Our summer travel adventures

I've been quiet on the blog this summer because...kids. :) They are now 9, 7, 6 & 5 which is still a very full time job! 

Summer. It's an awesome thing. It's a frightening thing. My kids don't do great with extended periods of time without a consistent routine. So summer can be a challenge at times. This summer I started a new experiment.....travel! Although most of the time I lament that our extended families all live far away, the one advantage is that travel to see them gives us some new adventures + a free place to stay! So this summer's agenda became visits to family in 4 states:

North Carolina

New York

Minnesota

Colorado

The first two states were individual trips, the second two states were put together in a 55 hour road trip! Our saving grace? Kid's podcasts! (More on that later.)

First stop was The Outer Banks in North Carolina. 9 cousins + surf + sand = win win!

Our next trip was to NYC. We had a very special reason for our trip there! As you can see, two of our children joined our family through adoption. But we have worked hard to maintain personal connection with their first family and so it was a joy to travel there and spend some time with some of them, including their sister.

Governor's Island was an awesome find! It's a $3 ferry ride (free for kids) to a car-free island with playgrounds, slides, a 30-park hammock, food vendors + a great view of the Statue of Liberty.

Maintaining connection with their first family is a whole blog in itself, but it is a beautiful gift to see these siblings spend time together!

Next it was off to Minnesota! I grew up in Minneapolis and my siblings all still live there. My kids had a great time with all their aunts & uncles. Also, travel tip....scooters are great! They fold compactly, but are great for saving little legs on treks. 

One more 15 hour car ride and we arrived in Denver, where my parents now live. The beauty of the mountains is so spectacular!

We did tons of biking and hiking in Colorado....it was the best!

My husband was able to fly out and join us in Denver, just in time for the 25 hour ride home. :) Which we stretched out into a 5 day drive to make it less difficult.

Riding the street car in Kansas City, you never know what creatures you'll run into!

Our next stop was St. Louis which had lots of fun options. I think if we do this drive again, we would definitely stay longer in this city. The City Museum was highly recommended!

Our final destination on the way home was the Ark Encounter. It's a life-sized ark according to the Biblical record and wow, it was big! They also have a small zoo outside, restaurants, zip line tour + more. Tickets are a lot for adults ($48!), kids are more reasonable at $15. But overall, it was an interesting experience!

 So, a 55 hour car trip....how does everyone keep their sanity? 😉 That is the question! We definitely had our moments of insanity. The biggest difference in our travels now is simply that our kids are getting easier in travel as they get older.
We try not to rely on screen time, but we did get a kindle for each of our kids in traveling. The thing I love about kindles is that you can do a variety of activities on them - movies, music, books & podcasts. So we would rotate activities on them. Our kids really fell in love with podcast listening this summer - and actually learned some cool stuff! Their favorite podcasts are:

Brains On

Wow in the World

Smash Boom Best 

Story Pirates

Storynory

Short & Curly

Fierce Girls

Stories Podcast

Chompers

Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian

This Podcast Has Fleas

Highlights Hangouts 

Eleanor Amplified 

Travel is one of my favorite things to do with kids. I know that my travels throughout high school and college really helped expand my world view and I want my kids to experience the same. We don't have unlimited funds and often look for free things to do in the places we visit. We try to pack a lot of our food or stop at grocery stores. We're definitely always looking for ways to cut costs and save money. The more we are able to do this, the more places we'll be able to travel. Everyone had their own rolling suitcase which they were able to manage on their own. The nice thing about summer travel is that summer clothes don't take up as much space as bulky winter items!

So, till next summer, when I hope we'll be able to experience more travel adventures!

Vacation Giveaway with Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest

My family had the chance to stay at Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest two years ago and my kids have been talking ever since about the fun memories we created! So it was with GREAT excitement that I told them we had been invited back to stay at their fantastic campground. They were so excited and talked about it nonstop....I actually began to fear that it wasn't going to live up to their expectations! 😆

But after our weekend away, I shouldn't have worried at all, they had just as great a time as they had anticipated! Even though it ended up being so COLD (winter, winter, go AWAY!), we loved having a cozy cabin for our home base. I'm a huge proponent of glamping, because I love the experience of being at a campground, but I also love having a bed, bathroom, and indoor kitchen. 😊 So cabins are a win-win for our family! I also love that it's only an hour away from Pittsburgh which means that you feel like you're far away, but don't have to spend much travel time. 👍

Kozy Rest is such an ideal vacation spot for families! They have a ton of free activities that are included in your stay such as bikes, mini golf, jump pillow, playground, pool (in season), fire truck rides + more. Each day also has a changing schedule of activities that might include a scavenger hunt, painting, crafts, dancing with the Bears, movie nights + much more!

Each weekend holds a different theme and activities will be based on that theme. Your kids will not be bored! We had a superheroes and fairy tale weekend. 👸 Go here to check out themes throughout the summer. 

Hands down my kid's favorite activity? The bikes! These are borrowed at 1/2 hour increments and can accommodate up to 4 people. The campground is safe and secure with minimal traffic, so the bikes take over the roads on Saturdays! And hey, if you want to get in a workout during the weekend, these are perfect! :) 

Last, but not least, the cabins are great! Rooms have bunk beds for those with multiple kids, they have a kitchen, bathroom and sitting/eating space. You are responsible for clean up at the end, so always be sure you left it in the same great shape it was at the beginning! You provide your own food, bedding, towels and toiletries. Thankfully, there is also a great camp store that has anything you may have forgotten (it was coffee for me!) and has some yummy treats as well.  

Also perfect for games when those rains come!

GIVEAWAY

I'm so thrilled that they are extending a vacation giveaway to one of my followers as well!

We are offering a 2-night stay (up to 6 people) for a Sunday-Thursday, April 15 - October 31, 2018. Subject to availability and excluding holidays. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cabins are filling fast for the summer, so if you're interested in a stay over the next few months, book it as soon as possible! 

Thank you, Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest for the opportunity for a great weekend with my family and allowing us to share this great resource with others in our region! This post sponsored by Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse venues that my family does not love! 

#yogibearatkozyrest
#kozyrest

Family Get-Away in DC

A few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised when the George Washington Mt. Vernon organization reached out to me to come for a visit! Since our family is always up for a road trip and we weren't able to be with our out-of-state families over Thanksgiving, we decided it was the perfect time for a little family get-away. If you've been to DC, you know it's an awesome spot to take your family because of all the free venues! DC is only about 4 hours from Pittsburgh, so it makes a great weekend destination. 

We had never taken the opportunity to visit Mt. Vernon, so this was a special chance. And it was extra fun to do the candlelight tour! 

Visiting Mt. Vernon was a great opportunity to teach our kids about some pieces of American history. It was fun to see how the Washington's home operated and learn about all the entertaining they did, how their household functioned and even see their original bed! Fun fact: they never lived in the White House as it was still under construction during his presidency. 

You'll see characters on site including the blacksmith, cooks, house manager and Martha Washington. You can even learn to square dance!

The tour concludes with seeing George Washington's camel, hot cider, cookies & Christmas carols!
We were bundled up for the evening and it was a fun family night. If you're looking to do a DC road trip, it's definitely a great stop on your list. You can make reservations ahead for the Mt. Vernon Inn Restaurant to add to your evening tour as well. Go here for more info on the candlelight tour.

Besides visiting Mt. Vernon, we then had the hard decision of what else to pack in for our 2 day visit. So many choices! The Museum of Natural History was our kids favorite stop on a previous trip. We also really want to visit the new African American History Museum, but find it's very hard to get tickets since it's opened! But top of our list was the DC Zoo since we had never before been to this venue. It did not disappoint!

We were lucky to get a 60 degree day and so it was perfect for walking around the zoo! Staying hydrated is important obviously, and whatever was in these kids drinks we brought with us was totally gross!! 😆 

It was fun to see some animals that our local zoo doesn't have on site. 

We made a brief stop at the National Air & Space Museum - also a previous favorite for our kids! 

Another new one to us that a friend had recommended was the National Postal Museum. We learned about our national postal system from the time of the Pony Express to the current mail-sorting system of today. It was fun, informational and hands-on for the kids!

They loved being able to make stamps with their picture and then getting it emailed to us.

Checking out all the stamps ever made. And they got to choose 6 stamps to take with them!

So here's my mom-to-mom disclaimer for taking kids to DC. 😊 We waited until our youngest was 5 to do a significant trip here. There is a LOT of walking and if it's too cold or too hot.....well you know that WHINING comes out in full force. 😮 Kids of all ages can definitely enjoy the city and learning more about American history through all the beautiful monuments, memorials, museums + more. But when you go, know your kids limits and plan accordingly, so that it doesn't become full of stress and fussing.

With a family of 6, we often first look to Air B&B for accommodations, but the lure of the pool and free breakfast for the family made a hotel win out this time!

My son's one request was playing football at the Washington Monument, so that's how we ended our final evening.

Thank you, Mt. Vernon, for inspiring our fun, family get-away to DC! We look forward to more weekend trips in the future!

Disclaimer: Mt. Vernon provided us with tickets and compensation to share about their venue. We don't share venues that don't pass the test of our family for fun! 

Ticket Giveaway to LEGO KidsFest in Cleveland!

My son couldn't have been more excited when a LEGO KidsFest flyer arrived in our mailbox! And I couldn't have been more thrilled for him then when I was invited to attend! :) My son has spent many hours upon hours building LEGO creations and I'm pretty sure he's going to be in a little piece of heaven at LEGO KidsFest! 
Unfortunately, LEGO KidsFest is not coming to Pittsburgh this year, but it will be in Cleveland. This is just over 2 hours from Pittsburgh and from the looks of it, I think it will definitely be worth the drive!! 
The LEGO KidsFest is a traveling LEGO extravaganza featuring millions of LEGO bricks and dozens of hands-on, educational, and fun building activities for all ages. It features dozens of life-sized LEGO models and displays, LEGO building areas, the Big Brick Pile, race ramps and more, all covering more than three acres of space. 

Award-winning LEGO KidsFest returns to Cleveland

 Nov. 4 - 6, 2016

SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES (subject to change):

* LEGO Model Museum: dozens of life-sized models made entirely from LEGO bricks
* Race Ramps: build a custom car, then race it down the ramp against friends and family
* LEGO Star Wars: build and display a Star Wars model
* Creation Nation: build your own creation to add to a custom map of the U.S.
* LEGO DUPLO: younger visitors can explore imagination through building
* LEGO Retail: purchase LEGO merchandise and official KidsFest tour goods
* Brick Pile: a gigantic pile full of LEGO bricks for creative play and enjoyment
* Monochromatic Builds: bricks of a single color to foster group creativity
* LEGO Friends: build for the five empowered friends from Heartlake City
* LEGO Ninjago: spin the way to being a Spinjitzu member
* LEGO Mindstorms: build and program robots and snakes
* LEGO Technic: get hands-on with the cool, realistic vehicles at the booth
* LEGO Disney Princess: create a princess scene to add to a LEGO story book

The award-winning LEGO KidsFest Ohio returns to Cleveland's I-X Center from Nov. 4 - 6, 2016. New activities and popular favorites will be featured in this interactive event.
Those who attended the previous show can once again expect hands-on building, creative experiences and one-of-a-kind activities. Children of all ages and builders of all skills and levels are welcome. 
LEGO KidsFest features dozens of new activities and popular favorites on the three-acre show floor.

New activities for this year's visit include LEGO Mindstorms, LEGO Movie, LEGO Disney Princess, the Mixels, a LEGO Superheroes area and more.
Once again, show-goers can enjoy the LEGO Model Museum, Race Ramps, Creation Nation, Construction Zone, LEGO DUPLO, LEGO Retail store and LEGO KidsFest Marketplace, the Big Brick Pile, LEGO Ninjago and more.
"We're thrilled to be returning to the Cleveland area," said Vince Rubino, Events Manager for LEGO Systems, Inc. "We've got a host of new activities as well as some areas we know are very popular with our fans. Not only will families create some new memories at the show, they'll get another chance to flex and showcase their building skills. This event is a must for the true LEGO fan." 

Five sessions - all identical and 4 1/2 half hours in length - are held at each tour stop. LEGO KidsFest tickets can be purchased at www.LEGOkidsfest.com. Tickets are $19 for the Friday and Sunday afternoon sessions, and $22 for both sessions on Saturday and the Sunday morning session.
On tour since 2009, previous LEGO KidsFest tour stops have included major cities such as Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, San Jose, Cleveland, Richmond, Phoenix, Portland and more. 

Events have been selling out in prior cities ... get your tickets early! Go here to purchase tickets. 

GIVEAWAY: 
One of my followers will win (2) tickets to for the opening night session on Friday, Nov 4, 2016 (4-8:30pm). I encourage you to LIKE and Follow LEGOKidsFest on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram for all the latest ticketing updates as this event has been selling out in prior cities. Must be 18 to enter, 1 entry per day allowed, random drawing by USFG.
Winner will be randomly chosen by USFG on and announced on my Blog and notified via email. Contest ends October 13, 2016. 

ENTER HERE: http://www.usfamilyguide.com/LEGO_KidsFest/?blogid=1190

FUN FACTS to share with your kids: 

• More than 400 billion LEGO bricks have been produced since 1949.
• The LEGO minifigure represents the world's largest population of people! More than four billion minifigures have been produced in the last 30 years. This is almost 12 times the population of the United States!
• LEGO minifigures are out of this world, literally. The two Mars Rovers have an image of the LEGO minifigure etched into their front grill.
• Approximately seven LEGO sets are sold each second.
• There are about 62 LEGO bricks for every one of the world's six billion inhabitants.
• Laid end to end, the number of LEGO bricks sold in a year would reach more than five times around the world.
• There are 915 million ways to combine six eight-stud LEGO bricks.
• Children around the world spend five billion hours a year playing with LEGO bricks.
• With a production of about 306 million tires produced a year, the LEGO group is the largest producer of tires in the world.
• LEGO is the contraction of two Danish words, "leg godt" which means "play well".
• More than 19 billion LEGO elements are produced every year. More than 2.16 million LEGO elements are molded every hour, or 36,000 per minute.
• It took 50 hours and 68,000 LEGO bricks to make the storybook in the LEGO Disney Princess at the shows.
• The largest LEGO Model ever built is the life sized X-Wing fighter. It took more than 17000 hours to build over 5m bricks and 46000 pounds.
• By 2020, LEGO's aim is to make sure that 100% of its energy will be balanced by renewable energy sources.

#llegokidsfest

This post is sponsored so I received compensation or products in exchange for my 

promotion. All opinions remain my own as I don't endorse companies that I don't value.