Sunday, January 31, 2016

Dollar Tree Organization: Bathroom



I love finding sturdy storage containers at the Dollar Tree and using them to organize those random junk drawers within our home. 
Watch below to see how I used numerous plastic containers to organize our bathroom clutter. 





Where do you buy your organizational storage bins from?
Leave a comment below and let me know :) 
Thursday, January 28, 2016

How to Pack 1 Duffle bag for multiple children: Organized Travel


The key to peaceful travel is keeping the little details organized so you can focus on your trip.

In the attached video, I explain how I pack for our three children (ages 2, 4, 8). 

I am currently packing all of their items into small gallon sized bags that are separated for each day. I pack each of those bags into a Thirty One duffle bag so everything stays organized.
As they get older and their clothes get bigger, I will switch over a suitcase or an organizing utility tote. 



Tuesday, January 26, 2016

DIY Christmas Reindeer Food

Its very simple to make Christmas themed Reindeer Food.


You will need:1
1 cup of oatmeal or 1 packet of instant oats
Glitter

On Christmas Eve, sprinkle the Reindeer food outdoors so the glitter can lead the reindeer to your home. The Reindeer will eat on the oats while Santa makes a visit to your home.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Little Passports Announces Early Explorers Subscription for Preschoolers



Little Passports Announces Early Explorers Subscription for Preschoolers
**The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.
Little Passports has a wonderful new program for preschoolers, called Early Explorers. Children ages 3 to 5 can experience the joy of learning about new cultures.
Each month, your child will be introduced to a new theme like animals, music, and landmarks. Early Explorers is designed with preschoolers in mind and provides fun and educational activities, souvenirs and stickers. During the first month, a Traveler's Kit arrives in a fun orange suitcase. It holds everything a child needs to start learning about the world:
  • An activity book introducing new characters Max, Mia, and their dog Toby.
  • A wall-sized world map
  • Stickers and a wall decal
  • A luggage tag
After the first month, a monthly World Theme Kit arrives, which contains:
  • An activity booklet
  • Souvenirs
  • Flashlight Adventures
  • Stickers and wall decals
Early Explorers makes a unique holiday gift for children ages 3 to 5. Learn more about Early Explorers from Little Passports.



Saturday, November 8, 2014

{Travel Review} Hampton Inn Asheboro

This past weekend we took the kids to visit the NC Zoo on our way to our sons clinic visit in Durham. We were also doing an activity the day before in Charlotte and decided to stay the night in Asheboro. I checked prices on Expedia.com and booked a room with 2 Queen Beds at the Hampton Inn Asheboro for 83.30 plus tax. The hotel was comparable in price to others in the area, had excellent reviews, and was located only 13 minutes from the Zoo. The reservation also included access to an onsite indoor pool and a Breakfast Buffet, which is a big money saver for a family of 5.

We were greeted upon arrival by a very happy and helpful clerk who informed me that they also served cookies and popcorn in the lobby between 5-8pm each evening. My kids love popcorn and cookies and we had not eaten dinner prior to arrival so those amenities were nice surprises. They also offer laundry facilities, a 24 hour Coffee bar, which included hot water to make hot tea or hot chocolate, and a 24 hour snack bar. I took a quick peek at the “snack bar” since it’s located directly next to the guest services desk. It was stocked with an assortment of candies, gum, drinks (they also have drink machines on each floor), and a few quick microwavable meal options.

After checking in, we were happy with the size of our room and the fact that it included 2 Queen beds, a sitting chair, a small closet, a microwave, a mini-fridge (a necessity for our family since our son's medication must be refrigerated), and a large desk.


We decided to order a pizza and have it delivered so we could get the kids ready to swim. When the Pizza delivery arrived, guest services called to see if we wanted to come down to the lobby or if they could send him up to deliver the pizza to our door. This made my husband and I both feel very safe knowing that they were screening who was coming through the front door. After a picnic in the room, we took the kids for a swim.

My husband was delighted to find the spa area of the hotel not only included an indoor heated pool but a nice sized hot tub. He was dealing from back spasms due to an injury prior to our trip and the heat of the hot tub allowed those muscles to relax and ease off. I took the kids into the pool one at a time and let them swim while the other two stayed in or sitting on the edge of the hot tub with my husband. The pool was heated, yet not super warm, but it was the coldest weekend of the fall so for those conditions I think the temperature was perfect. Within the spa area there was also a door to a small 24 hours gym that looked to include a bicycle, treadmill, and a few other small piece of equipment. After a swim we retreated back to our room to bath the kids and get them to bed. The bathroom, which was very clean, was spacious enough to bath two kids while my oldest brushed her teeth and got ready to shower.


We realized as we were putting the kids to bed that we had forgotten to pick up milk for the kids to drink before bedtime. I made a call to guest services to see if they offered it in their snack bar and they said we could fill up their Sippy cups in the breakfast area, which saved us from making a late night trip to the store with all 3 kids in tow (That earned them big brownie points with this Mama).
The next morning we awoke, got ready for our day, and had breakfast at the included buffet downstairs.


I was very surprised at the large selection. They had freshly cooked eggs, sausage links, biscuits, oatmeal with a variety of toppings, toast, waffle irons, a variety of muffins and pastries, fresh fruit, and bagels with toppings such as cream cheese, honey, butter, jellies, etc. They also offered several beverage selections, including orange pineapple juice, which my oldest enjoyed, and milk for my younger two. The attendant was constantly cleaning up areas, providing fresh refills on the hot items, conversing with guests, and as we checked out I heard him give a courteous 10 minute warning to let the guest know that he would be closing the breakfast area so people could get a refill on anything if needed. It makes you more confident in eating a buffet style breakfast when there are several good options and the attendants are paying attention to the needs of the guests.

Overall, we couldn’t have been happier with our stay at the Hamptom Inn Asheboro. Our room, the pool area, buffet area, and hallways within the hotel were very clean and well decorated. I would highly recommend it for business professionals and families. We will be staying again prior to our next visit to the NC Zoo.

Where do you stay when visiting Asheboro? Does your family love visiting the Zoo as much as mine does?



*We purchased this room and I was not provided anything in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.