Today’s My Birthday

February 26, 2020February 22, 2020 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Today is my birthday. It’s hard to believe I am 45 years old – but it’s true. It’s probably harder for my parents to believe!!!!

I have lead a blessed life so far and see many many more years ahead. I am healthy. My family is healthy. And my memories are beautiful and precious! To celebrate, I’m going to share my favorite pictures from the past few years – each one has a story and a special place in my heart.

I hope you are blessed with so many fabulous memories to look back on year after year!

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2015 – in front of Hampton Court

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Lighthouse Beach, Eleuthera, Bahamas

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2015 – Big Ben

San Gimignano in the mist…taken from my torre bedroom window

My sister, Becky, and I!

So much Caprese!

A gorgeous setting for a wine tasting at Palagetto

Touring the Colosseum

It isn’t hard to eat like a local in Italy. Lemon risotto – the most amazing risotto ever!

Culinary magic!

In Florence at the most adorable cafe right near the Duomo!

My hubby and I!

Cheers – again!

Fire and Ice…I love this picture!

Lined up for the toboggan ride! Quebec City, Quebec.

What a beauty!

I didn’t know she stuck her tongue out until I looked at the pictures that night!!! Notre Dame in the background.

Eiffel Tower!!!! 2019

Sea Lion Encounter, St. Maarten 2019

June 2018. Shortly after sunrise over Vatican City. I ache for another opportunity like this one….we were high tailing it to our private Vatican Tour so we could barely stop to smell the roses, but man, I wish I could’ve frozen time in this very spot. It was so peaceful and serene.

Pucker up!!!

February 2019 aboard the Symphony of the Seas. Sunset while docked off the coast of St. Marteen.

March 2013. Argenton-sur-Creuse. This was sunrise out the window of our charming 16 century townhouse at the end of the bridge.

I have a picture of my kids doing this SAME thing in London in 2013. It is fun to recreate special moments in different locations! EPCOT 2019

Symphony After Dark! Stunning!

Yes, these were BOTH for me!

Brother had to get into the action!

Photo from the top of one of the towers – San Gimignano, Italy

Try to blend in. Zurich, Switzerland – these are our “Polish faces” – my sister in law is Polish, and she said Americans smile too big in pictures – so this is how we imagine the Poles smile!

Prickly Pear blossom – so many foods are made from prickly pear – candies, licorice, jams and jellys, beer…you name it! But look at those thorns!!! Tuscon, AZ

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Sagrada Familia – needs no introduction!

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2015 – Barcelona cathedral rooftop. Spain

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Try a new form of transportation….Char and Sable on a Segway tour of the city – in Europe, kids can do many things they aren’t “allowed” to do in the US.

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Atop the battlements of Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George Castle)

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2015 – Outside of Jeronimos Monastery

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Malaga – breathtaking!

Scooting in Cinque Terre, Italy.

On board the Anthem of the Seas, moored off the coast of Nice, France.

Gibraltar – long lost cousins? Oh and behind Kelton in the distance? AFRICA!!!!!

Cousin’s Trip – Animal Kingdom 2016

Magic Kingdom 2017 – mom and dad’s second trip to Disney without kids!!!!

Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train, Magic Kingdom 2018

Windsor, Char and Sable – you all haven’t met Sable yet, but this kitty gets around. She even has her own book series in the works!

Family photo taken by dad. Yes it was cold, rainy and windy – it was April in England!!!

Kelton’s hair resembled Albert Einstein’s a bit too much!! Madame Tussauds.

My beautiful rose petal and Hampton Court gardens.

Mind the gap. We got an Oyster Card and used all manner of public transportation throughout London! I love this shot of Char and Sable!

These adorable sheep were all over the city and the kids posed with them whenever possible! The sheep were dressed in outfits that represented the area where they stood.

Monte Alban behind me!

Seasoned crickets at the market – I tried one and it wasn’t too bad!

Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Ossippee Lake, New Hampshire

Swift River, Kancamagus Highway, White Mountains, New Hampshire

Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire

Ossippee Lake, New Hampshire

The best welcoming committee EVER!!!

Near sunrise, the island of Oahu, Hawai’i

Kualoa Ranch, Oahu, Hawai’i

Sunset Perfection!!!

Char playing her Ukulele at sunset…so perfectly cliche!!!

An evening toast to the good life. We are standing on the Old Stone Bridge in Wurzburg, Germany, marveling at the fortification in the background and enjoying a common daily activity.

Bamberg, Germany

Our favorite mode of transportation!

Outside the observatory. It was cold and windy!

Best bite in the city!

Gimmewald, Switzerland – 2019

The happy tourists! Strasbourg, France

American tourists – Amsterdam – 2020

Flowers in January. And people say it’s too cold to travel to Europe in winter!

My handsome date for the evening.

A canal boat awaiting passengers.

From the bottom – a look towards the fortress.

My Yearly Travels as seen through my Ornaments

December 24, 2019December 21, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

I used to find it really hard to choose a special keepsake from each of our trips. I loved so many cool “things”, but it just isn’t reasonable to get them all! So a while back, I decided to get an ornament from each of our trips.

Every year, when we put up our tree, it is a wonderful opportunity to remember our travels and stories as a family. It is something I treasure and our tree is really full of US.

Here are the ornaments I got this year.

Paris. January 2019

Disneyland Paris. January 2019

Symphony of the Seas. February 2019

February 2019

Disney World. February 2019

Tuscon Arizona. April 2019

Tombstone, Arizona. April 2019

Bearizona. April 2019

Las Vegas, Nevada. April 2019

O’hau, Hawai’i. October 2019.

Strasbourg, France. November 2019

Switzerland 2019

Hanauma Bay

October 29, 2019October 30, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

As I ventured around the island of O’ahu, I could easily see how import the preservation initiative is there in Hawai’i. There is definitely a lot of development, but the afterthought of that development is on the minds of Hawai’ians and those who visit. The conservation effort and protection of the ‘aina, or land, is viewed as a matter of Hawai’ian kuleana (responsibility and privilege) and I wanted to highlight one of the efforts I saw on this short trip.

We visited the amazing Hanauma Bay State Park. This bay has a long, beautiful history that includes use by native fisherman to the recreation of kings. In the mid 1900s, this location gained fame as a fabulous snorkeling area due to its unique horseshoe bay shape and volcanic rock coral beds. This area is home to species of fish that are only found in this sweet little bay. By the early 1990s, efforts to “save” this bay from over exposure to humans and maintain the rarity of its ecosystem spurred a conservation effort whose results are seen today.

The snorkeling here is nothing short of amazing! I saw more species of fish here than I have anywhere else! And we even saw an octopus that was beyond amazing!!!! I tried to get a video, but my phone in a water-safe bag just didn’t do the trick as well as I would have liked!!!! Our video isn’t the best quality, but you can see the really awesome octopus we saw! Thanks to my videographer, Char!

One of the fabulous initiatives at the Hanauma Bay State Park is the request that those who enjoy the park’s gorgeous swimming area adhere to the upcoming Hawai’ian Reef Safe sunscreen law that will take effect January 1st, 2021. Hawai’i is the first state in the US to ban the sale of sunscreens containing the coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate. With my own reef safe sunscreen in hand, I enjoyed the beautiful snorkeling in this gift from mother nature!!

There are so many ways we can help maintain the glories of this earth and still enjoy them. Using Reef Safe Sunscreen is an easy choice to make. Also, making sure we pack out what we pack in, we didn’t feed the fish (although I wanted to) and we did not step on or remove any coral from this reef. Here are a few more pictures from Hanauma Bay. I look forward to returning here with the rest of my family and enjoy once again the majesty of this gorgeous place!

A Hui Hou

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

If you know me, have read this blog or follow my Facebook business page, you KNOW that I am a huge Disney fan! I won’t bore you with the particulars, but let’s just say I take every opportunity available to do anything remotely Disney related! And when I found out I was going to be able to visit my sister in Hawai’i, I immediately found out how we could make a visit to Disney’s Aulani a reality!

For three amazing days and two fabulous nights, we felt like queens on vacation – gorgeous beaches, fabulous pools, no shortage of activities and sunsets beyond compare. We enjoyed meeting characters, the lazy river, snorkeling and a sense of calm and rejuvenation – which by itself was miraculous while traveling with two toddlers!!!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I will seriously go over the recommended blog parameters. I kept taking so many – because it is SO beautiful!!!! I would love to share with you my favorite pictures from Aulani – descriptions in the captions.

I love how Disney gently weaves the history, culture and Hawai’ian experience throughout this incredible resort – from the shave ice stations, to Dole whip…..yes, mom – DOLE WHIP, to the exposure of Hawai’ian words and folklore into the very space surrounding guests. As with all my experiences with Disney so far, I feel enveloped in the theme of Aulani and have to say A Hui Hou…..until we meet again!

Koi Pond with the lobby in the background

Main pool at Aulani

View from the 11th floor towards the garden/pool area

Lagoon 1 – Aulani’s beach area – Fabulous snorkeling and if you are staying at Aulani, there are free beach toys, boogie boards and beach chairs! Paddle boards and snorkel gear for rent.

View from one of our balconies – and Char’s first shave ice! AND the 5 beautiful leis we received at check in!

You know you’re a tourist in Hawai’i if you have leis in your fridge! They were just too beautiful not to keep!

Enjoying the lazy river!

Sunset from the infinity pool.

Sunset looking over the beach

#thisleigetsaround

Char playing her Ukulele at sunset…so perfectly cliche!!!

Stunning sunset off Sunset Point

Sunset Perfection!!!

My plate loaded up for our character breakfast.

OK – this is stinkin’ adorable….half a banana swimming in a bucket of blueberries eating a goldfish!!!

All us girls with Mickey – Look at the smiles…THIS is what making memories is all about!!!

Aloha

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

A few months ago, my sister and her two littles moved to Hawai’i to await the arrival of my brother in law. My sister is a proud Navy wife and her hubby is a proud sub-mariner! I am proud of them both!

My sister is so strong! She left New Hampshire with my two nieces (ages 2 and 3 at the time) with the help of her mom for a LONG journey to Hawai’i in June. My BIL’s submarine didn’t leave the northeast until August (and if you know anything about how stressful and hectic it is for sailors when they are preparing to get “underway”, you know that his attentions were forced to be on his job).

So, needless to say, my amazing sister not only left New England with 10 suitcases, 2 kids and a mom, but also arranged for the packing and shipping of their household goods, did all the paperwork and medical for shipping their family dog and cat, arrived in Hawai’i to temporary housing and lived there for a month while finding a house. While my step-mom helped Becky with life and kids, Becky arranged the delivery of their household goods, vehicle, unpacked, mitigated troubles with getting the pets here, set all the Navy end of things to rights in Hawai’i as far as families go, began updating her nursing licenses so she could work in Hawai’i if it struck her fancy, enrolled the oldest in pre-school, continued living as a geographical single-mom and continued her work with the families of her husband’s submarine as a senior non-commissioned officer’s wife. Oh, AND she took up running and did her first 5K last weekend. She is nothing short of amazing and her journey is like so many other military spouses around the world – I honor them for their sacrifice, patriotism and selfless giving towards the cause of freedom! Behind every great soldier, sailor, airman, marine and coastie is a family who supports them! I pray for them all daily and hope they get the support THEY need!

Back to the story….to be honest, Hawai’i was never on my radar – I know everyone says it is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming and the geography is stunning, but to me, there were other places I would rather visit. BBBUUUTTTT….if my sister is going to be in Hawai’i, then heck yea – I’m going!!!

So, here I am in Hawai’i, after taking the world’s longest, daily direct domestic flight in history (Hawaiian Air Flight 89 – Boston to Hawai’i – 11 hours and 15 minutes gate to gate) – up super early because my body thinks I am still in Maine – setting up what will hopefully be a trip of a lifetime!

OH and to sweeten the deal, my husband and I decided last minute to have my daughter join me – this was for a lot of reasons – she doesn’t like missing school but with the Columbus Day holiday will only miss 4 days for a 10 day trip to Hawai’i – and my nieces (and the dog) are super happy to see her – I love my adventures with Charlotte!! We surprised Becky with Char – check out the video below – you’ll cry!

While I am here, I plan on getting the MOST out of family time AND touring time – we will check out lots of amazing places, including Disney’s Aulani – Oh My Goodness – DISNEY in Hawai’i!!!!!! We will visit the ranch where so many of your favorite films where shot – 50 First Dates, Jurassic Park, Lost…..and try to find the Hukilau Cafe!!!

I hope you’ll join me for this journey – I am hoping there are more pictures than words – and I hope to inspire you to go somewhere you may not have thought of going before – my sister was my catalyst for this adventure – what will be yours?

First Rays of Sun

October 14, 2019October 13, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

This morning (Sunday), Charlotte and I took advantage of the fact that our bodies are still on East Coast time and decided to watch the sunrise somewhere cool! I did some digging and found that the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail has some rave reviews, not only for the hike, but also for the views.

We got up at 4:15am Honolulu time and headed out shortly afterwards. We set our GPS (because I am really lost around here still) and off we went with flashlights, water and snacks. Along the way, we stopped at a “scenic area” and caught a gorgeous glimpse of the moon getting ready to set. It was so bright – no filters – just bright moon light!

We arrived at the trail head entrance but the gate was still locked, so we, along with tons of other people venturing out to see the sunrise, headed around the gate on foot and began our trek. It was about 5:30am and it was still very dark – but we kept our flashlights off most of the way to enjoy the feel of the place.

About halfway, we started to see the first rays of sun. It was a great trail, traveled so much that it was paved some time ago to make the trek more accessible, but still, we were huffing and puffing our way up the hill and enjoyed the occasional stop to take a picture (catch our breath).

We made it to the top (we were the first ones there) around 6:10am, did a video and waited until sunrise – 6:26am. The sky lighting gradually was really pretty and peaceful and it was sweet to share this with Charlotte.

We watched not only the sunrise, but also waves of rain move across the ocean towards the land. The showers missed us but on the other side of the point, we were treated to not only stunning vistas, but also the tail end of a rainbow. How pretty!!!

Our journey back down was like a gift – our way up was mostly dark and we really could only see the area immediately surrounding the path, but the journey down revealed all that we had missed. It was rather poetic – when our mind is focused on a singular task, we are often blinded to what is around us. Sometimes it is only after the goal is accomplished do we take the time to look around and marvel at what we missed!

This was a great way to spend an early morning and I encourage everyone who visits to do this in some way – either take the hike or find an easterly facing beach and catch the first rays of sun. Every day is a new opportunity to be a better version of you; to love people more; to cherish others more; to look for the beauty you passed by while focused on your goal. Don’t miss out!

Hawaiian Air

October 13, 2019October 12, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Back in April of this year, Hawaiian Air launched nonstop flights between Honolulu and Boston, which it says is “the longest regularly scheduled route in US history”.

I took this flight on Friday from Boston to Honolulu and from gate to gate, the trip was about 11.5 hours. Honolulu to Boston is about 10 hours – thank you jet stream!

This flight takes place on an Airbus330, which is a plane that has eight seats across – 2 – 4 – 2, in the main cabin. As much as I would have LOVED the full reclining seats of first class, a $3000+ plane ticket just wasn’t in the budget!

So, I like to fly and I have flown budget airlines and big carriers; huge double deckers and twin engine turbo props; 20 minute puddle jumpers and up until now, my longest single flight was 6 hours – I am not picky – I really just want a safe, non-smelly plane. Of course I did my research and found this plane and airline to be just what I expected – efficient, well appointed (lots of in-flight entertainment on seat-back TVs – no internet – which was tough to swallow with such a long flight – but I kept busy), kind and courteous attendants and a delightful journey! Oh and not smelly!!! The plane actually smelled like hibiscus – it might have been my imagination but it smelled like Disney’s Polynesian Resort to me!

My daughter and I were positioned in row 30, seats A and B – this is the row directly in front of the mid-plane bathrooms, and while some might not like this because of congestion with people waiting for the bathroom, we actually LOVED it – it was roomy, the seats DID recline and we didn’t have anyone behind us! I would sit there again in a heartbeat!

We were served two complimentary in-flight meals – meals with a distinctly Hawaiian flare – a noodle dish with a guava centered cookie for the first meal and an amazing goat cheese and seasoned roasted pepper panini sandwich for the second meal. Complimentary snacks included a delicious pineapple oat breakfast bar cookie, chocolate covered macadamia nuts and an assortment of crackers or trail mix type options. Beverages came around twice with meals and every hour, an attendant came around to refill everyone’s water cup to maintain hydration – super important for any flight – especially such a long one! Other snacks were available at an additional cost – we got some Hawai’ian popcorn –

I have to admit this was probably one of the best flights I have every taken – the thought of spending so long in one single seat (with stand up breaks) was daunting, but when you look at the price tag (I got my ticket, round trip, nonstop for just under $700) and the other options of stops in LA, for example, for MORE MONEY – (WHAT???? Who would choose that?) you can’t go wrong!

My family of 4 has plans to visit again in June of 2021 – after my son graduates, to see my sister and her family. We will hopefully stay at Disney’s Aulani for a few nights and we have planned a cruise on Norwegian’s Pride of America (with group space held if anyone wants to join in!!) to see the glory of the Hawaiian Islands. We will definitively be taking advantage of Hawaiian Air’s nonstop Boston to Honolulu flight!!!

Throw Back Thursday…the best cruise EVER!

May 30, 2019May 30, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

When I turned 40, I said to my husband that I would love to go on a Mediterranean cruise. At that point in my life, I had been to northern and central France, England and Scotland and really had the Europe bug (I still do!)! I wanted to see more and the best way to do that, is on a cruise!!! Think about it – you only have to unpack once, your hotel goes with you, your meals are already set and you can see multiple countries in a short period of time. It was SPECTACULAR!!!!

We chose Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas – this was in 2015 and she was brand new!!! This was her first REAL voyage (not the quick, work-out-the-kinks 3 or 4 night turn around) and we were beside yourselves with joy. This was my kids’ first cruise and it was a 16 night out of Southampton, England. We departed in early May and hit Gibraltar, Barcelona, Malaga, Cadiz, Villa-France-sur-Mer (Nice/Monaco), Marseilles, La Spezia (Cinque Terre), Civitavecchia (Rome) and Lisbon.

Words cannot describe how awesome this cruise was, so I picked SOME of my favorite pictures to share so you get the idea. The Mediterranean in spring is something wonderful to behold and I hope you get a chance to see it someday, too!!! Wanna go next spring?

Barcelona cathedral rooftop. Spain

Sagrada Familia – needs no introduction!

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Kelton posing in Barcelona.

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We rented scooters in La Spezia, Italy and toured Cinque Terre. It was absolutely incredible!!!

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Cinque Terre

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Cinque Terre

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Malaga, Spain is one of the most gorgeous cities we have ever seen!

Malaga – breathtaking!

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Malaga

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View of the Med from Alcazaba fortress, Malaga

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Gardens in Malaga

Char and Sable on a Segway tour of the city – in Europe, kids can do many things they aren’t “allowed” to do in the US.

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View of the Anthem of the Seas from Alcazaba

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Moor doorway at Alcazaba – the architecture was stunning!

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Marseilles Cathedral! Marseilles, France

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Plaza in Marseilles

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Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseilles

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Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal

Atop the battlements of Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George Castle)

Outside of Jeronimos Monastery

We made so many memories on this trip and talk about it today! These times with my kids were and are priceless! I wouldn’t trade them for the world!

Post Vacation Reboot! Getting my brain to reengage.

April 8, 2019April 5, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

So, it’s hard to get back into the swing of things after vacation. My brain still wants to be on vacation! And yet, I know I need to start writing again because it keeps my mind flowing! So if my brain is still on vacation, I guess I should write about vacation! Here’s an overview – details to follow in other posts!

This February, we departed the great North East during my kids’ February vacation with thousands of others and headed to a much warmer climate!! We spent 4 days in Florida at the Happiest Place on Earth and then went on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the amazing Symphony of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s newest marvel! We had the best time!! Let me highlight each day with my favorite photo from that day!

We are members of Disney Vacation Club and this was our first stay at Bay Lake Towers. We love staying on the monorail line and being able to walk to the Magic Kingdom is wonderful!!!

I cannot help but get a little teary eyed when the opening music plays at Magic Kingdom. It brings back memories that I cherish and makes me feel like a kid!

To me, this photo says, “Follow your dreams.” What greater lessons can we learn from a man and a mouse?

EPCOT is cool for so many reasons! My hubby was definitely rocking this Wreck It Ralph pose!!!

I have a picture of my kids doing this SAME thing in London in 2013. It is fun to recreate special moments in different locations!

Our boarding day on Symphony of the Seas – she blew me away! I marveled every day at her size, how smoothly she sailed, all of her wonderful amenities and how I felt at home on the giantess of the seas!! I cannot wait to go back!

A day at sea means we get to play at sea! Ten stories above the Boardwalk, I zip-lined across a cruise ship!!!! How cool is that?

Symphony After Dark! Stunning!

My girl makes friends wherever she goes and this beautiful fellow wanted to stick around!

T-Rex, know affectionately as “Rexy” in our family, made an appearance our last day at sea. We may or may not have a few videos of this!

Sunset in the Caribbean. Do I need to say more?

Sunrises and Sunsets…iconic views of travel.

March 28, 2019March 27, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

I have a thing for sunrises and sunsets. They signify the beginning and the end. They are an invitation to start anew and force us to put things behind us. I have found great joy in witnessing these celestial spectacles and even though some of them happened years and years ago, they recall memories that I may have otherwise forgotten.