Marginal Way
Marginal Way, in Ogunquit, is a mile and a quarter long piece of heaven that needs to be experienced. This paved path gets its name from being the margin between the crashing waves of the sea and the tranquil land of this quaint seaside town in Maine.
Amusement parks can be a great way to spend the day as a family. With a little planning, you can have a stress-free day that everyone can enjoy. Here are 10 tips for a fun day at an amusement park:
Before you go, look at the park map online. Decide if there are areas you all really want to do and if there are areas you can skip. Give the kids a say in the day.
Kids will do scary rides when they are ready. Let them know there is no pressure for them to go on any rides they don’t feel comfortable with.
Nothing is worse than having your kid wait in line only to find out they are an inch too short to ride. Save the tears and have them check the height requirement and measure them before they go.
Riding roller coasters at Storyland, NH
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.)
Planning a vacation can seem like a daunting task because of the large number of resort options. You may wonder where you even start.
Here are 10 things I look for when choosing a resort:
APPEARANCE
Is the resort attractive and in good condition? Does it look family oriented or geared towards adults? What sets the resort apart from others I’ve looked at? Does it have areas we can walk around or spots where you can relax and hang out? How are the gardens and the lobby? Does it look like it needs major upgrades?
Beaches Resort
SPACE
I can’t stress it enough…my family likes our space! Especially when the girls were younger and had early bed times, we needed a place to unwind for a few hours without waking them up. I’ll never forget when, in Bermuda, my husband sat in the bathroom watching a movie on his iPad so he wouldn’t wake up the kids. A suite with a door to the bedroom is a great solution. That way, you can all sleep in the same room but not have to do it at the same time.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Stone Zoo is on 26 acres, so it is a small zoo that can easily be enjoyed in a few hours. Since the zoo is only about a half hour from Boston, it is the perfect day trip.
There are so many incredible animals to see at the Stone Zoo in their many exhibits. Let me introduce you to some of our favorites:
My all-time favorites are the flamingos!!
Tomorrow is the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!! Is there anything better than lying on a hammock by the lake or sitting with your toes in the sand at the beach? Actually yes…doing it with a book you can’t put down. Here are 25 of the best summer reads for 2022! Not all of them are new releases. Some are blasts from the past you might have missed.
Have a fabulous summer!
(Click on the title to get more information!)
BY: Alma Cuervo
(Yes, I’ve recommended it before…yes, it’s that good!)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo: Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.
Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.
By: Rachel Hawkins
(Aruba)
De Palm Island is a wonderful place to escape to spend the day relaxing and playing in the sun. Swim, eat, drink, and enjoy a stunning little island.
If you have your own transportation, you can drive yourself to the ferry terminal. However, if you have no car, no worries…you can get picked up from your hotel by the De Palm bus and they’ll drive you over. Once you get to the terminal, jump on the small ferry and take a lovely 10-minute ride over to the island.
We found a great spot in the first row of papillons and had an amazing view of the stunning beach area. Just look at this view! To warn you, a lot of the beach had rough coral at the entrance. We figured out that if you went in through the left side of the beach, there was no coral. I felt bad for people walking into the water and twisting their faces in pain. You may want to bring water shoes. The beach is smaller than I expected, but it was fine since people seem to spread out on the island.
This was our favorite activity we did n the island and we actually did it twice. They provide flippers and snorkels and everyone must wear a floatation device.
You enter the water off this dock.
As soon as you enter the water you start seeing fish.
The reef is not colorful, but it is still really pretty. There were so many different fish and many of them come right up to you.
We had such a great time! You may want to bring an underwater camera.
These adorable birds were so beautiful and we couldn’t get enough of them.
You could take turns going into the enclosure to take pictures with them but you can’t touch or feed them.
Look at how beautiful they are!
A set of cement steps (lots of them) bring you to a Body Drop Slide. I was in awe of my daughter as I watched the tube close around her, heard the countdown, and then watched the floor drop from under her as she slid down the steep slide. I didn’t do that one, but I loved the two twisting slides. They were especially fun when you’re racing each other down.
Young kids looked like they were having a blast in the kids’ waterpark. It has water cannons, tipping water buckets, slides, and more.
The island has two spots to eat…the grill and the buffet. The grill has items like burgers, French fries, and hot dogs.
There is also a buffet with salads, potato salad, coleslaw, fish, chicken, desserts, etc. All food on the island is all-you-can-eat! Look at the gorgeous view you have as you eat.
There is also a bar that has cocktails, beer, and soft drinks. Best part…it’s an open bar!
For an extra cost, you can do Sea Treks, Snuba, hair braiding, massages, temporary tattoos, and premium seating.
It is open daily from 10:00- 5:00.
Adults (13+) $119
Kids (4-12) $95
Kids under 4 are free
You can rent beach cabanas and private cabanas but you may want to do it in advance because there was none left when we got there.
They offer daily salsa lessons.
Banana boat rides are offered throughout the day.
Bring a change of clothes. There are outdoor showers to get all the sand and salt off your skin.
You need to bring your own towels.
Don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/depalmisland/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/depalmisland
Hello May! I’ve been anxiously waiting for you and have been enjoying being out in nice warm weather! This month we’re thinking ahead to all those amazing men in our lives and celebrating Father’s Day. Here are some amazing products that would be perfect gifts. Enjoy our May 2022 Product Roundup.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THEM
Who doesn’t love a fabulous pair of socks? Sock Box allows you to have 1-2 awesome pairs of socks delivered right to your door. I love the element of surprise that comes with this subscription. Sock Box believes in giving their customers the best. All the manufacturers and brands they work with have high quality products that they stand behind.
WHAT PRODUCTS DID WE GET?
We were thrilled to be given a 3-month subscription. Our April box included:
East of Liberty
Richer Poorer
Our May box had:
Brooklyn Strong
Hitsu Socks
WHAT DOES IT COST?
