Happy snowy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely and reflective long weekend. This morning I wanted to share one timely online event + some other fun updates. First, today at 1pm ET, I'll be co-hosting a live chat on The State of the Mom Blogosphere over at TheMotherhood. The chats are TheMotherhood are amazing, as are my co-hosts -- come join the conversation! (No complicated technical know-how required; it's basically like commenting in on status updates.) Second, I'm super honored to be featured in The Improper Bostonian's style section this month. The fashion shoot was insanely fun and I hope to share more of talented Adam DeTour's photos soon.

Third & fourth: in December, I shared some ideas on keeping kids happy while on the road in the Boston Globe and helping kids banish boredom in USA Today Kids Health Magazine. Enjoy!

Fifth: I'm so very honored to be included in this roundup of fine speakers for BlissDom. This is an amazing conference and I'm incredibly excited to be talking about doing less as a life strategy. If you're attending this conference, please come say hello!

And sixth: I am amazed and overwhelmed by the unexpected outpouring of responses to my call for writers. If you submitted an application, please bear with me. It's going to take me some time to go through all of the applications as I want to give each its due attention, and balance out the applicant editorial interests with my current writers.

Enjoy the week!

Laurel typically enjoys quite a bit of generosity from her relatives during the holidays, so in the Christmas aftermath, it's particularly impressive when one thing captures her attention. And, well, ours too. This year, that thing is Katamino. Including an adjustable-sized playing board (increasing the size of the playing space increases the difficulty), different wooden shapes (pentaminos), and an impressively varied instruction manual, this game inspires seemingly endless spatial puzzles for one or more players.
Much like the Perplexus, Katamino has captured the attention of both the big and little people in our house. We're all busy taking turns, attempting to solve the individual levels (and yes, like the Perplexus, Laurel has already surpassed me on a couple of levels) that we haven't even gotten to the multiple player games. As we recover from the holiday season, it's been lovely to have a game that is simple and battery-free and also inspires quiet time! Added bonus: it's compact enough (yet with chunky wooden pieces that are easy to hold on to) for car travel too.

Also, a side note about the Perplexus (since many of you were pretty excited to learn about that game): Laurel mastered the classic version I wrote about and has moved on to the Perplexus Epic -- which will definitely provide challenging fodder for a while. I recommend getting the Epic if your family has mastered the Classic. We also bought my father-in-law the Classic and it was a big hit...it was fun to pad into the kitchen the morning after Christmas to find him playing it at the kitchen table!

Pursuant to yesterday's St. Thomas: In the Air post, I now want to share our experiences on the ground. As I mentioned yesterday, I embarked on this journey with both 7-year-old Laurel and 9-month-old Violet in tow to really put the family friendliness of the island to a test. I also paid to bring my mother along, both to fulfill my life list goal of taking her on a vacation and also to have an extra set of eyes for the kids. Below I cover transport, activities, accommodations, and food, and also address questions my readers asked, regarding traveling with kids.
This was my first time visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands and I was immediately taken by the juxtaposition of beauty and grit in St. Thomas. Unlike some destinations, which try to cover up anything short of perfect, St. Thomas clearly includes beautiful beaches and historical attractions that make for an active tourism industry, and also real people simply living their lives. When I travel, I'm not drawn towards commercial districts (unless they include indie stores), given that I have no desire to shop chains that I can find at home when I'm away. Instead, in St. Thomas, I was fascinated by the winding roadways, architecture, meandering roosters and baby goats, and roadside vendors offering local produce, baked goods (guavaberry tarts!), and drinks. The only problem about driving my family around was that it made it impossible for me to take photos (most of the roadways lack shoulders) of all of this gritty yet natural beauty. And of course, when we were on the beach, the beauty seemed almost impossible. Here are the major travel components I observed during the trip.

Transport:

Because I was traveling with my kids, the USVI DOT kindly arranged a rental car for me (other press trip members rode in a touring safari). I brought Laurel's clek olli booster (the compact size is perfect for travel) and reserved a car seat for Violet (utterly necessary...I truly would not have been able to carry one more thing). I became remarkably facile at driving on the left side of the road, helped no doubt by the fact that the steering wheel is still on the left side of the car. The only point of confusion was that cars (or at least the one I was driving) operate via a push button. You still have a car remote to lock/unlock the car but there is no key -- instead, press hard on the brake and push the button to start. Who knew?

When I return to the islands, my inclination would be to again rent a car so we have flexibility in getting around. Otherwise, the taxi network is huge in St. Thomas. I believe there are over 1,300 taxis on St. Thomas alone.

Activities:

As I mentioned, my preference when traveling is to explore local cultural attractions. Coral World Ocean Park is a must see if you visit St. Thomas -- it's manageable in size yet with plenty to see. My Mom and Laurel went especially crazy over seeing iguanas roaming around and feeding the rainbow lorikeets. And even baby Violet loved the Marine Gardens -- these indoor tanks (built into the walls and illuminated in otherwise dark rooms) offered plenty of contrast for her to see (I'm super impressed with the fish photo I captured, below) -- she was actually laughing out loud and clapping watching the fish dart around. My only regret was that we missed our sea lion encounter.

We also enjoyed an island tour that included a crazy ride to the peak of St. Thomas -- all the roadways are narrow and going up the mountain there were hairpin turns that seemed impossible to navigate but were actually doable. The St. Thomas Skyride would have been wonderful to try, but was unfortunately closed.

However, and perhaps not surprisingly, what made St. Thomas so special for us was the water access. Typically when we hit the beaches in New England, it feels like polar bear diving, even in the summer. The ability to get in the water and be comfortable was amazing. And whether you decide to do something like the Virgin Islands Ecotours (they offer kayak, hike, and snorkeling tours of the St. Thomas Mangrove Lagoon Marine Sanctuary among other options) or take advantage of your hotel's beachfront access, it's pretty amazing. We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton and also toured the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort and water activities were front and center at both destinations. We spent more time at the Ritz-Carlton beach because it was, well, utterly perfect, and it was fantastic to be able to access kayaks, paddleboats, standing paddleboards, and even snorkels. Laurel and I snorkeled for the first time together, which was a truly spectacular experience.

Accommodations:

After our family trip to California and this trip to St. Thomas, I have a new perspective on hotels. On the one hand, if you're out and about you mostly just sleep in your hotel. On the other hand, your hotel will be your home base and if you're traveling with kids there are amenities you will want and need. My default used to be to find the least expensive (yet not totally scummy) accommodation possible. However, when I booked our trip to Berkeley, Jon suggested we step it up a notch and get something we would be really happy and comfortable with. And it totally paid off, particularly in having elements like a café, pool, and family friendly service.

Staying at the Ritz-Carlton elevated that perspective to a different level. While no, I don't want to be completely insulated from the rest of the world at an all inclusive property such as the Ritz, after plenty of touring around in St. Thomas, it felt fantastic to spend the rest of the day soaking up the amenities and excellent service. Some of the highlights that made traveling with kids really fantastic:

Our room was equipped with a King bed + a pull out sofa bed. Normally I like connected rooms when we're traveling with kids, but my Mom did not want a separate room when I offered to get her one and I figured Laurel and Violet would want to be with me (I was right about that). Also, we just completely winged it with sleep (i.e., they went to bed late) and it worked out fine.

The hotel provided us with a fully appointed crib and a refrigerator for Violet's food.

At the pool or beach, staff would set up towels on your chair.

You could order food and eat beachside.

The resort activities were fantastic and the staff was terrific with kids.

The customer service was phenomenal. Incredibly helpful was a car valet service and also golf carts that would take you around on the property. (Especially helpful when I cut my feet on something in the ocean yet still needed to carry Violet around.)

The Ritz St. Thomas also has a kids program available for a separate fee. We didn't want or need that, but it would be a handy option if, say, the adults wanted to go on an Ecotour while the kids got to enjoy beach activities. They also offer babysitting service (which we didn't need).

So yes, I realize that the Ritz is a luxury property but the experience there was so phenomenal that I would totally go back. I think it's a matter of prioritizing and budgeting in advance, and perhaps taking advantage of cost-saving approaches such as traveling off peak. It also helps that most of the family travel we tend to do is by car so when we do embark on destination travel, I feel OK splurging.

That said, there are definitely other accommodation options on the island. The USVI DOT has a great accommodations guide, and while I was on the island, I did have a chance to tour Bolongo Bay Beach Resort. And while it's certainly not as fancy as the Ritz-Carlton, Bolongo is less expensive and offers immediate beachfront access, a small pool, restaurants, and water activities. I also like that this is a family owned property.

Food:

I was really happy with the food in St. Thomas. It was a great mix of local and standard fare to accommodate any appetite -- Laurel and my mother are both vegetarians and they didn't have any trouble finding tasty things to eat. Also excellent? Every single restaurant we went to -- whether at the hotel or downtown -- offered a kids menu or the staff was willing to make up something "not too crazy" (e.g., pasta with vegetables, no sauce) for Laurel. Not stressing about her finding something to eat was fantastic.

Reader Questions:

I queried on Twitter and Facebook in advance of this trip to find out top travel concerns from my readers. Below is the Q & A:

Q: Does the hotel have connecting rooms so adults don't have to go to bed at 8pm with the kids?
A: Suite options were an option at the Ritz (or our room definitely had connecting doors to the adjacent room) and I believe are also available at Bolongo. Definitely check with different hotels that fit your price range though!

Q: Is there a kids camp of kid-friendly activities?
A: Yes, at the Ritz. Again, you'd need to check your specific hotel.

Q: Are there "separate but equal" things for kids and adults?
A: I found that Coral World and the water activities in particular were fantastically fun for both kids and adults.

Q: Can kids eat in the main restaurant of the destination?
A: Kids were welcome everywhere we went, even at one really fancy restaurant (as evidenced by the fact that they had high chairs and were willing to make Laurel's dinner special).

Q: Is there a bar?
A: Yes, drinks were available at all the restaurants/hotels I saw.

Q: Is there a pool?
A: Yes, at both Ritz and Bolongo.

Q: Is there a place to put stuff up high so kids can't reach?
A: I found the closet to be the best place to keep things out of reach.

Q: Is there coffee in the room?
A: Yes, at Ritz.

Q: Is there babysitting?
A: Yes, at Ritz, though we didn't use.

Q: Are there kitchen facilities in the room?
A: Our room did not have a kitchenette, but even having a fridge (to store leftovers) was fantastic for cutting down on food waste/expense. Otherwise, check the USVI DOT accommodations guide for different options.

Q: Is there food my kids will eat?
A: Yes, as described above.

Summary:

In short, we had an amazing time in St. Thomas. It was a beautiful place to explore, there was a remarkable friendliness and ease and affection among the locals (everyone called me and each other "sweetie"), and it was so meaningful for me to take my mother along with my girls. I am very eager to return to the islands -- I'd love to explore St. Croix and St. John and am not so secretly contemplating booking a trip for me and Jon to celebrate once I finish nursing Violet. I highly recommend visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands -- not surprisingly, peak season runs from Christmas until April so if you'd like to make the trip more budget friendly, travel outside of that time window. But whether on or off peak, the escape will be magical!

Many thanks again to the USVI Department of Tourism for inviting me on this press trip.

Ever since Sarah shared her love for St. John's Maho Bay, I've been thinking about traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands. So I felt immensely fortunate when the USVI Department of Tourism recently invited me to explore one or more of the islands for a press tour. If I were going alone or with Jon, I definitely would have wanted to compare St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix; however, given that my editorial interest was family friendly travel, I brought Laurel (which the USVI DOT kindly accommodated financially, in addition to my expenses), and given that I'm still nursing I brought Violet too (no expenses). I also decided to fulfill a life list item and pay my Mom's way so she could enjoy a vacation. I have a lot of handy travel information to share (including answering travel Q&A from readers), so I'll be reporting across two (possibly three) posts. The first focuses on air travel.
This press trip was coordinated to coincide with JetBlue's inaugural direct flight to St. Thomas. It's been a while since I have flown JetBlue (since my trip to Atlantis actually) and this experience -- coupled with the very recent memory of three flights within the last two months (one cross-country with Laurel and Violet) -- has solidified that I must check JetBlue first in the future. The main differences -- all making traveling with two kids way easier -- included the following:

First bag free. I've always been a light packer so when I fly solo I typically carry on my luggage. However, carrying on isn't always easy when traveling with kids, plus I'm convinced that the mob mentality often evident at departure gates is at least in part attributed to fear of not getting a space for one's carry-on luggage in the overhead bins (and not wanting to pay to check bags). Though yes, you add time by having to go to baggage claim, when traveling with kids, it's great if you can lighten your load and check bags without worrying about extra cost. And in both directions, I did not see the panicky line assembly that I saw on my last three trips on other airlines.

A little extra check in help. Traveling both directions (i.e., not just because the flight departing Boston was the inaugural flight), a gate agent approached me to tag my stroller and booster. This was a small gesture, but really appreciated, especially given that in Boston Laurel and my Mom headed off to the Kidport and it would have been a nuisance to navigate Violet, stroller, and Laurel, my Mom, and my personal effects to the counter to get the tags.

Legroom. Many airlines talk about offering more legroom, but I've flown United, American, AirTran, and Delta in the last couple of months and unless you're in the emergency exit row (which you can't be if you're traveling with kids) or you opt to pay for more legroom, it's tight. Sometimes really tight. And I'm not even that tall. The legroom on JetBlue is the most accommodating I've experienced, which is particularly handy when you're traveling with a squirmy baby.

Snacks. Admittedly, I wasn't wild about the more substantial snack boxes we purchased on the return flight (tuckered out and fighting a cold, I completely brain cramped on buying dinner for the plane) but if you just need light snacks it's really very nice that JetBlue still offers free snacks. And tasty ones. Also, unlimited. Not like I would know anything about that.

Diaper friendly. Arguably the biggest unexpected bonus for me was the fact that JetBlue offers changing tables in the bathrooms, which meant that I did not (as on other flights this fall) have to lie Violet on the floor of the galley (yuck, even with a changing mat). I discovered this completely by accident when I first took Laurel to the bathroom and she made me squeeze in there with her. The table drops down above the toilet and is aligned and fitted to drop down to wedge between the wall and sink/counter level so there's nowhere for baby to roll side to side and babies can even gaze happily at themselves in the mirror. Awesome!

In a nutshell, I was thrilled with JetBlue, particularly from the family friendly angle, and highly recommend you consider flying with them (my mom is also now totally a fan!). It's excellent that they now fly direct to St. Thomas (as well as other tropical destinations), though it's a bit of a bummer that you cannot fly back direct in the reverse. On the return flight we had to fly to San Juan to refuel and though it was a short 20-minute trip, the overall process added an extra hour to our return travel. Meanwhile, I'm truly sad they don't fly to Nashville (my next trip). Even though my Nashville journey will be solo, I would love to enjoy less carry-on baggage mayhem, more legroom, snacks, and great service.

I admittedly tend to shy away from plastic toys, but we recently caved and bought the Perplexus Maze Game, which Laurel couldn't stop talking about after learning about it from classmates. And I have to admit that this game is ridiculously fun. The 3D sphere comprises one long, convoluted maze track including three different entry points -- so, for example, you don't have to start at the beginning if you've already mastered section 1 of the maze. Following the maze requires careful rotation and keeping your eye on the ball.
The maze manages to be challenging (I'm still stuck on track section 2) yet doable (Laurel has already figured out track section 2), and the cognitive psychologist in me wonders whether the lasting enjoyment of this game relates to the fact that you're so concentrated on the track as you rotate that you rarely look at the big picture -- meaning, the maze always seems to look new and different when you approach it. Battery free and super fun for all (even baby Vi likes coming over and rolling it around on the floor...I think the sound of the marble rolling around inside appeals) -- it's a fantastic toy for home and travel.

Today, Carole Arsenault of Boston Baby Nurses shares 6 car safety tips for parents and caregivers in honor of September's National Child Passenger Safety Month:

In March 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics published its latest car seat recommendations, which specify that children under the age of two years remain rear-facing in their car seats unless the child's height and weight exceed the car seat manufacturer's rear-facing specifications. According to Dennis Durbin, MD, FAAP (lead author of the new policy), "a rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash, because it distributes the force of the collision over the entire body."
Note that this contrasts the prior and longstanding car seat recommendation advising rear-facing positioning only until babies are one-year-old or 20 lbs. I advise all parents to abide by the new policy and also consider the following child passenger safety tips:

1. Never, under any circumstance, leave your child unattended in a vehicle.

2. To avoid forgetting that your child is in the car (yes, it can happen!), always put your important belongings, such as cell phone and purse/wallet on the floor of the back seat and make a habit of checking for your personal items before locking up -- whether or not your child is typically with you in the car.

3. Never place a car seat in the front passenger seat -- rear-facing or not -- just so you can see your baby. The airbag poses a serious risk. Always make sure the car seat is installed properly, ideally using a LATCH system, rear-facing in the back seat.

4. Do not try to place a pacifier in your baby's mouth, physically soothe, or provide snacks to your baby while driving. Calming with your voice or even loud music may help.

5. Pull over and stop the car to check on your baby if you have any cause for concern while driving.

6. Thoroughly review passenger safety information with your child's caregiver and/or confirm transport safety policies with the day care facility your child attends.

Parents should contact their pediatrician if they have any questions regarding car safety or visit their local fire station if they are unsure about car seat installation.

Editor's Note: I have posted previously in event roundups about car seat installation safety events and will continue to include them as I hear about them.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I admittedly have a bit of a weak spot for creative and colorful educational toys (especially those under $10), so this weekend when Laurel and I picked up sticky mosaics (my go-to gift for elementary school aged kids) for a birthday party, I couldn’t help but say yes when she asked if we could buy this Orb Factory Mosaica toy. Produced by the same folks who make the awesome sticky mosaics, this compact tin includes 64 two-tone magnetic squares and an insert with suggested patterns (build right inside the tin to keep the tiles in place). Awesome for travel and also for encouraging spatial skills and quiet time at home, Laurel spent hours with this toy this weekend (Jon and I also couldn’t resist building a few patterns...), which allowed me to get to some much needed cleaning and organization in advance of hosting Thanksgiving.

A few weeks ago I experienced a rather unusual night of party hopping that included seeing John Ondrasik (aka. Five for Fighting) live at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston. In addition to being utterly moved by the musical experience itself, I also was touched by John’s clear love for his family (exemplified when he explained the inspiration for various songs). Thanks to the lovely Barbara Jones, I met John after the show, at which time he kindly offered to pen a guest blog post on Boston Mamas. In particular, I was curious about John’s best strategies for staying connected with his family while on the road; an issue I discuss with many parents who travel for work. Read on for John's advice on this topic:

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From John Ondrasik:

I have the two best jobs in the world. Around 8pm every night I realize my childhood dream as a touring singer/songwriter. The gig takes me to venues across the country and allows me to share a common experience with old fans and new. When it works, there's nothing better. Well, there's one thing better, and that's my other job...Daddy.

As a father to a nine-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter, I'm smack in the parental golden age and I know it! And here's the rub: with two amazing, inquisitive, competitive, and (mostly) innocent no longer babies, it's rough being on the road, again.

Many families face this reality, especially our troops, who are away from home for months on end. We mom’s and dad’s learn to treasure every car pool wait line, soccer net take down, and late night burger run. I was asked if I have any tips for my fellow parental road warriors. Here are a few:

1. Believe the Skype! Video conferencing is as crucial to the traveling parent as the babysitter is to the work-at-homer. Being able to see as well as talk to Daddy is huge for my kids’ psyches. I try to call around the same time each night and spend both group and one-on-one time. My daughter enjoys a tour of my hotel room and my son digs the up close eyeball-in-the-camera gag. Skype also is free once you have an Internet connection, so set up the monopoly board and buy some houses!

2. Pen Pals. Exchange the written word! I get more insight into my children’s lives through their letters than any conversation. It’s cathartic for both sides and sneaky bonus writing practice. E-mails are fine but throw in some handwritten letters as well. They can be re-read when needed, and age better than your favorite Amarone.

3. Stay Engaged. When I’m out for weeks at a time I have my wife send me the kids’ homework and art projects. With technology I can get same day video files of the kids’ games and recitals. Though it’s not the same as being there it brings me closer to home and helps them focus on times tables and piano practice.

4. Bring ‘Em! On short trips sometimes I’ll bring one of my kids, even pulling them out of school if it’s just a day jaunt. Not only do they get a sense of Daddy’s job and see a bit of the world, it’s an adventure and treasured alone time. (And make sure Mommy gets her turn too!)

Whatever the tech or the trick, there’s no perfect answer for road dogs with puppies. We’re like anyone else and just miss our kids! For me, I don’t tour as much these days. I’m lucky to have that choice, because these golden ages are only gold, once.

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John Ondrasik is the singer/songwriter behind the multi-platinum Five for Fighting. His new album Slice is good for kids of all ages.

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I am grateful to Barbara Jones for coordinating this guest blog and to friend and fellow concert attendee Jodi Grundig for providing the photo of me and John.

And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:

Clever Parents offers tips to help children cope with separation and divorce. Moms’ Buzz features a last minute family travel deal from Norwegian Cruise Line. We Covet loves the Pin Up Girls handmade clear resin bracelet. And you could win: a Playskool Rose Petal Cottage from Classy Mommy, Kids’ Cobian sandals at MomFinds, “Moms Rocks” tees from One Chic Mama, and gifts for daddy from The Nest Baby.