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It’s sad this is a glorious day, I wish there wa It’s sad this is a glorious day, I wish there was never a murder to be happy about a guilty verdict of in the first place but I am glad we can breathe a little easier today. 

Please don’t take this verdict as the work being over, there is so much more to do. There are so many more trials to see through, so many families who haven’t gotten justice for their loved ones, we cannot let up! #BlackLivesMatter
So often we wait for special occasions to dress u So often we wait for special occasions to  dress up, book that trip, get our nails and hair done or have a fancy meal. Here’s to making every day a special occasion just because we’re alive and well and have our family!

The girls gorgeous dresses are from @teacollection because little girls love to dress up too. How are you creating special moments for yourself or your family these days? 

📸 @rachellaxtonphoto
Just completed our 6th stay at @hiclubvacations Or Just completed our 6th stay at @hiclubvacations Orange Lake Resort in Orlando and it never gets old! If you’ve been following this trip in my stories you’ve seen all the amazing things this resort has to offer. That’s what keeps us coming back! #HostedByHCV

From the villas with full kitchens and multiple bedrooms, to the amazing pools with water slides, a Lazy River, and splash pads, to the activities right at the resort like mini golf, arcades and rock climbing, there’s never a dull moment. 

Virtual school is coming to an end so we’re def thankful we could savor every moment! 

Where are you looking to go for your next vacation? #familytravel #orlandovacation
Celebrating year 5! Five years ago I opened up IG Celebrating year 5! Five years ago I opened up IG and signed up for The Traveling Child account all thanks to my friend Paula who thought other parents and those wanting to be parents would find inspiration in seeing us travel the world with Jordyn and Kennedy. 

I personally thought she was crazy, “why would people want to see pictures of us traveling”. She told me she’d seen me travel with Jordyn the previous 2 years and while pregnant and that so many parents thought it was impossible. Now I knew that to be true as I’d often hear “you know you’re not going to be able to travel anymore” all throughout my pregnancy. 

Never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d be here 5 years later with a community of like minded travel lovers who many have become like family and don’t think we’re crazy for the places we take the girls, authoring a children’s book, writing for and being featured in publications like Essence, The Points Guy, Condé Nast, landing partnerships with dream brands like the Travel Channel I never thought would happen and a life I never thought we could give our kids.

I can’t even imagine what the next 5 years will look like. Thank you so much for supporting our family over the past 5 years, so much of what we do wouldn’t be possible without your support.

If you have a dream do not give up, you won’t always see success in the first few months or even years but if you’re passionate about it the possibilities are endless. I don’t have a degree in journalism, never took a photography class or really had experience in any of the qualifications for this career I have except I loved to travel with my family. People will doubt you, call your idea stupid and other things that might have you thinking of quitting but keep pushing, you have nothing to lose but the possibility of accomplishing your wildest dreams!!

If this page has done nothing else I hope you’ve learned how to find flight deals and know if kids live there, kids can visit! Much love, Monet.
Moms deserve luxury too! I’m so ready for my nex Moms deserve luxury too! I’m so ready for my next solo trip, I usually take one every year but 2020 ruined those plans. Not this here 2021, I am ready to go!  My solo trips give me time to rejuvenate, do some on my favorite things I can’t always do with the whole family, sleep in, eat what I want when I want without compromising for anyone, the ability to change my mind at the last minute because I want to without affecting anyone else and so much more. Have you traveled solo? If you haven’t do you want to?

If you’re looking to take a solo trip you can click the link in my bio for my blog posts on my previous ones, Tulum, Mexico has been my favorite. #solotravel #momcation
Last weekend we visited our 8th National Park, Eve Last weekend we visited our 8th National Park, Everglades National Park, which is just 90 mins from where we live. We brought the @Cuisinart Large Backpack Cooler to bring all the essentials we needed. Since it's a backpack it was easy to carry on our boat tour and hikes but also large enough to store our water and food. It keeps items cold for 16+ hours and since it passed the Florida burning sun test, and kept our food fresh after a long day we won't be going on any adventures without it. Have you visited any National Parks? Which one is your favorite and/or which one would you like to go to next? #savorthegoodlife #coolerbag #hikinglife #CuisinartPartner
We normally travel to New York 2-3 times a year bu We normally travel to New York 2-3 times a year but since we haven't been since 2019 we decided to bring New York to us thanks to @loweshomeimprovement. Two of our favorite things to do in New York are Movie Night in Bryant Park and watching plays on Broadway so we combined the two and transformed our backyard into the ultimate Hometrip to Bryant Park and watched Cats! 

 

What's an activity from your previous travels you'd like to recreate at home? Here are a few quick tips:

1. Don't overthink, it doesn't have to be exactly the same.

2. Add your own twist like we did watching a Broadway play instead of a movie.

3. Find small elements to bring your Hometrip full circle, we made virgin Manhattan's for our drinks.

P.S. I was extremely surprised to find everything we needed for the transformation at Lowe’s. Yes, I expected to be able to find the patio set but the popcorn machine, popcorn kernels, charcuterie boards and bar cart not so much. It was a pleasant surprise to be able to shop in one place for everything we needed. #LowesGoals #LowesPartner

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3 Days in Chicago with Kids

May 29, 2018      Destinations, Illinois, North America

We first visited Chicago in 2015 for Taste of Chicago over 4th of July weekend. The trip was planned well before I knew I’d be pregnant with Kennedy and unfortunately traveling during my first trimester proved to be unpleasant. So we wanted to come back and here’s how we spent 3 days in Chicago with kids.

Young black family on vacation in Chicago standing in front of the bean

Memorial Day known as the unofficial start of summer was the perfect 3-day weekend for a trip to Chicago. Traveling during holidays can sometimes be expensive but thanks to Spirit Airlines low fares we were able to snag a great deal which made our trip possible. Don’t sleep on Spirit; they have improved their on-time delivery status to 85% and both our flights landed on time or early.

Related: 6 Ways to Maximize Your Savings When Flying Spirit

How to Get From O Hare to Downtown Chicago with Kids

Our flight landed in Chicago at 8:30PM and we took the train from O’Hare to our hotel. We purchased a 3 day unlimited CTA card to get us around for the weekend. It’s $20 per card and kids under 7 are free with a paying adult. It’s the cheapest and most convenient way to get around the city.

Where to Stay in Chicago with Kids

We stayed in Downtown Chicago just one block from Michigan Ave at the Raffaello Hotel. The location of the hotel is perfect for using public transportation and close to all the main attractions of the city. Within two blocks in every direction of the hotel were great restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is also a Walgreens down the street and many retail shops lines on Michigan Ave. If the weather is nice you can walk to the Navy Pier as well as The Bean, both are about a 20 minute walk.

How to Save Money in Chicago with Kids with CityPass

Chicago isn’t the cheapest city in the world but there are ways to save money. The best way to save money on attractions is Chicago is by purchasing the Chicago CityPass. It includes 5 major attractions, saving you up to 51% off the general admission. It also includes VIP entry into all of the attractions allowing you to skip the line. Included in the pass is the Shedd Aqauarium, Field Museum,Skydeck Chicago, 360 Chicago or Museum of Science & Industry, and the Adler Planetarium or Art Institute of Chicago.


Chicago_250x250

Itinerary for 3 Days in Chicago with Kids

Day One: 360 Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum Giordano’s, & Garrett’s Popcorn

Our hotel was right next to 360 Chicago so we started our day there.  It has some of the best views of the city, yes better than the Skydeck. 360 Chicago opens up at 9AM and we wanted to beat the crowds so we got there around 9:30AM and were happy we did. It’s known for the Tilt, a window of the building that you can lean on and it actually tilts forward so you can face the ground, 94  floors below.  Watch Jordyn and James brave the scary heights below.

Next we got on the Chicago Trolley & Double Decker for a scenic drive around the city. While you can definitely get everywhere on the train and bus with your CTA card I recommend at least a 1 day Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour. This way you’ll see the great views from the top deck of the bus. Chicago is known for its architecture and you’ll miss it being underground on the train. Plus there is live commentary, which gives you a lot of information about Chicago and the different buildings.

young girl holding book standing in front of a bus

We got off the Chicago Trolley & Double Decker at museum row and visited Adler Planetarium. It’s included in the Chicago CityPASS and again includes VIP entry as well as access to all the shows and the entire planetarium. The kids enjoyed launching their own virtual rocket ships and learning about the constellations in the 360 dome. There are a ton of cool exhibits and the girls loved stepping on the scale to learn their moon weight.

Next we headed to the Field Museum. Jordyn recently learned about dinosaurs in school so we were so excited to take her to the Dinosaur exhibit. Both the girls loved seeing all the fossils and Kennedy kept yelling out “oh my God, dinosaurs wow”!!

​two young black girls at the museum standing in front of a dinosaur display

You May Be Interested in Reading: Travel Safety Tips You Don’t Want to Skip

After seeing the dinosaurs we check out the Mummy exhibit. Maybe a little gory for the girls because they kept shouting, “why is the mummy dead?” but it was actually an amazing exhibit.  Both the hubby and I learned so much, I for one had no clue Peruvians also mummified their dead and they provided a lot of history on that.

Unfortunately we weren’t able to check out the Shedd Aquarium, which is right next door. The tickets are included in the Chicago CityPASS but because of the Memorial Day Parade taking place it took us two hours to get from 360 Chicago to the Planetarium and it killed a lot of our time. We did visit the Shedd Aquarium on our last visit to Chicago in 2015 and Jordyn loved it. I was bummed because they just opened their Underwater Beauty exhibit and really wanted to check it out.

Chicago is known for it’s deep-dish pizza so we had to try some as soon as possible. First up was Giordano’s which our hop-on hop-off bus driver said was his favorite. Listen to me, make a reservation; we were so glad we did! We got their at 6PM, thinking we would beat the crowd but the couple in front of us who didn’t have a reservation got hit with an hour wait time. We each ordered a personal pizza since we wanted different toppings.

two personal pizzas on a table

Did you even visit Chicago is you didn’t make a stop at Garrett’s Popcorn? Instagram poll says no! Just be prepared to give Garrett’s all your coins, their popcorn is so good. We tried a little bit of them all and went home with 3 tins, 2 petites for the girls and a big one we need to share with someone else so we don’t finish it all in a day. My personal favorites are the caramel crisp and kettle corn, Kennedy loved the CheeseCorn flavor.

Considering Other Domestic Trips: Check Out Our Itineraries for: Nashville, Panama City Beach, Fort Myers and Sanibel Island, Las Vegas, Tampa, Key West, Orlando, and Arizona.

Day Two: Batter & Berries, Skydeck Chicago, Lou Malnatis, and the Navy Pier

Thanks to the lovely recommendations of our Instagram followers we headed to Batter & Berries for breakfast. They do not accept reservations so get there right when they open at 8AM or prepare to wait 50 minutes like we did. It was worth the wait (insert multiple hand claps, lol).  Just look at this food, the chicken & waffles or Cluck-N-Gaurfre as they call it has chicken IN the waffle as well as on top.

chicken and waffles

We headed to Skydeck Chicago next and were so happy we had the Chicago CityPASS. When we arrived the wait time for regular guests was 3 hours! There is no way we would have waited in that line. Thankfully with the we were able to skip the line. Just look at this line of people we passed right on by.

Once inside you have great views of the city but really everyone is here to take pictures on The Ledge and so did we. There are 3 ledges that you can take pictures on. The one on the left (ask someone in case it changes) is operated by Skydeck. They have a professional photographer who takes your photo. You will be the only one on The Ledge so you can pose anyway you want to and not worry about others. The other two ledges each have 3 lines so when you go on The Ledge you’ll have other people on there with you. You’ll just has a small area to take pictures and it can feel a little rushed. Most people behind you won’t have an issue taking your photo, just ask.

two young girls sitting on a glass floor with views to the bottom of the street

Love their matching dresses? They come in adult sizes too! Click here for where we get all of our matching clothes.

Are we the only ones who eat more on vacation than at home? Chicago has amazing food and we were here to indulge. There is no way you can go to Chicago and just try deep-dish pizza from one restaurant. Next up was Lou Malnatis and while they don’t take reservations they do allow you to order your pizza, which takes 45mins to bake while you wait for your table. The four of us shared a medium pizza and we ate every bite! It was so good, do not leave Chicago without dining here.

large cheese deep dish pizza

It was still very early so we headed to the Navy Pier. I had no idea they had a little splash pad or I would have brought our swimsuits. It was 90 degrees out and hot as ever and I’m sure the girls could have used the cool down. Don’t forget to pack yours, there were adults in there too!

The Navy Pier is a great spot to hang out with tons of restaurants, rides, and where most of the boat tours depart from. Of course the girls wanted to go on the carousel, it’s a little pricey at $9 for the both of them but could I really say no?  We didn’t ride the Centennial Wheel because I drew the line at $18/pp for a ferris wheel and being scared of heights made this an easy decision.

young girl riding a horse on a carousel

The Navy Pier has great views of the city, you can really admire Chicago’s architecture from here. There are a lot of restaurants at the Navy Pier so don’t worry about getting hungry here. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the pier also has free fireworks every Saturday night! Sidenote, Kennedy is such a daddy’s girl!!!

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Vacation Photos

The Cubs were in town and we really wanted to take the girls to the game but we were tired and opted to relax at the hotel. If there is a baseball, football, or basketball game while you’re visiting it’s a great way to experience the city.

3 Days in Chicago with Kids ​Day Three:  The Bean, Yolk, & Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Tour

It was our last day in Chicago and there was no way we could leave without visiting Millennium Park and Cloud Gate, better known as The Bean.  We got up early to arrive by 7:30AM to beat the crowds and it was so worth it. There we only a few people there and we were able to really enjoy it and get some nice pictures with barely anyone in the background.

mother and two daughters sitting down in front of the bean in chicago

Like our matching tops? Get mommy and me, daddy and me, or family matching shirt here.

We went to eat breakfast afterwards at Yolk, it’s about a 10-15 minute walk. When we visited Chicago 3 years ago we ate here as well and loved it so we had to return. Like last time it did not disappoint. If you have a sweet tooth this place is for you, from Oreo to s’more pancakes and cinnamon roll to red velvet french toast your options are endless.

breakfast food on plates

Chicago is famous for its architecture so if you’re into it you can’t miss the Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture tour. It takes you on a 75-minute information ride down the river and if you are lucky enough to get Victor as your tour guide you are in for an amazing tour. As many skyscrapers as Chicago has they are still adding more buildings and it was amazing to see the difference of the skyline from this trip to our last.

people sitting on an boat for an architecture tour in Chicago

We were heading home today and since we got up pretty early we went back to our hotel and relaxed a bit. We couldn’t leave without having one last meal and since we didn’t want to go far we ate across the street at Southern Cut Barbecue. Now my Instagram poll was 50/50 on whether or not Chicago could get Southern BBQ right but I have to give Southern Cut BBQ some credit because our meal was quite good. I got the pulled chicken sandwich, hubby got the Mac Daddy, and the kids shared the mac and cheese.

beef and mac and cheese sandwich with chips

We had a great time spending 3 days in Chicago with kids. We hope you learned where to get best deep dish pizza in Chicago and how to save money in Chicago. Chicago with kids is a lot of fun and we hope to return soon! If you have an extended time in Chicago or looking to do a two in one trip I highly recommend visiting Door County, Wisconsin. It’s just a three hour drive and so many amazing things to do. Did you find this helpful in planning your trip to Chicago? Please share it!

Thank you to Raffaello Hotel and CityPASS for providing complimentary hotel stay and CityPASSes for our trip. All opinions are our own and true!

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Hey, I’m Monet!

Hey, I’m Monet!

A full time working woman, wife and mama of two. I use every last one of my vacation days traveling with my kids, hubby, friends or solo. Join me as I share my travel experiences and tips to make travel affordable and easier with the little ones. You can read more about me here.

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