places that inspire

While vacationing in Kauai, I read “The Descendants”. The novel helped me to experience the landscape through the eyes of a Hawaiian. I sat on the lounge chairs of the St. Regis in Princeville and read about how the family stayed at that hotel. A place can inspire great stories. Tonight, that novel won an Oscar for it’s ability to have viewers experience a powerful human story. Congrats to The Descendants.

Kauai became a place I will always remember as our first family vacation. I learned on this trip that our love of travel will forever be apart of our family story. I can’t wait for Maggie to love experiencing the world as much as her daddy and I.

kauai – takes flight friday

We are bound for Hawaii this Friday and I just finished my planning book this weekend. I am really excited about this trip (both happy and nervous about flying with Maggie). I will share our book when I get back – but as part of my planning I thought I would share the new adventures of flight with a baby. So a few things I have learned for the trip (a checklist if you will for happy flying with a family).

1. Bring a copy of the birth certificate (if under 2 – you need proof for most airlines to ensure that baby flies free).

2. Strollers under 20 lbs and car seats are able to be checked without baggage fees. (it is recommended by the airlines to bring an umbrella stroller – however Mag’s isn’t quite ready for it yet – so we are taking the bigger stroller).

3. Baby formula can be carried on in larger quantities than the standard 3.4 oz – however you need to declare it before you go through the x-ray.

An update to come after Friday – let’s hope Maggie loves to fly!

away_we_go

a new travel buddy

We welcomed our newest traveler on October 15th at 10:36 a.m. Maggie has brought us such joy ever since we learned we would be her parents. Doug and I have often talked about how we would pass on our love of travel to our little girl and we started with her nursery. I have always loved the book “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Suess and felt this would be a great theme to help inspire her journeys. We plan to explore a few new states this year and in this blog, I hope to document our adventures together. I know it won’t be easy traveling with a baby – but we know that sharing the world with our little girl will be rewarding. So look forward to some traveling tips for families and what I am sure will be some amusing learning experiences along the way.



In the great words of Dr. Suess to our dear little Maggie: Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!
30

30 in year 30

Turning 30 has inspired me to set some goals and try some new things. So here is my list for the year:

1. Visit a new state (21 to go till we hit all 50)
2. Start a family
3. Print photo books of our past trips
4. Finish my Masters Degree at SCAD in Interactive Design (3 classes left to go)
5. Blog for a year
6. Take a family roadtrip
7. Get or renew passports for the whole family
8. Use our passports
9. Make an ebook and post online
10. Buy a piece of original art
11. Fly somewhere as a family
12. Surprise Doug once a month
13. Finish a painting inspired by travel
14. Learn how to split hostas
15. Buy a piece of original art as a souvenir
16. Go to the zoo
17. Get a family picture taken
18. Can vegetables
19. Lose the baby-weight
20. Find a pair of shoes to replace my famous “red pair” that Chloe ate a year ago
21. Design and decorate our guest room
22. Write and illustrate a children’s book for Maggie
23. Visit a new art museum
24. Go hiking as a family
25. Do a pro-bono design project for something I believe in
26. Make a family portrait wall
27. Write a letter or card once a month
28. Find a black hat to replace the one I lost in LA earlier this year
29. Find a new signature hairstyle/haircut
30. Read through the New Testament

 

MTravel5

some travel love to our little girl

Now in our final trimester, Doug and I talk often about how we are going to try our best to share our passion for travel with Maggie. We have made the commitment to travel this next year – with the understanding that it will be challenging, full of surprises and different than bk (before kid). But to share our joy of discovering new places with our little girl will bring memories unimaginable. I figured someday I could share with Maggie how many places she went before she was even born. It’s been a new experience to travel so much while pregnant (the wine tasting was out of the agenda and the morning sickness wasn’t too fun) but I have to say seeing the world with the realization that I would be bringing a new life to it has been humbling. From Fort Lauderdale to LA to Maui this little girl has been all over this country in the past 8 months.

 

So to Maggie in the words of our dear friend Dr. Suess: “Oh the places you’ll go. Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!”