Four Fun Family Vacations

Four Fun Family Vacations

By Alexandra Jacobs

If you're planning a summer vacation for your family, you want the time spent to be fun and memorable. There are so many great vacation destinations in the US it may be hard to choose one, but here are four places that will ensure family memories for years to come.

New York City

 Photo by flickr user Eva Abreu

New York City is called “the city that never sleeps” for a good reason. There are so many things to see and do, it's impossible to get to all of them in one trip, but you must visit Manhattan. New York City Real Estate includes skyscrapers that dot the sky amidst the hustle and bustle of pedestrians, taxicabs, shops, restaurants and never-ending nightlife. You can book an all day guided shuttle tour or set your own pace, but either way there are must-see attractions: The Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty; Times Square and Madison Square Gardens; World Trade Center Memorial; Museum of Modern Art; St. Patrick's Cathedral; and Radio City Music Hall. An affordable boutique hotel in Manhattan, The Hotel Alexander, is located near Central Park. It's a block away from the subway and surrounded by great restaurants like Three Guys Restaurant that serves American, Greek and Italian cuisine.

Cape Cod

Photo by flickr user Per Ola Wiberg ~ Pow

Going on Vacation

Hello, :O) well just wanted to drop a note to all my readers and let you know that I am headed out for vacation. I'll try to pop in but sometimes cell service cuts out and I won't be able to make it in. Over the next 10 days I will have several guest posters as well as posts of my own that are preset to post. We are headed to the Colorado area to see areas like Silverton and Chama. We will be doing a little bit of gold panning, off roading and a lot of camping! Don't forget that there will still be giveaways running so make sure to come back for your daily entries. I hope you really enjoy the guest posts please make sure to check out their blogs to thank them for helping me out while I am gone. I hope your family has a fun and safe 4th of July. Stay tuned for lots of fun things when I return hehehe.

Just a test post for my vacation :)

I would love to be able to post while we are out of town. So I figured I would give my mobile app a try :) my to do list is endless for today! I have 3 dogs to wash, laundry to do, dishes, finish packing.........whew it goes on and on. Have you ever tried fitting 10 days worth of goods in a 6 foot pop up camper. It isn't easy! No worries though I'm getting it done hehehe. Well I have to try out the picture option to so here are the chickens :) I hope they do good with my friend here.

Homemade Fly Traps

We all love summer but as the weather gets warmer the flies get worse and worse. We have a bush out front of our house that I swear just attracts every fly in town! I wanted to get rid of them but I didn't want to kill all the wonderful butterflies it also attracts. So I went about finding a new way to kill them all. I had some empty Tazo tea bottles I simply poked a pen sized whole in the top, added 1/2 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of dish soap, and 1 tablespoon of syrup.Now I do find that these work better if you place them in the sun :O) If you want to use a bigger container simply multiply the ingredients. Make sure your hole is only about the size of a pen cap! Then they can't seem to get back out.lol

See the buggy bodies.lol

Just a small hole.

Wordless Wednesday-Nap Time Interupted

Bella Viva Orchards Dried Fruit Review

 

Recently I was given the chance to review a wonderful selection of dried fruit from Bella Viva Orchards. It has been many many years since I have had cried fruits and I'll admit the last ones I had were, well......not very good. When I received my package I was surprised not only by the amount but by the way these fruits looked. They were full, plump, and soft. Nothing like the dried fruits I had eaten before. The Apples were my favorite with just the right amount of tartness to make them enjoyable to snack on. The kids really enjoyed the Yellow Nectarines when I cut them into pieces they ate them just like they were fruit snacks. Now the Black Figs were a little rough to get anyone to try.lol After convincing the kids they tasted just like giant raisins my middle son bit into one and thought it was the best thing he had ever eaten! We have had such a great time eating these fruits and I am glad to have something that is healthy that they will eat. Bella Viva Orchards has such a great selection of items and you can use the code "BELLABUCKS" to get $8 off online orders at BellaViva.com now through the end of July when you order three or more of your favorite dried fruits. (Valid for orders containing 3 or more separate items. Not valid with other promotions. Expires 8/1/12)

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Melting Monday

As West Texas creeps back into the triple digits I keep trying to remind myself why I still live here.lol Then I remember it cost most to move so here we sit and continue to melt. With air conditioners running 24 hours a day and the house keeping to 80+ degrees we are trying to find more and more ways to keep cool! Water needs ice or to be chilled in the fridge. Popsicles get expensive not to mention they aren't great for you. We load up on fruit and fresh veggies and down our smoothies. Still it needs something more! So I am reaching out looking for ideas from my fans :O) Please help us survive the summer!

Making Homemade Butter

It had been YEARS since I had made homemade butter. Not sure why it is fast and easy, not to mention by far the BEST butter ever! With only one ingredient and about 10 minutes you can make it to! Trust me once you start you will never go back to buying that processed stuff in a tub.

*1 Quart Whipping Cream

*1 food processor or blender

It really is simple you will laugh that you have never done it before. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the food processor or blender. Put the lid on and turn on. It will take 5-10 minutes but it will slowly get thicker and thicker. When it starts to separate into a liquid and solid turn off. This liquid is butter milk :O) I keep it to make pancakes and biscuits with. Pressing on the solids will release more of the liquid. Put the solids in a container and TADA butter ;O) now some people add salt I think it is amazing without it. Enjoy!

Evgie Vinyl Wall Art Giveaway

There is nothing more fun then making your house a home. Decorating the walls is one of those fun things that gives your house that little extra bit of love. Problem is, not all of us were born artists, myself included. You want that perfect look without spending thousands of dollars having someone come in and make it perfect. Or maybe you rent a house or apartment and just are not allowed to paint. Evgie and Ev have come up with a solution, beautiful vinyl wall art at an affordable price. Vinyl wall art is is easy to apply to any smooth surface and can be removed any time it is no longer wanted. Evgie.com has a great selection of vinyl wall art and specializes in custom designs to match whatever you may need.

From bedding to painting they can create that special design just for you. I am so excited today to be able to offer you my readers a $100 Gift Certificate good for everything from products to shipping and handling. Make sure you don't miss out on all their great promotions and contests by liking them on Facebook. You'll make sure to never miss a moment by getting their status updates. a Rafflecopter giveaway

**This is a compensated post. That compensation however in no way influenced the writing of these post. All words are that of my own.**

Gardening in West Texas-Scarlet Runner Beans Take 2

Well this is just becoming a gardening trend.lol At the beginning of the season I planted some very special seeds that were given to me from a friend. They were scarlet runner beans and if you are curious you can find hers HERE.Well we were discussing and apparently I'm doing something REALLY wrong.lol Here are my plants.

The crab grass is a constant struggle in this garden! Well apparently that isn't the only thing that is wrong. They should be vines! lol So I built the "proper support structure" and replanted :O) Here they are so far.

So far they look about the same to me.lol But we will see if they vine :O) I would love to actually be able to grow these beans hehehe.

Womens Comstume Review

Now I must admit that I'm not really a costume person but lets face it after 6 years together it never hurts to pull something new into our relationship. So when I was given the chance to review an adult costume I thought it would be perfect. I selected something really cute from the Sexy Costumes. When it arrived I was super excited at the quality of the costume. The material is really thick and well sewn. Like with all my reviews for wearable items I washed it first and it looks just the same as before it went into the wash. There is an amazing selection of adult women's costumes available. I love the costume I received and my husband is pretty fond of it as well. If you are looking for that special costume for a Halloween party or just something special between you and your significant other I recommend this company :O)

Does not come with the black leggings or chicken legs :O)

*I received this product free of charge in order to provide a complete and honest review. Any and all views expressed were that of my own and were in no way influenced**

Wordless Wednesday

11 days and counting I'll be back here ;o)

Salvage That Rusty Cast Iron Pan

Recently I found some cast iron pots and pans outside. Problem was is they were SOOOooo Rusty! I have no idea how long they had been outside but I'm guessing years. So I went about seeing if there was a way I could save these wonderful cooking items. So here is hat I found and it worked pretty good ;O) I didn't take as many pictures as I should have because my hands were so nasty. This is NOT a clean job and I would recommend doing it outside if possible.

(Picture won't upload I'll try again late)

Items Needed:

*Rusty Cast Irons
*Water
*Vinegar
*Bucket Big Enough to Fit Pans
*Oven
*Scrub Brush
*Towel
*Cooking Oil

Step 1:Place all your cast irons into the oven and turn it up as high as it goes. Place them upside down and let bake for 2-3 hours! Let cool completely,which may take a couple more hours.

Step 2:Rinse well, it will be pretty dirty water and will leave your hands nasty so wear rubber gloves.

Step 3: Fill Bucket with Hot water and 4 cups of vinegar. Place pots and pans inside bucket, make sure there is enough to completely cover them. Let sit for 1-4 hours, checking every hour you can use the scrub brush to loosen the rust. Again wear your gloves!

Step 4: Rinse well again, by this point you really shouldn't have much rust left if any. Use a dark towel to dry the pan inside and out. Then place in your oven upside down for 45 minutes on 350 degrees. Let cool then pull out and rub with the towel again.

Step 5:With a paper towel rub  a thin layer of cooking oil inside and outside on the pan. Place back into  your oven at 350 for 15 minutes. Make sure the pan is upside down and put a cookie sheet under it to catch any dripping oil.

Your pan should be fairly new again now :O)

Tuesday Giveaway Link Up!

<a href=" http://totsandme.blogspot.com/search/label/Tuesday%20Giveaway%20Linky "><img alt="Tots and Me" src="http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt58/kewkewphoto/TuesdayGiveawayLinkup2.jpg" border="0" alt="num2"></a>

Welcome to Tuesday's Giveaway Link Up with your hosts Karen @ Tots and Me and Emily @ Emily Reviews

Our co-hosts this week are Ashley from Forgetful Momma-Bottles, Diapers...Babies and Mellissa from Something Like Life.

This link up will be posted Monday at 7 PM est. and run all week long! Make sure you stop in as often as you can to list your latest giveaways.

Here is how to use the Giveaway Link Up 1. Post your reviews and/or giveaways, as many as you have, be sure to add the end date (family friendly please) 2. Help spread the word about the giveaway link up by grabbing our button, Tweeting or posting on Facebook. (Not mandatory- but it helps get more exposure to your giveaways as well!) 3. Take a moment to enter any giveaway that strikes an interest to you! If you would  like to follow the  hostesses, we will gladly follow you back! Simply leave us a message to do so. Thank you for linking up with Karen @ Tots and Me & Emily @ Emily Reviews along with Ashley from Forgetful Momma-Bottles, Diapers...Babies  and Mellissa from Something Like Life.

Copy-Kids Review and Giveaway

If your kids are like mine you have struggled to get them to eat healthy foods. They come in "Mom I want a snack." and you tell them "Well why don't you get a banana or apple?" Well of course they are never that hungry.lol Recently I got the chance to review a great new video that helps encourage healthy eating habit in kids. Of course my 9 year old just rolled his eyes and insisted I was wasting his time.lol My 7 year old and 4 year old however LOVED this video. They got to see kids just like them eating foods that they would have run out of the room screaming over like it was a monster. When we went to the store we picked up each of these foods :O) they sat down and tried a bit of each.......the avocado video needs a bit more watching however hehehe, but I can't say I disagree with not liking it. This video is geared towards younger children, and features children from ages 9 months to 4 years of age. It is so important to build healthy habits at a young age, something sadly I didn't do with my oldest, because as you age habits become harder and harder to make. If you have a young child this video is for you! It has one two great awards and has been approved by the USDA and added to their pre-school Education and training tools database! Copy-Kids has been gracious enough to offer a copy of this DVD to one of my readers. Please make sure and enter on the Rafflecopter form below and good luck!

**I recieved this product in order to wriet a complete and honest review. All vies expressed are that of my own and were in no way influenced**
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Fathers Day!

To all the amazing people that can be called dad out there :O) happy Fathers Day!Maybe your day be the best and filled with love.

(in)spired Deals Review and Giveaway!

Recently I receive two totes to review from Inspired Deals. Now I must admit I am not much of a "purse" lady, I love to carry a bag though. The first tote was the God's Idea Jute Tote. This is a great tote I loved the thickness and quality of this tote. It is a larger bag and will be perfect for my family when we head out to the lake or the pool! It is made of 100% Jute and lined with 100% cotton :O) it is covered in a super cute design and inspiring message.

God's Idea Bag :O)

My next bag (aka my new "purse) is the Hope for the Best. This oil cloth tote I must say it one of the best bags I have seen in a while. With a strong, sturdy, water resistant outside it is perfect to have around children. It has a beautiful lining and even zippered pockets to help keep things organized and safe. 

Adorable picture and message

Beautifully lined inside!

These totes are amazing quality and if you are looking for a new bag I highly recommend them. I've been given the chance to offer one of my readers this amazing Hope for the Best tote! So make sure you fill in the rafflecopter below. Also make sure to head to their page because they are having a great sale Buy 2 and get the 3rd tote for free!

*I received these totes to do a complete and honestly review. Regardless all opinions expressed are that of my own and were in no way influenced*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simply Saturday :O)

Between being sick and working what seems like around the clock lately I decided that today I am going to take a day to do nothing but enjoy my family. We spent last night making cupcakes and I even got some new bracelets. Today I'm going to make a Betty Crocker Coffee cake and some bacon. We will turn on some movies and try to survive this heat and humidity that mother nature has brought us. I hope everyone has an amazing Saturday. Enjoy some time with your friends and family. 
What are your plans today??

Uprinting.com Giveaway!

It amazes me how a couple of years can change everything. It use to be only the higher ups in a company would carry business cards. They were very plain and basic, just served the purpose of having information available to share. These days so many people are carrying business cards from bloggers to CEOs. They are more then just information these days though, they are a first impression! UPrinting Business Cards are fun and easy to create. With different shapes, designs, and fonts you can create a card that is truly your own. Uprinting.com has offered my fans a giveaway to help you spread your message!

What's the giveaway about? One winner will receive -

Prize Information
250pcs Customizable Die-cut Business Cards for one winner
2x3.5" Rounded Corners, 2x2" Rounded Corners, 1.75x3.5" Rounded Corners,
2x3.5" Leaf, 2x3.5 Rounded one corner, 2x3.5" Half Circle Side, 2x3.5" Oval, 2.5" Circle
14pt Cardstock Gloss / Matte / High Gloss (UV), or 13pt Cardstock Uncoated
6 Business Days Turnaround time
Free US shipping only

Please before you enter the Rafflecopter read through the restrictions of this giveaway
Restrictions 
1.This giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old and above.
2. No prize substitutions allowed.
3. Winners are allowed to win once over a six-month period.
4. Only email addresses used for the giveaway will be eligible to claim the prize

"You should assume that I will receive free print products in exchange for the post. Any and all reviews posted are based solely on my own experience and may be atypical. Please practice due diligence in making any related purchase decisions. Interested to hold a giveaway like this? Please sign up here.”

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gardening in West Texas Friday of Firsts

What an amazing couple of days it has been. After a long couple of sicks days I was blessed with a couple of nights of great rain! My garden has thrived and this morning I was blessed with so many firsts and new beginnings!

My first flower of my mystery cucumber

My first ear of corn starting!

My first Jalapeno almost ready!

My first pickling cucumbers!

My first flowers

Still waiting on our first eggs :O(

Noxicare Review and Giveaway

Recently I was given the chance to review a product that to me couldn't have come at a better time. 11 years ago I was in a car accident and broke/fractured 4 bones in my back and neck. Being as it was a hit and run, and I was a college student without a job my medical treatment was pretty limited. Well as time goes by the pain gets worse and worse. As anyone know with a chronic injury you simply can't take medication every day for the rest of your life, it will cause so many other problems it isn't funny. Noxicare Natural Pain Relief Cream gave me another option. It is made of 7 all natural ingredients that I didn't have to worry about giving me bad side effects. I was a little hesitant the first time I applied it because well, it didn't have that smell that most pain rubs have. In fact it really didn't smell like much of anything :O) Over the last week it has really brought me a lot of relief with all the aches and pains I feel daily. I'll be using it again and will likely be a life time user!

The people at Noxicare have been so great to me and to my fans. They have offered up 2 tubes of Noxicare as prizes for me to give away :O) We all suffer from aches and pains at times so make sure to enter up and good luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Killing Ants Safely

LOL okay I know the title seems a bit silly. Here is West Texas ants are a BIG problem. Not only do they bite, but well they are really annoying! They sneak into every crack in your house no matter how hard you try. With pets though you are very limited to the products you can safely use to kill ants. As time goes on more and more I am concerned about the products I keep in this house and the effect they have on not only me and my children, but my pets. When looking for ways to rid myself of these pests I found a simple, cheap, and effective means to do so. CORNMEAL! Yep it is very simple, for about $2 a bag I can treat weekly for an entire year! While it doesn't kill them all it has certainly brought down the population so that now it isn't even noticeable. All you do it sprinkle it on top of their mounds and watch the greedy little ants drag it all inside! When eaten it expands and POOF! ;O) You get the picture.

Wordless Wednesday

This is my first ever link up so please link your post up if you have one I love to look around :O)

Backyard Escape Giveaway

The Backyard Escape is finally here!!!  Thanks to Crazy House Reviews,  Raising My 5 Sons and The Jackson Five Family Blog along with 50 additional bloggers, one lucky winner from one of our sites will receive their choice of a swimming pool, trampoline, bounce house, swing set or water slide!   This giveaway would not be possible without the awesome people from Tokii who are sponsoring the prize!!!!

Tokii is a self-help relationship site specifically designed to enrich and strengthen all types of relationships through interactive games, moods, quizzes and trading. Tokii tools positively impact relationships by inspiring, re-engaging and reminding couples why they fell in love in the first place.  They have over 250 games you can play and more than 120 moods that you can send to your partner.  You can also discover how you want to be loved by filling out the LoveZones quiz. You can connect with your partner at any time from anywhere via the Tokii app or on www.tokii.com. We think relationships are fantastic and Tokii helps everyone make the most of theirs!!!

Fill out the easy Rafflecopter form below to enter this fabulous giveaway and then be sure to share the giveaway and Tokii with all of your friends! It's nice to share!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Perfect Biscuit

Memorial weekend we went out to a friends house so our families could enjoy some great time together. While we were there of course we cooked some great food. My friend's mother made the most amazing biscuits! Of course I HAD to ask for the recipe it was so simple I couldn't believe it. These could easily be a KFC knock off! Here is what you need:

2 Cups of Bisquick

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

1/2 Cup 7-up!

Yep that is it :OP just mix it all together and roll out lightly. Place on a buttered pan and cook at 350 for about 20 minutes. Now it was really shocking to me that they took this long so keep an eye on yours since all ovens are different :O) Now if only I could master their mashed potatoes.lol

Mouthman Hoodies Review and Giveaway!

As many of my readers may know my family LOVES to go camping. Often times when we are out there is a morning chill to the air, not enough for a jacket, but a little to chilly for just a shirt. Recently we were introduced to Mouthman Hoodies. Not only are these hoodies lightweight and perfect to take off the chill in the air but they are FUN! With their custom designs and a fold of your arms you can take a simple hoodie to a whole new level.

I love that their products are eco-friendly, and are printed with eco-friendly inks on RECYCLED fabrics! 100% polyester they washed great with no noticeable shrinking. We got the chance for each of my children to review one of their great hoodies. With so many different designs there is something for everyone with everything from the Simpsons and Sharks to Fire Trucks and Frogs. I love that these aren't just for children, you can get them in a size 2 all the way up to a 2XL. After all why should the children get to have all the fun! Best of all they are made right here in the USA.
We had so  much fun reviewing this product. My daughter has worn her shirt every morning for the last week and I don't think she plans on changing that any time soon. She has been chasing around her brother "kissing" them...........of course then they just chase her back and pretend to eat her.lol These are a product well worth investing in. Mouthman has been wonderful enough to offer one hoodie for me to give away to you my great readers :O) so make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter below and Good Luck!


*I was provided this product free of charge in order to do a complete and honest review. All views expressed are 100% my own and were in no way influenced**










a Rafflecopter giveaway

Summer Splash Cash Giveaway Event

  Welcome to the $400 Summer Splash Cash Giveaway hosted by Giveaway Promote.   We've joined a fantastic group of bloggers to give away $400 in cash via PayPal to one lucky person. Complete the tasks below to earn entries into this giveaway. One winner will be chosen at random from all valid entries.   Do you love entering giveaways, sweepstakes and contests? You'll find the latest and greatest listed at Giveaway Promote. You can submit your giveaways and upcoming giveaway events for free today!  

This giveaway is open worldwide. It will end at 11:59pm EST on June 24th, 2012.

Quick Easy Bookmarks

If you love to read then you have probably lost a bookmark. My son LOVES to read but is the WORST about losing his place. I saw this fast and easy bookmark and thought what a great idea! Best part is they will stay in place better then a regular bookmark would. All you need is 4-6 inches of ribbon and a paper clip! Yep that is all it takes and really you can mix and match to make it your own and more beautiful. Since I made this for  my son obviously beautiful wasn't what I was going for.lol

Take ends and line them up together

Feed ends through end with one edge

Put ends through loop and pull

Paper clip to your page  :O)

Strange Saturday!

So normally I love to update on my garden on saturday but I've done a bit of that all week . I sat here this morning wondering what I should talk about. The kids, food, crafts.......well I have one of my dogs on leash in a house today hoping to teach him a bit more manners and the cat decided he was going to help.

An overview Koda the dog is in the left cornor, Ashley the cat in the right

Yes the cat is holding the leash in his mouth

The dog looks thrilled.lol

It is so funny because usually the dogs chase the cats............well not in this house. The Cats rule this house.lol

Travel Guides For Kids

As you may know my family and I LOVE to travel and with 3 kids there are always questions to be answered. Recently I was given the opportunity to review a great new travel ebook designed with children in mind. With 50 pages of color and facts this really kept my 9 year old busy. The book we review was for Epcot(which now we MUST go see). It was simple enough for him to read alone, he was even able to read it to his brother and sister. We loved that it wasn't just a book telling where to go and what to do. We learned great historical facts, saw pictures of some favorites, and were even able to learn how to make the most of our journey. If you are planning a trip any time soon I recommend you check these books out. They can be found on amazon HERE. With 28 titles to chose from you are sure to find something for your child's next adventure and they may just learn a thing or two ;o)

**I was provided this product free of charge in order to do a complete and honest review. All views expressed are 100% my own and were in no way influenced**