Something New, Something Cherished -Part 1

My family had the privilege of returning to our beloved England this summer.  During our 3 years living there, we'd never made it to the North Yorkshire Moors so decided to spend the first part of our trip there and experience a "new to us" part of England.

It did not disappoint!!  A gorgeous drive across the moors with its fields of purple heather - not quite at their peak but still beautiful, brought us to our cottage at Church House Farm where we enjoyed spectacular views from our garden and from our walks.

Local Fairy house

While there we enjoyed a couple nice day trips - including a visit to Whitby Abbey and the town of Whitby.  Do you know the literary significance of Whitby Abbey?  Answer below...

199 Steps from Whitby Abbey to the town.  We started at the top and went down - and took the shuttle back UP!

Whitby was inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula.

What's a summer vacation without a beach day?  Apparently many others agreed because we began our day at one beach and had to abandon our plans when we couldn't find a single parking spot anywhere in town, and moved on to Runswick Bay which was stunning. The walk down was very steep but my chivalrous husband  played chauffeur and dropped us and picked us up at the bottom.

I want to live in that white house all the way on the end but I got vetoed!

On our way home from the beach, I wanted to catch the Hogwarts Express - but alas I missed it!

I did get to visit the station for a bit.




We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Moors and have a new "cherished" portion of England to love!  In Part 2, I'll share our cherished favorites revisited!

Mother Daughter Time

As a mother of five, I tend to get very busy in the small details of day to day life: menu planning, schooling, after-school activities, cleaning, laundry, diapers, college applications, etc. So when my husband suggested I take our oldest daughter on a vacation, my jaw dropped to the floor. I wasn't even sure how to process his comment. After picking up my jaw and discussing it more, we decided to start a family tradition. The year that each child turns 18/graduates, they get to go on a vacation with mom. Just the two of us. Yay!

Our oldest turned 18 and graduated this past year, so we got to plan our trip. Given this daughter's personality, I knew going somewhere warm during the winter months (we live in Minnesota) would be a fabulous choice for her. So we started throwing around some ideas that mostly involved flying somewhere warm and renting a car and exploring. Sounds fun, right? Then Kristy suggested a cruise. Wait, what?!? I can't afford a cruise. But after looking into it, I was surprised to find that we could totally afford a cruise. They are way more reasonable than most people realize!

We decided on a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas. What an experience! This was a first for both of us, so every little thing was new. Being out on the ocean was pretty amazing and ridiculously good for the soul. The food was incredible; the beaches were beautiful; the food was delicious; exploring Nassau was breathtaking; the food was drool-worthy; the ocean was soothing...and did I mention the FOOD?

Visiting the private beach destination, CocoCay, was one of our favorite parts of the cruise. Sitting on the beach, soaking up the hot sun, drinking out of pineapples-- Paradise. Seriously. My feet miss that sand.

My daughter's highlights were seeing the beaches and all the cute Bahamian shops, along with the amazing cuisine served on the cruise by the same waiters every meal. My highlight was the food and history tour we went on while at port in Nassau. I was shocked at how much fascinating information and delicious food was packed into just a few short hours. That went above and beyond my expectations. Our tour guide, Joy, was full of interesting information and was clearly very passionate about her homeland and its rich culture and diverse cuisine.

The ship itself was filled with endless entertainment and fun things to see and do: nightly shows, comedians, pools, hot tubs, a rock wall, bungee trampolines, an arcade, shops, a spa, an orchestra, live bands, theme nights, game shows, a casino, movies on deck, dancing, restaurants, classes--the list goes on and on.

I am so glad my daughter and I were able to go on this adventure together. Making memories like this is my favorite thing to do.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for Boys?

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for Boys?

One of my favorite things to do in Disney World is watch a little girl transform into a princess. The way she carries herself, the smile on her face, and the look of awe from everyone around her are delightful. In Disney that means one thing... the little girl has just gotten a makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique(BBB). There are two locations located in Walt Disney World. The most popular one being at Magic Kingdom and the secondary one located at Disney Springs.  Prices exist  for every budget starting with very basic hair and nails and moving up to the extravagance that Disney is known for. It’s no secret that I’m a "boy mom."  I truly thought I’d never get to experience the BBB magic. When I found out my niece was going to partake I was a little jealous. That is until my sister-in-law told me that they had a package for boys! And the best part of the whole deal.... it was only $19.95 plus tax! I immediately called and made reservations. 

We chose the Disney Springs location in order to accommodate my two boys who are both six years old and my niece who was three at the time. BBB is located in between Earl of Sandwich, The Void, and Once Upon a Toy. We arrived about 30 minutes before our reservation and  were told to come back closer to our appointment. The lobby area is extremely small and cannot accommodate more than six people or so. Within a few minutes of our appointment time, we were called back to meet our stylist, also known as a Fairy Godmother. All three of the children were called together, and we were  placed in a small room. Waiting in the room were the two shields for my sons that came with their package. I was so impressed with the quality of the shields.  The dragon version of Maleficent  was on each shield face. They looked like they cost more than $20 which was the cost of the whole experience. Then we were left alone in a room where a certain very special fairy godmother came to greet us through a mirror. We were all shocked and amazed. After that each child went up to the mirror to talk about how he or she wanted his or her hair.  We were then led to the styling room and my boys received gel and pixie dust and were presented to their audience. The hairstyle itself took less than 10 minutes. After that they were swept off to their photo session. 

My boys truly felt special, and I highly recommend the Knight package for any boys who would appreciate some pampering.The whole experience took approximately 20 minutes, but it created incredible memories that will last a lifetime.   

Meet Tanya!

Our team continues to grow!!

Where do you call home?

Wells, which is a small town in southern Minnesota.

Tell us about your family.

My husband and I have been married for 20 years.  We have 5 children from ages 18 down to 4 years old.  We have done foster care for the last ten years and have had many amazing children stay with us, but none as amazing as the one we were blessed to be able to adopt.

Where have you traveled?

I LOVE to travel and am always looking forward to my next adventure!  I have been to many places in the US, Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, Panama, Cuba, Bahamas, and Taiwan.

What's your favorite vacation destination?

Definitely Walt Disney World!  I love all things Disney.  But a close second would be Hawaii.  It's truly paradise there.

Why did you become a travel agent?

I wanted to become a travel agent when I was in high school but ended up pursuing something else.  When I recently joined Kristy's team of travel professionals, I was thrilled!  It was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time.

What is your travel specialty?

I specialize in Disney vacations, (especially Walt Disney World) and cruises.

What is your favorite Walt Disney World resort?

I have two favorites:  Pop Century Resort and Animal Kingdom Lodge

What is your favorite Walt Disney World attraction?

Just one?  Hmmm...probably Star Tours.  And Soarin'!  Love that one.

What is your favorite Walt Disney World restaurant?

Might as well stick with the "two" theme.  Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano is to die for!  And La Hacienda de San Angel has some of the best food I've ever eaten!

What is your favorite vacation memory?

I have lots of wonderful memories but I think my absolute favorite was watching my family meet Mickey Mouse for the first time.  It was truly magical!

What makes you passionate about being a travel agent?

I love the idea of buying experiences, not stuff.  And I love being able to take care of all those pesky details of a trip so that the clients can enjoy themselves and make wonderful memories.

Baltimore

Sometimes when you are local to an area you take it for granted.  It's only when you leave and return as a tourist that you can appreciate what a city or destination has to offer.  Having grown up in Maryland with many forays into Baltimore to watch the O's games, to shop, to see a show, to visit the Aquarium or the Inner Harbor, I never really saw it from a tourist point of view.   However, this past weekend changed that.  Visiting for an art exhibition, we decided to live like tourists.  

As a born and raised Marylander, no visit is truly complete without eating steamed crabs, so our very first stop in Baltimore was Nicks Fish House where we split a dozen crabs between us.  As that was not enough to actually satisfy our hunger we also ordered crab dip and crab pretzels!  Crabs don't get much better than this!!

After cleaning up (a definite necessity!) we headed to the Inner Harbor where we'd booked a room at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel.  

 The hotel was beautiful and perfectly located.  The lobby was hopping with activity and people enjoying themselves visiting with friends, or drinking their Starbucks and reading or working at a table.

Our room was modern and very comfortable....

With a spectacular view of the Inner Harbor which was just steps away.

On Saturday morning, we walked more than a few steps (about 6 blocks) to get to a "cafe with character" my husband had discovered searching on the Internet.  It definitely  had character and my first impression was that it was a bit too macabre for me...

 but he told me think of it as a nod to Edgar Allan Poe and to embrace it - so I did! We even sat beneath this Raven! lol

I can not tell you enough how truly AMAZING this breakfast was.  I was super glad we walked the 6 blocks to get there (although 600 blocks may have been more necessary for all the calories! lol!)  The portions were huge so we shared.

Cap'n Crunch French Toast is a specialty and a customer favorite - for very good reason. It is DELICIOUS!!

Sweet Baby Jesus was our other choice.  Hash browns, tomatoes, lump crab meat, eggs and hollandaise sauce made up this scrumptious plate of food.

The coffee was the only weak link in our breakfast - as I prefer mine stronger - but the mugs had enough attitude to make up for the weaker coffee.

A few hours later we all met up for an Inner Harbor Sightseeing Cruise.  It was a super hot day but the AC interior and the breezy top made it an enjoyable way to see the sights of Baltimore.  Choose seating on the starboard side for the best viewing! 

There are games aboard too for those who want to be entertained by more than just sightseeing.

My favorite part of the cruise was passing Fort McHenry as they played the Star Spangled Banner.  This proud AF wife may have had something in my eyes during that portion!

Speaking of Fort McHenry, we stopped by there for a couple hours before heading to the airport to drop off our oldest daughter.  Its part of the National Park service so offers free admittance for active duty servicemen, and disabled vets get a free lifetime pass for themselves and up to 3 adult guests.  Thank you National Park Service!  As our time was extremely limited, we appreciated this perk very much - however, normal entry fees are a reasonable $15 for guests over 16.  (Under 16 is free)

Be sure to catch the movie about the Battle of Baltimore.  The ending is a moving experience!