Flying With a Little One: Keeping Baby Calm

Now for the biggest panic attack of them all, being locked in a plane for X hours with limited space and 100+ people WITH YOUR CHILD. Once again, JUST BREATH! It's going to be ok and you're prepared for anything (if that's possible hehe). Like I said in my first post of this series I used to try to plan my flights accordingly so that the flights weren't so packed. If I could tell that the flight wasn't full, as crappy as it sounds, I used to put JAM by the window and I would sit in the aisle seat. This arrangement could go either way. They either couldn't resist his adorable face and wanted to sit in my row OR they're like no way am I sitting in the row with a baby. Can you guess which one I wanted? haha. If someone decided to sit next to me I'd usually sit in the middle seat to let JAM sit by the window. However, it always helped to have a row to myself mainly because of the room and I didn't have to worry about my kid bugging someone else within close proximity. Plus, it also helped to let him move around, change a diaper, or lay him down once he fell asleep.

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If you think I'm crazy because you just read that I changed a diaper in the seat you must have not traveled with a baby on an airplane. Let me give you 2 scenarios. #1: have you ever seen those airplane bathrooms?! Although there is a changing table in there, you'd have to be houdini to change ANYTHING in there. #2: once I boarded the plane on one of my trips when JAM was a baby still I realized that he had an explosion. If you don't know what I'm talking about yet, be grateful haha. Anyways, people were still boarding the plane so that was a no go on heading to the airplane bathroom. As I was apologizing a billion times to everyone around me for the nastinesss and smell, I changed my son right there on the seat. Going back to my reason for taking a first in the morning 6am flight, it's because usually the crowd is older (Most 15-21 year olds don't want to wake up that early for a flight). This meant that a majority of the people are veteran parents and the passengers were nothing but understanding to the situation. Most of them were even baby talking to JAM as they passed or patted me on the back saying "welcome to motherhood". I even had a lady who actually wanted to sit by me to help me out throughout the flight because she thought JAM was adorable and she was a preschool teacher so she wasn't bothered by the stench haha.

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Lesson learned, ALWAYS bring baggies, sanitizer, extra wipes, extra diapers, and TONS of extra clothes on your flight. Keyword: EXTRA! This is the most important concept for your flight. So many moms are worried about what toys and such to bring on the plane but forget about the ACTUAL essentials. Another tip is to have a bottle or pacifier or to breastfeed during takeoff and landing to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of ear popping. If you plan to breastfeed, bringing a boppy or sling along to make that process more comfortable. Phew! We're finally in the air. Now what? If you're one of the lucky ones, your child just fell asleep during takeoff and hopefully stays asleep the rest of the flight. If not, you're still in luck! I have a whole list of ideas and things for you to bring on the plane for your little one. The older JAM got the more creative I had to get with what I packed. Let you child be a part of the packing process. Once mine was old enough, I let him choose the backpack to carry the stuff in and let him choose a couple things to put in the bag.

When JAM was little I didn't have the iPad or portable DVD player to entertain him. I did have an iPod, which I downloaded a playlist just for him. If you don't own kid CDs visit your local library! They have endless CDs for your kids, especially music from their favorite TV shows. I also brought my laptop to watch movies and stuff, but I learned real quick that it was hard to juggle. I think my laptop came out probably once on a flight. He also likes to bring his Leapster Explorer and Nintendo DS on the flight now that he's older. If you do have that luxury to bring a gadget on the plane, there are awesome apps out there to keep your little one entertained. I personally don't own an iPad (yet), but mommy friends of mine have sworn by these apps for their kids. Check em out!

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Monkey Preschool Lunchbox ($0.99)

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Road Rally Appisode (FREE)

Nick Jr.’s A to Z with Moose and Zee ($1.99)

Elmo Loves ABCs Lite (FREE)

My First Words - Flashcards (FREE)

Disneyland Explorer (FREE)

ABC Alphabet Phonics (FREE)

Peekaboo Barn ($1.99 OR Lite version for FREE)

Little Speller – Three Letter Words Lite (FREE)

If you don't have a gadget to bring along or if you simply choose not to that's ok! There's tons of other options to entertain your little one. The number one thing to bring on a flight is snacks. Especially nowadays where you have to pay for every little snack on the plane. JAM's go-to snacks were the Gerber GRADUATES® Puffs. They were super easy to travel with, not messy at all, and he LOVED them. If you plan to pack their favorite toys, try to pack ones that have as minimal pieces as possible and the bigger the better. Having to find the littlest toy on a plane is no bueno. Bouncy balls, cars, or anything that can roll and fit under your seat can become a pain if it falls on the floor. A few more great ideas are bringing playing cards, books, stickers, pipe cleaners, and coloring books. My little sister and I always brought a deck of cards or playing card games like UNO on the flight. With a simple deck of cards the games are endless. If you decide to bring a coloring book I suggest you bring a placemat or rubber mat to place on the tray to avoid coloring on the tray table. I bought a rubber mat that was meant as a placemat for on the go eating. It's a personal preference if you want to bring crayons vs. markers vs. colored pencils. You know more than me if your child would draw on themselves instead of the coloring book or on the airplane walls. If you do decide to travel with a sippy cup, pacifier, toys, and/or snacks, I suggest that you attach them to a lanyard or clip-on leash to avoid picking it up off the floor constantly. I remember a flight where JAM would continuously throw his toy on the floor and cry for me to pick it up. That wasn't fun for me or my back.

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Well there you have it! I've given you a little insight on how to fly with a little one. Now spread your wings and fly! Whether you're flying alone or with a buddy, everything with be ok. You just have to take it step by step and go with the flow. Things always vary from flight to flight so you just have to breath and have the "it is what it is" mentality. No worries, as long as you're showing initiative, no one on the plane is as focused on you as much as you think. 9 times out of 10 someone will offer a lending hand whenever you come across a crisis, but you don't have to worry about that. You're prepared and it's going to be an awesome experience!

Flying With A Little One: Best Time of Day to Fly

With many families on summer break, a popular question I keep hearing is "How do you fly with a little one?". Parents always wonder, What time a day is great to fly with a kid? What are you allowed to bring on the plane for the baby? What do you bring on the plane to keep your child calm? DEEP BREATHS! With all the traveling I've done with JAM, I feel like I've earned my wings and I'm here to help ease your anxiety.

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You know your child more than anyone. As far as what time of day to travel, that all depends on your little one (if your schedule allows you to make that type of accomodation). On departure flights, I always took the first flight out, which was usually 6am, since I knew JAM didn't like to wake up until 10am. Also because I was always excited to head to our destination so I wanted to get my day started bright and early. He'd be a little upset being moved around from his carseat to his stroller and through security but since he was so sleepy he'd always end up knocking out on the flight. On arrival flights I usually booked a red eye flight. Once I come back home from a vacation, all I want to do is go to sleep. All the excitement of traveling wears off and I don't want to deal with anything once I get home. Red eye flights are more chill at the airport and my little guy sleeps through the night. Whoever picks me up handles my bags and it's home sweet home for the both of us. I did notice that when JAM was a baby he would instantly knock out with no problem. Once he hit the toddler age, he was a little more active and wanted to wander and peek over the seats. That was when I started planning my flight times accordingly. If I arrived there early enough, I'd let him walk around the area to release any last minute energy stored away. I also preferred these flights because they usually weren't full flights so JAM and I would have a row to ourselves. Always expect the unexpected when it comes to flying with a child. That way you're prepared for anything and if all that stuff doesn't happened it'll be a plus for you! Regardless, keep an open mind, don't stress, and just go with the flow. Before you know it, you'll arrive at your destination feeling like a pro flying with kids.

Roadtrip!!! (2 FREE Printables)

It's been a long time since I've roadtripped with JAM, and our recent trip to South Lake Tahoe was about 8 hours one-way. I don't know what's worse, a long plane ride or a long road trip. I've roadtripped before with JAM and 9 times out of 10 he fell asleep in the car for most of the ride. He'd wake up to eat or go to the bathroom and fall right back asleep. He's been on "quick" 4 hour road trips to L.A. and the longest one was our 33 hour drive when we packed up our SUV and moved to Vegas from Chicago. However, the last time we took a roadtrip was a year or two ago. Unlike other times where it was just JAM and I in the car, this time around I'll be traveling with my cousin, her son, and her boyfriend, which means I doubt JAM will be falling asleep since he'll probably want to play with his older cousin the whole time. I tried to think back on what I used to do for entertainment as a kid when my extended family used to roadtrip all over the U.S. since it was cheaper than flying with our group of 15-20 people. Now that I've gone through the paces, I can share what I learned on our last roadtrip.

JAM was exhausted once we arrived

First thing to get out the way, packing. I'll admit, I'm a pretty bad procrastinator. I say that I'll start packing little by little, but that usually ends up meaning I'm doing 6 loads of laundry up until I walk out the door and I'm packing along the way. Since it was a 5 day trip I knew that I could fit all of our clothes in one duffel bag. Plus I knew I didn't have to pack as much since the house had a washer and dryer (FYI since the altitude is higher in Tahoe, it take A LOT longer for things to dry in the dryer). Another plus side to having a duffel bag is it's able to be compacted a little in a trunk unlike a luggage since it has soft sides. We were traveling with 2 families in 1 SUV so cargo space was in high demand. I also always pack any liquids like shampoo in a separate plastic bag just in case it spills on the way. If you like lists like me, here's my TRAVELING LIST to download for FREE. You can adjust it to your liking. I had a lot on my list since I was the one hosting the reunion so I had to travel with a lot of extra things. Plus I knew the groceries would be more expensive in Tahoe so we tried to travel with as many goods as possible.

As far as my roadtrip portion of the list, here is what I learned: bringing a pillow was super helpful and comfy for everyone, all we ate were chips and other junk food (even though we had sandwiches), I packed Gatorade for drinks but limited their drink intake to prevent frequent potty breaks, simple "I Spy" roadtrip games are fun and easy especially when you're cramped in such a tight spot, and having a MP3 playlist that has a little something for everyone in the car is grand. Most of our trip to Tahoe consisted of open land and SUPER small towns with no cell reception, which also meant no radio signal either, so having an MP3 really helped out for those long stretches of driving. One fun type of "I Spy" game that we played can be printed here for FREE. Like I said, most of our road trip was in more rural areas so stuff on this checklist were a lot easier to find. JAM is 5 and his older cousin is 14 and they both had fun trying to find these things as we drove along.

On average, most cars usually need to stop every 4 hours to gas up so these stops would be a perfect time to let everyone stretch and go to the bathroom. I already packed food and drinks so anytime the kids asked to buy something at these stops I just reminded them that it was all in the car. Most of those gas stations along the way can get very pricey anyways, especially since they were in the middle of nowhere.

Our halfway mark to Tahoe: Tonopah, NV

I noticed that it's always more fun to road trip TO the destination than to RETURN home. The kids slept most of  the way to Tahoe. When they were awake they were either playing on JAM's Nintendo DS or watching a DVD or two on the portable DVD player we brought. On the way home it was the complete opposite. They were up for most of the trip, didn't feel like fiddling with technology, and they were anxious to get home. This is where the MP3 player kicked it. We picked fun songs that we could all jam too and I recorded videos on my digital camera while the kids made "music videos". Every time they asked if we were almost home we'd try to take their minds off of it with more music and air guitars.

All in all we had a successful road trip I think. I didn't need to pull out my travel-size first aid kit that I packed and it ended up being a memorable trip that JAM still hasn't stopped talking about. What tips do you have for road trips? If you want more roadtripping ideas you can always check out my Pinterest board. If roadtripping is not your style, check out my tips on flying with a little one! Safe travels!!

Vegas Family Vacation: Finding Dining Options Locally

First of all I just wanted to thank all my loyal readers! I know I've been slacking this month with so much going on but every time I peak in, I see the support. I definitely appreciate you all. Well, the holidays are definitely in full force, and although there has been a lot of tragedy and crazy things going on around the world, it's still the season of reflection, family and PRESENTS!! If you guys didn't know, I have a HUGE family. That, paired with being Filipino means there will be TONS of food this up coming week. This year our natural routine is changing up a bit for Christmas. My mom and step dad are flying out to Vegas to be with us! I'm so excited! This also means that we'll all be driving out to Cali to meet up with my mom's brother since it's a rare occasion to be with family for him too (Us west coasters are always forced to fly to Chicago since there's more of them over there).

Before all that loveliness happens, I still have 3 days of my mom's 6 day vacation to entertain her. When people come and visit, they're always so quick to find a place to eat on the Strip, especially since I live down the street from there. However, there's so many local options that are just as great, if not better! My mom and step dad arrive tomorrow night, and directly from the airport we're heading to Yama Sushi. It's one of my favorite, if not thee favorite place of mine for sushi. They have this option where for $25 the whole menu is unlimited (from appetizers to dessert). When my cousin first introduced this place to me, I admit, I was a little skeptical about paying $25 per person. However, this place is awesome! Everything is yummy in my opinion and with the rising cost of sushi, you definitely get your money's worth (at least I do hehe). Plus, who doesn't love unlimited mochi?!

Speaking of seafood, there are sooooo many buffets that Vegas has to offer, and with my aunt being a buffet addict, I've tried basically every last one of them. I have to say though, my most favorite one overall would have to be the seafood dinner at Studio B Buffet in the M resort. I am disappointed that they no longer offer the $3 off coupon with a player's card and they basically doubled in price since they first opened, making this buffet $40 per person. HOWEVER, if you have the money, give this place a try and thank me later. Mahal gets his money's worth by taking advantage of the crabs and complimentary beer, but I absolutely adore the food. Fat moment I know, but there's honestly nothing that I've eaten at this buffet that I didn't like. They have so many hot and cold seafood options, prime rib, stir fry, soups, salads, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention they're AMAZING dessert section with gelato and creme brulee. YUM! I do warn you, like most Las Vegas buffets there is an incredible wait time so I suggest you arrive once they open for dinner. My family usually goes later on in the day around 7pm and tend to wait on average for 2 hours. This is also considering we always come with a minimum of 10 people so we have to wait for enough tables to seat us all. Do not let this kill your hopes of trying this place out. Bring a group or something to occupy your time. I'm telling you, it's worth the wait!

Mango gelato and a canoli. Yum!

 
If you're looking for more of a breakfast type setting, Hash House a Go Go is definitely my go-to place. They're know for their ginormous portion sizes, but they food is as great tasting as it looks. They have a great variety of breakfast/lunch items and are average priced with items mostly between $10-$15. Definitely come with an empty stomach when eating here. The wait can be a little long (about 30-40 minutes) on the weekends, but you'll leave with a happy belly. A little FYI, I personally don't like the taste of rosemary so if you agree, ask them not to add it to your food. They add a bushel to your food for decoration, but I can always strongly taste it wherever they stick it in. You'll know what I mean because it'll look like a mini pine tree just grew out of your biscuit.

Look how thick my french toast is in the upper right photo!

If you're a little more simple with your eating choices and love a yummy burger like Mahal, you can never go wrong with Red Robin. Not only are they family friendly but all they're burgers are great tasting. Pair that with their bottomless fries and a freckled lemonade (with fresh strawberries *drools*) and you're set!

Now, considering I'm originally from Chicago where all of our food is the best, you'd understand why I was on the hunt to find good quality Chicago-esque food the moment I moved here. Let me tell ya, this was (as still is) not an easy task. Most of them who claim to be authentic Chicago food didn't compare, and the ones that did were charging waaaay too much for it. After much searching we found a little piece of heaven named Amore- Taste of Chicago. No other place in Vegas (that I know of) sells Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I have to admit, the first time we ate there Mahal and I agreed that there was a little something missing that we couldn't quite put out finger on. However, this is probably the closest a Las Vegan will get to experiencing a Chicago pizza in Las Vegas. Inside I guarantee you'll find tons of fellow Chicagoans and reminisce on all the great eateries around our great city of Chicago. Now, if only I could find a great pizza puff that didn't cost me an arm and a leg. NO, not a calzone people. A pizza puff. I'm always looking for great eats around the valley! Where are some of your favorite places to eat at?

Are you planning on eating at home or at a restaurant for the holidays?

Flying With a Little One: Going Through Security

One of the biggest concerns, especially when flying with a baby, is what are you allowed to bring on the plane for the kiddos. You should also be aware of what to expect when going through security with your child. The more I traveled with JAM, the more I learned how to tweak what was important and what wasn't. I've been traveling on the plane with JAM since he was 4-5 months old and I'd travel by myself. Although I always had someone help check-in my baggage, no one was allowed through security check without a boarding pass, which meant I was gonna go through the security check solo withh JAM. First of all, check in as many items as possible!! With all these crazy baggage fees I know it can be hard, but it'll make your trip so much smoother if you do. I always checked-in JAM's carseat and gate checked his stroller. Gate checking means leaving the stroller at the gate right before you enter the plane so it'll be there right where you get off, and you won't have to carry the baby around the airport.

I remember my first trip with JAM. The  security check was HORRIBLE. I had him, my boarding passes, purse, baby bag, stroller, and laptop. Initially it didn't seem so bad since those were the bare necessities, especially since I had his stroller to carry everything for me. Then I had to go through security. I knew I had to put the usual bags through the x-ray machine, but I didn't take into consideration everything else. I had to take mine AND JAM's shoes off, my belt, fold up the stroller to put through the x-ray machine since it was capable of fitting, and take my laptop out the bag. It doesn't sound to bad, but remember, you have to do this in 3.5 seconds. This wasn't the hard part. The hard part was after you walk through security. Holding the baby in this narrow pathway, I had to unfold the stroller, put my shoes back on, and basically grab all the other crap and just throw it in the stroller to find a place on the side and put it all back where it belongs. As I'm putting JAM's shoes back on, putting my belt back on, and putting my laptop back in the bag, a TSA security requested to check his diaper bag. No problem. I was planning a trip from Chicago to Vegas and planned on staying there for a month with my dad so I packed all his baby food and stuff in the baby bag since I didn't want it all to make a mess in my luggage (we all know how they handle our checked in bags). They gave me a hard time because I had too much food in the bag. Apparently you're only allowed to fly with enough food that will last the baby for the flight and I had a month's worth of food and beverage for my 5 month old. Long story short, a female TSA made the exception since she was a mom too.

Happy baby since mommy got his
juice through security!

Phew! After many trials and errors, I now wear flip flops and stretch pants to the fly so no dealing with belts and it's easy to slide shoes back on. JAM only wears socks (until he started to walk). I bring enough food just for the flight and buy food when I arrive. You are allowed to bring water and breast milk as long as it's for the baby. They did make me dump out the juice when JAM started using sippy cups though. I think it depends on the airport and security guard because that only happened once. I just asked for apple juice or orange juice once I got on the plane and filled his sippy cup back up. I travel with my laptop once in awhile and still bring it as a carry on cuz I'm paranoid to put it in my check-in bag. I tried to go without a stroller and that was horrible. Never again. Carrying a baby, purse and baby bag all around the airport can become tiring, especially when your gate is on the other side of the airport. It would get worse once he started walking because he never wanted to be carried and always wanted to wander. A stroller solves all that madness so I just deal with putting it through security. There have been a couple times JAM was "randomly" security checked, which was odd, but know that you are to NEVER be separated from your child if that occurs. I got checked one time and it ended up being my underwire bra *shakes head*.

Well hopefully this prepares you for your flight so you don't have to go through a crisis like I had to experience. Just remember to breathe, and people are more understanding than you think. 9 times out of 10 TSA will help you gather your things if they see you're struggling with your baby. However, don't always count on someone's help. Just try to be as efficient as you can and don't leave anything behind! For more information check out TSA's website. Stay tuned to hear my tips on how to keep your child calm while in the air. Happy Travels!

He's sloooooowly breaking down....

Do you have any crazy or hectic stories about going through airport security?

Campus Childcare

I put off going to college for 2 years after graduating high school mainly because JAM was still a baby. Once we moved to Las Vegas, everything kind of fell into place where it allowed me to finally enroll in school. However, the only issue I had left was who was going to watch JAM? I had 3 family members that lived in Las Vegas as well, but they all worked or had kids of their own to juggle. I personally just didn't want to put him in a daycare or have a stranger babysit him where he'd just stay there and play all afternoon. That's when my cousin recommended a early childhood development center that her daughter was in. They offered a flexible schedule where I can pick him up and drop him off basically whenever I needed to, the kids learned through play but they had a structured curriculum and set of activities, which I loved, and the steps they took with security were great (cameras, locked doors with a pin code, etc.). JAM was so excited to go to school with his cousin so we signed him up and off to school the both of us went!

Initially this school was great. They had a window where I could peek into his classroom so once in awhile that's exactly what I'd do. There were quite a few kids in his class but they had 4 teachers in there to adjust to the ratio. If I didn't want to peek through the window I had the option to check out each classroom from the TV security screens they had in the lobby or I could just go into his class and join in on the fun. They helped with his potty training while he was there and they fed him lunch as well. Then after about a year of being there Mahal and I started to notice a few little things here and there. The main teacher would get a little too aggressive for my liking. She'd raised her voice or grab the kid's arm a little to tight if they were in trouble. Mahal noticed that the same teacher would use the same Kleenex to wipe all of the children's nose if it was runny (eww!). I popped in to have lunch with JAM one day so I was able to attend his "recess" and noticed that the play area was super small and the equipment they were playing on was not suitable for kids JAM's age. He'd sit on the slide and his feet were already on the bottom! I was told they provided snack and lunch. All they ate was fruit and those big bags of generic cereal! JAM even told me they wouldn't give him a drink unless he finished all of his snack as sometimes he didn't like the sour pineapple they fed him so he didn't get a drink. So, I asked if I could just pack him snack and lunch and opted to do that instead. I expressed my concerns to the staff up front, but I gradually started hunting for a new place to put JAM in.

Yea, he didn't like this snack very much (and he's not a picky eater).

I always saw the childcare at my college campus when I exited, but never gave it a second thought since #1 it said childcare (in my head childcare=daycare) and #2 it was a trailer looking establishment. Coming from Chicago, it's not as common to have classes in a portable trailer as it is in the West coast. I was desperate to find a new place for JAM so I went in to inquire about their program. The secretary up front was super nice, the prices were almost half of what I was paying at JAM's current developmental center, and the trailer was A LOT bigger than I thought inside. They had 2 classrooms: one for 2-3 year old and one for basically the 4-5 year olds until the 5 year olds transition into Kindergarten. I met the teacher that ran the class for 3 year olds and she explained the same thing as the last place: the kids learn through play, we have a very structured curriculum, blah blah blah. I expressed my concerns from the last location and she assured me that it wouldn't happen. It was really convenient to have JAM on campus and the childcare already looked better than his current location with what they had to offer so I signed him up.

Fast forward to when JAM had to finally leave the campus childcare for elementary school. Let me tell you, enrolling JAM in the campus childcare was probably the best decision I made for him.

• They limit the number of kids they take in and have a waiting list for those who want to enroll but can't at the moment. This helped keep the class number sizes reasonable instead of chaotic.
• The teachers are so kind and hands on and they truly care about the kids.
• They do have structured activities so the kids are actually learning something and not just playing.
• They're very big on sanitation.
• They're play area is HUGE in the back and they give so many options for the kids to play.
• When it was time for JAM to switch to the 4/5 classroom they informed me that he was ready and they let him visit the new room every day until it was time to fully switch to help make the transition less scary.
• They communicated anything and everything. If it was a little scratch that they had to tend to they'd write a note for me to sign and verify that I was aware of what happened, and if he bumped his head while playing or something I'd get a phone call in addition to the note.
• They made me feel so welcomed when I wanted to drop in. I even joined in on nap time between classes (whoops! haha).
• They held many events where families could attend.
• They had guest speaker come to introduce the kids to a variety of things (teeth brushing, careers, etc.)
• They'd visit the campus garden to help plant things or take "field trips" to the library and fire station on campus (I even had tons of fun visiting the fire station hehe).
• Most of the teachers had a teaching degree or were students from the college earning a teaching degree so they'd bring a lot of fresh, new ideas to do with the kids.

The list goes on and on but moral of the story, don't count your campus childcare out! They even accept the public at very reasonable prices. Anytime I had any questions or concerns, his teachers took the time to address it. They also held parent/teacher conferences to show JAM's progress. Basically, I was ALWAYS in the loop. The staff became family to us and we still make an effort to visit anytime we're on that side of town. Anything I did at home they reinforced at school. I told them what he was required to know to start Kindergarten and they worked that into his daily schedule so that he'd be ready. They also talked to him about what to expect when going to Kindergarten so again, it would be an easier transition. Granted that I was doing a lot with JAM at home, but by the time JAM "graduated" from the campus childcare he learned how to cope with his feelings and emotions instead of acting out, he learned how to share (which was hard for this only child of mine), he knew all his colors, he could count to 20, he knew the alphabet, he could write his own name, and when it came time to do his Kindergarten assessment he passed with flying colors.These guys were all around awesome and JAM made tons of friends that he continues to keep in contact with even though he's in 1st grade now. Now Mahal's sister is ready to take the same steps with her daughter. She's a college student like me and had the same concerns. I told her to definitely shop around. Look into local early childhood developmental centers, check out if the local elementary school has a preschool, don't count out your campus childcare, take tours, ask questions, observe, and choose which on is the best for you.

What is your criteria for choosing the right childcare for your children?

Vegas Family Vacation: Paying for Shows and Attractions

If you're interested in shows and attractions that are longer than 5 minutes, and don't mind paying for entertainment, there's a few more fun things these hotels have to offer. There are so many shows  and attractions that Vegas has, but for now we'll stick to things that are suitable for the whole family:

*Paris - Eiffel Tower Observation Deck is located 46 stories up and the tower is a half scale replica of the Paris, France landmark. (Open Monday - Friday 9:30am - 12:20am, Saturday & Sunday 9:30am - 1am) Free admission for U.S. Military and on your birthday with valid photo ID. $11.50 for adults; $7.50 for seniors and children. The price increases after dark: from 7:15 p.m. - close admission is $16.50 for adults, $11.50 for seniors and children. TIP: the view is more beautiful after dark. Also sign up for the Total Rewards player's card to save $1 on the admission price.

*Stratosphere - Tower offers an observation deck and rides at the top. There's a fee to go up the tower: $20 - Adults, $12 - Child, $14 - Senior & Nevada Residents. TIP:Buying the Extreme Value Packages are more financially friendly if you plan to ride the rides but you can also pay for the rides individually:
      ~SkyJump - $119.99+
      ~Big Shot - $15 to ride
      ~X - Scream - $15 to ride
      ~Insanity - $15 to ride

*Mirage:
~Secret Garden (10 am - 7pm Daily) is where you can experience an exotic, enchanting and wondrous world at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat and come face to face with white lions, white tigers, panthers, leopards, and our family of Bottlenose Dolphins. Adults: $19.95, Children 4 - 12: $14.95, Children 3 and Under are Free.

~Terry Fator (Monday - Thursday @ 7:30pm with select Friday performances) is one that took me by surprise. I'm not usually into ventriloquism, but this "America's Got Talent" winner brings to life a hilarious range of characters including Winston, the impersonating turtle, Emma Taylor, the little girl with the big voice, and the newest addition, lounge singer Monty Carlo.  Children under 5 years of age are not permitted to attend the show. Tickets start at $59.99.

*Venetian:
~Children's Activities (Daily 10am - 6pm) Features a special theme for every month. Prices vary per activity

~Gondola Rides (Indoor: Sunday - Thursday @ 10am - 11pm, Friday - Saturday @ 10am - 12am; Outdoor - weather permitting: 11am - 10pm) Adults $18.95 - seats 4 people. Children 2 years old and younger are FREE. Private two-passenger gondola$75.80

~Madame Tussauds (Opens Daily 10am) The wax museum features over 100 celebrity wax figures! The best part of the museum is having the chance to get up-close and personal with each celebrity and touching is highly encouraged! Just be mindful of the figures because people have broken them to the point of knocking it over. Some replicas have fun little features included like if you touch Jennifer Lopez's butt, she blushes! Adults - $29.95, Children (4-12) - $19.95, Children 3 and under are FREE. Book online and save 20%

~Phantom of the Opera (Monday - Saturday @ 7pm and 9:30pm) is a great show to take the whole family, BUT it's closing it's curtains in Las Vegas on September 2nd, 2012!! It's definitely a must see and worth every penny. Tickets start at $59 for rear mezzanine tickets, but if your budget allows it, invest in tickets in the golden circle. TIP: sit as close to the chandelier as possible and thank me later.

~Blue Man Group (Daily at 7pm & 9:30pm) is an explosion of color, humor, music, and technology that comes to life every night.  It's a percussion-driven experience full of humor and energy. Tickets starting at $85.30. *UPDATE* THEY ARE NOW AT THE LUXOR HOTEL
 

*Circus Circus
~Midway: Carnival games for kids and kids at heart for only a couple bucks a game. TIP: sometimes you'll find a worker roaming around to break large bills. Find him and he sometimes gives you 2 for 1 game coupons to get more bang for your buck!

~Adventuredome (Hours vary. Check the website for hours of operation) Adventuredome is America's largest indoor theme park and features thrill rides, traditional carnival rides, laser tag, miniature golf, bumper cars, midway booths, an arcade, clown shows and so much more. All day ride pass - Regular Pass $29.95 (48 inches tall or taller) & Junior Pass $16.95 (Under 48 inches tall). They also sell tickets for each individual ride, but prices vary depending on the ride. Riders 33" and above are required to buy a ticket.

*Excalibur:
~ Tournament of Kings: (Jousting Dinner Show: Monday: 6 p.m., Tuesday: Dark, Wednesday: 6 p.m., Thursday: 6 & 8:30 p.m., Friday: 6, Saturday: 6 & 8:30 p.m., Sunday: 6 & 8:30 p.m.) This dinner and show features jousting, dancing, singing and a feast fit for a king. You have the option to buy a general admission ticket that includes a three- course dinner for $59 or a dinnerless admission for $44.35. Children three years and younger may attend free of charge and must sit on the adult's lap and share the adult's meal. If you're from Chicago, this show is very similar to something you'd experience at Medieval Times.

~ Fun Dungeon - Similar to the Circus Circus Midway with arcade games for a few dollars.

*Mandalay Bay - Shark Reef (Sunday - Thursday 10am - 8pm) is pretty popular with the kids (Open 10am - 10pm Daily). It houses more than 1,200 species of marine life including sharks, exotic fresh and saltwater fish, a 300-pound sea turtle and much more. Admission: Adults - $18, Children (5-12) - $12, Children 4 and under are FREE. They also offer a dive with sharks program. 1 Diver is $650.00 and 2 Divers is $1000.00. 2 Divers must be booked together. All divers must be dive certified and 18 years & older.


*Monte Carlo - Jabbawockeez (*UPDATED* Show Times: Thursday - Monday: 7pm & 9:30pm) is definitely one of my favorite shows to watch on the Strip. It's an intimate setting so any seat is a great seat in the house. It's set up like a movie theater so "second section" is just like the upper section in the movie theater. We were in Row P of the second section and look how close we were still! They provide awesome visual effects that help tell their amazing story through dance. If you want to interact with the crew grab seats on the main floor. Tickets starting at $60.50. TIP: the bass of the music is fairly strong so I would suggest ear plugs for the younger ones ones due to their sensitive ears. Kids under the age 5 of NOT permitted.  *UPDATE* They can now be found at the MGM Grand.

*New York New York - Roller Coaster (Sun - Thurs 11am - 11pm, Fri & Sat 10:30am - Midnight ) is the infamous ride that you can't miss on the outside of the hotel. Individual tickets are $14, but they offer packages as well that include multiple rides and a photo.

*Luxor:
~Titanic exhibition (open from 10am - 10pm) is a fun experience for the whole family. The exhibition features many never before seen artifacts and you can feel the history of the ship with every step you take. At the beginning of the exhibit, patrons receive a boarding pass of an actual passenger on Titanic. On the back of each boarding pass is the age and the itinerary of that person. At the end of the tour, patrons find out if he or she survived the Titanic by finding the name on the wall memorial.  General Admission is $32, Seniors (65 and over) - $30, Children (4 - 12 years) - $24, Children (3 & younger) are FREE.

~Bodies (open from 10am - 10pm) is a great exhibition that showcases real full-bodies and organs and provides a detailed, three-dimensional vision of the human form rarely seen outside of an anatomy lab. General Admission is $32, Seniors (65 and over) - $30, Children (4 - 12 years) - $24, Children (3 & younger) are FREE.

*Planet Hollywood:
~BeatleShow! (Nightly at 5:30pm) at the Saxe Theater is definitely the show to see for Beatles fanatics. The show takes you back in time and pays an amazing tribute to the game-changing group. They take a picture of your party before you enter the theater, which you can purchase for $10 after the show. On your way out stop for autographs and photos with the group! JAM had a blast even thought he wasn't too familiar with the music hehe. Tickets start at $59.99

~The Ultimate Variety Show (Nightly at 7pm & 8:30pm) in the V Theater is a fun show for the whole family! It's an intimate setting with funny hosts and an amazing variety of acts that will appeal to people of all ages. From magicians and comedians to high-flying acts and strength performers, V - The Ultimate Variety Show provides an amazing display of talent. It's definitely my go to show when groups with kids come into town and are looking for a decently priced show to watch on the Strip. Tickets starting at $69.99. TIP: if you want to take a chance, check out those half off ticket booths around the Strip the day you plan to see the show for a chance at cheaper priced tickets.

Our souvenir photo after the show with a border of the acts that performed.
They cut off my baby boy in the red stroller with the border hehe.

*Flamingo - Nathan Burton (Tuesday - Sunday at 4pm) is a fun comedy magic show for all ages. It's filled with magical illusions, entertaining dance and funny comedy routines. Tickets starting at $34.

*Treasure Island - Mystère (Showing Saturday - Wednesday at 7pm & 9:30pm) is an exhilarating blend of whimsy, drama and the unimaginable brought to life on stage with powerful athleticism, high-energy acrobatics and inspiring imagery. It provides a complete spectrum of awe-inducing entertainment with colorful sets, imaginative costumes and highly-skilled performers. Tickets starting at $69 for adults and $34.50 for children under 12 years old.

*MGM Grand - KÀ (Tuesday - Saturday at 7pm and 9:30pm) is the first production to feature a cinematic story line while maintaining flawless imagery, music, martial arts and acrobatics. It's an action-packed adventure story about Imperial Twins who are separated by an attack on their Far Eastern palace. Tickets starting at $69 for adults and $34.50 for children (5-12 years old). Children under the age of 5 are NOT permitted into the KA Theatre. TIP: It's better to sit a little farther than closer to view the stage as a whole since the show has a lot of dimension. If you sit in the front rows, you may be looking up at times.

*The Linq - High Roller (11:30am - 2am daily) is the world's largest observation wheel standing at 550 feet tall! This makes it 107 feet taller than the London Eye! Passengers can enjoy this 30-minute ride to enjoy breathtaking 360-degree views of the Las Vegas Strip. Each of their 28 spherical, Italian-handcrafted glass-enclosed cabins are air-conditioned and is equipped with two benches for seating. Each cabin can hold up to 40 people, but you can also rent out a cabin for a full scale wedding or private party where a bar and bartender can even be set up for your ride. You have the option to experience the daytime view or the nighttime view when the Strip is all lit up. Tickets for the Special Summer daytime ride ticket: $19.95, valid now through Labor Day (Normal daytime ride ticket: $24.95). Nighttime ride ticket: $34.95 (The price changes over at 7pm). One day flex pass (valid for one day or night ride, without having to choose a time): $44.95. Three day flex pass (valid for one day or night ride over a 3 day period, without having to choose a time) $54.95. Youth pricing (ages 13-17): $14.95 daytime ride, $24.95 nighttime ride. Children 12 and under are always free! There are discount packages for 2 adults and 2 youth tickets, as well as $5 off for locals, Flamingo hotel guests, and The Linq hotel guests. Don't forget about The Linq's Summer Bloq Party (Tuesdays from 4pm-7pm) where locals receive amazing discounts and specials during the Bloq Party time including 50% off the High Roller. As an added bonus for locals, the High Roller discount is valid ALL DAY Tuesday with a NV ID.

Call ahead and double check the age restrictions on some of the shows. Most shows are for all ages, but some don't allow children under the age of 5. Always check the website for summer specials on tickets. Also, even if you don't gamble, I always suggest for people to sign up for casino player's cards because you sometimes get a coupon book for signing up that have deals on show tickets. You can also get a discounted rate on show tickets just for presenting your player's card at the box office. No need to gamble to receive the discounts either! If you know someone locally, see if they're willing to use their local advantage to get DEEP discounts on most show tickets. Lastly, please be aware that there's usually an entertainment tax and service fee of about $11 PER TICKET tacked on to the final ticket price. So make sure you add that on when you're estimating your final group ticket total. These shows and attractions are some of the best features that Vegas has to offer. You'll be amazing by the different ways these shows portray their amazing art and creativity even on a small stage! What shows do you plan on checking out this summer?

Nevada residents!! We all know that Vegas loves their locals, but you'll be amazed at how much this city takes care of their residents! Call beforehand to ask if there's a local discount to any show and attraction. Most of the time you can get a discount 30%-50% off the original price! Make sure you also ask for discount limitations. Sometimes it's 1 discount per ID and sometimes it's maximum 8.

2012

Wow! I feel like New Year's Eve crept up on us so fast! I swear it was just summer last month! But, like I always tell JAM, time doesn't wait for anyone. I'd have to say that 2012 was a pretty successful year. At the very least, I know it was definitely a time of reflection and soul searching on my half. I wrapped up my first half of the year finishing my prerequisites for my nursing program, and even applied to UNLV. I felt like I finally made it when I got accepted into an actual university, but that was short lived when I decided that the financial path that better suited my family was to complete an associates degree in nursing instead. Now, after much contemplating, I'm actually considering changing my degree all together! *sigh* oh college life. Thankfully, I have such a supportive family who will cheer me on no matter what route I decide to take.

My year continued on, and it was the little things that were the highlight of my year. JAM lost his first tooth! I shared all my fun tricks on how I used to loosen my wiggly teeth when I was his age, which resulted in him pulling out his 2nd lost tooth at school haha. whoops! He also wrapped up his second season of soccer at the beginning of the year, scoring at least 2 goals every game! Once that was over, we made the decision to allow him to pierce his ears. Eek! However, he took it like a champ. He finished off the year starting 1st grade and his catechism classes to earn the sacrament of communion. His 1st grade teacher said he's the top of his class completing all his 1st grade goals already and he's only halfway through the year! We couldn't be prouder. He also wrapped up a third season of soccer this fall in a higher division, which meant tournaments. This was his teams first year in this division unlike the other teams. The Little Rascals finished in 3rd place overall! Not bad considering the other teams have been in this division for 2+ years and this was their first season.

Once summer 2012 was in full swing, my dad's side of the family reunited and I hosted our first ever cousins reunion in South Lake Tahoe, NV/CA. I'd say that was definitely the highlight of the summer for sure. It was a little unconventional just having the cousins attend but that's how it always was growing up. The adults would do their own thing and have "adult time" in the kitchen while the cousins would wreak havoc. So, it only seemed right to have a cousins reunion. Maybe later on we'll have an actual family reunion, but this year's cousins reunion in Lake Tahoe was the best.

We wrapped up the summer celebrating our 3 birthdays with Mahal celebrating a milestone birthday by turning 25. Mahal and I also celebrated our 7 year anniversary of being a couple. Man, 7 years already?! It feels great to know I have such a compatible partner in life. Many people search their whole lives trying to find that perfect fit so I'm grateful every day that God has blessed my life with Mahal.

There were a few other things that I'm thankful for this year. For those of you who don't know, my grandparents are my world. This year my grandpa had major heart surgery to add to the other health issues he's gained over the years. It was scary to watch him go through it all but I'm grateful that he's getting stronger as each day passes. I know they're both is getting older, but every extra day I have with my grandparents I'm grateful for. The one thing that caught me off guard this year was when my mom randomly got sick. She was misdiagnosed with multiple diseases until she was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called myasthenia gravis. She went through a lot of treatment to ease the symptoms of her incurable disease, and that was real hard to watch her go through especially since I couldn't physically be by her side. The thought of possibly losing my mom scared the heck out of me, but thankfully she's getting better and her symptoms are slowly dissipating. I don't know where I'd be without this woman so it was the icing on the cake that she was able to fly out to Las Vegas with my step dad this year to celebrate the holidays with us.

On a lighter note, God didn't stop with the blessings in my life. This second half of the year was full of babies galore! 2 of my friends gave birth to beautiful baby girls, my aunt gave birth to the 15th grandchild on my mom's side, and my family still has 2 more additions arriving in 2013! My 2 cousins on my dad's side who are brother and sister are both expecting! He's expecting a little girl and she's expecting a little boy. I'm so excited to watch my family grow and watch the little ones have the same fun experiences of growing up in a big family like I did.

We wrap up the year by taking our first family photos finally after 6 years of waiting. The photos turned out great thanks to Amanda Ferrari Photography, and I can't wait to take more in the future. Our Christmas was perfect this year with my mom and step dad flying into town. We all headed to California to join my uncle and his family in celebrating their 1st Christmas in their beautiful, new home.

Photographer: Amanda Ferrari Photography

Last but certainly not least, I'm absolutely grateful for my Chitown and All Around readers! I started this blog at the end of May 2012 as a personal outlet and to possibly help someone out there who may ever go through some of the things I've gone through in life. I'm definitely no pro in anything in life, but hopefully sharing my wisdom has done some good in the world. It hasn't even been a year for my blog, but thanks to all of you I hit my goal of getting 50 likes on my Facebook page and I'm entering the new year with 10,000+ views on my blog. You guys are awesome and I hope you continue to enjoy my blog and spread the word about it.

I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me and for Chitown and All Around! I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, happy, and healthy new year! XOXO

What topics or ideas would you like to see on Chitown and All Around in 2013?

Aviation Nation

In true patriotism to follow up this week's election, Aviation Nation is this weekend (November 10-11) at the Nellis Air Force Base. My cousin and I took our kids 2 years ago and I'm excited to go back again this year. For those of you that don't know, Aviation Nation is Nellis' annual open house and largest FREE public event in Nevada. General admission is FREE and the Las Vegas Motor Speedway donates their public parking lot for everyone to park in for FREE. There is a shuttle bus that takes from from the speedway parking lot to the Air Force Base. You do go through a quick security before you approach the shuttle bus for safety precautions. You can check the website to see what's allowed. Just think of it as an airport security search to decide what is appropriate or not to bring to this event.

Look how big the plan way compared to our kiddos underneath!

My cousin and I honestly didn't know what to expect. Obviously we assumed that we'd see a bunch of airplanes, but there was so many other cool things! They have a huge arrangements of aerial demonstrations throughout the day, you get to meet pilots, take pictures with and in some cool looking planes, absorb the history of the Air Force, and enjoy some yummy food in between. This event is BIG and PACKED, but there's more than enough open area where it doesn't feel crowded or overwhelming. Gates will open at 9 a.m. with opening ceremony and national anthem at 10:30 a.m. Flying acts will perform from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

I honestly don't remember half of the types of planes I saw, but there was a huge array of them. Big ones, small ones, sleek ones, fat ones, propelled ones, jets, metallic ones, yellow ones, ones you can fit 20 people in, or ones that are made for just one person. The aerial acts are in such close proximity that I would recommend bringing headphones or ear plugs for the little ones. However, at the same time, having it so close is what makes it sooooo cool! They do all these dips, turns, and dives that you can't help but say "ooh!" and "aah!" out loud haha. There's even a segment where soldiers jump with parachutes off a plane ranging from 5,000 to 11,000 feet in the air! They also had colored smoke on their boots so it just added to the amazement when they'd do their spins and stuff in the air. They even landed on a target where the crowd could circle around and see them land!

This soldier was from Las Vegas and this was is 451st jump!

They also had fun games for the kids where they could try to earn prizes. My nephew even tried to compete against a soldier in a chin-up contest haha. There were a lot of other hands on things that the kids got to do like sit in the planes, try on bomb squad suits, take photos with military grade guns (unloaded of course), and walk through some of the planes to see what it's like inside. There's a bunch of pilots around the area and next to these planes to ask questions and take pictures with. They were handing out newspapers and we had the kids ask every pilot they came across to sign their newspaper. These people are our heroes so of course we wanted their autograph. Both the kids and the pilots got a kick out of it.

It was definitely an AMAZING event and all the kids LOVED it. I can't wait to check it out again this weekend! This event is perfect timing with the past elections and upcoming veterans day. Events like this remind me why I'm proud to be an American and how thankful I am to have these guys fighting for us. I appreciate you all and thank you for all that you do.

Do you plan to head to the Base this weekend?