Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Friday, March 8, 2024

Reusable Water Balloons?!

Did you play with the water hose as a kid? Chasing siblings or friends? Maybe jumping through the sprinkler system? How about water balloons? Did you love throwing them at others and hoping to get hit in turn? I did! And so, apparently, do at least some of my children. You know what I didn't like? I didn't enjoy having to pick up the balloon pieces afterwards. Tiny bits of busted rubber, a rainbow of colors everywhere! Reminded me of that part in Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters where his very important job was to clean up after the Hero Games were over...Using Balloons Responsibly for the Environment - Fill n' Away UK

 So, what if I told you that there were alternatives? Like... reusable water balloons? No, I'm not talking about sponges filled with water that you throw at each other! I'm talking about a soft silicon-like container with magnets that keep the top half attached to the lower half. And actually do pretty good at keeping the water inside until they hit someone and splash!

It is a very clever concept called Hydrobursts Balloon by Relatable toys. I got this through Influenster. But when I attempted to look them up, I learned they are just too new! So I'm letting you know what we think for when they start hitting the store shelves.

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product for free in exchange for sharing my reviews. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own.*

As a mom, I don't want something that is going to make a horrendous mess in my yard. I don't want bits of rubber everywhere that is dangerous for pets or babies. That makes my yard look trashy. I also prefer toys that are economical. We don't have money to buy tons of new balloons just to throw and pop in a couple seconds. 

These are soft, so the hit won't hurt. Even the ridge with built-in magnets isn't that hard. My 7 and 11 year olds both had a blast tossing them at each other. 

I suggest having a water-filled bowl or bucket to keep the fun going. They are easy to refill like that. 

This is going to make the summer so much more fun! And also give us a good reprieve from the Texas heat. Definitely an amazing product that we enjoyed testing out!

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Simply Mixology to Rescue Us From the Heat!

The heat here has been well above normal. Consistently hitting over 103 on any average day. We have made several jokes about looking forward to the 90's again. Maybe around Thanksgiving if we are lucky?? 

Which is why I was so happy to be chosen to test out the Simply Mixology juice mixer.  I'm not one for alcohol. But a good mocktail is refreshing and fun around here. I typically make them for our family for fun events. This one, makes a great break from the overwhelming heat. 

I call it my Nerdy Unicorn Mojito Mocktail! Yes, I used the unicorn    ice in it. It was fantastic. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent the mixer in exchange for trying it out. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Gather what you need:

Sprite

Simply Mixology

Fruits of your choice

Ice

Not many things needed to make this great drink. And you don't even need the fruit if you don't want it. We did it to add a little color and make them fun. As for the ice, you can even skip this step too. We don't really use ice around here. It melts too quickly, causing our drinks to be watered down. But it was fun to use the shaped ice pieces in the drinks. The kids really liked it. 

How do you do it? 

Glad you asked! If you are using ice, put them in the cups first. Then pour in your Sprite (or you can use 7Up). One part Sprite to 4 parts Simply Mixology. As you can see, I had multiple sizes to work with here. Next we add the Simply Mixology. We chose the Strawberry Guava Mojito because it sounded good and was the only one we found at our local Walmart. The other one is a lime flavored mixer. Now you can add in the fruit. You can throw in little chopped pieces of fruit or just garnish the cup. 

My family really enjoyed it! We aren't fans of drinking it as a stand alone juice. (Yes, we tried it that way too - out of curiosity.) 

This product is made my the CokeCola company. That was an interesting find! 

What do you think? Is this something you'd try? Let me know in the comments below! Stay fresh out there, guys. 

Monday, June 27, 2022

Ice Cream For Summer!

I've been giving various frozen treats a try. Partially from participating in review opportunities. That and it is just sooooo HOT here! Triple degree weather has us trying to stay cool as often as we can. 

*Disclaimer - Some of these products I received for free in exchange for trying them out. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Ripple Street has been having some bloggers work with Halo Top and Bomb Pops to promote new flavors for summer. I received coupons to get free products and some to give discounts to others. 

First up! 

Halo Top is generally out of our price range. However! That being said, we like it as a special treat for just my husband and I. We get one pint for the 2 of us to share on home date night after the kids go to bed. 

The first flavor we tried was the Strawberry. It was definitely creamier than I expected.
And if I remember correctly, no dyes! (Yes, I'm anti-artificial colors). So those are my pros on that flavor. I was a little sad that the flavoring wasn't stronger though. I love strawberry! So there is the con.

We couldn't have just one flavor though. After all, I needed to know if all the varieties were light on taste in order to be better with creaminess. So we grabbed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. This was a winner! There were many chunks of chocolate chips and cookie dough throughout. When you add Halo Top's signature creamier texture, it is perfection! My husband and I enjoyed it while watching Mythbusters together. And yes, we finished the entire container in that one sitting... Don't judge me! 

Other thoughts....

There are other things to appreciate about this brand, however. Take their sense of humor, for instance. I love being able to smile while indulging in a snack. And their lids hide a great smile-inducing saying that gets me every time.

But wait, that's not all! 

Let us not forget the Bomb Pops we had. Okay, so big sadness is the dyes in these. We won't be buying them very often (if at all). However! The children did really like the Nerds flavor ones that we bought.
They are the perfect size for a quick treat. Which is nice for us as we are super busy with moving. We also brought some to a friends house for our daughters to share while they had a play date. They were quite the hit. 

So these are the two kinds of frozen desserts we have had in recent times. I'm excited to give some others a try as we endeavor to stay cooled. Here's a way you can help me with that! Leave me a comment below on what your favorite is so I can look for and try. Thanks for reading!

Saturday, April 16, 2022

Sliding Into Summer Fun With a Bestway Slide'n'Glide!

I have always loved the fun things you can do during summer that you can't do any time else during the year. Especially water fun! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for hosting a party and sharing my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed.*

I was given the opportunity to test out Bestway's Slide'n'Glide water slide! Do you remember having a slip'n'slide? My parents laid out the tarp. I still laugh when I think back to sliding across it and hoping I wouldn't hit a root or rock (which I sometimes did). Or how about adding a little dish soap to make it even slicker? 

Well, they have gotten fancier since those days. Bestway has created quite the fun one. Simply hooking up the hose and letting the kids have fun is all it takes. 

Sadly, I wasn't able to have the party yet. There have been flu and weather issues every time we try to plan it out. But soon, we will be gathering up the kids and getting together. I promise there will be a lot more information and photos once we do that! 

What is the best thing you like about this? What might prevent you from wanting one of your own? 

Monday, June 7, 2021

Summer Reading Has Begun

Summer is here! And with it, my kids and I are again participating in the reading program with our library. Need to print off the log for Barnes & Noble too...

                                 I think the majority of these were supplied by my mom alone.

My mother sent about a truckload of books (not really exaggerating on this!) My kids and I are all proof that reading truly promotes literacy. All 3 of the school aged children are above their grade levels in language arts. Even my oldest, who has ADHD and writes in chicken scratch, has excelled in comparison to other kids his age. It makes me quite proud. This summer, we are going to put those reading skills to their paces. 

My husband and I decided to home school. This past year has been horrendous as far as public school goes. And I, for one, was fed up. Truthfully, it is a shame we didn't start sooner. My oldest sons grades began slipping and he spent more time telling me what other kids were doing or saying than he did on what he was learning academically. At 12 year old, he can tell me more about porn, watching banned videos on YouTube at school, or evolution and how his teacher says things that make me a liar than he can about fractions and division. My 8 year old spent too much time hanging with a girl who had "family troubles" according to their teacher. She started smart mouthing the teacher and then me. Stopped doing her homework. Stopped caring about the answers she put down. After all, her 'friend' did it, so why couldn't she? Hmm... Because your Mama won't put up with a brat child! 

                            The beginning of our historical adventure lies within these pages.

I could go on, but this post isn't so much about that as it is about my first step into this new journey. Which starts this summer. Home schooling isn't usually done according to mainstream school schedules. It is done with the parents schedule in mind. Which means summer can be a great time to do school work! We are going to learn how to write proper book reports. And the first one is going to be on.... drumroll please... Pirates! Yep! This nerdy Mama is going to teach them some history. Starting with pirates. What they did, who they were (the notorious ones at least) and why they were such a cool big thing in their time. My mom sent a great book to get us started. She also sent the Pirates of the Caribbean movie - Dead Men Tell No Tales. It was the only one I didn't have. I'm thinking a marathon might be in order. She also sent Treasure Island for us to read together and the movie to watch. It has that one actor from Lord of the Rings in it... I only think of him as Frodo Baggins now... Anyhow, we are going to sorta have a learning party. There was even a board game included. All this will be followed by a book report. I think kids learn best when they are immersed and having fun. I know I did. The things I remember from my school days were the things I genuinely enjoyed. Still do! Pirate history is going to be their first lesson.

To add to the fun, I think these movies give a decent representation of piracy. 

Except with Captain Jack Sparrow...

What about you? What books are you reading? Are you participating in any challenges? I'm also participating in Goodreads summer reading challenge. For that one, I set how many books I want to read this year. Then I enter each book I read. I also prefer to leave a review on each one. I'm over the halfway point already. I think I low balled my goal and need to up it. Again. But that is how a bookworm rolls! Leave me a comment below and let me know. I love hearing from you guys!

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Time to Kill Boredom the Fun Way!

Another week has gone by. Kids have finished another history report, this time on the American Revolution. We were entering the weekend and I decided we needed some fun in our lives. Okay, the kids needed fun in their lives. Unlike Mom, they can't spend all day reading and be fine.

So I thought... why not a scavenger hunt? But this one would be different than last time. That one was too easy. Too quickly over. No, no. This time it needed to be more of a challenge. This time I wanted multiple options. I wanted them to split up. So I created multiple paths for the girls and boys to take separately. I'm getting help from various scavenger hunt clues I found through Pinterest bloggers. After creating a new board that will be dedicated to scavenger hunts, I took ones that I knew would be useful in our particular household and wrote them down on some business cards I had that the printer messed up. Though note cards work just as well.

Fun looks like this:

One blog post in particular caught my attention. They listed out so many other options that you can incorporate! *Light bulb moment* Now I'm in the zone to really spark the fun. I tried out Word Search Clue. I created a word search that could be solved by eliminating all the letters of a different word.

Then I pushed myself to go a little harder. I wrote 2 messages backwards so that they can become Mirror Messages! And let me tell you, I impressed myself!
Then, while everyone was sleeping, I got to work hiding them all. With them, are things they enjoy. Small things. The idea is, the more you participate, the more "treasures" you will find.

Then I wrote a note explaining my little game. I left the note where they were sure to find it.
Normally, they would've just followed the clues to find their treasures. However, my daughter decided that wasn't enough. She started going around the house and looking for the clues out of order. Oh, the argument I woke to the next morning.... So the next one I do, will have changes.

What can you do when you have multiple kids?

Color coordinate the clues. Then tell them they are only allowed to go after their colors.

Put their names on each clue so that they know if they picked up the wrong clue, they need to put it back and find their own.

My husband had the idea of creating ciphers for each child. Then code their clues. Only their cipher will decode the clue so they can find the next one. This one is trickier, but would definitely make it challenging for them.

Another idea my husband had is to make it so that each clue they find holds a piece of the puzzle towards solving a final riddle that will give the location of a prize OR would be the code to a locked box where the final prize is hidden.
Overall....

Have fun! I spent a few hours working on this one. Trying to get the clues to line up just right and keep the kids all going to their own clues. Which is why I really wasn't happy when I caught my daughter cheating in the game. But ultimately, I created something that would have been so much fun. Keep that in mind as you make yours. It needs to be fun for them, but you will do a better job if you are having fun while you make it!
Let me know what you think! Leave me a comment below on your thoughts. What would you change? What ideas might you have? I'd love to hear them!

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Who Says Social Distancing Has to be Boring??

Just because we are stuck at home, doesn't mean that we can't still have fun. And affordably so. If you haven't already, maybe you should be considering getting a pool! After all, the warmer weather is coming and nothing else is accessible. There are many options to choose from, but the one I want you to consider would be Bestway's Coleman Swim Vista Pool. 


*Disclaimer: I was sent this product in exchange for my honest review and hosting a virtual party. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*
Bestway is the name for pools and outdoor fun. The one that we received is available at Walmart, check here. However, they have plenty of options from Amazon, Walmart, and these other retailers that might be closer to you. This one comes with the filter pump, a safety ladder and the cover to keep debris out. I love the vista, or porthole, option that allows swimmers to see out and be seen! It adds a fun feature to it. It is 18' in diameter and 48 inches deep. Right now, it is selling for $398. Vacations may be out the window, so now is the time to consider investing in fun at home. I have 4 kids who are going absolutely stir crazy! Being able to at least swim and cookout will alleviate some of that monotony. Added bonus? I plan to make sure this is the year that they learn how to swim!


Things you need to know. 
First and most importantly, this bundle comes delivered. You can't just pick it up in the store. It comes on a pallet-type device. Ours was delivered through FedEx. The bundle weighed 250lbs. So be sure to have help if you need to move it around after delivery. In addition you have to prep the yard before setting up if you want this pool to last and be at optimal condition for enjoyment. What does that mean?
Grab a shovel and get to leveling the yard where you want the pool. I suggest, not under the trees!
We also laid out sand to soften it and built a sort of sandbox to contain it. Later on, my mother in law plans to add a deck. We want to enjoy our time with this pool as long as possible. Altogether it took us about 5 hours to get the truck, sand and paving stones we used, lay everything out and set up the pool. So plan for a day to put in the work. Then comes filling the pool with water. If you are like us and using a regular water hose, plan on 12 hours filling time. 
Let the party start! 
Then the magic happens and everything is alright again. The kids have had their first time in the pool and it was awesome! While swimming, the grill was going so that lunch would be ready when they got out.
What do you think? Is a pool an option in your life right now? Why haven't you invested yet if it is? What is the coolest part of this? Let me know in the comments below!

Thursday, May 30, 2019

30 Summer Break Family Fun Ideas!

My kids finish school this week. And then we have two months to fill in with making memories! Which isn't easy on our strict budget. But it is also not impossible. I've been reading Living a Beautiful Life on Less. The author had 2 lists that I pulled some great ideas from. One list was all the great things you can do as a family while the other was date night ideas. In addition, my sons teacher sent a link of events that will be held at one library near us over the summer. They are all free and there are various ones that are divided by age groups. 

What are my favorites?  

I'm going to list out some of the ones I plan on trying with our family. Leave me a comment below about additional ideas you might have!
  1. Lego! Pull out some Lego blocks and see who can build the coolest, tallest or most original creation. Don't forget to take pictures! In the past, we built our own versions of a house or a boat and even a city together. 
  2. Make some s'mores. If you have a fire pit, even better! But if not, there is no harm to making some inside. Don't be afraid to get messy. Making a mess is all part of the fun! 
  3. Visit a water park. We have a splash park up the street. It is small, but also free. And when the triple digits hit us, we might need to cool off for a bit. Especially when being stuck inside for days and weeks on end hit us hard. Cabin Fever is real, people! Just remember that you love each other very much. 
  4. Visit a museum. Sometimes your local museums have free days or times just for those who live nearby. So see what is available. Our library offers free passes to some of our local museums and attractions. I'm hoping to get one for our family to see the Astronaut exhibit that is currently being held. 
  5. Geocaching. I heard about this from an awesome friend of mine many years back. He participated. It is a real treasure hunt! You use coordinates to find hidden containers near you. You can create a free account and search for ones near you. Once you find it, you sign the log book inside to prove you found it. Some are big enough to contain items for trade as well. Little trinkets and toys, usually. Just remember to put something in if you take something out! Be fair. Don't leave trash or junk. And put the container back EXACTLY as you found it. That way someone else can find it later. I'm seeing over 800 near our area alone! Can't wait to take the kids searching. This also makes a great date if you and your love like being outdoors!
  6. Bowling. I absolutely loved going bowling with my besties. After our shift at the library, we would go bowling and spend a couple hours unwinding and sharing laughter. It was always a blast. How much more so with family? Check out your local bowling alley to see what deals they offer. This is another great date night idea! 
  7. After dark treasure hunt. When it gets dark, turn off the lights! Hide something special like a treat or something from the Dollar Tree even. Draw a map with clues and have them figure it out! 
  8. Check out the local ice skating or roller skating rink. Again, look on their website or ask about any specials they might have. Another date idea!
  9. Vampire hide and seek or just hide in the dark. Two ways to go about this. Vampire hide and seek is something I learned from my in laws. One person hides. As other people find them, they have to hide with them. Until the last person finds the group. Or, just turn off all the lights and have the seeker try to find everyone with a flashlight. Just remind the kids that you will not be going outside! My kids freaked out the first time we played it. 
  10. Have a movie marathon. Pick a series of movies. We might do a bunch of Star Trek, Star Wars or Lord of the Rings movies. Get some snacks and snuggle up in front of the TV! 
  11. Go for a hike. Pick a park with trails or somewhere new to walk and hike. Get the kids to identify things they are seeing. Maybe look up things you don't know what they are and learn something new together! 
  12. Have a bake-off challenge. I love this idea! Do boys versus girls. And see who can create the best dessert! 
  13. Create an ice cream bar at home. Get all the trimmings and let everyone design their ultimate ice cream treat! 
  14. Pull out the telescope! Or if you don't have one, find a place away from the city lights and spread a blanket. You will be amazed at what you can see without interference. My husband has a great telescope that I hope we get to use this summer. That or a trip to your local planetarium. Check to see if they have discount days!
  15. Family picture fun. Normally, family photos are boring. And time consuming. And everyone can't wait for them to be over. So how about letting the kids take some? Everyone gets to pitch in on ideas for new family photos. Maybe even add props. 
  16. Paint canvases together. The Dollar Tree carries canvases. Get enough that everyone has one and let everyone paint the same scene together. See how we all see things differently, but beautifully at the same time. 
  17. Play a card game. 
  18. Play a dance game together. We have games for the Wii and the Xbox 360. Such games like Just Dance. Pop one in and have your own competition. See who the Dancing Queen really is in your household! Date night idea!
  19. Go for a walk. Sometimes it is good to just walk. Talk. Explore the neighborhood. The key is to be together. Also great for date night!
  20. Make your own movie. Work together to write a script and create some costumes. Then film your own movie! 
  21. Garden. This might not be the best for the summer. But you could do this as a family. Plant a garden. Even if it is just a few little seed starting trays or pots. 
  22. Check your local library. One of the libraries here is having an event nearly every day over the summer. And these are free! They have everything broken into age groups with some being for the whole family. 
  23. Read a book together. Take turns reading from a book. Our family loves the I Survived series or American Girl stories. They are riveting, but insightful as well. Reading also helps them maintain their skills for the next school year. 
  24. Make cards. Work together to create cards for friends and family. You can use all kinds of things. Construction paper, wrapping paper bits, stickers - be creative! Father's Day, birthdays, other holidays - heck, get a head start on Christmas cards if you want! Just do it together. 
  25. Play a video game together. We love playing Minecraft, Mario Kart and dance games. Find something you all enjoy! Also a great date night idea!
  26. Watch a documentary. I know, I know. Who watches those anymore? But there are some really interesting things out there. Find out what interests everyone and pick accordingly. Talk about what you learned. 
  27. Write a story together. I did something like this with my friends in my younger years. I got a journal and we each took turns writing a chapter. I'm looking forward to seeing what we come up with as a family. Take it easy. Each person write 2-3 sentences. Let it get crazy! Let it be funny. Let it be you. 
  28. Create a Blessings Bag and help someone in need. We see homeless people quite often. Putting together a bag and grabbing it on the way out is no biggie. Get the kids involved. Water, snacks, gum, small things that help pass the time, cash - whatever you think could be useful to someone with nothing. You could even take it a step further by taking the family to volunteer at a shelter, soup kitchen or nursing home. 
  29. Go to the movies! AMC is having a special this summer that should save you some big bucks. $4 for the tickets, popcorn and drinks for kids. Check out the article here
  30. And this last one is a favorite of mine! Nerf gun battle! Grab your weapon of choice and pick your corner. Then open up and listen to the laughter!!! Another fun date night idea. 
Stay hydrated! Stay safe!

This summer is predicted to be a hot one. So don't forget to keep everyone well hydrated. Especially if you plan to be outdoors. And always play it safe if you are going hiking or walking. Know where you are going and be mindful of what is around. 
What are your plans for the summer? What cool things would you like to try? Leave me a comment below!   

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Summer Grilling with Kikkoman

Summer is synonymous with grilling. A good time to get outside and cook while enjoying fun activities with family and friends. And even better when you experiment with new flavors. Flavors with Asian influence - such as Kikkoman! 


*Disclaimer: I was sent promotional products to share with my party friends from Kikkoman, via House Party. Everything said here is my own opinion and was not otherwise endorsed or scripted by my sponsors.*

This summer has been hot. And maybe grilling isn't as much fun unless you are getting together with family and friends. But it is the perfect time to begin trying something new. I had never tried grilling with Kikkoman until we had this party. But since I love the flavors that Kikkoman brings, I was excited to be chosen as a host and give it a try.  Kikkoman sauces have always added a burst of flavor that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
 (I'm smiling, can you see it?)
I just love shopping!
First thing on the list is to check out their products. Our local stores keep them in what they call the Asian section. I always keep soy and teriyaki sauces on hand. One of my favorite recipes is Korean beef. My husband and oldest son also love to share in this flavorful meal. 
My party pack had an amazing pair of grilling tongs to use. They made cooking our burgers super easy. I was happy to share all these great recipe books and coupons with my guests as well as friends and family. Still have a bunch of the shirts....
We made them slider size. The soy sauce and brown sugar made them irresistible. 
My Mother-in-law said she enjoyed the extra depth from the Kikkoman soy sauce in the burgers. My husband loved the perfect match they made to our cookout. My sister-in-law said they took the burgers up a notch. It was the perfect way to spice up the grill. My boys actually told me they were "perfect" while my toddler chowed down an entire patty by herself. She only likes beef if I have cooked it Asian style, which means I have to make it with soy or teriyaki sauce. 

Overall, I think we all love Kikkoman sauces. They are a household name here! 
Our end thought was that it would be perfect for a themed luau party! We can't wait to try it again. Have you ever used their products? Notice the smoothness? The extra kick in flavor they add? What is your favorite recipe?

Sunday, June 24, 2018

M&M's Were Made For Summer Parties!

I love M&M's, don't you? The perfect little treat. Either by themselves or with things. They go great in trail mixes. You can bake them into cookies and brownies. There are so many flavors to choose from. I remember growing up with only 2 - regular or peanuts. In addition to the multiple flavors, however, they also have themes. Right now, you should be noticing that M&M's, Skittles and Snickers bags are sporting red, white and blue. These can be used for fun events like your Independence Day parties! (4th of July for you millenials) 
*Disclaimer: I was sent products and promotional materials as well as a gift card to purchase M&M's from Walmart via my association with House Party. I was not otherwise endorsed or told what to say. All opinions are my own.*

During the summer, the kids are out of school. You probably have vacations or parties planned. Time to spend with family and friends. For us, we are visiting my in-laws. Grilling out and enjoying the time we have with them. What better way to accentuate good foods than to add a marvelous, yet fun, dessert? 
We decided to do just that. We made a patriotic themed rice crispy treat with the Red, White and Blue M&M's! This dish did not last long at all. And it showed off how well M&M's go with summer!
I love using and sharing M&M's. We keep them stocked in my Star Wars dispenser. Priceless gadget for keeping the kids limited and teaching just how unfair life can be with portions...

Are you an M&M's fan??
While planning this party, I found this cute game idea that I think would be fun later. What do you think? How else do you use these delightful treats?

Friday, June 16, 2017

Summer vacations are busy but fun!

School is out, kids are taking a break, and I'm trying to add to their fun. I'm also trying to get their appointments caught up. I don't want time to race by, however, without having some great memories in the mix. We have been visiting the park. Even went to a new one.
Building box forts and having sleep overs with movies in the living room.
My kids have been loving it. 

We even cleaned out the van together. Talk about a heavy job!

We are also participating in the Half Price Books reading program.
My baby is now on the doorstep of being 7 months old.
We are exploring solids, sitting on our own,
and love to get on all fours just to rock back and forth.

And finally, I pulled out my postcards collection. I decided to trim down by letting my kiddos use them to practice writing over the summer to family and friends.  
One of the best parts of these days? Getting my baby to sleep and having her hold my shirt.
Its the best feeling in the world. Knowing that I've done my best and they are happy. I'm hoping everyone else is having a great summer. Don't forget that Father's Day is this Sunday! Did you get your dad something special? Love to hear about it in the comments below!

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Family summer fun at Schlitterbahn!

As a part of the US Family Guide mommy bloggers, I was given the chance to take my family to Schlitterbahn New Braunfels for a day. Schlitterbahn has been a family favorite since the very first time we went a few years back. There are so many perks to the park that other parks do not have. Free parking, allowing you to bring your own food (no alchohol or glass containers), and something to do for all ages! The rides use water filtered from the Comal River. This saves water, and cuts back on the chlorinated water use that most parks have these days. I don't know about you, but chlorine dries my skin out and speeds up the burn process for my skin when I'm in water and sun all day. So I really appreciate the river water usage more. They also boast the worlds only uphill water ride! The Master Blaster is amazing. Water pushes you along rather than using an electrical system. 
To prepare for the trip, I purchased and packed a few things to help us get through the day. Sunscreen is the most important item to bring when you know you will be out all day in sun and water. My children are mostly fair skinned and burn easily. We stopped back at the locker we rented frequently to reapply it. The lockers are $8/day plus a $2 deposit you get back when you turn in your key. Like other parks, they give you the option to take cash or to accept a gift. The day we went, they were offering Schlitterbahn reusable bags. 
Another important item to have is a way to keep your phone and money dry. Normally I wouldn't need to carry my phone with me but would instead leave it in the locker or my vehicle. This time, however, I brought it so I could take pictures of our fun for the review. Last time I went, I bought a waterproof disposable camera. I picked this watertight box up from Target. 
For paying only $6, it's amazing! Everything stayed dried and it fit perfectly into the pocket of my fiancĂ©s swim shorts. It's not water proof or promised to work under submersion. But it worked when we rode the wave pool circuit repeatedly. It can be difficult to pop open, but it's worth every penny! 
We brought our picnic lunches. It was easy to pack the kids lunchables and we older ones got the Rev packs.
I took everything out of the boxes and put them into a hand carry lunch box with ice packs and cold water bottles. It stayed cold all morning until we were ready to break for lunch. 
After lunch, we decided to chill in the pools. Mostly the wave pool. My kids loved the wave pool. They used the kid friendly tubes and we formed a human chain to stay together as each wave pushed us around the great circle.
We also went to a couple of the kid-friendly areas where the water is super shallow and the kids could climb on things to play.
The Congo River Expedition was one that my fiancé and I absolutely loved being on!
We have decided that Schlitterbahn is going to be an every summer event for our family from now on. I highly suggest you pay them a visit. They have locations in New Braunfels, Galveston, South Padre Island, Corpus Christi, and Kansas City. Check out their
ticket page for dates that are cheaper.