Cultural Shock!!

Hong Kong, Dec 11th 2012..

Repulse bay beach

To

Minot, North Dakota, Feb. 1st 2013

Near our new home!

Traveling with a kid.

My traveling girl. Airports are like our second home.

My 10 yr old daughter and I are off to Minot,ND to our new home. We have a full day of travel.

My daughter has been traveling since she was 8 mo old. I have to say she is the best traveling partner to have. She does not stress, she gets upset, but she handles it well. She rolls with the flow and she kicks butt at Uno. 

What do I pack for her for air travel through the U.S. 

(Yes, packing for oversea flights is very different then packing state to state flights)

Truth be-told I don't pack for her any more. She knows what she needs. 

Our number one family rule for traveling:

  "Your bring it, pack it, or buy it; you carry it." 

We have held to that rule very strongly. We rarely made exceptions even when she was throwing a tantrum in the middle of the Airport (yes, she did that a few times). It is not as mean as it sounds. We always planned for her age and always had the right type of bags to help her carry what she needed. 

 There is no way I can go into every adventure we have taken since she was 8 mo old. I will tell you what she packed for this trip. We had four connecting flights and we are flying in winter time. We had to be prepared for possible delays and cancellations. I always go over the itinerary and I slip a copy in her bag in case we get separated. 

For this trip I had her dress in layers and to carry her winter coat

My daughter's packing list:

• She picked the bag for her carry-on
• Prepackaged snacks
• Empty water bottle: I have the flight attendants fill up the water bottle with a beverage.
• iPod
• Uno card
• 1 book
• 1 Pillow
• Her favorite stuffed animal (Froggy has travel with us since she was 8 mo old...we don't leave home without it)
• Journal blank paper
• Small pouch of color pencils
• Small amount cash
• Notebook computer

That is about it. 

Its cold up North!

We are flying up there on Thursday the 31st...when we land that evening it is suppose to be -15 degrees ...

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

LET THE FUN BEGAN!

**LATEST ON THE FRIGID TEMPS & DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS:

WIND CHILL ADVISORY:
In effect from Midnight through 4PM CST Wednesday. Through tomorrow afternoon, expect temperatures of 25 to 40 below zero.

WIND CHILL WARNING:
In effect from 4PM CST Wednesday through 9AM CST Friday. During this period, wind chill values will be between 40 and 50 below zero.

These are dangerously cold conditions. Precautions should be taken to ensure your personal safety, as well as that of children, pets and the elderly. Dress in layers and covered exposed skin. Avoid being outdoors for prolonged periods of time as hypothermia is a major risk and frostbite can occur in as little as FIVE minutes.

What's a kid to do??

My daughter was up early as could be and she wanted to shovel snow! Are you kidding me? She really does not have much experience with snow, but hey why not get some practice before we move up to Minot, freaking cold North Dakota. I thought sure she will stay out there for a little bit and quite because she would be too cold to finish.

 NOPE, again I was wrong, she finished the sidewalk and the driveway by herself!

Snow??

My daughter wished for snow. I told her if it snowed I would take her outside no matter what time it was. I made this promise after I heard the forecast state " no snow - it was going to go around San Angelo". I felt pretty confident...maybe do to sleep deprivation... Not sure what I was thinking when I made the promise. Anyway guess what happen at 11 pm tonight...That right, it started to snow!! AND we went outside to play!!

Small TX road trip

2 hour Road trip within TX. My daughter's face is plastered to the window with amazement from all the space, animals & landscape. The Upcoming year is going to be a year of firsts for her. This is going to be fun to see America through her eyes.

We are in San Anglo , TX

We are in San Angelo! Safe and sound...of course we are all wide awake :) 

This will be our home for the next few months. My husband will move up to Minot AFB in hopes to find or get a house on base soon. BUT it doesn't sound like it will be too soon...well that's the military for you...it is on their schedule not ours. 

Time to get some sleep!!

Fort Concho tour- San Angelo, TX

http://www.fortconcho.com/

"Fort Concho National Historic Landmark encompasses most of the former army post and includes twenty-three original and restored fort structures. The old frontier army post is now a historic preservation project and museum which is owned and operated by the City of San Angelo, Texas"

Hummer house in Christoval, Texas

Hummer House

Christoval, Texas

Home page: http://www.hummerhouse.com/

Directions: http://www.hummerhouse.com/map.htm

Dan & Cathy Brown are great people and have world of information. They were so great with the kids and all there questions.

AWESOME!  It is a great place for a day trip... if you like birds and want to see them up close with kids this is a wonderful place !

Here is the photo of the day...



Water Lily ponds in San Angelo Texas

San Angelo is a town filled with hidden treasures. No, I am not from San Angelo, so when I go to visit I am always amazed what I find there. The water lilies were one of those amazing sites to find…ok, I didn’t find it…I was told about it and where it was located.

Water Lilies – International Water Lily Collection

Photos taken By Gypsy Girl 2010

Photos taken By Gypsy Girl 2010

Photos taken By Gypsy Girl 2010

Photos taken By Gypsy Girl 2010

Photos taken By Gypsy Girl 2010

 The history behind the Water Lilies – International Water Lily Collection : http://sanangelotexas.us/vertical/Sites/%7BBD27ED61-E710-4F56-8954-CC319F012B3D%7D/uploads/%7BAB09883D-8C61-493E-8F4D-D027A2333012%7D.PDF  

Another great site: http://gardenpage.biz/san-angelo-hidden-treasure-worldwide-reputation-local-man-honored-for/

Mississippi and NASA

Lunar Lander Exhibit

Photo taken by Gypsy’s Husband  

NASA's Lunar Lander exhibit is located at the Mississippi I-10 Welcome Center in Hancock County, Miss., just west of Bay St. Louis and 45 miles east of New Orleans on I-10 at Exit 2. The exhibit features a 30-foot-tall replica of a Lunar Lander used as a trainer by the Apollo 13 astronauts. Apollo 13 astronaut and Mississippi native Fred Haise left space-boot prints and signature in concrete at the base of the exhibit. http://www.ssc.nasa.gov/sirs/scripts/getxmlfile.pl?id=00-068D-01

http://www.ssc.nasa.gov/public/visitors/ 

We are heading down to New Orleans!

"In New Orleans, gluttony is a way of life." ~ Morton J. Horwitz

"It has been said that a Scotchman has not seen the world until he has seen Edinburgh; and I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he as seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans."       ~Mark Twain, Letter to Pamela Moffett, March 1859

"And you find as a writer there are certain spots on the planet where you write better than others, and I believe in that. And New Orleans is one of them." ~Jimmy Buffett
 
“New Orleans is one of the two most ingrown, self-obsessed little cities in the United States. (The other is San Francisco.)”~Nora Ephron
 
Her is more interesting stuff about New Orleans:
Check out this website   "Say What?! The Language of New Orleans" http://www.experienceneworleans.com/glossary.html  
 
City that Care Forgot =A nickname for New Orleans

"N'awlins" = "New Orleans"
 
Big Easy


"The Big Easy".... became the official nickname for New Orleans after a contest was run years ago. Historically, New Orleans has weathered primitive conditions, yellow fever, hurricanes, floods, wars - English, French, Indians, Union -- and just plain hard living. Being a survivor was something to celebrate. In addition, New Orleans is noted for its total mix of cultures that have held onto their past traditions and languages. New Orleans is also constantly celebrating! There are music festivals, food festivals, etc. throughout the year. The bottom line is that "The Big Easy" won because it fits! If it's fun, tastes good, sounds right - then we're all for it!
 
For more information Checkout the website above. Wish us luck tomorrow I am sure we are going to have lots of fun!!

Old Sturbridge Village-MA

http://www.osv.org/

Old Sturbridge Village - MA

Old sturbridge Village was a family day trip. I was not sure how the kids would like it. I was sure surprised to find  the kids really enjoyed their day there.

Old Sturbridge Village

1 Old Sturbridge Village Road
Sturbridge, MA 01566
1-800-SEE-1830/1-800-733-1830



"Old Sturbridge Village celebrates early New England life from 1790-1840. One of the country’s largest living history museums, OSV has historians in costume, 59 antique buildings, three water-powered mills, and a working farm. Visitors can ride a stagecoach, view antiques, tour heirloom gardens, meet heritage breed farm animals, and enjoy hands-on crafts. Open year-round, but hours change seasonally."

http://www.osv.org/

Quabbin Reservoir

Quabbin the second time. I really like this place. Right now, if I could live anywhere I really would like to live near the Quabbin.

Quabbin Visitor Center

485 Ware Road (Rte. 9)

Belchertown, MA 01007
413-323-7221

Friends of Quabbin:http: //www.foquabbin.org/