A Perfect Summer's Day.

Yesterday was a little overcast and fairly gusty.

But today.....TODAY was perfect!

We were on the beach by 7:30am - the sun already high, the air had a gentle breeze to it and the water was crystal clear. The clouds slowly parted, revealing a blanket of blueness. All of my senses were alive to the tune of Summer.

Today was a perfect Summer's day!

With buckets and spades in hand, sun-hats on heads and layers of thick sun-cream oozing over our skin, we basked in the purity of the morning.

Although early, the beach was already alive with families and swimmers, runners and surfers. People of all ages and walks of life, together, making the most of this beautiful place.

Chris, Tony & Jayden headed striaght out into the surf - Chris armed with his GoPro water camera to capture some awesome footage, whilst Jenni, the kids and I hung in the washy foam of the shoreline.

We discovered Ryder's happy place....

The water was refreshing yet warm, and the sun's heat had a slight prickle to it - but still comfortable. Just that little whisper, that can only be heard on Summer's mornings. 

For almost two hours, we played, splashed, swam, ran, dug, explored.... and simply lived! I breathed in what was happening around me - the perfection, the bliss! Family and blessings and the true essence of Summer.

This is EXACTLY what I want for my kids - happy childhood memories of togetherness and fun. I want them to grow up with fond recollections of Summer and holidays and the perfection of days like today. I want them to know what it feels like to have salty-dried cheeks and sandy feet. To be knocked over by frothing waves and sweat-trickled skin. I want them to remember the giggles and faces and freedom. The easy, slow pace and the post-beach-exhaustion that leaves you feeling both tired, yet perfectly content.

Grandparents and Kids.

Pa and Ryder.

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Having Jayden here is always a blast. He's such a good kid. We laugh and joke and basically.....have fun! He is such a good big brother to Ella and Ryder - patient and gentle, considerate and protective. Everything a big brother should be!

Father and Son.

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At lunchtime today, we hired two jet skis and headed out for some serious adrenalin-pumping fun.

My muscles are aching and my skin has a slight burn to it.

I love summer!!

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Holidays are exhausting, didn't you know?!

On that note, I'm off to bed.

G'Night All x

P.S. Pop in tomorrow for another great giveaway.... :)

Beaching.

Today, we arrived at our annual 'Summer holiday'.

Before checking into our 'usual' hotel room, we christened our holiday with a quick beach play, followed by a Sushi lunch and a swim in the hotel pool.

From there, we unpacked bags and got set up in our room. Ryder and I did a big grocery shop and..... a trip to the bottle shop of course.

Chris took Ella and Jayden to the 'American Candy Store' and back to the swimming the pool, while Ryder and I went to Starbucks to stock up on my favourite instant coffee granules.

And then we finished off the day with a lazy dinner or picky foods and antipasto out on the deck, overlooking the coastline.

Perfection I tell you!

I have been looking so forward to this week.

A week of sun-kissed babies, long swims in the pool, sandy toes and salt-crusted cheeks. I can't wait to devour all things summer, have family come and stay. And seep this holiday for everything it's worth!

I do love me some summery goodness!!

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Tonight, after I put Ryder down to sleep in his portacot and poured myself a Mojito, I drank in the serenity of this place. I love our new tradition of coming here, to this exact hotel, and exact room, every summer.

Even though clouds littered the sky this evening and rain drops sporadically fell, I still admired the beauty of this place. I breathed in the salty beach air and exhaled. Ready for a week of nothing.....as well as a week of so much!

I love summer.

And summer holidays!

Cheers!

Traveling with Kids. My tips.

Now, I know I am not a hugely experienced traveler. And I am only a Mother of two. But as someone who has taken on a few trips with kids in tow, I thought I'd share my tips on not only how to travel with kids, but how to enjoy it too.....

In 2011, I took on a lot of USA and Canada {and the New Zealand airport} on my own - with 3 year old Ella ....whilst heavily pregnant with Ryder. Ella and I {and my huge baby bump} took on 10 flights over 3 weeks and crammed a WHOLE LOT into that trip.

In 2012, I again solo-parent-style traveled. With 4 year old Ella and 6month old Ryder, I enjoyed a week in Cairns - a 2.5 hour flight ride away. In August of 2012, Chris & I took the kids to Hamilton Island for a week of fun and adventure {a 1.5 hr flight away} and then in November, we tackled our first overseas trip with both kids - to Japan {9 hour flights}.

Although stressful I actually enjoy traveling with my kids by my side. I feel more complete when we're altogether and I want to show them the world - teach them different ways of life, absorb them into different cultures, allow them to experience famous landmarks, demonstrate difference and gratitude and open their eyes to the big wide world around them!

Hey, don't get me wrong.....like *most* parents, I dream of going on extravagant holidays without the kids - just Chris & I in Paris, or exploring New York. A buzzy weekend of shopping and shows and cocktails in Las Vegas or a week of beach laying in Thailand. The thought of really relaxing and seeing other places without kids is very inviting. But not for me just yet. Maybe in the future once my kids are not bubs?!

Anyways..... here's a few tips to make traveling with kids a little easier....

1. Snacks! And plenty of them! - Is it just my kids, or are your kids hungry ALL.THE.TIME? So, having snacks and a good variety of them is vital to maintaining happy, busy kids....especially during flights, waiting periods, train trips, etc :) When we went to Japan, I made sure I packed enough snacks to last the first few days - so I knew I had time up my sleeve to suss out the area and the shopping and source other snacks that my kids would eat. {you know....new country...new food - not everything is easy to buy or going to be enjoyed by children}
2. Think ahead of every possible outcome! - I know we can't predict how a day is going to pan out! But we can have some simple solutions for 'common' situations. Such as: spare clothes for the kids; in case of spills or stains, a change in weather / temperature or pyjamas packed in case a late night is had etc. Think about how many baby bottles you'll need for the trip or day ahead and add an extra "just in case!". Have more than enough nappies and wipes and spare undies. Pack blankies and comforters in case delays are experienced and you're out longer than originally planned! Sometimes having too much in your backpack....is better than not having your emergency supplies on hand!
3. Don't overpack! - I know that is a complete contradiction to Point Number 2!! If you know there is a washing machine in the hotel or the accommodation; unpack half of your clothing!!! You or your partner spending 40minutes in a hotel Laundromat is much easier than lugging 5 full suitcases around. When traveling with kids, you're most likely having to lug around extras such as: porta-cots, prams, car seats etc. So sharing suitcases by packing lightly really helps with getting around easily and quickly....especially through busy airport terminals.
4. Find out what your planes & airlines have on offer! - Don't just assume that every flight has built-in TV's, games, food etc. Our flights to Japan, although international, did not include any of those extras {well, they were available....at an EXTRA cost!}. So having our own packed snacks, drinks, iPad's, colouring books and toys were a HUGE life-saver.   
5. Plan a lot of activities around the kids....but also do what YOU want to do!! - For example, a lot of our Japan holiday was about the kids. We did Disneyland and Aquariums and Universal Studios {however we loved all of these things too!} but it's also ok to do 'more adult-like' things as well. Going to a museum, art gallery, cafe, or famous place of interest is also educational and eye-opening for kids too. When I took Ella to the USA, I wanted to do a few certain things that aren't directly aimed at children but ended up being such an amazing experience for her....memories she still recalls so vividly today - like watching a show on Broadway and going up the Empire State Building.
6. Be as organised as possible....but also go with the flow!! - traveling with kids and making it run as smoothly as possible, means being organised. Have most things pre-booked and thought out. Know how you're getting from A to B and back again. Have access to timetables and costings and itineraries, and stick to a routine as much as able to. BUT....accept that when there a kids involved, there is also a need to make changes! Go with the flow with how you'll fill some days. Let your kids 'run the show' when need be. If they're getting run down or tired or overstimualted...acknowledge that! Make changes to accommodate their needs too. Allow them to rest and recover....but also to play and have fun....let them still be kids! 

Six little tips that I picked up a long my travels recently :)

Do you have any others to add to the list?? Please share :)

Are you planning any travel anytime soon? If only USA was a little closer to Aus....and a whole lot cheaper to get there....as I'm DYING to get back there to explore some more! LOVED that place!!!!!! LOVED it!

One can dream!! :)

Our Last Few Days in Japan.

After leaving Tokyo, on the bullet train, we headed back to Osaka for two more days.

We again stayed in the Universal Studios Port Hotel and devoured our last days of being in the culture of Japan and with Chris's brother: Matt. We checked in at around 1pm. And once we were cozied into our room, we got Ryder settled for an afternoon nap...to then discover we were in a smoking room. Although the room was spotless....the curtains and carpet and bedding wreaked with cigarette smoke. I came down with a headache and Ella with hayfever, so Chris requested we moved. Within minutes; a concierge was at our door and took us to another level and a non-smoking room. Ahh much better. {we're high maintenance I know!}

Ryder napped, baths were had and then Chris, Matt and Ella headed into USJ Park to do some rides and have some fun, while I had a stroll around and did a little spot of shopping with Ryder. The area looked so beautiful at night time. The glowing city skyline and fairy lights in every tree - along every path. With Christmas music blaring and the icey-cold air; nights in Japan seemed to come alive.

Chris called me at around 7pm telling me to meet them there, as there was some rides he wanted me to experience before the park closed for the night.

Matt paced the park with Ryder in the pram whilst Ella, Chris and I went on the Jurassic Park ride, Spiderman and Space Odyssey. Oh.My.Tootin.Gawd! Seriously, the BEST thrill rides I HAVE EVER BEEN ON! So stimulating, so scary, but so much fun! I still can't believe Ella went on them {many MANY times}. They were crazy! I haven't screamed and laughed that much in so long! It was awesome!!! Maybe one of the most gratifying nights of the trip?! {big call, I know!}

All adrenalin buzzed and high on life, we watched the parade again and then headed over to Bubba Gumps for a late dinner. After devouring huge 'American' meals and delicious cocktails, we headed back to the hotel to call it a night!

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Our last day in Japan was just as full and exciting. We weren't boarding our flight home until 9pm; so we had a whole day to fill. Again, a spot of shopping, more dining and USJ {again!}. Ella and I went on the Space ride {again}, and JAWS! We indulged on more caramel popcorn and seeped in the last of the wintery goodness and travel experiences.

It was sad to say goodbye to Matt, after spending such fun, quality time with him! But also enticing in the prospect that we will see him again, yet.... where is the potentially exciting part?! Will it be back home in Aus? Or maybe back in Japan if he takes the performing contract again? Or maybe... just maybe in NEW YORK CITY?!

By the time we boarded our flight later that night, with two very tired kids {and in Business Class....a last minute upgrade!! HELLO!!} we were exhausted and ready for the comforts of home and routine once again. Nine hours later, and NO sleep; we landed back on the Gold Coast and into the brunt of an Australian summer :)

Our trip was truly awesome! I'm so amazed at how much we crammed into those 12 days.....but am excited about how much we didn't do - yet one day WILL! I'm proud of Chris & I for taking the jump and traveling with young kids, and I am in love with the change in perspective that traveling gives you. 

WHAT A TRIP!!!

You can read my other posts from Japan here:

We're in Japan, **** Universal Studios, ***** Kyoto, **** Observations ***** Tokyo Disneyland.

Thanks for following my posts along the way! I truly recommend Japan for a family holiday destination, if you're considering places to go!!

Tokyo Disneyland.

After 3 amazing days in Kyoto, we jumped on the bullet train {Shinkansen} to Tokyo. It was about a 2.5 hour trip, but with the glorious sceneries {we saw Mt Fuji} and the luxury of the train interior; the trip was easy & quite enjoyable. The bullet train is kinda scary though - man that thing flies! Scarily fast! I'll take it over a plane ride any day though - no gut wrenching take-off's and turbulence to deal with.

I'll be honest, I was a little worried about how we'd cope with this leg of our trip. It was the first time we were going to be on our own {no Matty, no Naoko.....just the 4 of us.....the 4 of us, who can't speak a word of Japanese traveling across the country}. We had to deal with train stations and subways and ticket purchasing, all whilst wrangling suitcases, prams and two young children. But we did it. In fact; no problems at all. No stressful moments or meltdowns {from kids or adults}! Easy :) I gave Chris a highfive on arrival at the Disneyland Train Station. I was pretty proud of him, of us :)

Our 3 nights in Tokyo were all about DISNEYLAND. All about the kids.

Walking out of the train station and towards our hotel was something pretty special.

Holy Smokes, the hotel was so grand.

I *may* have teared up slightly as we entered the foyer. It was like a palace. If there's something Disney knows what to do {apart from make fabulous movies} is to do MAGIC and GRANDNESS. Everything was 'Disney' themed, but not in a kiddy-like manner - it was elegant and timeless - so much beauty.

Now, that is a chandelier.

Our room was a comfortable size and decorated so beautifully. The essence of Disney was seeping out of every piece of furniture, every frame, every curtain and bedspread - every detail.

And they know how to cater for kids. Once we had checked in and they had seen the size/age of our children, they came in with perfectly fitting pj's and slippers for both kids, kiddie toothbrush kits and postcard sets. And when I said that Ryder would be co-sleeping with us, therefore would not need a cot - they brought in bed rails {that perfectly matched the yellow satin bedding of course}. I was impressed! 

After some long, late naps that afternoon, we headed out to enjoy our first night in Tokyo. We caught the monorail to a local shopping centre / dining area, and had a fun, homely meal at T.G.I.Fridays. It was loud and celebratory. We pigged out on great guacomole and stuffed potato skins {a change from the very traditional Japanese food we'd been eating all week} and enjoyed a cocktail or two....

Waiting at the Monorail Station.

If the Disneyland Hotel took my breath away during the day.....you can only imagine how it made me feel at nighttime. After a fun night out with my little family, and feeling high on life {and a little tipsy from the Mojito's}.....we walk off the monorail to see this....

Heart-stopping beauty!!!

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The next day we headed into Disneyland.

Although it was a VERY cold day and a little rainy too, we still made the day all about the rides:

And the castle....

Oh the castle....

Be still my beating heart.....

We watched the parade, ate honey flavoured popcorn, sipped Iced Tea out of Minnie Mouse stemmed bottles, patiently allowed MANY Japanese folk fuss over our kids and ask to take their photo, devoured churros whilst waiting in lines and waved at Disney characters.

Over the next few days, we hit the park 3 more times including a night visit. We went on almost every ride and display and immersed ourself into the magic of it all as much as possible. On our last day in Tokyo we also went to DisneySea. We only spent a few hours there, but managed to go on some fab rides and have some serious stimulated fun :) What an awesome place!!

A place where dreams come true....

Over those 4 days, we made some amazing memories as a family and got to experience so many great things together. I took A LOT of photos. To group some of them together, and in an attempt to cherish the moments, I've put some piccies together to tell the story of our days in Disneyland, into a video....

I hope you enjoy it :)

{Please excuse the quality of the photos.....after many attempts of resizing the files, I settled for this! It was as best I could get it without it being a Humongous video file!}

Disneyland, Tokyo - this time of year is something pretty AMAZING!!!! They know how to do Christmas!!!! We truly loved every moment!

Kyoto in Autumn

Ryder exploring the homes in Osaka.

The size of their homes blew my mind. It made me very appreciative of where I live. It opened my eyes! Even very wealthy people were living here....in tiny crammed housing amongst the teeny street, with their large familes.After spending 5 nights in Osaka, and enjoying a mixture of activities from shopping to dining to 'the park', we jumped on the bullet train and headed to Kyoto for the weekend.

Normally it would take about an hour by train, but on the bullet; we were there in 15mins {very handy when traveling with young children} :)

We caught a taxi from the train station to our accommodation - an ancient Ryokan hidden away in the back streets of Kyoto city. It was a traditional Japanese Inn - full of history and tradition. They run a schedule and you are encouraged to fully embrace the Japanese Culture whilst staying there. It was all kinds of amazing!

This was inside our room. Our room was set up like a Japanese home. Rooms were divide by the paper & wooden doors. The rooms were quite poky but with minimal furniture and no clutter. There was a bathroom and separate toilet and a tea room. The tea room was the largest room, and doubled as the sleeping room and living room.

We were presented with tea on arrival and a tea ceremony occurred on the low lying tables and weaved straw mats. Shoes are not allowed inside. Slippers are provided to wear around the hallways.

Ryder quite liked the tea ceremony :)

And, Ella had fun playing hide & seek. So many little rooms and inlets to stow away in.

And dividers to close off for privacy.

We went to Japan with a very limited vocab bank of Japanese. We knew hello, how are you, thank you and goodbye and that was about it!!!! With the help of several translating apps on the iPhone and having Matty with us, we managed to converse quite easily. However, I love how children don't see language as a barrier - the way adults sometimes do. Ella played with the Japanese children for hours - neither of them could understand the other, but they still happily interacted.

Playing is a universal language for kids.

We bathed as a family {yes, another Japanese tradition we participated in} not in our little bathroom but downstairs in a large, luxurious hot spring. It was too hot for Ryder to get into....but he was happy to run wild and free; nudie style amongst the communal showers :)

And then we were to be dressed into Kimonos ready for dinner.

Chris had me in complete hysterics. As soon as the kimono went on, he clicked into funny mode. He brushed his hair flat in attempt to tune into his inner Japanese self....but the only tuning I could see was a hilarious resemblance of Lloyd Christmas. He was bowing and smiling a goofy smile; and Googling 'if men wore underwear under Kimonos or went free-ball'.

We had so much fun in that hour leading up to dinner.

And dinner....WOW....dinner truly was an experience.

There was an abundance of great food, new tastes and unique flavours. Everything was presented so perfectly. I lost count of how many courses we had....they just kept on comin'.

There was some amazing concoction inside that orange skin.

Ella was exhausted. She passed out on Uncle Matty, in her kimono:

The staff then transformed our 'tea room' into our bedroom, by bringing out futons and bedding. In their meticulous way; the room was instantly cosy and inviting. The four of us slept alongside each other. Although not overly comfortable, we managed to have one of the longest, most peaceful sleeps of the whole trip.

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The next morning, we checked out of there:

A screen shot from Matt's instagram :)

And we headed out to explore Kyoto. It was busy  - Saturdays in Kyoto...in Autumn are apparently ALWAYS busy. People flock there to absorb in the Autumny goodness and the calming culture.

It was then that Ella and I dressed as Geisha's. Photos can be seen here.

That whole process took a couple of hours.

Afterwards, we walked up the mountain side, which was lined with traditional Japanese stores and market stalls. It was raining so we couldn't stroll and observe as much as I'd liked, as the sea of umbrellas and splashing puddles made things hard.

But it was still amazing all the same.

And, I learnt....when it's cold {really cold} and drizzling with icey rain.....one of these is a MUST. It just is.

A hot doughy, meaty dumpling. So so good.

The rain eased as we reached the top of the mountain. And we were greeted by this:

The sun peering through the thick clouds, spraying it's light over ancient temples and shrines.

Breathtaking.

At this point of the day {mid afternoon}, Ryder was a little overtired and wanting to get down and run, run run. Ella was buzzed after her geisha dressup experience, and had insisted on not taking the white makeup off {so swarms of Japanese people were surrounding her taking photos of her - all geisha faced but with blonde hair and blue eyes, in modern day clothes and a coat!!} and Chris was a little warn out from entertaining Ryder for several hours earlier. Whining was occurring, tolerances were being tested and exhaustion was setting in.

However, being aware of where we were and the grand scheme of things; I refused to 'miss out' on the magic and the moments. I was distracted but didn't want to be so distracted that I missed the beauty.

So we rallied on and absorbed it all.

There was so much to take in.

And the trees....oh my Lordy, the trees. In all their Autumny goodness were so gorgeous. Our view from the mountain top was a fluorescent orange blanket of browning, falling leaves. Simply stunning.

Brothers :)

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The rest of the weekend flowed with bus trips, meals, exploring and drinking-in the local sights.

Cheeky baby on the loose.

We saw a Samurai Show, which was cool....

And then cozied up in a more modern day hotel for the night, for an early bedtime before we headed off to Tokyo the next morning. 

I'm so glad we got to experience Kyoto. Being able to spend a weekend in true Japanese fashion and be totally immersed into their culture was magnificent. And being a part of a 'real' Autumn' was so damn beautiful.

Tokyo post coming soon. xx