The Best Place On Earth

This September I went on vacation to one of the best places ever - Disney World! I even got to bring along my baby sister. I had a great time going on all of the rides, eating out every night, and taking a million different modes of transportation. I went on boats, trains, monorails, buses, cars, airplanes, and, of course, roller coasters!

While all of the Disney parks were great, I also really enjoyed Universal Studios. One of my favorite things was the Flight of the Hippogriff roller coaster. I went on that a lot. I also loved Dr. Seuss land. I made sure I got my mom really wet on the One Fish, Two Fish ride. Let me tell you, a week just wasn't enough. I keep asking to go back - and I'm sure we will!

Vermont, Otra Vez!

If it's summer time, it must be Vermont. I got to go up North once again with my Grammy for some good food and good views. I had a great time running around, walking along the lake, and playing at Echo Aquarium. Plus, my mom was busy being really pregnant at home, so I got to spend some time with someone who still enjoyed acting as wild and crazy as me. Our trip got cut short, though, when I broke the gas fireplace and scared Grammy. My summer stayed exciting - with the arrival two days later of my baby sister, Clara.

Lucky enough, I got to go back to Vermont this fall. Although we came too late to visit Shelburne Museum, we visited Echo, and I got to go trick or treating on Church Street. We also checked out the chocolate factory, Lake Champlain Chocolates, that is! I love Vermont.

Ride 'Em Cowboys

This past month, Grammy and I moseyed on down South - way South to visit my Aunt Trina in Texas. I had never been there before, but, let me tell, you everything is bigger and better in Texas. Sadly, I didn't get to venture as much as I liked. Grammy was allergic to Texas apparently, and she spent the majority of our trip feeling sick. I tried to make her feel better one day by pretending to puke in the toilet alongside her.

With Grammy not feeling well, my Aunt Trina got to spend even more time with me. Lucky lady! We played a lot of chase - she chased me around her house, the grocery, the cowboy store. You name it - she probably chased me there. Since I am such a cute kid, I even got a gift for my crazy antics. I came home with an awesome cowboy hat and cool cowboy boots to match. They are the perfect accessories for when I'm hanging out with my riding cow. Texas - I look forward to coming back and seeing more!

Blown Away by the Windy City

I bet you guys were starting to think that I was slowing down, but NO WAY! Last month I got to spend a few days in one of coolest cities in the country - Chicago! And to get there - we did something different - we took a train.

Although I was a bit under the weather, the 'rents and I managed to make the most of it. First things first, let's talk about the food. I got to eat deep dish pizza from Giordano's, chowed down on some cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, and devoured some delicious pasta bolognese from Rosebud Steakhouse.

But, alas, we also had to trek out into the chilly streets to take in the usual sites. I got to see some awesome animals, although they didn't move much, at the Field Museum. Have you seen that dinosaur? She could use a good tooth brushing. The aquarium also didn't disappoint. While the fish and the sea turtles were pretty cool - they had nothing on the penny squishing machines.

But, my favorite part of the trip came on the last day. We got to go to the zoo! It was the perfect sunny day for riding the carousel. And, to finish out our trip, my mom and I did a little shopping at Bloomingdale's (that was mostly mom, but I figured I'd make her happy). So, all in all, another great trip, and another city checked off my list.

Stay tuned for the details of my next trip - Texas, yeehaw!

Doing Everything a Day Ahead Down Unda'

Not even 2, and I found myself rearing to head half way across the world to Australia. The land down unda', Oz. A place filled with 7/10 of the world's most venomous snakes, sharks, giant crocodiles, jelly fish, & spiders. Not to mention that most of the inhabitants were bred from former criminals. No wonder my mom was so worried about this venture! It must have been the fury koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, & kookaburras that reassured her.

I was going to visit my uncle Gon, who had successfully survived this crazy land for the last year. We touched down on a Saturday, and after freshening up, went for Bill's, for its famous brekkie. There, I easily ate my weight in banana ricotta pancakes. What a start to this trip. I hadn't even been there 3 hours, and I had gained 7 lbs!

My escape was filled with culinary and creature delights. I took trips to the Botanical Gardens, watching giant bats & cockatoos. Also, I went to Wildlife World, the Aquarium, & the Maritime Museum. All along the way, my grandma had to trudge through the rain that always greets Sydney visitors. During the evenings, I dined on quail, lamb, cheese boards & finely aged vino. What a dream.

This isn't to say that I didn't have several near death experiences. Apartment windows, crashing plasma TV's, etc. I left Oz in 1 piece, however, less 3 of my 9 lives. Until next time Gon!

Stirrin' it up in Great Stirrup Cay

We knew the end of our wacky family vacation was coming to a close when we reached Great Stirrup Cay, NCL's private Bahaman island. This, no doubt, would be a very predictable stop: crowded beaches, fly-infested barbeque, natives braiding hair, pasty white bodies roasting like smores in the sun as their owners attempt to get that last minute tan to make everyone jealous back home, and nicely rounded stomachs, carefully crafted in the buffet line over the past 6 days.

I had my sights set on one thing, the water. After reaching the beach & battling the crowds to carve out a plot of land, I dropped my stuff and immediately headed to the water with my mom & Gon. I splashed around for as long as I can remember, and by the end, my super absorbent diaper had soaked up half of the ocean. It's funny how we arrive at solutions to our biggest problems sometimes. If the polar ice caps do melt, no worries about the ocean flooding our cities, lets ditch the sand bag method and use my diapers instead.

Although I was nowhere near ready to go, my mom was feeling the sun after awhile, and decided to call it a day. What a day it was, and a great ending to our latest vacation.

Bomba Shackin' in Tortola

The clouds rolled in as we sailed into Tortola. Originally called Santa Ana (so named by Christopher Columbus), and later renamed Ter Tholen by the Dutch, this gem of the BVI is known for its offshore companies & banking, but it's better known for the notorious Bomba Shack (more on that later).

Because of the rain, we decided the best option was to hire a driver and explore the island. We chose the right driver, who never stopped talking. Everyone seemed to enjoy the facts he shared. I wasn't too amused though, and fell asleep. Highlights of the tour were a beach stop where I got my feet wet, a rum distillery--which looked like it had a long history of still explosions. Then, there was the aforementioned Bomba Shack. What a place! One unique thing about Tortola is that mushrooms are legal and grow naturally in the mountains of the island. These psychedelic fungi are the stars of the show at full moon parties, which is the Bomba Shack's specialty. Hung throughout the bar are the under garments of past trippers. Although I support living a clean lifestyle, I wanted to toss my diaper up there, but both of my moms didn't support this idea. Oh well, at least it gives me an excuse to come back, I have unfinished business...