Dominica: Our First Visit To The Nature Island

Allan and I recently traveled to Dominica - not to be confused with the Dominican Republic. What’s the difference? Well, there are many, but the primary distinction is that The Dominican Republic is a major tourist destination in the Western Caribbean, and it shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, while Dominica - known as the Nature Island - is an entire island located in the Southeastern Caribbean and seems to be far less known or, at least, less visited for vacation.

7 FUN FACTS ABOUT DOMINICA - THE NATURE ISLAND:

Dominica has 9 volcanoes
Dominica’s beaches are black sand beaches
There are at least 365 rivers in Dominica
There are at least 12 waterfalls in Dominica
Dominica can be visited by airplane or cruise ship
Dominica is known for excellent whale-watching and dolphin-spotting as they live very close to shore, year-round
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End were filmed, in part, in Dominica.

Dominica was country number 30 for me, getting us closer to accomplishing our goal of visiting every country in the Caribbean!

5 Steps To Planning A Momcation

When: Decide when you’ll go

One very important decision to make after deciding that you will take a momcation is to decide when. At present, my children are aged 10 and 6, so school plays a role in deciding our vacations whether the children are vacationing with me or not. For me, the two overarching options to consider for when to take a momcation are as follows:

When school is on vacation, so the person caring for my children while I’m away won’t need to take them to and from school. This works well if the person is older, is retired, works from home, or has taken time off from work to stay with the children, and so this person would usually not be leaving the house for work, etc.

NOTE: This is the option I opt for because my “go to” person to care for my children while I am away is my mom, and she is a retired nurse. While she can drive the boys around, if necessary, it is much more convenient if school is on vacation, so that she doesn’t have the juggle their two different school schedules while also managing cooking and cleaning for them as well. I know my boys, and they are a handful. While my husband would also be at home, he works, so having my mom care for our boys works best.

However, there is another option…

Moms Want To Run Away Too!

TV shows and stories when I was a kid would sometimes feature kids who wanted to run away… but listen… us mamas want to run away sometimes too… probably even more than the kids! Can I get an amen?!

I love my husband and children dearly - and for some reason, when getting into “real talk” about our feelings, us mamas always feel the need to preface our statements with the “I love my kids” statement. That, in and of itself, is a showing of the emotional and mental burden mamas carry around. As I was saying… I love my husband and children dearly, but being around them almost every single day at the magnitude that we’ve been around each other for the past 2 years has been a lot - from working from home while they were simultaneously schooling from home, to trying to make sure they’re taking their vitamins and being even more vigilant than my usual germaphobic self in the fight against germs, especially now that they’ve been attending school in-person, to managing health challenges in our household - it’s been a lot for them and for me. Can you relate?

The PIVOT

PIVOT. One of the most overused terms during the challenges of the past year or so. Now, here I go writing an entire article about it. But, why?

Well, whether I write about it or not, whether I call it a pivot or not, the pivot is something that I definitely did and witnessed others do as well. I’ve found the lessons gained through this experience to be profound, and so, as with other good things in my life, I want to share…

How To "Getaway" At Home

As a working mom of boys, I sometimes find myself in need of a getaway from the day-to-day grind. Prior to the pandemic, knowing I had multiple trips lined up helped me to get through the day-to-day grind, but for obvious pandemic-related reasons, we can no longer rely on that. So, how do we safely get away now? First, the getaway starts by giving ourselves permission. I honestly think that our biggest hurdle as moms is allowing ourselves to step away. Once we resolve that battle in our minds and in our feelings, then we're in good shape.

Why I Had Open-Heart Surgery At 39 Years Old

"A cheerful heart is good medicine." Proverbs 17:22 When that heart was operated on during open-heart surgery, that cheer and gratitude hits differently, let me tell you! So, a few days ago in an introductory post I made on Instagram, I mentioned that I started to study content creation while recovering from open-heart surgery in Summer 2020, and my Instagram sis, Michele, asked whether I’d mind sharing more about my open-heart surgery. I’m happy to share my story, and honestly, I think my story is far less dramatic than it sounds. “Open-heart surgery” … I know it sounds major and scary… and it is, but at the same time, if it is a planned surgery rather than an emergency surgery, you can feel a bit more prepared and at ease. So, going back to my early 20s, I recall a primary care physician (PCP) telling me that I have a heart murmur and that heart murmurs are quite common. Nevertheless, he sent me to a cardiologist for a more thorough examination of my heart, and the cardiologist confirmed the murmur and said that I should follow up with him annually. I didn’t.

Strawberries, Cruising, and 2020... Oh My!

Anyone having strawberries with breakfast today? In looking through photos from my recent 40th birthday photoshoot, the strawberries that top my birthday cake, as well as these chopped strawberries, remind me of how much I miss cruising. Yes, you read that right! Sure, it could also be that cruising is fresh in my mind because, a few hours ago, I cancelled our planned Spring Break cruise for March 2021. It could also be that I celebrated my 40th birthday in a very low-key way here in New York City when had there not been a pandemic, I probably would’ve been flying or cruising somewhere. Really though, these strawberries remind me of cruising and how much I miss it because, during our cruises, we would have fresh fruit daily! While I can arrange to have fruit at our house by grocery shopping, it’s a whole different vibe when I don’t have to buy fruit and other groceries at the supermarket for a week, nor do I have to figure out breakfast, lunch, and dinner… that’s the deal on a cruise! Honestly, in my daily life, I am blessed to have a husband and mother who both help tremendously with meals; however, when we cruise, we usually do so together, so that my hubby and my mom also get a break from meal-planning and meal-prep. We simply go to our favorite restaurant onboard the ship and eat. We haven’t had a break like that in over a year! Cruising and all-inclusive vacations provide this freedom that we look forward to as an escape from our daily grind. I know I’ve read the saying about creating a life that we don’t need a vacation from, and I agree with it, but

Holiday Gift Guide: Practical Gifts & Stocking Stuffers

If you’re like me, your holiday shopping includes gifts for others, of course, but it also includes some practical daily items for yourself and for your loved ones! Some items may be more appropriate as stocking stuffers rather than being boxed, wrapped, and placed under the tree, but they are no less thoughtful or sentimental. As a matter of fact, the personal nature of these items can make them even more special. Some items are small, but can be paired with other small items to create a thoughtful gift basket. If this sounds even slightly familiar, then this Guide to Practical Gifts & Stocking Stuffers is for you. I won’t pretend that it covers all possible categories because it honestly doesn’t have to. There is something in this guide for everyone, and the items are all reasonably priced for what they are, starting at less than $5 going up to hundreds of dollars, with options in between!

The Journey

We all know the “Are we there yet?” question is associated with childhood. During our car rides and trips to various places, our sons have asked how long will it take, which is a valid question. However, when that question is persistent and then becomes the focus of the drive or trip, it distracts from certain things like the beautiful scenery along the way and the event or outing itself that we are usually excited about. As adults, do we do this with God and His plans and purposes for our lives? I know I’ve done it. So, this Word, honestly, is not to condemn anyone, but is to address something identified within me, and I hope it is helpful to you too. What if we approached life like we did our cruises or other vacations? What if we looked forward to the journey and not just the destination?

How To Unplug During The Pandemic

Before the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the daily commute was hectic for our family. I would commute with both my sons via the Long Island Rail Road and New York City Transit, taking three to four trains just to get to school and work. With the shuffle, hustle, and bustle of getting my children to school, I often walked into my office well before 9 AM, yet feeling as though I had already completed a full day of work. With that sort of daily morning commute, I often looked forward to vacations to unplug, as you may recall I wrote about in a blog years ago, Why I Unplug During Family Vacations. I don’t miss that hectic commute one bit. However, working from home while the children school from home is its own type of hectic. So, again, I look forward to unplugging. My desire to unplug from hectic daily responsibilities is one reason I love to travel. So, if we don’t travel, how do we unplug in the midst of a pandemic?

Real Talk: It’s Been A While! Where Have You Been?

Well, My Cruising Family, LLC is still here. Prior to this, our most recent blog article is the one that showcases our most recent international trip, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, Colombia, and Panama, which was in October 2018. The year 2018 was a very busy travel year for My Cruising Family, with international travel in March, June, August, and October. While it was a blast, before the year was out, I had already started to feel as though, as a mom and just as a person, I needed to slow down on travels to focus on not just self-care, but family care. Travel is amazing for self-care, but too much of it can be draining. Balance is the key.

Updates: The Whirlwind of Juggling as a Mompreneur

This blog post is yet another untraditional post in that it is more of a personal note to those of you who have been following My Cruising Family’s journeys thus far, and who have come to expect regular blog posts. It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post as life has been feeling like a whirlwind. Whew!

What Do Mothers Really Want For Mother's Day?

A few days ago, as we are approaching Mother's Day, I came across the question: What do mothers really want for Mother's Day? Here's my answer.

As the working mother of two rambunctious young boys, age 3 and age 7, and being in the first year of building my blog and travel business, I would love a day of

Cruise Therapy?

If you know me or if you’ve been following this page, then you know I love to travel. Even if you don’t know me, but you take a look at this website, blog, My Cruising Family’s Facebook page, or My Cruising Family’s Instagram page, then you will see that I love to travel. In a recent conversation, what I’d been feeling inside for a while and what I’d been examining was called out when the person I was speaking with said that travel is sometimes just a band-aid for something deeper. Have I been using my travels and travel planning as a band-aid or pain-reliever? Well, honestly, YES, I have.

Some Reflections From Our 14-Day Cruise

I type this at tens of thousands of feet in the air, while my 3-year-old son is sleeping in my mom’s arms across the aisle from me, my 7-year-old is watching a JetBlue’s Disney compilation, and my husband is watching another JetBlue feature as we fly home to New York City from an amazing 17-day Spring Break, which included pre-cruise and post-cruise stays in Guadeloupe, and a 14-day Caribbean cruise from Guadeloupe to Antigua & Barbuda, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, the Dominican Republic, St. Kitts & Nevis, Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, and Grenada, with multiple stops in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Kitts & Nevis.

Why I Unplug During Family Vacations

As I write this, I am some tens of thousands of feet in the air, on the way to Guadeloupe for My Cruising Family’s Spring Break 2018 cruise. I will schedule this to automatically post on the My Cruising Family blog, and we will be enjoying a fun-filled, yet relaxing, family vacation.

On prior vacations, I did not even take my laptop because of my deep-rooted, genuine, desire to unplug, breathe in the fresh Caribbean air, and have not a care in the world, except to admire God’s handiwork and connect even more as a family.

Dear Overwhelmed/Tired Mom

Dear Overwhelmed/Tired Mom,

Let me start by acknowledging that I don’t understand. I say that because I can sometimes be annoyed by people who tell me that they understand what I’m feeling when I don’t think that they do. Many times, the person means well, and I think the person means to convey that they hear me, they care, and they have been through similar experiences.

There is only one you, so only you know what it’s like to walk in your shoes. Only you know what it’s like to wake up in the morning, Mondays through Fridays, to get yourself ready for work, and also to get your children up and awake, showered, clothed, and fed before school. You may drive them and yourself to school and work, or like me, you may walk or drive a portion of the way, then take a train – in our case, at least 3 trains – just to get to school and work. Only you know how you feel during and after the shuffle, hustle, and bustle just to get your children to school. Only you know how you feel walking into your place of work before 9am, yet feeling as though you have already completed a full day of work. Only you know

A Great Cruise And A Sudden Loss

My Cruising Family experienced an amazing Norwegian Sky cruise to Cuba and the Bahamas, from October 9, 2017 to October 13, 2017. For a photo review of our recent Cuba/Bahamas cruise, please view our Facebook album, My Cruising Family's NCL Sky Cruise, at http://bit.ly/2zy6nVG, or follow My Cruising Family on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mycruisingfam/.

It's Not Always Smooth Sailing

So, as I sat, reclined on our couch in the living room, after 9pm on a weeknight, excited about travel and all the information I’m preparing to share with you on this blog about traveling together as a family and how great and awesome it is, my six-year-old provides me with material for this particular blog post. It’s not what I had initially planned to write, but hey, if it’s one thing being a mom has taught me, from the moment a routine ultrasound appointment turned into an unexpected admission to Labor and Delivery, is that life, especially life with children, is unpredictable.

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