When you go on vacation, do you try to find a destination that is kid-friendly? What are some kid-friendly destinations you have found? I would love to take my kids to Disney Land/ Disney World, Six Flags, Cedar Point, or some place similar to that!

I was offered a Branson vacation awhile back. I have a cousin who lives in Missouri. She wants us to come down for a week this summer and enjoy shopping, golf and a festival! I am pretty excited about it!

When do you plan your vacations in the summer?

After much hubub we are all moved into our new home. Crappy things keep happening and I am hoping that our luck changes. I have to admit that I think we can handle whatever comes our way but I am sort of a perfectionist and have this idea of how things “should” go in my head. When they don’t go that way, I get upset and thus stressed out.

So, I have been looking at Branson vacation packages lately. My brother and sister-in-law live in St. Louis and I would LOVE to take a family vacation down that way this summer. Like Calgon I need something to take me away for awhile.

Where do you go to unwind? Any favorite vacation spots?

luggage isn’t the only thing you should bring on a trip with your family.  Long car rides can be especially trying for younger children.  They get restless… stir crazy if you will.  It is a good idea to pack up the following items if you are looking to take a road trip anytime soon:

1.  Snacks — Arm yourself with snacks or you will hear “mommy!  I’m hungry!” more than once.

2.  Travel games — Choose age-appropriate games for your child to play.  If you have a travel companion (i.e. your spouse), see if he/she would be interested in playing “I Spy” or another fun road game to pass the time.

3.  Music– Even if you don’t want to listen to the latest Dora The Explorer CD the whole way, it is still a good idea to bring some kid music along.  Then, you can take turns putting in their CDs and your CDs.  You can even let them be the “road DJ” if you want.  They’ll get a kick out of it!

4.  Comfy pillows and blankets –  sleeping in a car is not comfortable in the slightest, and kids under a certain age/height are generally stuck in their car seats.  So it is a good idea to bring comfort items from home such as blankets, pillows and even stuffed animals.  Your kids will sleep better on the trip trust me!

5.  And finally, if your children are of the age where they enjoy watching television and you think that it is something they will miss on the car ride, pack up some of their favorite DVDs and a portable DVD player.

These are just a few tips that will make any long car ride a little more headache free!

Tonight my mom called to tell me what she got husb and I for Christmas. Since it is too big and a little abstract to wrap, she decided to tell us early. We got…. Wait for it (said in mah best Barney Stinson voice)… a weekend trip to a Casino that includes a hotel room stay, dinner for two and some money to spend at the Casino! This includes free babysitting too! How cool is that?!

It is called the Island Resort (or something to that effect). The only thing that could be better would be a Westgate reservation!

Husb and I are so excited! We will plan a trip up north in the spring! YAY!

Someday soon (or next yearish), I want to take a big trip with my family! It would be our first family vacay! At this point, i’m thinking it may be nice to take a vacation in the winter. Somewhere sunny would be lovely!

Wondering if we’ll need travel insurance for a rental car or in case of lost luggage or something? Has anyone ever purchased this? What did you think?

I want nothing more than to get a passport, hop on a plane to anywhere in the world and enjoy a nice vacation out of reality! Goodness, lately, I feel as though I have been given too much reality. I need to dream a little dream and get my groove back.

On the bright side, I highlighted my hair on Friday and it turned out faboo!

What do you do in order to pamper yourself to get your groove back?

Tomorrow, my husband and I will be traveling up north for a fun mini-vacation/ wedding shower! The shower is on Saturday afternoon, but we have decided to get a hotel room and stay a couple of days so that the kids can swim and we can have a relaxing time! I told my hubby tonight that we should make this an adventure! He is pretty excited about it and so am I!

Now… what to pack… what to pack? Well, aside from the normal necessities (clothes, diapers, wipes, sippy cups, and tissues) I think we’re also going to pack our cooler! That way, we can keep some cold food on hand. It’s better than eating out everyday (well at least in my opinion). I’ll probably pack a few toys to keep O and S busy along the way!

Do you travel with your children often? If so, what do you pack? Do you eat out on trips or try and pack healthy snacks?

Have you ever been to Branson Missouri? I haven’t. However, after reviewing the site Bransongetaways.com, I’m ready to saddle up and ride! If you check out this site, you will notice that they offer seven different getaway packages. All packages are priced economically! The Platinum package is the cheapest one they have. It is a 3 day 2 night getaway for two. For $423 per couple you get to stay in the luxurious Welk Resort Hotel, a free pass to the Grand Country Jubilee, a dinner gift certificate to either Red Lobster or Olive Garden, a coupon book filled with wonderful deals and discounted rates for all area attractions/restaurants and a $50 gift certificate to shop at Tanger Outlet! What a deal! So for less than $900 you can go away on a wonderful relaxing vacation which is pretty much all inclusive! They also have great family packages as well!

Lets’ talk about lodging! The Welk Resort is only one of the luxurious places you get to choose from! It offers live entertainment, dinning, activities and concierge service! You can also choose from other luxurious hotels and even vacation condos that offer wonderful amenities!

Now, onto the attractions! Branson offers a variety of area attractions!  Silver Dollar City is a popular amusement park that is fun for the whole family!  Branson also offers museums, shopping, live entertainment, car shows and lots more!

So what are you waiting for?  Book your vacation getaway to Branson today and see what all the fun is about!

I had heard in the past that Branson resorts were affordable and fun! They offer beautiful condos, great golfing and a whole list of area attractions! To me, it sounds like there is something to do for the whole family!   Branson is on our list of places we’d eventually like to see.  Other toppers on the list:  Orlando Florida, anywhere in Hawaii, Maine, Boston and New York!  For some reason, I haven’t really had a true hankering to see the west-coast states.  I think i’d like to get down south and east first and then travel out west!

Where do you go on vacation?  To the same place?  Do you pick different destinations each time?