LEGOLAND Discovery Center Coupon {Fun Way to End Summer Break}

**Disclosure: We will receive complimentary admission to LEGOLAND Discovery Center in order to facilitate an accurate review. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% our own.

One thing that all kids seem to have in common--a love of Legos! We are lucky to have a LEGOLAND Discovery Center right here in Schaumburg full of Lego fun for our kiddos.
When you visit LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago, it’s like you’ve just jumped into the world’s biggest box of LEGO bricks! With over 3 million LEGO bricks, rides and a 4D movie theatre all under one roof, what will you discover? There is a lot of fun to be had!

Our readers can get a FREE Child Admission with Full Paid $20 Adult Admission! This coupon is valid through December 31, 2013. After the unseasonably cool weather the past few days, it definitely feels like it is time to enjoy some indoor fun! Why not capitalize on one of your remaining days of Summer Break with a trip to LEGOLAND!

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Chasing Laura Ingalls Wilder {Pepin, Wisconsin}

My daughter is of the age when Laura Ingalls Wilder books are providing hours of entertainment. She especially feels a connection with Laura because part of my family has lived in the same area as Laura did for several generations. My grandparents often relate stories to my daughter that are similar to the ones she reads in Laura's books.

As a child, I was also swept up in all things Laura. Since my grandparents do not live very far from Laura's birthplace in Pepin, Wisconsin, they took me on a pilgrimage to every little girl's holy site. This year, it was my turn to take my daughter on the same pilgrimage.

Pepin is a quaint small town on the mighty Mississippi. Do not expect a ton of fanfare in the town. However, you will find the scenery quite peaceful and definitely an escape from life in larger towns. In the town itself, there is a little museum dedicated to the Ingalls family. The museum is free. However, the town is working on expanding the museum and donations are very much appreciated. The museum is open seasonally, May 15-October 15 and on weekends through October. My daughter definitely enjoyed the museum!

The Laura Ingalls birth site is actually located 7 miles north of Pepin on County Road CC. The drive through the countryside is pleasant. The cabin is a reconstruction on the land that Charles and Caroline Ingalls once owned. You can visit the cabin any day of the year. There also is a picnic table for a little picnic as well as plenty of space to run around!

We took a little peek into the cabin. There is not a lot to look at but my daughter still enjoyed checking things out.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Days are held at the cabin each year on the second full weekend in September. The cabin will be bustling with pioneer activities this year on September 14 & 15, 2013. During that weekend, kids will be able to experience some of the things the Ingalls children did while growing up in the Big Woods! A visit to the cabin during this festival is the perfect way for any little girl to learn more about Laura!

If you do visit, I suggest adding the home to a visit to Minnesota. Pepin is on the Mississippi so Minnesota is just a stone's throw! We visited the home while on route from Minneapolis back to Chicago. When you visit, it will not be hard to imagine Laura and her siblings getting into hijinks on the prairie!

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OraMD Giveaway Winners

Thank you to everyone who participated in our OraMD giveaway! Our winners are Jennifer A., Nicole M. and Derrick J. The winners have already been emailed and have 48 hours to respond or their prizes will be forfeited. Congratulations!

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Let the magic sweep you away at the Bristol Renaissance Faire

**Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Every summer I look forward to a visit to the Bristol Renaissance Faire. The Renaissance Faire is truly an experience like no other and lets our family escape from it all for the day. The Renaissance Faire celebrates the merriment of Elizabethan England and really makes you feel part of the magic from beginning to end. Truly away to forget about your worries!

We love to arrive right as the Renaissance Faire as it opens. The guests are treated to a fun little opening show before the gates are officially opened. The actors know how to get the crowd ready for the day! When you enter the park, be sure to grab a schedule. The schedule will help you decide which shows you would like to see and help you arrange your day.

After we enter the park, we make a beeline to the further reaches of the park. This way, you miss some of the crowd and have plenty of space to enjoy. The Elizabethan pageantry is spread throughout, so you will be delighted by the setting no matter where you are.

As you walk through the village, you will notice that you are part of the Faire! You will be greeted by townspeople. You can participate as little or as much as you like. My daughter loves to dress up. She has been a princess, a fairy and a pirate. If you are looking for neat items for your Renaissance outfit, the Faire is the place to do some shopping. As you stroll through, you will find many stores and artisans. Besides fun additions to your apparel, you also may find some pottery or candles for the home, decorations for the garden or toys for the kiddos.

My daughter enjoys the rides at the Faire. One of her favorites happens to the boats. For this ride, each rider pulls on a rope to keep the ride moving. On a warm day, this ride really keeps you cool! The rides are all human-powered---entirely fitting in with the theme.

 

When my daughter was younger, we spent much of our time in the children's areas. There is a magical area with a pirate ship for kids to explore. Nearby, there is a stage where shows geared specifically towards children are performed. On one occasion, my daughter learned how to speak pirate! There is also an area where kids can climb around a castle. Near the castle, kids can use sticks to move boats.

Now that my daughter is older, she thoroughly enjoys the shows. The Mud Show is guaranteed to have her smiling. We also enjoy the joust and Moonie's comedy show. During this visit, we watched Sirena which is a show based on the mythical Sirens. My daughter was definitely mystified!

Indulging and imbibing are also a part of the Faire. The first time I visited the Faire I was amazed by the food options. Of course, there are the standard favorites like a turkey leg or a pickle. But, kabobs, cheese fritters, shepherd's pie, sandwiches, calzones, chocolate dipped cheesecake, scones and more can be found. Trust me, there is a lot to choose from!

A visit to the Renaissance Faire is a full day experience! We always have so much fun when we visit that we are amazed by how fast time passes! If you are looking for something a little different this weekend, the Renaissance Faire is sure to be a memorable experience! The Faire is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM-7PM through Sept 2, 2013. It will also be open on Labor Day. Tickets cost $19.95 per adult and $9.50 per child. Children 4 and under are free. There are some activities, including the rides, that may cost additional money. You can receive a discount by purchasing your tickets online or at Walgreen's. The Renaissance Faire is located at 12550 120th Ave., Kenosha, WI.

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Healing from the inside out {rediscover your center with Samana from Kidz N Moms}

Calm

Wake up. Take a shower. Get the kids up. Get breakfast. Take the dogs out. Feed the dogs. Make lunches. Get the kids to school. Go to work. Answer phone calls. Go to meetings. Squeeze in lunch. Work some more. Leave work. Get the kids. Go home. Let the dogs out. Shuttle kids to activities. Collect kids. Go home. Make dinner. Work on homework. Clean. Sneak in some work. Get the kids ready for bed. Maybe have 5 minutes to yourself or to spend with hubby. Pass out.

This is a simplified version of what an average day looks like for many of us. We leave very little time for ourselves. {I can hear my husband moaning as I stop to clean on my way to actually sitting and watching a show with him at about 10:00PM on any given night. I just do not know how to turn myself off.} Often, we take care of ourselves last and wait to do something about our health until we have a major situation.

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Samana Jasper of Kidz N Moms. Samana believes in healing ourselves from the inside out. She strives to help parents and their children attain their best health through balance. Often we get into a rut and we just want to fix problems instead of fostering our health before those problems arise. However, Samana takes a different approach and helps us work with our own energy to heal and bring out the best health possible. Samana uses her background as a physical therapist as well as her certifications in yoga and energy healing to help you heal.

Samana's office is a calm, nurturing space. I found it to be free of clutter with plenty of space--the perfect place to expand oneself. For the session, we focused on my health. Since my daughter is on summer break, she tagged along. Samana has a wonderful kids' activity area for little ones to relax while mom and dad are focusing on themselves! Complete with a chalkboard, drawing pages and more, kids are entertained using their minds while you have your session.

Samana has a positive yet calm demeanor and exudes confidence in being able to help you make energy shifts to improve your health. Samana and I began our journey by having a conversation about the stressors in my life. During the conversation, Samana provided me with some strategies for handling some of the communication issues that I have been having. She also began teaching me how to center myself and keep myself in the present instead of dwelling on the past or fretting about the future.

Next, Samana worked on determining more specifically where my body needed shifts. During the process, you are very calm and in a state of meditation. Samana taught me how to breathe effectively to balance my body. I was very at peace at the end of the session.

An inviting space for your healing.

The key to keeping balance and bringing out your best health is to listen to your body. I have been focusing on my breathing since meeting Samana and have found it effective in keeping me balanced. I focus on my breathing every morning and evening and am happier and more in the now. At the onset of a bout of stress, I can successfully use my breathing to bring myself back.

Healing is a process and Samana is there for you. After your session, she will set up a time to connect with you and check on your progress. She will also let you know at what intervals you should return for your best health. Everyone is different, so your healing strategy will be unique to you! Samana can also work with you during remote sessions via Skype or over the phone. She makes healing such a pleasant, convenient experience.

Kidz N Moms provides a tranquil space

Concerned with the whole family, Samana also helps children with energy shifts. She is very active in the community and holds yoga classes and workshops to help empower families. Samana keeps a calendar on the Kidz N Moms website that you can follow to learn about her sessions.



My experience with Samana has definitely improved my well-being. If you would like to learn more about Samana and Kidz N Moms, Samana can easily be reached by telephone at 312 256 5662 or email at samana@kidznmoms.com. Update: Kidz N Moms has moved to these two locations since the publishing of this post: 13557 Southwest Highway,  Orland Park, IL 60462 Or 910 Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL 60025
**Disclosure: I received a complimentary session at Kidz N Moms in order to conduct an accurate review. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

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Faith Lutheran Church Search for a Part-Time Preschool Teacher

Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights is looking for a part-time Preschool Teacher to start this Fall! Jori Reuter, the Preschool Director, has asked that I share information about the position with you. Please share this with anyone that you think would be interested in this position:

Part-time Pre-K Teacher for a Multiage (3-5 years) Pre-K Classroom in the morning.

Preschool at Faith Lutheran Church Opening Fall 2013!

Purpose:  To provide a warm, nurturing, Christ-centered, safe and loving environment where children’s faith is nurtured and where self-concepts are enhanced, independence is encouraged and individuality is respected. 

Responsibilities:

Models Behavior

-Lives the Christian faith

-Relates joyfully and sensitively to children

-Smiles, laughs, uses a pleasant voice

-Prays with and for others

-Acknowledges and respects others’ feelings

-Works cooperatively with others

-Compliments good behavior and corrects inappropriate behavior

-Builds and strengthens positive relationships with other congregation program staff and volunteers.

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Traviata {a sweet treat in Lisle}

We were first introduced to Traviata Chocolate and Gelato Cafe when we attended the Chocolate Expo at the Morton Arboretum this past February. Since the cafe is near the Arboretum and we visit the Arboretum frequently, I knew that a trip to Traviata was in our future.

After a recent afternoon at the Arboretum, we decided to head over to Traviata for a little sweet treat. The chocolate cafe is pretty close to the Arboretum, so it makes for a nice way to cap off a wonderful day! The cafe has a number of indulgences including handmade truffles, gelato, espresso drinks, chocolate drinks and more.

Each with a sweet tooth to satiate, my daughter and I made a beeline for the chocolate counter to peruse the truffles. We chose the dark chocolate truffle and the raspberry truffle. We opted to sample (devour) the dark chocolate truffle at the cafe. The truffle was perfectly rich--just what you would expect from a truffle. The shell was a little hard so it was difficult to split with a buddy! However, we definitely enjoyed our chocolate delight.

We brought our raspberry truffle home to enjoy. The raspberry truffle was a bit softer, making it easier to split. The truffle was delicious! It was a bit sweeter than the dark chocolate truffle and had a light raspberry taste.

Traviata is so close to the Arboretum that I am sure we will stop in again! Next on our agenda--gelato. As we walked into to Traviata, a satisfied customer proclaimed that he was eating the best gelato ever! I may have to take his recommendation!


Traviata Chocolate and Gelato Cafe is located at 1111 Burlington Ave., Suite 101 in Lisle, Illinois.

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Volo Auto Museum {Coupon}

Disclosure: We will receive complimentary admission to the Volo Auto Museum in order to make an accurate review. No compensation was receive. All opinions are 100% our own.

Have you visited the Volo Auto Museum yet? If you haven't or if you would like to return, we have a coupon for you! The coupon is good for $2 off of each adult admission up to 6 adults and is valid until 12/31/13. It is always nice to get a deal!

I have not visited the Volo Auto Museum yet, but it has been on my list for quite
some time. The Hollywood car collection sounds like it would be neat to see. My daughter will certainly love to see Lightning McQueen and who can resist the Mystery Machine? Of course, who could stop by without seeing the vintage cars? There is a lot to see!

Here is some further information from the Volo Auto Museum:


Volo Auto Museum is not just for car lovers or men, its fun for the whole family!  The Museum covers 36 acres, mostly all indoors and includes fifty thousand square feet of antiques and gifts, a life like military combat zone, Betty's Diner featuring decor which includes Elvis Presley's autographed guitar, PeeWee Hermans Bicycle and more.  Plus there are over 300 restored collector automobiles from the early teens through today.  


The Museum houses the  largest collection of famous Hollywood TV and movie cars like the Batmobile, Ecto 1 from Ghostbusters and numerous others.  New for 2013 is the Cars in Wonderland Exhibit; it has all your favorite childhood cars from the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine to Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater from CARS in an all surrounded by movie-like setting from your favorite Disney and Looney Tunes Cartoons such as Beauty and the Beast, Litter Mermaid, Coyote and Road Runner and others. 


Volo Auto Museum is more than a car museum, its memories and education for all ages!

Our readers can save up to $12 on admission with this coupon.

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Sandy Castle for Sandy Relief {Jersey Strong}

With a mission to support Sandy relief efforts, sand sculptor Ed Jarrett set out to craft a masterpiece to honor the Jersey Shore. Jarrett sculpted his magnificent castle at Jenkinson's Beach in Point Pleasant, an area impacted by the storm. What an impressive way to welcome summer to the shore in its first season since Sandy!

My sister recently visited the Sandy Castle and sent some pictures for me to share with you. I am originally from New Jersey and saw many of my family and friends affected by the storm. The first few weeks after the storm were especially difficult for everyone in New Jersey. While life has eased for many, there still are families in need because of the storm damage.

Some of the places that live in my childhood memories were changed forever. In fact, we took my daughter to Jenkinson's Beach, a place where I used to play with my siblings, just two years ago. I am definitely glad to hear about how the state has worked to recover from the storm.

It is truly inspiring to see Jarrett's dedication to helping the relief effort:

The Sandy Castle's official ribbon cutting ceremony was held on July 16. Admission consists of a donation of $2 per adult and $1 per child to benefit Hometown Heroes. Hometown Heroes is an organization that helps those in need in local communities. Following its mission, Hometown Heroes is helping those affected by Sandy.

The Sandy Castle has already raised more than $20,000 to aid those affected by Sandy. Wow! Jarrett says that over 2,500 children helped him construct the Sandy Castle. Overall, 4,500 volunteers aided in the effort. The scale of this tribute is amazing!

To see more about the Sandy Castle, you can check the Sandy Castle Facebook page. Also, the Brick Patch has a nice article about the effort. Jarrett is set to craft another sand castle with eyes on the Guinness Record. He attempted breaking the record with the Sandy Castle, however complications from restoration efforts in the area made construction a little more difficult than he expected. We will have to wait and see if he breaks the record--a record he set in Connecticut, in fact!

If you would like to donate to Hometown Heroes, you can do so through Jarrett's website. There are still many families in need as a result of the damaging storm. The restoration effort is ongoing but has made great progress!

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OraMD Natural Toothpaste Review and Giveaway {7/25/13}

**Disclosure: Product was received for the purpose of facilitating this review. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Recently, I received the opportunity to try OraMD, a natural liquid toothpaste, mouthwash and breath freshener. I am currently in the process of unjunking my cosmetics (a long process, indeed), so I thought that I would give it a try.

First, I would like to share a little about the product itself. OraMD is formulated from peppermint, spearmint and almond botanical oils. OraMD is produced in the U.S.A., is vegan and is not tested on animals. Here is some information about the purposes of each oil in the formulation:

Peppermint: Effective against 22 bacterial strains in laboratory studies. Possesses highly potent antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.   

Spearmint: Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-spasmodic properties. The antibacterial effects have been found to be very potent against the proliferation of several pathogenic bacteria.

Almond: Acts as an emollient for the other two oils as it is an excellent carrier oil. 

The product does come in a small, neat little bottle. Being an oil, however, a little goes a long way. When you use the product, you will only need a few drops. The bottle easily dispenses the product. No issues!

My impressions:

OraMD does take a bit of time to get used to. Oils are pretty strong by nature. When using, be sure to follow instructions. When you are instructed to use just 2-5 drops for toothpaste, stick to this. I found the OraMD to be a little strong for me as toothpaste, even after the 7 day trial period. I would recommend starting with just the 2 drops at first.

I also used OraMD as a mouthwash. As a mouthwash, I combined a couple of drops with water. Easy! I found that the product quickly and effectively freshened my breath. As a mouthwash, I did not find OraMD to be too strong! Since OraMD is in a compact bottle, you can easily bring it with you for breath freshening purposes!

Would you like to try OraMD for yourself? The manufacturer is willing to offer my readers one FREE bottle. They would love to have our readers try out OraMD and will send one bottle FREE if our readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge.  They will include 2 eye-opening reports called 1) “The 6 Hidden Dangers In Toothpaste” and 2) “Why The FDA Requires A Warning Label On Your Toothpaste.”  That’s a total value of over $40.00.  Click here for this offer.

Additionally, OraMD has so generously offered 3 bottles for us to giveaway to our readers! This giveaway is open to readers in the U.S.A. and Canada 18-years-old and older. The products will be mailed from the company to the winners (Two Moms is not responsible for mailing the products). Winners are not responsible for shipping costs. The giveaway will end on July 25, 2013. To enter, please check below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Olive Artichoke Tapenade {Munchie Monday}

We had a great olive tapenade while on a recent trip. I was actually shocked that I liked because I normally am not a fan of tapenade. I was immediately inspired to create my own at home. We love to keep things simple here. This is recipe is amazingly easy but flavorful!


Ingredients:

1 cup black olives, pitted and drained
3/4 cup sundried tomatoes (without oil)
1/3 cup artichokes, drained

Directions:

Put ingredients into food processor. Pulse until the mixture has a fine paste texture. Serve with crackers, bread or even in a crêpe. {I ate some in crêpe. Yummy!}
 

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Home Depot Gardening Club {ideas and savings}

I know that a number of you have been interested in this program in the past. However, it always seems to fill up so quickly! Here is a link for the Home Depot Gardening Club. You can sign up to receive ideas and savings via email.

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Simple ideas for celebrating Bastille Day {adding French flair}

Today is Bastille Day! Life is short, so in my house we try to celebrate every occasion that we can. Of course, our affinity for all things French does make it rather easy for us to celebrate Bastille Day! You do not have to go all out to do something special for Bastille Day. With the ideas below, you are sure to find the perfect way to celebrate the day:

• Head over to the library and read about France, French culture or someone important to French history. Our library even has a French section where you can pick up a book in French to read.
• Make crêpes. Alton Brown has a pretty easy crêpe recipe that is my go to. You can find it over at Food Network. These crepes are great with some fresh fruit!
• Go to a farmer's market. The French are famous for their markets. Bastille Day can be the perfect excuse to purchase some fresh items at your local farmer's market. You may even be able to score yourself a baguette!
• Put together a cheese platter. Use a selection of French cheeses along with some fruit and a baguette or crackers to make a nice spread!
• Have a nice breakfast outside complete with croissants and some chocolat chaud. You can picture yourself at a French cafe! Why not add some French preserves to your spread?
• Learn about the history of Bastille Day. The History Channel is an excellent and easily accessible resource for information on La Fête Nationale!
  
  La Fête Nationale,
  La Fête Nationale
  La Fête Nationale!
• How about crafting a mosaic French flag? There is an adorable French flag craft over on President and many more Batille Day craft ideas!
• Learn a little French! BBC actually has a number of great resources for learning French. Their page for children is really fun for both parents and kids to use! The page includes audio files, making learning a few words très facile!

With these ideas, celebrating Bastille Day is pretty easy! Vive la France!

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Homemade earwig spray {easy}

Our bird feeders have been quite the hotbed of activity this year. However, being popular does come with its consequences. While we were on vacation, a number of earwigs decided to take up residence behind one of the feeders. {Yuck!} We have one of those feeders that is attached to our window in order to view the birds. So, the new inhabitants really made for a pleasant view!

We ended up spraying the feeder with water, taking it down and cleaning it again to get rid of the earwigs. However, they came back. Ick! A couple of weeks ago, I made a homemade concoction to combat broccoli worms. I still had some left, so I tried it on the earwigs. After a couple of applications, it seems to have worked. {Holding breath...holding...holding}

I learned about the homemade spray from Ehow Home. It is super simple and you probably have the ingredients in your home. I adapted the recipe a little, so here it goes:

Ingredients:

1 quart warm water
1 small yellow onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp liquid dish soap

Directions: 

Puree the first four ingredients. Then, let the concoction steep for about an hour. Next, put the concoction through a strainer, reserving the liquid (your solution). Add the liquid dish soap. Then, pour your solution into a spray bottle. When you are ready to apply, make sure you wear gloves.(Trust me, your hands will be happy.)

I had to apply the spray a couple of times to where my little friends were hanging out to get them all to skeedaddle.

You can refrigerate the solution for about a week. Mine was little older than that and still worked.

As for the broccoli worms--the jury is still deliberating on that one. I will keep you posted!

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Spinning, splashing, bouncing and laughing at Holiday World and Splashin' Safari

**Disclosure: We received complimentary admission in order to facilitate an accurate review. No compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.
 
While we were in Santa Claus, Indiana, we had the opportunity to visit Holiday World and Splashin' Safari. Before our visit, my daughter had never been to an amusement park other than Disney World before. We were all very excited for her first visit!

The Sparkler for the Fourth!

For those of you with little ones ready to begin their amusement park careers, Holiday World and Spashin' Safari is the place! First of all, the theme is fresh and unique. The Holiday World section of the park is set up into four different holiday-themed sections. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July and Christmas--you will find them all here. The rides match the theme of the holiday. Plus, where else can you find a Thanksgiving dinner in May?

Additionally, there are rides appropriate for every age which makes choosing pretty easy. My daughter loved racing around on the wooden roller coasters. She loved the roller coasters except for the Legend which was a little too much for her (and me as well). However, all of the other rides delighted us including the Gobbler Getaway where we used little "stun guns" to round up loose turkeys. (Nothing like a little family competition on vacation!)

There is a nice play area for the littler ones!

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Slaying Travel Stress When You are on the Road With Kids {Guest Post by Kendra Thornton}

I know that many of you are in the midst of traveling or creating summer travel plans. Along with summer travel comes making important choices that can either make or break your vacation. To save you some of the planning headache, we have a guest post from Kendra Thornton, travel expert, with tips for reducing your travel stress. Kendra has been featured on several television outlets. She is also a full time mother of three. Thank you, Kendra, for these wonderful tips!

If you frequently feel as if family vacations leave you frazzled rather than rejuvenated, you might benefit from engaging in some preparation measures that are designed to help travel go more smoothly for parents of small children. After all, it's your vacation too and you deserve to come home feeling relaxed and refreshed. Naturally, you're going to want your family to be safe, happy and healthy while on vacation, but you also don't want to micromanage every aspect of your trip. Following are five tips that can help you slay travel stress without taking away from your family's fun.

Tip 1: Making the right hotel choice can make a lot of difference in the quality of your stay. You probably already know that tired, cranky toddlers can create conditions that aren't conducive to family fun, so don't be tempted to take the cheapest hotel deal. Paying a little more for rooms in an establishment that practices family-friendly policies such as quiet hours can be well worth the money. Many Orlando hotels offer quiet hours policies to ensure that their visitors get a proper night’s sleep with their children! I enjoy using travel sites to sift through family-friendly reviews to find these little great tips and tricks!

Tip 2: Depending solely on restaurants and snack bars for sustenance can be a huge mistake if you are vacationing with children. Before you make a final commitment to specific rooms, make sure that they are equipped with a mini fridge and a microwave. This will allow you to provide hungry children with healthy snacks.

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Christmas cheer all year in Santa Claus, Indiana!

While researching holiday activity ideas last Christmas, I learned about Santa Claus, Indiana. A town named after Santa with fun Christmasy things to do throughout the year! Too much fun! Several months later, I visited Santa Claus, Indiana and witnessed its holiday magic for myself. The town is truly spirited, with Christmas flair spread throughout from the sites to the decor to the names of the streets. Christmas all year round is definitely a dream for many children! Santa Claus delivers special Christmas magic to all who visit!


The Santa Claus Museum and Village is the perfect place to start when visiting the spirited town. You are probably wondering how Santa Claus obtained such a fanciful name. Well, you will learn this and much more at the museum. The museum has quite a collection of documents, artifacts and photos pertaining to the history of Santa Claus, Indiana. We enjoyed taking some time to peruse the curios and look through the photos documenting Santa Claus history. We also enjoyed watching a video about Holiday World, the theme park making its home in Santa Claus. The Museum truly acquaints visitors with the town.

On the museum grounds, kids love to visit the Post Office to write letters to Santa. My daughter enjoyed writing her letter to Santa. After putting her letter in to a mailbox, she gingerly rang some bells to alert the elves to the new piece mail! One day in the future, my daughter will receive a surprise message from the big man himself!

In addition to the Post Office, you will find a charming stone statue of the jolly St. Nick. Also, you will discover a church built in 1880. Daily tours of the church are available, so you will want to check in the museum for details. The museum is free. However, donations are welcome to help finance Santa's letters.

After visiting the museum, you may have the urge for something sweet. Nearby, you will find Santa's Candy Castle. Santa's Candy Castle is full of sweets for everyone. With so many sweets, what could  Santa's Candy Castle be known for? When visiting, do not miss trying one of the hot cocoas or the frozen hot cocoa. The Candy Castle has many unique blends of hot cocoa to choose from. We enjoyed the dark chocolate raspberry. Divine! There is more to the Candy Castle than treats! While at the Candy Castle, the kids can live chat with elves at a computer station (for a charge). After the chat, the kids will leave with documentation that they are on the "Good List." Also, have fun browsing the decor and using the candy machines. Unfortunately, the candy machines were not functional when we visited. The Candy Castle has a large collection of Christmas books. Christmas books always make nice gifts!

What is a Christmas themed town without a Christmas store? The Santa Claus Christmas Store wowed us from the moment we walked in. The store is quite literally bursting with ornaments. Everywhere you look--from ceiling to floor--there is a little holiday surprise. My daughter was in heaven when she found the nutcrackers. She spent quite some time studying the wall--yes, entire wall--of nutcrackers! If your sweet tooth is nagging you while visiting, you can stop for a little fudge and then continue exploring. The Christmas Village section of the store is spectacular! This past Christmas, we had fun visiting model railroads and we each tried to out do each other with identifying miniature details. So, we delighted in looking at all of the details in the Christmas Store's village section.

If you are visiting Santa Claus, Indiana, I recommend working on some of your Christmas shopping while at the Santa Claus Christmas Store. With nearly 5,000 ornaments, the store really does have something for everyone. Plus, from Star Wars nutcrackers to pieces for a Williamsburg Christmas village to a motorcycle Santa, you can easily find a personalized gift for someone special in your life.

We enjoyed our visit to Santa Claus, Indiana. Being able to enjoy some Christmas magic in the summer is definitely a treat to kids young and old! For more on what we did in Santa Claus, please check out my Trekaroo reviews.

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Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Wishing you and your family a happy Fourth of July!

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