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How to Travel as a Family with Tips from an Experienced Family of Travelers

I absolutely love to travel. It seems many of my generation have this pull to travelling these days. However it’s not always easy when you have a family in tow.

Read more about local travel in our Backyard Tourist series.

Some of my favorite family memories were when we traveled somewhere – Washington DC, Quebec, Colorado. Most of our trips had some purpose – visit family, visit the temple, learn history. But some, like most of the trips to Quebec, were purely just to visit and be touristy.

I’ve tried to make some kind of travel a possibility in my adult life every year. Often it’s just backyard tourism, but we get out of our home state periodically too. This year we happened to take a last minute trip to Utah for my Father-In-Laws funeral. Despite the nature of the trip, we still managed to find new things to explore along the way.

We traveled there and back caravan style with my brother-in-laws family. Along the way, my sister-in-law and I talked about writing up this post. They do quite a bit of travelling every year, and so with her experienced help, I’m ready to share some tips to get your family on the road!

Before You Travel

Start with a Clean Car

I can’t emphasize this one enough! If your car isn’t clean when you head out on a trip, you won’t be able to enjoy any of the time spent in the car. A lot of time is spent in the car, as you travel from point A to point B, and then around whatever destination you’ve chosen to go to. Getting the kids involved is crucial, so while I prep the house, I send the kids out to clean up the car. They take grocery bags our to fill with trash, and any toys/shoes/socks/books get brought back in the house and put away. Once the stuff is out, I send them back with some cleaning wipes and the vacuum.

Plan Your Route

This is another great way to get the kids involved. With smaller kids grab some paper maps and sit down to draw out the route. Let them help pick stopping points that sound interesting to them. For older kids, download some map apps and together plot your route. My favorites to use are Google Trips and Roadtrippers. Both these apps will search for points of interest along your route.

With small kids finding a park or play area can be key to everyone’s happiness. During the summer, and on weekends it’s usually pretty easy to find a school playground to play at.

Packing the Car

With a clean car and a map of your route, it’s time to pack the car and head out on your travels. The #1 essential Renee got me to buy, and I wouldn’t travel without now, are packing cubes! Holy moly – we have a Honda Pilot, and 5 kids. If you know anything about the Pilot you know that there is virtually no trunk space. Packing cubes have meant we can pack everything we need in the trunk, we can still see out the back window, and we aren’t taking up precious body space around the kids. This is key for happy kid travelers. The packing cubes come in a variety of colors and sizes, so we bought a different color for each member of the family in the large size.

I like to put a grocery sack on the back of each headrest for collecting garbage. This is a clear visual for the kids to put their trash instead of on the floor. As you stop for gas or to stretch legs, take out the filled bags and replace with empty ones. Keeping the car clean throughout the travel is key to my sanity. On that note, I would also bring some kleenex and baby wipes.

Along the Way

Don’t forget the snacks

Unless you plan on stopping to eat a bunch, you’ll want to bring along some snacks. We try to balance out the sweet and savory, along with the junk and healthy. Depending on what our budget is, I’ll pack a small cooler of sandwiches for lunch and dinner. Those small cereal boxes are a great breakfast if you’ll be on the road in the morning, and you can buy small containers of milk to pour into them, or eat dry. Kids love it.

We suggest packing individual snack bags for each of the kids. This keeps them from bothering you for snacks the whole way, and from fighting over the last chip.

Also, make sure you pack everything in disposable. You don’t want stinky tupperware in your car once it’s been emptied. The only reusable item should be a water bottle to keep everyone hydrated. These can be filled up with water at gas stations and rest stops along the way. It also keeps kids from needing to use the bathroom too much from sugary drinks.

What to Bring

Renee suggests noise canceling headphones for the driver. She and her husband switch off driving, so whoever is behind the wheel gets the headphones, and the non-driver gets to take care of the kids needs. If extra noise from the kids in the car tends to drive you a little batty, this will make the actual travelling part a bit nicer.

Coloring pencils and paper are great, just don’t bring crayons. They melt…ask me how I know. Pencils store really nicely in empty pringles cans, and they fit perfectly in the car drink holders too. Or wrap up a few new toys and periodically through the trip, let the kids open something new.

Travel Activities

These days everyone has a DVD player in the car – ok not! We don’t. I’ll be honest, when I travel, it’s because I want to become closer as a family, and time spent in the car away from the TV is perfect for that. So here’s some ideas beyond a DVD player.

Listen to books together. We love the Hooplah and Libby apps for finding free audiobooks. These apps connect your library card, so it’s just like checking out the audio from your library, but on your phone. Sometimes books can be tough to listen to in the car though, which in that case, you might try Podcasts! Some of our favorites for the whole family are Story Pirates, Brains On, But Why, and Tumble Science.

Another fun way to bring the whole family together is with what we call Car Games. Play a little “Would You Rather” or “I’m going on vacation and I’m bringing a….”.

Make this the year that you say YES to more traveling as a family. Even if it is only in your backyard. Get out and see the world, because families that travel together will be closer together.

January 3, 2019
How to Keep Your Family Healthy This Winter

How to Keep Your Family Healthy This Winter

Snow, hot chocolate, and sledding are all things we associate with the cold winter months. Runny noses, chills, and hacking coughs are also all things that we, unfortunately, associate with the winter season. Having the flu or a cold of any kind puts a damper on a season that’s supposed to be fun and filled with joy. Don’t let your family fall victim to the sickness and illness of the winter season this year. Here are a few tips to keep your family healthy this winter.

Eat consciously

Being out in the cold weather weakens your immune system. So you need to make sure that everyone’s immune system is strengthened to make up for the cold weather. This starts with making sure that everyone in the family is eating a little bit healthier. The cold season is often filled with sugary sweets and candy, which makes this task even harder. You may not be able to completely eliminate these treats, but you can add extra vitamins and vegetables to counteract the sugar.

Try adding an extra vegetable at every single meal during the day. Add bell peppers to your scrambled eggs at breakfast, or slice an avocado to eat atop your toast. At lunch, add a few different vegetables to your sandwich, such as cucumbers or sprouts. At dinner, try to make at least a third of the plate be vegetables.

Try one of these sandwiches

If you and your family have a hard time finishing your dinner greens, experiment with new ways to season them! Try roasting vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and asparagus, in the oven with a little balsamic vinegar and garlic. Or sautee green beans or snap peas with butter and an all-purpose seasoning mix. Packing your diet with vegetables will give you the vitamins and minerals that your body needs, in the purest form.

Keep things clean

Germs live all over your home, in places you wouldn’t think to look. Make sure you routinely clean all of these germ homes, to keep your chances of catching a virus low.

Switch plates, phones, keyboards, remote controls, doorknobs, faucets, and your car steering wheel are all places you should start cleaning more regularly, that you probably don’t think of! You can use a disinfectant cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth to displace those germs. This link has useful tips for effectively cleaning common surfaces of your home.

Immune supplements

Even cleaning up germs and eating more vegetables alone isn’t going to keep the flu from plaguing your home over these last few months of winter. To really boost your immune system and help keep you and your whole family healthy, consider adding a few immune boosting supplements into your daily diet.

Simple things like vitamin c, vitamin d, zinc, and elderberry will help keep you all sniffle-free. These are all best when found naturally in food sources, but taking a multivitamin in the morning will help keep you feeling a little bit better until we have a little more daily access to the sun. Cooking with lots of garlic will also help boost your immune system, as long as your family is okay with a little bit of garlic breath!

Related post: Health Benefits of a Pineapple Turmeric Cleanser

Stay hydrated

A hydrated body is a healthy body. When it’s not as hot outside, people tend to forget how important it is to drink lots of water throughout the whole day.

Carry around a water bottle with you throughout the day, to help you remember to drink enough water. You can also set up reminders on your phone to remember to drink all day long. Make sure to have a brimming glass of water with every meal as well, even if you’re drinking other things with your meal.

Hydration is even more important if you do find yourself sick. Fevers will dehydrate you quickly, as well as vomiting which is all too common with the flu. Staying hydrated will help you recover quickly and keep you from getting sick again this season. Taking a steamy shower or bath will also help your body get rid of some of the sickness and gunk making its home in your body, and be more ready to be hydrated. Even just sitting in a steamy bathroom will open up your airways and help you feel healthier.

January 17, 2018
Winter Reads for the Whole Family from Disney

Winter is a wonderful time to cozy up in a warm blanket and break out some new books. These new titles from Disney caught my eye as there was a little something for our whole family. It’s time for some new winter reads! I received these winter reads from Disney in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you click through and make a purchase.

William’s Winter Nap

Written by Linda Ashman, this story follows a young boy getting ready for a little nap. Every time he lays down, though, there’s a knock and an animal looking for a warm place to stay. This is such a heartwarming book that teaches the lesson of sharing – no matter who it is. Chuck Groenink’s artwork is dreamy and something to pay close attention to.

We have fallen in love with William’s Winter Nap. I could read it over and over to my kids and never get bored of the pictures or words. From our youngest to our oldest, this is a book that truly the whole family will enjoy.

Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker

Everyone in Beatrice’s family is normal. They sit up straight, they are smart, and they do things by the rules. Everyone that is but Beatrice. Shelley Johannes has created a masterpiece for kids everywhere who think outside the box and do things their own way. We started reading this one as a family when we were early for a competition one day. The kids groaned when I told them we’d be sitting in the car while I read them this new book. It only took a page before my audience was captured and they wanted to skip the spelling competition and keep reading.

I can not recommend this book enough! It’s an easy read, perfect for kids transitioning from picture books to chapter books with a scattering of line drawings throughout. Whenever my own Upside Down Thinker gets up to her antics, I remind myself that it’s OK, and join in her fun. However, I have drawn the line at climbing trees higher than the telephone wires.

Suspect Red

Wow.

What a read. While the style of writing by L.M. Elliott is focused for middle-grade readers, I would urge parents to read this one first. There is some language in it that I was not expecting from a Disney or middle-grade reader. However, it’s still a fabulous read, and I would encourage teen readers to pick up a copy this winter.

Full of intrigue, espionage, and 007 type work, Suspect Red puts McCarthyism in a spotlight that can’t be ignored. Each chapter begins with actual news clippings from the time period featuring people like McCarthy, Hoover, Truman, and the Rosenbergs. After reading Suspect Red, I took a long breath. Have we pushed such a time under the rug? Do we just glaze over McCarthyism in school? This is US history, albeit told from a fictional family’s point of view, the facts of the time are still there.

What’s on your Winter Reads list?

December 4, 2017
When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned

We can plan our life out all we want, but rarely does it ever turn out exactly as we planned, and sometimes it doesn’t even get close to the original plan. So what do you do? It’s all in the attitude, as I learned yesterday, but also the mental preparation.

Yesterday morning my sweet friend came and picked up Lincoln to give me a few hours to do something, anything I wanted. It had been a really rough emotional month for me helping a friend through some tough circumstances, and I needed that break. So after she took Lincoln I decided I’d go on a bike ride. If you know me at all, well I’d never believe I would choose a bike ride willing. There I was, though, breathing in the air rushing past me.

As I neared back home, I began to imagine the rest of the day. I’d grab a shower before Lincoln came back. Then he and I would play together. The girls would get off the bus. We’d all be happy, eat some homemade cookies, and do some house cleaning with good attitudes.

I began to laugh at myself and this perfect afternoon I was concocting. I KNEW there was no way it would go like that. The kids never clean happily, and I still had work to do. So I took a few more deep breaths and then told myself something that would prove to be very important later in the day.

“Adelina,” I said, “You know the day is not going to go like you imagine. There will most likely be fights, and the kids will be tired from a long day of school. They won’t want to help you clean, and may even put up a fight. But Adelina, it’s going to be OK. You just keep your chin up, and roll with the punches today, because you got to breathe. So smile, and don’t be disappointed if the day isn’t perfect. It will depend on your attitude.”

And so I got home, and I kept my chin up. My friend brought Lincoln back, and we decided to plant our tomatoes. And that is when the perfectly imagined day turned upside down. While I hung up the plant, Lincoln was so excited the windchime had been temporarily moved within his reach, he started ringing it like crazy. Unfortunately, it was not secure and came straight down on his head.

Blood. Everywhere. It’s all I could see. I grabbed my little boy and ran inside to the kitchen. Paper Towels were the quickest, and I thought I’id just start cleaning him off to see the cut when I knew. Mothers instinct some call it, but I just knew I couldn’t calmly clean off the blood. It was pouring out and needed pressure applied. So I sat there, holding wet paper towels on his head with one hand and fumbling with my phone in the other.

Who do I call?! What do I do?! I started calling a couple different friends, hung up and asked myself what in the world I was doing. How did I think they could help? So I did what we’re taught to do from a young age in an emergency – I dialed 911.

The operator was very patient and had an ambulance headed out to us as soon as I called. He instructed me to keep the pressure on it, and add clean towels as they soaked through. And most importantly, he stayed calm and patient with this frantic feeling mom who didn’t know how to answer most of his questions – Just where exactly is the line between A LOT of Blood, and Excessive Bleeding?

The EMT’s came in, a 2-second examination determined he would need stitches, and next thing I know I’m laying on a gurney holding Lincoln, and being strapped in. I’ll spare you all the details, but have you ever thought about how one gets home from the hospital after arriving in an ambulance? Or who’s going to be waiting for the other kids at the bus stop?

My afternoon most assuredly did not go as I perfectly imagined.

We didn’t clean. We had PB&J and baby carrots for dinner. The new tomato plant never got watered. And there were definitely some tears involved in the day. What is important is that we made it through the day with everyone alive. We even managed a few laughs throughout the rest of the afternoon. I was home to kiss my kids all goodnight and tuck all 4 into their own beds.

So plan your life. Plan your days. Then let whatever happens, happen, and just roll with the punches – or the gurney.

*Click the Image for more Family+Parenting Posts*

May 19, 2016
Star Wars Activities

No Spoilers here – just good old round up of Star Wars inspired fun to round out your year. Mark and I got to see the new movie for date night last week. It was awesome, because it’s the first date we’d had in 4.5 months and was a movie we were both excited to see.

First date in 4 months – totally worth the wait #starwars #datenight #movies

A photo posted by Adelina Priddis (@adelinapriddis) on Dec 18, 2015 at 2:08pm PST

It was magical I tell you, absolutely magical! Han and Leia back on the big screen..OK I’m not saying anymore. Has anyone else seen it? Venice is a bit dissappointed we didn’t take her along, as she’s our Star Wars nut. Maybe one day next week we’ll grab a 2nd showing.

While she waits though, I’ll print out this Star Wars The Force Awakens Activity Packet. It will give the kids something new to do, and of course keep their excitement up until we let them see the new movie. Who knows, maybe we’ll have a Star Wars day while their home from school and whip up some of these other fun activities.

I mean how awesome are these Princess Leia Cupcakes from Paintbrushese and Popsicles? They’d be the perfect treat to have while cutting out these Star Wars themed Snowflakes or Christmas Ornaments.

I’m still looking around for ideas for Venice’s personal space we’re creating in her room, but I think I just hit on a theme! While we probably can’t pull off the Star Wars Shelf and Hyperspace Wall from Her Tool Belt in our rental, adding little touches like the R2-D2 Pencil can from Crafts by Amanda and this Lighted Canvas Art Print from The Casual Craftlete.

Are you doing any fun Star Wars activities this week? Which movie is your favorite?

December 23, 2015
Supporting Friends and Family suffering Infertility + Twitter Chat + Giveaway

*This post is brought to you by The Stork OTC and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own. I am not a nurse or healthcare provider. Treatment should always be discussed with your healthcare provider.

Planning for a family should be easy, but that’s not always the case. In my walk of life, I have met many couples struggling with infertility. For some it’s been because of known medical problems, for others they don’t know why they struggle conceiving.

I’ve watched the burden push friends and family away as they don’t know how to talk to each other anymore. Infertility has become the proverbial Elephant in the room for some, and they don’t know how to push it out. While I may not be able to give the best advice, I feel I’ve walked the waters of containing friendships and family peace, and would like to offer what I’ve learned. Hopefully this will help someone else.

Listen

When your friend wants to talk about their infertility – listen. Sometimes no words are needed, just an ear to hear, and arms to hug. Those two simple, silent actions let your friend know you love them and are there for them.

Don’t feel bad you have kids

While it may hurt seeing your friend hurt, feeling bad you have kids and they don’t isn’t helping anyone. Your friend wouldn’t wish her infertility on anyone else. Still invite her to gatherings, even if there will be kids around. If your friend declines though, understand. Don’t make it a big deal. Accept their decline to a party the same way you would any other decline.

Now the FDA has approved The Stork – an OTC conception aid. Making it more affordable for couples struggling with infertility to improve their chances to have children. It shouldn’t cost a fortune to conceive.

The Stork OTC can be used if you’ve been diagnosed with infertility, have tried months without success, or simply want to conceive more quickly. The Stork OTC uses cervical cap insemination – an established effective technique for infertility issues.

Purchase The Stork OTC

Join The Motherhood and The Stork OTC for a mini twitter chat.

The next chat is this Tuesday 9/22 at 1pm ET

We’ll be talking about more ways you can support friends and family suffering through infertility.

Follow #TheStorkOTC

Check out these other resources for more information on infertility

When Infertility Strikes

Mother Daughter Dynamics during Infertility

Infertility Etiquette

GIVEAWAY

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September 21, 2015
Rainy Day Fun with Rany Zany

I received product for review from RanyZany and The Social Butterfly Co. All opinions are my own.

I love playing in the rain, and so do the kids! It’s been quite stormy around here this week, but once the downpour let up for a bit, we headed outside for some rainy day fun. It was the perfect time to try out Prince L’s new RanyZany boots.

We live just a bit down the road from a water overflow area (what is that called?!). So when the downpour really hit, it filled fast; and then it overflowed down the stream and into the road. Prince L and Princess R were in little kid heaven. With water almost up to their knees, they had fun wading around and puddle jumping.

We most definitely filled the boots with water in this puddle, but because they have removable sole inserts, I wasn’t too worried about that. Instead we got to focus on the fun of puddles, and the great outdoors. After this puddle Prince L took a moment to pick some flowers for Mom.

You guys!! This kid is so dang adorable when he smiles and is having fun. I need to remember that when he’s whining for me to hold him all the time. In case you’d like to get this outfit for you child, the shirt and shorts are from Osh Kosh, and the boots – well they’re from RanyZany! It’s a little boy’s dream outfit (and moms too!). Everything is comfortable, full of color and just plain fun to play in.

Oh nope, those flowers weren’t for me! It’s OK, because playing Pooh Sticks in the gutter is pretty fun, and puts a smile on my face just as much as getting flowers.

How do you play in the rain?

Connect with RanyZany!

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June 24, 2015
5 Favorite Family Reunion Locations

We know what you’re thinking right now: “Why on Earth am I reading an article about family travel from the same guys who print my t-shirts?”
Well, firstly: Ouch. 🙁 That hurt our feelings. You really should be nicer!

And secondly: Believe it or not, we know what we’re talkin’ about! We deal with thousands of families every year. From busy moms and dads trying to throw the best birthday, sweet sixteen, Quinceanera, bat/bar mitzvah, or graduation party ever, to families in need of commemorative t-shirts for their next vay-cay, we’re constantly working with our customers to help make their event planning experience as painless as possible.

… That includes a massive amount of listening – about things like how awesome Location X is over Location Y, and how the cabins at So-and-So Ranch can more than accommodate a family of 50. We hear it all. And after 12 years of listening, we’ve learned a lot about what makes a great family reunion. It all starts with a location.
Here are five of our customers’ favorite family reunion destinations:

Timberlock Ranch – Indian Lake, N.Y.

We’ve heard stories from our customers for years about how awesome Timberlock is, and those who talk about it have usually been taking their families there for years.
Owned and operated by the Catlin family since 1963, Timberlock is a haven for families looking to spend quality time together while having fun in the great outdoors. Whether you’re looking out for your 95-year-old grandma and her penchant wood-working (Seriously, there is an onsite supervised wood shop), or your younger cousin’s fascination with archery, they have enough family fun to keep everyone smiling.
They also offer everything from fishing, motor boating, and water skiing, to tennis, basketball, hiking, fishing, and *gasp* horseback riding. And, of course, there are the classics like badminton, tether-ball, and horseshoes.
Each family has their own private cabin, which the ranch celebrates as being basic, clean, and comfortable. Cabins come large enough to accommodate a group of eight and small enough to accommodate a couple, and each comes with separate bedrooms, sitting room, and an open deck or screened porch. OH, AND A FREAKIN’ LAKE VIEW. Some cabins include a full bathroom, while others offer shared access to “trail johns,” which are centrally located and include toilets, sinks, and hot showers.
Just don’t look for electricity outlets, ‘cause you won’t find ‘em here!

Snow Mountain Ranch – YMCA of the Rockies – Granby, Colo.

Every customer who tells us about Snow Mountain Ranch says that it is – by far – the best value in the Rockies, and that the YMCA staff are some of the friendliest and most hospitable in the business. Aside from being some of the most reasonably priced, the accommodations are very, well, accommodating. Guests are welcome to reserve everything from campground space and 6-person yurts (wooden platform tents lined with lattices and post-and-beam systems) to full-on 8-bedroom cabins for the whole group.
The facilities regularly accommodate large families for weddings and reunions, and have an entire team of conference organizers ready and waiting to help customers plan the perfect family get together. The ranch affords guests breathtaking views of Colorado’s famous Winter Park and Fraser Valley, and comes with all the fixin’s you’d expect (and some you wouldn’t): guided hikes, sleigh rides, archery, swimming, roller and ice skating, along with sleigh rides, cross country skiing, snow tubing, dog sledding, rock climbing, and more – most of which are completely free.
If your family is looking to reunite on the cheap without skimping on the fun, this is the place to do it.

Atlantis – Harborside Resort – Paradise Island, Bahamas

Atlantis Paradise Island is a far-and-away favorite among our customers, and that’s an understatement. For families not exactly looking to “rough it,” Atlantis is a no-brainer. Crystal clear blue water, white-sand beaches, literally hundreds of family-friendly games and attractions, dozens of quality restaurants, and the largest casino in the Caribbean (because a family reunion is about more than just the kids!) all make for one of the best family reunion experiences imaginable.
Of the six Atlantis resorts on Paradise Island, Harborside Resort is most popular for family reunions because the one-, two- and three-bedroom residential-style villas are as close to home as you’re going to get. Additionally, the three-bedroom villas can comfortably accommodate 10 people!
Located a little further away from all of the “action” at the main resorts, Harborside offers larger groups a little more intimacy and quietude, without completely separating them from all the fun. Free shuttle service is provided to all the other areas of Atlantis Paradise Island, and there’s plenty of on-site fun to be had, too.
Kids can go swimming with friendly bottlenose dolphins and sea lions, hang out with sharks, snorkel, and scuba dive in one of the resort’s 20 designated swimming spots, or immerse themselves in the ultimate 141-acre Acquaventure, filled with water slides, river rides, and other aqua thrills.
The spacious villas, coupled with all the fun and entertainment for families of all ages makes the Harborside Resort at Atlantis the perfect place for any size family to catch up and come together.

Hilton Head, S.C.

Our customers always come to us talking about a variety of resorts, hotels, and timeshares on this laid back slice of American pie, but one detail that remains consistent — Hilton Head Island, located on the coast of South Carolina, about 20 minutes northeast of Savannah, GA, is one of the best family reunion destinations in the country.
Just 12 miles long from “heel” to “toe,” the tiny shoe-shaped island is home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches, national parks, and nature preserves, and offers plenty of spacious fun for families looking for the best reunion possible.
You’ll find any kind of accommodations you could ever want here, from beachfront villas and golf resorts, to plantation-era colonial rentals with wraparounds and draping Spanish moss. With everything from biking trails to golf courses galore, Hilton Head is the ideal locale for a family looking to be transported to a simpler, more laid back time.

New York City, N.Y.

We know what you’re thinking – a big group staying together in the Big Apple sounds like a big… headache. And on the surface, you’re right. But New York City is also filled with heritage, culture, and history – just like your great big family.
And that’s what makes it the perfect destination for a family reunion. Take the kids in your crew out American Museum of Natural History, where they’ll have access to over 45 permanent exhibition halls, a planetarium, a gigantic library, and a literal maze of over 25 interconnected buildings, all housing millions upon millions of fascinating historical artifacts. And when feet grow tired and backs become sore, take the group outside and enjoy an afternoon grazing in the magnificence of central park.
And if your family’s roots extend overseas, what better reason to go on a tour of Ellis Island, where you’ll be able to search through a database of over 51 million passenger records, and help discover and celebrate your family’s past.
Of course, we can’t forget any of the world-famous shopping on 5th Avenue, the entertaining allure of Broadway, the family-friendly adventure of The Bronx Zoo, or any of New York City’s hundreds of other awesome things to do.
If you want to bond and catch up with family and never have a boring moment, New York City is probably a better choice than you think!

AUTHOR BIO

Maxwell Barna is a Content Manager at RushOrderTees, one of the nation’s leaders in custom screen printing and embroidery. An avid traveler, he is always on the lookout for cool new places to visit — with and without his huge family!

April 6, 2015
Throw a Fancy Dinner Party

I received product for review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Last weekend the older girls were invited to a Stay Late, or Late Over – whatever you call it when you don’t allow sleep overs. Princess R was just so sad that she did not get to go, and even more sad when I informed her that her little friend was not coming to our house for a stay late either. Instead I promised she could help me throw a fancy dinner party for Dad and little Prince.

She and I had so much fun putting this together. Her favorite color is blue, so the turquoise table runner and turquoise beaded charger plates from Smarty Had a Party just lit up her day. At 4 years old, now is a great time to be teaching her how to properly set a table.

Thanks to Smarty Had a Party, our table was set up quickly and beautifully. All we had to add was our menu and a little cute centerpiece with these LOVE blocks.

The menu was easy peasy. We started with a Strawberry Salad – aka Fresh Strawberries because it just doesn’t get any better than that! Then enjoyed some Zucchini Crust pizza (real life here, we had take out pizza on standby, and it was much appreciated). For a beverage we made some Brazilian Mango Lemonade.

We had such a fun night the 4 of us. Once dinner was over, we all cleaned up together, then put on a movie. The clean up was simple, just like the decor, because just about everything was disposable. Those utensils? Plastic! Stemware? Plastic! Truly the perfect product to have a dinner party with the littles.

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February 24, 2015
Merry Christmas

Dear family and friends,

This year we did not send out cards or even a Christmas letter. We’ve always been pretty good at this, but this year has been an interesting one. So forgive me for writing to you so publicly. Next year I hope to be more on top of things.

We began 2014 settling nicely in Provo, UT. We really enjoyed living so close to our families again, and had a lot of fun getting together with my parents, and some of Mark’s siblings.

Mark went through a couple different jobs this year, but after much prayer, and temple attendance we found a new teaching opportunity in North Dakota. After a phone interview Trinity High School in Dickinson offered Mark the music teaching position. We had a week to pack our things in August and move before school started. Getting back into the teaching and music world has been wonderful.

Adelina (HI!) has been working hard blogging (and if you’re reading this letter, well…welcome to my blog!). She has turned it into a business and feels great she can bring a bit of income into the home. With the success of Home Maid Simple, she decided to go back to school and get a degree in marketing. Thanks to Western Governors University, she is able to do this on her own schedule and completely from home.

Princess V turned 8 this year. We really enjoyed having family visit for her baptism. Mom and Dad are very proud of the decision she made to get baptized. Princess V is in 2nd grade now, and doing wonderfully. She has made many friends at school and church, and really loves going to Activity Days.

Princess C is in 1st grade and loves it! Going to school, making friends, and learning so many new things. She is a natural scholar. This year Princess C got to play Gretl in the Sound of Music at Trinity. She and Mark had a lot of daddy daughter bonding time as they spent many nights practicing. She has amassed a bit of her own fan club among the high school kids as well. Princess C is full of love and she shows it to everyone.

Princess R has been hard at work learning her letters this year. She seems to get numbers a bit better. My favorite though, is when she mixes up X and S while singing the alphabet. Her goal is to learn all the letters so Mom will take her to lunch at McDonalds. We’ve been getting letters to start kindergarten registration, and I’m just not sure I’m ready. She is a social butterfly though and I know will thrive with other kids around. She also loves taking selfies with my phone.

Prince L turned 2 this year. He talks very well, loves giving hugs, and has a thing for trains. Living in Provo we were right next to the tracks, and now in Dickinson we are again pretty close to the trains. He loves listening to their whistles blow. Recently he has branched out to loving tools as well though. His favorite shows are Bob the Builder, and Chuggington.

It has been a year full of adventures for our family. We know that we are blessed though. As we continue to look to our Father in Heaven, and put our trust in Him, things have turned out alright. North Dakota has been a blessing to our family, as we’ve learned to love each other closer, be grateful for the things we have, and most especially for the friendships we get to make. May you all feel the spirit of Christ this season and throughout the year to come!

All our love,
The Priddis’

December 25, 2014