Family Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Bucket List Publications

Sea Curacao

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Lesley | 3 Comments

From relaxing in calm waters to jumping from piers and cliffs, Curacao offers so many opportunities to enjoy the picturesque beaches, or playas as they are called in the local Papiamentu language, that dot the island. My grandest water experiences were at Playa Kenepa, Cas Abao, and Pirate Bay, but no matter where you go in Curacao, you can easily “sea”…

A Dream Day for Water Babies

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Lesley | 0 Comments

Athena and I are both water babies. Our heaven is swimming in a pool, a lake, an ocean…. a bath tub. I never feel quite as relaxed or refreshed as during and after swimming. Curacao is a dream for water babies and today was one continuous, unbelievable, pinch me dream made reality. We started our morning at 7 am. While I…

Living”stone” It Up in Curacao

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Lesley | 2 Comments

Athena and I have inspected every aspect of Livingstone Jan Thiel Resort in Curacao and the verdict is in – this place rocks! From the over-sized room and the enclosed patio to the luxurious pool and the luscious surroundings, the Livingstone is family-accommodations at their best. This four-star resort is centrally located in the Jan Thiel Bay with over 100 beautiful villas and apartments. Our villa…

Innocence Found

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Lesley | 1 Comments

Lunch at Pirate Bay, Curacao today was similar to most of my dining experiences here. We relaxed on the beach and listened to the waves gently crash on the shore and the birds sing their playful tune as we enjoyed a casual dining experience. I looked out on the ocean and saw three girls playing at the end of the…

10 Tips for Flying with a Toddler

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Lesley | 2 Comments

Your bags are packed and you’re ready to embrace that international family trip… but your child is no longer an infant and a whole new world of challenges await. She’s walking, talking, and ready to go, go, go. Does that mean your vacation has to be memorable for all the wrong reasons? Athena, now 15 months old, and I travel…

Up Close and Personal at Lazy 5 Ranch

Posted on June 29, 2013 by Lesley | 1 Comments

The Lazy 5 Ranch, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina, offers a unique 3.5 mile tour of over 750 animals from all over the world. We explored the ranch on a horse-drawn, open-air wagon and went eyeball to eyeball with a Texas Longhorn cow as well as dozens of other animals. Lazy 5 Ranch was the most unique animal ranch that…

Kick Off Your Shoes & Play in the Sand

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Lesley | 6 Comments

82 °F and a slight breeze… the perfect temperature for making sandcastles. Today, Athena and I had one goal – to kick off our shoes and get down to making sandcastles. (Well, that was my goal. Athena’s goal was to sneak in a bite of a seashell any time I wasn’t looking but it fit nicely with my sandcastle goal so…

Cirque Dreams Holidaze – Where Even Seeing is Still Too Hard to Believe

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Lesley | 0 Comments

From the moment the curtain goes up until the last bow, Cirque Dreams Holidaze is too amazing to believe even when witnessing it with your very own eyes. It’s a dreamland of tinsel and glitter and candy cane flair. Acrobats twirled. Reindeer skipped. Gingerbread men flipped. Penguins teeter-tottered atop endless cylinders. And I sat in continuous awe while constantly saying, “oh my god!”, “wow”,…

Home for the Holidays: Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Lesley | 2 Comments

Darren and I moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to live in a community that feels like home. We want to be surrounded by friends that eventually feel like family in an environment that celebrates values, traditions, and life. We decided on a community in Hunstersville and our house is in the process of being built. This Christmas will be spent…

Visions of Sugar Plums: North Carolina Dance Theatre’s The Nutcracker

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Lesley | 1 Comments

Oh, the magic of it all. Living dolls. The Sugar Plum Fairy. The Snow Queen. Worldly dancers. It’s The Nutcracker, in all its magic, beauty, and holiday charm. With music by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky performed live with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra and stunning costume design by Bjorn Winnbald, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux’s production has something to delight every family member. It’s not everyday you have…