Search Results for: blog grab and go kids travel bag

Cleavage-Creating Swimsuits for Little Girls

I don’t know many 7-year-old’s that sport eye-popping cleavage… and that’s the way it should be… at least in my opinion. But, apparently, some swimsuit designers disagree. A couple months ago I took my 5-year-old daughter shopping for swimsuits in preparation for our annual trip to Hawaii. Since I don’t allow her to wear bikinis, we bypassed the two-piece designs all together, and made a beeline for the floral one-piece bathing suits. I grabbed the most conservatively cut 6xs I could find and off we went to check out. Mission accomplished. My daughter is the antithesis of a fashionista. If … Continue reading →

Great American Backyard Campout

Get out your tents and marshmallows; it’s time to go camping. Only you won’t have to travel far to tell ghost stories and roast hot dogs if you are participating in the National Wildlife Federation’s 2009 Great American Backyard Campout. The event takes place tomorrow and is designed to encourage families to tap into the myriad of resources available that promote communing with nature just steps from your own home. If you hate bugs, pit toilets and being without running water, then your backyard is the ideal place to pitch a tent and give your kids a night to remember. … Continue reading →

Super Summer Fun for Kids

Memorial Day marked the unofficial start of the summer season, but most kids are still in school for a couple more weeks. That gives moms and dads a little bit of time to prepare for long hot days when kids are home 24/7. The following fun activities are ideal for school kids of all ages looking to stay cool during the dog days of summer: KOOL AID FINGER PAINT: Ingredients: 2 cups flour 2 packs unsweetened Kool-Aid (in your favorite colors) 1/2 cup salt 3 cups boiling water 3 tablespoons oil Directions: Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add … Continue reading →

Fun Ideas for Earth Day

Honoring Mother Earth is simple, and a great way to bond with your children. Consider partaking in the following activities to celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd: Gardening You don’t have to go overboard with this idea. Instead of planting an entire garden filled with vegetables and flowers, just grab a pot or cup, fill it 2/3rds of the way with soil, sprinkle on some grass seed, add a little more soil, and water. Then, place the cup in a sunny spot and let nature take its course. Your kids will love checking on their grass every day and will … Continue reading →

Fun Halloween Events for Families

October is only two days old yet some of these family-friendly Halloween events have been going on since just after Labor Day. Don’t get left out in the cold by sticking around the house all day raking leaves and arranging corn stalks. Grab the kids and head out for some family-friendly Halloween fun at these popular theme parks: CALIFORNIA Knott’s Berry Farm–Halloween Happenings From now until November 1st your clan can go crazy in the 160-acre Horror-fest. In celebration of the spooky holiday the park has been transformed into a scare-a-thon filled with 12 menacing mazes, six hair-raising shows, four … Continue reading →

Ideas for Gag Gifts, Grab Bags and Gifts for Teachers

Gag Gifts Gag gifts are usually pretty simple if you have a novelty store nearby. If not, the dollar store might be a good option. Try some funky toe socks, a crazy hat, giant sunglasses, or maybe a toilet plunger with a big old bow on it. What about a gag gift that is somewhat humorous but still practical? Give a jumbo size package of AA batteries, and print a label that says “AA batteries – gift not included.” Should be good for a smile, and who can’t use extra batteries at Christmastime? You could also wrap up a Mason … Continue reading →

Answer: Sweaty Pumpkins and Sandy Kids

Question: What do you get when you take a family trip to the pumpkin patch on a sunny and muggy 88-degree day? No, we weren’t in Hawaii visiting my parents. (F.Y.I. There is only one pumpkin patch in the entire state of Hawaii and it’s not located on the island my parents reside.) We were picking pumpkins in Wisconsin. You know, the place where temps this time of year hover around 50 degrees. It was a record breaking warm day and a picking adventure I won’t soon forget. (Sound familiar?) Rather than regal you with a litany of anecdotes about … Continue reading →

Driving the Healthy Highway

Sitting in the car all day can cut your usual daily calorie burn by as much as four hundred calories! If you’ve got a family road trip planned, use these tips to keep the highway a little healthier. Adjust your calorie intake accordingly. You’ll burn four hundred calories less sitting in the car all day, so you should be eating four hundred calories less, too! Stock up on drinks. That recirculated air (or open windows) can dry you out and make you thirsty. If you’ve got bottled water and other healthy drinks handy, you won’t be tempted to stop at … Continue reading →

A Few Tightwad Tips for Road Trips

It’s spring break season. A time when most people are planning (or dreaming about) taking a family vacation somewhere warm and sunny. Not me, I am packing up two preschoolers and heading north to visit my family and friends in Minnesota. I consider myself to be a professional family road-tripper. I take this fourteen hour jaunt every two or three months. (That’s one benefit of working from home – I can pack up and head home whenever I feel like it). That being said, traveling is expensive. As I am watching the gas prices rise almost daily, I’ve been thinking … Continue reading →

Book Review: “Are We There Yet?”

What is it with kids? Why do they have to ask, “are we there yet?” before you even back out the driveway? Okay maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit but I swear as I have traveled back and forth from Mobile to New Orleans this past year Tyler seems to grow more and more impatient with the amount of time it takes to drive this short distance. Mind you we’re talking a two hour drive but to him it seems like an eternity. So I was pleased to find on my weekly trip to the thrift shop this little book, … Continue reading →