Breaking news…LAUNCH Trampoline Parkin Ann Arbor is now open! Launch is more than just a trampoline park. They are a premium experience that provides year round family fun! It’s ideal for kids, teens and adults that like to be active.
Launch has giant trampoline jump surfaces, ninja obstacle courses, climbing walls, laser tag, battle pits, bowling, an arcade and Krave restaurant. It’s an all in one indoor destination for fun (especially during these gloomy winter months!). Launch is also available to rent for birthdays, fundraisers, work outings, field trips, sports teams, churches, etc. so many possibilities for friends and families to get together.
LAUNCH Trampoline Park also has Toddler Time every Friday from 10-12am and each Saturday from 9-10am. This is such an amazing option for little ones to socialize with their peers and get active before they are in school.
***GIVEAWAY***
GIVEAWAY! I’m lucky enough to partner with LAUNCH to be able to giveaway (1) family four pack of SUPERCHARGED tickets to LAUNCH Trampoline Park in Ann Arbor valued at $32 each! The tickets include the All-Day Action Passes and 60 Arcade Credits! Please enter using the rafflecopter below or by following this link. Must be a US resident and 18+ to enter. Good luck!
Hands down, my favorite cartoon growing up was Rugrats on Nickelodeon. I can still do the best Tommy voice! I’m really excited to partner up with Paramount to send one lucky reader Rugrats: Season 1, Volume 2 DVD! Enter below….
If you don’t remember, Rugrats include Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, Susie, Phil and Lil and all of their friends as they learn about holiday traditions, use their detective skills to solve mysteries in a way only a baby could, and more!
Rugrats: Season 1, Volume 2 episodes includes original episodes from this hilarious crew of babies. They continue to find themselves in a variety of situations by using their wild imaginations, including a daring outer space mission, an epic treasure hunt, a spooky Halloween party and so much more! This DVD also includes a two, half-hour holiday-themed specials.
Rugrats: Season 1, Volume 2 will be available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment on March 7, 2023 – or – you can win it here!
***Enter to win***
Enter below to win! US residents only (can not deliver to a PO Box) and must be 18+ to enter. Enter via the Rafflecopter link below!
As much as I love celebrating Valentine’s Day with my boys, I dislike all the candy associated with the day. Same with Halloween, it’s candy overload! Here are a few Valentine’s Day treat options that don’t include candy, and I’m sure other classroom moms & dads will thank you for it!
Mini bubble popper keychains – I wouldn’t mind getting one of these for myself! These come in a pack of 48 for $19.99 + Prime free shipping.
Tic-Tac-Toe boards – As a parent, I love this idea. The gift that keeps on giving. Fun to keep in my purse or car for when the kids get bored. $13.59 for 28!
I am so excited to host a giveaway for 4 tickets to ‘Twas the Night Before…by Cirque du Soleil in Detroit! The show opens December 15th and will be an amazing way to get into the holiday spirit. The show will be the Fox Theater – just in time to see all of the gorgeous holiday decor at the Fox!
“‘Twas the Night Before…” by Cirque du Soleil is an exhilarating spin on the beloved Christmas classic as only Cirque du Soleil could imagine. Join Isabella, a curious girl, jaded by the craze surrounding Christmas, as she is whisked away to an upside-down, inside-out world of the poem where she meets colorful characters of this timeless classic. Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever Christmas show, ‘Twas the Night Before… is a flurry of love, Christmas cheer, rip-roaring fun and hugely lovable characters that will become a new tradition for families to cherish.
Enter to win 4 tickets to opening night in Detroit! The 4 tickets will be good for the 7:30pm EST show on Thursday, December 15th. Enter below!
Our family did 5 days in Sedona, Arizona and it did not disappoint. My boys are 7 and 4 and they were the perfect age for this trip. I’m so glad we waited for them to be old enough to do the hikes themselves. We traveled at the end of April and the weather was absolutely perfect. 80s every day, but the dry heat made it comfortable and it was a fabulous escape from the cold Michigan spring we’d been having.
We traveled on Thursday afternoon. Leaving Detroit at 1:30pm EST got us into Phoenix around 2:30pm PST. By the time we rented our car and drove to Sedona, it was 7pm PST, which was 10pm EST….WAY past bedtime. We got burgers to go and the boys went right to bed. Since hiking is best early AM, we knew we’d be in a good position for the boys to wake up early and hit the trails.
Sedona was surreal.
We met the most interesting and friendly people wherever we went. Everyone was so friendly and it was fun getting to know other people’s stories. We met a lady named Misty that has been traveling the US living out of her Suburban. Her work is fully remote which allows her to work anywhere with wifi. We hung out with her for hours at Grasshopper Point just talking about all the cool places she’s been. We also met Harry, a war veteran and retired college professor, who volunteers at the parks so he was able to give us great park recommendations. Everywhere we went we made friends.
Hikes
Bell Rock – Easy hike to the base of the mountain. From there the trails weren’t 100% clear so we didn’t go up too far, I’d say ¼ the way up. Beautiful views of Sedona from the base. We got to the trailhead around 6:45am PST and there were plenty of spots, but when we left around 7:30 it was pretty full.
Soldier’s Pass (includes Devil’s Kitchen and Seven Sacred Pools) – This was our longest, hardest hike. Round trip from the parking lot (taking shuttle back) took about 5 hours. At the end of the hike we were out of water, tired, and felt amazingly accomplished! At the time, our boys were 4.5 and 7 years old. They did this hike with ease, like champs, however, they are use to long hikes. My youngest needed a little bit of help during the last 15 minute of the hike – the ascent to the top was extremely steep!
Parking was tricky for this one. When we were there, you could not park at the trailhead. There was designated parking about 1 mile away. There is a shuttle that will pick you up from parking lot and drop you off at the trailhead (and then also take you back to parking lot), but it only runs every 20 or so minutes. We parked and missed the bus so ended up walking the extra mile to the trailhead. At the end of the hike, we were too tired to walk another mile with the kids, so we waited about 20 minutes for the shuttle and it was worth the air conditioned ride.
The first sight you get to is Devil’s Kitchen, which is a huge sinkhole. This is only a 10 min walk from the trailhead.
Then you walk on to the Seven Sacred Pools, which is only another 20 or so minutes.
If you continue to the top of the mountain to see the caves, it’s about another hour, and towards the end it gets tricky. It’s more climbing, some small pases, but totally do-able for my kids.
When you get to the top, there is a narrow climb that is tricky, that gets you to the caves. My husband and oldest son did it, but I stayed back with Xavier. It was a very small passage way and ledge so my husband was afraid of my 4 year old being up there. However, I saw kids his age get up there so I know it’s possible, just not for us that day.
We took a small rest at the top and took in the views. Had a snack, drank some water, and then trekked down.
Grasshopper Point – Beautiful spot, with water! The boys were so excited to swim, even if it was really cold! It was $11 to get in without a pass. We got a great spot after breakfast around 9:30am. It was a short walk to the creek that had little mini waterfalls. It was a bit of a rocky walk to get to the creek. Great spot to put down a blanket and picnic. I heard that people also fish there as well but we left our poles in the car.
Chapel of Holy Cross – Not really a hike, but worth checking out! We parked fairly close, only a 5 minute walk up to the Chapel. Beautiful views from the top and you can see the ‘Eagle’ carved into the mountain. We went into the chapel to say a prayer and then made room for others to sit.
Crescent Moon & Buddha beach – This was a beautiful spot in West Sedona. We arrived right when the park opened and it wasn’t that busy, but when we were leaving around noon cars were lined up to get in and park. This is a short walk to the creek and lots to explore. There is a large area of red rock where people were hanging out. We found a few different spots we could walk across the creek in water shoes which the boys thought was a lot of fun. We lounged on a huge red rock and picnicked while the boys explored (within our view).
FOOD
Main advice: Make reservations ahead of time. Like, way ahead of time. Months! I didn’t because I wasn’t sure what time we’d be eating dinner (wasn’t sure if we’d stay close to EST schedule), so a few restaurants we showed up right at opening and snuck in, and got a few meals to go to eat on our balcony. I tried to sneak in a reservation at Elote Cafe and they were booking out two months ahead.
Here are the places we tried….
Butterfly Burger – OMG so good. We ate here twice. This is not a Burger King burger. These delicious gourmet burgers are so good and huge. Also recommend their sweet potato fries. Lisa Dahl is a famous chef who owns a few restaurants in the area.
Cucina Rustica – Another Lisa Dahl restaurant. This is upscale Italian (husband was asked to remove his hat in the dining room). The food was great. My boys split the seafood pasta and dominated it. I can’t believe they ate the clams and mussels!
Elote Cafe – We got this to go. Highly recommend trying to get a dining reservation. The Elote dip was delicious. I may try to recreate it at home.
Creekside American Bistro – We had an awesome brunch here. We got a spot on the patio with an epic view! Highly recommend their homemade croissants as an appetizer.
Sedona Crepes – Delicious sweet and savory crepes and delicious coffee! Boys tried crepes and they were a hit. I had the breakfast tacos and they were delicious!
Red Rock Cafe – This was walking distance from our condo. My boys loved the banana bread french toast, and I heard their cinnamon rolls are awesome.
Coffee Pot – This restaurant is known for their 101 omelet options. Their enclosed patio is really pretty. Great coffee and fun mugs (I tried to buy one, but they are no longer making new ones).
Rocky’s Ice Cream – This was the treat for the boys complete Soldier’s Pass with almost no complaints.
Oak Creek Espresso – STRONG iced coffee if you need a jolt!
SHOPPING
I did not visit Sedona to shop, however, I love a cute downtown with souvenir and jewelry shops. Uptown Sedona has two separate shopping areas, Tlaquepaque (pronounced T-la-keh-pah-keh), is Sedona Arts & Crafts Village, and then about a half mile up A89 there are several clusters of shopping areas.. There are several crystals/rocks, jewelry and t-shirt souvenir shops. This is also where you can sign up Pink Jeep and Trolley tours.
The boys were given souvenir money from their Nonni, so they were excited to shop. I was also on a mission to get a fun souvenir mug (I collect them from our vacations). The souvenir stores mostly carry the same things. I did enjoy visiting Red Rock Apothecary. Their prickly pear perfume oil is my new favorite sweet scent for summer.
GENERAL TIPS
I loved our coordinating shirts from KeepNatureWild.com
If you are from EST, stay on CST timing for an easy transition back with kids, especially if you will be in Sedona for less than a week.
We used the AllTrails.com app to keep a pulse on the crowds, parking situations and research difficulty levels. It’s free!
Water shoes came in handy for walking across creeks, playing in the water, etc. I bought the boys their first pair of Keens and they didn’t disappoint. I was surprised they didn’t have issues with rocks getting inside them.
Don’t bring your ‘good’ sneakers- my beige New Balance shoes are now tinted mauve from the red rocks. I don’t care one bit, but just a warning 🙂
Bring a cooler backpack for hikes! This is similar to the one we used. It kept our water water cold during our longest hikes.
If you think you have enough water packed for a hike, pack more. We fell short on our 5 hour hike so please learn a lesson from my failure.
If your kids like to fish, check out these travel fishing poles. These were easy to pack in our suitcases. Grasshopper Point and Crescent Moon Beach would be great spots to fish.
The views are absolutely breathtaking and make for amazing photo opportunities (but please, be careful while taking photos and selfies)! I packed the boys matching shirts and a few coordinating shirts for all 4 of us just to make the photos that much cuter. Check out this retailer with an amazing cause, Keep Nature Wild. Their products are designed in Arizona and ‘made for the wild.’ For every apparel product sold they pick up one pound of trash via nationwide community cleanups. They have dedicated Wild Keeper Ambassadors that spend time tiding up their community and when you purchase an item they will include a biodegradable trash bag so you can pick up in your own neighborhood.
Have you been to Sedona yet? If so, please share your favorite hike or adventure in the comments! Or better yet, let me know of another awesome hiking spot for our family to adventure to!
We’re always on the lookout for a new animated film in theater, especially for rainy summer days! Paws of Fury is out NOW in theaters and comes with a big name cast, including Michael Cera, Samuel L. Jackson, Ricky Gervais and more. It’s rated PG and has an adorable plot….
A hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs! Also starring Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim.
Did you see this in the theater yet? If so please comment below and let me know what you thought! We’ll be going to the theater next week to check it out.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies
Greenbush and Harrisville, MI are a little slice of heaven just waiting for you to experience them! Beautiful sunrises, beaches and the nicest people. Below are tips and recommendations when visiting with families!
What to pack:
Beaches are a combination of soft sand and rocks, and change daily. One morning we will wake up and have a rocky beach, and the next day it’s sand for as far as the eye can see. Be prepared and bring water shoes! I love these water shoes for my boys, and also recommend these for Men and these for Women.
Bring life jackets if you want to swim! We also heard that boogie boards are a good option for the waves when a bit calmer.
Sunscreen & hats! Even when it’s very chilly the sun will get you.
It gets chilly at night…make sure to pack long pants and a sweatshirt to stay warm and protect yourself from mosquitoes.
If you visit in the winter, pack your snow pants and snow boots! It’s a ton of fun to hike up and down the beaches in the snow and see the ice volcanoes along the Lake Huron shore!
Where to eat:
Breakfast:
The Red Fork – Hands down best breakfast in area. On Sundays they feature a special benedict menu. Their kids funfetti pancakes are delicious. And you have to try their homemade white bread. And if you want a real treat, their chicken and waffle is just insane in a good way.
Grab a cup of coffee from Alcona Coffee Co. They have wifi and an ice cream shop next door.
Connie’s is also a good breakfast spot about 20 min north on US 23. Their homemade cinnamon rolls are a real treat.
Bobcat Bar & Grille have a Sunday Brunch, this is on the Greenbush Golf Course, walking distance from our cottage. This spot is only open during golf season.
Dinner:
We highly recommend The Red Fork for dinner too. Their whitefish and cod are delicious. Also try the loaded mac & cheese.
Alcona Brew Haus– They have great food and are a good spot if you have allergy concerns.
Harbortown Pizza – They have inconsistent hours but their pizza is great and makes for an easy dinner. Make sure to get the stuffed cheese bread.
Shotmakers for bar food and they have live music on the weekends.
Bobcat Bar & Grill – Recommend the Bunker Burger and spicy cheese balls.
Where to shop:
For small things you forget (shampoo, toothpaste, etc.) Dollar General has it all. They also have a small grocery section.
If you’re cooking at home, you can find pretty much everything you need at Kris Mart in Lincoln.
Main street in Harrisville has a few resale shops worth checking out for fun finds and local creators.
Beaches:
Three-Mile Beach in Oscoda is a few miles south of Greenbush and has a stream that runs into the lake which is fun for kids to play in.
We popped into the Harrisville library and checked out a few books for the weekend. They have a drop off box so you can return at any time. They also have movies you can check out as well.
When I go to my parents house I like to look at all of my old albums filled with pictures from high school, college and trips with friends. Although I like having these to look back on, I have no idea how I would store all the photos of my kids these days….I take at least 10 photos of them a day! They are all saved in Google Photos but there is something so nice about having them come to life in an album or canvas.
We’ve been having some epic adventures up north this winter and I wanted to bring one of our hiking photos to life. I used Printique to turn it into a canvas so we can admire the picture year round!
Printiqueis an online photo boutique that specializes in printing memories in photo books, prints and wall decor. From start to finish, it took me about 10 minutes to order my canvas! You can sync Printique with your online photo albums or upload individual photos.
I chose to do an 8×10 canvas print of the boys looking out at Lake Huron. It’s by no means a professional photo, it was taken with my Android phone, but getting it professionally put onto a canvas really makes it come alive!
Printique also has photo books. I create a photo book at the end of each school year for my boys. I capture all their art projects, school work, field trips etc. This way I don’t feel guilty about not keeping all of their artwork and keeps clutter down!
I have a special deal for you to try Printique for yourself! Save 15% on your first order with code: WELCOME15. Enjoy bringing your memories to life!
*This post was sponsored but all thoughts are my own
Disney Princess fans old and young, read on! Disney Princesses are magical for all ages, and now the magic is being brought to the Fox Theater March 23 for Disney Princess – The Concert! Read on to see how you can enter to win 4 free tickets to the 7pm show!
Now, for the first time in forever, a quartet of Broadway, television, and animated film icons celebrate all these beloved characters in an unforgettable evening of songs, animation, and stories in Disney Princess – The Concert. Tony®-nominee Susan Egan (original ‘Belle’ in Beauty and the Beast, ‘Meg’ in Hercules), Arielle Jacobs (’Princess Jasmine’ in Aladdin, In the Heights), Disney Channel star Anneliese van der Pol (final ‘Belle’ in Beauty and the Beast and ‘Chelsea Daniels’ on That’s So Raven/Raven’s Home), and Broadway World Award-winner Syndee Winters (‘Nala’ in The Lion King, Hamilton) join forces in this concert of a lifetime, joined by their magical Music Director, Benjamin Rauhala (Fiddler on the Roof) and enchanting Prince, Adam J. Levy (Waitress). Your every dream will come true as larger than life animation and special effects immerse the audience in pure Disney magic, while these acclaimed stars sing the music of every Disney Princess and share their behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the stage and screen. Come be part of our world…dress up in your best royal attire … and join us for an unforgettable evening at Disney Princess – The Concert, presented by Pandora Jewelry.
Be our guest [7:00p, March 23, Detroit, MI Fox theatre] for a magical evening of Disney music, performed by Broadway, television, and animated film stars. Whether you’re reliving your VHS glory days, dressing up as your favorite character, or sharing the joy with your family, Disney Princess – The Concert is an unforgettable celebration not to be missed.
FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER. Giveaway ends March 20 – I’ll email the winner. If the winner doesn’t respond within 24 hours I will select a new winner. Tickets will be emailed. Good luck!
Come on, we all know the song…”Baby Shark! Do-do-do-do-do-do!” I can’t even see that cute baby faced shark without singing it!
Super Shark and Captain Kelp are here to save playtime in this new release DVD! Keep reading to find out how you can win a free copy for your little one!
If you have a little one who loves Baby Shark, they will love this adventure! The Baby Shark’s Big Show! Super Shark DVD features eight episodes and three bonu shorts from Nickelodeon’s new preschool series Baby Shark’s Big Show, co-produced with The Pinkfong Company. Sing and dance along with Baby Shark and his friends as they become superheroes, play on a game show, brave the dark depths of Wavey Jones’ Locker and more!
Here’s a rundown of the episodes:
Captain Kelp Shark-Off The Show Must Flow On Baby Mayor Sink or Swim Shadowland Wavey Jones’ Locker Rocky-Bye
Special Features:
Knock It Off
Goldie’s Lock
Chore Song
The show runs for a 1 hour and 36 min and was released on Feb 1, but you can enter below to win your own copy for free!
***ENTER TO WIN!***
Use this form to enter to win a copy of Baby Shark’s Big Show! Super Shark DVD! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook and/or Pinterest for extra entries!
Contest ends February 15, 2022. Once I select a winner and reach out they will have 24 hour to respond with their mailing address. If I don’t hear back I will select a new winner. Must be 18+ years of age and live in the US.
