Gilroy Gardens & Other Bucket List Items

As My Traveling Troop's time in Monterey, Calif., comes to an end, we've tried to cross experiences off of our bucket list. A trip to Gilroy Gardens was one of them. The theme park, an hour drive from Monterey, features fun rides suitable for our daughter's age, a small water park, lush gardens and water falls.

There are a few things, however, that My Traveling Troop won't have time to do before we move overseas. Boo! I revealed what those "few things" are in a post for Blue Star Families. Feel free to click here to find out what they are.

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Aloha From Oahu, Hawaii!

Dear friends,

Annie, the beautiful blogger behind Blonde Glambition, currently lives in Italy. But did you know that she is from Hawaii, where she met and fell in love with her soldier? Today, she’s giving us an insider's perspective on what it’s like living on the island of Oahu, where you can swim with sea turtles, snorkel and enjoy amazing sunsets. Next Monday, Annie will give us a glimpse of what it’s like living in Italy -- a country where you'll find delicious gelato shops and plenty of travel opportunities.

Cheers,

Kristina

Annie and her husband at the top of an island known as Chinaman's Hat,
which is located off of Oahu.

Q: Tell us about you and your hubby.

A: My name is Annie, and I'm a 20-something Army milspouse living in Vicenza, Italy. My hubby and I met, fell in love, and married just over 10 years ago in the Land of Aloha. It's crazy how fast the time has flown by! I've recently finished my Bachelors degree (social science & gerontology), and I'm gearing up to start my Masters at the end of the summer. How and when I'll be able to put my degrees to use is still unknown due to our current duty station (in Italy). My true passion, however, has always been my cuppycake business. Gourmet cuppycakes are my specialty, although I started out with cakes, and still enjoy making those as well. I'm also an avid crafter/DIY/baker/chef/Zumba fanatic. If food, home decor, or health & fitness is involved, then I'm in my element. I also love to travel, which makes our assignment in Italy a great fit for my hubby and I. My travel bucket list is at least a mile long, and I can't wait to see and explore the world one adventure at a time.

Q: What inspired you to launch the blog Blonde Glambition and what topics do you write about?

A: The original inspiration behind my blog was a dear friend from high school. She had been encouraging me to start one when we were stationed in Italy last time to share my adventures. It took me a few months to get my butt in gear and decide on a name, and even longer to decide the topics I wanted to write about. The topics on my blog range from my travels/adventures, love, military life ups and downs (PCSing, deployments, homecomings), cooking/baking, as well as my personal fitness project (OFB) and numerous DIY projects and my 30 by 30 List. You could say it's a mish mash of my daily life.

 Q: You mentioned on your blog that you are from Hawaii. What was it like growing up and living there?

A: AMAZING!! I'm completely in love with Hawaii, and growing up there was an absolute blessing. The culture, food, beaches, and quality of life are more than I could've ever asked for. In some ways, it really is like Hawaii is it's own little world. Life runs at a more relaxed pace, family & community are important, and the spirit of Aloha is present in everyday life. 

Q: What part of Hawaii were you living before you moved to Italy?

A: Our last house in Hawaii was on Wheeler Army Airfield in Wahiawa.

Annie hanging out at her favorite beach with the honus (sea turtles).

Q: Did you live on base or off base? What was the housing like?

A: Our last house on post was phenomenal! It was a brand new stand alone...something that is a rarity in the military community. It was roughly 2200 sq.ft. which is also massive by Hawaii standards. The majority of post housing, however, consists of newer duplexes, duplexes and apartments that were built in the 80s & 90s, as well as historical homes that still have bullet holes from the attack on Pearl Harbor. Most of the homes have tile or linoleum floors because of the red dirt in Hawaii. Housing off post is a wide variety of apartments, duplexes, condos, and stand alone houses that are shared by immediate & extended family members due to the high cost of living. 

Q: What were your top three favorite things to do or attractions to see on the island?

A: Our absolute favorite thing to do on the island would be spending the day on the North Shore. This would usually consist of a stop at Mackey's Shrimp Truck or Kua 'Aina's in Haleiwa for lunch, laying out at our favorite beach & swimming with the honus (seas turtles), and then watching the sunset with shave ice from Matsumoto's.

Second thing would be paddle boarding anywhere on the island...love it!! Great workout and it feels so good to be on the water.

It's so hard to narrow it down to three things...I guess the third thing would be going out on the boat and snorkeling. Hubby loves snorkeling!

Island life can be relaxing -- just ask this sea turtle at the North Shore in Oahu.

Q: What do you miss about living in Hawaii?

A: The simple answer: everything. I count down the days until I get to return home. Aside from the obvious things: beaches, weather, sweet smells of tropical flowers, food (plate lunch, malasadas, li hing mui powder), etc. I really, really miss the people/culture. It's my ideal type of lifestyle, and I love the spirit of Aloha that is shared between friends & family, even strangers. It's like the magic of the islands just wraps itself around you & hugs you when you are in the Land of Aloha.

Q: Are there helpful Facebook pages, blogs or websites military families can turn to if they are stationed there?

A: On Facebook there are several pages, but here are a few of them: Oahu Military Wives Business Connections, The Wives of Schofield Barracks, Aloha Army Wives, Great Life Hawaii, MWR Hawaii and MCCS Hawaii.


* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Celebrating My Sailor's Graduation

Hello friends!

My husband just earned a master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. The graduation ceremony was lovely and so was the lunch we had afterwards. But his family and I thought we needed to continue the celebration that weekend in a way fit for a sailor -- by cruising Monterey Bay on a sailboat! Below are photos from the two-hour cruise, most of which was taken with my iPhone's Instagram app.

Enjoy!
Kristina
P.S. Have you ever gotten sea sick? I got a little queasy during the cruise. Luckily, the captain had candied ginger on board. I don't know what I would have done without it!

Moving Mondays: Hola From Rota, Spain!

Hola, mis amigos!

I have a special treat for you today. Rebecca -- a Navy wife who blogs at Sink or Swim -- is getting ready to move her beautiful family from Rota, Spain, to Hawaii. But before Rebecca says adios to southern Spain, she has kindly agreed to share what it’s been like living and traveling in the land of ferias, colorful dresses and picturesque villages for the past four years.

Enjoy!

Kristina

Rebecca -- dressed in a traditional sevillana dress, which is similar to flamenco --
poses for a photo with her family at a castle in Rota, Spain. 

Q: Tell us about you and your family.

I am a mother of two kids, Mckenna who is 10 and Omar Jr. who is 4, and married to a sailor in the U.S. Navy. We've been married for 10 years and he joined the Navy not long after we were married.  My husband Omar works at the AFN station (American Forces Network) that supplies the base radio and cable. In addition to being a mom, I also work full time and am getting ready to graduate with a bachelor's in Environmental Management.  

Q: You have a blog called Sink or Swim. What inspired you to launch the blog? What kind of information can we find on it?

I LOVE reading blogs, I have always loved to be able to peek into people's everyday lives. I also love that I have been able to find information and opinions on just about anything. Even though I am an active blog reader I was very hesitant to actually start one. I am not a wonderful writer, but I do love letting people know about the places I've visited or restaurants to go to.  So I finally bit the bullet and started a blog to share some information about living in Spain, questions you may have about moving here, also to document our own PCS process as we leave here and share our every day life.  I also like having the ability to post photos and stories on here instead of on Facebook.

Q: What do you love about living in the area?

This is going to be hard to keep short, I love so much about Rota.  First off, the people of Andalucía (the southern part of Spain) are just wonderful. Laid back, family oriented and super friendly.  The weather is wonderful. The base is small so I see people I know wherever I go. It's generally pretty cheap to travel, there are lots of discount airlines in Europe, so we have been all over the place while we've been here.  

Q: What do you not like about living there?

The hardest part to living in Rota is being far from family – specifically, for our kids to grow up far away from the rest of the family.  Both my husband and I grew up close to our grandparents, so we sometimes wonder if we are making the right decision. Also on my dislike list: paying for anything off base in Euro (ouch!), mold in my house in winter, the base being so small that you can't avoid people you don't like, the laid back attitude of the locals can sometimes drive you nuts when you want things done FAST.

Rebecca and her kids visit the horse fair in Spain's Jerez de la Frontera.

Q: What are your top three favorite activities to do in Rota as a family?

Our favorite three things to do as a family are to go to the beach, walk along the boardwalk or go out to eat.

Q: Where are your top three favorite places to dine?

My favorite places to eat are 100 Montaditos (a sandwich place), Bailey's (a steak place) and any Doner Kebab place. 

Q: What are your favorite places to shop for food or clothes?

While the commissary and exchange are the easiest, the selection is not the best in either one. We have some great malls around and most of them have a large grocery store in them as well -- kind of like having Super Walmart as an anchor store in the mall. It’s weird but convenient. My favorite store is H&M, which I also used to shop at in the states. (Also C&A, Primark and Zara) I do like to buy produce from Carrefour (local Walmart).

Q: Are there a lot of activities available for kids in Rota? 

There isn't a ton for kids to do, especially off base. We don't have a lot of the stuff that you get used to in the states, like Chuck E. Cheese or bounce-house places. On base one sport is offered at a time, rotating through soccer, football, basketball, baseball or cheer. Swim lessons are offered year round. Lessons are offered through MWR, but the selection is pretty limited and can change when instructors PCS. 

Q: Do you or anyone else in your family speak Spanish? Do you need to know Spanish to get by in Rota?

I am the main Spanish speaker in the house and my Spanish isn't all that great. I SWORE that by six months I would be fluent but it hasn't happened!  I took a few years of Spanish in high school and that has helped a LOT! I am comfortable enough to go out to eat or go shopping but I am by no means conversational! You don't need to know Spanish to live here. Many of the locals speak English (especially at the local restaurants), however I think it helps a LOT to at least know how to pronounce Spanish words.

Q: Where can families take Spanish lessons if they wanted to learn?

There are lessons off base, lessons on base, the school teaches some Spanish to the elementary kids, and the day care center has a Spanish Immersion program for preschoolers. Just depends on how much money you want to spend! My recommendation: find a Spanish friend!

Rebecca and her husband Omar traveled to Portugal.

Q: Do you live on base or off base? Why did you choose to live in that particular community? And what is it like?

We live on base. When we moved here 4 years ago there was no option to live off base unless you had a large family or there was a lack of available housing.  That has since changed and you can live off base if you want. We would have LOVED the opportunity to live off base; you are able to experience the culture so much more!  However, we live very close to the school (we can see it from our driveway), the base pool (5 minute walk), the commissary, exchange and my work (7 minute drive). My kids can ride their bikes in the street and walk to friends houses. Also, we don't need to use transformers for anything as base housing is 110v.

Q: This sounds mundane, but people moving to Spain may want to know: Can they bring their American-made appliances? How about cell phones?

If you are living on base you can use anything with an American plug. You don't need to bring anything big like a washer or dryer. They come in the house and if you live off base they will let you borrow one.  If you are living off base you can also use American stuff but you will need to use transformers to convert it to 220v. Many people just buy cheap 220v stuff like hair dryers or coffee makers and then sell them when they leave. You can bring your cell phone but I can promise you, you won't use it as much as you do now. I was a cell phone ADDICT, text-a-holic, games, etc. When I moved here I didn't even use a phone for the first couple years. Now I have one that I never use that is dead half the time. Most people pay as you go with cell phone minutes and they are pricey! 

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add about living in Rota?

It is a really wonderful duty station but you have to move here with a few things in mind: It is NOT America. Things are different, the culture is different and you are going to have to adapt. Also, get off base! You will go crazy if you never leave and there is so much to see and do even within a few hour's drive - Gibraltar, Marbella, Cadiz, Costa Ballena, Seville, Portugal and Morocco.  It has been an amazing experience living here and I have some friends and memories that I will cherish for a lifetime!

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.  

The Wildflowers Of Garrapata

I don't think I can ever look at a bouquet or vase of flowers the same way again, especially after hiking through fields of wild flowers at Garrapata State Park. Yellow, purple, white and orange flowers lined the trail that my daughter, friend Annie and me walked along, adding pops of color to the green mountains.

Flowers weren't the only things growing along the route. We noticed a hill side filled with cacti and beds of clover too. We eventually came across towering redwood trees, which provided shade as we enjoyed a picnic and posed for pictures.

We wanted to hike to the very top of the mountain, which we heard would provide us with breath taking views of the ocean. But an hour into our hike, we noticed a sign that said part of the trail was closed. That's okay. My friend and I caught glimpses of the sea and other pretty views during the hike. Besides, my daughter preferred to stare at the lizards anyways.

The trails of Garrapata State Park, located south of Carmel, Calif., are hard to spot as you zip along Highway 1. But you'll know you're in the right place if you see a row of cars parked along side of the road near a structure that looks like this:

Have you hiked recently? Where did you go? What did you see?

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: I Didn't Say Goodbye

At first I felt relief when I sold my car. After all, it was the last big thing I had to do before I moved to a country where people drive on the left side of the road. But the feeling didn't last long.

Once the paper work was signed and I got home, it occurred to me that I didn't say a proper goodbye to my first big purchase as an adult. I didn't bid adieu to the car that made it possible for me to make the hour commute to college years ago.  And I didn't say farewell to the vehicle that took this aspiring journalist across the country to Washington, D.C., from California. In fact, I didn't even take one last glance at the car that helped me make the four-hour trek each weekend to see my boyfriend, turned fiance, turned husband.

I failed to say goodbye to my 2002 Ford Focus ZX5 because I was too busy. I spent the day letting a family test drive the vehicle and, once they decided to buy it, getting the paperwork together to transfer ownership. Then I was late meeting the prospective owners at a local store to close the deal. Flustered, I got out of the car and ran to the store to sign off on the paperwork.

When I got home and realized that I forgot to take a moment to say good bye to my car, a wave of seller's remorse hit me. And I did what any self respecting, sentimental woman would do. I cried. Then, I poured a glass of wine and cried some more.

So, dear readers, I decided to dedicate this blog post to my Ford Focus and send it off with a proper good bye. I hope my car likes it! Here it goes:

I know, my dear car, that to some people you weren't the snazziest or fanciest car. But to me, you were sleek, shiny and zippy -- my transportation of choice for a decade. You were with me when I graduated college, got married and had a baby. And you put up with me when my music tastes changed from alternative to house and from whatever was on the radio to Disney-princess songs. I will always be grateful for all the rides and memories made possible by your selfless, steadfast and dedicated transportation.

XOXO,
Kristina


* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Georgia Trip: Plane Activities

My daughter and I recently traveled to hot Georgia. To get there, we took a six-hour plane ride. I knew before hopping on the plane that I better come prepared with some activities to keep my daughter entertained. After all, six hours is a long time for a three-year old to sit strapped into a chair with nothing to do!

There was just one problem: since my husband wasn't traveling with us, I couldn't use his trusty backpack to stash the fun goodies. As a result, my daughter would have to carry her own little back pack. Also, any of the activities I packed for her had to fit in it.

Luckily, most of the plane activities I packed for her during our last trip to the East Coast fit in her back pack. So, they made the list of items we took to Georgia. And I still had room to pack a few extra fun and educational items. Below is a list of all the items I packed for my daughter for the Georgia trip in case you need ideas before hopping on a plane with young kids during your summer vacation.

1. Stickers: We already had some stickers on hand at home, including the Melissa & Doug Sticker Collection - Alphabet and Numbers. So, I put together a few sticker activities to keep my daughter's mind and hands busy. One activity required her to place the correct amount of happy faces under the corresponding number, while the other activities required her to match letters and numbers.



2. Melissa & Doug Colors Cards Puzzle: Since my daughter loves puzzles, I knew I had to pack at least one for the trip.



3. Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Pets: My kiddo always seems to get an extra burst of energy as we take our seats on the plane and wait for everyone to board. Desperate to keep her entertained and in her seat, I pulled out one of the lace and trace pets during the flight to Georgia. Thankfully, she sat quietly during boarding and take off. Apparently, it takes a lot of concentration to place the lace into each little hole.



4. Hasbro Play-Doh Party Pak 10/Tube: The play-doh, which I packed along with some mini cutters, was my daughter's favorite item to play with. She kept quite busy as she rolled, pounded and cut shapes into the play-doh. And the mini containers fit easily into her child-sized back pack.



5. Books: A couple weeks before our trip to Georgia, my daughter's preschool hosted a book fair. I let my daughter pick out the books that interested her. Her choices were aimed at kids like her who are learning to read. The other bonus? The books were light weight and the perfect size for her back pack. Needless to say, the books -- which included Biscuit and the Lost Teddy Bear (My First I Can Read), OLIVIA Plants a Garden (Olivia Ready-to-Read) and Look for the Lorax (Step into Reading) -- made the Georgia trip.

6. Crayons & Coloring Pages: This activity was incredibly easy to put together. I let my daughter pick out the coloring pages she wanted to color during the trip. Then, I carefully tore them out of her coloring book (which wouldn't fit in the back pack) and stored the pages and crayons in a zip lock bag.

Our next adventure will involve about 20 hours of air time. Yikes! What additional kid-friendly activities do you think I should pack for the flight?

Cheers,
Kristina

Moving Mondays: Express Shipment

Hello friends!

I'll never forget moving into our home in Monterey, Calif., a year and a half ago. As we waited for our household goods to arrive, all we had to get by were the clothes in our suitcases, an air mattress, pillows, one blanket and a plastic tub. Needless to say, these items didn't provide much comfort or entertainment. (Although, as you can see from the photo above, my daughter did enjoy using the tub as a dining table of sorts.)

My Traveling Troop will be moving overseas soon and this time around the military is letting us send our household goods in two shipments. The first, or express, shipment is already at our destination and contains items that will help us get by until the rest of our household goods show up. We weren't authorized to include big pieces of furniture in the express shipment like a dining table or bed. However, we were able to pack items that will make us comfortable and entertained as we wait for the big shipment to arrive. Here is what we included in the express shipment:

Air mattress
Sheets, a comforter, pillows & pillow cases
Towels
Shower curtain
Half of our collection of plates, cups, mugs and utensils
Pots and pans
Coffee maker
TV
DVD Player
DVDs
Toys & books for our daughter
2 small folding tables
2 director chairs
High chair

As for clothes, we'll pack enough in our suitcases to last us a few weeks. The rest will go in the second shipment.

Have you ever moved overseas? What items did you include in your express shipment? Were all the items practical or did anything fun make the list?

Cheers,
Kristina

* Do you want to know what it’s like living at a particular duty station? Need tips on how to prepare for a move? Or advice on how to handle a deployment? Tune in each Monday for tips and stories aimed at helping your next move or deployment go more smoothly. If you have questions, tips or stories you would like to share, send a brief email to mytravelingtroop@gmail.com for consideration.

Earthbound Farm

I love taking my daughter to Earthbound Farm in Carmel Valley, Calif. The organic farm, which is nestled amid towering green hills, features an herb garden, kids garden and labyrinth that my daughter can run around in for free. The farm -- which sells organic produce, meals and flowers too -- is also a great place to teach my daughter about eating healthy. I wrote about our first experience at Earthbound Farm for ZisBoomBah's blog. But I thought I'd share photos from all of our visits so far with you here.

Enjoy!
Kristina