Epcot. (Although it still wasn't good for the Frozen ride. Luckily that Fast Pass was later in the day.) Once at Epcot, we had a blast! The Nemo Ride was cute and the Frozen ride was a favorite for the girls. Isaac wasn't a fan of the water, but he was a trooper! My favorite part was the World Showcase and visiting all of the countries, especially Japan, Germany, France and Morocco which is where Tom and I went on our honeymoon. For a second it really did feel like we were back in Morocco. We had a dinner reservation at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall and not only was the food excellent, but the girls saw Belle again and met Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White and Ariel. Isabelle and Margot were dressed up in their costumes we brought and walked in the princess parade. They were thrilled! Isaac was thrilled because he sat in a high chair for the first time in a restaurant. Nothing like a new vantage point for a baby. We ended the night with a trip to Mexico and a monorail ride home...luckily we didn't get stuck that time! We came back to our new room at the Grand Floridian where could see the Electrical Water Pageant! It ended up being a great day!

Day Five – Animal Kingdom

Today we didn't chance it and just decided to take a cab to the Animal Kingdom. It was a great idea! The highlight for the kids was the Lion King show. It was a shorter version of their Broadway show, which I saw ages ago. Very cool! The kids were so excited! Even Isaac was jumping around! My favorite was the Kilimanjaro Safari. We saw so many animals up close and I have never seen that many giraffes at one time! For lunch we went to Harambe Market in the Africa section of the Animal Kingdom. The food was outstanding and I would love the recipe for their Black-eyed Pea Salad. So delicious! My only regret that day is we never made it Kali River Rapids ride. When we got back to the Grand Floridian, we ate by one of the pools that had a really fun kids area which Margot, Isabelle and Tom enjoyed. It was a beautiful night and after the kids were tucked into bed Tom and I went for a walk and stopped by the Mizner's Lounge, where we listened to the orchestra play away. When we got back to the room, we watched some of the fireworks from our balcony, the Electric Water Pageant and we could even see Cinderella's castle all lit up!

Day Six – Magic Kingdom

Today was our last day at the parks and we spent it at the Magic Kingdom. Our first stop was Adventureland where we went on The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, toured the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, experienced the Enchanted Tiki Room and went on a Jungle Cruise. Remember those No Strings Attached tickets we got? Well, my mom dropped her sunglasses into the water while getting off the Jungle Cruise boat and viola, she didn't even have to ask. They just gave her a No Strings Attached voucher to get a new pair of sunglasses. We had lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern and it was so nice to sit down and relax while we ate. After lunch it was back to Fantasyland where we went on many more rides, like Its a Small World and Isabelle and Margot's first roller coaster – The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. They loved it! We ended our day in Tomorrowland and Margot's only regret was not going on the Astro Orbiter to fly in a rocket ship like the cartoon Miles from Tomorrowland (surprisingly nowhere to be found at Disney). We said we would do it the next time we came. For dinner we went to the Grand Floridian Cafe and we got there just in time to miss walking through a big downpour. We lucked out!

Day Seven – Walt Disney World > Chicago

This morning we had breakfast and finished packing while the kids burned off some energy. Once we were ready, we checked our luggage in at the resort – one of the best perks of staying on property. Soon it was time to hop on Disney's Magical Express and head home. We had a GREAT vacation!

Disney tips

• Buy the book, The Unofficial Guide to Disney World. It was full of great information, like traffic patterns, which rides to use the Fast Passes on and the best places to eat. Personally, I loved all of the ride descriptions. Those were good for a laugh!
• Order groceries from Garden Grocer ahead of time. When you get to the resort, they will deliver them to your room. We had tons of snacks, breakfast food, fruit and veggies, water and juice. It was great! (Although I did go a little overboard ordering bananas.)
• If you're looking for a great deal on rooms, check out David's Vacation Club Rentals. That's how we could swing deluxe studios at the Polynesian and a two-bedroom suite at the Grand Floridian. 
• Amazon delivers to the resorts! Perfect when you loose something you need for the flight home.
• The Polynesian and Grand Floridian both had little shops where you could pick up basic groceries, diapers, more water and of course, beer and wine. 

Tips for traveling with a food allergy:

• Disney will do an allergy cleaning of your room if you request it. So great!
• At all of the Disney restaurants – sit down and quick service – they have a binder available that lists any and all allergens their food contains. For a sit down restaurant, they will even make your meal in a separate kitchen to prevent any cross contamination. Oh and the soft serve ice cream and chocolate Mickey Ears were free of peanuts and tree nuts (except for coconuts). We all ate a lot of ice cream!
• Bring a lot of Wet Ones!
• Instead of a large bottle of Benadryl, I brought single dose vials at Walgreens (their brand). I could put a couple in the Epipen case. Game changer! 
• Crib size fitted sheets fit perfectly over the seats on the plane. 
• Even though many airlines specially state they won't make accommodations for food allergies, many gate agents will let you preboard to wipe down the seats. I just asked when we got to the gate and they were so accommodating! 

Plan for the Worst, Hope for the Best

The last time I posted was in early October, just a few weeks before our trip to France. The trip was eventful, to say the least. Our youngest daughter, Margot, has a peanut allergy and at the time of our trip we also avoided tree nuts since we didn't know if she was also allergic to those. (We saw a new allergist after our trip and found out she is also allergic to all but two tree nuts). We are always very careful to monitor everything she eats. We also always carry two EpiPens in case of an anaphylaxis reaction.

In preparation of the trip we did a lot of research on traveling to France with a food allergy. Many have done it before and we felt confident we could handle it for a few reasons.

1. Since her diagnosis a year earlier, we had successfully avoided an anaphylaxis reaction by closely monitoring what Margot ate - reading labels, asking questions and alerting the staff at restaurants to avoid cross contamination or hidden peanut and tree nuts. 
2. Tom speaks French, plus we also ordered translation cards from SelectWisely that detailed Margot's allergies and included pictures. For part of our trip we would also be traveling with Tom's brother and his sister-in-law, who is French. 
3. Allergens are clearly stated on food labels in grocery stores. Sometimes translating was needed if the labels didn't include English.
4. We packed four EpiPens - Tom and I each carried two at all times. We also brought a bottle of Children's Benadryl that I carried in my purse, a jar of WOW Butter, a ton of safe snacks (and we should have brought more!), plus Wet Ones to wipe down surfaces and hands.
5. We had a plan in place in case there was an emergency - dial 112, the French version of 911 - and we were prepared to do it. We just didn't think it would happen. 

Unfortunately it did. It was our second night in France. Around 10:00 PM Margot and Isabelle did not want to sleep, so we caved and let them crawl into bed with us to watch Sesame Street on the iPad. So glad we did! Margot started coughing, so I gave her some water. Then a bit later she was wheezing. The breathing didn't sound good. We gave her some Benadryl, but it was getting worse so I gave Margot the EpiPen - one of the scariest moments of my life. Tom stayed with the girls while I ran down to the hotel lobby. No one was there so I called the French version of 911, which is 112. The hotel employee came back and spoke to the operator who sent an ambulance. Margot was doing much better and her breathing was returning to normal, but it is standard procedure to go to the hospital after using an EpiPen because of the risk of a rebound anaphylaxis reaction. We got Margot ready to go and Tom went with her since he speaks French. I stayed back with Isabelle and got her to fall asleep. She was very worried about Margot. The ambulance took them to the children's hospital in Paris, Hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades.

Tom texted me updates all night long and I tried to get more information online. I belong to many Facebook allergy groups and one in particular was a tremendous resource and comfort that night. I also contacted our families to let them know what happened and my friend who has a daughter with the same allergies and had been through similar experiences. Margot and Tom came back from the children's hospital around 5 AM. She had a few shots (steroids and an aniti-allergy) and they wanted to make sure she didn't have another reaction. Tom said it was an excellent hospital and we had the best care. He also spoke French almost the entire time, so I'm glad he went! Margot was pretty wired when they got back and watched more shows on the iPad. Tom zonked out and finally Margot and I did too. We all slept until the very last possible moment and somehow we packed up and got the rental car to make it to our next destination in the Loire Valley. We also had to pick up a few prescriptions for Margot. In retrospect we should have stayed in Paris for at least another night, but I think we just needed to get out of that hotel.

So what caused the reaction??? We have no idea! That evening she had an apple from a produce stand that may have had a minuscule amount of peanut or tree nut on it that we didn't get wiped off. She also ate cheese pizza and maybe there was peanut oil in the pizza dough or a cross contamination issue in the restaurant's kitchen. They may have even used lupin flour in the pizza dough which may have caused a reaction. We just don't know. Before we ate dinner we asked the restaurant if there were any peanuts or tree nuts in the pizza - in French and showing them the allergy card. They said no. So that was the scary part. The not knowing what caused the reaction. Plus the fact that it happened almost two hours after we ate.

The rest of the trip we got food from grocery stores to make breakfast and lunch. Many food labels did not include English (although many other languages were usually represented), so I spent a lot of time translating from French to English. For dinner we went to McDonald's, which was an allergen haven for us. The digital ordering system was amazing! At the touch of the screen you could see every ingredient. A bonus was the hardcover books included with the Happy Meals and the coffee there was really good! So we all survived the rest of the trip and even managed to have fun! I have to admit it was a relief to get home, to say Tom and I were on edge the rest of the trip is an understatment. I will share more about trip in upcoming blog posts, but I wanted to get this one off my chest first.

Bookworms Prepare for Takeoff

Before we go on vacation I try to read a book set in that local. I usually learn something new about wherever we're going and it helps me shift gears. Right now we're getting ready for our trip to France and I decided to have the girls join my vacation tradition. This will be Margot's first trip to France and since Isabelle was only 10 months old the last time we went, it will be the first trip she'll remember. Here's what we've been reading.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS:

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans

A favorite in our house, this is a classic tale that follows Madeline and her schoolmates' adventures in Paris. The illustrations are magnifique! We have read many of the other books in this series, but the original is our favorite.

Adele & Simon by Barbara McClintock

This book is set in 1907 and follows an older sister and younger brother during their walk home from school. Along the way they make many stops at places like the Louvre and Notre-Dame and at each stop Simon misplaces something - from his hat to his backpack. At the very end of the book there is a map of Paris which shows their entire journey. The girls enjoyed it and I feel like we'll probably leave a trail of toys and other belongings through Paris. Not like that's never happened here or anything. Wink, wink.

Belinda in Paris by Amy Young

This is from the Belinda the ballerina series and in this book Belinda is offered the chance to perform in Paris, but when she arrives she finds the airline lost her ballet shoes. Since Belinda has extra, extra large feet, she has to find someone to make her ballet shoes and it takes her all over Paris. The girls love ballet, so we did a lot of dancing after reading this book. 

Everybody Bonjours! by Leslie Kimmelman

This book follows a little girls during her trip to Paris where everyone says bonjour! She visits all the sites of Paris and at the end of the book it gives a great description of each - great for the adults.  

Flight 1-2-3 by Maria van Lieshout

This isn't about France, but since this will be Margot's first time flying, I wanted to find a book that would help us talk about what an airport is and what the flight might be like. This was perfect for a toddler! A fun note for those that enjoy graphic design - the typeface used in this book is Frutiger by Swiss designer Adrian Frutiger. It was commissioned in 1968 for Charles de Gaulle International Airport in France and has been used at airports all over the world. 

ADULT BOOKS:

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

This book was actually one I read in September for book club. Talk about perfect timing! All the Light We Cannot See is set during World War II and takes place in Paris, Saint-Malo and throughout Germany. It centers around two children growing up during the war - one French and one German - and how the war changed the course of their lives. The detailed writing of this book really pulled me in and reading about occupied France right before visiting the country just reminds me how resilient people are. I highly recommend this book!

Freedom Fries and Cafe Cream by Jocelyn Rapinac

I picked this up at our local bookstore, Prairie Path Books. They had a whole section of books related to France for Bastille Day and when I mentioned we were going there, the shopkeeper recommended this book. It's a collection of 12 short stories that center around France or the French culture and French food - recipes included. I have been saving it for our trip and I can't wait to dig in! 

Let's not make this easy

Our vacation is fast approaching and my to-do list is getting rather long. One of the major items is PACKING. I always struggle with it and tend to over-pack.  What if it's suddenly cold? Better pack that extra fleece and hat! What if we're hungry? Better packs lots and lots of snacks! What if Isabelle gets bored? Better packs lots of bubbles, toys and books! So that might be a slight exaggeration, but I do have to remind myself that we're not going to the middle of nowhere and if I forget something we can always buy it...well most things. (Adding the camera to my packing list right now.)

For this particular trip we're camping for two of the nights, so that means a car full of camping gear. We're also staying on Mackinac Island for two nights and cars are not allowed on the island. That means we'll have to do a little repacking mid-trip to ensure all of the necessities will be easy to carry onto the ferry and fit in the horse drawn carriage that will take us to the condo we rented. I think it's worth the extra effort because come on, we get to ride in a horse drawn carriage!

Fish Creek, Wisconsin

Armchair Traveling

Tom and I love traveling and when we can't physically go on vacation, we like to watch travel shows.  Here are two of our favorites - both are available on our local PBS channels.

Globe Trekkers
This show was inspired by the Lonely Planet guidebooks and began airing in 1994. They really go off the beaten path and explore exotic locals throughout the world such as Morocco, Columbia, Nepal as well as Europe and the United States. They usually travel with a backpack, spend little and often stay in hostels. Most episodes involve an intense hike or two, eating local food and lots of adventures.  For us it's fun to escape for an hour and explore a new part of the world, because chances are we will not be taking any trips like these for a long time!

Rick Steves' Europe
Rick Steves is our travel guru for all things Europe.  His show began airing in 1991 and it gives you a slice of what a typical tourist will see and do, with some unique experiences thrown in - like spending Christmas in the Alps and riding sleds down the mountain with a freshly cut Christmas tree. He gives a lot of practical tips and is a big fan of spending the night to let you really explore an area without all of the day tripping tourists.  We follow that advice whenever we can.  One of my favorite overnight stops was Toledo, Spain.  This walled city was bustling with tourists during the day, but at night it felt like we had the place to ourselves as we wandered around to find a restaurant for dinner.  Now when we watch his half hour shows it's fun to revisit the places we've been and seek out new destinations.  Did I mention we have the first 80 episodes on DVD thanks to a PBS membership drive? We do!

5 More Hours, Please

Jet lag. Those two little words can mean a tired tourist as you try to adjust to a new time zone. Tom and I have a few tips that seem to work when we fly to Europe.

1. Take an overnight flight.
2. Wear ear plugs and an eye mask.
3. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water before, during and after the flight.
4. Try to go to sleep right after dinner. A glass of wine helps me.
5. Prior to landing, freshen up. Brush your teeth and wash your face.
6. Keep on moving! Tom and I will usually walk and walk and walk around until dinner time.
7. Drink coffee! It might not keep you awake, but it helps! One of my funniest travel memories was when Tom and I were in Seville, Spain and he fell asleep while holding his coffee. That was after a flight when even after taking Simply Sleep (over-the-counter that’s no longer sold) and wearing earplugs, we were kept awake by some Japanese businessmen chatting away... all… night… long.
8. Don’t nap! If you must, try to only sleep for 30 minutes or less.
9. Go to bed at a normal time.

Traveling with children shakes things up.  During our recent trip to Europe, our poor baby passed out at dinner the first night.  This was after napping a lot during the day. I took her back to our hotel room, but apparently Isabelle thought she was just napping again, because she was up at 11:00 pm and stayed up for a few hours. She was ready to play! We were not. Lucky for us, she did sleep in the next morning!

At dinner our first night in Switzerland.

Moments later with a very sleepy baby.

*This post was inspired by lack of sleep and brought to you by coffee.

Crazy for Camping or just Crazy?

When Isabelle was 2 ½ months old we spent a long weekend in Door County, Wisconsin (blog post about the trip). We decided to make it an annual family trip, but this year we want to try camping. I LOVE camping! Wait, let me restate that, I love camping as long as it’s not steamy hot outside.

Camping sounds great in theory, but after asking around, it sounds like it we’re crazy to even attempt it. Why?

TENT: We’ll need to buy a larger tent to fit a pack n’ play. Yes, the three-person tent I’ve been using for years isn’t big enough. In fact, a two-room tent would be even better for nap time.

SLEEPING: Yep, I wrote pack n’ play. That seems to be the best solution to keep a toddler contained and comfortable. If anyone has any other ideas, please let me know!

TOYS: Campsites usually involve dirt, so a friend suggested bringing a toy shovel and bucket. She also recommended a plastic container full of toys that can be easily washed.

ANIMALS: At night I used to put the food in the car. We’re not in bear country, so it’s ok. Well, we’ll also have to make sure to put dirty diapers in the car. We definitely don’t want any animals trying to break into the tent.

FOOD and FIRE: We’ll need to bring a big cooler for all of the food and beverages (milk included). We also need a new camp stove (I’m selling my old MSR Dragonfly if anyone wants it!).

Despite all of the challenges, I think we're going to do it, but we’ll also book a hotel…just in case!

I Believe I Can Fly

A friend recently asked me for tips on flying with a baby/toddler. When we took Isabelle to Europe I learned a few things. Granted, she was 10 months old, so some of these things probably won't work the next time we fly with her.

1) We let her crawl around the airport before boarding. This burned off some excess energy. A year ago this would have totally grossed me out.  Oh, who am I kidding?  It still kinda grossed me out, BUT sometimes you have to just let go.

2) If you can, feed your baby before you board. So much easier and less mess. Bring extra food and bottle/sippy cup for the flight. You'll probably need it.

3) Try to fly when they would normally sleep - naps or overnight.

4) Bring Dum Dum suckers to help with take-off and landing. We only had to use them twice, because she loves to suck her thumb.This is actually a tip from Tom's friend.  Thank you!

5) Bring a few new toys and break out when needed. In retrospect, we probably brought more toys than needed and could have entertained the entire airplane.

6) Don't forget a blanket for warmth and your baby's/toddler's favorite plush toy or blankie. You can see Isabelle clutching her's in the photo below.

7) For long flights, get your baby a seat. We used frequent flyer miles and it was the best idea we had!

Happy travels!

First Flight - Isabelle and her daddy

Oh Baby! Don't Leave Home Without...

We getting ready for our big family vacation and while I was working on our packing list, I asked some fellow moms what they never leave home without. Here's what they said and these are all things we're bringing:

- Blankie (aka a lovie)

- Pacifier (if they use one)

- Enough food, diapers and wipes for the plane

- A few new toys or books and a few old favorites

- Car seat (if you're holding baby on the flight, you can gate check it)

- Baby carrier to navigate the airport

- Sound machine (we're bringing the travel Sleep Sheep)

- Disposable sticky place mats and bibs

- Bottle brush to wash sippy cups and other items

Let the packing commence!  

Where to Stay in Paris

Our friends are planning a trip to Paris and asked us for some advice on where to stay.  I must admit, my husband has much more experience in this area, so here is the advice he gave:

First, pick a neighborhood.  The 5th and the 7th are really the best out there (location, food, stuff to do, etc).  If you are going to be in Paris 4+ days, we really recommend trying out two different neighborhoods.  If Stephanie and I were going, we would try to pay less than 100 Euro a night. 

7th - Rue Cler, Tour Eiffel, etc

This is the best street in the best neighborhood around and there are like a zillion awesome little 10 table restaurants.  The main con here is that the only sights within walking distance are the Tour Eiffel and Les Invalids (Napoleon’s Tomb).  Well that, and there tend to be many Americans around. There are metro stops... but they aren't on the best line and not super close.  

Hotel Champ du Mars - I stayed here with my buddy ages ago and it still gets awesome reviews, better price.  Review on TripAdvisor, click here.

Hotel L'Eveque  - On the best street in Paris, lots of Rick Steves' readers, my family has spent a lot of nights here, looks like it has gotten more expensive.  Review on TripAdvisor, click here. 

5th - Marais, Basitlle

This has the best location, near stuff and very good Metro access. This is also where all the French people want to live (especially as you move back from the main drags).  Less of a neighborhood, but you can walk to a ton of sites.  Stephanie and I stayed here the last time (in a not great hotel, everything else was booked).  

Hotel Castex - Awesome location, they have made it much nicer, cheap, my family used to stay here (late 90s) but there was a bad change of ownership... seems to be resolved now.  Review on TripAdvisor, click here. 

Hotel Jean D'Arc - always pretty nice, looks like people love it, still well priced, my parents liked it.  Review on TripAdvisor, click here. 

Other Tips

Whatever you do, don't get breakfast at a hotel unless it is free.  Paris has the best cafes in the world and you will get a much better value sitting in some awesome cafe eating much better food.  Back in the day, breakfast was always free, but now that it is not it is no longer worth it.  

Rick Steves' book and website are the best, but given the number of people using them, for hotels I would give credence to tripadvisor.com, Orbitz.com, Venere.com, etc.

Traveling with a Baby - Websites and Blogs

Baby E is due in 6 weeks and in the midst of DIY home improvement projects, preparing for baby’s arrival, birthing classes and oh yeah, work, I started thinking about what it will be like to travel with an infant.  Granted, this isn’t the first time I thought about it.  In fact, in March on my way to Florida I started quizzing other moms in the airport and during our 2+ hour delay on the way home from Florida I tried to enjoy the free time I had to just read, because the next time I fly it will probably be with Baby E.

So this week I decided to start a list of baby travel websites and blogs to check out. 

Websites:

• Flying with Kids
• Traveling with Baby Checklist
• 18 Tips for Traveling with Baby
• International Travel with Infants
• From the TSA: Important Information on Traveling With Formula, Breast Milk, and Juice
• BabySafeTravel.com 
• TravelingBaby Company - Baby Equipment Rental Online

Blogs:

• Have Baby Will Travel
• Traveling with Baby

I’m sure I’ll be adding to this list!

 

Babymoon in Florida

Our babymoon in Florida was wonderful!  It was 80 degrees and sunny the entire time - dream come true after our seemingly endless winter in Chicago.  This was my first trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and I don't know why I haven't gone before.  You see, since spring of 2010 Tom has worked down there for about a week each month and we always talked about spending a long weekend there, but things always came up.  Never again! Baby E. and I will be meeting Tom in the future for some long, relaxing weekends.    

For this trip I flew out on Thursday after work, also St. Patrick's Day, and arrived in Fort Lauderdale to see everyone whooping it up. You could tell a lot of people were on spring break!  The next morning Tom and I had breakfast by the beach before he dropped me off at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa. We switched hotels for the weekend and since I couldn't check in, I made due with lounging by the pool and then getting a massage in the afternoon.  It was rough!  That night we skipped dinner and just did appetizers at the hotel bar while we watched the March Maddness games (Go Marquette!).  After the game we had some scrumptious desserts at the Atlantic Hotel. I'm still drooling over their key lime pie.

Tom and I spent the next morning at the beach and then met up with his parents.  The rest of the trip was spent relaxing on the beach, eating at some great restaurants, drinking fruity beverages, checking out South Beach in Miami, driving north to Boca Raton and taking a boat tour to see all of the amazing multi-million dollar homes and boats along the canal and beach in Fort Lauderdale.  We had a GREAT time and I can't wait to go back!

Here are a few tips for the Westin Beach Resort & Spa:  

1) If you put the "green" card on your door, they won't clean your room and you get a $5 voucher in return.  If you need clean towels, extra soap, etc., just ask!

2) Their brunch is amazing and if you just want to order off the menu, I highly suggest getting the blueberry granola pancakes.  Outstanding!  

3) Chairs by the pool and beach go fast, so get there early!  

Hanging out at the beach

South Beach in Miami

Enjoying a fruity beverage in South Beach

House from Miami Vice

Gearing Up for Florida...Literally!

I’m gearing up for Florida!  Over the weekend I did some shopping and I was really disappointed that Gap won’t get swimsuits, shorts or capri pants until the end of March.  I found this really surprising considering Old Navy already has them.  I did manage to spend my gift card on a stretchy black skirt and a few t-shirts – one that says “Baby Blooming” and a favorite of Tom’s. 

I also made a trip to Target and found a cute one-piece black swimsuit that has a chunky wood wrap that ties around the neck.  Hey, I might as well look fashionable!  Target also had capri pants, so I bought a pair in gray. 

Now what will I put my new cloths in?  I got a new wheelie carry-on bag from REI that turns into a backpack.  This will replace my current Rick Steves backpack, which I use for overseas travel, and my current wheelie bag, which I use stateside.

Tom bought the same bag in 2008 at the REI flagship store when we were in Seattle for a friend’s wedding.  He’s been raving about it ever since, but I’ve been hesitant to buy it because it’s not as big as my Rick Steves bag. However with a baby on the way, I decided to give in.

So what’s so great about this bag? 

1. It’s lightweight. 
2. The wheels roll over everything.
3. There are tons of compartments for organizing. 
4. It turns into a backpack and a flap goes over the wheels so you don’t get dirt on your cloths.

Are there any drawbacks?  Kind of…this bag doesn’t expand to hold extra stuff, but this is also a benefit because I have a hard time carrying my Rick Steves bag when I overload it.  Solution? Tom and I will each buy a small backpack to carry baby necessities and for all of those souvenirs I never travel overseas without my trusty foldaway duffel.

Of course this will probably all change the minute we try to travel with Baby E!

Spain 2007

Morocco 2008

France 2009

Italy 2010