Featured Family Travel Deals
Planning a trip on Virgin America? Jetsetter is running a sale on Virgin America Vouchers. Need an invite? Here's your invitation
The Hyatt Grand in Seattle is offering an American Girl Doll Package. I'll be writing about our experiences there soon!
Hotels.com is offering $20 off with 3 night booking!
Featured Travel Gear Deal
The lightweight Britax Car Seat Travel Cart
connects to a car seat using the latch attachment so that you can roll it through the airport as a stroller. It is on sale at Amazon for $60 ($19 off).
eBags is offering up to 70% off on bags in their winter clearance event
Weekly deals always represent a savings over standard rates or represent a special package that is attractive to families. Advertisers may purchase a listing in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals, and I verify that the deal is available at press time and that it would be attractive to DeliciousBaby readers. Some links may be affiliates links, which means that I receive a small commission if you make a purchase at the site (don't worry, it doesn't cost you more) If you are interested in information about being listed in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals post, please send me email: debbie AT deliciousbaby DOT com.
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Posted on February 23, 2012 |
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Don't worry, it's fake
Related Links:
Portland, Oregon with Kids
World Forestry Center in Portland, Oregon
What is Photo Friday?
- Post a travel photo on your site. It can be about any topic, as long as it is G-rated.
- The focus of the post should be on your photo.
- You don't need to be a professional photographer (I'm not), but do showcase your best work, and make it big enough to see well!
- It's nice to include a few sentences about the photo, but it is not required.
- Link back here so that your readers can see all the other great Photo Friday posts.
We're headed up to Whistler soon for a ski vacation. It's a great excuse for me to dig out books about snow. My very favorite is Snow, by Uri Shulevitz
.
For me, this book, in which grumpy adults assure an enthusiastic child that there will be "NO SNOW" (only to be proven wrong) perfectly captures the magic and wonder of those first snowflakes tumbling out of the sky and blanketing the world around you. The illustrations, which begin with just a single snowflake falling on the city, are mesmerizing, and this is one of those books that brings all three of my kids in close as soon as I open it up. Apparently they're not the only ones who love it, Snow was a 1998 New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year and a 1999 Caldecott Honor Book.
Related Links
Snow (Amazon)
Children's Books about Whistler, Canada
Children's Books for the Snow
Filed Under:
book-review
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Posted on February 16, 2012 |
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Featured Family Travel Deal
The Hyatt Grand in Seattle is offering an American Girl Doll Package. Darya and I are going to check it out ourselves this weekend!
Hotels.com is offering $20 off with 3 night booking!
Aulani, Disney's new resort in Hawaii is offering a sixth night free offer that includes a daily complementary breakfast. Curious about Aulani? Here's my Answers to your questions about Aulani Resort
Featured Travel Gear Deal
Eagle Creek's
No Matter What Duffel Bag, Black, Medium
is on sale for $64.95, $10 off of retail. This sturdy duffel is the one we use ourselves. It's roomy, and it has a slot that lets you slide it over the top handle of a wheeled bag. We can fit clothes for the whole family into our wheely + this duffel, which means just one thing to roll along at the airport.
eBags is offering up to 70% off on bags in their winter clearance event
Weekly deals always represent a savings over standard rates or represent a special package that is attractive to families. Advertisers may purchase a listing in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals, and I verify that the deal is available at press time and that it would be attractive to DeliciousBaby readers. Some links may be affiliates links, which means that I receive a small commission if you make a purchase at the site (don't worry, it doesn't cost you more) If you are interested in information about being listed in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals post, please send me email: debbie AT deliciousbaby DOT com.
2 comments |
Posted on February 15, 2012 |
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We're headed up to Whistler soon for a repeat visit. Our trip last year was the kids' first experience skiing. Darya started day two with uncertainty, she hadn't really gotten the hang of things, and being in the snow is a lot of work.
We promised to pick her up a bit early, but when we arrived she was in the middle of her first Green run! My husband and I couldn't have been more surprised, but we were thrilled to be there for the exuberant finish to that first run. She spotted us, waved from afar, and headed right back to the gondola, ready for another thrilling run. My little baby girl, the one who never fell in love with dancing, or gymnastics or soccer had found her sport.
Related Links:
Whistler With Kids
What is Photo Friday?
- Post a travel photo on your site. It can be about any topic, as long as it is G-rated.
- The focus of the post should be on your photo.
- You don't need to be a professional photographer (I'm not), but do showcase your best work, and make it big enough to see well!
- It's nice to include a few sentences about the photo, but it is not required.
- Link back here so that your readers can see all the other great Photo Friday posts.
I want to thank everyone who entered my giveaway to win a Traveling Toddler Car Seat Travel Accessory
. To enter, each person gave me some feedback about what they liked best on DelicousBaby - that feedback was very helpful to me!.
There were three randomly selected winners:
Winners, please send me your mailing address to receive prize!
Didn't win this time? Subscribe to DeliciousBaby or "like" DeliciousBaby on Facebook so that you don't miss a thing.
Related Links:
Traveling Toddler Car Seat Travel Accessory (Amazon)
My Favorite Travel Gear
Filed Under:
giveaways
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Posted on February 9, 2012 |
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Featured Family Travel Deal
The Four Seasons Whistler is offering a Family Ski Package that includes your room, lift passes, breakfast and more. My family visited last winter, here's my review of the Four Seasons Whistler
The Hyatt Grand in Seattle is offering an American Girl Doll Package. Darya and I are going to check it out ourselves this weekend!
Hotels.com is offering $20 off with 3 night booking!
Aulani, Disney's new resort in Hawaii is offering a sixth night free offer that includes a daily complementary breakfast. Curious about Aulani? Here's my Answers to your questions about Aulani Resort
Featured Travel Gear Deal
Eagle Creek's
No Matter What Duffel Bag, Black, Medium is on sale for $64.95, $10 off of retail. This sturdy duffel is the one we use ourselves. It's roomy, and it has a slot that lets you slide it over the top handle of a wheeled bag. We can fit clothes for the whole family into our wheely + this duffel, which means just one thing to roll along at the airport.
eBags is offering up to 70% off on bags in their winter clearance event
Weekly deals always represent a savings over standard rates or represent a special package that is attractive to families. Advertisers may purchase a listing in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals, and I verify that the deal is available at press time and that it would be attractive to DeliciousBaby readers. Some links may be affiliates links, which means that I receive a small commission if you make a purchase at the site (don't worry, it doesn't cost you more) If you are interested in information about being listed in DeliciousBaby's weekly deals post, please send me email: debbie AT deliciousbaby DOT com.
Filed Under:
weekly-deals
1 comment |
Posted on February 8, 2012 |
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This is a memory from last year's Family Trip to Whistler
Everest was done. Just through. He'd tried skiing for two days, and he hadn't quite gotten into a groove. To make things worse, his baby sister had surpassed him, speeding down the mountain on her first green run while he was still struggling with turns and snowplow stops. Everest is more cerebral than is sister, he needs time to think and reflect, and sports don't come easily to him.
With two days of skiing under his belt, I felt that Everest had given the sport a fair try. We'd loop back around later, but at this point, adding a third day would only create negativity. What he needed instead (or maybe it was what I needed) was the thing we rarely get, special time alone together. I'd already reserved a childcare slot for Eilan, and Darya would be in Ski lessons. We were good to go.
A trip on Whistler's Peak to Peak gondola seemed like the obvious activity choice. Built for the 2010 Olympics, the gondola spans the 4.4-kilometres between the Whistler and Blackcomb peaks and travels 436 metres above the valley floor. It's practically an amusement park ride, and you don't need skis to go up, just a lift pass and warm clothes. We would ride up Blackcomb mountain, enjoy some hot chocolate at the peak, cross over to Whistler mountain on the Peak 2 Peak, and take the Whistler express gondola down to Whistler village where we'd meet up with the rest of the family for lunch. The perfect mother-son-date, as long as you ignore the fact that I'm afraid of heights, and can't seem to trust gondolas, something I only seem to remember as I step onboard.
As we left the ground on our first gondola, I must have reminded Everest 12 times to sit back in his chair and hold on to the crossbar. His eyes opened wide as we left the ground. "Did Darya do this mom? With skis on?" We chattered on the way up about the snow, the cold air, and all sorts of 5-year old boy stuff, but Darya was still on his mind. Every few minutes there was another question, "Did she go this far mom? Did she really ski down?" His face looked concerned, puzzled, and maybe a little jealous all at once. Finally, as we reached the top of that first gondola ride, he announced, "I'm really surprised that Darya could ski down from way up here. Mom, I'm really proud of Darya." And amazingly, he was.
But our journey wasn't done. As we stepped off that first gondola, the snow was coming down fast and furious. Lift closures on other parts of the mountain meant that more skiers and snowboarders than usual were queued up in front of us, spilling out of the gates that would contain a more typical traffic level. It was a riot of colors, and Everest was just mesmerized by all the people, their gear, the accents and languages, and of course the ever falling snow. I've never seen him so content to stand in a line.
We rode higher, this time in an open gondola. Had I been on my own, I probably would have turned around (note: if you're as squeamish about heights and open gondolas as I am, you can ride the Whistler Village Gondola up, take a round-trip ride on the Peak 2 Peak, and then take the Whistler Village Gondola back down to Whistler Village). I try to be mindful about not passing my phobias on to my kids though, so after a few deep breaths we continued up to the Blackcomb mountain peak. Everest was grinning and chattering away, even as the snow fell faster and heavier, while I did my best to keep smiling.
When we finally arrived, being so high up on Blackcomb Mountain felt like being on a different planet. The crowds thinned out, there was more of a "serious" skier vibe (with the occasional family thrown in). The day's heavy snow and wind made it difficult for Everest to walk. Everest was just fascinated, and it was a very concrete lesson about how altitude impacts weather. We worked our way into the lodge and cuddled up with some hot chocolate before making our way over to the Peak 2 Peak Gondola.
After all that climbing, the calm, smooth, fully-enclosed (and almost warm) ride between the peaks seemed almost uneventful. With no other distractions, few sounds, and a soothingly snowy view, Everest and I had a rare opportunity to settle in, unwind, and talk about our trip so far, what we hoped to do when we return home. It was just what I'd hoped for, and entirely different than I'd imagined, both stimulating and peaceful.
Landing in Whistler Village after a quick ride down on the Whistler Village Gondola felt like a an immigration. The chaos of skiers meeting friends outside bars, the smell of poutine, the sounds of apres-ski music, and the visual cacophony of all that colorful ski gear was almost difficult to process after our journey to the moon.
Related Links
Whistler With Kids
Books and Toys for a Trip to Whistler With Kids
Filed Under:
travel-stories
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Posted on February 7, 2012 |
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As a fun way to reward my regular readers, I'm giving away three Traveling Toddler Car Seat Travel Accessories (one per winner). This product lets you attach a carseat to your rolling bag so that you can cart it through the airport. You can even use it as a stroller with your child sitting in the seat. (One thing to be aware of, you'll need to disassemble it to put everything through the x-ray at airport security.)
I'll publicize this giveaway just on Facebook and here, so your odds of winning one of the three accessories is great.
To enter, just fill out the form below by Feb 8, 2012 at 11:59PST and press "Submit". I'll pick three winners at random and notify you using the email address you provide (I promise not to use that email address for anything else). Good luck!
Related Links
Traveling Toddler Car Seat Travel Accessory (Amazon)
WinnersAll entries must be received by Wed Feb 8, 2012 at 11:59PM PST I will choose a winner randomly and announce the results here by Friday Nov 18, 2011.
Rules
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES.
A purchase will not increase your chances of winning. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited or restricted by law.
To enter, you must be a U.S. resident, age 18 or older. Employees, partners and vendors of DeliciousBaby and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter. We will disqualify any entries that we believe are generated by scripts and other automated technology. When applicable, the winner may be required to execute and return within five business days an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Liability and Publicity Release to be eligible for the prize or an alternate winner will be selected.
Only one entry per person per giveaway post (except as outlined above where the comment is related to an extra entry). Duplicate comments and Anonymous comments will be discarded. Please make sure that the email address in your comment form is valid (email addresses are never public). The comment will not be judged in any way and a winner is selected at random. Odds of winning a prize depend on the total number of eligible Entries received
Winners must claim their prize within three business days after the date of notification of such prize. A Sweepstakes winner's failure to respond to the prize notification and provide a shipping address within the specified three business days will be considered such Sweepstakes winner's forfeiture of the prize and an alternate winner may be selected from the pool of eligible entries. If an entrant is found to be ineligible, an alternate winner may also be selected from the pool of eligible entries.
All prizes will be awarded. No substitutions including for cash are permitted, except that DeliciousBaby reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater monetary value for any prize. Winners shall be responsible and liable for all federal, state and local taxes on the value of their prize.
By submitting an Entry, each Participant (whether declared a Winner or not) agrees (and agrees to affirm such in writing) to (i) abide by and be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of DeliciousBaby on all matters relating to this Sweepstakes which decisions are final and binding in all respects, (ii) waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Sweepstakes or these Official Rules, (iii) forever and irrevocably release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Sweepstakes Entities, and each of their respective officers, directors, licensors, employees, representatives and agents (collectively, the "Released Parties") from any liability, claims, demands, and cause of action from personal injury, loss or damage, including death, or property damage, theft, or loss suffered or resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from participation in this Sweepstakes or the use, misuse or acceptance or possession of the Prize or any portion thereof, or participation in any Sweepstakes-related activity; (iv) grant DeliciousBaby (where permitted by law) the right to use their name on a worldwide basis, in all forms of media, in perpetuity without review or further compensation and, (v) warrant and represent that the use of the materials submitted in this Sweepstakes will not violate the rights of any third parties. Entries must be in keeping with Sponsor's positive image, as determined by Sponsor and Administrator in their sole discretion. Any materials containing obscenity, crude language, or descriptions of a violent or sexual nature (as defined solely by Sponsor or Administrator) will not be accepted and the associated Entry will be disqualified. Receipt of any of the prize components of this Sweepstakes is conditioned upon compliance with any and all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules, and regulations. Noncompliance with any of the above will result in disqualification.
If for any reason the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other cause beyond the control of the DeliciousBaby which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, DeliciousBaby reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Sweepstakes is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to, fraud, virus, or other technical problem, DeliciousBaby may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) suspend the Sweepstakes to address the impairment and then resume the Sweepstakes in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) cancel the Sweepstakes and award the Prizes from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment.
P.S. If you like this giveaway, and want to share it with your friends, just click the "Like" button
Filed Under:
giveaways
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Posted on February 6, 2012 |
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People look at me like I'm a little nutty when I recommend the Rem Koolhaas designed Seattle Public Library as one of the best places to check out when you're visiting Seattle with a toddler. Afterall modern architecture is hardly a mainstay toddler interest. But really, what two year old wouldn't want to ride on that escalator?
Related Links
Seattle With Kids City Guide
What is Photo Friday?
- Post a travel photo on your site. It can be about any topic, as long as it is G-rated.
- The focus of the post should be on your photo.
- You don't need to be a professional photographer (I'm not), but do showcase your best work, and make it big enough to see well!
- It's nice to include a few sentences about the photo, but it is not required.
- Link back here so that your readers can see all the other great Photo Friday posts.
, per your tip, for our next flight and trip!"
