Puerto Rico, Your All-Star Island
It took 11 years since we moved to the US for my husband and me to visit this island. It used to be on the top of our US places to visit list but since there are so many islands in the Caribbean to visit we thought… Puerto Rico can wait. Oh boy… little did we know that we were missing so much and if we had known better then we have flown there the moment we had the chance.
I am from the Philippines, a beautiful tropical island while my husband originates from Cape Town, one of the most charming cities on earth so you should figure out that yes, we would know what a perfect travel destination looks like. In that regard, we have to say that yes… Puerto Rico definitely counts as one…
The Beautiful Texas Frontier – Big Bend National Park
There’s an old saying, “everything is bigger in Texas” and the Big Bend National Park definitely meets the criteria. I have been wanting to visit this park ever since I moved to Texas. However, I was adverse to the idea of the road trip to the park since it is far and I thought there would be nothing much to do on the way. When my cousin told me that they were moving to the US and would be based in Odessa; I immediately looked at a map and learned that Odessa was not too far from the Park. So now I had the motive to get on the road and go.
So, Labor Day weekend came round and we got the chance to visit my cousin (which I hadn’t met in a decade) and visit the park.
Our drive to the park from Odessa was surprisingly interesting. We couldn’t resist stopping the car a number of times for a photo op.
Reflecting on 2015
2015 was an awesome year for my family. We accomplished so many things as a family together and individually. As the year ended, we all tend to reflect on those precious moments we’ve had either by ourselves or with family, friends and even strangers.
To me, 2015 was a long personal journey; much of the focus was on self-improvement and self-development. As many people know, I have been a stay at home mom for 7 years and by far it has been the best decision I have ever took as a mother. But time has passed by so quick and my kids are growing up and they are starting to love going to school more than staying home with me. Well… it’s time to let go of them …. just a little bit:) I finally found some free time and made 2015 pretty much about ME and my goals 🙂
But before I even mentioned those personal “aha!” moments and those self-accomplishments; I wanted to give a special shout out to my dear husband, Paul. I couldn’t have done all the things I have accomplished without his support. He was there cheering me on every step of the way. Thank you, Babe, I promise 2016 will be another awesome year… even better than the last.
Fall in Arkansas
Two years ago we discovered the beautiful state of Arkansas. It was summer time when my husband told me that he read an article in an airline magazine about Arkansas during the Fall. I am not just a sucker for colorful foliage but to new destinations and adventures as well. Thus, I immediately started researching about the place – when is the best time to go and where to stay. The Arkansas Fall foliage drives and destinations webpage is a great place to help you plan your trip. If you’re reading this in September or October you might be too late to plan for this season, but it is the perfect time to make a reservation for your next year’s travel. Seriously, there are limited camps, lodges, cabins, vacation rentals and rooms and people already start booking a year ahead of time. I swear, in August I probably called over 20 properties and they were all booked. We were lucky to get a booking with The Arkansas House that time since they had a last minute cancellation.
Our kids were only 3 and 2-year-old when we went so we didn’t do many activities; we went hiking, took pictures, watched some wild animals and we enjoyed every minute spent with the whole family. Here are some of the pictures we took during our stay. Hope this article will convince you to visit this state which rivals even those “foliage” states further up North.
Family Beach Vacations
We love the beach!!! Who doesn’t?!?
Beach vacations are perfect for the family. Perhaps the best type you can get especially if you have kids aged between 1 to 5 years – a great learning experience for the little ones and the big ones.
I totally understand that some parents get too discouraged to go on vacation with the kids. It’s hard – they are energizer bunnies that run around and can’t stay focused, they’re picky with their food, but they eat anything off the ground… I mean anything… and the hardest part is that they get sick so easy. However, you can’t be a hermit – not me at least. You have 2 options – 1) leave the kids with grandparents/friends/nanny 2) have them tag along and do something fun for everyone. Believe me, it’s NOT that hard as you imagine it to be.
We started traveling with our kids when they were only a few months old and looking back…. I wouldn’t change a thing.
