One Year of Go, See, Do

I cannot even believe it, but Monday will mark one year since I published Go, See, Do: A Travel Journal for Kids! To celebrate, Amazon is offering the book at a discount for the entire month of October. (It was $8.95, now it's $6.95.) So, if you have a kid in your life with upcoming travel plans, this would be a great time to snag a copy. I have been pleasantly surprised at the success of the journal, and I'm thrilled to have produced something that so many people are finding useful. If you do happen to purchase the journal, I'd be so grateful if you'd leave a review for it on Amazon. Spread the word to your friends!

Go, See, Do is one year old!

Island Life

I haven't written lately, because, honestly, there hasn't been much particularly newsworthy going on. The island life is pretty low-key and very relaxed (though not entirely idle, as you will see). I've been told by some concerned readers that they become anxious about our safety and well-being if I don't check in from time to time, so here I am, with a peek at what island life looks like for us.

• On weekdays, the older two kids and the grown-ups hop up around 6:00 am (at the kids' request) to workout. We alternate between strength training on the porch and walking/running on the beach. I am ridiculously sore, but I'm so happy that we are being intentional about implementing some of our family's health and fitness goals.
• Breakfast is eaten on the porch, overlooking the beach, and usually involves some sort of delicious fresh fruit. The younger boys love to walk down to the fruit stand and pick out a wide variety of fruits they know and love, as well as a few new-to-us fruits to try. They are also dying to pick the pineapple growing along the path to the pool (though, of course, I won't let them), and I believe Max is secretly scheming to climb a coconut tree to pluck one of the tasty green coconuts. This morning Clay made breakfast for everyone by himself (slices of bread on plates, with "toppings"--butter and jelly-- at the ready) and was so proud to present his "buffet" to us when came into the kitchen.
• Jeff has been working on a new business idea and has been making excellent progress.
• I have been putting together some ideas for a writing project, which I'm really excited about. I have also been watching my journal sales soar this month, which has been loads of fun. (If you happen to have been one of the purchasers of the journal, thank you. I would appreciate it so much if you could leave me a review on Amazon.)
• There are usually a couple of trips to the pool everyday, and Clay is really getting the hang of swimming on his own. He also begs for Jeff to do "throw-ups" with him (throwing him into the air, letting him splash under the water, and then scooping him up as he swims to the surface). "Dad, can we do two more swims and then two more throw-ups before we go?!"
• We have met an older Thai man, who might truly be the most interesting man in the world, if half of what he says is true. We have visited with him a couple of times and have been somewhat amazed by his stories, which do not seem entirely believable or unbelievable. He is a sweet, lonely man and very generous, and, even if his stories turned out not to be true, we would be glad to say we met him.
• In the evenings, we usually walk along the beach, as a breathtaking sunset takes over the sky, and pick a new restaurant to try or revisit one we have already enjoyed. We sip fruity little drinks, eat a variety of delicious so-spicy and not-so-spicy Thai foods, and enjoy the company of our favorite people and the hospitality of the lovely Thai people. 
• There are all sorts of interesting creatures around, and lessons in natural science abound. We have many small geckos around, inside and outside the house, that scurry along the walls snacking on insects and calling to one another with loud croaks that make me think of dinosaurs for some reason. And last night, a very large tokay gecko paid us a visit, and we were simultaneously fascinated and terrified, watching him working his powerful jaws, as he tried to snatch enormous flying beetles out of the air. I also found an unnecessarily and inappropriately large spider in the bathroom. Somewhere in my reasonably intelligent brain, I knew he was there to keep the bug population from taking over, but as I tried to exit the bathroom with him on the door, I felt as if he presented a mortal danger to me instead. I did not mean to squeal, but I could not help it, and since, at that moment, I felt like it was either him or me, I got my brave hubby to come take care of the situation. The spider's body ended up in the trashcan beside the sink, and within an hour, an army of abnormally large ants had moved in and started dismantling the body, which they dutifully carried off piece by piece. It was disturbingly mesmerizing to watch. Afraid the entire house would be overrun by the ants and that they might be looking for more flesh to munch, we moved the whole can outside, and when we got up this morning, there was nothing left of the spider and no ant was in sight. It was a spectacular display of nature at work!
• Additionally, we have been reading lots of books, playing a few games, watching some movies, sneaking in the occasional nap, and soaking up our beautiful life in this beautiful place. 

Weston had a difficult time figuring out the crab cracker,
but our waitress (who may have also been the owner of the restaurant)
came over and took over the job for him, which he thought was great.
The following night, we saw a man out in the water catching crabs
just like these. That's about as fresh as seafood can get!

The little pineapple that greets us on our way to the pool

Fried rice in a pineapple boat

Jeff and Weston found this fun place at the end of the beach.
Most of the tables were inside little cabanas, but we chose the one sitting over the water.
There were hammocks and humongous swings interspersed with the tables,
and the owner was very proud that he could offer us paper umbrellas on our drinks.

Amazing Koh Samui Sunsets

The fascinating and slightly terrifying tokay gecko

Mr. Big, making breakfast

10 Things You May or May Not Be Interested In

1. Our internet has been very sketchy, which is why we've been keeping a low cyber profile. (Though, obviously, we are popping online from time to time.)
2. Our hot water in the shower has also been very sketchy. Fortunately, my brilliant husband figured out that if we run the cold water in the sink on full blast, we will create a fountain in the sink that splashes out on the floor, but we will also occasionally have hot water in the shower. Hot water is pretty much my only requirement in life, so I was overjoyed at this discovery and don't even mind mopping up the floor after each shower.
3. We throw a breaker in our apartment if we turn on any two kitchen appliances at the same time. This is just as convenient as it sounds.
4. We had several loads of ski laundry to do when we arrived, including all the coats proudly displaying our family “W” in duct tape, which was much stickier than we originally thought. After many attempts to get the sticky off, I came across a homemade version of Goo Gone, which, along with a good bit of elbow grease, helped more than anything. Here is the recipe, in case you ever find yourself in a similar sticky situation. (I used olive oil, because that's what I had and also added a couple of drops of lemon essential oil, for good measure.)
5. Speaking of recipes, I made these cookies (substituting almond butter for peanut butter), which my family went crazy for. They are a variation on the old stand-by, no-bake cookie I've loved since I was a kid. They are super easy to make, if you need to throw something together for an upcoming Christmas party.
6. It's been sunny and 65 here every day, which is a pretty good way to do December, if you ask me. We've spent time playing at the onsite playground and one of the beach playgrounds, sitting outside, going down to the beach, and barbecuing. 

   

   Playground Fun

   
   

   

   Caldes d'Estrac Beach

7. All of my children seem to be going through growth spurts at the moment, and they have insatiable appetites. Our main chef, Jeff, has spent hours in the kitchen and at the grill, preparing restaurant quantities of delicious food. I did mention to him if he would stop making the food taste so good, it might slow the ravenous crowd down a bit, but he continues to produce one mouth watering dish after another, which continue to be devoured in no time flat. 

   

   Trying to stay ahead of the demand

8. I have already sold 18 journals in the month of December. It's so exciting to think about all the kiddos who will soon be recording their travel memories in a book I put together!
9. We are having so much fun gathering supplies for our Christmas Saran Ball. It's going to be epic.
10. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Mimi and Grandpa, who will be here within the week!

Winner, Winner

I would like to extend a big "thank you" to each person who viewed the blog post regarding my newly published travel journal, and particularly those who commented for a chance to win a copy. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your special travel memories, and I greatly appreciate your support and encouragement. I also enjoyed reading through all the Facebook comments and am thankful for those of you who shared the post there. The winner for the giveaway was selected this morning, using Random.org.

And, the winner is...

Colleen Ortiz!

Congratulations, Colleen! I will be sending you a copy of "Go, See, Do" very soon, and I hope you and the young travelers in your life will enjoy it. I would be grateful if you could leave a review on Amazon after you have received the book and have had a chance to look through it. 

Thank you again to everyone who participated in the drawing! If you are still interested in getting a copy of the journal, you may purchase it from Amazon, Amazon UK or Create Space. (If you click on the words "purchase it" or the title of the book in the caption of the photo below, or if you click on the picture of the book cover in the right sidebar, you can get directly to the journal on Amazon.) And, if you do purchase it, please leave a review on Amazon. If you or someone you know owns a gift shop and would like to make the journal available to your customers, contact me to find out about bulk buying. I am sincerely thankful for all of your support and encouragement in this new venture of mine!

Go, See, Do: A Travel Journal for Kids

Go, See, Do

I HAVE A BOOK ON AMAZON!! I HAVE A BOOK ON AMAZON!!

...But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

When we decided to travel around the world, I knew I wanted the kids to keep a daily (or near-daily) journal of our adventure, because I wanted them to be able to go back at some point in the future and remember how they felt and what was special to them and how the world looked through their eyes. And, I wanted it to be their own words that greeted them on the page. My two oldest kids were quite capable of pulling this off on their own, without any assistance. I knew my third would need some guidance but would be able to write short sentences about our travels. But, I wondered what to do about my four-year-old, who was very verbal but not yet writing on his own. Necessity is always the mother of invention, so I came up with a template to help him get his own words out on paper. Someone else does the writing, but the words are all his. This has been very successful on our travels, and I had an idea that others might find a templated travel journal useful as well. So, I published it. And, now it is available to the whole world on Amazon, Amazon UK and Create Space. It has long been a dream of mine to have a published book. I'm so excited, I can hardly stand it!

And, to celebrate, I'd like to give one copy away. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, telling me your favorite travel memory. Facebook comments won't count for this giveaway, though I will still enjoy reading them, if that's the direction you prefer to go. I will randomly select a winner on Oct. 12, which is Columbus Day and seems like a good time to celebrate adventure.

If you or someone you know travels with kids, perhaps you'd like to check it out. I believe it's perfect for kids who are verbal but not yet writing, as each prompt can be asked as a question. But, it's also great for reluctant writers and those who fear the blank page. It works well for both long and short trips, and I think it would make an excellent gift. If you win the drawing or decide to purchase a copy, and if you enjoy the journal, I would be grateful if you would leave a review to help the journal rank well in Amazon searches. You may also feel free to share this post with others you think might be interested. I look forward to reading your special travel memories and giving away a copy of my book!

Go, See, Do: A Travel Journal For Kids

The back cover looks so legit!

A sneak peek

Don't forget to leave a comment on the blog for a chance to win a copy!