Spend a week's vacation with Jordin Sparks or Paris Hilton - you choose!

First, I'll say I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. First news on the radio this morning was that Paris Hilton is out of jail after only 3 days in the slammer. Then when I opened my browser this afternoon, there it was: The Jordin Sparks / MeMe Roth "scandal" over obesity. Two stars, one looking anorexic and in jail with no talent, and one with lots of talent, a pleasant smile, and on no: 5'10" and a size 12 "the picture of unhealth" according to an obesity expert!Jordin Sparks: I Like My Curves - American Idol (Series), Jordin Sparks : People.com: "Jordin Sparks didn't just win American Idol last week – she won a lifelong battle to accept herself.

'I think it really helped boost her self-esteem and made her realize she's beautiful as she is,' her grandmother, Pam Weidmann, tells PEOPLE for its new issue. Jordin's mom, Jodi, says of her daughter's May 23 victory: 'It was huge to see her confidence level grow. ... She's standing taller now.' "

I have the pleasure of driving around girls ages 11-15 every day and guess what? Most of them are healthy and beautiful and they range in sizes from 0 to 18. Guess what else: they all think they are fat! Diets, exercise, even personal trainers are part of their daily conversations. Since when can anyone consider a young woman who is 5'10" tall and a size 12 unhealthy? MeMe Roth needs to get a grip and focus on preventing obesity and not picking on someone she's never even met! What kind of person talks about a 17 year old in public like that? I don't care that Jordin just won Idol; it's just so unneccessary.

Any way what I want to know is this: who would you rather spend a week long vacation with? Jordin Sparks or Paris Hilton? Your paying, not them!

My vote goes to Jordin - the one who will enjoy the local cuisine, smile broadly when something makes her happy, and who cleans up quite nicely thank you. Paris no thanks - we don't want to end up in some Mexican or LA jail!

Spring Break 2007 - Cooper Island, BVI

Riddle: What took 21 hours, $2000, and a bottle of sunscreen and was worth it all?

Answer: Spring break for Vacation Mamma and 2 girls at Quart-A-Nancy Point at Cooper Island in the British Virgin Islands from Los Angeles/Orange County

Note: Your cost will be significantly higher as our food and lodging were supplied courtesy of my big brother! Estimate $2500 for a week of lodging and double your normal grocery bill.

I wasn't planning on going anywhere for spring break this year. My taxes aren't done, the property tax bills were a bear, and we took a big trip to Europe in December. Plus my husband really couldn't get away right now. I figured we'd heat the pool and enjoy our own southern California backyard - that was until my nephew called 2 weeks ago with this great $560 round trip air fare to St. Thomas! Being "vacation mamma" I resisted for about 5 minutes and succumbed to the promise of warm water snorkeling in the Caribbean.

I'd been to Tortola before for a week stay at "Bananas on the Beach" in West End (284-495-4318) more than a decade ago and a day trip to Virgin Gorda with snorkeling at the famed Baths, but never to any of the smaller islands in the BVIs. That's where my brother comes in. He bought a place on Cooper Island a few years ago, but I'd never had the chance to visit (truth is he's been working so hard on his place, and I'm tired of working hard on my vacation rentals when I "vacation" so I was waiting until I might be able to actually vacation.)

Although St. Thomas is not the best place to fly into to reach Cooper Island (Tortola is)- we managed the extra ferry to Tortola and then the Cooper Island Beach Club shuttle/charter boat and never looked back (well only for sunsets. Our spring break consisted of 3 days full of snorkeling and sitting on the spectacular deck watching the day and night go by. Everything we needed was there, especially the hammock that my oldest daughter enjoyed sleeping in. Our wake up call was not an alarm clock, but the bleating of a goat owned by an islander. The birds visited the courtyard and made us feel as if we were in a sanctuary. The snorkeling right from the dock blessed us with squid, rays including an eagle ray, blue tang, parrot fish, flounder, puffer fish, grouper, and our own resident barracuda. Every evening we delighted in a sighting of a turtle just off shore, and watched the sun go down and the multitude of starts appear.

Spring break was short, but oh so very sweet this year. There is nothing like a little warm water and sun for the soul.

Up up and away

I can't even remember where I snapped this photo, but I thought it captured my sentiment today before I fly to Chicago, St. Thomas then ferry to Tortola and Cooper Island, BVI today!

Palm Springs Golf Events Coming Quickly-Valley golf notes for Dec. 20

thedesertsun.com | Valley golf notes for Dec. 20: "Tickets for donors
The Community Blood Bank will give out free tickets to the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic to blood donors starting this week. Donors will receive one ticket good for admission for one day to the Classic, to be played Jan. 17-21 at four desert courses. Tickets are at the Community Blood Bank's permanent locations in Rancho Mirage, at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, at JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio, at Sun Lakes Shopping Center in Banning and in Yucca Valley. Info: 773-4190. Tickets for the Hope, including packages that include sponsorship or smaller packages that include multiple badges, shirts, hats and other tournament memorabilia, may be purchased at at www.bhcc.com, or 1-888-MRBHope.
Kraft tickets
Advance tickets for the LPGA's Kraft Nabisco are on sale by phone or on the tournament's Web site, www.kncgolf.com. Single-day tickets are $15 in advance and will be $20 closer to the tournament. Week-long clubhouse badges are $70. They will be $75 at the tournament. The event is March 27-April 1 at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. Info: 346-4546."

I still have condos at Palm Valley Country Club with availability for the dates of the Chrysler Classic and the Kraft Nabisco tournement! Reserve now for $50 off, free golf, or country club gift certificates.

More on Child Safety, and other Precautions While on Vacation

I recently posted on a handy id/location reminder bracelet for vacation safety. Here is another link to a good habit for family vacations and visits to tourist attractions where you may become separated: Tangerine Suites - Orlando Vacation Homes - Post details: Safety for your children while on vacation: "Take a current, wallet-sized school picture of your child(ren) with you on your trip."

Other handy tips:
1. Make photo copies of your passports, driver's licenses and other travel documents and keep them separate from the originals in case of loss or theft while traveling. Just try to catch a flight home when you've lost your wallet on vacation!

2. Keep an updated will, and send a copy to your executor.

3. Make sure a trusted friend, neighbor or family member can get into your home in case of emergency. While away we've needed clothes shipped for a funeral, had a neighbor have to break in because the pet sitter got locked out, and needed our computers turned on.

4. Leave your itinerary and numbers to your accommodations with friends or family and a neighbor. We've found this to bring peace to people in these terrorist troubled times, and to bring peace to the neighborhood when the sprinklers create a geyser.

5. Call your credit card company and bank before you go so your charges aren't declined! With fraud on the rise, more and more financial institutions are declining out of the norm transactions. Unfortunately, they often call your home phone and leave a message, while you are away and can't charge that once in a lifetime excursion.

Bon Voyage!

10 plus Great Online Vacation Planning Tools

January is one of the best times to plan spring break and summer vacations in popular destinations like New England, Florida, southeast US beaches, National Parks, California, Arizona, and of course Europe. I've got a decent grasp on available online trip planning resources, but saw a few new ones at:
Do your pre-trip homework online | IndyStar.com. Of his list, I find these make it to mine:
1. www.vrbo.com for vacation rentals worldwide
2. www.tripadvisor.com for details on hotels, attractions, locations, and valuable forums especially for new trips to you
3. www.railpass.com for Eurail passes
4. www.raileurope.com for Eurail passes, rail tickets, and information
5. www.anchorfree.com for free wireless hotspots for those of us who have to be in contact on vacation
6. www.travel.state.gov for information on TSA, passports, and government warnings

The resources that are desperately missing include:
1. www.homeaway.com the largest vacation rental listing site out there (they now own www.vrbo.com; www.a1vacations.com; www.cyberrentals.com)
2. www.vacationrentals.com another excellent vacation rental resource
3. www.priceline.com my new favorite for excellent hotel prices
4. www.expedia.com for booking flights and hotels online
5. the major airline sites - www.aa.com American Airlines is my family's personal favorite - don't forget www.jetblue.com which doesn't show up on some of the major booking sites
6. www.google.com; www.yahoo.com; www.ask.com ALWAYS "Google" your destination and attractions to find out about local agencies, insider information, and money saving coupons
7. www.aaa.com is one of my favorites for saving money at attractions and hotels and transportation
8. www.entertainment.com This book is worth a purchase for your destination. You can save 50% on hotels, plus coupons for most major tourist stops. I found my Hawaii book saved us hundreds, and now provide a book in each of my vacation rentals in California
9. www.amazon.com - my favorite bookstore for travel guides, which even with internet preplanning, are still needed on site - we like Fodor's and the Top 10 series
10. www.nps.gov is the National Park Service site where all visits to America's national parks should start

Usually Luggage has Better ID than Kids - Keeping Your Children Safe While Traveling

Anyone who reads this blog even semi regularly knows I love my kids and being a mom. I especially love traveling with them and exposing them to different places and cultures. What I don't love is worrying about them when I travel.

I'm part a huge network of hard working, entrepeneurial moms called "The MomPack" and through this network, I met Cynthia of Chicks and Cubs. She responded to my request for samples of products for guests in my vacation rentals.

There are just some ideas worth sharing and before seeing her product first hand, I kept thinking of all these moments that I wished I had some of her child safety id bracelets, even for my teen and preteen and their friends! Please read on if you have a child (or even an older forgetful family member) traveling with you this busy holiday season...

Child Safety While Traveling

Do you go to busy, crowded places on vacation? What would you do if your child got lost on vacation? What would your child do if he got lost on vacation?

Usually luggage has better identification than children – why? Is it because we think kids can talk for themselves? If your child is lost, do you think he will know the right information and be able to communicate it to others? A better idea is for your child to have the phone numbers and information written down in an identification bracelet, tag or card.

Children are infinitely more precious than luggage and therefore need to have some sort of ID at all times, especially when on vacation. The best way for a lost child to be returned quickly is for them to have all the information needed to reach you, written down.

There are many different styles of child identification. You have to pick what will work best for your child and the situation. There are stickers to go inside shoes, shoe tags that go on the shoelaces, ID bracelets, ID tags that can be attached to the child’s cloths, and ID cards that can be carried in a pocket.

The ID should contain all the information needed for the child to get in touch with you. At a minimum it should include: mom and dad’s cell numbers, grandparent’s number(s), and your hotel phone number. Give it some thought and see what you think your child would need if they were to become lost. Then, put that information in writing and put it on your child in some form.

One word of caution, don’t put your child’s name on the outside of bracelets, bags or clothing. This would give a stranger the opportunity to speak to them by name, making some children feel like the person is not a stranger since they knew their name. All the information can be written inside the bracelet or tag so that it can be looked at only if needed.

Small children need to be taught what being lost means. One way to describe it is if they can’t see mommy or daddy. Then they need to be told what to do if they are lost. One suggestion is to teach them to look for another mommy with kids to ask for help.

Cynthia Powell, Chicks & Cubs
Offering Child Safety Products for Families
Click Here to Look at Child Identification Bracelets

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Happy Thanksgiving and Be Safe!
-VacationMamma