Thanksgiving Break

          It's been a busy month for the Hernandez Family! Everybody were so excited for Thanksgiving break but before that we had a busy schedule for my older daughter's syncronized ice skating competition.

          This is the second year of my daughter, Abby, in the team. It gives us the opportunity to travel because they compete in Chicago area and other states as well.  Two weeks ago, we went to Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin, it's about an hour drive from us. Their team, DAZZLERS, had to compete with other teams from Chicagoland area. I want to brag about this because they won FIRST PLACE! Yahoo!!! Then after the event, we stopped by Pleasant Prairie Outlet Mall and Gurnee Mills. We started our Christmas shopping early this year.

          The following weekend, we had to beat the snow storm and drove to Kalamazoo Michigan on a Friday night even if the competition was not until Sunday. It was a Kick Off Competition from all over the Midwest region. Luckily, they made it to Fourth Place so it's still thumbs up for the team! It was definitely a tougher game than the previous one.

          I'm glad it was over for now but the girls had to continue practicing for next year's competition. Then comes Thanksgiving break! The girls went for a day camp at the park district  and enjoyed indoor swimming on their first day of vacation. At night we had their BFF for a sleepover and the girls pretended to have the Mayflower in our living room.

          On Thanksgiving Day, our family enjoyed a traditional dinner in our house. We had turkey, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. On top of that, I cooked some Filipino dishes for comfort food. My brother and wife came over to join us for dinner.We were all so thankful for all the blessing we had! I was thinking to hit the mall in the evening but decided not to and just spend time with the family.

          Now that the girls are older, they "LOVE" to go shopping with mommy. We spent a lot of time in the mall these past few days. The goal was to buy gifts for friends but I ended up buying stuffs just for my two little monkeys. Can I tell you that I'm really enjoying this stage because I can take my girls anywhere without anyone complaining? It was the best bonding ever!!!

         On Saturday, we went to downtown Chicago to check out the ice skating rink. There were two of them in Millenium Park, one was by the Sculpture Bean and the other at the Maggie Daley Park. Both rinks were good because we had a great view of the city. Admission was free and we brought our own ice skates.  Tips: If you don't have skates, you can also rent one for $12. Make sure to dress in layers because it's cold at the park but it gets warmer when you're ice skating. They also had hot chocolate drink for $4 each, coffee $2 and some snacks. For the little kids, they can meet Santa in his house located next to the Bean. My girls, for some reason, didn't want to do the Santa thing anymore! And don't forget, when you go to downtown, use Park Whiz app for discounted parking.

Christmas Tree in Millenium Park

          The last day of Thanksgiving break, the girls invited their friends for a play date at our house. It was bittersweet because they were all so happy to spend time with each other, but sad at the same time because their friend is moving to Texas next month.

        Such a well spent quality time with our family! November is almost over and Christmas will be here before you know it.  I am looking at my December calendar and it's almost booked! I can't wait for all these events and I'm sure we're going to have another awesome family adventure!

Southern Utah

We've been to almost 40 states in US and Utah is my "most favorite" states of all. I highly recommend buying the annual pass to save money on entrance fees. Another tip is to drive during the day so you can enjoy all the scenic views. However, if you're driving at night, take the major highways to be safe. We had a very bad experience driving overnight in Dixie National Forest. It was an unexpected blizzard in the mountains and was really scary! Also make sure not to wait until your tank is almost empty because gas stations are very limited in some areas.

Here are the TOP 5 National Parks in Southern Utah and 2 National Monuments along the route:

1.  ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

Delicate Arch

2.  CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

3. NATIONAL BRIDGES MONUMENT

4. CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

5. GRAND STAIRCASE NATIONAL MONUMENT

5.  BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARKS

6. ZION NATIONAL PARK

The kids can also earn a Junior Ranger badge in most of these parks so stop by the visitors center to pick up their activity book. When we did our trip, we only had 2 days to see these parks. I will definitely recommend to spend more days if you really want to enjoy the area. So plan your next roadtrip in Southern Utah and have an awesome vacation!

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Colorado Springs

           When we did our cross country driving few years ago, Colorado was our first stop. And because there's different places to see, I decided to make a separate blog just for this place. So if you are in Colorado Springs and want to explore the area, whether for a day or two, check out these awesome attractions. 

1. GARDEN OF THE GODS

           This is one of the most visited attractions in this region. It is open to public and admission is free. The view is breathtaking and a perfect place to climb some rocks and take pictures.

2. SEVEN FALLS

          This is a great sightseeing place in Colorado Springs and is the only Colorado waterfall included on National Geopgraphic's list of international wonders. You can take 224 steps up a magnificent series of waterfalls. If you don't want to take the stairs, there's an elevator from the entrance that will lead you to a spot where you can take good pictures of the falls. 

         

4. UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

            This place welcomes visitors to enter thru the north gate of the campus. Be prepared to show your driver's license for security. There's a lot of self guided tours that you can do in this place such as the US Air Force Cadet Chapel, Arnold Hall, Honor Court, Field House, and Falcon Athletic Center.

3. PIKES PEAK

           Drive your car to a 19-mile scenic journey which provides the opportunity to enjoy Pikes PeaK Mountain. Check the website for fees and road closures at  www.pikespeakcolorado.com.

4.  SANTA'S WORKSHOP AT THE NORTH POLE 

           Last but not the least, if you have small children who wants to meet Santa Claus and the Elves, this amusement park is the place to be.  Check out http://northpolecolorado.com/ for rates, dates and times.

           Colorado is one of my favorite states! Just driving around town is so beautiful! Tip: Make sure to bring your jacket in whatever season you go there. There's a lot more attractions to see in this place so we'll definitely visit again!

          Subscribe to my blog on www.shine-travels.blogspot.com and connect with me on Facebook or Pinterest  if you want to get ideas on Awesome and Affordable Family Vacations.