Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception #DCtrip2019

This post is  way over due.  Here we are planning for the DC trip for my son and I haven't even posted anything about the trip that my daughter and I had last year.  My computer has finally crashed so I have no way of posting all of the events that happened last year.  Considering how busy our year was last year with lots of events involving our daughter.  It's gonna be so hard for me to catch with all of them when I get a new computer.  Right now, I am trying to use my husband's laptop but it has limited access to posting photos and other things.  Luckily, I was able to upload these photos before the computer crashed.

Anyway, we departed on May 3rd of 2019 to DC. I decided to chaperone since I have never gone to DC before. I thought it would be a great experience for me and my daughter together although I  know that she wouldn't want to hang out with me but at least I can see her enjoy the trip with her friends.  Our bus left at 6:30 am.  We were suppose to arrive  around 11:45 in Basilica but our bus missed an exit so we got delayed a little.  We didn't get to attend the  public mass but we were able to tour this humongous shrine. 

The exterior design of the shrine  is very impressive but I love the interior's intricate details.

With a big group of people touring, it was hard hearing the soft-spoken tour guide. I can tell how knowledgeable he was but I wish that the tour guide has a louder voice.

I will just let the photos speaks for itself since I could barely remember what was said during the tour.

I can't imagine how much it cost to build this shrine and to put all thew details, even the ceiling is so intricate. ...

Even the lighting is different from this church.

We only had a day of rest from our 3-day history bowl Charleston trip before we departed to DC so we were all still very physically  exhausted.

I am glad that the kids had to wear  a color-themed t-shirt each day, it's easier to identify them from the crowded place.

Lots of interesting things to see and information to take in, all we could do is absorb what we can and  enjoy the journey.  I finally got the chance to take a picture with my daughter.

Kids are exhausted and they were all complaining about their photos being taken but what's the beauty of it if we don't have photos to look back into so just smile for us ladies and gents, you'll be glad to see these photos in the years to come. This is a trip that you will only do once as a group so just enjoy every moment of it.  It's a joy for us parents to capture these moments.

Four Ways to Deal with Illness as a Parent

Everyone gets ill – but when you have little ones to look after, it can be even more traumatic, when you’re trying to look after yourself at the same time. This can be even more of an issue if you’re a single parent and don’t have backup to help you out with all of your daily errands and keep an eye on the kids while you take some time out.

Whether you suffer from a chronic illness or are worried about getting poorly as a parent, here are four ways you can deal with the issue in the best way possible:

1. Supervise from your bed

Although you may want to keep going as normal and watch the kids at all times, it’s essential that you give yourself the chance to recover. Don’t feel guilty about supervising from your bed; your body deserves the chance to rest. The more rest you get, the quicker you’ll start to feel better.

Preferably, it would be great for the kids to spend time quietly playing by themselves, so you can switch off. In order to achieve this, leave out toys, games and arts and crafts, as well as set the TV to their favorite channel to keep them occupied while you rest.

2. Ask for help if you need it

If you have family and friends offering to help out when you’re too ill to do anything, don’t turn down their assistance in fear you’re going to cause them trouble. Their offer is genuine and will give you the chance to have some much-needed recovery time. Whether you need a nap or can’t quite face picking the kids up from school, don’t be afraid to reach out to those around you.

It would be a good idea to offer help to others around you before you get ill, so others are much more likely to return the favor, should the same happen to you.

3. Rest IV therapy

If you’re not in a position to call in back-up when you get ill and have to simply get on with things without any help, you may be feeling extremely stressed about how you’re going to cope if you get poorly. Luckily, there are ways that you can get instant relief from your symptoms from techniques such as Reset IV hydration therapy. This solution involves a medical professional inserting a small tube into your vein containing a saline solution and other additives to replace lost fluids and electrolytes that are causing you to feel under the weather. 

This simple yet effective method should allow you to get back on your feet in no time at all.

4. Keep the cupboards full

If the cupboards are empty and you’re worrying that a hectic trip to the grocery store will zap your last bit of energy, make sure you purchase enough food for the next few days so you don’t have to leave the house – or better still, do an online order. This means that you can cut down on your daily errands when the time comes and won’t have to worry that your to-do list is mounting up.