It’s no surprise that Mr. Rojo is the man behind the scene in our family. He is the one who always captures the moment during our trip. (even though we haven’t posted many videos yet). But I think the travel bug or to be more precise the photography bug has bitten on our little travelers as well.

Miss J has been practicing her composition that she learned from our Seattle Photowalk tour and I have to say she has a great potential!

Mr. Z, on the other hand, took after Mr. Rojo in video and learned how to use our little video cam rather quickly. I’m pretty sure our family look rather funny when people saw us with each of our own equipment.

I love seeing how my kids capturing their trip thru their lens.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The Apple Does Not Fall Far from the Tree is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Fall is my favorite season because the weather is in perfect temperature and there are so many family friendly activities to do around town. We normally stick closer to home during Fall. Plus now that both kids are in school, it’s harder to plan a vacation trip.

One of fun family activity that we love to do and wish we can do more often is camping. Family camping is an easy, affordable and fun that anyone can enjoy. I would like to put a disclaimer here that I’m not a camping expert. But I love to share our experience from the newbie’s point of view.

Camping in Fall, I think, is the best time to camp, especially for first time camper. I always think it’s easy to warm yourself up in the cold climate than cool yourself down in the heat. Yes, you might pack a little bit more but it’s doable especially if you are not planning a backpacking camping trip.

Here are our list of Essentials on our Fall Camping Trip with Kids

Family Tent:

We purchased the biggest tent we can afford. For our family of 4 we bought 8 person tent. I think it’s the best thing to do when you have kids. It gives them more space to move around and plenty of space to put all our stuff inside the tent. We didn’t buy the best tent but just cheap version at Walmart. If it’s your first time camping and you are not planning to go camping in extreme weather, I would suggest to buy cheap tent or rent one from REI to try it out.

Sleeping Bag:

You will need a sleeping bag per person in your family. Make sure you choose sleeping bag that is appropriate to your camping style. Again, we are not talking about extreme weather camping in the Q Family so I pick the one that is not too warm for our area. I figure if it gets too cold, we can always bundle up with more clothes.

Sleeping Pad:

A must for  your camping trip. This is one item that I think worth investing in because a good night sleep will make your camping experience so much better. We used to bring inflatable mattress. One word of advice – DON’T! It’s not as good as sleeping pad and much harder to setup and pack.

Flashlight or Lantern:

It’s not only a source of lighting at night time for you but a great toy for kids to entertain themselves at night time. Kids can play with their shadow and explore nearby campsite with their flashlight.

Footprint or Tarp:

In order to protect and prolong the life of your tent, footprint or tarp is highly recommended. It will help keep your tent from rock or branch. We bought a tarp that is a bit larger than our tent and use it as a mat so kids have place to take off their shoes before entering our tent as well.

Camping Stove:

Cooking at the camp can be easy or complicated depends on your style. We have been camping with a friend who didn’t even bring any stove or any cooking items and we have also been camping with a family that brought everything except the kitchen sink with them. For us, the Coleman Two Burner Stove is a perfect middle ground. It is small and compact enough to bring with us and provide us with enough space to make a quick meal like bacon in the morning or boil water for noodle at lunch.

Extra Blanket:

During fall camping, the weather at night can drop to as low as 30-40 degree. So make sure that you bring enough blanket or extra jacket. I found that one of those snuggi blanket that you saw on TV is really great. It helps keep the blanket on the kids throughout the night.

Outdoor Chairs:

At camp, you will be doing a lot of sitting around and enjoy the company of each other and nature. So a camp chair is a must.

There are many items that you can bring with you to camp especially if you just do normal camping that you don’t have to carry all your stuff to the camp sites. These are just essential items that we know we will need on our trip.

What are your essential camping items?

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Camping With Kids: What to Bring on Fall Family Camping Trip is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

We had a great time during the Labor day weekend in Myrtle Beach. Our accommodation is the beachfront condominium of Kingston Plantation that has great pool and waterpark for kids to enjoy on that beautiful sunny day. Just steps away we can also enjoy beach time.

Stay tune for detail review on this family-friendly accommodation!

Disclosure: Thank you to VisitMyrtleBeach and Kingston Plantation for providing us with complimentary accommodation. However, this post is based solely on my personal opinion and experience.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Wordless Wednesday: Chilling in the Pool @ Myrtle Beach with Kids is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

What a wonderful time we had during this crazy Snow Days in Atlanta this year!  This winter we had one of the most fun time EVER in Atlanta. As the cold front pushed through most of the South and blanketed us with the most snow we have ever seen since we moved to Atlanta 4 years ago.

We were so happy to wake up to the powder white street that blanketed our whole neighborhood. The kids couldn’t change fast enough to go out and step foot in the 7 inches snow in front of our house.

A couple days later we turned our backyard into a snow tubing course of our own. The longest trail was called ‘Dead Man’s Drop’ by Miss J. It lived up to its own name sake reputation.

The speed that the kids flew down hill was fast and sometimes quite scary. So we implemented the rule that they must wear their helmets.

It’s probably not gonna be the same thing as going to the ski resort but for kids it was the BEST days of their lives! Who could blame them when they have a whole week off and get to enjoy all the fun in the backyard.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Snow Fun in Atlanta 2011 is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

With many things that are going on with our family this year especially during this Holiday season, it’s hard for me to spend time and sit down to blog about our fun adventures we have done lately. As we approach the end of year 2010, I couldn’t help but feel thankful and grateful for all the opportunities and friendships I have made during this year.

It was a great year for us here at the Q Family Adventures. I don’t want to sound bragging or showing off but then again I want to be able to come back one day and read about our year in travel. So if you don’t feel like going on the walk back in time with us, I completely understand. Otherwise, let take a trip back to see what we have done this year.

January to March: Connecting

Our first quarter was our typical time to stay home and enjoy time together. With 2 birthdays we enjoyed our time closer to home and explored what Atlanta had to offer. I did get to meet many wonderful people in real life and started to get more invitation to events around Atlanta. One of those connection turned into a invitation to a visit our neighboring state in South Carolina.

April: Columbia, SC

We had a great fun during spring break in South Carolina with kids. Our quick getaway weekend gave us the chance to check out the Riverbank Zoo, the EdVenture Children’s museum and the Congaree National Park. The time we spent was short but it was a great introduction for us.

May: Family Trip to Thailand

This was the trip I had been waiting and planning for the whole year. It wasn’t the first trip back to Thailand for the kids but it was the first trip they would remember. They were at the right age to be able to enjoy and recognize families. We had a great time spending 3 weeks in Thailand and other provinces. I know I have only scratch the surface on our trips to Thailand with post about Saraburi, Ko Samet and Bangkok. But there are still many more posts to come. This was the month when things started to pick up. After we came back from Thailand, we barely had time to unpack before we headed to our next destination.

June: New York City for TBEX

I headed up to New York City for my first TBEX conference. It was so great to finally be able to meet many travel bloggers I have followed online. The conference was a bit disorganized but the networking made up for it. I had only a few hours to spare each day so there was no time to explore the city. The last day, I met up with Mr. Rojo and the kids for a whirlwind day in New York City. Needless to say, it only made me want to plan a trip to properly introduce New York City to my kids soon.

July: Orlando for Summer

In July, we headed down to our family favorite vacation spot in Orlando. As much as I think, we would get tired of the theme parks city, I couldn’t be more wrong. We enjoyed exploring the other side of Orlando by visit the Orlando Science Museum for a day of non-theme park and a couple more days of exploring other free things to do in Orlando gave us a new perspective for this tourist destination.

August: Huntsville for Space & Star Wars

As kids were getting ready to start the new year in school, we took the last trip before all the free times would be limited to just holidays and weekend to Huntsville, AL. It was a trip for both kids and Mr. Rojo because Star Wars had a travel exhibition at the Space Center.

September: Asheville, NC

I attended my 2nd blog conference for 2010 in Ashville, NC at Type-A-Mom conference. This was my second year attending the conference and I had to say I still learned something new and met many new bloggers that I both admired and followed. Asheville has become one of our family favorite small town. With the second trip, we still found many new things to explore.

November: Kissimmee, FL

As we headed toward the busy holiday season, we kicked off our celebration of Thanksgiving in Kissimmee. I have yet to write about our trip on this blog but you can read about our experience at Visit Kissimmee blog.

December: Gatlinburg, FL

We ended our last trip of the year at beautiful Gatlinburg in winter. The Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountain Resort hosted us for the weekend to this fun mountain town where we enjoyed a day in one of the most visited national park at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and spent a night strolling along the downtown street for the festive Christmas lights.

I am thankful that I am able to take various trip throughout the year. It has been an amazing year for me both as a mom and a travel blogger.

I am looking forward to year 2011 and hope that we will be as fortunate to be able to explore different parts of the country or even other countries (Canada is on the horizon for TBEX’2011). I also hope to be able to continue to provide the inspiration to other families out there to get out and explore the world. It doesn’t have to be an exotic place or expensive resorts. There are many many places and many many ways to travel.

I hope everyone a very happy holiday and look forward to hearing from you about your family adventures too!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Our Family Travel in 2010 is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

As a parent who loves to travel and want to instill travel for my children, I don’t have to look any further to get an inspiration to do so than my own mom.

When we were young, as a family of 6, my parents would pack us in their car and took us on the weekend adventures whether it would be a quick visit to check out their land near the beach or a day out at the waterfall nearby. I never have much thought about what involve in traveling with kids until I have kids of my own. But for my mom, she would tell us to get ready and get in the back of our pickup truck. Then we would be off on the new adventure.

We were a typical middle class family in Thailand. I now could remember that my mom would hardly buy clothes or things for herself. I now realize that I am doing the same thing. I would rather use the money for that new pair of shoes to fund our next trip.

As we got older, we started to have a trip of our own with our friends. And even after my dad passed away, she continued to encourage us to travel. There was never once when I asked her if I could go on a trip with my friends that she would say no.

Yes, she would worry about me when I went away but she also trusted me to learn to take care of myself.

My mom is always ready to go on any trips no matter how far or how hard the trip could be. She did backpacking trip in Europe with my brother when she was approaching 60 years old. So there is no excuse of being too old. Recently, she went to India (again with my brother – her travel buddy). She continues to inspire me to travel.

Travel is not only a way to enjoy different destination but I have learned that travel has taught me to be open minded, independent and compassionate. There are many things we can teach our kids from manners to school. But certain things, it’s better for them to learn from experiencing.

It’s very fulfilling when seeing my own kids love to look at the map and enjoy checking of the places we have visited.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) The Traveling Soul: My Own Inspiring Story is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Travel with kids can be a budget buster for many families but there is a way for you to help save on your next trip with a little planning.

Recently, I have been introduced to a new group deal site that focuses on family-friendly products and activities – Savvy Source.

I am fortunate to live in Atlanta where we have probably one of the most daily deal sites in town.

But even if your city doesn’t have any similar deal site available, you can still check out the destination of your next vacation.

Here are the deals I found in Savvy Source this week from major cities:

San Francisco Bay Area:

$47 for: Family membership to the Oakland Zoo ($95 value)
Have a zoo-per day with the bears, elephants, lions and more.

Atlanta:

$25 for: Art classes and workshops at The Little House of Art ($50 value)
Get your up-and coming-artist started on the road to creativity.

Charlotte:

$10 for: Three dance and fitness drop-in classes at Funkytown Parties ($20 value)
Get movin’ and groovin’ at the coolest party spot in town

Dallas Fort Worth:

$22 for: Family 4-pack of admission tickets to Dinosaur World
($45 value)
Travel back in time to when dinosaurs roam the earth

Houston:

$25 for: Pop-In Playtime Bounce Card (10 visits) to Pump It Up ($50 value)
Head to the Inflatable Party Zone and get ready to bounce the house!

Minneapolis:

$26.5 for: An ‘I Get Around’ journal kit and Open Studio 2 Experience at Kiddywampus ($53 value)
Inspiring little ones to create and explore

New York:

$42 for: Pioneer Membership to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum ($85 value)
With all-new exhibits and programs, little ones will be seeing the world with fresh eyes

Philadelphia:

$10 for: Paint your own pottery at The Mud Room ($20 value)
Mud, masterpieces, and memories!

San Francisco Bay Area:

$50 for: Family and Caregiver Membership to Aquarium of the Bay ($100 value)
Go beneath the waves of the San Francisco Bay and discover an underwater world.

Seattle:

$25 for: Eco-friendly toys and crafts at Planet Happy Kids ($50 value)
Making kids happy while keeping the planet happy

I love the family membership program in many children museums, zoo or aquarium. Check out their detail and you might be able to use it in other cities as well!

Also you can join their partner program and receive commission on referral to your friends and families.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Saving Tip on Family Vacation Trip: Check out Local City Deals is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Two weekends ago, we had an awesome opportunity to help volunteering with local organization – Act Together Ministries for the Back-To-School event – Tools 4 School Event at Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church Alpharetta.

An Organization with Family Oriented Goals

Act Together Ministries is a christian based organization that aims to help change the plight of children living in distress in North Atlanta area. They focus their work on supporting children in distress by providing for children’s basic needs, giving children the opportunity to experience the joy of childhood and offering programs to strengthen family bond.

What I also like about Act Together Ministries is that they also inspire young generation to serve by providing service projects that are child friendly and making giving and serving fun for young children as well.

Tools 4 School Project: A Group Effort

The Tools 4 School is one of many service projects that Act Together Ministries have done in partnership with local organizations. This event was sponsored by Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church in Alpharetta.

I signed us up as a family. Mr. Rojo and the kids signed up to help food service but he actually ended up as the volunteer to help gathering school supplies and the kids were there to play with other kids. I signed up to help blog about the event.

Tools 4 School provided children in need including foster children, military children, and children living in poverty with school supplies, hair cut, medical and dental check up.

As the families arrived and registered, volunteers helped them pick out the school backpack and started working on their school supplies check list.

The volunteers worked with kid one-on-one to help them gather their school supplies from the list.

Once they were done, the medical team of doctors, nurses and dentists were there to provide them with necessary medical and dental check up for school.

With the generosity of donors and volunteers, there were also a table setup with bags of groceries to help family start off their back-to-school with a healthy meal.

Once the families gathered their school supplies and finished with their medical & dental check ups, the children could enjoy free art & crafts or played game with volunteers.

I was truly impressed by the well-run and organized event by both Act Together Ministries and Christ the Shephard Church. After talking to a few volunteers who were also the church members, I found out that this was the first year that they have done this event. But I sure hope it will not be the last.

In the end around 125-150 children from single parent homes, foster homes and local shelters received new school supplies.

It was a really great experience and one that I hope we will continue to do as a family. The smile on the kids are priceless and show us that we are the ones who are on the receiving end in this.

If you are looking for way to help, you can sign up to volunteer with the events from Act Together Ministries or donate to help fund many more projects in the future.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Volunteer with Kids: Tools 4 School Event is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Last weekend, we were invited by Georgia State Park to attend their kick off event of Geo-Challenge.

Geo-Challenge is a new program by Georgia State Park incorporating Geocaching to 42 Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites.

You can pick up Georgia State Park Geo-Challenge passport or download it online. Then go to geocaching.com to get GPS coordinates for the caches location in the parks. Head out to the parks and start the hunt.

Once you find the cache hidden in the park, there will be a stamp (unique to each location) for your passport. Complete specific numbers of caches to get a custom geo-coin. Bring your stamped Passport into the park’s Visitor Center and receive a voucher for your coin.

If you are new to Geocaching like myself, there are many sites you can find out more information about. One of my travel blogger buddy, Tripping With Kids, has many posts with great information about geocaching.

Now, on to our first experience with geocaching with kids…

I’m glad that our first geocache attempt was with the Geo-Challenge. We went to the Fort Yargo State Park in Winder and checked in. Typically, geocacher will need a few equipments to start with namely GPS handheld unit (very important) and a few other hiking items.

We were able to borrow the GPS unit from the GA State Park along with a helpful experience geocacher – Ms. Linda. She taught us what caches might look like, how to read the GPS and when to follow the compass or not to follow the compass since sometimes the compass tends to take you on the most direct route. We have to use some common sense as well to not get ourselves in trouble.

Since this is the kick off event, there were 5 additional caches hidden in the park specifically for this event. We arrived a bit later than the starting time so we planned to just attempt to find one event-specific cache.

Our first cache took us on a walk along the nature trail to the wood. It was a beautiful day and a perfect weather for geocaching. We were lucky as we arrived at the location to find another family was there looking for the cache as well. The kids couldn’t be more excited to find their first cache.

As we walked back, we ran into another group putting another cache away. Well, it could be considered as cheating since we didn’t even have the coordinate of this cache. But I considered it as an incentive for a first timer.

With 2 successfully caches, we were ready for the real cache in the park. We loaded our GPS with the coordinate and headed back out on our own for the hunt of Geo Challenge cache. I’m happy to report that it was a success. We found our cache and stamped our passport. One down, 41 more to go!

This is definitely a great way to get kids engage and involve in a destination. Thank you for introducing geocaching to our family. We are hooked!

Do you have an experience with geocaching? Would you like to share with us?

Check out other traveler Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) GeoCaching with Kids: Our First Experience in Geocaching is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Over the weekend, I joined my mom group to do the volunteer work with our elementary school children at Horse Rescue, Relief and Retirement Fund, a local non-profit organization that work to the rescue and rehabilitation of horse and equine suffering from abuse and to the successful retirement of working horses and equine.

We were greeted by Ms. Deb who is a field trip coordinator who is a volunteer staff there. She gave us a quick orientation on what to expect and then we were off to tour the property.

We learned many new things about horses like what term do we use to call horses with multi-color (paint) and what we call their mark on their forehead (star). We met up with the regular residents there who were more than happy to greet us.

There are different area within the property for different types of horse. Mr. Z was so excited to meet horses that are smaller in size. It was wild to be able to walk up to them and touch these gentle souls. Remember, NEVER walk behind the horse!

A larger area is for bigger horses who need more space to exercise. We also learned a lot about how each horse came to the rescue.

After the tour, we then got to work. Since our kids were pretty young comparing to their typical volunteers. Ms. Deb gave us an easy task to help grooming two of their ponies. The kids did a great job!

Afterward, we were rewarded by a surprise treat. Mr. Z tried so hard to make him run. :) But he was a really good horse and didn’t even move a bit with many kids on his back.

It was a great experience and one that we would love to repeat again in the future.

If you would love to volunteer or plan a field trip, you can check out their website and contact them.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Volunteer with Kids: Save The Horses Organization is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

It’s not often for us who live in Atlanta to experience snow. But with the recent winter storm that swept through most the country, we got a chance to really enjoy snow in our own backyard.

It was a short experience indeed. As soon as the snow fell down and accumulated enough, we headed out to our backyard. Based on my past experience I knew we have to seize the moment. Otherwise, you won’t have any snow left to play with the next day.

Lucky for us, the next day was cold enough for us to enjoy a second round of Winter Olympic – Snow Sled in our backyard. I didn’t think Miss J will be a dare devil type kid. But she proved me wrong. She opted to slide down head first and even attempted to slide down with 2 lids. Oh! By the way, we didn’t have a sled so we just use the plastic container lid. Work like a charm!

And yes, we (or actually Mr. Rojo) were able to build a good size snowman. He was big enough to tower over Mr. Z and guard our backyard for a few days afterward.

The best part about snow in Atlanta is there is no clean up necessary. The heat took care of the snow a few days after. No snow shoveling to break your back.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Winter Olympic in Atlanta? is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

As we say good bye to 2009 and give a warm welcome to 2010, I can’t help but look back at our family adventures that we have done through out the year.

I have to warn you that it will be a long post so why don’t you go grab a cup of coffee, get yourself comfortable and come back to join me as we walk down the memory lane together.

March – Gatlinburg, TN

We start the first quarter with our last minute trip that we planned with a group of friends. That was the first time we ever vacationed together but it won’t be the last for sure. 5 Families, 10 adults and 11 kids in one house for 2 days was a great fun. The only thing I wished we could change is to stay a bit longer. Kids had fun Snow Tubing down the Ober Gatlinburg and we had a nice and a bit scary scenic drive along the Great Smoky Mountains.

April – Washington DC

During Spring break, we went on a road trip to Washington DC. A full week in our capital city allowed us to enjoy introducing the kids to great history. We hit the ground running the first night checking out the Cherry Blossom along the Tidal Basin at night. The next day, we covered 2 museums in one day!!! The Natural Museum of American History was a big hit even though we only spent a couple of hours in there.

Yes, there are more things to do and see in DC BUT I couldn’t help planning a day trip to Baltimore. The Port Discovery Children’s Museum was a perfect escape from all the museums. It let them loose and be kids once again.

Back to DC, we had a little mishap to visit Capitol Hill so we just took it in stride and enjoyed our DC by Foot tour. By far, it was one of the highlight for me. A visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Lincoln Memorial gave me the sense of  deep appreciation for this country.

Another break from our museum visit was called for the next day. So we hopped on the Metro and checked out many little (or not so little) furry friends at the National Zoo.

The last day was not at all the least memorable. We spent time checking out the Air and Space Museum.

May – Disney World, Orlando, FL

At the beginning of Summer, we headed down to the land of Mouse to celebrate Mr. Rojo’s Birthday. There was no other places he would rather be than Disney World.

We had a great time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom even with a rain storm at the end of the day. Our friends came up to celebrate with us and we enjoyed our hot Florida day at Disney’s Water Park.

Orlando is not all about theme parks so we spent a leisure day wandering and shopping at the Downtown Disney.

July – Outdoor Adventures

We stayed close to home in the midst of Summer. But we did challenge ourselves to new adventures. We started off slow by hiking closer to home.. really close to home. Then we took another step out of our comfort zone to plan a camping trip. Camping in the backyard was another baby step before the real off-site camping. We did it and it was a blast. We also learned a few tips for our first endeavor.

September – Camping by the Lake

We did our first off-site camping at the campground by the lake nearby our house. Kids were a trooper in helping out in the camp and they enjoyed fun activities. Mr. Rojo got over (just a tad) his camping phobia.

September – Asheville, NC

What a month of stepping out of my comfort zone! After a camping trip, we headed North to Asheville for me to attend my FIRST Blogging conference. I was nervous! Asheville was such a beautiful town to visit. Good food.. no.. GREAT food!!

We continued our outdoor adventure by hiking up the Chimney Rocks. Then a quick visit to Biltmore Estate confirmed that I want to go back there again.

I enjoyed learning from and meeting new bloggers. And oh.. yeah.. we took the kids with us. So I learned a few things along the way to have a great business/family trip combo.

November – San Diego and Los Angeles, CA

We ended our 2009 adventures with the most memorable trip for the whole family to the West Coast. It was our first flying trip in a couple years. With all the changes in TSA that going on daily, I was very nervous.. Alas, we made it without lost child.

Mr. Z couldn’t stop talking about his visit to Legoland. I still have several posts I will do for our visit.. We didn’t even scratch the surface yet.

Whew, still with me? What a year we had!!!

As I look forward to the New Year, I don’t know if we will be blessed to be able to afford that many trips again. We already know we will go back to Thailand next year. I still would love to add a couple trips within the US if we could manage. Who know?

Hope you guys will stick around to see what adventures we will get ourselves into. :)

Happy New Year 2010! Have A Great Year Ahead!!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Our Family Travel in 2009 is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

You might have noticed a break or a rather long absent on my blog. It’s the same time every year that I tend to check out and unplug from the Blogosphere and focus on family holidays.

I hope everyone has a great time with their family and friends during the Holiday season.

I really don’t want to do the year-in-review to sound like a broken record. But I couldn’t help to look back at my accomplishment this year.

Plus, January will be a mark for my 2nd year for The Q Family Adventures Blog. Happy Birthday to ME!! :)

Why I Blog

I first started blogging purely for  my own selfish reason. I want to find a way to document our family vacation trip.

The first year in blogging was in no specific direction. You will find me talking about our grocery saving, 5K Walk or even our fun day outs. I was just out there by myself with no sense of community or friendship.

What a Year

Then this year, after a quick break in the beginning of the year I started blogging again with more direction. I setup my goal to focus my posts more on family travel and activities around town and to be a great resource for other families who look for ways to travel with kids in a budget.

This time, I ventured out to the world of travel bloggers. I have met (online) so many great travel bloggers with different travel styles from Adventures travelers, RTW travelers, Family travelers, Solo travelers and many more. I have found a great community that embrace me as who I am. It might sound so cliche but I have found my tribe.

Later this year, I even attended my first Blogging conference. There I have found and met other fabulous bloggers friends IRL. It was a great conference where bloggers from different niches (travel, food, money, mommy, music.. or whatever you want to call yourself) got together and learned from each other.

I have also seen a lot of dramas played out over Twitter and Blogosphere. BUT what I have seen more is how bloggers rally together to help each other or people who is less fortunate from a mom who is fighting for her life to a group of blogger raise fund to build a school in Cambodia.

Looking Forward

It has been a year of many many first for me. And I’m looking forward to next year.

I’m looking forward to meet many more blogger friends who I have stalked for a long time.

I’m looking forward to share our travel stories and tips to our readers.

Most importantly I’m looking forward to get to know more and hear more from my readers.

Hope You Have a Great NEW YEAR!!!!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Happy Holidays and Happy Anniversary is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Christmas and Holiday season is already under the way. I have to admit that it’s the time that I tend to lag in my blogging. I do hope that you guys will understand. What with lot of fun things to do around town, shopping and preparing for Christmas. And I still have a long list of things to do. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to blog. I do.. I do.. I have many posts I want to write about our recent trip. And yet, I couldn’t find a great motivation to sit down and write it up.

In the mean time, enjoy our day out in our little town. We had a blast over the weekend to 2 fun events.

Breakfast with Santa

First up, our kids’ school Breakfast with Santa.

I admitted that I was a snob in the past. I thought.. yeah.. Breakfast With Santa at school.. how fun could that be. Well, I was in for a surprise. The PTA at our school did an amazing job.

There were free photo with santa, the Christmas carol throughout the event, and various kids crafts and activities for them to enjoy.

Christmas Parade

Then, after a quick stop at home to refuel we bundled up and headed out to join my local mom group for our first ever Christmas Parade.

It was FREEEEEZING!!!

However, the kids had a blast. Typically, we were the spectators but this year we were in the float.

They loved throwing candies to other kids and waving and saying ‘Merry Christmas’.

Ah.. What a joy! Now, you know why I can’t write up any post. I’m still thrawing myself. :)

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Oh the Joy of Christmas… is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A few weeks ago I won the free tickets to see Disney On Ice – Celebration. I have to admit that I didn’t plan to go see this show if I didn’t win the free tickets. I thought it will be one of those kiddies show for smaller kids.

I’m glad I have a chance to prove myself wrong. Both Miss J and Mr. Z were so into the show, they didn’t even move once during the show.

Just like other family shows, there will be a lot of opportunity for parents to drop their money even before the show starts. I have learned to just walk really fast so the kids will miss all those toys. :) Ok.. Ok.. I’m a mean mom but hey we gotta watch what we are spending. And really, why do I want to spend $15 for a mug when I can get it for 70% less in Disney outlet stores.

The show was centered around ‘Celebration’. We got to meet many many Disney Characters from princesses, Mickey and friends, Villains, old characters with upcoming movies like Toy Story casts to new characters with upcoming movies like Princess and the Frogs.

Another great thing I like about this show is it’s not just for girls. If you say Ice Skating, you will associate with girly show. But this show has something for everyone. Kids who are not into princesses will be excited to meet villains or Toy Story characters.

I’m also excited to meet Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from upcoming new Disney Movie – Princess and the Frog. This new movie brings a lot of buzz because it’s the first time that Disney introduces African American Princess. Bravo to them. I will say it’s about time! I also love that the show features New Orleans – one of the city that I really want to visit.

But I think this man might be one of my kids’ favorite person in the whole arena. Who could resist the man with many many bags of cotton candy.

And even being frugal parents, we sometimes have to give in. The show was almost 2 hours long so sugar might not seem like a healthy choice but the most suitable choice to give them little sugar boost.

I love the fact that the show also takes us to different cultures (as much as you can get for an ice skating show) from Hawaii, Japan, China to New Orleans.

So if Disney On Ice will be visiting your city, I would highly recommend this fun family-friendly show to anyone. I wouldn’t think it will be worth the ticket price but I was wrong. My kids didn’t move once!!! They were so mesmerized with the show the whole time. That’s something we don’t experience everyday here at the Q family. :)

Disclosure:

I won the free tickets from local blogger. But they never ask us to write about the experience in exchange of the tickets.

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Experienced Disney On Ice Celebration is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

How did everyone do on this Halloween?

It was very cold and wet for us but it didn’t bother the kids a bit. They were more than ready.

Mr. Z had been wearing his outfit for a few days already. We started out our trick-or-treating a day earlier. My office hosted a trick-or-treat event for employees’ children. We took them to walk around mommy & daddy office (Yes, Mr. Rojo and I work in the same office but different groups).

They had a blast and I think it was one of the favorite part that they look forward to every year.

Then, the day of was a bit of a let down. The weather was gloomy all day. And it was raining a bit in the evening. But it wasn’t as bad so we braved the rain and went out.

Our subdivision was fairly new at about 4 years old. Each year there are more and more kids. It’s what make trick-or-treating in our neighborhood fun. You will see the first wave of younger kids knocking and trick-or-treating.

Then the second wave would normally be bigger kids who were too cool to go out too early. Even with a lot of kids in our neighborhood, we still have WAY TOO MUCH candies!!!

Luckily, my group of friends are working on sending extra candies to our troop. I jump on to this great opportunity as we have Mr. Rojo’s cousin who is serving right now. The kids were so happy to send their candies to their uncle and his friends who are fighting for our country. So if you are looking for a way to get rid off those extra candies, find local family who has a family member serving. I’m sure they will appreciate this small gesture.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Sugar Overload is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

How was everyone Labor Day weekend? I hope everyone had a great time. There were so many things to do in Atlanta over the weekend I had a hard time choosing. However, being a nerd and bookworm by heart, I couldn’t pass up a chance to check out Decatur Book Festival.

This was a 3 days event book festival at downtown Decatur. I was hoping I could go on Saturday as there were many authors that I would love to meet. But we had other commitments like lunch with Thai friends and neighbor’s birthday party. So I settled with Sunday outing.

We arrived in the afternoon and found plenty of public parking.

The book festival is a great fun outing to introduce young kids to the love of reading. It is very family-friendly and pet-friendly as well. We found so many four-legged friends roaming around. I wished we bring our Java with us.

We knew that this will involve a lot of walking. So I came prepare this time. Everyone wore their most comfortable shoes and the kids each had their own Hydration backpack from REI. It’s a backpack that has a pouch for water. So they can carry their own drink and sip on those water whenever they want. It was such a big hit and we got several compliments on them. :) One less thing for us to carry around. I need all hands on deck to carry all the books we will buy.

The weather was perfect. It was sunny but not too hot. We walked around enjoying different activities for kids like making your own book mark, listening to the story teller, watching the martial art performance and creating their own story book. After a while, even with such a nice weather the little legs needed a break. So I went to our favorite treat for the whole family… I scream, You scream, We scream for Ice Cream..

With more energy from a little red energy bar (popsicle), the kids were ready for more walking and checking out books. Another reason I love going to the local fair and festival is the chance to get to know about local groups or businesses like Cooking for Monkeys – this cool mommy blogger who makes the coolest lunch box or Sheltering Arm – a great nonprofit eduational organization that helps bringing books to all kids.

We also stopped by local independent children bookstore – Little Shop of Stories. A cute bookstore that is perfect for kids of all ages and adult too. Mr. Z was so into reading. We had a hard time getting him out of the store.

Ok.. I admitted there is another reason I love festival and it is FOOD. I love festival food especially the Funnel Cake. No matter how full I am, I can always find more space for Funnel Cake.

Thanks to Mr. Rojo who reminded me to take the picture of this yummy Funnel Cake. Otherwise, there won’t be any evident that we had one..

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Bookworms On the Loose @ Decatur Book Festival is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

What kids wouldn’t dive head first for a chance to attend a Dinosaurs party with doughnuts as breakfast? Mr. Z’s reaction was just that when we walked to Georgia Public Broadcasting building and he saw the table full of boxes and boxes of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. See..It was started from a couple weekend ago, we got invited by the Blogrollers for the special advance screening of Jim Henson’s brand new show ‘Dinosaur Train’ in Atlanta.

I have to admit that I was a bit nervous at first. This was my first event that I got invited as a blogger. I was so surprise that anyone will know about my blog much as inviting me to an event. As soon as we walked in, Mr. Z zoomed to the Krispy Kreme table. So much for being nervous, he felt at home with doughnut in hand.

Then we headed to the studio to get ready for a preview of the brand new show – Dinosaur Train. I have to say we have seen a fair share of kid shows in our household. I am pretty liberal in this department. My kids have grown up from Noggin to the Disney channel. So I was curious to see whether Dinosaur Train will be able to hold my short attention span 5 and 7 years old.

The verdict is: I LOVE the show. Love it, love it, love it!! I didn’t say that because I got free doughnuts or train ride. But the show was actually entertaining and educating at the same. It’s not one of those baby shows that teach you ABC and older kids can’t stand them. The show actually seems to captivate kids of all ages. Little kids will love Buddy and enjoy his adventure. Older kids will enjoy to learn about Buddy and his friends. I also love the fact that at the end they teach you (or the kids) about the dinosaur that they feature on the show. How cool!

After the show, Buddy made a surprise appearance for the kids to take their picture with him. But my kids had other things on their mind like doughnuts and train ride. So we headed out and waited in line to get on the train ride.

Miss J stopped by to get her face painted by a cool artist. See the art on her arm! Mr. Z wasn’t sure about face painting but he was very interested in making his own art. We had a great time there and it was worth waking up early on Saturday morning.

Thanks to Everywhere and Georgia Public Broadcasting for hosting such a fun event.

Parents stay tune for a fun-filled week of Dinosaur as GPB launch Dinosaur Week on September 13. Here are some of the fun GPB has ready for you.

• Dinosaur Train will starts Dinosaur week on September 13 with two special episodes at 9 AM and 10:30 AM (regular time slot weekdays at 8:30 AM).
• Other PBS Kids favorites Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Barney and Friends and Sid The Science Kid will run special dinosaur-themed episodes throughout the week.
• The popular IMAX attraction, “Dinosaurs Alive!” will air on Wednesday, September 16 at 8 PM.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Dinosaurs & Doughnuts – A Perfect Match for Fun Morning is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

I have drafted this post a while back as soon as we know that we are going to San Diego in Winter. But I didn’t have the chance to finish it till now.

It’s not because there is nothing to do in San Diego. But it’s the opposite. There are so many things to do in San Diego. My head is spinning trying to find out what can we fit into our schedule. And no, I still don’t know for sure.

I have to say I’m a real type-A traveler. I have to plan everything to the hours. I’m weird that way. But I think I’m getting better. I think…

This trip I will probably have a list of things to do and leave a few days as  free days so we can explore at our own pace.

Without further adieu, here are list of things to do in San Diego that we will try to fit into our trip.

1. San Diego Zoo – It’s one of the top attraction for San Diego. So I don’t have to have a lot of reasons, do I? Kids love to go to the Zoo and this one will probably give them a good work out for a day.

It just likes all the stars align for my trip planning. A couple weeks ago, Carolina @ Kids Go West wrote a post about The Best of San Diego Zoo picked by her kids. What a perfect post for me. I didn’t have to do any research. I will just print out her post and my to-see for that day will be done.

2. Sea World San Diego – I haven’t been to Sea World in Orlando for ages. My kids have never been to Sea World ever. So Sea World is a must on our list. We love aquarium in general and I love to watch live show.

Blogosphere is my friend again when a couple weeks ago (seem to be the theme here) Jamie @ Travel Savvy Mom wrote about 5 Things she learned at Sea World.  Her fun post gives us the general idea of what to expect.

3. Legoland – My son will disown me if we skip Legoland. I mean this boy has a serious issue with Lego. A few days ago he announced that he is no longer interested in Thomas the Tank Engine. He is now a Star War Lego fan. How about that!

For this stop, I know I can rely on Bridget @ Family Adventure Guidebooks. She published ‘The Unauthorized Legoland Guidebook’ so that should probably say a lot about her knowledge of this amazing amusement park.

4. La Jolla Beach – Visit Children’s Pool to check out the seal and enjoy the relax beach vacation North of San Diego. As Mudslidemama @ Traveling Mamas put it on her visit “I’m so glad I did! La Jolla is indeed lovely, with cliffs that overhand the Pacific in ways reminiscent of the more rugged views in Northern California.”

After that, we can enjoy watching hang gliders navigate the wind at Cliff Hanger cafe. That’s something we don’t see everyday in Atlanta.

5. Balboa Park – Home of the San Diego Zoo. The country’s largest urban cultural park also houses other museums, performing center and open-air theatre. Even though Mr. Z announced his separation from Thomas, I’m pretty sure that he will run to be the first to ride the Balboa Park Miniature train.

6. Mission Beach – Technically, there will be more beaches in San Diego than you can choose. But at Mission Beach, kids can enjoy the beachfront amusement park at Belmont Park. With free parking and free admission, it’s a good outing for a family.

7. USS Midway Aircraft Carrier – I love taking our kids to visit places or sights that we don’t normally see in our own hometown. The USS Midway is one of such place. It’s not often that we will be in the area that we can visit and explore the US Aircraft Carrier. Ok.. This one is for me, Ok? I want to see the inside of the carrier and learn about life at sea.

Now. This is probably not a complete list of what San Diego has to offer. So have at it… What else should I consider while soaking up the Sun in the South Cal?

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Things to Do with Kids in San Diego is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Today is the first day of school here and my baby is off to school on the bus as a kindergarten.

It’s a bittersweet for me. On one hand, I’m excited to the next stage for him. He will join his big sister on the school bus, eat in a big cafeteria, learn about reading, writing and art. On another hand, it just gives me a pause at how fast time flies.

Congratulation Mr. Z on embarking into another chapter of your life. Enjoy and have a great day at school!

Miss J will have a sibling in school. I don’t know how this will play out with her. But I know that she will be a great big sister showing her little brother around and helping him out.

We had a fun ice cream party with a few of our friends in our backyard to celebrate their first day. It was hot so ice cream was welcome by everyone. It’s a good thing that everyone ate so quickly because the ice cream was melting almost as quickly. Now I just have to adjust to this early waking hour..

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) And They are Off.. First Day of School is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Last week, Mr. Z and Miss J attended the VBS program at our local church. This year the theme was Boomerang Express which involved train and Australia outback. It was a perfect theme for Mr. Z. When I first dropped him off at his classroom, this was inside his class- a life-size train where he could be a conductor. What can be better than this for a boy whose obsession is all about the choo choo train.

I’m so thankful for the things that the church provided in VBS program. All teachers were volunteers and we didn’t have to pay a dime. Kids came back with a lot of materials. It was a perfect way to spend a great Summer week for them.

At the end of the day, we checked out this large globe in front of the church. When I took a picture, I didn’t notice it but now I could see that Mr. Z stood in front of the Thailand & Australia map. :)

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Train, Kangaroo and Jesus is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

This past weekend we took the kids to pick out our new camping tent. It’s our family first tent – Coleman Concept 8-Person 14′ x 9′ Tent. See! Mr. Rojo and I aren’t an outdoor type couple. If there is no internet access, most likely you won’t see us there. But lately, I have started to do things out of my comfort zone and I guess in turn force Mr. Rojo to oblige.

Today I’m dreaming of camping with my kids. I dream about packing up our car with camping gears like family tent, sleeping bags, cooler and other necessities.

I dream about settting up our tent at the tent site with the lake view like the one in Sawnee campground which is around the corner from our house.

I dream about playing all day long without any worries. I dream about sitting around the fire and making smores. I dream about sleeping under the stars.. Ah.. Hope that dream will come true soon. Next we have to go pick up a few more camping accessories.

Now that’s my dream. Check out other travelers’ dreams at Mother of All Trips.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Dreaming of: Camping with Kids is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

I’m sure I’m not the only mom of a boy who loves train. Any kinds of train rides bound to make Mr. Z happy. Even a subway ride is one of the highlight of his trip anywhere no matter where we go. So I have been looking at different scenic train rides around the country for some cool, affordable and fun train ride. Here are my 5 fun and family-friendly scenic train trips in America.

1. Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, North Carolina – With 53 miles of track, 2 tunnels and 25 bridges, the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad will provide fun, exciting and breathtaking landscape of Western North Carolina. The railroad provides many excursion including special events throughout the year.

Departure City: Bryson City, NC
Fee: Starting from $34 Adult, $19 Children
Contact: Great Smoky Mountain Railroad 800-872-4681

2. Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Georgia – Take a 23 miles round trip scenic Blue Ridge Railway along the beautiful Toccoa River and into the rush Chattahoochee National Forest. Then take a 2 hour layover to visit Copperhill/McCaysville – a town with 2 names lie between the state line of GA/TN.

Departure City: Blue Ridge, GA
Fee: Starting from $26 Adult, $13 Children
Contact: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway 877-413-train (8724)

3. Grand Canyon Railway, Arizona – This is not just another train ride but the ride back in time. The Grand Canyon Railway trip might fall into our typical affordable budget but it’s well worth a ride. Kids will enjoy the 1950s era passenger cars with musicians roaming the car to serenade them or the passenger service attendant answering and providing history and fun knowledge about Grand Canyon.

Departure City: Williams, AZ
Fee: Starting from $70 Adult, $40 Children
Contact: Grand Canyon Railway 800-THE-TRAIN

4. Alaska Railroad, Alaska – When you talk about Alaska, there is no doubt you will think about amazing, breathtaking landscape. There is no better way to enjoy the beauty of Alaska with children than a train ride. This is probably not one of the affordable train ride but it’s one of special experience that will last a lifetime.

Departure City: Multiple Cities, AK
Fee: Starting from $59 Adult, $30 Children
Contact: Alaska Railroad 800-544-0552

5. Skunk Train, California – Ok. You have to admit the name already made you wanna ride this train. The Skunk line runs 40 miles from Fort Bragg on the coast to Willits on US Highway 101. Along the way, the tracks cross some 30 bridges and trestles and pass through two deep mountain tunnels. The half-way point of Northspur is popular lunch spot, giving passengers a chance to snack before continuing to Willits or heading back to Fort Bragg.

Departure City: Fort Bragg and Willits, CA
Fee: Starting from $35 Adult, $20 Children
Contact: Skunk Train 866-457-5865

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 5 Fun Kid-Friendly Scenic Train Trips is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

A couple weeks ago, we took Miss J and Mr. Z to see Thomas and Friends Live on Stage: A Circus Comes to Town show at the Fox Theatre. Ah.. I LOVE the Fox Theatre. It’s such an amazing venue. It’s just the history and character of the interior that just makes me feel like I have been transported back in time. Even with the kids show like Thomas and Friends, I still feel that extra special sitting in the seat.

I knew that the show came to town a while back but didn’t plan to go even though I knew that Mr. Z will really enjoy it. You see.. we are under the strict budget and it can cost quite a lot for a family of 4. But I think God is watching out for me because a few days before the show started, I won the tickets from Twitter promo by Cookie Magazine. How about that!

So we headed down to Midtown early and picked up our tickets from Will Call booth. It was HOT in Atlanta but as soon as we got inside the theatre the kids could feel the excitement built up.

Our first experience with the show at the Fox was the Nutcracker. So this time it was a completely different experience. As soon as the show started and the casts started to sing, Mr. Z turned to me and said ‘They talked!’. hehe.. Of course, then he followed by ‘I liked this one better than the Nutcracker’. Ha.. Well, at least I tried!

The show was very entertaining and engaging with kids. The performers were amazing! I have to say it’s exceed my expectation. I expected to see some cheesy Thomas and trains but the Thomas on stage looks exactly like the Thomas you can buy from Target except it’s bigger and it can talk!

With 15 minutes intermission, Mr. Rojo took Mr. Z to buy some drinks. Ah. It’s actually the marketing plan to allow parents more time to shop for their products. Well, we did so well. We didn’t buy anything but now we might regret it later since Mr. Z had been asking for his special T-shirt from the show. Mr. Rojo thought we could find them online.. Well, so far no luck. I hope Mr. Z will forget about the T-shirt soon!

The show lasted 90 minutes which might seem like a long time for little kids but with all the music and performance most kids were did very well. Now, if they do have any show for Star Wars, Mr. Z will be happy!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Thomas & Friends Live on Stage is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

When you tell anyone you are going to Orlando, they automatically assume that you will spend your entire vacation in the Theme Parks. Who can blame them when there are more theme parks than you can visit in one week in Orlando. However, we have been to Orlando countless times and I start to feel Disney-burnout.. Surprise surprise!

Our recent trip down to Orlando for a 5 day vacation trip, we had decided to choose only 1 Disney park and 1 Disney’s Water park. The rest of the time there we enjoyed spending with our friend and another non-theme park favorite location – Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney is a destination within itself that I think a family with kids will truly enjoy without breaking a bank. It’s very conveniently located right off from I-4. There are plenty of parking and the best of all it’s FREE.

It has various shops and restaurants situated around a lake in the outdoor setting. We loved to go there and enjoy a nice day out in Orlando. A few of our favorite spots are:

1. Once Upon A Toy – A fabulous and unique toy store that offers fun for the whole family for hours. We enjoyed our visit to this store and couldn’t get enough of them.

2. Lego Store – It might be not Lego Land but it is a perfect fun place for lego fan alike. There are plenty of stations that allow kids to explore and play with lego. The creations are also amazing to see.

3. Disney Store – It won’t be Downtown Disney Market without a Disney Store. A mega Disney Store has sections for the whole family from baby, girl, boy, man, woman, and home goods. I think the most popular one is the Disney Princess Salon. Girl will be transformed to a princess with all the pamper from Disney staff.

4. Waterfront Theater – This open-air waterfront theater has events throughout the year. Last year we caught the magic show. This year it was raining. It was right in front of the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop. Grab an ice cream for kids and a cup of coffee for yourself and enjoy people watching.

5. T-Rex Restaurant – Ok.. We didn’t get a chance to go but it looks so cool that we will have to try. It’s the concept restaurant that similar to Rain Forest Cafe. When we went there, the restaurant just recently opened so the line just to get your name on the waiting list was already longer than some of the ride in Blizzard Beach. So maybe next time…

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Five Family Favorites at Downtown Disney Market is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Since we are not an avid hiker but I want to do more outdoor adventures with my kids, I decided to start out with one baby step at a time.

We live in a small neighborhood – no fancy pool with slide, no 10 tennis courts, and not even a clubhouse, but we do have a nice nature trail wrap around our neighborhood. It’s a short trail but along the trail we can walk up to a creek.

So a couple weekend ago, I decided on a whim to take them out and check out the trail. We had walked this trail before when we first moved here but at that time we were under the drought condition. So no water for us. But this trip it wasn’t disappointed. We pack our little backpack with bottle of water and hat, then we headed down the street to the entrance of the trail.

The trail is fairly easy to walk. No climbing or difficult rock to climb over. We saw rabbits and birds. In the beginning, Mr. Z was so freak out. I guess too much of the city boy. He wanted to go home as soon as we started the trail because there are too many trees! Go figure! But once we climbed down to the creek, he was in his happy place.

We sat there and listened to the water flow. We took off our shoes and walked along the creek. We slid down the rock slide. We put our feet down and relaxed… Miss J even claimed that it’s the best day of her life! :) Kids! So easy to please.

When it’s time to head back, I promise them that we will try to do this more and next time we will bring our swimming suits so they can just let loose.

Adventure doesn’t have to mean you have to pack your backpack and travel 1000 miles away from home. Adventure is everywhere around you.

How about you? What other around-the-neck-of-the-wood adventure you do?

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Baby Step to Hiking – Backyard Hiking is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

I’m pretty much a newbie in Twitter world even though I have my account for over a year. At first I just don’t get how to use Twitter. But now I know that Twitter has a lot of benefits if you really know how to use it. For example, a couple weeks ago I saw a lot of tweets about crazy cheap airline tickets from the US cities to Europe.. I mean really low price. Within 24 hours the price had been adjusted. Turned out Delta made some boo boo on their pricing system and forgot to add the airport fee of $200. Oops for Delta but good for any twitters who jump on that deal.

Then a few days later, I saw another cheap ticket from Atlanta to Honolulu for less than $300 from United. And this deal didn’t even last a whole day. So I learn now that if I see any deals on Twitter, act fast.

Well, last week I saw the tweet from Cookie Magazine asking the first 5 people in Atlanta to reply to their tweet will get free 4 tickets to Thomas & Friends show. I didn’t know if I will make it but I tried anyway. And who would have thought, I was the 4th person and snatched the tickets for my Thomas fanatic son. So this past weekend we took the kids to the Fox Theatre to enjoy the Thomas & Friend Live on Stage: A Circus Comes to Town complimentary of Cookie Magazine.

Now, what are you waiting for? Go get yourself a twitter account. Oh! By the way, you can follow me @theqfamily. :)

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) This is Why Everyone Should Tweet is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Looking for a fun sleepover for your family? Imagining sleeping under the sea and relaxing with the sound of the wave in the ocean? What could be better than sleep in the deep end with the shark in your favorite aquarium?

Most aquariums around the US offer group sleepover programs for field trips or church group. But there are several dates in the calendar that open to public so you can enjoy family sleepover under the sea. Or if you can’t make the date, why not make it a family mini vacation with your friends and family?

Here are the list of aquariums around the country that I would love to visit.

1. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta GA – My hometown aquarium is not be missed. It’s one of the world largest aquarium. The aquarium offers different programs for different age group. Most of the dates are for Youth group. But look out for the date that allows family group to attend. The price is on the high range but it also includes aquarium admission, behind the scene tour, activities, 3-D show, dinner and breakfast

Price: $75 for member and $100 for non-member
Minimum Age: 7 years old

2. Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga TN – One of a great location aquarium sits along the Tennessee River with the best view in town. The Tennessee Aquarium Sleep in the Deep program available to group only but look out for special occasion family sleepover like July 4th. You will be able to celebrate America’s Birthday while you enjoy the Firework over the river. The price also includes admission to the aquarium, behind the scene tour, evening snack and breakfast. With the price half of the GA aquarium and only a couple hours away, this might be our destination next year when Mr. Z is old enough.

Price: $45 for member and $55 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

3. National Aquarium Baltimore, Baltimore MD - The Baltimore aquarium is one of my favorite aquarium. The Sleepover with the Sharks program will be a great overnight sleepover for the kids and the whole family. You will enjoy the guided tour to the behind the scene area, participate in hand-on activity, and dare to walk on the catwalk over the shark tank. Then you lay down your sleeping bag at the underwater viewing area where sharks are your sleepover buddy.

Price: $84.95 for member and $94.95 for non-member
Minimum Age: 8 years old

4. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey CA – The Monterey Bay aquarium offers Family Seashore Sleepover program. It’s available once a month from June to September. So if you live in the Monterey area, you might want to check out availability and register as soon as you know your plan. The price includes aquarium admission, behind the scene tour, light evening snack and breakfast.

Price: $50 for member and $75 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

5. The Florida Aquarium, Tampa Bay FL – The Tampa Bay Aquarium offers only group sleepover. But if you can get together with your friends and family to have a group of 15 participants then you will enjoy your own private sleepover in the clear tunnels surrounded by sharks, rays and thousands of fascinating inhabitants. The price bases on the number of participants in your group.

Price: $42 per person (group of 15-19)
Minimum Age: 6 years old

6. Atlantis Marine World Long Island’s Aquarium, Long Island NY – The Long Island’s aquarium is one of the top 10  best aquarium for kids voted by Parent magazine. The sleepover program is offered only one time as a special event and this year is on July 7th. So mark your calendar and book your reservation for the unforgettable night filled with activities, movie and adventure

Price: Check with the aquarium
Minimum Age: Check with the aquarium

7. Oregon Coast Aquarium, New Port OR – The Newport aquarium offers both group sleepover and public family sleepover for Sleep with the Sharks program. The program includes hand-on activities, scavenger hunt, early morning behind the scene, pizza and light breakfast.

Price: $50 for member and $55 for non-member
Minimum Age: 4 years old

8. New England Aquarium, Boston MA – The Boston area aquarium offers once a year Family Overnights program so check out the date and make a reservation soon. This year there are 2 dates available for Family Overnights for Nov 7 and 21. There are plenty of activities to keep the little ones busy all night long.

Price: $45 for member and $50 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

9. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach CA – The Long Beach aquarium offers fun family sleepover once a year and this year the date is set for July 24. So hurry and check if there is still any availability. This overnight program includes hands-on activities, a craft, pizza dinner, snack, cereal breakfast, and overnight T-shirt

Price: $45 for member and $50 for non-member
Minimum Age: 6 years old

10. North Carolina Aquariums – Both Pine Knoll Shores and Fort Fisher offer group sleepover with small size minimum so it’s possible to get together with a few families to meet the minimum

Pine Knoll Shores: Group minimum – 12
Price: $35 per person
Minimum Age: check with the aquarium

Fort Fisher: Group minimum – 10
Price: $45 per person
Minimum Age: check with the aquarium

There you have it.. Now let’s get packing for a fun family sleepover!

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) 10 Fun Aquariums for Family Sleepover is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Summer is the time for the fun in the water. When I lived in Florida, pool time was all year round so I wasn’t really appreciated it as much as when we moved here. Everyone anticipate the opening of the pool and it was such a great way to kick off our summer. But going to your little community pool everyday can be boring. I start checking out other water parks around the area to spruce things up for our summer fun day with our kids.

Here is our short list of water parks we have visited or would like to visit in the near future around the Atlanta area.

1. Lake Lanier Islands

As part of the Lake Lanier Islands resort, the Chattahoochee Rapid and Water park is a favorite for Atlantans. There are over a dozen rides and attractions for the whole family.

For family with little one, the kiddie pool will be your home based and you won’t be disappointed. The park planed with parent in mind, the Wiggle Wave and Kiddie Lagoon are situated near the entrance and the beach area so parents and kids can enjoy the relaxing day on the white sandy beach. For family with bigger kids, the fun has just begun. There are waterslides, wave pool and water fun area for them to enjoy. The price might be a bit on the high end but it’s well worth the visit.

You can also make it a weekend vacation by checking in to one of their resort rooms at Legacy Lodge and Conference Center.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $25.99 Child $15.99
Location: 7000 Holiday Road, Lake Lanier Islands, GA 30518
Contact: 1-800-840-LAKE

Tips:
- Look out for discount coupon if you can visit on the weekdays.
- Buy the season ticket if you know that you will visit at least 2 or more times and the ticket will pay for itself.

2. Six Flags White Water

Boasted one of the top 10 best Water Parks in the US by travel channel. We have yet to experience the Six Flags White Water in Atlanta. There are over 50 rides  for the whole family. Before you head out there, check their website for height restriction so you will be able to see how many rides your kids will be able to enjoy.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult (online special) $29.99 Child (under 48″) $26.99. See sites for more update price
Location: 250 Cobb Parkway N #100, Marietta, GA 30062
Contact: 770-948-9290

Tips:
- If you can get a group of friends to have 15 tickets, you can get group rate for $23.02.
- To avoid the crowd, try to visit during the weekdays in Summer.
- Start from the furthest ride in the park.

3. Bogan Aquatic Center

Gwinnett county knows their water parks. There are several county parks that have great aquatic center that include indoor lap pool and indoor/outdoor leisure pool. Bogan Aquatic Center is located in Buford near the Mall of Georgia. When we went there, we were hooked. For the price of $5 per adult and $3 per kid, you can’t beat this fun, family-friendly water park. The indoor leisure pool is perfect for the whole family. There is a big slide to the lazy river for big kids and adults. There is a water playground in the beach entry for little one. The picnic tables are availabe outdoor next to the pool so you can plan your picnic for a full fun day at this water park.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $5, Child (4-10) $4, Child (3 and under) $2
Location: 2723 North Bogan Road, Buford 30519
Contact: 770-614-2063

Tips:
- Pack a snack in a cooler so you can take a break and save money from buying at the vending machine.

4. Sun Valley Beach

One of a few beach in Atlanta area with slides and kiddie play area. I can’t give my personal view on this one since we haven’t visited this place yet. But from the website and other reviews, it seems to be a great family day out. Don’t expect the same types of rides as in Six Flags but I guess the stretch of white sand beach might compensate the lack of other cool attraction.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $17.95, Child (2-11) $14.95, Child (2 and under) FREE
Location: 5350 Holloman Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127
Contact: 770-943-5900

Tips:
- Get there early so you can get good spot for your stuff.
- Bring cheap water toys that you won’t mind loosing. With lot of people and kids, things can be misplaced.

5. Bethesda Park Aquatic Center

Another great water park from Gwinnett county and this one seems to be the biggest one of all. I have never been there but I’m sure there won’t be shortage of fun. This family-friendly water park features indoor lap pool and indoor leisure play pool. The leisure play pool includes beach entry that perfect for little baby or toddler, the river channel, hydrotherapy benches that will be perfect for mommy and daddy after a long day chasing after our kids, water play struction, vortex and ceiling spray.

Park Info:
Ticket Price: Adult $5, Child (4-10) $4, Child (3 and under) $2
Location: 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville 30044
Contact: 678-924-6334

Tips:
- Pack a snack in a cooler so you can take a break and save money from buying at the vending machine.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Family-Friendly Water Parks In or Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

Pick you own or You-Pick farm has been one of our favorite activities throughout the year – one of the beauty of living in the Atlanta area. I have never done that before when I lived in FL. Maybe at that time, Miss J and Mr. Z were still too young to appreciate such activity or maybe I was so frazzled as a first time mom that the only thing I could think about was how to take care of them.

So check out some of our favorite farms for any season. Plan your weekend, go out and enjoy! You can also visit pickyourown.org to search for farm in your area.

Summer:

Strawberries Picking – The season typically starts from May – Jun. Our favorite is Washington Farm. There are 2 locations in the Atlanta area. One is in Loganville and another is in Watkinville. We have been going to Loganville for the past 2 years and we love it.

The Loganville location is closer but smaller in size. It’s a no frill farm. You go there, park, pick up the bucket or you can bring your own, learn the rule, and start picking. Then after you have eaten (shhhh.. you gotta taste the fruit somehow, right?) and filled up your bucket, you will go up to the stand and pay. I have never been to the Watkinville location so I can’t provide any first-hand experience. But my friend said that they do have small picnic area and playground for kids to enjoy.

Tips:
1. Bring wet wipe or diaper wipe for those little dirty hands.
2. Bring a cooler with ice if you have to drive for a distance to help keep the strawberries fresh
3. Do not wash the strawberries right away. Keep it in the fridge till you are ready to enjoy them.
4. Remove them from the tub and put them in shallower container so it won’t be crushed.

Blueberries Picking – The season starts right after the strawberries season. Last year we went blueberries picking at the Berry Patch Farm around July. The farm is not too far from Alpharetta. It was a really nice farm with small playset for kids to run off their energy. The blueberry picking is not as easy as strawberry. For one, it’s smaller so it will take you much longer to fill up the bucket. For another, the blueberry tree has some sharp branches that you have to be careful especially with small children.

Tips:
1. Watch out for the tape that mark poison ivy. If you see it, then move on and don’t go near it.
2. Head out early in the morning so it won’t be too hot for the kids.
3. Wear sneaker or rain boot. Since you will be there early, the  morning dew will still on the ground.

Fall:

Apple Picking – The picking season for the Apple orchard in North GA mostly starts around Sept till Oct. We went to Hillcrest Orchard up in Ellijay (the main Apple orchard city in GA) a couple years ago. It wasn’t what I envisioned for the apple picking. I dreamt about cold crisp air as we walked down the apple trees. I imagined the morning dew on the apple for the lovely morning. But what we got was 70 degree and we wore sweater. So needless to say, it wasn’t pleasant picking. But that’s no fault of the orchard.

The orchard is fairly big with more than just apple picking. They also have a nice shade picnic area for you to enjoy your break, a play area with big slide for kids, a stage with live-music during the weekend, a pig race for us to root for. So it’s not just an apple picking but a fun-filled day for the whole family. Next time, I just have to check the weather channel before we dress.

Tips:
1. Bring cooler to store your apples.
2. Fill up your cooler with snack and water so you can have lunch and enjoy a day out without spending too much money
3. Don’t forget the sunscreen and hat.

Pumpkin Picking – Who doesn’t like to carve the pumpkin, use your hand to scoop out those yucky stuff from the inside and enjoy the masterpiece after it’s done. Around the Atlanta metro area, I think everyone has heard of Burt’s Pumpkin farm. It’s one of the popular farm that sits right in front of the beautiful Amicalola Falls entrance. I think every school has a rule that they must have a field trip there. I could understand why.

Burt’s farm has a HUGE selection of pumpkins. I mean huge and a lot. You will be overwhelmed with all the selections available; big, small, tiny, funny looking, you name it. The pumpkin patch is not the only thing at the Burt’s farm. They also provide a hay ride. It was a fun ride through their farm with some funny prop. There is a creek running through the farm that you can setup and enjoy your picnic after a full day of choosing the perfect pumpkin.

Tips:
1. Try to visit there during the weekday. Weekend can be a challenge with a lot of visitors
2. Bring lunch or snack to enjoy a picnic by the creek.

Now, go out and enjoy this fun, family-friendly and affordable activity with your whole family.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Pick-Your-Own Farms Around Atlanta is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

This is the shot of the White House as close as we could get. We went to DC during Spring Break which coincided to the Cherry Blossom festival and added that to the new president who just recently moved in, we competed with a lot of people to secure the ticket to visit the White House and luck wasn’t on our side. But that didn’t discourage us to make our final destination on our last day in DC to be the White House.

First we stopped by at the White House Visitor Center. We were a bit late to watch the free video about the White House history. But there are plenty of other interesting things for you to see. The exhibits throughout the room show the history of the White House. Kids could sit down and enjoy some game or craft. Parents can shop the White House souvenir like jigsaw puzzle of the White House.

Then we continued along the 15th Street NW to check out the exterior of the White House. I was determined to get the most famous pose with the White House front lawn. Unfortunately, the access to that section was closed that day. So we continued our walk to the Lafayette Square to get the backyard shot of the White House. The square was a nice area with only foot traffic so it’s perfect for kids to roam around. After we fueled up at Old Ebbitt Grill, we walked all the way to the Tidal Basin for one last shot of the Cherry flowers.

Adios DC, till we meet again.

Check out other travelers’ Photo Friday at Delicious Baby.

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Summer is just right around the corner and one of the biggest challenge for all the parents are ‘what to do with our kids for the next 10 weeks’.

I am on the same boat. Last year, we signed them up for Summer camp for most of the Summer. But this year, we will have limited fund to do the same. So I have to come up with some creative and cheap activities for them to enjoy their Summer.

Here are things we have lined up in the Q family.

1. VBS school – This is a great way to engage kids in bible study without boring teaching. There are plenty of churches around our area so I am able to find a few weeks of VBS (with different themes). Most VBS program runs half day for a full week. Think of things you can get done in that timeframe. :) Plus the fun the kids will have. Last year, we went to First Redeemer Church and Bridgeway Church; the program and the planning was so amazing. It was a blast for them.

2. Family Movie Day at AMC – Every Wednesday during this Summer, kids can enjoy family friendly movie at participated AMC theatres for $1.

3. Free Family Move at Movie 400 – Every Tuesday and Thursday, Movie 400 in Cumming will show free family friendly movie. Plus you can get free drink if you bring a canned food for donation.

4. Fun Hiking with REI’s Passport to Adventure program – Introduce kids to hiking and challenge them to win prize with REI’s passport to adventure. Download the journal, check out your local hiking trail, fill out online form to get a certificate of completion and a special prize. Who doesn’t love free gift?

5. Summer Reading program with Barnes and Noble – Kids can earn a free book with they read 8 books this Summer. Join Barns and Nobel Summer Reading Program this year. Download or pick up the Summer Reading Journal to earn free book between May 26th & Sep 7th.

6. Pick up free movie from Redbox every Monday – Ok. Guess you will see a theme here at our household. Movies are big here. So how about one more day of free movie. But this one you can enjoy it at the comfort of your home. Every Monday, check out the Redbox code for free movie and you will be able to have Monday Movie night or Tuesday movie at home before you have to return it before 9pm on Tuesday. Did I mention that it’s FREE?

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Fun Free (Cheap) Things to Do with Kids this Summer is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

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The Terracotta Army from China is probably the second most recognized Chinese treasure after the Great Wall. Mr. Rojo and I were fortunate to visit China many moons ago but we didn’t have enough time to visit the Terracotta Army. And it’s probably almost impossible to make a trip to visit China anytime in the near future. So we were pretty excited when the High Museum in Atlanta had an exhibit of the Terracotta Army on loan from the British Museum.

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When you live in Atlanta metro area, you can’t help but see or hear about Coca Cola. After all, it’s the birthplace and headquarter of this mega company. The new World of Coca-Cola has been opened for quite sometimes. Until recently, we had a chance to visit on a nice sunny Saturday.

The new World of Coca Cola is conveniently located next to the Georgia Aquarium and the Imagine It! Children’s Museum. Across the street is the Centennial Olympic Park. So it’s a perfect location to have a full day of all Atlanta favorite tourist spots. When we got there, there were a few field trips but the line to get the tickets was short.

Once we got in, we waited at the lobby area and checked out the amazing Coke bottle artwork around the world. The detail and representation for each of this bottle is amazing. A short wait and then we were directed to see the short film ‘Inside the Happiness Factory’. It was pretty nice and fun short film to give you the glimpse of what Coca Cola wants us to know about their factory..

Then we walked to the Hub which we waited in line to meet the Coca-Cola Polar Bear. I think it was well planned that they timed the guests in group so there wasn’t a long wait and if you aren’t interested in the picture, you can head directly to the next gallery.

One of the things I always do when I go to the World of Coca-Cola is to hunt for the Coke sign in Thai. Coca-Cola is pretty popular in Thailand so I’m sure we are a pretty good customer. And they didn’t disappoint me when I found a sign in Thai language. It was amazing to see how globalize Coke is.. It’s everywhere!

My next favorite part was the Bottle Works. This is where we got to see a real bottling line and see Coke being made right in front of us. Having an industrial engineer background, I love to see all these machines come to life. We probably spent a good 20 minutes watching the Packaging Robot doing his job. And do you know he has a name.. ‘Fizzybot’ is his name..

We then headed to the 4-D theatre to watch ‘The Secret Formula’ show. It was pretty interactive and I don’t think small children will enjoy it much. The chair can shake pretty violently and I heard a few small kids cried. But Mr. Z and Miss J did enjoy them. The 4-D effects was really thought out.. the water, the air, the movement.. It felt like we were at one of the Disney ride.

After the theatre, we headed to the most anticipate room.. the Tasting room.. This was the room that the kids got to drink Coca-Cola products from all around the world. They group the drinks into regions.. Some were pretty good.. some were not so good (ok.. it was really bad). But you have gotta try them all, right?

Each guest can pick up a bottle as they headed out to the gift shop. It was one of those place that you have to visit once..

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A fun stop during our visit to downtown Atlanta at the Centennial Olympic Park new playground. This playground has a few unique structures that you won’t find them in typical playground. The kids love to slide and climb up on the pseudo rock climbing wall built for little one. They also enjoyed the rocking bench! The shade is a huge plus for a hot day in Atlanta.. The location is ideal for family who visit the Georgia Aquarium or the World of Coca Cola for a quick break.

Mr. Z had a blast climbing up and sliding down the slide. The cool feature is the standing slide that roll down make you feel like you are on the roller skate.. Fun time!

This post is part of Photo Friday hosted at Delicious Baby. Check out other participants here.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Afternoon Fun at Centennial Olympic Park is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

That’s a million dollar question, isn’t it?

Well, I’m still kicking and living here in the C-Town. :) But I just have been too busy reading. That’s right my friends.. I read for a change instead of tuning to the TV.

It all started when I picked up Twilight book and can’t stop since..

Well, we have been busy planning a few trips as well. So I promise to update as soon as I can put my books down.

So far we have several trips in the work.

- Last minute ski trip to Gatlinburg
- Spring break trip to DC
- Maybe.. Disney trip to Mr. Rojo’s Birthday

Till then…

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Ah.. The year end review.. I don’t like to look back in the past but rather focus in the future. But there is one thing that I don’t mind looking back often. I love to review our travel trips from the past to relive the fun and treasure all the memories we have created with all those trips.

At the beginning of 2008, I have made a list of Top 10 Weekend Trips that we could do from our homebase in Atlanta.. How did I do..

We did take a trip to Helen for our anniversary. It wasn’t the romantic getaway that we were planning for but nonetheless it was the fun family trip that my kids are still talking about.

Then in September, we took a day trip to Chattanooga for the fun full day at the Creative Discovery Children Museum and Tennessee Aquarium.

And to celebrate my birthday in October, we went to Destin for a few days.. Oh!! This will be one of my annual trip as long as we can afford it. The beaches are gorgeous.

So we managed to check off 3 out of 10 from our list. Not too bad. In between, we also went to the Carribean on Carnival cruise. It’s yet another one of our favorite vacation type. I already start planning for the next cruise.

I can’t wait to start planning for 2009 trips.. So far, one is already in progress.. Stay tune for our next adventure.

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This Christmas Miss J got a brand new American Girl doll. Ok.. I know.. I know.. American Girl doll is a bit (maybe a lot) expensive doll. For $90 per doll, it seems kind of excessive for a 7 years old girl. However, I love their concept of the girl with character. I really like how they tie history to a doll character with books. Maybe it’s my childhood dream to own one that push to get the American girl doll for Miss J this Christmas. I can’t be sure..

So a couple days ago we took her to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro for a night out with her new friend. It was so cute. She got matching outfits from Grandma and Grandpa. Her new friend had her own chair.. The bistro is nicely decorated with the modern style in there. It was very nice atmosphere. The menu is pretty much straight forward. The price is fixed per person.. At $14.50 per person, I think it’s way too expensive. But I guess most of the time, it’s for special occasion.. With that you gets the choice of one appetizer and one meal. The food is pretty decent but small in size. I guess they don’t expect girls to eat much. After the meal, she got to stroll around the store and checked out all other accessories. Now she just has to save up her money for those if she wants any.. :)

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I was planning to write up this long post about how proud I am of myself to celebrate my first Blogniversary. But I just don’t have it in me today to do so..

So to me, Happy 1st Blog-niversary. I have enjoyed my journey and met several new friends. I hope this year journey will be more fun and greater than last year.

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Today we took Miss J and Mr. Z to the Fox Theater for the Atlanta Ballet’s Nutcracker show…

Ah.. It was such a great experience for both of them and myself. It was the first time for me to visit the Fox theater. What an amazing theater!! I was so in awe for the beauty of the architecture and details of the building. I didn’t know about the history of the Fox until to read it from their website. It makes the experience of the show even more magical. The history that has been preserved through time makes me feel like we have been transformed to the different time.

The show is no doubt fun and captivating. This will surely be one of our holiday activity from now on. Maybe next year I might invest in a better seat. :) I wasn’t sure how they will do with such a long show.. So I purchased the cheapest seat. To my surprise, we were almost at the front row but to the left of the theater. I guess next year we can try to get a seat on the middle section of the theater.

Miss J and Mr. Z got to enjoy the musician during the intermission on the front row.

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Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Last night we had a small Christmas eve dinner with friends. Nothing big just us and their family. It’s my first Christmas eve dinner that I cooked and prepared everything myself. I’m pretty proud of myself. Bonus for a small gathering is everyone gets to eat at the dining room.. Ah.. What a treat!

Santa has arrived in Atlanta at 11pm. Look what he brought with him to the Q house!

I was so touched this morning as we woke up to Christmas day. Miss J and Mr. Z saw what Santa brought for them and the first thing Miss J said was.. ‘We have to pray to God and thanks him for Jesus’. That’s what Christmas is all about!!!!

Someone was asking for American Girls and guessed she has been good!

A bit OCD??? Mr. Z lined up his toy in a perfect line. That’s just how he likes it.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) It’s CHRISTmas!!! is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

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After a whole day of doing nothing yesterday, I felt horribly guilty so I decided to take the kids out on the cold day. We headed North to I.N.K. – it’s the kid’s hand-on museum that kids get a chance to pretend to live like us adults. There are multiple rooms to recreate the real world ranging from grocery store, bank, doctor office, restaurant, salon and many more. It’s not too far from our house and we have our reciprocal membership that we got from Chattanooga so we got in for free.

It is a small museum but is packed full of things for kids to do and run around. It was actually my first time but Miss J has been there a couple times with her school field trip and Mr. Z had been there once as well. So they actually showed me where things are.

Mr. Z didn’t waste anytime and ran straight to the train section. If I didn’t force him to come with us to other rooms or station, he would probably spend his whole afternoon there.

Then we backtracked to the mail room. We stopped to send mail to Santa. Hopefully it’s not too late. :) After that, we headed to the back room that has the airplane. What a cool room!!! I love it as much as the kid. How often do I get to sit on the small plane like that..

Miss J couldn’t get enough of the ATM machine. That’s the girl after my own heart! She knows where the money is. :) They gave us the real ATM card that works with Suntrust machine. She got to enter the code, select language, select transaction type.. The only exception is it doesn’t give out any money.

After a while, I just let them play on their own.. They didn’t seem to want to leave so I had to round them up and promise a return trip with daddy. After all, we don’t have to pay for the fee so we can go back as often as we would like. What a fun day we had!!

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Ah.. Till the season.. This year it seems we have been busier than usual. Maybe because we stay in town instead of heading South to the land of Mickey and Minnie.

Last week we had Miss J’s holiday party at school. It was nice to get to see other parents and see how she is in the class. Her teacher is amazing. We were on the mad dash to finish 3 crafting project and 1 snack. It was quite accomplishments for us to make 2 ornaments and one goodie bag home.

Then the next night we had Mr. Z’s holiday party at his Pre-K school. His class performed 3 songs.. It was so adorable. They sang, danced and enjoyed the party. Mr. Z, however, didn’t really like to sing in front of a large audiences. He did dance when they sang Rudolph though.. Here is my little Rudolph..

We also attended our first playdate with my local mom group. Typically, I had to work so I hardly join in the playdate. But I was able to clear my schedule to take them to Ginger Bread cookie decorating playdate. My friend is an amazing baker!! She can do the kind of cookies that you don’t want to eat but just to look at. We had fun on our sugar binge and decorating.

Then last night, we planned to take them to see Magical Night of Light at Lake Lanier. However, the traffic was so bad we had to improvise. Instead, we headed to McD for a fun dinner out and went to see the light at John Creeks area (which is free). So we will probably try the Magical Night of Light later and plan our trip better to avoid the traffic.

Whew.. It has been a really busy week so I’m sure y’all can relate and forgive me for not updating my blog more often.

Thanks for reading my feed. Please stop by to say hi or leave a comment! :) Holiday Parties is a post from: The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog

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I would like to think that we are the ‘City’ people living in the suburb of Atlanta. But the reaction of my kids when we drove to midtown made me realized that we are far from city people.

Mr. Z: “Mommy, look at that tall building!!”

Miss J: “Daddy, look at that sign!!”

Mr. Z: “Mommy! Daddy! Look!!!”

This conversation went on and on almost as soon as we approached midtown. I guess we haven’t been to downtown often enough.

This past weekend we had a little adventure to midtown. I wanted to get the Nutcracker tickets. I have learned from my friend and just noticed how expensive Ticket Master charged for the “Convenient Fee” I decided to make a day trip and went down to the Fox Theatre ourselves and buy our tickets in person.

We parked our car at IKEA and took a free shuttle bus to the Marta station. Then we got on the Marta to the North Avenue station. This was probably one of the highlighted for Mr. Z. We could have driven down there and park somewhere but then where is the fun. The Marta station isn’t that far from the theatre just a short walk. It wouldn’t be so bad. After we got our tickets, we headed back to IKEA and had lunch.

Typically, we don’t have much luck in checking them in at IKEA playland. They have very limited space but that day we were lucky. So we were able to walk around with no kids and .. well, I don’t know if it’s good or bad because we were able to pick up a few stuffs for our house.

I have found one of my favorite thing this season – Non Breakable Christmas Ornaments!!! I love it. When you have kids, I think it’s a must in every household. It looks just like glass ornaments but it doesn’t break when they drop it on the floor.

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The poor snow man after only a day in Atlanta last year snow surprise.

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