Nanny to Mommy

For many of us, summer vacation has already started, and for others, it's just on the horizon. When you're a kid, the best part of the school year is summer vacation. Oh, the freedom. It's a time to rest after months of hard work and studying. And if you're a parent with children, you want to do your best to give them the best vacation so they can unwind from those stress-filled months. Summer vacation is one of the most important things a child can experience. And there are so many great activities that your family can enjoy during the summer break, especially if you've planned a big trip.

My family recently had the opportunity to vacation at Myrtle Beach thanks to Vacation Myrtle Beach. Although I had been there before when I was younger, but my family had never been there. My husband had only ever driven through South Carolina for that matter. So I was excited for the opportunity to share a new beach with them.

What we didn't plan for was a pandemic. There is a lot happening in the world right now. Vacationing, whether it is small beach trips or camping in the mountains, is a normal thing for us. While educating my children about the new normal, I want to try to keep some of the old normal within their lives as much as possible. 

So today, I thought I would take the time to share our tips for vacationing during a pandemic. Thank you to Vacation Myrtle Beach for the complimentary accommodations at Landmark Resort during this time.

Needless to say, we all could use a little normalcy this summer! While many of us are still getting through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re also craving a sense of normalcy. For many, that means taking a family trip. Whether you want to hit the road in an RV or fly somewhere across the globe, spending that unique relaxation time with your family is a great way to blow off some steam.

In the U.S., about 100 million families take a vacation together each year. It’s a great way to keep your kids busy, encourage bonding time, and make memories together.

But, traveling with a family can be expensive. Thankfully, there are things you can do to reach your destination without having to blow your budget. No matter where you want to go or how you plan to get there, keep these three smart tips in mind to enjoy your family trip without breaking the bank.

Your vacation plans for the next few months might still be fairly uncertain. You may have had your trip canceled or rescheduled, or, if you have a trip coming up later on in the year, you might still be hoping that it can go ahead safely. We’re all a little unsure about the future at the moment, which makes it hard to make plans.

But, whenever you travel, one thing will always remain true if you are going away with children, you’ll have their safety in mind. Children, especially younger ones, can get into all sorts of dangers, even in their own homes where you have taken every precaution to keep them safe. Take them to an unknown area, and suddenly, those risks multiply.

There’s a fine balance, however, between letting them have fun, and being able to relax and enjoy your holiday as a family, and keeping them safe and putting measures in place to protect them. Here are some tips to help you to keep your children safe on vacation, whether you are hoping to travel later this year or looking ahead to the future.

Heading abroad - or within the US - with elderly relatives is something that many people do each year, and it’s a perfect way to get all of the family together whilst enjoying a new (or well-loved) place. However, it’s important to remember that the needs of your kids and the needs of your elderly relatives are going to be completely different, although most things can still be enjoyed by the whole family. We’ve put together five tips for those vacationing with grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents… whoever it may be!

There’s nothing quite as memorable as a family vacation at the beach; sun, sand, and surf are the recipe for fun-filled days. Whether you want to kick back and relax with your book, play a game of soccer or join Aqua Surf School, there is something for everyone to do on a beach. With so many beaches to choose from across the U.S., it can be hard to narrow it down to the perfect vacation spot.

These ten beaches are all great family destinations, with options for a quieter getaway as well as bustling boardwalks for a more active stay. You’ll find options on both coasts as well as a top pick for lake lovers.

My husband and I have decided that we are going to celebrate our anniversary with a trip every year. Whether we go on a large trip like the cruise we took to Mexico or even a small day visit to the mountains, we want to go somewhere. I understand that everyone celebrates their anniversaries differently, but this is how we have chosen to celebrates our going forward.

This is a guest post.

Cruising with your children allows both you and your children to travel and see the world, while bonding as a family. Cruisers are usually family-friendly, which means they will offer a whole range of activities for your little ones while you relax. However, it takes some planning, so if this is your first cruise with your children, consider these tips for a stress-free and fun vacation.

So over the summer, my family and I went on a cruise vacation for our 10th wedding anniversary. We got married on a cruise and we thought, "What an awesome way to celebrate a decade together." A wonderful time was had by all. I do have a few tips that I learned along the way, some essentials that will hopefully help you if you decide to take a cruise vacation too.

As some of you may know, our 10 year wedding Anniversary was July 15th. And to celebrate, we decided to go on a Carnival Cruise because we got married on one originally. I think if you are looking for an inexpensive, but beautiful way to get married then a cruise is that way to go. My husband and I were 21 and 23 when we got married, my parents were on limited incomes, and we had to pay for most of it on our own. We didn't give ourselves time to save up money because we were two crazy kids in love and wanted to get married as quickly as possible. I do not regret a thing.

Anyways, because my in-laws' anniversary is the day after ours and they are our only reliable sitters right now, plus we wanted to go on a five day cruise so leaving our kids with anyone that long wasn't even on our radar, we decided to make our anniversary trip into a family vacation. We had been thinking about going on cruise for a while and so at the beginning of this year we decided to make the leap (and down payments) because we had the extra money. We also bought a bunch of Carnival gift cards from Kroger when they ran their 4X fuel points sale to save even more because the gift cards can be used to pay off any balance. We decided to book a five day Carnival cruise that left out of Mobile, AL and went to Costa Maya and Cozumel. We would also advise you pay your tourist taxes before you travel - it makes things a lot easier.

I received complimentary products to provide this post. All opinions are my own.

Who is excited for the kids to be out for a week of school? My youngest is home during the morning when my daughter is in preschool, so I am excited to have her home and not have to wake up early to take her. Plus we have some fun traveling plans! With Spring Break coming up really soon and all the traveling that people do, I thought I would share some of my packing tips!

 

I received complimentary products to provide this review. All opinions are my own.

 

 

Welcome to the [3rd Annual] Travelin’ with Baby Giveaway Hop Event, hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network.

We’ve got a fabulous group of bloggers that have come together to offer giveaways on the best products that make traveling with baby a success - so be sure to hop around to them all. Don't miss out on the amazing new stroller from Combi USA - the F2 Stroller which is the ultimate lightweight stroller that makes traveling with baby a breeze. Enter the Grand Prize Here.

 

We are currently in FLORIDA! :D I will be updating Instagram with all of our adventures including using the Shaidee so please follow along. :)

In the mean time, check out my tips for vacationing with an infant. :D

Click on image to view article.

Okay and here is an update on the rest of our trip. I know I said I was going to post daily ones but I was exhausted at the end of each day. So I took a vacation from my blog. Ha!

Wednesday night we went to Wild Wings and then shopping around Pier Park. The guys took the little ones to ride the rides and Sweet Pea had to ride the merry-go-round twice. And then we went to Marble Slab and got some very yummy ice cream.

Thursday morning we left the girls with my FIL and Hubby while the ladies went to K-Mart to pick up a few things. I ended up buying a really cute bathing suit for only $7. And I know it's the end of the season and hopefully it will be too big by next year but I couldn't resist. I just love the way I feel in it and that is rare for me.

Then we came back and went out to the beach for a bit but after lunch I went out and left Sweet Pea with Daddy while I had some very much needed quality time with the sand, ocean air, and just me.


Thursday night we went to eat at Pineapple Willy's with just me, Sweet Pea, and the Hubby. And then after that we went and played putt putt because Hubby just HAD to go. It was very cute and quite amusing. Sweet Pea didn't really play (thank goodness she was free :]) but it was so cute. She just held on to her ball and club the entire time. And then when we had to put her ball up, she was NOT a happy camper.

 

Friday we spent all day at the beach (except nap time) and that night we went to Margaritaville. They had a lady on stilts making animal balloon hats and such. Then a Jimmy Buffet song came on and the lights turned bright. I was really nervous because there were cannons on the wall and I forgot what they did last year. But we just found the lost shaker of salt. We were then suppose to go walk out on the Pier but Hubby started getting a migraine so we left early. He has never had one before but we are pretty sure that's what it was. He is fine now though.

And then Saturday was the LONG trip home. It's so good to be home. And everything is back to normal. I still have some unpacking to do but that part is no big deal. The driving with an almost 22 month old was not fun. We didn't leave until 9 so she hardly slept but she was a good sport about it.

Finally home and so glad I did a deep clean before we left and had a washer/dryer at the condo. It's hard to try and get back into our daily routine but I'm getting there.

So did anyone else do anything fun while the kiddos were out of school for Fall Break? Or any fun vacations over the summer? Share them! I would love some ideas for next year. ;)

So this vacation has been interesting to say the least. I am looking at all the awesome couponing deals I am missing and wishing I had brought my coupons but honestly that is just because I just now turned on a computer. I really have been enjoying myself even though we have had some bumps along the way.

We left at 6 am Saturday morning. We said we were going to leave at 5 but with two kids (one a 21 month old who doesn't wake up until 7:30) things are never going to go as planned. We stopped at Cracker Barrel before we really got on the road. Sweet Pea took two hour long naps. And was really good. She drank a lot of fluids and had an accident through her diaper when we reached Panama City, it wasn't time to check in yet so I had to change her at the Wendy's across the street, where we also had lunch. They didn't have a changing table in the restroom and the car was packed so we had to hide in a booth so I could change her. We did head to the beach as soon as we checked in but Sweet Pea was having none of it.
Saturday night we ate pizza in the room, we had to head back out to Publix (where I had a bad experience with the cashier), and then headed back to the condo where we promptly crashed of sheer exhaustion.

 Sunday we spent almost the entire day at the beach. Sweet Pea didn't like walking in the sand but we had to make her because everyone's hands were full carrying stuff. Once she got to our spot she loved to play in the sand. She would even dump it on to her legs. She took a 3 hour nap in her pack-n-play and had no trouble going to sleep. That night we went to Sharky's to eat. Panama City is an hour difference from our time. So although Sweet Pea wakes up between 7 - 7:30 at home, she woke up between 6 - 6:30 almost everyday so far. So dinner was eventful because I didn't take into consideration that it was almost 7pm our time by the time she was having dinner. She wouldn't eat any snacks I brought and only wanted to be held. Once the food came she was happier but of course I didn't realize the issue until Tuesday. :/ Hubby and I wanted to share a seafood platter but didn't realize everything was fried, and they were using old grease, so after looking forward to seafood, I was VERY disappointed.

 

After that we headed to Pier Park to ride some rides. Sweet Pea rode the merry-go-round and Ferris wheel. I almost had a heart attack but Daddy said she loved it.

 

Monday we had to go to Wal-mart because we were already almost out of bread and milk! But considering there are 8 people staying in our condo and everyone is eating cereal for breakfast and having sandwiches for lunch, it makes sense. Sweet Pea did even better about going to the beach and didn't cry walking on it. She still insisted on holding both hands but this was a vast improvement. She even made a friend.

Monday night we went to Spinnaker's. All I have to say about that night was "wow". There was a patio that had stairs down to the beach and since she was pitching a fit, we took her out to walk in the sand. But since I hadn't figured out the hour difference thing, she wouldn't put her shoes back on but wanted to walk around but I was afraid she would get splinters. She pitched the BIGGEST fit. And I had to walk with her to the other room and I cried. And that made her stop because she felt bad. But then our food came and she was in a lot better mood. But it shouldn't have come to that. It makes me mad because didn't I just say stick to your child's schedule?

After that I needed a drink. So once Sweet Pea went to sleep, we left her with the in-laws and headed to Mrs. Newby's (a short walk from our condo) and had their famous Hunch Punch. Very yummy and lots of fun was had by all.

Tuesday we went shopping at a consignment shop and then went to Pier Park to the Carter's because I had a 20% off $40 coupon I had been itching to use because last year they had such great deals. They had great deals this year. Nana bought Sweet Pea a ton of cute clothes and we are very grateful. Too bad we didn't go today because Grandparent's get an extra 10% off! We also visited Starbucks.

By this time, it was lunch and nap time. I was exhausted and decided to take a nap with Sweet Pea. Then when we woke up, we headed to the beach where of course she had a blast and even buried Daddy in the sand.

That night for dinner we went to Schooner's and I decided that we should order food for Little Bit as soon as we sat down. And I am so glad we did. She did awesome. If it wasn't for them firing the cannon at sunset then she would have been perfect. But she still did amazing. And I am so glad we figured out a way for us to be able to have a peaceful meal because I was thinking we were going to have a dinner of sandwiches in the room every night.

This morning we went to the beach. There was a bit of overcast which made pictures beautiful (don't worry we still put on sunscreen). Everyone is now taking a nap or having quiet time while I update except for my MIL and SIL because my SIL had to head back home for work.


Whew, that was a long post. Maybe I should try and do daily ones from now on. Anyways, I am having fun. I have been checking in here and there but I've honestly been trying to stay unconnected as much as possible. I needed a break, although I have been cleaning up after everyone. :/ But I think that's more my OCD. HA!