I've always been a live music fan. I've rocked out with Dave more than 30 times; jammed along with bands like the Allman Brothers and Blues Traveler; some of my best memories of my group of girlfriends were created during long days of taking in the tunes at festivals like Woodstock , the H.O.R.D.E. Tour .... you get my drift. The point is, for me: live shows = summer. 

With all of the fab summer festivals, there's no reason not to take in a show. I've got at least one more Dave show on the docket this summer. What do you have going on?
Need some suggestions? Check out these shows and get your dancin' shoes on!

If you're interested in rocking out for a good cause (who isn't?), then Lollapalooza is the concert for you. It's a three-day festival including eight stages, graced by artists including Green Day, Lady Gaga, The Strokes, Arcade Fire, MGMT, Soundgarden, and tons more! And a percentage of the proceeds go to the Parkways Foundation, an organization dedicated to spiffing up Chicago's public parks. As if that wasn't tempting enough, Lollapalooza also offers a Rock & Recycle program and an Art Market on Green St., an outdoor bazaar dedicated to being Green. And don't miss Kidzapalooza, the children's portion of the event, where kids can rock out, freestyle, and get Mohawks for FREE if accompanied by a ticket-holding parent. Tickets can be purchased online for individual or three-day passes.

Where to stay if you go:
Wyndham Chicago Downtown Hotel - In the heart of the city, and in walking distance from Lake Michigan, enjoy the elegance--with a discount!
Travelodge Hotel Downtown Chicago - Stay comfy in this historical downtown locale, right near Grant Park.

Outside Lands 2010 - Golden Gate Park; San Francisco, CA
Dates: August 14-15, 2010

Art gurus, music lovers, wine connoisseurs, and foodies alike are all welcome to the Outside Lands music and art festival. Not only are there concerts by artists like The Strokes, Tokyo Police Club, and Kings of Leon, but also food and wine tastings, green attractions, and an outdoor art exhibition. The area is also surrounded by a museum, Japanese botanical gardens, and a flower conservatory. Single-day and two-day tickets are available online.

Where to stay if you go:
Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco-Union Square - Check out these luxury digs at a discount!
Knights Inn Downtown San Francisco- Enjoy the heart of the city, and a continental breakfast.

Of course, it goes without saying that you have to check out the music event that will kick off the week-long PGA TOUR event, the Wyndham Championship!

Jamestown Swing into Wyndham - Jamestown, North Carolina
Date: August 14, 2010

This festival/block party, held from 3 - 10pm, turns Jamestown into a gigantic concert venue. With eight top-notch bands performing on two stages continuously throughout the afternoon and evening, the Swing into Wyndham event is the perfect way to kick off the Wyndham Championship.

Where to stay if you go:
 Wingate by Wyndham Greensboro- This hotel is right in the middle of it all. Plus, you can get a great deal on a two-day stay for the Wyndham Championship including tickets and transportation!

Baymont Inn and Suites Greensboro- Swing in style in this sleek and easy stay.

Days Inn Winston Salem- This hotel offers a great variety of accommdation options!

Microtel Inn Winston-Salem- Bring the whole family when you stay in these spacious suites!
Microtel Inn Greensboro- The kids can have fun in these roomy suites, right near the location of the Wyndham Championship.
Super 8 Greensboro - This is the PERFECT location for golf-lovers interested in watching the Wyndham Championship!

1. If your child is under 20 lbs, request a bassinet from the airline. They literally attach to the wall in the bulk head rows.  If your child weighs more and can not go in the bassinet, you can still request the bulk head row which is often reserved for families and will give you some additional leg room. The bulk head is also usually right near the bathroom. 
2. If you really want the bulk head, check in on-line if you can or arrive at the airport EARLY - While it may be reserved for families it's on a first come first serve basis (having status with the airline helps too).
3. Have NEW toys for your child.  New toys are great for pulling out during the flight to keep him or her engaged in something and not squirming and unhappy.  On our flight to Europe we sat next to an unprepared family whose child cried the whole flight.  They had NO toys to distract the child, so I lent them my daughter's - which she promptly asked for back (my 10 month old literally said "banana").  A flight attendant once recommended 1 per hour on a flight - I had about 3 for a flight to Europe: Freddie the banana along with a Taggies Clicky Twist and the Melissa and Doug Friendly Fish grasping toy. Board books are also very small, easy to travel with and my kid loves them.  And don't forget to save some new toys for the flight home!
4. Rent an apartment.  If you are going to Europe, apartment rentals are an awesome deal! There are companies and websites dedicated to rentals... We spent $400 a night for a one bedroom with a kitchen and laundry - there was no comparable hotel room in Paris that I could find. 
5. Bring your own laundry detergent.  The best part about the apartment rental was being able to do laundry every day.  Not knowing what kind of detergent would be there we brought our own.  We used the Dropps laundry pacs that traveled great.
6. Forget jarred food!  You don't have to worry about anything exploding if you pack meal packs (Sprouts, Ella's Kitchen, Plum Organics, Revolution Foods, HAPPYBABY Organic, etc.).  My kid ended up eating plenty of frambois yogurt and crusty french bread, but we also had food packs for the on-the-go meals. They traveled well and took up little space.
7. Go to Paris, skip the lines! For anyone that thinks Paris is full of rude people, well they never visited with kids - Paris loves babies! We skipped every line! At the museums you go right up to the special need entrance and ask someone (always say "parlais vous Anglais" first if you don't speak French) if you can be let in since you have a stroller.  Chances are they will move the rope and let you right in as if you are VIP.  Forget the many hour long wait at the Louvre!  At the airport our experience was the same, ask security to let you move to the side to prepare.  We actually got approached by security, but had I known previously I would have asked.  Hurried airport travelers were very annoyed that we skipped the line and they couldn't, even when their names were being called for boarding.  The staff politely informed them that people with children needed more time and that they needed to go get back in line! 
8. If in Paris, enjoy the parks. There are so many parks in Paris and they are all kid friendly.  In the Luxembourg Gardens there is an amazing playground - granted you have to pay a small fee, but once inside, it is a wonderland for kiddies.  In the Tuileries there is an amazing trampoline playground the size of an Olympic swimming pool.  It looked awesome but it was for older children.  Playgrounds were everywhere - behind the Notre Dame, along random residential streets, in major parks and cultural sites.  Like I said - Paris loves children!
9. When traveling with kids I would advise not to plan your day too heavily; wait and see how your child adjusts.  If traveling in the spring/summer it gets dark at 10 pm (we were there in May and at 8 pm it felt like 3 pm!) so there is definitely opportunity to take advantage and let your kid have a good nap in the middle or later in the day and then enjoy a later meal.  Adjusting to the time change can help with this, try to get them adjusted to a later timeframe so they can allow you to stay out late with the locals and sleep in - you're on vacation after all!
10. Invest in a great umbrella stroller.  We got the Uppa Baby G-Luxe, its light weight (10 lbs) - we gate checked it at the airport and it reclines easily, which meant our babe would take a good nap when necessary -  considering she never napped in a stroller before - a true God-send!!

My last piece of advice would be to let your child enjoy the delicacies that you are trying.  In Paris we bent our "low sugar" rule for our baby and let her try macaroons and other pastries. The saying is true: "When in Rome" (or Paris...) - our kid loved it and we loved letting her enjoy in the experience.  We also let our baby get off schedule. She was game and was happy-go-lucky the whole time.  I would like to think that any kid can travel when Mommy and Daddy are well prepared!

To see pictures of the event, or to share pics of what YOU did to celebrate Mother's Day, please check out Women on Their Way by Wyndham Worldwide on facebook.

Listen to the Segment

As a mom, I feel strongly that it's important to do what I can do to minimize the impact that I have on the environment. 

When I'm staying in a hotel, I don't have them wash my towels or linens on a daily basis and I make sure to turn the lights off when I leave the room.

Yes, these are small things but I truly believe that if we all make small adjustments to our daily lives, there will be big changes in the world around us. This is Earth Month so the issue is more in the forefront of our minds; at least, I know that it is for me.

Last week to kick of the month, the boys' daycare participated in a "mini version" of Earth Hour in a very unique way. The kids celebrated over a week of events with the theme "Stepping up for the Environment" that included shutting off the lights in the school for an hour, learning about and having a parade of endangered animals and learning about what the kids could do to save the planet earth.

Love it.

Last week, here at work, we celebrated receiving a LEED-CI Silver Certification for our HQ building. The United States Green Building Council attended the celebration and spoke about the impact that we've had on the environment. When I heard that 20% of the total number of LEED Certified hotels in the US are Wyndham Worldwide properties, I have to tell you - super proud of the company. 

What are you doing to make a difference or to celebrate Earth Month? What do you do with your kids to help them understand how important it is to conserve and protect the world around us?

I know that the things that we do around our kids help them to learn our values around this issue. My son was brushing his teeth the other day and turned the water on full blast, looking up at me. "I want to be a waster like Daddy" he said. After shutting off the water and having him repeat that statement to his father, my husband and I realized that not only are we making an impact on how our children value the earth,  they're constantly making an impact on us.

For the record, my husband now shuts off the water when he brushes too.

Anyway, these women are ALREADY using those points! Koren is living it up and loving it in Panama and Colleen is gearing up for her big trip to Bangkok on her way to volunteer with orphans. I'm telling you - these women rock.

I also had the chance to sit down with Kathy Ameche, a Sounding Board member who keeps herself busy with a web site, blog, book signings and her MicciMicci accessories (lovelovelove the Clip-it bag which now lives in my purse and houses my work ID, cell and various other MP3s and SmartPhones). Like I said. She's busy. That's spelling A-M-A-Z-I-N-G in her case.

Kathy not only helped to get my purse in order but she's a wealth of traveling safety tips, fun ideas and is just a really great woman to chat with. She mentioned during our visit that she was anxious to check out the new full body scan machines that limited airports are now using. Well, yesterday she got her chance - and gave us the nod to share that experience with you.

I read a recent article about the scanners and I have to say that personally, I have mixed feelings about this. Sure, I want to be safe when I'm traveling. But where do we draw the line? What are your thoughts? Invasion of privacy or a necessary means to an end?

Not only am I close to Disney (which they're not seeing until at least age 10 - remember?) but the Wyndham here has "Florida Fun Suites" which have kid-sized tables, bunk beds and a "kid's only" TV. There are two children's pools, a playground, a super-cute, on-site Ice Cream Parlor and a game room in addition to space to just run around, being kids. It's a kid's oasis. My son could do some serious energy-burning here.

Oh - and it's a pet-friendly hotel, too. Though I'm totally not one of those bring-your-110 lb-dog-on-vacation kind of gal.

Nope; not me. I've been spending my downtime getting a massage, searching for fun finds to bring back home to the kids and catching up on my reading and sleeping. 

The staff here has been beyond excellent and they really encompass the Count On Me! service culture that defines Wyndham on a global basis. Check out this video for an overview of the accommodations at the property and definitely check it out for yourself the next time that you're in Orlando. Your kids will thank you!

The first thing that we noticed when arriving in New Orleans is that the people are warm, gracious and very hospitable. Even strangers on the street say "good morning", "hello", and "how you do"... Every courtesy is provided and they are truly happy to share their pride of their hometown.

For first time visitors, "post-Katrina" surprisingly has little meaning. The city of NOLA seems just fine!  Of course, the natives are more than willing to tell you the stories of the horrific hurricane and there is a guided tour that visitors can take to gain a better understanding of the events pre and post Katrina and of the "Rebirth of New Orleans".

In blogging about a trip, I must start with the food - oh, the food! I've traveled all over the world, and never before enjoyed so many options to choose from or such delicious meals.

Here are some of my top picks:

Restaurant Stella for dinner - lamb is the way to go. A special place for a quiet, adult meal with superb service. Restaurant Stella is located off the main streets in a perfectly restored building. You'll definitely want to make reservations ahead of time.

Bayona is a great spot for lunch or dinner- I highly recommend salmon, trout or any of the fish dishes here. Bayona also has a great little patio for el fresco dining amidst lush tropical greenery, colorful fruit trees and a gurgling fountain. Very pretty! 

Hurricanes at Pat O'Brien's is a must - corny? Yes; but still a must!

Bacco is another great place for lunch or dinner. The restaurant has a simply delicious bar for drinks before dinner, gulf fish is excellent and the crawfish ravioli with sun-dried tomato pesto butter sauce is famous. Bring your appetite.

Arnaud's is a must for dinner. When at Arnaud's, you have to go with the "veal wohl" which is a combo of crabcakes, crawfish and veal... It pairs perfectly with the La Creama Pinot Noir.... and, don't forget the okra side dish. Arnaud's is one of the oldest restaurants in New Orleans and although we cannot attest to this firsthand, is said to be haunted. They open at 6:00 pm for dinner and also offer Sunday brunch.

Of course, a trip to New Orleans would not be complete without a stop (or two, at least!) at Cafe de Monde for beignets and cafe au lait.  Eat them there while they're still hot while people watching and listening to music. The best part is that the Café is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week - with the exception of Christmas Day and "the day an occasional hurricane passes too close to New Orleans".  Afterward, stroll over to the levee to see the great Mississippi.

Café Pontalba Creole and Cajun Cuisine is a great spot for lunch. Located right in the heart of the French Quarter, it's amidst all of the great shopping in Jackson Square. Get the gumbo but be prepared - it's hot!

Wherever you go, drink the local beer - Abita Amber. It's really good stuff.

Chateau Bourbon, a Wyndham Historic Hotel is in a prime location, just inside the French Quarter and across the street from the St. Charles Trolley.  They feature spacious and clean rooms and the staff there is very friendly and ready to help in whatever way possible. Many of the suites and rooms have these gorgeous balconies that overlook the courtyard, pool or Bourbon Street. The hotel also has two restaurants and bars.

Places to See; Things to Do:

St. Louis Cathedral - This gorgeous cathedral is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continuous use in the United States. They often offer free concerts,

Jackson Square Park - this historic park in the French Quarter of New Orleans is a definite stop to make. Listen to live music, take in the occasional concert, do some shopping and go get a café au lait.

Riverwalk Marketplace  - Shop, eat and be entertained.

Plantation tour - The Laura Plantation & Oak Alley Plantation Tour has been called "The best history tour in the U.S." by Lonely Planet. You can enjoy a narrated tour through the scenic swamps with a professional historian telling a tale of Creoles, pirates, slaves and voodoo. The tour is based on the memoirs of Laura Lacoul, a young Creole girl who grew up on the plantation.

Swamp tour - really, what a wonderful and different place. It is slowly disappearing due to development and we are losing hundreds of species.  See them while you can.

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop - the last bar on Bourbon Street and the oldest pub in the country.  This place has great atmosphere with the exposed brick walls, a candlelit bar and a great piano man. The pub is also said to be haunted.

Next time we visit New Orleans, and there will be a next time, we will make sure to travel the mighty Mississippi on the Natchez River Cruise, and visit the Audubon Gardens and Zoo. Of course, our culinary delights will continue as we dine at Irene's Cuisine and Cafe Amelia's.

Since we're in the Northeast, day-trips are pretty painless. Here's what I've uncovered. If you have tips or suggestions, do share!

The Poconos is easy for us to get to, has multiple ski resorts and is a great way to spend a Saturday with the little man. Shawnee Mountain gets my vote for top ski resort in PA for kids because of their variety in lesson type. The children's programs start earlier than many of the other resorts that I've looked into and they offer a "Mommy & Me" private lesson for 3-year olds as well as the traditional private and group lessons. Pricing is comparable at $90 for a session (3 hours).

Trying Something New for Less:

Bretton Woods - New Hampshire: Not only is this a great ski resort overall, but the Babes in the Woods Nursery offers parents a serious bargain while giving your kids a day that they won't soon forget.  Babes starting at 2 months old will enjoy a full day (8:00 - 4:30) of games, storytelling and crafts. At $85, the kids also get lunch and snacks. If your kids are real snow bunnies, check out the Hobbit Ski & Snowplay Program for kids 3 - 5. For just an additional $30, the full-day program includes the nursery supervision but also two one-hour lessons, rentals and lunch. That is a real bargain.

Weekend Trip:

Consistently rated one of the top ski resorts for families by Ski Magazine, Smugglers' Notch is nestled into the Vermont Mountains and offers award-winning children's lessons, programs and activities for kids of all ages. The full-day programs start at 6 weeks and go up to 17 years. Smugglers' also features adaptive skiing and riding programs for kids with special needs. They even offer a money back guarantee on all lessons for both skiing and boarding. They too, offer a "Mom& Me" or "Dad & Me" lesson.
When I was doing my research on Smugglers', I came across their webpage for RCI members. Members have access to various programs and amenities so be sure to check out their calendar of events prior to booking your stay.

A "Real" Vacation:

Snowmass is one of my personal favorites. There's always something to do in Aspen and Snowmass is such a great mountain - and doesn't seem as busy as the others in the bunch (there are four mountains in all: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass).  Aspen/Snowmass offers everything from child care to private and group ski lessons for children ages 8 weeks - 4 years.  At the Treehouse (daycare building), kids are separated by age (programs range from 8 weeks - 17 years). 

Love this helpful tidbit:  If your child is refusing to strap on the skis (hey, we all have those days), you have the option to either use your lesson ticket at another day/time or you can turn it in for a full refund. If the wee one takes the lesson, but for whatever reason you aren't completely satisfied, you can take another lesson or get a full refund. Snowmass even offers kids their own version of the mountain guide.  They do a great job of stressing the importance of safety on the mountain and help kids to fall in love with snow sports by making lessons fun, having crazy characters on skis/boards and by offering fun, night-time events at the Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center. Snowmass has a program, Challenge Aspen, for anyone with a disability to participate in a variety of lessons, starting at age 4.

If you're looking to get your kids started on the slopes, here are the basics:

What you'll need:
Lots of layers - we go with a long sleeved tee, short sleeved tee and sweater
Waterproof coat
Ski/Snow pants
Waterproof mittens
Helmet
Eye protection (ski goggles or sunglasses) on sunny days
Lip protection
Sunscreen

Tips:
Pick up your rentals the evening before, if possible.
Ensure that the helmet fits properly. It doesn't help if it doesn't fit.
Go for a real lesson. No matter how great of a skier you are, your child will benefit from a lesson with a pro.
 
Don't believe me? Here's what you'll need to do it on your own:
Ski Harness - to Harness, or not to harness? That is the question. I'm not here to debate - I'm new to this too! I'm just putting it out there ...
If you don't want to rent but also don't want to shell out "real" money, try the plastic skis that can be worn with your kid's own winter boots - great for sliding around the backyard.
The Edgie Wedgie - Keeps the skis in a pie shape while keeping your back from breaking. A plus in any parent's book.

Since I'm new to this too, I'd love to hear your feedback on getting kids on the slopes. Send me your pictures and video and we'll post them here on Women on Their Way.

I realized, while in the mountains with family and friends this past weekend, that I have become a total lunatic when it comes to my kids. Seriously. I've turned into that wanna-be super-Mom who isn't any fun, is stressed all the time and sucks the life right out of everyone around her. I'm a total helicopter-mom; or, as my son would say an "airplane copter".  UGH! (click here to find out if you are too!)

As soon as he started hurling (I'm talking mock speed here, people) down the hill, I braced myself to slow him down, saving the day because he'd be so terrified and scared and totally needing me to do so ...  Check out the video to see how well that worked out for us.

Imagine my complete HORROR when watching my husband and son, side by side in two different sleds, going down from the top of the hill ..... until the image changed to my dear husband totally flying down the snow and my son literally ROLLING behind him - let me give you the visual: boy - sled - boy - sled - boy - sled. Until he slowed down enough for me to see him in a little pile:

LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY.

Yes, I admit that I flew off the handle until the initial shock wore off and I recognized the fact that my son was unharmed and really had a great time with his Dad. While I was in the house. Doing my own thing.

A-HA! Talk about an enlightening moment.

One of the things that I love about our vacations and getaway weekends is that we're more open to trying new things. New foods, different cultures, fun activities ... I don't want to squash that inquisitive and adventurous side of my son - even though it seems that I've been doing exactly that to myself.

We took Mr. Man for his first ski lesson the next day and he just loved it. While doing an on-camera "interview" recap in the lodge, snacking on a bagel (sports and food - his two favs), he told me that he wanted to do another lesson.  Then it went like this:

Him: Not THAT teacher. She's too slow. MOMMY be the teacher. I wanna go fast."

Perhaps, it's not too late for me after all.

I'm happy to say that I'm starting this New Year off with a positive attitude, excitement about some great stuff going on at work and lots of new milestones being reached at home. The baby is breaking through new teeth (yes, the older one is now breaking a sweat while he's having these temper tantrums that would put the Devil to shame but I digress .....)and is on the verge of crawling. We've ditched the diaps for the big kid and he's got this hysterical personality on him that is making this newfound imagination just a riot for DH and me to experience.

Like I said, good stuff all around.

Speaking of opportunities, there are quite a few rockin' entries in the Local Nation contest. The women who entered have a great opportunity - to win Wyndham Rewards points that can be used for mini-getaways, week-long vacations or even towards international travel. I know. Very cool. Not only will they win the chance to travel on our dime, they'll also be getting a Flip video to document the cool stuff that they do and see and then they'll be reporting back to you, our readers, on their trips. So, be sure to check it out and vote for the entries that speak to you. You can vote for one person, once a day.

If you missed your opportunity to enter this year, fear not - there is a very good chance that this contest will become an annual deal. Another great way to participate on the site is to share your tips and travel stories on the community message boards or to send me an article on your latest vacation (I love pretty pics, too!). We're always looking for great content that will give other women ideas on where to go and what to do for their next vacation.

 I'm sure that many of you have put weight loss on your list of resolutions (not because I think you need it, silly, but because weight loss is the #1 resolution of the New Year) and after having bambino #2, it's on mine too. This year, I'm taking a more holistic approach (stress reduction, increasing strength, nutrition, etc) so I've signed myself up for a program with Debi, the MoJo Coach from the Jane Air Crew. I'll be sure to keep you in the loop of my progress (which will definitely help to keep me motivated and on track!). Lucky for you, Debi shares her insight, tips and strategies for health and wellness on Women on Their Way. Be sure to check it out and let me know how you're doing - we can be virtual "wellness buddies".

Now that I have that out of the way, I have to go back and start picking dates for my vacations. There are a lot of places that I want to explore over the next year. Next up for me - the Adirondack Park in NY. I'll be sure to report back. In the meantime, head over and vote for your favorites for Local Nation.

There's so much "stuff" to cram into the last few weeks of the year - last minute shopping, my year-end review at work, holiday parties, shopping for said holiday parties .. you get my drift.

Well, I know that we're all busy but please - add this to your list this year: the Local Nation contest call for entries ends on December 31 and I'd hate for you to be left out in the cold! Write your essay about why you should be selected and, published on the Women on Their Way website, writing about your travels. Seriously - go and get that entry in now!

I gotta run - still so much for me to get done before we start ringing in the New Year.

Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday!

As a professional athlete, he's away from his family for the majority of the year for work. Granted, his wife goes to many of his tournaments but he's working, not just hanging around with her. If you've ever watched Tiger play in a tournament, he is completely focused on getting the job done - I'm going to take a calculated guess and say that during his round, he's not chatting it up with Elin about the kids or where they should go for dinner. 

My husband's travel is very manageable but there are certainly times when I feel like I'm a one-woman show. I'm home with the kids, I make all of the daily decisions without "checking in" with anyone else and I get to spend my free time however I'd like - which for me as a Mom of two little ones means that I'm having a glass of wine and getting to bed at a ridiculously early time. Pretty tame.

My husband, on the other hand, has great dinners out with his co-workers and sometimes they'll go to a bar for a drink afterwards if it's an over-night trip. Luckily, I trust him 100% when he's away and I actually look forward to the over-nighters to have some time to unwind, chat with my friends or get stuff done without worrying about having to stop to figure out what's for dinner.

Also simplifying things, when he does have to travel, the DH will get up around 3:00am to get ready and head to the airport, just to return back home to me late that night because he doesn't like to be away if he doesn't have to be. I know that's not always possible and sometimes, it's simply easier just to stay overnight but he always makes the effort to be home.

On the other hand, I used to work with a woman who would actually embellish the length of her business trips to her husband and daughter and she'd tack on a day or two to her trip, so that she'd have a little downtime for herself - just to recoup from the rigor of being a full-time working-mom.

Where do you fall in this? Do you view business travel as a "break" or do you dread that next flight? How do you manage your personal relationships if you're often away from home?

For us, it means sending little videos of the kids to their Daddy, chatting for a few minutes here and there when we can throughout the day and connecting every night once the kids are in bed and before his work dinners. Email is a God-send and between the BlackBerries and the iTouches of the world, we're always able to get a hold of one another in an emergency.

Of course, none of that can compare to connecting in real-time, real-life ...

Though I've always felt that way, my priorities didn't always reflect it.

One of my biggest regrets is not traveling more when I had the time. No, I didn't have the money but I had my freedom - as a single and child-free woman, I had my chance to study abroad while in college and then after graduating, to backpack through Europe. I turned both down. Frankly, I was afraid that I'd miss something during my senior year at school and couldn't bear the thought of being away from my friends. After school, I had my sights on a job and graduate school and couldn't believe that taking even a few weeks away wouldn't be detrimental to my future.   

Now, at this point in my life, I cannot image being more content with life, family and work but I can't help but wonder who I would have been if I had experienced more of the world before creating my own.

That's why, never again will I miss an opportunity that I know will better my life or show those around me what they mean to me. I encourage you to take that trip that you've been putting off until your 40th (or 50th or 60th) birthday. Don't wait to explore the places and cultures that call to you in your sleep. Sail the seas. Ride the rails. And then, come back home to tell your tales and to encourage others not to miss out on all that life has to offer.

The other day on the way home from school, my little guy told me "The mailman loves me". Apparently he believes that the mailman is the one who is actually giving him all of those wonderful "toy books" aka catalogues that are showing up in our mailbox on a daily basis. 

Once we're settled in the house and he's waiting for his dinner, he patiently pours over the pages in his book, putting his shape-knowledge to good use by circling everything that he wants to ask Santa for. I know, consumerism at its best, but it's so Norman Rockwellesque that it's too cute to put a stop to.

Here at Women on Their Way, we know how important your vacations are to you and to your family. We're doing our part to help you make your travel dollars stretch and, in our new contest, how to win Wyndham Rewards points and other great prizes to make vacationing a little easier on the wallet too!

This is a busy week for WOTW - the annual Holiday Top Ten, along with some great special offers and packages, will help you to celebrate the season by offering great ideas on where to go and what to do to get into the holiday spirit. 

The Local Nation contest (lovelovelove this!) is our way of finding WOTW members who have what it takes to represent their fellow travelers on our newly formed "Sounding Board". These fearless members will be given 200,000 Wyndham Rewards points, a Flip Video Camera and challenges as they visit our hotels, rentals and/or timeshare properties around the United States. Even cooler - when they return from their trips, WomenOnTheirWay.com gets the download on the trip. I'm seeing blog entries, good conversations and footage. Think that you've got that special something that WOTW and the members will dig? Start writing your entry and get the video camera rolling - tell us why you should be on the Sounding Board. The contest kicks off this week and we're accepting entries through the end of the year.

We're always open to suggestions and advice on what you want from the site so spill. Post here or email me directly at WOTW@WyndhamWorldwide.com

There are so many new places that I want to explore - and favorite trips I want to re-visit simply to experience them with my children. But how young is too young? Is it even worth it to take two kids under the age of five (or in my case, three) to another country or is the hassle of those long flights enough to make me go insane before we even cross the ocean?

I am more of a low-key kind of gal when it comes to vacations so to even think about the high energy, frenetic pace of any amusement park trip makes me break out in a sweat. Let me tell you now - if I'm sweating on a vacation, it better be because the hot sun is beating down on me while I'm playing with the kids on the beach or I'm out on a boat in the ocean somewhere. Not because I'm frantically trying to keep an eye on my kids in an over-crowded play-land where a bottle of water is going to run me $4.00 on top of the high price that I paid for admission. The hurry-up-and-wait is NOT my idea of a vacation.

So - to do that with kids who are not old enough to a) appreciate my sacrifice and b) know that when I say "no" or I say "hold up a minute" that they actually have to listen to me THAT SECOND is simply not going to happen in my world.

Now, my DH and I have been to the Promised Land together a few times since the in-laws spend the winters in Vero Beach and I'll tell you that I love Disney's Vero Beach Resort and would totally take the kids there. But, if we're talking the Magic Kingdom, I'm not doing it. My idea of a good time there is doing an around the world at Epcot, stopping to eat and drink in every "country" with my husband or friends. Again, I'm all for Disney but I'm voting "Leave the Kids at Home".

I will tell you that once that kid of mine turns 10, we're not only heading to Disney but we're staying at the Animal Kingdom Villas because really, if we're doing it with the kids, Mama needs some incentive and for me, this works!

If you have tips on how to make an amusement park with little ones more fun than frustrating, please share! I need some tried and true strategies under my hat if I end up bending to the family on this one!