To Utah, FL and Back Again

Wow its been a whirlwind summer! First we went to SLC, Utah to visit my parents and then over to WDW to visit the parks while on a business trip. It was a little overwhelming to say the least! But here's how it ended up...

Utah Trip: Always fun to visit grandma and grandpa, the kids enjoyed playing all day while we enjoyed a little time off. What I love about visiting UT is not only the grandparents, but also we get to eat at our favorite restaurants. Our favorite pizza place Sweet Home Chicago is a highlight of the trip. We also love Chin Wah, Chinese, but unfortunately we picked the only week of the year that they are closed :( And of course a Costa Vida Taco Salad ranks high on the list.

Other less fattening activities of the trip included a trip up in the mountains for a picnic and gold mining expedition. Kellie really wants to find gold. I think grandpa found a few "golden" flecks for her. We also visited The Gateway for some shopping fun. (Had to hit the Apple store) and also went to Thanksgiving Point where the kids enjoyed the petting zoo which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Then, on to the mouse 2 days after the first trip ended. Which for you travelers with kids, or even without, 2 days is not enough! While it is possible to get the laundry done and the suitcases repacked, I would recommend at least 4-5 days between vacation if you have to do them that close together. The kids weren't even back on their normal sleep schedule which made for a difficult 2nd journey....

We stayed at the Boardwalk Resort which is a beautiful resort, but not my first pick for a vacation with kids. While we did enjoy the daybed for another sleeping option for the kids so they didn't have to sleep together, we found the options at the resort to be more appropriate for an older set. We missed having a food court, although if you have the refillable mugs you can refill them at the Bakery (they actually give you a second disposable cup instead of refilling the mug). There is a pool on the Inn side (the quiet pool), but the kiddie pool is over on the Villa side which was a bit of a walk from our room.

The kids and I were on our own for a couple of days so we hit Epcot and did the Kidcot Fun Stops. The kids, ages 3 & 5 loved stopping and coloring. At each stop around the countries, the kids got a stamp and a new mask. We also started collecting the pressed pennies found in each country. The secret, I've decided, to taking the kids to a theme park on my own, is finding the small stuff that the kids will enjoy. This is what is so great about Disney. They have these little extras that you can enjoy without having to go on the rides. Epcot was a great highlight of the trip!

The downside of our trip was definitely the weather! Orlando in July is very, very hot and not the time I would recommend for a family vacation. However if not extremely hot, it was also raining which is very common this time of year as well. We were either soaked with rain or sweat...neither of which leads to very happy campers...

As the grand finale of our adventure, my husband took the kids for a couple of hours so that I could visit the Disney Saratoga Springs Spa. This was awesome! Very relaxed environment, wonderful services. If you are planning a trip and can work it into the plan I would highly recommend it!

So that was our Disney/Utah travel adventure of Summer 2008! Traveling to 2 cities across the country: Exhausting, Getting back home to our own comfy beds: Priceless

Its No Fun to Fly Anymore

Flying used to be fun. Granted I'm not a business traveler and I usually average about 2 flights a year, but it used to be fun - an adventure to look forward to. I loved packing to get ready, spending time at the airport with friends and family who would hug you good bye at the gate and be there to greet you as you exited the plane. Watching the movie and in flight entertainment was fun, even eating was fun. The food was usually not good, but it was interesting to see what you got to eat, and to open all of the packages.

Now, you have to be interrogated going thru security. Take off your shoes, don't carry liquids, don't dare think of bringing a drink on board!! Don't pack too much because you will be charged by the bag, don't bring too large of a carry on and only one please. If you're hungry you can now buy some food on the plane, if you want to watch a movie you can now buy that too. And when you land, there is no longer the fun and excitement of seeing your friends and families faces as you exit the plane after a long journey. Now you have to wind thru the airport to the baggage claim area where you can finally meet up with your pick up ride, although most seem to opt for just being picked up at the curb. Why pay to park??

Flying is no longer an adventure, but just a means to get from here to there. I wish my kids could have known a different world.