Snow Day!

Unexpected snow days are the best! I am always as excited as my daughter is when we get "the call" from our school district to let us know about poor road conditions. Our first question is always, "What should we do? Go sled riding? Take a walk in the woods? Catch up on missed t.v. shows, or maybe watch a movie that has been sitting on the shelf?

We were lucky today in that road conditions improved before lunch time and we were able to scale down our steep driveway and have a lunch date. 

With each passing birthday, I revel in the time that I get to spend one-on-one with the kid. All too soon will come the day when she is college bound and, well, I don't even want to consider the rest! Not yet... 

We decided to lunch at one of our favorite spots-Mountaineer Racetrack. With four restaurants and dining options for every family's budget, we love to take the 10-minute drive and grab a quick meal or dress up and dine extravagantly on special occasions. 

There's always time for silliness!

This would make a fine photo to add to our Christmas cards!

With full bellies and smiles on our faces, we headed home to finish out the day by baking and playing Wii. Yep, even I've been known to strap a controller to my wrist and bowl!.

What a fun day! I'm already looking forward to the next snow day. What to do.......

Inspiration

What inspires you? Is it the crisp, autumn days? Could it be a song on the radio? What about the perfect shade on a color swatch? 

 

I tend to find inspiration in the oddest ways. I might see sun shining on the dining room table that inspires me to take a photo a that exact moment. The manner of the sun's rays shining in the bay window where one of my furry babies is laying to get warm brings a smile to my face.

 

Or what about family? I definitely find inspiration in my family. Every day. 

 

They inspire me to do my best. They inspire me to be healthy and stay healthy. They inspire me to smile. 

What inspires you? The way that you find inspiration makes no difference. As long as you find it.

Visiting Walt Disney World During a Holiday

Have you ever visited Walt Disney World on a holiday? We did this past Halloween and loved it! With low crowds, hotel discounts, and free dining, we had one of the best visits yet!

Florida is known for its high heat and humidity but we found October's end to be quite lovely. With high temps in the upper 70's to low 80's we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather!

Walt Disney World has elaborately themed parties during Halloween we were lucky enough to attend  Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party on October 29th. 

Mary Poppins, Bert, and Jack Skellington at your service!

He was definitely a surprise!

The fourth hitchhiking ghost, perhaps?

We had so much fun that I am already planning our next trip! 

St. Simons Island Fun!

Sometimes when my family and I travel I simply stand still and think of how lucky I am. I have the perfect (for me!) family and a wonderful life. As sappy as that may sound, it's true. We are able to visit places in The United States and Canada and take in the rich history and beauty of each spot. In October, our trip to St. Simons blew me away! With its unparalleled beauty and amazing back story I fell in love with the island and its inhabitants.

One of The Golden Isles, St. Simons is the perfect blend of southern hospitality and ambiance that will leave a soft spot in the heart of each of its visitors.

My daughter adored the native trees with Spanish moss clinging to every crevice. It certainly felt as though we had landed in the middle of a creepy horror flick. But, I love creepy so it was creepy-cool!

Even the island's lighthouse has an amazing background story! It played a pivotal role in our country's history!

Do yourself a favor. Make a trip to St. Simons Island as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed. We cannot wait to go back!

Brought to you by the letter "F"

Yesterday was a perfect day from start to finish. The kid adores her new school and still wakes up smiling after 2 weeks of being in session. The crisp, morning air got our blood pumping. I love unexpected chilly mornings! But, I love autumn which should arrive on our doorstep any day now. 

After dropping the kid off at school I drove 15 miles north to a huge outdoor Flea market. Every Friday a teeny town called Rogers hosts hundreds of vendors selling everything from live poultry to potted plants.

Local farmers are also on site with the freshest produce you can find. This is the main reason I visit. We, as a family, try to support our local growers every chance we get. 

Several pavilions are also made use of during cooler or inclimate weather. 

Thousands of people leisurely stroll through the aisles and pavilions picking and choosing their goods and then head home until next week. 

Yesterday was also Football Friday! Our home team, the Potters, had their first home game of this season! Our town comes out in full force, decked out in Potter Blue and White!

The kid loves dressing silly at the First game of the season, as do many of the other school-aged children.

I have to say that I really don't know a ton about football but happily support our high school and its athletes. Plus, the kid loves hanging out with her school mates.

The high school band played their very best and their halftime show was a tribute to Michael Jackson. 

So, you're probably wondering if the team won or lost. To me, it really doesn't matter. To see our tiny community come together to support its students, athletes, and musicians makes us winners no matter what.  

Toronto Week on Trekaroo!

A family travel site near and dear to my heart is featuring a Canadian city this week that's near and dear to my heart- Toronto! With so many family-friendly activities and places, Toronto is a must see city for travelers in Canada! Here's the scoop from Trekaroo!

Big news! Family review site Trekaroo, the largest independent community of travel savvy parents in the nation, has expanded into Canada! Families are now be able to search Trekaroo's database for the inside scoop on Canadian attractions, lodging, restaurants, and tours. To celebrate, Trekaroo is kicking off their Canada launch with week-longcoverage of four major Canadian cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal. Vancouver launched in May, and Calgary followed suit in June. This week marks Toronto Week! Head on over for a week-longcelebration of the city, including travel advice, lodging reviews, and afabulous Toronto vacation giveaway!

Are you an expert on a Canadian destination?

Trekaroo understands family travel, and knows that parents depend on expert advice from those in the know. The Trekaroo Canada Founders group is hard at work providing up-to-date, relevant family travel information for the following provinces: 

British Columbia

Alberta

Ontario

Quebec

If you have experience traveling in these Canadian provinces, or if you're a Canadian expert on your home city, we need your reviews!Signing up as a Trekaroo member is easy and free, and once you do so, you can leave reviews to destinations, hotels, restaurants, and attractions you've visited. Reviews need only be a few lines long, but they assist fellow family travelers forever.

Earn Canada Rewards!

Because Trekaroo values the traveling community, and knows that noTrekaroo landing page would be complete without the inside scoop from experts, they're offering Trekaroo Canada Rewards. From now until funds run out, existing and new members can write 10 Canada reviews and get a $10 Amazon gift card. Think of this as a way to share useful information with fellow traveling parents while reaping a reward to boot!

Hurry though, because once the budget runs out, the offer ends. Learn more about Canada Rewards at Trekaroo!

Meet Trey!

Trey, our youngest kitty, is aptly named because she is the third black cat that we own. She is another rescue and was found in the middle of the street near my parent's home. When we found her she was dirty, extremely skinny, and in pain. A too-small collar around her neck was digging into the skin causing the hair in the area to be worn off and sores from the constriction. Sadly, the previous owners simply left their residence and she was left behind. After months of care she is now happy, healthy- and lazy!

She makes a fine addition to our family and we couldn't be happier to have her in our home!