In 2004, our family traveled to Europe to visit our wonderful foreign exchange student, Maria (wearing the hat), in Austria. We ended up on a whirlwind 15-day tour of France, Germany, Austria and Italy, in a rented Opel sedan. At that time, our kids were only ages 5 and 7, and this was our first trip abroad with them. We traveled with only two Rick Steve’s backpacks, while the kids each carried their own school-sized packs. Without a doubt, this fantastic trip was worth every moment (and every dime) we spent.

(Picnic near a church at the top of a Carinthian mountain.)

We walked a lot, ate a lot, played a lot and found a playground in every town. You’ll notice in most photos, Craig is eating something, if he’s not on a merry-go-round, or in a sandbox.

(At the school playground, in Grafenstein, Austria.)

I’ll share photos with you in the coming weeks. I was looking through old photo disks and came across the pictures from this trip. Since that trip was pre-Pass the Torch, I haven’t shared these photos before – enjoy!

Worried about the impending teenage years? Wondering how to get more than a one-word response from your kids? We can all benefit by brushing up on our active listening skills. For a few tips, please read my Positively Speaking column at 5 Minutes for Mom.

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This month, my daughter was recognized as the Wisconsin middle school representative for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. She was chosen from thousands of middle school students who serve in their communities, for her work with Bookworm Wednesday, and her efforts to help others start neighborhood book clubs in their own communities.

This photo shows my seventh-grader speaking in the keynote for the American Camp Association-Texoma, a positive, youth-centered organization in Texas. I hope she has more opportunities to speak to youth and professionals like these.

In May, Prudential is flying both of us to Washington DC, where she will receive her award, and spend four days with other Prudential Spirit of Community honorees from throughout the country.

I’m so happy these youth efforts are rewarded. We need more of this in our world today.

We had two free tickets and were in for a chilly low-60’s day, so we decided to hop on the Key West Express from Marco Island.

Had it been a warmer day, we could have spent more time outside, which would have been more enjoyable. My husband and son did spend some time watching the considerable waves hit our boat, and the sun was nice on the way South, even though it was too cold for the jackets we were wearing.

The kids played a bit of backgammon and we were seated at a table where we could watch TV the whole way back to Marco Island.

We didn’t have time to do much more than wander around on Duval Street, enjoy a nice Cuban meal, get some Key Lime Pie, and of course, take the obligatory photo next to the Southernmost tip of the United States.

Unfortunately, probably because of the cold front, the three-hour ride each way was very rough on the day we chose, and many were getting sick on the outside decks. I think Key West is a lovely place to visit, but it would take a few days to truly experience all it has to offer.

Key West Tips:
1. If you take the Key West Express, talk to someone who understands boat navigation, to find out what kind of water conditions are expected. The crew took good care of everyone, but it was very rough water and a generally miserable trip.

2. Arrive early so you can select your seat. We had a full boat and arrived at 8 AM, and were not able to sit next to each other on the way to Key West. For the return trip we arrived early and got desireable seats in the indoor upper deck, facing forward toward the TV.

3. Bring supplies for seasickness. The crew takes good care of the passengers, but Dramamine, baby wipes and small plastic garbage bags would have been very helpful to some people on our trip.

4. Consider staying a couple of days. There is snorkeling, boat cruises and a National Park – all of which required more than the few hours we were allowed during our single-day roundtrip.

5. Rent a car. I heard the drive from Miami to Key West is worth the trip and the extra time to get there. It’s also possible to boat one way and rent a car for the return trip.

Marco Island Series:
Marco Island Views
Kids as Cooks
Kids as Cooks Part II
Shelling 101
Key West Express

Florida Series:
Disney World
Sanibel Island
Fort Myers
Everglades

Affordable Family Travel Series:

Creativity and Flexibility
Renting Condos and Timeshares

Will your child soon be experiencing a “rite of passage”? This month’s Positively Speaking column will give you some ideas for writing a contract with him or her, to guide expectations and behavior. Please read my column at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Would you like Pass the Torch updates? Just sign up for them via email or feed. I will never spam you or give out your address.

You can also follow me on Twitter.