Santa’s Village


Santa’s Village

 There’s nothing as magical as the spirit of Christmas and at Santa’s Village your family can experience this feeling even in the middle of summer.  So many amusement parks seem the same, but Santa’s Village offer a unique concept.  As soon as you walk through the front gate you will be transported into a winter wonderland and you’ll soon forget it’s August! My family has been going to this park for years and it’s become a tradition for us to go on my youngest daughter’s birthday.  We loved bringing our friends there this year!  Here are 10 things my family loves doing at Santa’s Village:

ELFABET GAME

Ever since my girls were little, this was a nice way to do a scavenger hunt while going about our day.  After entering the park, head over to Elf University to pick up your elfabet card.  As you walk around the park, you’ll see elves with various letters on them.  Simply punch out the letters on your card and bring it back to the university at the end of the day to claim your prize. (Hint…bring it back even if you don’t find them all.)

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Tips for Going to Farmers Markets During COVID-19

My weekly trip to the farmers market is one of my favorite things about summer.  There’s nothing like it…musicians playing in the background, farmers telling you when the vegetables you’re holding were picked, and hearing the young sons of the fisherman saying they helped catch the tuna we’ll be eating that night.  A farmers market is a great place to bring kids/teens. Here are 10 Tips For Going to Farmers Markets: 

HELP PLAN MENUS

Kids will be more likely to eat a meal if they had help planning it.  Each week, give them a new item off the menu to plan.  For example, each week they can plan the main dish, a side, and a dessert.  Give them full rein on it and although you can offer suggestions, let them do most of the work.  Whatever they plan, they will be responsible for helping cook.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

Give each person in the family the task of choosing something your family has never tasted.  Is there a type of cheese that looks interesting?  Is there a veggie that looks odd?  Have them ask the farmer for suggestions on how to cook it.

PRACTICE RESPONSIBILITY

Give your kids a job while at the market.  Give everyone reusable bags and have them hold your purchases. Teach them how to choose ripe produce.  Give them the task of paying.

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10 Things Kids Gain from Sleepaway Camp


10 Things Kids Gain from Sleepaway Camp

A few years ago, my friend Julie and I were miserable because our girls went to sleepaway camp for two weeks.  We were missing our kiddos, obsessing about whether they were OK, and we started asking ourselves why we even send them.  Is it really worth being away from them for such a long time? After feeling sorry for myself (and making a really big mojito) things started to come into perspective.  The girls LOVE camp and they are lucky to be able to have this experience.  So Julie, as we head into another summer of our girls being gone, let’s think about all the things they gain from sleepaway camp.

INDEPENDENCE

I can be a bit controlling at times (OK…my girls sometimes call me their ‘smother’) so camp gives them a chance to make some decisions on their own.  They get to choose what activities they do during free time, when to write home (only once last year for my youngest…big sigh), and when to brush their teeth (I’m embarrassed to tell you how many times that actually happened!). Camp gives them the chance to make unexpected choices like when my older daughter chose to go on a long bike ride with a group of girls she didn’t know and ended up having a great time.   

 SOCIAL SKILLS

When you are placed in a cabin with 11 other girls, it is a crash course in social skills.  You learn to be cooperative, respectful, and empathetic.  This is a great chance to learn problem solving since there are bound to be disagreements. 

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Summer 2021 Bucket List

Summer 2021 Bucket List

 

Happy first day of summer!!!

Summers are short and sweet in New England so we always make the most of them. We try to spend our days outside and make every moment count.  A Summer Bucket List helps keep us on track and creating one lets us daydream of days to come.  Last summer was a crazy one, but it did let us fill our days with family time.  Here is our list for 2021!!

Go to a drive-in movie

Sunset dinners at the sandbar

Watch all of the X-Men movies 

Go to Lake Fest, a summer concert on the water

Make our own gelato with fresh fruit

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What to Pack for Sleepaway Camp

Summer camp is right around the corner and that means it’s time to start planning.  One of the most stressful things about camp is your kids needing something but you not being able to give it to them right away.  That’s where the planning comes in. With the right list you can sit back and relax that they’ll have everything they need. So, what should you pack for sleepaway camp?

TRUNK

My girls got their trunks from Everything Summer Camp.  It has so many fun colors to choose from! Word of warning…they will be using this trunk for many years and bubblegum pink may be great for a fourth grader, but will they still like it in high school?

Fun stickers to decorate their trunk

Their camp requires you to bring a plastic chest of drawers

CLOTHING (Label everything!)

T-shirts/shorts

Long sleeve shirts

A pair of jeans

Athletic pants or leggings

Sneakers

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10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Drive-In During COVID-19

10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Drive-In

Although the word is full of unknowns, we can’t stop having fun and making memories.  We simply need to figure out how to do it safely.  One good thing about social isolation, is it brought back some nostalgic activities…like baking bread, family game night, and movie nights.  Every summer we do something that screams nostalgia…DRIVE-IN MOVIES! Do you know there are less than 350 drive-ins left in the US? I wasn’t going to let anything stop us from doing it this summer.  Here is an article I wrote last summer, but I’ve added some tips for safely doing it during COVID-19. Enjoy!

One fun thing to do during summer is take your family to the drive-in.  Not only is it cheap (It was only $28 for a car of 4 people), but it’s a fun nostalgic thing you can do together.  Many drive-ins run throughout late summer/early fall in New England but in many parts of the country they are lucky to have them run year-round. 

Here are 10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Drive-In:

 BEACH CHAIRS/CAMP CHAIRS

 Most people don’t sit in their cars like I had expected.  Cars get hot and the windows can get foggy so it’s best to find a spot in front of your car.  Bring a chair you can comfortably sit in for 2 hours.  One family even brought bean bags for their kids! (Many drive-ins are operating at 50% capacity and making you leave space in between cars.  Practice social distancing by always keeping 6-feet away from others and wear a mask if you’re near others.)

 THINK COZY

 There’s no one to impress, so dress code is all about being cozy.  This is the time to bring out the yoga pants or sweats.  Even better…best things for kids to wear to the drive-in are their PJ’s! 

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Renting a Lake House During COVID-19


10 Things to Look for When Renting a Lake House

 After so many months of self-isolation, many people are hoping to salvage some sort of normalcy and go on a summer vacation with their family. Many people are not crazy about the idea of going to a hotel and being surrounded by other people.  So what could be the solution? A lake house! Are people renting lake houses? Absolutely! We own a rental property on a lake and we were worried that everyone would cancel their reservations for this summer.  Not only has no one canceled, but we even have 6 families on a wait list. It’s a great alternative to a hotel because you have your own space and don’t have to worry about being in contact with people other than your family. If you are looking to rent a lake house, there are some things you need to consider. I wrote this article a few summers ago and have updated it with specific tips about COVID-19. 

  LOCATION

 Location can make or break a trip.  There are lots of things to consider.  Is the house on a quiet bay or on a channel where boats will constantly be going by? Is it lakefront, lake view, or away from the water but with lake access? It’s also good to know a little about the lake itself.  Is the house located near a sandbar that’s know for it’s crowds? You may want to ask how close the neighbors are. 

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20 Tips for Hiking with Kids During COVID-19

 

20 Tips for Hiking with Kids mytravelingkids.com

It has been a long, exhausting few months all across the country and many of us are struggling with how to adapt to this “new normal.”  There are many activities that are off the list for now, but there are still plenty of activities to do as a family.  Here is an article I wrote last summer… but have added some tips that are appropriate for COVID-19 times.  So grab your hiking boots and head out for a hike! 

Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time to go on a hike.  To avoid a hike filled with whining, it helps to plan a bit. Check out these 20 Tips for Hiking with Kids:

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What Summer Means to Our Family

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!! We are so excited to relax by the lake until Labor Day…except there will be a tent involved this year…but more of that to come. 

 

 For our family, summer means…

 

After-dinner boat rides wearing PJ’s

Tomato salad and fresh grilled corn on the cob

Reading books on the hammock

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Cranmore Adventure Park


Cranmore Adventure Park

The White Mountains is the perfect destination since there are countless options to spend time together outdoors as a family. Cranmore Adventure Park allows all members of the family to participate in the activities.  There really is something for everyone! We were lucky enough to spend the day making memories on the mountain.

Here are 10 of our favorite things to do at Cranmore Adventure Park:

1.     MOUNTAIN COASTER: Our absolute favorite ride at the park is the mountain coaster and we keep going back for more! Since each rider controls how fast they go, it is perfect for the entire family.

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