Snorkeling for Kids - Use the Right Mask

Children's Snorkel Mask

Junior Masks

It is very important for your child's mask to be comfortable and water tight.  A junior mask that has a flexible rubber type seal will feel softer against your child's face.  It will also create a better water-tight seal.  A good mask depends on a good mask fit, instead of a really tight head strap.

Small Mask

I have ordered masks online and have purchased masks at our local sporting goods store.  Both have worked well, but it has been important to request that my child try on the mask.  For sizing, my 4-yr-old still clearly needs a junior or child mask.  However, my 8-yr-old, is now big enough to wear a small adult mask.  Being able to use an adult-sized mask gives him a wider range of products and features... such as the valve in the nose of the mask, which adds better functionality.

Valve in Nose of Mask

I've not seen one brand of mask perform much better than another for children.  But, also, children tend to be tougher on their snorkel equipment.  So, masks are bound to get scratched, dropped, and casually tossed in the sand.  We are always careful to wash ours out at the beach and to wash them up at home, but we buy them with the intent to use them... wear will happen.

Prescription Mask for Far-Sightedness

A change for us, that has impacted our snorkeling, has been my son getting glasses in kindergarten.  By this point he was a good snorkeler and had a great fitting mask.  But, suddenly he wasn't seeing everything that we were seeing in the water.  Unfortunately, his eyes are bad enough, that it is very important for him to wear his glasses.  Thanks to a fabulous idea from a friend, for our last vacation, we purchased a prescription snorkeling mask online.  It worked amazingly well and made seeing all the underwater life so much better for my son. (We purchased the adult size mask, and it fit our 8-year-old.) http://www.snorkel-mart.com/detail.cfm?ProductID=121&AllocatedProductID=120#.UUkvPlfm8Z0

We have tried many things to keep our masks fog-free, but have found a fantastic solution (thanks to some experienced divers in Hawaii)!  We mix 1/3 baby shampoo and 2/3 water in a small spray bottle, and use this solution to lightly spritz the inside of the mask.  Rub the solution over the lens surface and quickly rinse in the ocean or lake water.  This works super well and is safe for eyes!!  We keep the spray bottle in a small zip-top bag that travels with our snorkel gear. 

   

Snorkeling for Kids - Using a Wetsuit for Your Child

A Necessary Snorkeling Item for Kids - A Good Wetsuit

Snorkeling is one of our family's favorite activities.  We only usually check two bags, at the airport, on a vacation, and one of them is packed with snorkeling gear!  That being said, good snorkel gear is very important in our family.  Through some trial and error, we found that the biggest thing that ends children's fun when snorkeling --- is getting cold.  Being chilled will make nearly every child want to stop snorkeling and head for the beach.  Because of their smaller size, children become colder much faster than adults.

The solution to this problem is a great fitting wetsuit.  We have tried renting them, but have decided for our family, the best choice is to buy.  Currently, my son has a very nice suit that was picked up second hand for $15 and my daughter has one that we purchased from a a great online shop for $35.  http://www.wetsuitwearhouse.com/wetsuits/category/kids-juniors-wetsuits.html

Wetsuits with Easy-Use Back Zippers

Our vacation destinations are usually lovely tropical islands, with warm waters.  However, even the warm tropical waters chill most children before the adults want to stop snorkeling.  A snug-fitting, thick neoprene wetsuit can double the amount of time (in our experience), that your child, will comfortably be able to snorkel.  When considering how much money is spent to take a vacation, an extra $15-50 for a wetsuit is a tiny investment.  The wetsuit will make your child more buoyant, keep them warm, and make snorkeling more enjoyable for everyone.

Our preference is the shorty wetsuit, which allows your child plenty of freedom of movement.  A full wetsuit can be restricting and then your child will likely not be inclined to wear it.  If you have a very young child, we highly recommend a warm belly wetsuit!  It is super cute and works exceptionally well and is one of the only thick wetsuit sized for a young child.  http://www.warmbelly.com/

Hang to Fully Dry

Once you own a great wetsuit, it is important to care for it properly.  At the beach, rinse well in fresh water (in Hawaii there are usually always open-air showers available).  And, once home, we learned the easiest way to clean them up (from a great snorkel tour group), simply fill a bath tub with some fresh water and a little bit of baby shampoo.  Then make sure to fully wash them off, inside and out.  Once rinsed well with the soapy water, rinse with fresh water, and hang to dry.  When fully dry, store for the next vacation.  A good wetsuit, will keep everyone in the water longer... and for our family, that is a great thing!

Snorkel Gear for Kids - Best Flippers

Soft Foot Pocket for Little Feet

Snorkel Gear for Kids - Finding Great Flippers

Both of our children (4-yr-old and 8-yr-old) are snorkelers!  It is an exciting hobby and fun activity that our family shares.  Our son first tried his snorkel gear in the open ocean with us at a snorkel site off of Maui... the gorgeous Molokini, when he was only 2 1/2-yrs-old.  It was a rocky start, and he ended up bobbing along, cradled safely in my arm as I snorkeled.  But, by 3 1/2-yrs-old, he was snorkeling better than many adults on our vacation in Mexico.  It is very important for kids to have good snorkeling gear to give them confidence in the water.  That being noted, it is incredibly difficult to find quality gear that will work for little faces and little feet.

XSmall Size Flipper

Through much trial and error, I have finally found a good flipper for little feet.  They are a softer rubber material, have a nice foot area, stay on in the water, and are made well.  Both of my children used these flippers for 2 weeks in Hawaii and the flippers still look brand new.  The flippers helped them maneuver easily through the water.  Also, the flippers were easy to slip on in the water, and they stayed on their feet!!

XXXSmall Flipper

Check these out, the price cannot be beat and the shipping was quick.  The one downside is that they are only available in one color per size.  My daughter, who wears a toddler size 9 1/2-10 1/2 fit the XXXSmall (solid blue) perfectly, they were a little roomy, but stayed on perfectly.  My son, who wears a youth size 2 1/2- 3 fit the XSmall (blue and orange).  They are available on the Swim to Win website (link below) in many sizes and my price was $12.99/each with free shipping.  Try these for your little swimmer - happy snorkeling!

http://www.swimtowin.com/BETR.aspx

Ordered for BetterTimes Swim Fins:

• Size: XXXS - 8-11 Child
• Size: XS - 1-3 Child

California Adventure: Best Places to Eat for Young Families

• CA Adventure
• Corn Dog Castle (California Adventure)
• Rancho del Zocalo (Frontierland - Disneyland)
• Pacific Wharf Cafe (California Adventure)
• Princess Breakfast - Ariel's Grotto (California Adventure)
• 
  
• Tiki Juice Bar (Adventureland - Disneyland)

Best Places to Eat for Young Families - Disneyland Frontierland

Best Places to Eat for Young Families - Disneyland Frontierland... 

And a super yummy treat that shouldn't be missed on Main Street.

Disneyland Where to Eat - Frontierland & Main Street

• Rancho del Zocalo - Frontierland
•  Kids Chicken Taco
• My daughter loved this and ate most of it.
• Chicken Tortilla Soup
• My son did not like this, it was not tasty and is not a good choice.
• Carne Asada & Red Chile Enchilada Platter
• It was good, filling, and able to be shared some with our son, because the portion was bigger.
• Soft Tacos Monterrey
• Ordered these as chicken tacos and they were decent, taste was mild, but really worked well for sharing with the kids.  Plus left us all full.

• River Belle Terrace - Frontierland
• Tennessee BBQ Pork Sandwich
• Flavor was good, portion was great, plus the sandwich bar stuff was wonderful.  It was easy to add some extra lettuce and tomatoes, making this plate stretch to feed both me and my daughter.
• Mississippi Turkey Breast
• It had a little more of a processed lunch meat taste and my husband thought it didn't taste as good as it looked.
• Smucker's Uncrustables Sandwich
• Not great and super pricey, plus not filling and left my son sharing with my husband.
• Chocolate Cake
• Super yummy and was a nice treat for us that day.

• Golden Horseshoe - Frontierland
• Fish & Chips
• Little greasy, but good flavor and filling lunch.  Was recommended to us by one of the Disney employees as his pick of all the restaurants for food quality and value.
• Corn Dog
• We don't typically eat corn dogs, but these are really good.  Love that they are fried to a really dark golden brown and feels like an upscale 'fair food' item.

• Candy Treats - Main Street 
• We keep daydreaming about these incredibly delicious handmade toffee bars, that are covered in chocolate, and rolled in chopped pecans.  Our family bought one little package to enjoy at the park and one to take home.  Super delicious!!  

Big Island - Kona - Best Dessert - South Kona Fruit Stand

Try the South Kona Fruit Stand

Fresh Fruits and Delicious Desserts

We were very excited to find a true little gem on our last trip to the Big Island of Hawaii.  The South Kona Fruit Stand is amazing!!  We stopped there multiple times and enjoyed each and every little treat that we tried!!  http://www.southkonafruitstand.com/

Some of the delicious items that our family loved are the following:

• Mini Macadamia Nut Pies were the best choice and we are still thinking about them, hoping to figure out a similar recipe we can make home.

• Tropical Carrot Cake had a lovely pineapple flavor mixed in with the carrots and macadamia nuts and the cream cheese frosting was delicious.

• Brownies with Shaved Coconut were rich, dark, and slightly chewy... the perfect brownie and our children's favorite dessert.

• Coconut Macaroons with Dark Chocolate and Toasted Macadamia Nuts were beautiful to look at and a fabulous flavor combination.  Plus, they are huge, my husband and I shared!  

• Fresh Fruit Smoothies were absolutely delightful... fresh fruit blended in an excellent flavor combination.  My personal favorite was the Pineapple-Banana with coconut milk - Awesome!!!

We were very impressed with their incredible fruit selection, the helpfulness of the staff, and the great coffee!!  Also, they have a really wonderful little product from a local person that makes a honey and beeswax lip balm, a fun little souvenir.  We highly recommend trying the South Kona Fruit Stand for a new fruit (be sure and try the native apple-bananas!!) and a yummy dessert to enjoy.

Disneyland - Best Places to Eat - New Orleans Square

Best Places to Eat in Disneyland - New Orleans Square

These are the places that our family enjoys dining at, in the Disneyland Park, in New Orleans Square.  We love the ambiance of the Blue Bayou and think it is a 'must do' during each Disneyland vacation.  Be sure and get your reservations early.  Also, please note that we have tried supper there many times.  We are not impressed with the higher food costs and lack of our favorite entree.  Side Note- If you want to sit by the water, expect to wait for your table... even with a reservation.

Disneyland - New Orleans Square:

• Blue Bayou for lunch - New Orleans Square
• Monte Cristo Sandwich
• Super yummy, both kids loved it!  Think ham and cheese, french toast type bread, and a great jam sauce for dipping.  It should be noted that this is a pricey lunch at nearly $24/entree at the time of our visit, but two entrees fed our family of four.  It is only available at lunch time (important to note, this is our favorite item on both lunch/supper menu, and is the least expensive).  This is a great way to experience the fun of dining in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.  Our kids love it!!!  Make reservations well in advance.

• Harbour Galley - New Orleans Square
• Clam Chowder
• Served hot in a bread bowl, this soup is good.  The bread bowl is excellent.  But, neither of our kids enjoyed the soup.  They both wanted the top part of the bread bowl as a snack and we had to get them meals from the French Market, next door.

• French Market - New Orleans Square
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Extremely simple 'Kraft' style macaroni and cheese, with fresh veggies and fruit, served in a Mickey Mouse shaped plate.  Not a lot of food, but seemed fresher and hotter than some of the other kid entrees.

Lemon German Pancake

A New Breakfast Idea - Lemon German Pancake

Weekend breakfasts are special at our house.  It is a time when we are all home together and enjoy a wonderful cooked breakfast.  Everyone is happy, well-rested, and ready to begin a great day. 

My kids love breakfast foods, especially pancakes and waffles.  However, I am always looking for new ideas to mix into our routine breakfast options.  This recipe is fabulous!  It is a type of pancake, but packs a much bigger protein punch. 

Paired with fresh berries (and in our house a fresh fruit smoothie), it is a yummy and healthy breakfast!!

 

Please click the link below for my recipe-
http://plannedspontaneousadventurerecipes.blogspot.com/2013/03/lemon-german-pancake.html

Scotland Supper - Split Pea Soup and Cornbread

For me, the memory of Scotland could not be complete without the thought of a wonderful lunch in a very beautiful castle one rainy afternoon.  The lunch was very simple, split pea soup and cornbread.  Whenever I make this lovely supper for my family, I remember the wonderful time spent during that vacation.
This is a delicious soup cooks itself, great idea for a busy night.  The cornbread is super easy to make, and my kids love helping me stir it up.  Best of all, both of my kids love this supper and eat with no complaints!

Please click on my link above (Just My Recipes) or Click the shortcuts below.

http://plannedspontaneousadventurerecipes.blogspot.com/2013/03/cornbread.html
http://plannedspontaneousadventurerecipes.blogspot.com/2013/03/split-pea-soup.html

Disneyland Park - Best Places to Eat in Adventureland

Adventureland in Disneyland Park


Here are our favorites for Adventureland, which is our favorite place in the Disneyland Park.  Our go-to meal was the Outback Vegetable Skewer, Bengal Beef Skewers, and children's milk from Bengal Barbecue, paired with some fresh fruit from the Tropical Imports fruit market.

We found this to be the most balanced meal possible in the park.  Providing veggies, protein, fruit, and milk -- which satisfied our 4-yr-old and 8-yr-old.






Best Places to Eat:

• Bengal Barbecue - Adventureland
•  Outback Vegetable Skewer
• Both kids loved the red potato and sampled the other veggies.
• Chieftain Chicken Skewers
• The milder and sweet taste was well-liked by both kids.
• Bengal Beef Skewer
• Good flavor, but was a bit tougher, the kids ate it fairly well.
• Banyan Beef Skewer
• The kids did not like this so much, it was too spicy.
• Safari (Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus) Skewer
• Kids tried it, but didn't like it... my husband and I loved it!!

•  Tropical Imports Fruit Market - Adventureland
• Pineapple Spears are the best!!
• Watermelon Slices were a big hit!

• Tiki Juice Bar - Adventureland
• Dole Pineapple Whip
• Super loved it, a light creamy pineapple ice cream concoction.
• Dole Pineapple Whip Float
• This is even better than the whip, it is the whip in a glass floating on pineapple juice.  A little slice of pure tropical heaven.  Best to grab these from inside the waiting area for The Enchanted Tiki Room.  The line is never ending, but worth the wait.

Disneyland - Where Do We Stop to Eat? Our advice to young families.

Disneyland has many dining options, so it is important to spend your money wisely, when traveling with your young family.  It is always frustrating to have a meal that is left uneaten.  So, I will be sharing a few posts on our favorite places to eat in Disneyland, plus what we ordered and the kid appeal of each item.  This should help families navigate the tricky choices of where to best spend your money... to keep everyone fed and happy.

Disneyland - Best Place to Stay - Our Favorite Hotel

We are a single income family, so it is no surprise that cost figures into our hotel decisions.  Our goal is always to find a hotel with great reviews that is moderately priced and then select a higher room category.  It has been our family's decision to avoid the over-the-top luxury hotels and stay in their lowest room category.

After having tried several different 'off property' hotels for Disneyland, we have settled on a favorite.  It has been an easy choice for us based on a few criteria, including: room condition, proximity, cost, breakfast, cleanliness, and reviews.  For those reasons, we really enjoy staying at the Best Western Park Place Inn & Mini Suites.  http://www.parkplaceinnandminisuites.com/

Their rooms are large and the beds are comfortable.  There is a little living area space in the suite with a couch, chair, and small table.  It makes the room a lot more user friendly for a family.  We had our double jogger stroller with us and had no problem parking it in our room out of the way.  It was also very appreciated that the rooms had mini fridges and very accessible ice machines.  Our family always travels with reusable water bottles (that can open to a wider mouth for ice).  It is a huge cost savings and works great!

This hotel comes with free breakfast coupons.  These are redeemed next door in the upstairs part of the restaurant.  The selection does not really rotate, but the basics of a hot breakfast and cold breakfast, plus fresh fruit are available.  This is not only a huge cost savings for us, but also a big time saver.  No deciding on where to eat breakfast, being seated, ordering, etc.  It is a win-win for our family.

Best of all is this hotel's proximity to Disneyland and California Adventure!!!  It is hard to see on each hotel's website how close they actually are to the park.  Every hotel looks so very close, but that isn't the truth.  With this hotel, it really is the truth.  The crosswalk for Harbor Blvd is directly in front of the hotel!!  (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=best+western+park+place+inn&hl )  After crossing the street, you will find yourself on Disney property.  A short walk up Disney's sidewalk lands you right between Disneyland and California Adventure.  Disneyland entrances on the right and California Adventure on the left!  The short walk is good in the morning, and even better in the evening... when everyone is exhausted from a long day.

When we visited the hotel in April of 2012, I had been watching hotel prices faithfully online for months (yep, I am a deal shopper!).  Finally, I just called the hotel directly and got a much better price.  My daily rate for 2 adults/2 kids was $99/day!  It is important to note, that again, I called the hotel directly and requested a better price.  Also, we did not have a car rental, so they gave me an extra discount for not having a car.  Hope this helps in your hotel selection.

Specific questions about our experience with this hotel, the breakfast, Disneyland?  Please feel free to ask away!  

Disneyland Tickets

$20 More = 2 Extra Days of Fun

Our family vacationed for our second time* to Disneyland in April/May of 2012.  We were lucky enough to have some wonderful friends meet us there and enjoy the vacation with us!

We initially purchased 6-day Hopper Passes (the longest available on Disney's website) for our family.  However, our vacation was for 8 days in Anaheim, so I called Disneyland directly to see about extending our tickets.  I was super excited to find out that this was possible and was extremely inexpensive!!

Our Favorite Family Attraction :  Pirates of the Caribbean

When we arrived, we converted our 6-day Hopper Passes  to 8-day Hopper Passes at the Main Entrance ticket booth.  At the booth, I explained our situation, they very quickly traded my 6-day tickets for 8-day tickets... for a grand total of only $20 for our whole family!!!!  (Translates into $2.50/person per extra day!)  This gave us more flexibility and allowed a leisurely pace, which we really appreciated with two young children.

Our family was able to visit every attraction in both Disneyland and California Adventure, see all the available shows, dine at every place that sparked our interest, and enjoy spending time together without rushing around.  I highly recommend looking into this option for your own vacation!

*Side Note:  My husband and I have vacationed to Disney before having kids and now -- totaling 5x!  So, expect to see many more of our tips for a great vacation with and without kiddos!

Spring Roll Supper

My kids love interactive supper ideas.  The minute they get to add this or that, roll up a wrapper, try a dipping sauce... they are hooked!!  So, here is our latest healthy supper - fresh Asian spring rolls.

First, I cut carrots, sweet peppers, and English cucumber into matchsticks.  Second, chopping the herbs- we like fresh mint, cilantro, and basil.  I set out a large serving plate and make neat little piles of each ingredient.

Third comes the shredded lettuce, make sure the shred is very fine.  This, I heap into a bowl.  Our family uses a lot! 

Next, cook the chicken.  I slice up the three raw chicken breasts into very small strips.  Then, I cook them in a frying pan with a tablespoon of olive oil.  As the chicken cooks, I add a sprinkle of salt, a tablespoon of dry ginger, a tablespoon of freshly minced garlic, and a pinch of red chili flakes... plus a 1/4 cup of water.  Cook thoroughly over low heat.

We alternate a super quick cook rice vermicelli or just plain rice.  Either works great!  The rice noodles have proved more fun, for the kids.

Then it is time to set out the tray of fresh veggies/herbs, ginger chicken, rice noodles, rice papers ( and a very shallow bowl of warm water to soften the papers), and sauces.  We enjoy many different sauces, including: plum, sweet chili, chili garlic, sweet n' sour, and sriracha!!

We each take turns getting our rice paper and filling it with yummy combinations.  A very healthy supper that is delicious and fun!!

My Blueberry Muffin Recipe

My family loves warm blueberry muffins for breakfast - and through much trial and error, I have a recipe that I love to make on a weekend morning.

Blueberry Muffins

• In a large bowl, mix together the following:
• 3 cups of AP Flour
• 3/4 cup of Sugar
• 4 1/2 tsps Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• In a small bowl, whisk together
• 1 1/8 cup of Milk
• 1/2 cup of Canola Oil
• 2 Eggs (beaten)
• Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, only mixing until combined.
• Then add 1 1/2 cups of either frozen or fresh blueberries.

Once mixed, fill 12 greased muffin cups evenly.  I prefer to use a stoneware muffin pan and canola spray.  Then bake in a 400F oven for 24 minutes.  The muffins are done, when they are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.


Enjoy with Kauai Honey (or any type of honey), some wonderful whipped butter, or maybe some homemade jam!!

Blueberry Muffins, fresh from the oven!

Kauai Island Honey

Kauai Island Honey

   Is there anything better than honey?  Maybe, but not to our family!  We collect different types of honey everywhere we vacation.  And our favorite type to date is Kauai Island Honey, which we have purchased directly in Hawaii, but can be ordered here (http://www.hilohattie.com/Kauai-Island-Honey-P1990.aspx#) from Hilo Hatties.  This honey is a dark amber color and very sweet with a tropical taste. 

We first tried this honey at the Kokee Lodge in Kauai on some fabulous cornbread and have been hooked ever since.  So, when we just got home from the Big Island (with 6 bottles of honey tucked in our luggage), I made up my wonderful blueberry muffins to enjoy some yummy honey!!

Expanding our Tastes

I really believe in traveling using your palate.  It is a great way to expand yourself and get in touch with how other cultures choose to cook and the ingredients they use.  Having my children help shop, cook, and try new things has widened all of our views.  And, we each have even found new favorites that will be permanent additions to our weekly family repertoire.

Kids, Car Seats, and Leg Cramps

Waking up during the night after a long car ride with awful leg cramps happens in our family.  I know it happens for other parents too, and this is a great idea to help understand and minimize that problem.

For any car ride longer than one hour, it is super important for us to provide our kids with a "footrest" for their car seats.  This usually consists of a few mashed duffel bags or pillows, so that they can stop their legs from dangling.  As an engineer, I know that this constant pressure on the back of their little thighs inhibits blood flow and helps cause cramping. 

We also believe in stopping every couple of hours and running laps at the rest area, or taking a stroll around the restaurant we have stopped at for lunch.  A little forethought helps prevent this unnecessary pain and resulting grumpiness.

Kids in the Car, Getting Ready

We have extended family that lives up to 8 hours away, so car trips have become necessary.  Here are a few ideas that have made it easier for our family.

• Create an 'Activity Bin' between or beside the car seats.  This could include-
• Large zip-top bag of crayons and markers.
• Coloring and activity books.
• Picture and reading books.
• A zip-top bag of stickers. (I just include an assortment of leftovers from our craft stuff.)
• A zip-top bag of small figures and toys.
• A few soft and cuddly stuffed animals.
• One nice drink cup for each child, that is spill-proof, easy for them to use, and preferably has a large mouth for filling. (Much easier to stock with ice at each stop.)
• Media that could keep your child entertained, in our house that includes-
• Ipad
• Portable DVD player and movies
• Small and soft blanket for covering up.
• Snacks
•  Here are some of my children's favorites-
• Whole grain gold fish are great.
• Dried Fruit
• Trail Mix
• Granola Bars
• Cheerios
• Kept upfront for the parents to hand out for good behavior, we do something a little more treat-like.
• M&M's
• Dum Dum suckers
• A small purchase at a gas station also feels like a huge treat for our kids, and they might get to split some licorice or other candy.

Another thing we have done lately is to bring a few books on CD and play them during the periods when everyone is more quiet or tiring from their activities.  Most of all, patience and a sense of humor help to preserve any parent's sanity.

The Start of a New Adventure

  "I've worked very hard to plan a spontaneous adventure!" (Martin Harvey from the movie Captain Ron)  This is one of my favorite travel quotes, because it pretty much sums up me.  I love to travel, love to have an adventure, like to believe it is spontaneous, but actually plan every detail.  Through much trial and error, we are lucky enough to experience some amazing family vacations and daily adventures.  
  I am excited to share our adventures with travel -- and some simple but necessary things like ideas for packing lists, ideas to make traveling easier for everyone, and just enjoy the sharing of travel information.