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Family Friendly Travel Tips

March 2, 2015 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Traveling with your family in tow is one of the best experiences in the world. Getting to see your kid’s faces light up with joy when they see something amazing is priceless. Having our families travel with us and being able to share the experiences together is my preferred way of travel. Over the years, I’ve picked up a few handy tips for traveling with kids in tow. Hopefully, you will find a few of them useful.

Getting there and long journey times: Long journeys are bad enough for us as adults. When you are a child, and you don’t fully understand why you’re cooped up in the car or on a train or a plane, then it’s worse. You could always fly private, if you have money to burn- and lots of it. You could always fly to London via private jet charter if you have a lot of money to burn. Take some time to explain to your children where they are going and what they can expect to see and do when they get there. Building a sense of excitement and making the whole trip an epic adventure is the key here. It’s not a chore for them to be traveling when it is part of this big, fun journey. Take plenty of things to keep the kids amused as they travel. Electronical devices such as Kindles, Nintendo DS, Playstation Vita and mobile phones are perfect. Anything that they can play games on is going to be a good start! If you want them to do something more educational, then invest in some new coloring books or activity books. These will keep their attention away from other things.
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Filed Under: family, travel Tagged With: check in, travel, travel tips

Must Have – GoLiFE Fit Smart Scale

February 17, 2015 by Danielle 1 Comment

Disclosure: The GoLiFE Fit Smart Scale mentioned below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

I know I have been talking a lot about my more active lifestyle changes lately. I am absolutely loving my GoLiFE Care Activity Tracker that I reviewed back a few months ago. (you can go to that review here). I was absolutely excited to try out the Smart Scale that GoLiFE had to offer. The GoLiFE Fit Smart Scale has been all that I ever imagined and more.

About Papago Inc:

PAPAGO! Inc. was established in Taipei, Taiwan in 2001; with more than 10 years GPS related background both in software and hardware. PAPAGO! Inc. has become the leading brand in Taiwan, China, Russia, South East Asia, Japan, Australia, and now America.

Characteristics of their products:

Protect you and your family
Intelligence connecting
Life for sharing

PAPAGO! Inc. Vision:

PAPAGO! Inc. has devoted itself to offering better services and driving technology for every consumer. Their goal of constantly innovating and communicating new ideas to the public are paying off.

About GoLiFE Fit Smart Scale:

The GoLiFE Fit Smart Scale is the perfect tool to help people reach their fitness goals by keeping track of their weight and BMI (body mass index). The slim design has a durable stainless steel body with an attractive blue LCD screen. You can easily set up your perfect weight goal and when paired with the GoLiFE Fit App you will know how much you should weigh to reach that target on a day-to-day basis.
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Filed Under: family, fitness, health, review Tagged With: Bluetooth Scale, fitness, Fitness Scale, GoLife, GOLiFE Fit, GOLiFE Smart Scale, scale, Smart Scale, weight

THE BOOK OF LIFE New Years Resolution Family Movie Night #BOLinsiders

January 26, 2015 by Samantha 5 Comments

We recently watched the new movie, coming out on Blu-ray/DVD on Jan. 27, called THE BOOK OF LIFE. We all wanted to see it- it looked good in previews. I am happy to say it was better then we thought it would be- it was good for kids and for adults, too. It was also visually stunning- very cool animation. Not sure why they chose to make weird wooden-puppet-people, but it worked and it was fun. The underworld/afterlife scenes were even more beautiful then the rest of the movie- quite magical.

My son has been a little obsessed with the Day of the Dead since he was about 3, which has lead to this momma trying to make sugar skulls, having class parties, and even a trip to Mexico to check out the festivities ourselves. (Hey- go big or go home, right?) There were all sorts of kid’s activites for him to try while we were there, and he learned all about the importance of family cultural traditions and visiting the headstones of those who have passed on, and how they are decorated and food and drinks brought on the special night to honor and remember the history of the family. I think our trip made this movie even cooler for him, since it helped him understand the celebration and what it was about.

About the Movie

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Filed Under: family, movie, review

How to Prepare Your Child for Sleep-Away Camp

January 6, 2015 by Samantha 1 Comment

Whether your school offers some kind of outdoor education week where all the kids in a class go to a nearby camp for a few days, or you are the type of parent that likes to send kids to summer camp every year, eventually you’ll need to think about how you can best prepare the tots in your household for sleeping somewhere other than in the familiar comforts of their bedroom at home. Even if it’s only for a few days, kids can get understandably anxious when their routines are disrupted and they find themselves out of their element. As a parent, it’s your duty to remove as much stress from the situation as possible. But how do you make that happen? Here are a few tips to prepare your child for his time at sleep-away camp.

One issue that many parents deal with is separation anxiety. While most kids overcome the desire to stay home with a parent at a young age thanks to inclusion in daycare or school, your child may not be entirely comfortable with the prospect of being away from home overnight, much less for several days. The best way, then, to prepare your child for this eventuality is by making sure he participates in sleepovers with friends leading up to sleep-away camp. When he stays with a friend close to home, there is an inherent safety net – you can always pick him up if he gets too anxious. This will help him to ease into the prospect of being away from home. And then you can explain that sleep-away camp is just like any other sleepover and that he’ll have just as much fun.
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Filed Under: family, kids, parenting Tagged With: camp

Lazy Lizards Yoga Products For Kids

December 24, 2014 by Samantha 2 Comments

As many of you know, I am a yoga fan. I practice regularly, and have had my son and even my grandmother do yoga (at their level) with me. My son is, like many kids, wiggly and impatient, and yoga is great for redirecting that energy.

Lazy Lizards created a kid sized yoga mat with 12 poses printed on the mat along with a DVD to go along. Kids can easily follow along with the DVD or just use their mat. Their is also a space where kids can personalize their mat to make it their own- my son was completely horrified by the thought of drawing on his mat, but I think some kids would like to. My boy can be a little finicky, like his mother.

They have 4 colors of eco friendly, kid sized yoga mats, with poses printed directly on the mat, as well as the Lazy Lizards Yoga DVD. Introducing yoga at a young age can encourage a healthy lifestyle early. Kids love doing yoga, and it is great for them. Yoga comes naturally to children, they love to use their imaginations to move their bodies in creative ways. Have your child try yoga, and watch him or her grow from the inside, out. It is great for you to do together as well- something you both can do. It’s nice to have healthy activities you both can enjoy.
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Filed Under: evergreen, family, fitness, health, Holiday Gift Guide, kids, review Tagged With: Holiday Gift Guide 2014, yoga

INTO THE WOODS – In Theaters December 25

December 19, 2014 by Samantha 5 Comments

We recently attended a screening of Disney’s “Into The Woods”, which will be in theaters soon. My son and I love the theater, and have seen local productions, so I was nervous about seeing the movie. (You know when you LOVE a book, and the movie isn’t what you thought it would be? Or when they remake a classic movie and you are horribly disappointed- same goes with sequels. “Dirty Dancing, Havana Nights” made me want to egg Hollywood. Somebody should have put the director in the corner.)

However, I am pleased as punch to say we loved it! All four of us did- my son and I, who were familiar with the play and songs, and my good friend and her son, who had never even heard of it before. I figured it would be good to get all views, right?

We all thought it was great- funny, the music was great- and thankfully, the actors could actually sing. Unlike some Broadway shows made into movies where they cast for star-power and not singing ability (cough, Les Miserables) I was thrilled that all the actors could sing- and well! Yay! There is nothing worse for a moviegoer and music lover then to have to sit through tragic singing, LOL. Not only are the stars in the movie bright (Hello? Meryl Streep?) but they are talented actors AND singers, which this musical requires.
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Filed Under: disney, entertainment, family, movie, review Tagged With: movie, review

Must Have Christmas Kids Games from Wonder Forge

December 6, 2014 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Disclosure: The games from Wonder Forge mentioned below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

I am sure that many of you remember that my family loves to play games. My husband and I have always enjoyed playing games and that love has definitely passed on to our daughters. We aren’t quite to the point that we have a designated game night a week, but I know that time is coming :). Wonder Forge is and will always be one of our favorite game companies. The games that we have of theirs are wonderful in every aspect. I have not received a game from them that left me disappointed.

About Wonder Forge:

In 2007, Jacobe Chrisman (Founder & CEO) and a small group of creative types with a passion for children’s entertainment came together to develop extraordinarily fun, original play experiences for kids and families.

Since it was originally launched, Wonder Forge has always offered top-quality experiences, raising the bar for preschool and family games everywhere. The preschool games help to celebrate the “can do” attitude in all kids – engaging them physically, socially, and creatively. The family games bridge generation gaps and create wholesome family moments and lasting memories.

Wonder Forge additionally always works to create strong, long-lasting partnerships with licensors. This is wonderful when your children love certain characters.

Today, Wonder Forge makes over 85 games that have won more than 160 top awards for product excellence. They are sold nationwide and in over 11 countries.

About the games :

Frozen Surprise Slides: (Pictured Above)

In this wonderful Frozen game, you get to take a Journey high up into the mountains above Arendelle with all your favorite Frozen friends. You can take shortcut slides and zoom ahead, or push you backward. It’s a game that will always be different every time that you play this game.

This game promotes:

color recognition
turn-taking and playing together
Ideal first game for preschoolers

About Dr.Seuss Charades:

In this fun charades game, your child can draw a card to act out for their friends. It is developed specially for young players, this game uses familiar and whimsical images from the world of Dr.Seuss for silly, laugh out loud fun for everyone.
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Filed Under: disney, entertainment, family, gaming, Holiday Gift Guide, kids, review, toys Tagged With: Childrens Games, disney games, Frozen, Frozen Games, games for kids, Gift Guide 2014, holiday gift guide, kids games, Wonder Forge, Wonder Forge Games

Win a Beautiful Wood Wall Art Sign

December 1, 2014 by Danielle 12 Comments

Disclosure: The Wood Wall Art Sign from Beach Frames mentioned below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

I always seem to be on the lookout for new great items for my house. I haven’t really ever seemed to have the house completely decorated, so I always think I need that one more item. I must tell you that my new Repurposed Wood Wall Art that I received from Beach Frames might have been just the touch that my living room was waiting for.

About Beach Frames:

At Beach Frames, they are about simply living their passion. Their passion has been inspired by beach life, creativity, an entrepreneurial spirit, and ultimately a desire to depart from the “rat race”.

“We wanted to do something that fed our creative souls and that would give back to the earth in the form of incorporating reclaimed and recycled materials in most of our products. We capitalized on our talents both artistically and from what we have learned in the business world…and that’s when we launched the Beach Frames company after many years of product design and collaboration.”

Beach Frames has continued to grow rapidly throughout the United States, South America, Japan, and the Caribbean. Their products have been sold by some large retail chains and over 500 retail furniture and home decor shops, gift shops, galleries, resort shops and 1000’s of retail customers. Due to the uniqueness and consistent high quality of their frames, consumers have responded wonderfully and continue to come back for more! All of their products are handcrafted in the USA.