Affordable Winter Escapes

Don’t wait until after Christmas to jet out of town on a family getaway.  If you are looking to score some serious travel bargains, now is the time to hit the road.  You can take advantage of money-saving offerings in these popular vacation destinations from now until December 26th: New York City:  Believe it or not, you can snag a bargain in the Big Apple in the weeks preceding Christmas.  Take in the amazing holiday light displays, skate at Rockefeller Center, shop on Fifth Avenue and sled in Central Park while saving money on your hotel room.  The Hotel Wolcott … Continue reading

Affordable Winter Escapes—-Iceland

Well, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out why travel deals abound to this destination this time of year. As I continue my series on affordable winter escapes I’m spotlighting Reykjavik. The Icelandic capital city excels at embracing cold weather by offering a host of outdoor festivals and fun activities during a time when most of us are looking for the nearest fireplace and cup of hot chocolate. In Reykjavik family friendly events heat up in the winter months, most notably with Þrettándinn (or Twelfth Night) on January 6, which features Elfin-inspired dances, bonfires, and winter-inspired games for children. … Continue reading

Winter Adventure Travel Packages—Europe

I’ve covered winter sports options in Vermont, Minnesota, Colorado, New England and Canada. But, if you are looking to explore the great outdoors in a place known for having the world’s most spectacular mountain scenery then consider this next travel package. I am continuing my series of blogs spotlighting various destinations for winter sports enthusiasts by focusing on U.K.-based Exodus Travels’ “Winter Activity Week” tours. For about $1,500 you can enjoy eight days and seven nights of pure winter sports bliss. From snowshoeing and dogsledding to skiing and ice-skating this tour provides a smorgasbord of winter activities in venues with … Continue reading

More Winter Health Tips

We’ve passed the shortest day of the year (December 21st) and the days are starting to get longer, bit by bit. I have to say, the thing I like least about the winter months is all the darkness! It makes me want to curl up in bed and hibernate like a grumpy bear. If you need a little extra help to stay healthy this winter, read on! Make sure you get some outside time. There isn’t much sunlight during the winter months, so enjoy what light there is! Try doing your daily exercise outside instead of inside — try snowshoeing … Continue reading

Interview with NBC’s East Coast Sportscaster, Vai Sikahema – Part 4

7. As a husband, what is the greatest measure of your success? That my wife loves me and I’m still madly in love with her. We’ve just passed that threshold where we’ve spent over half of our lives with each other. She was 18 and I was 21 when we met and married. Today, she’s 40 and I’m 43. We’ll celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary in July. I’m sometimes amazed that we married so young, but that’s just part of the culture in the Church. When a young man returns from his mission, he’s counseled to marry and start a … Continue reading

Escape to the Tropics

While the rest of the world is decking the halls and making merry in the snow and cold, you could be lounging under cobalt blue skies with a tropical libation in hand toasting the sun and warm temperatures. Escape to paradise this winter without breaking the bank.  It’s possible if you time take advantage of the money-saving deals being offered at the following sunny locales: Jamaica:  From now through Christmas you can score hotel rooms for less than $170 per night at most resorts in Jamaica.  Hotwire.com and Expedia are featuring nearly a dozen discounted rates which allow you to … Continue reading

Catch the Olympic Spirit

Let the games begin! In just a few hours London will try to impress the world when it hosts the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics. From now through August 12th more than 10,500 athletes from 204 nations will compete in 26 sports, including swimming, diving, gymnastics, wrestling, track and field, boxing and tennis. Two weeks later, the Paralympic Games will turn the spotlight on 4,200 athletes with disabilities. To get your family into the spirit of the 2012 London Games, especially young children, who will likely be inspired by the pomp, circumstance and amazing athleticism, take some time … Continue reading

Planning for a New Year

The New Year is upon us and it is time to re-evaluate our homeschools. If you follow the traditional calendar then you have around five to six months left of school. Start the year off right by determining what needs to be changed to make the most of the last part of the school year. As homeschoolers we have the ability to be flexible and cut out what doesn’t work while keeping what does. Homeschoolers need to constantly evaluate the needs of our children and our homeschool. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you come off of winter … Continue reading

The Downside of Ski Vacations

Two words: Luggage fees. My brother just took off for a 10-day ski vacation with his wife and son, but yesterday I got a call from him saying it may be the last one they take—-EVER! Apparently, the amount of money they spent on airline luggage fees was almost as much as a roundtrip ticket. Admittedly, my brother is not the world’s savviest packer, but considering that they planned to rent most of their ski equipment, it was quite a shock that they spent in excess of $150 on luggage fees. I won’t bore you with the breakdown of their … Continue reading

My Personal Space – Houston, I Think I Found a Problem

Today I was supposed to show you my scrap room, and I actually could. I worked really hard to get things sorted, picked up and put away organized instead of just in a huge pile, or shoved in various drawers and other spots. The whole area is cleaner, brighter and definitely less cluttered. It actually looks great. Except for one problem. Those pesky wood mounted rubber stamps I bought at a local sale. I already had a huge stash that literally claim an entire Iris cart, and while someday I plan to unmount them because storage is just simpler that … Continue reading