Congratulations on 46 years of Sesame Street! The first show debuted on this day in 1969. Crazy, right? You appeared in the cute, furry blue form that we recognize now by the second season in 1970.I’ve been a fan for a very long time.

While I know you  must hear that all the time, I can prove it.

My mom purchased the book Grover Goes to School by Dan Elliott and illustrated by Norman Chartier when I started first grade. I still have that book, and you can see that it is copyright 1982.

What you cannot see is that my mom passed it along to me when I became a mom. You cannot see that I’ve read it to my daughter every year on the night before the first day of school. You cannot see that this year, shortly after she became a teenager, that I didn’t offer to read the book. When I told her good night the day before school started in August, her face became cloudy.

“But we haven’t read Grover yet,” she said.

And so we opened the pages, and re-learned lessons about friendship and confidence that we’ve been learning from you annually, including

• things and possessions are not a good basis for a friendship;
• friendship is a two-way street;
• it is okay to say “no”;
• moms give great advice; and
• the best of which here is “Just be yourself . . . You are very lovable.”

Important stuff.

When I got to travel to Beaches Resorts in Turks and Caicos last month for Social Media on the Sand conference, I packed Grover Goes to School because I knew that you and the other Sesame Street characters hang out there. (If Grover Goes to a Blog Conference was available, I would’ve packed that, too) I was hoping to get a photo of you with the book, and as you can see above, the mission was accomplished.

But then you went a step beyond and signed the book.

That made me a teensy bit excited, as you perhaps could tell. One similarity between us is that we wear our feelings on our sleeves and you never really wonder how we’re feeling.
Given that face, it may not surprise you that I believe your unbridled enthusiasm has always been one of your best features.

There are lots of other features of yours that I love, too. I appreciate that you don’t use contractions when you speak. Not only does it make your speech distinctive and fun, I think it’s emblematic of how you’re not looking for the shorter or easier way out. You try hard to do things right, and I respect that quality, in both people and monsters.

I love how eager you are and that you seem to have true appreciation for the little things on Sesame Street. You always aim high. You were the only character on Sesame Street to try to fly, as Super Grover. I love that despite being a fairly anxious character, you never let that hold you back from trying to be your best, and trying your best.

Sometimes aiming high means that you crash. You prove that crashing is okay, and that what matters is that you pick yourself up and dust yourself off each time. I might appreciate that lesson now that I’m older and have had my fair share of crash landings, but it’s so important for our kids to know this early on.

So thanks for years of smiles and inspiration, my cute, fuzzy blue friend. You are pretty lovable.

Love you,

Shannan

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: My family’s favorite restaurants at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort

Don’t get me wrong, I adore being a mother with every cell in my body, but this body could still use a massage on occasion and that’s exactly what I did at the Red Lane Spa at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages and Spa when we visited for the Social Media on the Sand Conference.

I needed to see what the “Spa” part of the name was all about. Research purposes, yes? Yes.

Best decision I ever made.

I get a little stressed when traveling, and my husband and daughter were traveling separately, joining me a day later. Traveling out of the country with a child without both biological parents present takes some doing (you can read more about that here) and I decided enjoying a little spa time would help me worry less. Spoiler alert: It worked.

There are two locations of the Red Lane Spa at Beaches Turks and Caicos and I was at the one near the French Village. I checked in and was greeted by Mary, who could not have been more nicer. She escorted me to the changing room, which was a good call given that you walked between small buildings and a) I would have gotten lost even thought it was a very short distance, and b) I know these are pools for a couple, but when I did get lost, I may have just slipped into one of them because it was so pretty there.

Or I would have just lounged on the couch. Mary, though, made sure I got where I needed to be because she knew there were even better things in store for me.

Once Mary made sure I was changed, had the key to my locker, she escorted me to the relaxation lounge and made sure I was comfy as could be.

I liked it there. A lot. But then Daneil appeared. It’s worth mentioning that when I checked in, I saw that I had been assigned a masseuse and I thought on my quick glance that the upside down sheet said “Daniel.”

“Hmmm. Daniel?” I thought to myself. “It never occurred to me to express my preference for a female. I mean, it’s not a huge deal. If it was, I would have thought to inquire as to gender. It’ll be fine.” And it would have been, but I have to say that when I saw Daneil I both exhaled a sigh of relief and laughed at myself, and my inability to read.

I opted for the States of Slow Massage that “encourage(s) you to take the time to reconnect and reflect on all that brings you joy and happiness.” There are four different options for the States of Slow, and I chose “Drift Away.”

Here’s the description of the States of Slow Drift Away massage: “This cleansing massage mimics the ocean tides and encourages you to drift away to a soothing, calming touch while inhaling the gentle scent of Egyptian Geranium.”

Uh, yes, please. (In case you’re wondering, the other options offered scents like Indian Frankincense, Indonesian Ginger, and Chinese Jasmine.)

This is where I blissed out for an hour:

It was heavenly. So long, stress. Hello, vacation.

Needless to say, I loved the massage and found it to be a pretty fantastic way to relax.

When my massage was over, I changed and Mary magically materialized to walk me back to check out. It was raining and she was very apologetic. I was in such a state of zen that the raindrops didn’t bother one little bit, but I did appreciate Mary’s concern and attention to keep me dry and happy.

I liked that I could appreciate a little bit of the spa in our room in the Caribbean Village with the Red Lane products in the bathroom. My daughter and I both really enjoyed the shampoo and conditioner, as well as the body wash and lotion.

As an added bonus, conference goers were given a few Red Lane Spa products to enjoy at home, including the Sea Breeze Nurturing Mud Mask, the Island Essence Peptide Mist, and Wild Sugar Luxe Cleansing Oil. So fun to have a little bit of the spa here in Illinois but I have to say, I really miss Daneil.

It’s worth noting that I paid full price for the massage and enjoyed it before the conference began. All opinions here are my own. Conference goers did get 20% off massages, but that discount wasn’t announced and made available until two days after I had enjoyed my experience, which was worth every penny I paid.

The fine print/legalese: As an attendee of the Social Media on the Sand conference hosted by Beaches Resorts, our accommodations were discounted as part of the conference. My opinions about Beaches Resorts are solely my own based on my experience.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: My family’s favorite restaurants at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort

On our flight home, we love to review our trip and pick our favorites. My plan was to identify our three favorite restaurants as a family. And I failed. We all had different favorites, so this post is our nine favorite restaurants at Beaches Turks and Caicos – each individual family member picked their top three favorites and their favorite item to eat there.

My husband’s favorite Beaches restaurants

The Jerk Shack – Jerk Chicken

The jerk chicken here was delicious, and my husband is absolutely right to put it on the top of his list. I’m not a huge fan of spicy food and I thought it was wonderful. And while he was focused on his amazing food, I was completely taken by our surroundings. We literally walked out of the ocean and took around 20 steps to get to the Jerk Shack. We hadn’t planned on eating, but it smelled so good that we thought we’d just try a few bites, and the rest is history. The staff was incredibly nice and accommodating, and we got to meet Bishop, the famous bartender known for asking “Why not?!”

Sky – Pancake Trio

The view at Sky alone is reason to make the list of favorites, but the food would have earned a place here regardless. We went for breakfast the two of us on a day when my daughter slept in and it was the perfect place to enjoy some time together as a couple. My husband was a big fan of the pancake trio that featured mandarin orange, chocolate chip, and blueberry pancakes. He may have also loved the tangerine glazed beignets had I been better about sharing them. We were a bit sad that we didn’t make it there at night and it’s high the list of things to do on a return trip.

Mario’s – Arrabiata pasta

Mario’s has a yummy breakfast buffet but this restaurant really won my husband over at lunchtime when he was able to special order pasta that was exactly to his liking. The outdoor seating option overlooking the large pool at the Italian Village was great, too.

My 13-year-old daughter’s favorite Beaches restaurants

Le Cafe de Paris – Everything!

Truth be told, we all adored this fun cafe that offers coffee drinks as well as decadent desserts all day and well into the evening. From the crepes with grand marnier sauce to the eclairs to the hot chocolate fondue, it was all yummy. My daughter loved meeting us with her friend here for dessert together after dinner, and it’s possible that us parents tagged along, not because we were worried about the girls but because we wanted to partake of the sweet treats, too. When I pushed my kiddo to pick a favorite, she opted for the chocolate mousse but then pointed out that the beauty of all-inclusive was that she could sample whatever she wanted. And she’s absolutely right

Barefoot by the Sea – Lemon Tart

We all loved all three courses at this open air restaurant where you can hear the surf and your feet are literally in the sand, so of course you want to be barefoot. My daughter was a huge fan of the lemon tart here for dessert. I adored the coconut shrimp appetizer.

Bobby Dee’s – Hamburger

This diner feels like stepping back into the 1950’s and it’s not only fun, it’s yummy. My teen loved the fries and ice cream but picked the burger as her favorite item, which surprised me a little but not a lot, because it was yummy. She also liked that Bobby Dee’s was open late.

My favorite Beaches restaurants

Schooners – Lobster Risotto with Crab Legs

I would eat this every single day if given the option. It is so good. This video on it is pretty sure to make your mouth water.

Kimonos – The ginger chicken launched into the air

Kimonos is the only restaurant at Beaches Turks and Caicos that requires a reservation, but you have to be on property to make one. It’s worth doing because it’s not just a meal, it’s an experience. The chefs who entertain while cooking on an iron, flat surface grill that included the chef launching a piece of chicken from the grill directly into my mouth.

Kimonos boasts mouthwatering cuisine prepared by skillful chefs who entertain with tricks while cooking on an iron, flat surface grill, as guests await their exotic fare. You never know what new tricks and treats the chefs have up their sleeves, possibly juggling cooking utensils, flipping a shrimp tail into their shirt pocket, or catching a shitake mushroom in their hat. There was also some fun singing and it was an all-around good time.

Bella Napoli – Pizza

I know you expect to see pizza as a teen favorite, but this wood-fired pizza was so good that diners of all ages enjoyed it. Also, where else can you place your order and then go dip your feet in the pool, go for a quick walk on the beach, run into Cookie Monster on your way back and sit down to made-to-order pizza? (Note: it does take some time to make it, so place your order before you are starving.)

The fine print/legalese: As an attendee of the Social Media on the Sand conference hosted by Beaches Resorts, our accommodations were discounted as part of the conference. My opinions about Beaches Resorts are solely my own based on my experience.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Becoming part of #BeachesMoms

Is there a lot to do there?

This is the most common question I’ve gotten, and the easiest. The answer is a resounding YES. There is a ton to do there. There are so many activities that we didn’t get to everything, despite my best efforts.

We loved what we did get to do, which included playing on the white sand beaches, pool hopping (we went to several different pools in one afternoon), snorkeling, swimming in the ocean, checking out the swim up bars (they have ones just for kids and the bartenders are great at making fun frozen concoctions for kids as well as grown-ups), an epic foosball game, floating down the lazy river, and zooming down the fun water slides at Pirates Island water park.

We loved trying all the different restaurants and grabbing quick treat at Cafe de Paris became a sweet daily ritual. There was also time hanging out in hammocks and saying hi to Cookie Monster. That’s just a sampling of the activities we enjoyed as a family.

My daughter enjoyed the teen activities, including a Foam Party on the beach which described as “really awesome.”

My husband and I enjoyed some couple time, too, grabbing breakfast together at Sky, a restaurant on the second story of a beach-front building that offers an incredible view, and karaoke night at Cricketers, the English Pub.

You get a schedule of events in your room each day and can choose to be as busy or as relaxed as you wish to be.

Are the activities included in the price?

All the things I’ve listed so above were included in the price. The vast majority of activities at Beaches are included in the price, even the water sports.

We did some activities that were an additional charge. We spent some mother-daughter time on the “Kitty Katt” catamaran cruise that included snorkeling and a visit to Iguana Island, operated by Island Routes. It departs from the pier at the resort.

Also, my daughter, a newly minted 13-year-old, enjoyed the teen and tween activities with her new friends, including the foam party at the beach and volunteering through Island Impact and the Sandals Foundation. Those trips can cost around $25.

And my trip to the Red Lane Spa was not included, but boy, was it worth it!

Members of our family are gluten-free/dairy-free or have food allergies. Are there choices of things to eat for those of us with dietary restrictions?

Fear not! There are lots of options and Beaches has a Culinary Concierge Desk to help you navigate the choices at the 20 restaurants. Should you need specially prepared items, they ask for one month of lead time prior to arrival for any special preparations or special products not carried on the resort.

I have kids between 7 and 10 years old. What is there for them to do there?

Beaches gets that there’s an age at which kids do not want to be babysat but are not ready to fly solo. Here’s what the website says about the Kids Camp program for this age group:

“Not yet a tween or teen, sometimes it can be hard to contain all the exuberance of youthful spirits. At Beaches, we celebrate this energy and channel it into an unending slew of fun-filled activities for this ever-active age group. Sailing, snorkeling (ages 8-10), swimming, beach volleyball, beach soccer, scavenger hunts, glass bottom boat rides, pizza making, reggae jam sessions and an unbelievable array of incredible options abound!”

Kids Club is open 9 am to 9 pm and the cost is included – parents pay nothing additional. Hooray! You can also get a nanny later than that for an additional charge.

I know you want first-hand info, so I asked my few fellow conference-goers with kids that age. Kendra of Headband for Today says her 7-year-old boy was a fan. “He really liked being able to be independent and have his own experience there.”

Sarah of Solo Mom Takes Flight says that her kids, ages 5- and 7, were big fans of Kids Camp. They had been before and loved it, but she thought on this trip they may have outgrown camp. She was wrong. “They loved the idea that they could go out on the catamaran, etc. without me. Every time I picked them up they had made new friends.”

The XBox Play Lounge is also a hugely popular place for kids that age and a good option if they’d rather not do Kids Camp. Sherry of SherryBoswell.com is the mom of 10-year-old Jared, who spent many happy hours in the XBox lounge.

Is it clean?

Yes. Beaches was very clean, and that’s true throughout the resort, from the room to the spa to the pool decks.

Did you feel safe?

I felt completely safe the whole time we were there.

It’s also possible, ahem, that one day in a flurry of activity to get to all the fun, the door to our room was not closed all the way. We didn’t discover this until our return. Nothing was disturbed, everything was exactly as we left it. I know, I know. Phew! And there was a stern family discussion about how that will never happen again, but what a testament to the safety and honesty of those on the property.

There were security guards at the entrance to Beaches, but they were very good at not being very obvious. In fact, I don’t know that I noticed them until towards the end of our trip. The conference had a fantastic Halloween costume party on our last night. We had to walk from one end of the resort to our room on the other and I wanted to walk home along the beach – it was a beautiful moonlit night. The security guard greeted us kindly when we walked from the beach back onto Beaches property.

While I appreciated the security presence, I also did not feel unsafe on the island. We stayed on the resort the whole time (see above on so much to do), though my daughter did venture off to volunteer and I felt comfortable allowing her to do so. On the plane ride down, I sat next to a man from North Carolina who had lived on the island for more than a decade and had done some work with their police force. What he said made me feel secure.

How did my tween do on the flight?

She was a champ, and slept more than I did on the way home. There are more flights during the busy season. October is not the busy season, so we had to connect. I flew through Charlotte on the way there, Miami on the way home. From Chicago, those really aren’t bad flights at all.

How expensive was it? Was it more expensive than other vacations?

That’s a tough question to answer because I’ve never been to an all-inclusive resort before, so it’s tough to compare all expenses. I have to say that I enjoyed the all-inclusive quite a bit, and the fact that there is no tipping at the resort made it that much nicer.

How expensive your vacation is depends on a wide variety of factors, including how many people are traveling, what size rooms you need, which of the four villages at the resort that you select, any extra activities, etc. Because I attended through Social Media on the Sand, we received a reduce rate for the conference, but we felt that we certainly got a great value and were very glad that we spent the money to attend. The memories we made are priceless.

You can get a quick overview of our trip in this video:

The fine print/legalese: As an attendee of the Social Media on the Sand conference hosted by Beaches Resorts, our accommodations were discounted as part of the conference. My opinions about Beaches Resorts are solely my own based on my experience.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Becoming part of #BeachesMoms

The Turks and Caicos are comprised of 40 islands and cays, eight of which are inhabited. They are located in the Eastern Caribbean, approximately 1,000 miles east-southeast of Miami, and are not all that far from the Bahamas.

Vital Statistics

Population: approximately 50,000

Language: English

Largest City: Providenciales, commonly known as “Provo”

Capital: Grand Turk

Currency: U.S. Dollar

Area: 948 square kilometers (It’s roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C.)

Time Zone: Same as Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.

More facts about Turks and Caicos

They are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Island in the Eastern Caribbean. Turks and Caicos was part of the United Kingdom’s Jamaican colony until 1962, at which time Jamaica became independent. It was then that Turks and Caicos assumed the status of a separate crown colony.

Tourism is the main industry, with more than 1 million visitors annually. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than three-quarters of them, many arriving by cruise ship.

The Beaches Resort and other resorts and hotels are located near Providenciales, which is at the western end of the territory. Cruise ships most often dock at Grand Turk, which is several islands to the east.

these are not exactly mountainous islands, with the highest point being Flamingo Hill, which is 48 meters high (or 144 feet.)

The flag of the Turks and Caicos features the Union Jack of Great Britain and a yellow shield taken from the coat of arms that features three items: a conch shell, a cactus, and a lobster.

Airline service is seasonal, with more flights during the winter travel season, which is busier.

Provo is home to one of only two conch farms in the world, and you can find conch in many local delicacies.

The Turks and Caicos Rock Iguana, Cyclura carinata, is the largest non-extinct indigenous land animal found in the country, and can be found on Little Water Cay, also known as Iguana Island. They are critically endangered.

Source: The World Fact Book by the U.S. CIA; TurksandCaicosTourism.com; VisitTCI.com