Fairbanks, Alaska

It is hard to believe that almost two months ago we left our temporary home in Alaska.  Being back in New York has been wonderful, it is after all, our home, for now, but I miss the slower pace of life.  I had meant to post these pictures from the last weekend trip we took up to Fairbanks to visit my biological mom.  Her husband was out volunteer firefighting and she needed a little break from the small town of Nenana.

We picked her up on Saturday midday and then took her up to Fairbanks to stay with us for the night.  We visited local attractions in Fairbanks.  Zion was extremely entertaining and talkative the entire time.  It was a beautiful and wonderful weekend.  One that I will warmly remember.  Saying good-bye to my mother is always difficult for me, because she hasn't been in great health over the last few years and continues to be in an environment that is mostly negative.  Good-byes with her always leave me wondering whether or not it will be the last time I see her.  This time was slightly different.  I couldn't entirely shake that same feeling but I left with a feeling of peace.  It was such a good weekend, she enjoyed her time with Zion so much and it was clear it was a good escape for her.

Featured in the pictures above: Pioneer Park // Downtown Fairbanks // Santa Claus House // Nenana River.

      

Hawaiian Islands Vacation: Oahu Day 4Part 3: Waikiki

After leaving the lush windward side of Oahu, we travelled into Oahu's big city, Waikiki.  We went back and forth on where to stay in Oahu when planning our trip.  The decision was between Waikiki or the Ko Olina resort area.  I can tell you that we 100% made the right choice in deciding to stay out of Waikiki.

Don't get me wrong, Waikiki is beautiful, but it is also like being back in NYC.  It is super crowded, tourist driven and expensive.  The beaches are packed, the restaurants are packed, everywhere is packed.  Since we live in New York City, we wanted this vacation to be a tropical island escape, not a hustling and bustling tourist trap.  For that reason, staying in Ko Olina was perfect, and renting a car to visit Waikiki was all that was needed.

After playing at the beach for a while, we headed down the main beach strip to take in the sights of Waikiki.  The resorts are beautiful and the tropical plants and trees are gorgeous as well.  There were lots of fun shops to stop in at, including a fun t-shirt shop that had both Jerry and I cracking up for a while.  

We finished our evening in Waikiki watching the sunset, before heading to dinner at P.F. Chang's.  We were too hungry to add our name to hour plus wait lists that other famous Hawaiian restaurants had on that busy evening.  I have to tell you that there is a "family friendly" restaurant, that is advertised in all of the free guidebooks, downtown in Waikiki, and I can't think of the name, sorry- but we when we showed up the place was empty - not a good sign.

Waikiki is definitely a place to check out while you are in Oahu, I just personally feel that half a day or a day at most is plenty of time to spend there, and other parts of the island are more beautiful and family friendly.

More of our Hawaii Vacation:

Oahu Day 4 / Part 2

Oahu Day 4 / Part 1

Oahu Day 3

Oahu Day 2

Oahu Day 1

A Tour of Our Ko Olina Resort

Trip Itinerary

      

Afraid of the Dark

 I had a really hard time with darkness when I was a little girl, and it really isn't a surprise to me that Zion also gets scared in the dark.  We've tried a couple of different items that have helped but most recently we had the opportunity to try an adorable new product called Flashlight Friends.  We were sent a complimentary blue puppy dog Flashlight Friend for the purpose of this review.

 I think this is a really cute product.  Battery operated, this snuggly plush flashlight goes on with a double-tap of the light on the chest.  After ten minutes the flashlight automatically turns off.  It is powered by 3 AAA batteries which are enclosed in a tamper-proof screw-on panel in the back.  The back closes with velcro to prevent the battery pack from showing.  The light also stays cool to the touch.

You can purchase a Flashlight Friend for $19.99 plus shipping/handling.  They come in a variety of characters to choose from, including a penguin, unicorn and dragon.  Zion not only loves to snuggle her Flashlight Friend at bedtime, she likes to take him on adventures around the house, using his light to shine in dark rooms.  Flashlight friends are recommended for ages 4 and up.

      

Hawaiian Islands Vacation: Oahu Day 4Part 2: Sea Life Park

 After exploring Hanauma Bay, we headed to Oahu's Sea Life Park.  Zion had requested to see the sea turtles as well as see dolphins while we were in Hawaii, so this part of the trip was specifically for her.  We arrived at the park in the peak of the day with plenty of time to explore before the Dolphin Show began.  I wouldn't add this park to your must-do list, in fact, if it weren't for Zion wanting to see the Dolphins we would have skipped it all together.

Although it was a cool experience for her to feed the sea turtles and watch the dolphins, the park itself is in a depressing condition.  It seems like it is not well maintained and the animals seemed to be sequestered in tiny spaces.  It was hard to feel okay with it.  It seemed to me that the main motivation of the park is to make money at the expense of the animals.  With how much money is charged for entry, along with concessions, you would think that they could do a better job of maintaining the park and creating attractive living spaces for the animals there.

Possibly two of the best things about the park are the giant playground structure in the center of it and the story of the only "Whalfin" that exists in the world.  Yep, after a whale and dolphin mated while at the park, a "whalfin" was born.  It has a very interesting look and definitely unlike anything I've ever seen before.

Though we had mixed feelings about the park overall, we know Zion loved seeing the dolphin show and feeding the sea turtles.  She was pretty excited about the dolphin shaped trash receptacles as well.

More of our Hawaii Vacation:

Oahu Day 4 / Part 1

Oahu Day 3

Oahu Day 2

Oahu Day 1

A Tour of Our Ko Olina Resort

Trip Itinerary