We started traveling with our children when they were very young. Our son took his first plane ride at 18 months to Jamaica and our daughter was around 2 when we traveled to the Mall of America in Minnesota. And although they might not remember those earlier trips vividly we hope they will always remember spending quality time together as a family experiencing new things.
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We've traveled quite a bit as a family my top three summer destinations were: 

Panama City Beach- This laid back beach town in Florida is so quaint and I loved that everything was accessible. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort and it was right on the beach plus it had a little water park area on site for the kids! And right next door (walking distance) was a mini golf course. Also within a mile or two there were several restaurants and fun places to visit like Ripley's Believe It or Not! Every night at the pool they pulled out a big inflatable screen and showed family friendly movies. The beaches in Florida are beautiful and even though we were in the U.S. it felt like a tropical vacation.

Road Trip from Texas to California- A road trip was on our family bucket list but I have to admit I was always hesitant. My patience is pretty short and I just doubted my ability to make a trip that far BY CAR. Not to mention sometimes I get a little motion sickness. But that trip has by far been my favorite! We were actually supposed to fly from Houston to Arizona and then drive to California but bad weather had our flight looking iffy, so we decided to bite the bullet and hit the road from Houston at 3am. When I woke up my husband had practically gotten us to El Paso before I took over the drive. We rented a roomy van with a TV and DVD player. We also had snacks galore and the kids had their favorite blankets and pillows. It was my first time seeing the glory and expanse of the Texas landscape (I'd only driven to Austin, Dallas and San Antonio). We drove through New Mexico and then stopped in Arizona to sleep. The next morning we had a big breakfast and headed to the Grand Canyon which, even as you're looking at it, it doesn't seem real. We then drove to the Hoover Dam and HOT isn't even an adequate word to describe the heat! But the structure itself is amazing, it just felt like we were in an oven!  Afterwards we went to Las Vegas and drove down the strip;  the kids were totally fascinated by the lights and action. We actually stayed one night in a hotel off the strip but the next morning we did walk the strip, so that the kids could see inside some of the incredible hotels. (Sidenote: Las Vegas is way more fun without kids! ;-) After leaving Vegas we headed to Palm Springs. Very picturesque but also very HOT!! We stayed at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort for a few days before our final destination of San Diego. We went to the San Diego Zoo and spent the last few days of the trip at Carlsbad beach before driving back home. It was incredible to bond that way with my family, my husband was patient and kind (he always is) and my kids were on their best behavior (they aren't always angels ;-). I'd suggest a road trip at least once before your kids get too old. 

Bahamas- We were in the Bahamas for one week. We stayed at the Atlantis on Paradise Island for three days of our stay and then moved to the more affordable Comfort Suites across the street. The great thing about our Comfort Suites stay was that it was more than half the price of the Atlantis and we still got to enjoy the amenities at the Atlantis property thanks to a partnership they have with Comfort Suites. The Atlantis is a magical place for kids and it just so happened the summer we went it was Cartoon Network summer, so everything was Cartoon Network themed and my kids were really into the shows on Cartoon Network at the time. There were obstacle courses, character parades and movies on the green every night. My kids still talk about this trip, so hopefully it's one they will always remember!

Summer officially starts June 20th but swimsuit season is already underway! I know most women start their fitness routines in January to get "fit and fine" for summer but I'm not one of those women. I try to be healthy but I believe in balance not starvation or deprivation for a particular season. 

I've come to accept I will never be the size I was for most of my 20's (twenty plus years ago) and I'm okay with that. Right now it's all about how I feel, which has a direct impact on how I think I look.

Since we always end up at the beach during the summer, I've got a few go to swimsuits that make me feel (and look) pretty good without breaking the bank:

(At left: wearing the one piece swimsuit I got for a steal at Amazon. See details below)

This hot pink one-piece has a ruched panel in the front to help with tummy control and smooth out your silhouette. I also love the retro style with the tie straps!  I got this one from JC Penney about five years ago and it's still one of my go to's and I can still fit into it!  :-)

I just purchased this swimsuit a few weeks ago and it's already my favorite from any I've ever owned! It's an off the shoulder beauty that's playful and flirty while providing max coverage up top! It's unlined but has padding in the bust area. 

I don't wear bikini's but I love a good two piece tankini. This trendy, neck strap top has a deep V cut but covers everything even the side boob.Lol! You can also pair it with white linen shorts to take it from the beach to sightseeing. 

May your joys be as deep as the ocean. . . . .

1.  All relationships should be built on trust. I mean the kind of trust that makes you feel like you could put your life in another persons hands and they won't kill you. This epiphany came to me while I gripped the door handle as my husband scaled a narrow highway in our rental van, which wrapped around a mountain with no guard rails. Several times I thought we were going to plummet to our death but turns out my husband cares about me and our kids too much to let that happen. So the next time we had to traverse a mountain I held on and took a deep breath and trusted that my husband would get us safely to the other side. I also prayed and asked God to keep an eye out as well.  Hey, a little prayer never hurt nobody. 

2. Sometimes you have to let go of fear. . .especially if you want to survive or have fun. The San Diego Zoo is like 100 miles wide/long if you walk the entire thing. (I'm sure I'm exaggerating a little.) The best way to get around is to take the zoo bus or the Skyfari Aerial Tram across the zoo to save some walking time. But here's the deal, this open air, swinging car is 170 feet above the ground. I am NOT a fan of trams, ferris wheels or anything that moves slowly and rocks back and forth 170 feet above the ground! But it saves you some serious foot time and the view is pretty amazing. After giving my family strict instructions NOT to rock the car, I stepped in and gave my feet a rest. I even managed to take a picture or two. 

3.  Patience is a virtue. We clocked over 4000 miles round trip and well over 36 hours total time in the van. There was absolutely no use in being in a hurry or being impatient.  I went with the flow and just enjoyed the views and even jumped in the back seat to watch a movie with my kids a couple of times. The thing that helped when I found myself on the verge of losing my sanity is letting one simple thought entire my mind: This could be it.  This could be my last time ever taking a road trip, my last time ever in Arizona or my last time spending this kind of time with my children. So, I soaked in every second and tried to memorize every moment because I know without a doubt some day I will wish for that time again.