Universal Orlando Resort Joins Read Across America’s Celebration

Where do you go for Dr. Seuss’s birthday?

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Universal Orlando Resort Joins Read Across America’s Celebration

SeaWorld and National Geographic turn Shark Encounter into School Lesson

Last week SeaWorld Orlando became a virtual classroom as more than 157,000 students from more than 3,500 schools from across the nation, including more than 100 in Florida, interacted with a National Geographic filmmaker and a SeaWorld shark expert. The live webcast and Q-and-A session took place in front of a backdrop of dozens of sharks at the park’s Shark Encounter attraction. The “virtual assembly” was an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge of wildlife, science and filmmaking with famed National Geographic filmmaker Andy Casagrande

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SeaWorld and National Geographic turn Shark Encounter into School Lesson

Alaska Trip: Day Three - Skagway & Haines

I got up at 5:00 a.m., to see our approach into Skagway. I’m naturally an early bird and like the tranquility in the early mornings.

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Alaska Trip: Day Three - Skagway & Haines

Planning for Disney

With the hubby busy getting his Masters (and shelling out the bucks for it), we’re holding off on our usual once (or twice) annual trip to Disney World this year.  It’s hard!  What can I say, I’m spoiled! I should really be avoiding anything Disney right now so I won’t be reminded what I’m missing….

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Planning for Disney

Save Money During a Holiday Vacation

One of our favorite times to visit Disney World is in December.

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Save Money During a Holiday Vacation

Disney in Review - What Works

This was our 8th Disney World trip as a family.  We’ve got this down to a science.  Here are my best trip tips. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Cabins - if you have a large family or a child with autism, this is the way to go!  The mobile home sized cabin features a bedroom with a full sized bed and a set of bunk beds, a murphy bed in the living area, a full kitchen (full size fridge, microwave, stove, dishwasher, dishes, pots and pans, dining table for 6), two tvs, and most important of all - space between cabins so your kids aren’t always waking the neighbors! Two-way Radios - if your party needs to split, these make it so much easier.  Light Your Way - a few years ago I was looking for a cool way to decorate our golf cart and stumbled on electroluminescent wire, or EL wire.  I purchased one and discovered it worked best on Adrian’s wheelchair.  When we turn it on, people take notice - and move out of the way!  When we started bringing Zee’s stroller too I bought one for that too.  Now people move out of our way and they know we’re together so they don’t step between us.  It also makes it easier for the girls to spot us and stay with us in the crowds.

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Disney in Review - What Works

Goodie Bags

I have fond memories of visiting my grandmother as a child.  One of my favorite things she’d do for us was to pack us each a goodie bag for our long car trip home.  There was snacks and drinks (all the sugary, expensive packaged stuff parents avoid buying), magic ink books, special pens and pencils, coloring books, new packages of crayons and small toys - all in a small gift bag with our names on them.  I LOVED it! We rarely take such long car trips with our kids.  The flight to Disney World is the longest trip we attempt and the only real opportunity I have to pass along Grandma’s goodie bag tradition to my kids.

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Goodie Bags

Disney Preparations

Preparations for our upcoming Disney World trip are moving along quite nicely. I’ve finished making luggage and child ID tags.  I use dark t-shirt iron on transfers for these.  They produce soft, flexible, completely weather-proof, practically indestructible tags.   We pin the ID tags to the boys in case they get lost.  I also made tags for our wheelchair and stroller and personalized t-shirts for the kids. I’ve updated our ‘Ultimate Disney Guidebook’.  I created this book a few years ago.  It contains maps of all the parks, restaurant menus, park hours, our general plan of action and the reservation info.   Besides being very helpful while in the parks, we have a lot of fun looking through it at home.  I’ve even used it for school work in the past.  This year I’ll also be adding screen shots of pages from Adrian’s device so he can communicate what he’d like to do.

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Disney Preparations