Mom in the City

I have been trying to figure out where our family will go on vacation this summer. (It’s already mid-May and the last day of NYC public school is June 26th?!) There is the trip that we really want to go on and then there is the more responsible trip. On top of that, there are the “sandwich generation” issues (our parents’ health) that add an additional layer of consideration to the planning. I’m figuring out what to do.

I will start with the trip that we want to go on the most…OAHU, HAWAII. I thought that my husband and two sons really wanted to go on a Disney Cruise, so that is what I was initially planning for our next big family trip. Then, they unanimously changed their mind to Hawaii being their top choice. I can’t keep up! So earlier this week, I started pricing out a trip to Hawaii from NYC. The good thing is that Hawaii is technically a part of North America so we wouldn’t need to get passports for the kids. (Reggie and I already have our passports.) The airline prices to Hawaii from NYC are a bit steep in July – approximately $750 to $950 – but they get less expensive near the end of August/early September. That would work since the first day of NYC public school for the 2013-2014 year is September 9th. (If you do a google search on “Cheap Flights from New York to Honolulu Kayak”, kayak.com will show you a calendar with the best fares found by users within the last 48 hours. I actually found the least expensive fare ($600) on vayama.com, the site where I purchased my Paris trip tickets, though.

Williamsburg, VA (option 2) is also a really good choice. My husband’s family is hosting a family reunion in Maryland this summer. It would be a great chance for the kids to see a lot of their family that they don’t normally get to see. After the reunion, we would then go down to Williamsburg, VA for a few days. Williamburg is near my family in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Also, I loved Busch Gardens and Water Country as a kid being raised in Virginia, so those would be great places to take our kids.

In any event, if we don’t go to Hawaii this summer, we will probably go there during during the February mid-winter recess (2/17-2/21/14). Family is more important. Hawaii hopefully isn’t going anywhere.

What about you…how do you pick your summer family vacations? I forfeited my turn by choosing to go to Paris with my mom last year – which was WELL worth it!) If you need some options, check out (Mom in the City’s sponsor) Family Travel Forum’s “Our Very Best Summer Vacation Ideas” page. It offers a wide variety of picks – beach vacations, Hawaii, all-inclusive resorts, city breaks (NYC!), cruises and much more. Whatever you choose, the most important thing is to enjoy your summer vacation with the people that you love…and you can do that practically anywhere!

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I mentioned the JAX i2 Sound Engine in-ear headphones by SOL REPUBLIC ($39.99) on the Entertainment and Tech Mother’s Day Gifts post. In addition to the giveaway pair, SOL REPUBLIC sent me a pair of the headphones to review. (As with my prior SOL REPUBLIC headphones, my husband Reggie promptly tried to “claim” them!)

I shot a quick video to show you why the headphones are such a good deal. (I will actually show my face in future videos. My allergies have been acting up the last couple of weeks, so I’m a bit of an itchy-eyed mess at the moment! ☺ )

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For these final picks, I am sharing a variety of options that would put a smile on (practically) any mom’s face. Happy Mother’s Day!

Entertainment

1. Experience Gifts: Coursehorse offers a variety of great classes while Vimbly is a great option for other activity gifts.

2. Movie or Theatre Tickets: Fandango.com gift cards are welcome gifts for movie buffs. For theatre lovers, THE LION KING is one of my favorite Broadway shows. The Book of Mormon is also widely praised. (Don’t forget about the Listen To Your Mother live reading series that is being held in celebration of Mother’s Day.)

3. Movie Streaming Services: Movie nights are family favorites, so a gift subscription to Netflix is a welcome gift. Gifts range from 1 Month for $7.99 up to 12 Months for $95.88.

4. Music Streaming Services: Pandora One and Slacker Radio Plus offer gift subscriptions. Spotify also offers gift cards.

Technology

1. Camera: Canon EOS Rebel digital SLRs and Nikon COOLPIX point-and-shoot cameras are highly rated.

2. E-reader or Tablet: The Kindle, Nook, Samsung Galaxy Note and (my personal favorite/2013 Valentine’s Day gift from my husband) iPad Mini are all popular at the moment.

3. Laptop: The Samsung Chromebook is great for moms who primarily work online and who use Google Docs. (If she needs Microsoft Office or to download a variety of programs, I would pass on it though.) After being a PC person for most of my life, I started using my other pick, the Apple MacBook Pro last year. After a very brief learning curve, I now see why so many people love their Macs!

4. Smartphones: Moms are constantly on the go and mobile phones make their lives easier. These are some of the latest ones that many women are loving: Samsung Galaxy S III (Android Phone), HTC One (Android Phone), Apple iPhone 5 and the HTC Windows Phone 8X.

To help you enjoy some of these entertainment and tech picks, SOL REPUBLIC is giving away a pair of their JAX i2 Sound Engine in-ear headphones ($39.99). These headphones are a great choice for your technology needs. I like to use my headphones while working on my Mac or listening to music on the iPhone. (They also work with Android, Blackberry and Window devices.) To enter to win, simply let me know your favorite entertainment or tech gift pick in the “Comments” section below. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on May 10th at noon. Good luck!

{Some of the links and photos in this post are from Mom in the City sponsors and my Amazon affiliate partner. However, no one paid to be included as a pick!}

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These next 8 picks are great options for moms who enjoy traveling (a little or a lot). As a “paper lover”, I have also included some of those favorites. Enjoy!

Paper Memories

While I love technology and electronics, nothing will completely replace good old physical books, stationery and photos. I’m not the only mom who feels that way either, so here are some great options for moms like us…

1. Books: There are so many different wonderful books available. Some of my current favorite picks include the following: Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie’s Kitchen, Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou, Lost in Suburbia: A Momoir: How I Got Pregnant, Lost Myself, and Got My Cool Back in the New Jersey Suburbs, MINIMALIST PARENTING: Enjoy Modern Family Life More by Doing Less and The Thriving Child: Parenting Successfully through Allergies, Asthma and Other Common Challenges.

2. Stationery: I enjoy all types of stationery, but “thank you” cards are my favorite. Minted.com and Crane are two great stationery company options. (Personally, I’m so excited that the National Stationery Show is taking place in NYC later this month. I can barely wait to discover new stationery shops!)

3. Mixbook Mosaic Photo Books: You can read and watch my review of this easy, affordable photo book option on the Making Memories post. It’s one of my new favorite things. (There is also a chance to win one of the photo books on that post.)

4. Poppin Frames: When I reviewed Poppin’s office products, I mentioned how much I enjoyed their inexpensive, colorful frames as a Mother’s Day gift option.

Travel

1. Crystal City 20 Inch Expandable Spinner Carry-on Bag: When a woman travels, she wants to do so in both a functional and stylish manner.

2. DVF adaptor: When I went to Paris with my mom last year, the one thing that I forgot to pack was a travel adapter. Thankfully, I was able to borrow one from the front desk. With this stylish gift, travelers will not need additional help in order to stay connected.

3. SKYPE gift card: When I have telephone “issues” while traveling, I can always rely on Skype. It helps me to stay connected – by phone, text, Skype and more – with the loved ones that I have left behind for a bit. It is priceless.

4. A Trip: The best gift that you can give someone who loves to travel is a trip! It can be a 1-night stay at a local hotel or bed & breakfast, a cruise or whatever the recipient desires. One of my fondest memories was being able to subsidize a mother-daughter trip to Paris with my mom last year. This year, I’m bringing my mom up from Virginia and treating her to a weekend at Caesar’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino since she enjoys casinos. Meanwhile, I will be getting pampered at their spa and enjoying having someone else cook for me. Happy Mother’s Day to both of us!

In honor of travel and making memories, I am sponsoring a small giveaway. The winner will receive a $25 SKYPE gift card to use during their travels and I will also toss in the pink 5″ x 7″ Poppin picture frame for a favorite travel photo. To enter to win, simply let me know where you would love to take a trip in the “Comments” section below. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing on May 10th at noon. Good luck!

{Some of the links and photos in this post are from Mom in the City sponsors and my Amazon affiliate partner. However, no one paid to be included as a pick!}

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