Free Entrance to the National Parks Jan. 14-16

I love visiting the America’s National Parks! In fact, when we travel, I always check the map to see if we’ll be near any of these amazing places so we’re sure not to miss it.

Entrance to many of the National Parks are free all the time but several times a year you’ll find free admission at ALL National Parks and one of those days is right around the corner.  January 14 –16 (Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend) will kick off the first of 2012’s free entrance days at the National Parks.

Other 2012 dates you’ll want to remember:

• April 21-29
  National Park Week
• June 9
  Get Outdoors Day
• September 29
  National Public Lands Day
• November 10-12
  Veterans Day weekend

Discounts are also offered from these park partners:

• National Park Hospitality Association
• National Parks Promotions Council

Start Planning Your Visit to one of the 397 National Parks today!

What is your favorite National Park to visit?

5 Family Friendly Attractions to Visit in Cincinnati

Cincinnati has no shortage of attractions to visit. From Kings Island and the Great Wolf Lodge, to IKEA, to catching a Reds game at the Great American Ballpark, there is something for everyone. Today I’d like to share some of the attractions that my family has enjoyed over the years while visiting Cincinnati.

1. Jungle Jim’s International Market

Jungle Jim’s International Market

5440 Dixie Highway
Fairfield, OH 45014-4108
(513) 674-6000

If you think grocery stores are a place you visit only to stock your frig, you haven’t been to Jungle Jim’s! It’s apparent from the Outdoor Jungle scene that you are not entering an ordinary grocery store. Inside you’ll find a Singing Elvis Lion, the Big Cheese, a Live Fish Harvest, and foods from over 70 different countries. What began as a small roadside stand has grown into the largest grocery store in the Cincinnati area!

Food sampling is offered everyday before 4:30 p.m., but I’ve been told that the best time to sample the offerings is on the weekend. Tours of the store are available Monday thru Friday, if you make your reservation prior to your arrival.

Make sure you stop by the award winning restrooms on your visit; all things are not as they appear!

FREE to visit & shop; small fee charged for tour.

2. William Howard Taft Birthplace National Historic Site

William Howard Taft National Historic Site
2038 Auburn Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45219

A visit to the boyhood home of William Howard Taft, the Ohio born, 27th President and 10th Chief Justice of the United States includes the Taft Education Center and a guided tour of the home.

The Taft Education Center offers brochures, interactive displays and a small gift shop. The home is adjacent to the center and houses memorabilia from President Taft’s boyhood as well as highlighting his accomplishments in his political career.

A Jr. Ranger program for children between the ages of 6-12 is also available.

Free.

3. Krohn Conservatory

Krohn Conservatory
1501 Eden Park Dr. Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

(513) 421-4086

Located minutes from the Taft National Historic Site, Krohn Conservatory is a great place to relax! This attraction is beautiful inside and out. If you have an eye for architectural structures, you’ll appreciate that the building was built during the Art Deco era.

Inside you can step into the desert and rainforest- complete with a chocolate tree. Don’t leave without posing for a photo in front of the 20 foot waterfall.

Free, although there is a charge for special exhibits.

4. Newport Aquarium

Newport Aquarium One Newport Way Newport, Kentucky 41071 859-261-7444

This award winning, million gallon tank aquarium is home to thousands of animals from around the world. It is also the only facility to breed shark rays in the world. Fish feedings, touch tanks, sharks, otters, penguins, and live shows are just some of the things you’ll see and experience at Newport Aquarium- all on the banks of the Ohio River.

Cost: $22 for adults, $15 for children ages 2 through 12. Children under the age of 2 are free.

5. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal

Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal 1301 Western Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45203 513-287-7000 800-733-2077

Although Union Terminal no longer bustles with railway passengers, this landmark still serves the city of Cincinnati as home to the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children’s Museum, Museum of Natural History and Science and the Omnimax Theater.

Even if you decide not to go to any of the museums, I would still recommend that you step into the Union Terminal just to view the unique architecture and stunning murals that make this building one of a kind.

The individual museums charge various admission prices.

You may also consider visiting The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Loveland Castle, and The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

Have you spent time in Cincinnati? What attractions would you suggest adding to this list?

The Words that May Haunt Me Forever

            Blaster Boats at Callaway Gardens

There has been a time or two in my life that I have said something that I probably shouldn’t have said. Let’s just say that I’m not proud of the phrases that I’ve uttered that have shown my lack of intelligence.

This past weekend my family was having a fun time on the Blaster Boats at Callaway Gardens. We were all cruising around the lake spraying each other with water and trying to outrun each other pretending that we didn’t want to get totally soaked.

It was a great time and I really enjoyed it. But being the blogger that I am, after a few minutes I decided to head back to shore so I could snap some pictures and video of my family in action. As I made my exit, and headed back to the dock I called out these words over my shoulder to my family….

“…I’m going to head back to get a few pictures, don’t use up all your water until I get a few shots, okay?”

I had no idea why they started snickering. Really. I was clueless. And when they pulled back up to the dock and the boats hadn’t run out of water,  I was amazed. No kidding. I still hadn’t caught on. So they enlightened me.

Have you guessed why they were laughing at me? Are you laughing at me too? The boats don’t run out of water, they suck water up from the lake! Duh….I really did know that! What on earth was I thinking? “…don’t use up all your water….” 

As my daughter and I were heading to the Dollar General later that evening to pick up a few snacks I commented that her face hadn’t gotten sunburned at all and do you know what she said?

 “Why would it be, it’s not like I looked directly at the sun.”

It was my turn to snicker. And then she reminded me of the comment I’d made earlier in the day.

Yep. The words “…don’t use up all the water…”  may haunt me forever.

****************************

The Blaster Boats are a brand new attraction at Callaway Gardens and are sure to be a hit for those looking for a bit of water fun. If you are at least 54” tall, you are free to zoom around Chickadee Lake blasting anyone and everyone in your path. Children that are under 54” tall are welcome to ride with a parent.  Life jackets are provided, and required for all riders.  

Each motor operated boat costs $10 plus tax for a half hour ride (admission to the gardens is extra).  You’ll find the boats operating until August 13th from 10 am until 6 pm on Sundays, 10 am until 8pm Monday- Thursday, and 10 am until 9 pm Friday and Saturday.

**Disclaimer: My family did receive complimentary tickets to ride the Blaster Boats. The words and comments expressed in this post are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Ten Reasons Why You’ll Love Callaway Gardens

Located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, Callaway Gardens is a special treat for the entire family. Whether you’re seeking some rest and relaxation amid the beautiful tranquil gardens and easy walking paths, or prefer a weekend of adventure, Callaway Gardens has just what you’re looking for. Here are ten reasons, you’re sure to love Callaway Gardens.

1.  The history buff in the family will enjoy learning about the history of Callaway Gardens in the Virginia Hand Callaway Discovery Center or visiting the Pioneer Log Cabin that was constructed of hand-hewn logs around 1830.

 

2. The beautiful gardens, walking and bike trails that wind through the wooded grounds are perfect for the nature lover in the family.

3. Young and old alike will love the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center and marvel with amazement at the 1,000 butterflies and moths you’ll see flitting about.

4. The Birds of Prey raptor shows are really something to see as the birds soar about unfettered at the Discovery Amphitheater.  

5. With jugglers, acrobats and high-wire acts, the FSU Circus is sure to entertain you.

6. The brand new Light Striker Laser Tag attraction will get your heart pumping!

7. The Blaster Boats are really a blast! 

8. Sun worshippers will love soaking up the rays at the world’s largest manmade white sand beach at Robin Lake Beach.   

9. If you love watching Wipeout, here’s your chance to get in on a tiny piece of the action. Aqua Island is a large floating challenge course for you to slip, slide and climb all over.    

10. The thrill seeker in your family will love the adrenaline pumping, heart thumping, TreeTop Adventure, a series of zip-lines built around an aerial challenge course that will literally have you swinging through the trees.

There you have it, ten reasons you’ll love Callaway Gardens and I haven’t even mentioned the fishing,  golf course, tennis courts or water skiing that’s available. There really is something for everyone.   

What do you think? Are you ready to plan your own getaway to Callaway Gardens yet?   

Pine Mountain

This post is linked to OhAmanda and her Top Ten Tuesday link-up. 

Disclaimer: My family was invited to Callaway Gardens, with a group of bloggers,  for an expense paid getaway to check out one of the newest attractions, TreeTop Adventure in exchange for sharing our experiences on my blog and on Twitter. The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not influenced by Callaway Gardens. We enjoyed our visit so much that we extended our stay (at our cost) one night to make sure we didn’t miss anything.  Be sure to stop back later in the week as I share more detailed experiences from our visit.   

Free Summer Membership to the Pink Palace Family of Museums in Memphis

This summer you can register for a FREE trial three month Summer Membership to the Pink Palace Museum and Lichterman Nature Center.

A summer membership includes:

• Unlimited access to the Pink Palace Museum and Lichterman Nature Center,
• Discounts on IMAX and Planetarium Tickets, and
• E-invitations to previews of our new temporary exhibit DIAMONDS and our new IMAX film THE ULTIMATE WAVE: TAHITI.

But hurry, this offer is only available online during the month of May!

Cathedral Caverns in Alabama

I haven’t had a chance to visit all the caverns in Alabama—but I’m pretty sure that when I do they won’t compare to Cathedral Caverns which is located in Woodville, about 35 miles east of Huntsville.

Offering guided tours which focus on the history of the cave, Cathedral Caverns was the brain child of Jay Gurley who bought the property in 1952 and set to work preparing the cave for public tours which cost a total of 25 cents!

Originally called the Bat Cave, the name was changed when Gurley’s wife saw the beautiful stalagmite, stalactite and other cave formations and exclaimed that it looked like a cathedral.

The cavern changed hands several times over the years before it was purchased by the state of Alabama in the 1980’s and improved the cave by installing lighting and cement walkways. The cave reopened for tours in 2000 and today welcome visitors from around the world.

At 25 feet tall and 128 feet wide, Cathedral Caverns claims to have the widest entrance of any commercially operated cave in the world.

Cathedral Caverns is also home to the largest stalagmite in the world. Known as “Goliath"--it measures 45 feet tall and 243 feet in circumstance.

You’ll also see the largest flow stone wall, the frozen waterfall at Cathedral Caverns, which is 32 feet tall and 135 feet long.

Though we found all of those features interesting, we loved the Cathedral Forest. You can see a few shots of the amazing cave formations towards the end of this short video.

The cave stays around 61 degrees year round so make sure you pack a light sweatshirt and wear comfortable walking shoes. You’ll walk just short of 1 1/2 miles round trip on your 1 1/2 hour long tour. The path is paved and nearly 8 feet wide, with a few inclines and descents along the way. A few spots aren’t that well lit so if you think you’ll have a difficult time, make sure you stay close to the tour guide or pack a small flashlight.

The cave is very open, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in tight places and most people on the tour should have plenty of head room, with the exception of one or two spots where the very tall should pay close attention.

For those of you that are interested in movie trivia, Disney’s 1990’s Tom and Huck was also shot in the cavern.

If you are looking for adventure, Cathedral Caverns has recently began offering a “Wild Cave” experience for ages 12 and up. You can call Cathedral Caverns directly for additional information at 256-728-8193.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Cathedral Caverns State Park is open year round. You can find their current prices, tour schedule and directions to the park at their website.

637 Cave Rd. Woodville, AL 35776 256-789-8193

Huntsville

Through the Wardrobe and into the Land of Narnia

Have you read the Chronicles of Narnia and wondered what it would be like to step through the wardrobe and into that magical land?  I’ve imagined that moment since I was a young girl and read the C.S. Lewis classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for the first time. When my children were young, we read through the entire series as a family. It took us months, as each night at bedtime, we would read a chapter from our current book followed by A Family Guide To Narnia: Biblical Truths in C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia a devotional to accompany the series.   

When we learned that the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville would be hosting a special traveling exhibit, Narnia: The Exhibition, I couldn’t wait to go! As excited as I was, we nearly missed it, finally deciding to go the last day it was in town -- and I’m so glad we made it! 

The exhibit opened in the study of C.S. Lewis. It was easy to imagine that you were in England, in a wood paneled room in his home, featuring his writing desk, surrounded by his treasured books, including a rare first edition of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Oh, how I’d love to have a copy for my personal library!

As fun as it was to pretend that we were visitors of the late great author, nothing compared to the moment the docent pulled back the heavy wooden door of the wardrobe and we found ourselves stepping inside, through the wardrobe, among coats and furs, emerging on the other side, in site of the lamppost with gently falling snow brushing against our faces. We had entered the enchanting, magical world of Narnia and nothing would have made that moment better than if we’d been greeted by a half man, half goat creature named Tumnus.

If you’ve read the books by C.S. Lewis, or watched the movies by Walt Disney Pictures or Walden Media, and even slightly enjoyed them, you’ll love this exhibit. Not only are costumes and artifacts from the movie on display, but you’ll even encounter some of the creatures themselves!  The interactive, hands-on scenes ensure that this museum attraction is fun for the whole family. Young children will enjoy crawling through a log, like the small creatures of Narnia, creating a creature with the spinning blocks, or jumping in the blow up castle.

Older children will enjoy learning about science principals such as climate change while sitting on the frozen White Witch’s Throne or touching  the wall of ice—a frozen waterfall. They’ll discover the secrets of building a strong castle by building an arch and viewing an impressive scale model of King Miraz’s castle. They’ll design build their own coat of arms, lift a sword that belonged to the Pevensie children, fire a trebuchet and stand under the shadows of the majestic centaurs.    

You may have missed Narnia: The Exhibition in Huntsville, but you can still step through the wardrobe at the Buffalo Museum of Science in New York where the exhibit opens today, January 24th !   

The only downside to the exhibit is that photography is not permitted, but you can watch this short YouTube video to learn more.

Are you a Narnia fan? Wouldn’t you love to step through the wardrobe?

*The above post does include an affiliate link to Amazon.com.

Smoky Mountain Attractions Welcome Homeschool Families

As a homeschool family that loves to travel, I’m always on the lookout for attractions that offer great deals and discounts to the homeschool community. Recently, our homeschool cover school announced that two Smoky Mountain attractions offered specific discounts to homeschool families. Well, that certainly got the gears in my brain in motion! I’ve been waiting for a good excuse to visit the area and that was just the push I needed to begin planning our fun, family, homeschool field trip!   

Ripley Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, offers homeschool students and their immediate family (living in the same household) a discounted rate of $7.00 per person. You can purchase your tickets from Guest Services when you arrive at the aquarium. Be prepared to display your homeschool membership card or attendance record. If you have any questions, you can contact the aquarium’s education department.

This was a great deal for my family since we pay adult prices now that my children are all over the age of 12, but if you have children between the ages of 2 to 5, you’ll get a better rate if you pay for them separately (don’t forget you can save $2 per ticket if you purchase them online before you arrive).    

WonderWorks Science Museum in Pigeon Forge is not only one of the top rated Smoky Mountain attractions, it is also one of the best science museums we have ever visited! 

If you contact Andrea, the Educational Director, at least 24 hours prior to your arrival she will alert the box office of your visit so you’ll receive the discounted rate of $14.50 per person upon your arrival. When you contact her include your full name and number of people in your family and make sure you have your homeschool I.D. card handy in order to receive the discounted rate. If you don’t have an I.D. card, The Homeschool Buyers Co-op offers a free template that will allow you to create your own. 

Homeschool rates for 2011 are valid Sunday- Friday with prior reservations throughout the year, excluding holidays. However, February is homeschool month so everyone in your party with a homeschool I.D. can enter for only $10! No reservations are required for the month of February only.   

Purchasing the souvenir book at the box office for $3, will give you a coupon for buy one, get one free for laser tag (which normally costs $5.50 a game). If you have four in your family that want to play, you’ll want two books in order to get two free coupons. The souvenir book also has a fun scavenger hunt in the back that your children will enjoy as they make their way through the exhibits.     

There was one other Smoky Mountain Attraction that I didn’t want to miss out on while on this trip, The Titanic Museum!  I wasn’t aware that they offered a homeschool discount, but I thought it certainly wouldn’t hurt to ask if one was available. Guess what? It turns out that they offer a family pass of $64.50 for advance reservations (includes tax) or $66.50 at the door- though  this offer is not specific to homeschool families, it is a great deal for families with older children that would normally pay $20+ per person for the individual ticket rate (for those over 12).

We had studied The Titanic in the past so we didn’t spend a lot of time looking over the website, but if you need to brush up before your visit, the educational resource page is a great place to start.  

We had a great weekend and I can’t wait to tell you about each individual attraction, but in the meantime, maybe you can begin planning your own homeschool field trip to the Smokies!

Are you aware of any other Smoky Mountain attractions that offer discounts to homeschool families?

Just Call it the Snow Rocket!

The snow hit in North Alabama this week. So much snow that for a minute I forgot that I no longer live in Ohio but now live in a much warmer climate where it never snows- supposedly. 

It snowed so much that my husband couldn’t go to work. In fact, the entire city shut down. Imagine that.

As much as I thought I disliked the white stuff,  when it’s not a common occurrence, and you don’t have anywhere that you HAVE to be,  it turns out that snow is a pleasant distraction.

Since it wasn’t really all that cold, we spent most of Monday outside building what we thought would be a snow fort. However, the boys (my husband included) were having so much fun that our fort soon grew out of hand. So they thought they’d shift gears and create a giant snowman. But everyone built snowmen. We needed something different. And then, it came to me. We needed a rocket. After all , we do live in the Rocket City!

We were very pleased with the finished product, a snow replica of the Saturn V, even though it could be a bit….well…thinner….   

We even made a little astronaut guy to complete the scene.

My husband had a crazy idea to sleep inside our creation when it was to be a fort. Though we decided that wasn’t going to work, at the very least we needed to climb inside for a group photo. It was a bit snug. And a bit small.

For some reason I began to laugh. and laugh. and laugh. And my children looked at my husband with puzzled looks and asked ‘Dad, why is mom laughing like that?’ In all his wisdom he responded, ‘ Because she’s claustrophobic and she’s about to freak out.’ Just as calm as can be. So to say that I couldn’t wait to get out of our ice ship was a wee bit of an understatement.

So, we all made our way out. One by One.

Don’t I look relieved?

Not everyone was as nervous as I was.

   That’s not a grumpy look, by the way. It’s his ‘cool’ appearance.

I really love these pictures!

 

Even our trusty side kick, glowing- eyed- beasty- dog, had to accompany us. I think he was about as relieved to be out of the Snow Rocket as I was.

 

What a fun day. And what a fun memory!

Have you experienced any wild and wacky weather this week? How did you deal with it?

National Corvette Museum offers Upcoming FREE Days for Military and Kentucky Residents

My family just returned home from a quick trip to Ohio. Our route takes us directly past The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky that can be seen from I-65.  We’ve not taken the time to stop up to this point, but each time we pass by we think “next time we’ll stop”.  

Since I love to search out great deals for my family, I decided to browse around their website to see if I could find evidence of a homeschool day at this attraction. Though I didn’t find anything that would work for my family, I did discover a couple upcoming deals that I wanted to pass on.

 November is Military Appreciation Month. All military (active and veterans), including Police, Firemen and their immediate family will receive FREE admission.   You can view the details of this month long event here.

If you live in Kentucky the month of December will be a great time to tour this venue while saving money. The National Corvette Museum is offering residents of the state FREE admission during the Dollar Days that run the entire month.

Do you plan to take advantage of either of these offers? If so, I’d love for you to stop back and give me some pointers for the time my family finally does stop for a tour.  

Camping, a Family Bonding Experience

Before the birth of our children, my husband once expressed his desire to camp often as a family once we were parents. He’d listened to a radio broadcast on his daily hourly commute to work that stated that families that camped together, tended to be closer than families that did not. I don’t know how accurate that statement is or was, but with both of us growing up in households that could have been closer, we were willing to give our family any advantage in our power. 

Little did we know that years later, that wistful statement would prove prophetic, as we experienced one incredible adventure, ‘camping’ full time in our motor home!

I’ve expressed that for me, one of the most difficult aspects of leaving the prospects of our full-time traveling life behind us and settling back in to a stationary home is that I worried that some of the closeness we’d attained in our close quarters would be lost. I have now realized that what my family experienced has not been forgotten.

This was evident several weekends ago, when we took the opportunity to camp in a tent for the first time in nearly six years! We chose to camp at nearby Monte Sano State Park which happened to be our home for several weeks when we parked our motor home on the mountaintop retreat last spring.

We arrived in our spot, and my husband and I watched, amazed, as the kids jumped to work, unloading our gear and setting up camp without my husband and I even lifting a finger. Within minutes, our tent was up, a fire was made and we were busy cooking hamburgers using our pie irons. I couldn’t believe how relaxing it was to camp now that the kids are older. When they were younger, I remember thinking on several occasions that camping was just too exhausting!

My husband shared my thoughts and even suggested that we consider traveling across country with our van and tent…sounds good to me! When do we leave?           

We enjoyed our meal before heading off on a trail to show my husband the Stone Cuts that the kids and I had discovered earlier in the year.

The hike to the Stone Cuts is considered a moderate hike because it tends to be rocky and steep in some areas. It is certainly more enjoyable in the fall than it had been in the summer when it was so hot and humid.

Once we made our way to the rock formations, my daughter and I lost the guys as they ventured off to climb among the rock formations and show off a bit.   

By the time we returned to our camp, it was nearly dark. We enjoyed S’mores as we talked around the bonfire.  Since much of our camping gear is still in storage, we didn’t have a lantern and it had gotten too dark to sit around the picnic table for games, so we all piled inside the van to play a couple hands of Rummy and a new favorite, called Sevens. 

In the absence of technology, no computers, Xbox or cell phones, we bonded once again on what was a wonderful family camping trip!

What has been your favorite camping experience?

20 Things You Should Consider When Going on Your First Cruise

My family recently had the privilege to go on a cruise for the first time. As much as we enjoyed it, there were a few things I wish we would have known prior to setting sail that would have potentially enhanced the experience. So, for those  contemplating a cruise sometime in the future, this is for you. 

1. Don’t rush out and buy a bunch of new vacation clothes. Keep it simple and wear what you already have hanging in your closet. No one will know the difference.

2. If you plan to arrive a day or two before the ship sails, and are choosing a hotel room, don’t overlook the hotels that aren’t necessarily as conveniently located to the cruise terminal.   You can stay at a hotel 5- 10 miles from the port and pay a drastically reduced rate with a relatively low taxi fare to meet the ship. Also, when booking a room, call the hotel directly and inquire about shuttle service to and from the hotel, cruise terminal, airport, etc. 

3. Parking your car at the port is expensive (especially if it’s considered oversized). If you are staying at a nearby hotel, ask if you are permitted to leave your vehicle in the hotel parking lot. This saved us $150!

4. Be prepared to wait in potentially long lines when entering and exiting the ship.

5. Nearly everything is charged to your room, and in turn your credit card (the exception would be any gambling that you do in the casino).  You can easily keep tabs on your spending by viewing your charges each day at guest services and remember that you can set limits on what each individual in your room can spend. 

6. Make sure your children know stateroom beverages are not for hospitality purposes, you will be charged for each can that is consumed. If they are a temptation, ask your steward to remove them.

7. Make sure you take along some small bills to tip room service as well as tour guides, taxi and bus drivers that you’ll encounter on excursions. 

8. Pre-pay your gratuities when you book your cruise so there aren’t any surprises on your final bill.

9. Be prepared to be photographed. ALOT.  When you get on the ship, by the pool, in the dining hall and when you exit the ship for an excursion you’ll be photographed. These pictures will cost between $10-$20 each and since they are taken by professional photographers, they will turn out beautifully and you will want them. If you don’t want to spend the money,  don’t look at them. Just so you know, these pictures aren’t discounted, even on the last day of the cruise.  

10. The crew will try to sell you extras such as pictures (which we’ve already established), bottled water, soft drinks and alcohol. Just say no. These items can easily add up to hundreds of dollars to your final bill.   

11. Though your food is free, you will want snacks that won’t be available. Be sure to add a few snacks inside your suitcase.

12. You can eat until you are miserable so just remember, the food will not run out. Also, by the end of the cruise you’ll be tired of eating the same food. There is not a big variety. 

13. Even though it’s not offered, you can request another plate of food when you are served in the dining room. 

14. The ship clears out on excursion days. This is your chance to play in the pool, hang out in the hot tub and sun yourself without the crowds.

15. If you have teenagers that accompany you, don’t be surprised by the amount of time that you WON’T see them. There are plenty of teen activities going on to keep them busy. This aspect may or may not appeal to you. 

16. Review the ship’s itinerary each day so you don’t miss any special events or activities. 

17.  To our surprise, the water in the pool is actually salt water so keep your mouth shut and eyes closed when you dive in!

18. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on an excursion, you may enjoy getting off the ship and taking a  look around the port. Even if you don’t venture far you’ll experience some of the culture of the area.

19. Don’t book a cruise during hurricane season if you’re prone to motion sicknessWe learned this lesson the hard way! 

20. If you’ve never been on a cruise before, start with a short 3 or 5 day cruise. Wouldn’t you hate to be on a 15 day cruise when you decide that this mode of travel is not for you?

Have tips of your own? I’d love to hear them! 

Travel Tips

Freedom Celebration: One not to be Missed

We are a music loving family. I remember listening to a wide range of music growing up...Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Alabama, Elvis, Survivor, Rush, Kiss...you name it...I listened to it. Though I still enjoy listening to a wide range of tunes, the majority of what we listen to as a family falls into the Contemporary Christian category. When we attended Soulstock, we were thrilled to hear about another upcoming concert which was held last Sunday at Flint River Baptist Church in Hazel Green, Alabama. This time I took my own advice from 15 Tips to Maximize Enjoyment at Outdoor Summer Concerts and packed a cooler full of cold water and wore light colored clothes. Of course we arrived a bit later in the evening so the temperature had dropped to 92 degrees, so it wasn't quite as hot as it had been at Soulstock.

The Freedom Celebration was a full blown festival. Not only did they have great music, they also had a car show...


Of course the guys found a few they were interested in. My oldest son has been debating whether or not to sell his car. After the car show he decided he'd keep it just to show in upcoming shows.
There were hot air balloon rides, vendors, rides and lots of inflatable games.

Incredible music and amazing testimonies offered by Rush of Fools and Newsong (there was also an up and coming artist performing, McKenzie Lockart, but we didn't hear her). I was so impressed by the bands, not only have both of the bands recorded some of my favorite songs, but they also have a heart for sharing the gospel.

We loved Rush of Fools and the lead singer even waved at my daughter, wouldn't you know that would be the picture that I accidentally deleted? Ooops!


The kids were able to meet Wally from Way-FM. He's a super nice guy and we all enjoy listening to him on Total Axxess.


Newsong was amazing!



We didn't spend a penny- the entire event was free unless you chose to ride a Segway ride, hot air balloon, or purchase food.

I can't even begin to tell you how awesome the fireworks display was. It is said to be the best show in Northern Alabama and though we haven't seen any other local displays, I do know we've never seen a show like it. It was absolutely phenomenal. You really have to see this video my daughter took to see what I'm talking about...and this wasn't even the grand finale!
One more thing, this event was all about freedom..the freedom we have in Christ...the freedom we have to worship freely... and a tribute to those men and women that have served and are serving our country to make sure that we continue to have those freedoms. What are you celebrating this 4th of July?

Field of Corn: An Amazing and Quirky Roadside Attraction

On the return trip to Alabama I decided to stop by the Field of Corn in Dublin, Ohio. The kids and I had discovered this unique roadside attraction many years ago when my husband was working on a huge project right down the road. Initially, I'd read about it in a FamilyFun Vacation Guide and knew it would be something my family would enjoy seeing. I was right. The kids thought it was hilarious!

Right in the midst of corporate America stands a field full of 6 foot tall ears of corn. 109 to be exact. You may be tempted to think that this field is simply art, but it's not. There is an underlying political message. Can you guess what it is?

I thought I'd share this video- it's not very long, won't offer any additional information on the structures, but does give you a fun up close and personal view of this amazing but quirky corn field.



Want to plan a visit of your own? You'll find this unique park at 4995 Rings Rd, Dublin, OH, minutes from 270 and the Tuttle Crossing Mall.

Columbus