First Ski Lessons at Mammoth Mountain

I'm organizing our first family ski trip, which is coming up right before Christmas. I am so excited but have so much to do to prepare. It's really difficult to figure out what's best when it comes to organizing my 2 year old's first lessons. Will she be old enough? Should we buy or rent equipment? Don't forget the pants, gloves, jackets, socks, underwear and goggles. And - most imortantly - should she ski first or snowboard. I have to answer all these questions and more in just two weeks!

Kindie Rock Is Awesome

In the Los Angeles Times this weekend, there was an article about indie music for the under-10 set, dubbed "kindie rock," which sparked my interest, because I've always looked for songs that both my daughter and I could listen to in the car. We've seen bands like Milkshake perform, and we watch "Yo Gabba Gabba" religiously, so I wasn't surprised to find that the article read like a description of our family.

Needless to say, I was really excited to hear that bands like The Shins and The Roots were going to be featured on the new Yo Gabba Gabba CD, which I downloaded for my daughter - and, lets be honest, for me too.

Now, we can rock out to "Party in My Tummy" and "Get the Sillies Out" mixed with The Shins' version of "It's Okay, Try Again," and my favorite, Mark Kozelek's "Bedtime Lullaby."

For parents who don't want to sing to The Wiggles or are sick of the Backyardigan's theme song, kindie rock is a win win.

Buy the CD on Amazon.com

Taking a 2-Year-Old on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

Our mother-daughter cruise to the Mexican Riviera is almost over. I have learned so much about myself, my daughter and traveling alone with a 2-year-old. What I can say for sure is that it's certainly not easy, but that's not to say it's not fun, and it is very rewarding.
Mexico is an amazing place to take young children. We had a great time playing at the beach. Almost everywhere is family friendly and the people are always understanding and ready to lend a hand.
I think that, next time, I am going to make sure that we pick a cruise line or vacation spot where there is a program for kids as young as 2. One of the most frustrating things was not having any help at all and the constant pressure of being "on guard" so to speak was exhausting. Also, toward the middle of our journey, Ava really wanted to have somewhere to go to interact with other children her age. However, I do have to say, wherever there was music onboard the ship, there was Ava dancing. If there was a nomination for dancing queen onboard this cruise of the Mariner of the Seas, she would surely win it.

Disneyland: Tips for Two Year Olds

It always amazes me how much there is for toddlers to do at Disneyland. I don't think there are many other amusement parks where toddlers, and their parents, have so much to choose from when it comes to activities. My family and I recently spent the day checking out Disneyland's Halloween Time. We got into the spirit of things with a ride on the Haunted Mansion. We were surprised last year to find out that our 1-year-old wasn't too little to go on the Haunted Mansion. This year, now that Ava is 2, we took her on it again. She's a bit more conscious of what's going on, but still, after some fear of the initial elevator ride, she really enjoyed traveling through Jack's spooky, yet colorful, world.

Her favorite ride was Winnie the Pooh last year, but this was completely blown away by Dumbo this year. She loved Dumbo so much, we had to ride three times. Her other favorites were Pinnochio and King Arthur's carousel; all perfect for kids her age. We also rode the Jungle Cruise, but it's hard to say what Ava thought about that one, since it was nearing nap time, and her eyes had glazed over with all of the fun.

If your kids can make it, the 9:25 p.m. fireworks show is also well worth the wait.

Tips for Taking a Toddler to Disneyland:

• Lots of snacks, water and fruit. We brought a ton of pretzels, apples and water into the park. It's good to keep kids going, and if you get stuck in a long line.
• Take a break in Toon Town. Kids can get a break from the lines in Toon Town and get some energy out at Goofy's Playhouse. Toon Town is also the perfect place to sit down and eat. They serve perfect toddler-size meals and snacks without really long lines.
• Do the kid rides early or really late. The lines are much longer for Dumbo and Pinnochio, Snow White, etc. in the middle of the day. We hit those rides early when everyone was well-rested.
• Parents can ride the roller coasters during nap time. If your kids will sleep in a stroller, this is the perfect time for rides like Space Mountain, Matterhorn, Indiana Jones and more — just cuz you're with the kids down't mean you can't have fun, too!

I Want S’More at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort

Heading out to the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, Calif., on a sticky Friday evening in traffic and on the verge of a full-on family meltdown, I thought maybe the weekend getaway was a mistake. But we took a friend’s advice and cruised down Pacific Coast Highway instead of the jam-packed 405 freeway, and an hour and a half later, we were listening to the sounds of waves crashing on the beach and a folk guitar from the poolside restaurant from our hotel balcony. Kids tucked in bed and a glass of champagne in hand, my husband and I toasted the “silence.”

This was just the beginning of our fun-filled weekend in Huntington Beach. In the morning, we hit the pool early. The hotel’s partnership with Toes On the Nose means families can make use of complimentary arm floaties, life jackets, kickboards and more in the pool. This made our lives so much easier since our two-year-old daughter likes her independence, but can’t really swim. Outfitted with some floaties and a kickboard, she was on her way to aquatic freedom.

Apart from swimming, kids can also color in the kids’ area, which consists of tables set up in a shady corner with crayons, books, coloring books and stickers to keep young children busy. The friendly staff was more than willing to help their young charges find what they needed and help keep them entertained.

Around noon, we moved from the pool to the beach when some friends of ours with two toddlers of their own showed up for a visit. Again, the people at Toes On the Nose provided our entire group with beach chairs, umbrellas, plenty of towels and sand toys. They also provided bikes with child seats and helmets for an afternoon bike ride. Apart from the challenges of carrying armloads of beach equipment across Pacific Coast Highway while wrangling three 2-year-olds and a baby, the beach was awesome. The weather was perfect, and the water temperature was surprisingly warm. The girls built a sandcastle and played in the waves for hours before we were finally able to drag them back to the room to get ready for dinner – and they didn’t even know that the best was yet to come.

The highlight of the trip came after dinner when we took all the girls down to the beach, after sunset, to roast s’mores. The hotel provided us with graham crackers, chocolate bars, marshmallows, two pitchers of hot chocolate, blankets, roasting sticks, wood and, most importantly, a wagon. We rolled our goodies down to the beach and set up camp at one of Huntington Beach’s many firepits located at the top of the beach in the sand. The concierge recommended we get there early, before sunset, to get a spot. We arrived moments after and lucked out. If you are going, especially in summer, definitely get to the beach early. With the fire lit, and the girls full of hot chocolate, we set to roasting s’mores and then spent the rest of the evening singing campfire songs and watching three toddlers jump up and down in the wagon until their sugar highs wore off. At the end of the evening, we rolled back them back up to the hotel, but not before they passed out in the wagon.

www.hilton.com

Mother Daughter Vacation

I'm really exited to be taking a Mexican Riviera cruise with my daughter. It's going to be a great time for us to bond and all that sort of thing. I'm just wondering if I might go crazy... because she's 2. As much as I love her, I'm a little nervous that, for 8 days, my only interactions are going to be with a little person who's mental capacity is slightly greater than a cave woman. Now, I'm not trying to be derogatory. She's very smart for 2 and extremely capable. Just this morning she left for daycare wearing a tutu and a T-shirt a bow in her hair with her purse, complete with makeup compact, and jewelry. So, maybe we will have lot's of things to bond over. Still, it's not like we will be debating the finer points of Obama's healthcare plan and I'm just wondering what will happen to my brain after eight solid days being a 2-year-old!

D-Day

Our yearly trip to Disneyland is fast-approaching. And, while I was shocked last year that our one-year-old had so much fun, lasted the whole day and wasn't freaked out when we were standing too close to the fireworks, I have to wonder if this year, now that she's two and has a tiny, six-month-old sister, if it's possible to have the same amount of fun.
This year, I want to do everything the same...except I want to actually remember the Pack-n-Play (so we don't have to drive home in the middle of the night to get it) and we are bringing a costume for Ava to wear to Downtown Disney (so we don't have to buy an expensive princess outfit since now she WILL know she's the only kid not wearing a costume).
Fingers crossed that this will be as much fun as the last year - but can you really go too wrong? After all, it's the Happiest Place on Earth!

Beach Fest

This weekend we went to the Port Hueneme Beach Festival in Ventura. It was a lot of fun - and not just because it was free! Ava ate her first shave ice and Audrey had a great time hanging out in the grass. The festival happens every year, and is perfect for families.

www.porthuenemebeachfest.org

Never Too Young

After a recent trip to Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., I returned to the office gushing about how much fun I had. It wasn’t my first time there, or even my second. In fact, I am up there so frequently that I think my coworkers were surprised I was so excited about my trip. What was all the fuss about? Mammoth Mountain’s Adventure Center, which offers a bevy of activities such as mountain biking, scenic gondola rides, ziplining and a climbing wall.
We had gone up to visit the Adventure Center with our two small children, so even though we could have taken turns mountain biking and watching the kids, my husband and I had planned to just hike around Devil’s Postpile National Monument, where visitors can take short hikes to the monument, swim in the river and hike up to Rainbow Falls. We also thought we would ride the gondola to the top of Mammoth Mountain and check out the Interpretive Center — and that was about it.
When we got to the Adventure Center, however, Ava, my 2-year-old, ran straight to the zipline, where there was a line of older kids – all at least over 4 – waiting their turns. She carefully watched as the kids zipped down from a 20-foot platform, and I knew she wanted to climb up there and go herself, and I wondered how to explain to a 2 year old that she was too young without enduring a tantrum. So I just started to lead her away. She cried. She stomped her feet and then a woman came over and told us that Ava wasn’t too little, and I was shocked. I guess I should have asked first, but, bad parent that I am, I just assumed.
So, we got her a harness that surprisingly fit and a helmet that was WAY too big and off she went. And with the utmost determination and more patience than I have ever seen her display, she negotiated the step ladder all the way to the top of the platform, waited her turn and then zoom….off she went!
Afterward, she headed straight for the climbing wall and 10 minutes later, she was hanging 25 feet in the air, at the very top, smiling for a picture.
http://www.mammothmountain.com/

Parking It Poolside

Every year the Fourth rolls around and the heat wave kicks in and I, like everyone else in the Valley, want to make a break for the beach. I envision cool breezes, cold drinks and palm trees — but in reality, what I find is traffic jams, sunburnt children and a purse filled with sand.

This year, I vowed that it would be different — and to my amazement — I discoverd that you can find cool breezes, cold drinks and palm trees in the Valley...you just have to find someone who has a pool.

My brother-in-law helped us out in this capacity, and my husband and two daughters and I spent a relaxing three days less than a 1/4-mile from our house soaking up the rays, a rare gust of the santa ana's or two and juice boxes galore for Fourth of July. Party on America!

Club Med Deal

My family is a huge fan of Club Med and their kids' clubs. Our two-year-old daughter adored all the staff in Ixtapa and Punta Cana. I would recommend these locations to any parents traveling with young children. The kids clubs in both these locations offer opportunites for parents to enjoy some alone time and for kids to meet, play and interact with children from around the world. And Club Med has a new offer:

Starting July 1, Club Med is offering a $99 sale and
invites guests to discover indigenous cuisine, innovative children’s programs,
newly renovated accommodations and more starting at $99 per person. Award
winning children’s clubs, for children ages four years and up, are included in
the promotion as well as a variety of land and water activities for both adults
and children (from sailing and tennis to flying trapeze lessons). Participating
properties include Club Med Sandpiper, Florida; Cancun Yucatan, Mexico; Ixtapa
Pacific, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Turkoise, Turks & Caicos;
Columbus Isle, Bahamas; Caravelle, Guadeloupe and Buccaneer's Creek, Martinique;
rates start at $99 per person, per night based on double occupancy and require a
three-night minimum stay. The $99 SALE is available for booking July 1
through August 31, 2009 for travel from July 4 through April 24, 2010.

www.clubmed.us

Five Fun Trips With the Family

From TravelAgeWest.com:

It’s funny, but I can’t remember a time in my life when travel wasn’t a big part of it. Ever since I was a kid, I feel like I have been packing a bag to go one place or another — be it on a business trip or for vacation or backpacking through Europe. However, 2008 was a significant year in travel for me — it was the first year that I would travel with my daughter. She, like me, will hopefully never remember a time in her life when her bags weren’t packed, ready to head off for some fun or exotic destination. So, here are some of my favorite adventures from 2008 – with and without the family.

Read the full article at TravelAgeWest.com

What Happens in Vegas

Lessons learned on Vegas trip number two - it's not always the kids you have to watch out for, and sometimes two-year-olds can be embarassing.

While watching out for my two daughters, I managed to misplace my phone, forget my camera in the hotel room and lose my favorite sweater. Not to mention the fact that I was running around with baby spit up on my dress. I'm thinking no one noticed, either that or my friends are really mean. I guess I'm the one who needed looking out for on this trip.

And in the vast wisdom of the universe, I did finally learn my lesson that everything you say your young children will repeat. While we were innocently trying to teach our daughter, Ava, that every fart isn't a poop (We were a little sick of changing "poopy" diapers), we now know she got the message, a fact we learned when she proudly announced to an entire wedding party - at the top of her lungs just before they marched down the aisle - that she farted...and farted and farted. "Me fart, me fart....ME FART!" is still ringing in my ears - and probably everyone elses. Thank god our friends love us!!
Next up: A weekend of rest!!

En-Listed

I surprised myself this weekend - or more accurately, this past week. I took a road trip to Vegas with both kids in tow and managed not to forget anything major. Now, I can't say enough about list-making...and that's something I never thought I would say - or become! But nonetheless, I made a list, checked it twice and off we went in the new van to Vegas and the only thing we were missing was a swimsuit for Little A - and then, do they really make swimsuits for 3-month-olds? In my defense, I'm going to say no. Go lists!!
-Neen
Next time: Can we survive two weekends in Vegas in a row?