Five Fun Family Vacation Activities Your Kids Will Love

I love family vacations but we don't get enough until now!  We are heading out to hopefully Disney soon and we cannot wait.  When TwitterMoms challenged us mommy bloggers to write about five fun family vacation activities your kids will love, I wanted to be a part of it and you can to by clicking here to join in.

1. Disney is an obvious one and if you catch the right time of year, you can get some pretty great deals on hotel/ticket deals.  If you participated in a volunteer activity that qualifies, you also get a free day along with your special birthday date.  Who doesn't love Disney?
2. Historical sites are always a winner with me as I love history.  To prepare for the trip, do some research and maybe see if the kids want to write a quick report on what to expect at the site or maybe a little something about the historical person.  By handing out fun assignments, it will make seeing the site even more fun.
3. Camping is always one that pleases the kids and can be inexpensive if you camp out in a tent.  Think of all the fun you will have roasting marshmellows and weiners while playing games.  I remember going fishing when I was a kid and it was so much fun having that time with my family.
4. Weekend trips to different close locations allows you more events over the summer while not breaking the bank account.  Maybe take a trip to a theme park, a zoo or a museum.  If you cut it down to two or three trips, it makes the anticipation of a summer filled with activities greater.  Some hotels have water parks like the one in Indianapolis.  You can rent a room and play all day at the indoor water park...that's fun!
5. Make sure you research the area you are going to and look up the fun family events like arcades, putt putt golf, tubing, canoeing and other great activities that you can do as a family.  No matter where you go, there are always things to do as a family and if you get the entire family involved in the planning, it will make it more fun.  Remember to check out the local events as maybe there is a carnival or special summer type play that will appeal to the whole family.  

Vacations can be a little cheaper if you plan ahead and they can be more fun if you get the entire family involved in the planning!  I'm doing that with mine as we map out what all we will do and it's sure to be a great time as long as the weather cooperates but then we will be making a contingency plan too!


I wrote this blog post while participating in the Williamsburg Tourism and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.


Fun Family Vacation ActivitiesVisit Williamsburg

Design Dazzle: Great Ideas if You are Redecorating

I'm on a mission to get our house looking as beautiful as possible or at least inviting as we have to sell.  My husband, who is in Kuwait, will get our next assignment at any point so we have to get moving!  He returns late April so we have a timeline we must stick to.  Upon seeing the Blogger updates, I looked at a new design Design Dazzle had and LOVE it!

Hollywood Glamour Bedroom

 

Threw this one in because my daughter loves Olivia!

So many choices, so many ideas ...I need to find the most inexpensive and easy ways to get this house into shape!

Etsy Seller Showcare: Handmade Creations by Shelly

Want something handcrafted?  Check out Handmade Creations by Shelly for that special gift or something special for yourself.

     

Whether you want an assortment of holders, personalized sayings, flip flops and clogs, girls ponchos and sets, adult ponchos, scarves, hats and gloves, accessories, purses and felt bags, shawls and caplets and items from the designer collection.

  

 

About Shelly:


I have been a hand knitter and crocheting for more than 30 years. Over the past several years, the yarn industry has been creating new and exciting yarns with many synthetic fiber combinations. I love trying the new blends of yarns and colors and creating the latest fashion trends. I love creating my “Designer” one of a kind Felted Tote Bags, Ponchos & Shawls. I will be happy to discuss any “Special Order” request with you.


Follow Handmade Creations by Shelly on Twitter or fan her on Facebook.


If you have a special request, just let Shelly know as she's happy to make special orders.  Check back often as she's always adding new items to her store.

Reserve Alice in Wonderland & Get $10 Next Purchase at Disney

The Disney Store is offering $10 off your next purchase when you reserve your copy of Alice in Wonderland in either DVD or combination DVD/Blu-Ray pack with special features.  Ship your entire order for only $5 when you spend $89 or more at DisneyStore.com. Use code SHIPTODAY.

Check out also the hot new products at Disney Style Couture & more now open at DisneyStore.com! Shop Now!

Sistahood Follow Along Week 6

Okay, it's follow along week six and I've been bad ... I mean bad but not as bad as stuffing a bag a chips around my head to munch all day.  I've been bad in that I didn't exercise as much as I should.  It was an off week as I spent the first part doing nothing and the second half worrying about my little almost three year old who developed a cold or allergy attack.  She's prone to crashing once she gets sick so I spend my time worrying about it will require a hospitalization or not.  So far so good but I really dislike pumping so much medicine into her.  Since she exhibited symptoms, she is receiving Flovent and Singulair as she does every day but now per the doctor, I had to add in Children's Claritin and Nasalcrom which she hates more than I hate seeing chocolate thrown away.  All in all, I'm just watching and waiting and praying as every time her dad is deployed, something like this happens.

Back to the not-so-good week.  I'm taking the girls to Orlanda to offset the sadness with dad in Kuwait so I'm hoping for a week full of healthy eating in spite of traveling.  We have a house with a pool so when we are not sightseeing, the plans are to have fruit, veggie and cheese trays to allow the girls to swim and eat in between.  I want healthier selections and with the hopeful heat, they will enjoy the cold taste of fresh fruit.  I also plan to stock up on the water versus sodas to eliminate those nasty empty calories, frankenfood chemicals and other bad stuff.

Effective June 1st, yeah, I know a new deadline and my husband already rolled his eyes when I gave him my new me update, I'm MAKING my pregnant daughter step up to the plate and start walking with me.  I plan to add more in the mix but that is that for now.  I finally figured it out that I need to throw in the movie 300 as I bike to get some Gerard motivation going on.  I also plan to kick up my level of involvement with the Sistas.

All in all, I gained nothing and lost nothing but I know that I need to:

1. Understand that I want to lose weight not only for myself but for my kids.  I want to be around for many years to enjoy them, to be there for them and to be that one person they can always rely on.
2. Effective June 1st, I will maintain my Excel spreadsheet of monitoring my weekly weigh in, calorie intake and exercise time.
3. The idea of cooking with the kids is paying off and I already see a change in having them help cook with them actually eating so this will continue and be increased relative to more natural, organic and healthy foods.
4. I will carry a current photo of myself and when temptation hits, I will look at it.  I will also carry a photo of me prior to the birth of my last child to show what I can be again.  If I visualize, it will happen.
5. I will eat a healthy breakfast every day, I will eat at least four servings of fruits and vegetables a day, I will continuing eating whole grains and olive oil in place of non-healthy fats and I will exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

Interested in joining the Sistahood, click here for more information.  Join in tonight from 7 pm PST to watch Mamavation and win some great prizes.

This week's Mamavation Monday sponsor is Open Sky so take a moment and check them out!

MamaRoo Infant Seat Review

 How about a baby product that provides multiple uses all while making your life easier?  We found that with the MamaRoo fits that bill as we received as a special giveaway from 4MomsOnline.  This is a fantastic idea and coming from an experienced mother, I have learned what is a good product or not based on my needs.  My oldest daughter loved it with BOTH of her children and it's a keep sake.  She's removed many items from her first baby but she hung on to her MamaRoo because she loves it!

When we first received our silver MamaRoo, I was in awe over the product features of five unique motions and sounds.  My seven year old had severe colic and when I heard the sounds and motions from the MamaRoo, the first thing I thought of was how much Jamie could have benefited from this.  

If you want something different from the five built-in nature sounds, you can hook up your MP3 for a listen! Talk about versatility!  The five speeds of motion can be sped up or slowed down based on your baby's preference.  The easy to read LCD light up indicator makes using the MamaRoo a breeze and with six colors to choose from, they will coordinate with your style.


The size is perfect as it doesn't take up a lot of space and with the versatility of motions, it also takes away the need for other products.  I like that it sourced by power and not batteries as that can be expensive.


Overall, I think it's a must have for any new parent.  It's versatility will eliminate the need to purchase other products, the speed, movements and sound should fit just about any baby's needs to provide comfort and safety.  The fact that the fabric is washable is always a plus and the little colorful toy on top is an added feature for stimulation.  Since the product does have the built-in nature sounds which is a great feature for babies with colic along with the ability to add a MP3 to it, it should provide the added bonus feature of other music such as Bach or anything you want.


Priced around $269, it's a good bargain considering what you get, the quality and the comfort it might provide your baby and you!   We love it!

NEW Reinvented Dove® With Fiber Actives

Have you seen or heard of new Reinvented Dove with fiber actives?  For all those dastardly things we put our hair through such as coloring, blow drying, straightening, all of which I'm guilty of, Dove has a new line of products.  There is even a cute video on "My Favorite Things" here.

My participation as a BzzAgent allowed me the opportunity to learn more about the new reinvented Dove with fiber actives and I can't wait to try out my complimentary product as soon as it arrives.

My favorite part of Dove, which I do routinely use Dove products, is the Campaign for Real Beauty.  To learn more about it, click the link above and see how your purchases of Dove helps promote a campaign to increase confidence in our young girls and women alike.



Get your free sample here.

Etsy Spotlight: Catnap Cottage

In appreciation for her support of my participation in Blogmania 2010, I wanted to provide my readers an opportunity to learn more about Catnap Cottage.


Bio:


I am a vintage textile collector. I love restoring linens, spreads and fabrics. If they cannot be used for their original purpose, I give them a new life, mostly as pillows. My pillows are about the fabric used to construct them. In my travels, I come across other unique vintage items that I cannot pass up and lots of them end up in my shop. I pretty much rescue restore repurpose and repeat!! 

I have acquired quite a collection of beautiful vintage fabrics over years (mostly barkcloth). I love the wonderful textures of barkcloth, especially the extra nubbies. It is like eye candy to me. Barkcloth is so rare, it will all be gone one day. I cannot bear to see it thrown away, so I repurpose it. I am lucky enough to find it vintage never used sometimes, but mostly I purchase it in draperies. I remove the pleats, soak, wash and dry it to make sure it is sturdy before designing and crafting the item.

     

With over 900 positive feedbacks (100%), you can be sure her products are a hit with her customers!


Stay up to date with following the Catnap Cottage blog for cool ideas and other finds here, become a fan on Facebook or follow on Twitter.


Thanks to the Catnap Cottage for supporting Blogmania 2010 and me!

Children's Claritin: A Victory for Our Asthmatic/Allergy Prone Two Year Old

I am ecstatic and it's because my youngest, two year's old, will not take any oral medications.  I think it stems from a history of prior hospitalizations and the horrible taste of liquid steroids and fever reducing medications.  To this day, when she gets a fever, I resort to homeopathic methods as she vomits anything I give her.  Luckily, her Singulair is in crystal form and her Flovent is an inhaler so I don't have to battle her with those.  Her allergist also prescribed Nasalcrom which she hates as it's pumped in through the nose.  He also prescribed Children's Claritin and luckily since I'm a BzzAgent, I received a complimentary package of it.  My seven year old will take it with no problem but I thought getting the two year old to take it would take an act of God.

I was wrong!  She has taken it three days in a row now without any fighting.  Victory!  I'm beyond happy because when this child starts to get a runny nose and eyes, it's all downhill and she can crash hard.  The last two times only required trips to the ER but before that, she's been hospitalized a few times and almost died in November of 2008.  Having a child intubated and being told they don't know if she will pull out of it is so scary and nothing I've ever experienced.

So, this is day three and I've noticed each time she takes her Children's Claritin, her symptoms improve quickly.  I again, am so happy that she will take this!  Thanks, Claritin!

Womentorz Spotlight: Goddess Box & Grill Charms

This is my tribute to the wonderful women of Womentorz and Etsy seller entrepreneurs who try to make a little extra spending money or use their sales to live off of. 


I have my store on Zazzle so I know how nice the extra here and there means.  With that, I want to use this space to promote unique, special or great products.  Know one that should be added, let me know!


WOMENTORZ Spotlight

Womentorz™ is a marketplace of the latest inventions made by women where each inventor has their own storefront.  Visitors are given a wonderful place to find unique gifts and interesting gadgets that solve problems in daily life in one, easy to navigate online forum.  Every product listed is supporting a network of creative women and sustaining their independence.

Womentorz™ provides a user friendly, membership-based website which allows women inventors to sell their products directly to consumers, thereby eliminating cost and dependency on retail distribution. Each member is given their own storefront with multiple promotional tools built in to really showcase their product.  The visitor is able to purchase the product either on the inventor's own website that will pop up in a separate window, by phone or email.  We've done the legwork for members! Their product will not be thrown in with hundreds or thousands of others hoping to be found.  We provide one on one marketing that's outside the box and unlimited while a member.  Every inventor works hard to bring their invention to life.  We give the invention the exposure it deserves!

Goddess Box:  Positive Parenting ... Easy!  

"Your Positive Approach is Her Memory of a Lifetime."

Welcome to the home of the Goddess Box gift concept, the latest rage in contemporary gifts for today's modern girl!  The Goddess Box is our exclusive and unique gift for the young girl going through puberty, given by the parent or guardian who wants to promote a Healthy Body Image,Positive Self-Esteem and aid her in the practice of Self-Integrity; all beautifully packaged in this empowering keepsake gift!  

Price: $74.99 and can be purchased here.

Grill Charms:

Grill Charms offer an entirely new concept in outdoor entertaining.  They are dime-sized solid stainless steel charms that are placed in your food BEFORE grilling.  The serrated stems hold them securely while flipping, moving and grilling food like you normally do.  There are four different collections and each Grill Charm allows the person to know which spice, flavor or temperature they are getting.

Price: $19.95 and can be purchased here.