Happy Monday friends! I do apologize for not being so active on the blog post. But if you wanna get personal I am always active on instagram as @simplychristianne. It was really hard for me to keep up and gather my thoughts last week since my mom left for the Philippines. She was with us for the past 6 months and she was really a big help. So my husband and I was adjusting on how we manage at home.. the kids and everything.
We took a short trip to Whitestation House, NJ Â to watch the Hot Air Balloon Festival and we decided to do a quick beach trip to Ocean city, MD which is only 3 hours away from where we live. I was feeling so happy because this is our first out of town trip this summer and when I was planning I was thinking of what to wear. I went shopping and got me this nice Stripes Dress which I couldn’t resist because it was on sale and under $20.
Details:
Dress – Gap
Sandals – Payless Shoe Source (old)
Hat – Forever21 (old)
Sunglasses – Forever 21 $5.00
Click on Shop to see the similar pieces I picked for you, maybe you are also in the mood for shopping.
It has been 3 days since I posted something. My social life has been very busy the past week which was fun because we were with family and friends. Just enjoying summer to the fullest.
I have been wanting to post something in relation to the 4th of July celebration. This is a good opportunity for me to talk about the beautiful city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
This place is very historic, for those of you who doesn’t know this facts. They have the Independence Hall in it has the Liberty Bell, the place where they sign the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Philly as what they call the city, was also one of the Nation’s Capital during the revolutionary war and was a temporary U.S. capital while Washington D.C. was under construction.
This City is so beautiful, it is very clean, Has nice architectures, and plus the Philly cheese steaks. Yum!
When we went there which was 6 years ago, summer of 2009. We took the hop on hop off sightseeing bus just like any other cities. It was very convenient. You’ll get to know USA more.
So if you are in the East coast and looking for other historic places. This City is a must see. Pennsylvania as a state has a lot to offer to, they have gorgeous mountains for skiing and other outdoor adventures, they have the famous Hershey Park (theme park).
I hope I was able to give you guys enough information about the city.
This is the season for most of the us to visit theme parks/water parks. The weather is nice and sunny. But for me it is better to go to the theme park late spring and early fall. It is not crowded and weather is just right, not too hot.
We are just so lucky to be living close to a theme park. It is only 25 mins away from us plus our family loves going to water park/theme park. It has been a tradition for us that every year we get the season passes.
Here is how you can save. First check the theme parks website you are going to visit and see what they offer.
This works for a group of 2 or more people who wants to visit the theme park frequently check out my suggestion below.
So you love going to theme parks/water parks so it is suitable and cost effective to get a season pass it is ranging around $65-75 and it can be payable for 12 months, get the one with free parking every visit. You can visit the park everyday if you want and their other parks in the USA if in case you will be traveling. See if they offer a bring a friend days where you can bring a friend for free like Six Flags.
Another trick, if you are family of four and only intend to go to the park once a month, get a season pass for 2 people only then just use the bring a friend for free on days they have it to save (for six flags).
Food can also be expensive so if you are a group of adults you can purchase a season pass for food so you don’t have to pay every visit. They also have tumblers where you buy once and free refills or pay $.99 per refill. But if you have kids, it will be better to do like a tailgating. Bring your own food and eat at the parking lot. Bring your chairs there.
You got to the saving part. Now time to enjoy your visit to the park.
Plan your trip by checking the weather. most important. Always bring extra clothes because some rides will get you wet. And if you are going to the water park you have to bring in change of clothes anyways. Don’t forget to bring sunblocks, swimsuit, plastic bag for your wet clothes, wear comfortable shoes, sunglasses and hat. But do not wear them when you’re riding rides. I suggest wear sleeveless because you’ll be most likely under the sun, you don’t want to have a T-shirt tan lines.
Have fun, Enjoy Summer. I hope I was able to give you helpful tips on having fun and saving.
1. National Zoo – introduce then to different animals we have. They will definitely enjoy what they will see when they get to see those animals in person. They have Pandas there.
2. Smithsonian Museums – this is very educational for the whole family. Kids will enjoy what they will see.
3. National Park – can go picnic in the park and you get to have nice view of Washington, D.C. Around you.
4. Beach (Virginia beach and Ocean City) – take them to the beach, there are a lot of things to do there, they have boardwalks and everything. Virginia has dolphins, sometimes you’ll see them. The 2 most recent visit that we did, we saw them, oh my daughter was jumping for joy.
5. Live music at the Plaza (National Harbor) – on Fridays they usually have this free show. This is relaxing for the whole family, some kids was just dancing everywhere.
6. Family fitness (National Harbor) – there are free programs for the whole family, it is usually Wednesdays.
7. Jones Point Park – they have bike, jogging trail, basketball courts, playground, very clean and nice restroom, fishing area.
8. Stroll at The Old Town Alexandria – when I am in this area specially the King Street I feel like I am in Europe.
9. Rock Creek Park – this is a planetarium sponsored and they have a tour of night sky.
10. Kite Flying (Washington Monument) – take your kites with you and this is a big space for kite flyers. Or you can just watch those kit flyers there.
If you are an adventurer , lover of nature and a photographer. Then this is a place to be for you your eyes and your lens will definitely enjoy all the views. A wonderful site when you’re around Virginia (Shenandoah Valley area). There are also other amazing views and places to go to after you visit the caverns.
In the cave You’ll get to see another wonderful creation Mother Nature has. Like in your mind you’ll ask how was this rocks formed. It was so gorgeous that you would want to just take pictures after pictures. When we went there it was September so it was already a little chilly but it wasn’t bad. In there, they also have guided tours and they will talk about the history of the cave and who discovered it.
Luray Caverns also have other attractions like the Car and Carriage Museum where you’ll get to see different cars they used back in the day and the Luray Valley Museum. They also have a gift shop to get yourself some souvenirs.
After your trip make sure to blow up one of your best picture because it’ll definitely a be good addition for your home decor.
Overall experience was great. 2 thumbs up, the whole family enjoyed. Not a common place where everybody have already seen it.
It was a gloomy day but that did not stop us to go visit this museum. My 5 year old daughter was so excited to see those airplanes and space shuttles. So After work we headed straight to the Museum.
Admission is free for all, parking fee is $15 but it is free after 4pm, you can also get a refund for parking if you are just dropping off.
They have a souvenir shop, vending machines for drinks and Mc Donald’s inside so you will not get hungry.
In the Museum, there were lot of things to do and to see. We got to see the airplanes used during the World War II. A lot of Nazi airplanes, trivia and facts about those planes and who flew them.
They also have those commercial planes exhibited there. Like the Concorde airplane, which was the fastest commercial plane, NASA space shuttles, rockets, the things that the astronauts had when they went in space. It was really educational for everybody.
IMAX theater, observation tower, flight simulators, free group tour around the facility are the other things to do.
We ran out of time because they were closing soon, we didn’t get the IMAX because it was 35-45 min long and my 21 month attention span is not that long. We tried the flight simulators, It was a nice ride, my 5 year enjoyed it. She really thought that she flew the space shuttle.
Flight simulators
NASA Discovery Space shuttle
Adi entering one of the flight simulatorsIf you’ve seen one of the transformers movie you probably seen this.
Overall, it was a nice educational trip for the whole family. My mom was with us too. She also enjoyed it.
You can also visit their website to plan your trip. Link below.
https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center/
I have been blogging about fitness and I am just so happy to be living closely to these areas Washington, D.C. Arlington and Alexandria, Va. That was just named the most fit city in the U.S. For 2015.
According to USA today, Access to parks and paths for jogging, walking and biking helped make the Washington, D.C. area the fittest of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to a study out Tuesday.
I live at Fort Washington, MD which is like 10 mins away from Jones Point Park and Belle Haven Park in Alexandria, Va. It was just across the bridge.
Let me give you a glimpse of Jones Point Park by sharing wonderful pictures of it. You’ll see the Potomac River and when the weather is good you’ll see a lot of people sailing with their sail boats.
Coming from the other end of joints point park is Belle Haven Park which is from the foot of the bridge on Va side and when you cross the bridge it’ll take you to the National Harbor, MD side.
We also have one that we go to in Fort Washington, MD which is the Tucker Road Park.
Our area is really nice to live in specially if you raising a family. As a parent, we are being a good example to our kids. Since their generation is more on technology like the iPad generation. We let them move around and be kids like these DC activities.Â
If you follow my blog I share a lot more about Metropolitan DC area like places to see.
If you are in to nature and want to see some of the wonders of the world. Niagara Falls is another God’s creation of a beauty that never fails. It was a looooooong drive from Maryland to Niagara Falls, New York. But it was all worth the long ride.
We first visited Niagara Falls back in September 2009. It was only me and my husband and some friends, no babies yet. Oh when we got there I could not explain the feeling of being able to see such an amazing sight of beauty, It was breathtaking!
View of the falls from the USA side
Rainbow bridge connecting USA and CanadaFerry boat ride maid of the mistViewing deck from USA side
Cave of the winds
PicnicCave of the winds
Last year, our relatives from Italy came to visit us last summer and we wanted to share that whole experience to them. It was such a great family trip. My daughter appreciated the view too. Nature has a lot to offer for us, we just have to take care of it.
With the whole family
As for things to do while you’re there. They have the ferry boat ride (maid of the mist) where they can take you closer to the falls. They also have a cave of the winds experience, you’ll be at the side of the falls. Be prepared to get wet even though they’ll provide you with ponchos and sandals. You can get these experience from both sides.
Back in 2009 we got to view the falls on both sides. The New York side and Canada side. See which view do you like.
Overall, it was such a great experience for everybody. As you can see even though it was a very long drive (8-10hours depending on the traffic) we still went again for the second time. You can never get tired of this view.
I started traveling with my daughter when she was 3 months old. It was tough, every travel is an experience. I travelled with Adi (was 3 months old) and with my mother in law. I am not saying I am a pro but I can give some tips that we learned from our travels that will make your travel very comfortable and convenient.
1. If you travel with little kids who doesn’t know how to swallow during take off and landing. For them not to cry, give them milk or anything they can drink so they will not feel the pressure on their ears. It always works for me.
2. If you are traveling with infant in lap. You can request bassinet from the airlines. Most of them offer it for free. In that case you baby will be able to sleep well during the flight. Everybody happy, right?
3. Bring toys that they like, that will entertain them or it can calm them down. Like my daughter, her companion was her Daisy Duck stuffed toy. It was a charm, she’ll just hug it and it made her go to sleep.
4. Some older kids can be entertained by your gadgets, tablets, iPads and the likes. Because not all airlines has TV screen on every seat specially if it is a domestic flight. Mostly international flight does.
5. Bring in some of their favorite snacks. Because they might not like what the airline offers.
6. Check in online if you can if you are traveling as family so that you can have the seat together. Because on the day, even if you are early at the airport to check in and if the flight is full. There are a lot of people who also checked in online. You do not want to be seated apart or asking other people to switch seats for you.
7. Do not forget to pack first aid kits and your child’s medicine if they have any. You might need it along the way and some places might not have the medicine your child need. Adi at 2.5 years old with her Minnie Mouse and iPad en route Philippines. At Taoyuan International airport, Taiwan.
Adi at 4 playing with bubbles and Aidan at 19 months. En route Las Vegas from Maryland.
Happy travels! I hope these tips will help you.
We were in Taiwan for 19 hours waiting for our connecting flight back to the USA. When I booked my tickets two way from NY to Manila and Manila to NY I already know that the connecting flight was long because I prefer to get the cheap ticket. You all know how it goes if you buy cheap flights.
I was thinking we can tour Taiwan for half a day and see what they have there. Another country to visit. So I went ahead and booked a hotel for us since we have our 2 year old daughter with us then.
What I didn’t know was China Airlines has a complimentary hotel already booked for us included in flight itinerary.
So here’s what happened….
We were on our way back to the U.S., arrived in Taiwan and went to China airlines kiosk to ask how we can get to our hotel. The receptionist was very helpful, they gave us a sticker with the name of the hotel so the driver who’s gonna pick us up can see us right away. Didn’t pay attention at the sticker since he was the one who put it on us. When we get to the exit the driver was already there and helped us get in the car.
While en route the hotel, I was wondering why we were traveling for almost 15 mins because as far as I remembered it should only be 5 mins away from the airport. But I didn’t say anything.
At the hotel, I found out we checked in at Taoyuan hotel. All the staff was nice, they gave us the keys and stated that we have a free breakfast and then tomorrow morning the driver will drive us back to the airport so we can catch our next flight. So went along but I already knew that I had to call the airline and ask when they took us to this hotel.
We cheked in the room, it was descent. Not the hotel that I booked which was much better, The Novotel.
After putting everything down any resting for a little hit. I started calling the airline. We were worried we’re gonna have to pay for this hotel. Plus I want to stay to the hotel that I booked.
Here is what happened. Since I booked my plane ticket from cheapoair.com there was no agent who informed me that China Airlines gives complimentary hotel since the layover was 19 hours. So it turned out that I didn’t have to pay anything for this.
Kudos to China airlines!! we were also pleased with their airline staff. They were very helpful.
So what we did was checked out and we took a cab to get to Novotel (the hotel that I separately booked for us). The difference between Novotel and Taoyuan was that Novotel was new, 5 mins away from the airport and it is nicer.
Freeway.Taoyuan Hotel lobby.
Taiwan’s side street.Novotel rooms.
Authentic Chinese noodle soup.
Novotel lobby
The other hotel that the airline booked for us was an older hotel but still nice and clean, staff was also nice and helpful too.
That was one hell of an experience.
Before I forget, another stupidity on my end. I didn’t’t looked at the whole itinerary. Before we get to Taiwan the pilot announced that we were approaching Osaka, Japan. And I panicked because I thought we went to the wrong flight. Mu husband was like check the itinerary. He doesn’t know any thing about the whole trip because he left it under my hands. I found out too that the flight was from JFK-Osaka-Taiwan-Manila and vice versa going back. I guess I was just too excited about this trip that I didn’t pay attention to all the details since I haven’t been back home for 4 years.
We saw Taiwan by all the en route driving we. Took to get to the hotel. We saw that their salons are all glass made. They also have advanced technology. They are nice to tourist.
The moral of the story was. First of all, Double check the flight details, make necessary calls to the airline and ask if they have a hotel set up for you if you have a long layover. I am not sure if all airlines do this complimentary thing. Second of all, make sure you know all the layovers so you will not be shocked and you’ll know if it was gonna be a tiring trip. And if the ticket are cheap check what is the catch. But if you are up to an adventure. Book it!
Learn from my mistakes. Be an educated traveler. Overall, it was still an experience. It was an adventure for us. My daughter was fine the whole time she was just sleeping. My little jet setter.
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