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- Hang out at the Beach: This is the obvious free activity for kids because everything is available for them.
- The sand is available for sand castle or fort building.
- Collecting shells is another activity at the beach.
- Searching for crabs and other sea creatures is totally a lot of fun.
- Swimming in the ocean. Repeat.
- Coloring or Painting: Use the shells for a craft time.
- Bring glitter glue or simple paints that come with coloring books to paint shells.
- Bring coloring books and have a coloring time with kids.
- Watercolors are great as well. Kids can create own landscapes with their own imagination.
- Wildlife Refuge or Botanical Gardens: These are usually always free and a great break from the beach.
- Find a local botanical garden or nature center. There is always bound to be one.
- Walk and find treasures and discover animals of the area.
- Find activities of the day.
- Sometimes there is another new beach to swim and hang out for the day.
- Games: Bring age-related games
- If multiple families are staying together, then all the kids can all play together. Gives a nice break for parents to chat together.
- Play as a family. Living in a high-paced society can leave little room to relax and play with your kids.
- Play hide and seek.
- Have the kids pretend and play a story throughout the house. (My girls love pretending to be characters from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.)
- Evening or Nighttime Activities:
- Build a fire on the beach or use a pit. Roast marshmallows, make own dinner, catch crabs and then bake them.
- Sparklers or fireworks. Adult supervision required.
- Hunt for fireflies
- Check out local towns for free outdoor concerts. Bring your own picnic and enjoy the evening.
- Movie night with a beach or ocean theme (last resort).
- Read themed books or have reading time for all kids ages.
- Energizer headlights are lightweight, versatile and water-resistant with pivoting functionality to direct light where you need it.
- Energizer® Vision HD+ Focus LED Headlight is the highest performing of the Energizer vision headlights. It has a beam distance of 80M and has a digital focus feature allows users to customize the light to the desired width. It is also water and impact resistant up to 1 meter.
- Energizer area lanterns are the safe, reliable way to provide bright 360° light long into the night, at the camp fire, or while weathering a storm.
- Energizer® Fusion LED Folding Lantern has 330 lumen output and has a light fusion technology panel that folds up for 360 degree delivering vibrant uniform area lighting. It has a sturdy stand on back of lantern allows for hands-free use and has two modes: high and low plus smart dimming technology for customizable light output.
- 1/2 cup fresh mango
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup mango puree
- 8 mint leaves
- 2 ounces light rum
- 1 ounce Grand Marnier
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1/2 Tablespoon simple stevia syrup or 1 Tablespoon simple syrup
- Blend ingredients together until smooth.
- Will make 1 1/2 cups mango puree.
- Use only 1/2 cup mango puree for one glass.
- Add all ingredients in a blender and blend for a minute until blended well.
- Garnish with lime.
- 1/4 cup fresh blackberries
- 4 large basil leaves, cut in long thins strips (chiffonade)
- 1 1/2 ounces creme de cassis
- 1 1/2 ounce Manatawny Still Works Batch 4 Aged Rum
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 1 small clementine, juiced
- 1/2 lime, juiced
- With a muddler, mash the blackberries with the basil and creme de cassis and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Place blackberry mix into a cocktail shaker and add the remaining ingredients and shake well. Add crushed iced to a 6-ounce glass and serve. Garnish with a blackblerry.
Kid-Friendly Activities for every Beach Vacation + Giveaway
August 3rd, 2016
We loved being at the beach this past week. It was probably one of the most rewarding and relaxing weeks even though we have three kids under the age of 5. Yes. You read that correctly. It IS possible to have a relaxing week even with kids while on a beach vacation. I am happy to share some kid-friendly activities you can implement on your next beach vacation.
It is important to teach our kids the art of simplicity when our society teaches that we are to be having fun all the time. What activities constitute as having fun? It can mean so many things for many people but I wanted to share how our family survived the week at the beach with no spending to please our kids.
Kid-Friendly Activities for every Beach Vacation
I think many can see that the list could go on, but these are a few things we did during our week and it still felt relaxed. I LOVED collecting shells because it reminded me of my childhood. I really enjoyed reliving that with my kids and then finding ones with holes so that we could make necklaces or even paint them.
Our Own Activities in Delaware
We also enjoyed visiting a local lavender farm that was pretty amazing. If you could imagine smelling lavender everywhere as you stepped out of the parking lot, you would be in heaven! It was hard not to buy everything lavender but I looked forward cooking with some culinary lavender soon. We also were able to go to Milford to check out a free Wednesday night concert. The plus was having a playground in the area for the kids!
Something that I deeply enjoyed and I actually found relaxing was coloring with my girls or even seeing them color with their friends. It was an activity I grew up doing with my mother and my grandmother. I even got to pick up some of our old coloring books from Texas so I could show my girls. It was super sweet and I definitely knew I wanted to start this same tradition.
Coloring as a Family
While coloring is such a trend, it has always been in my life. I recently was sent a coloring book called Let’s Color Together: A Shareable Coloring Book for Parents and Kids. Each spread in Let’s Color Together features two versions of the same design – one is typically more detailed and intricate than the other – that are laid out so parents and kids can color face-to-face across a table. Let’s Color Together also features perforated pages so families can color side-by-side or display their handiwork!
Thanks to Margaret Peot who decided to combine the popularity of adult coloring books and the enduring pastime of kids. Her books include Inkblot: Drip, Splat and Squish Your Way to Creativity, which was awarded the Eureka! silver Medal for non-fiction children’s books, Alternative Art Journals, and Make Your Mark. Visit her at http://www.margaretpeot.com/.
Snag your Copy & Enter Giveaway
The book is available on Amazon and would make great gifts for your friends. My kids request coloring time at home now with me and I feel that I have truly connected. It has been an opportunity to let my semi-perfectionist spirit to be still.
Enter the giveaway below by leaving a comment below letting me know what your favorite activity is to do with your kids. Giveaway will end on 8/20 and I will announce here. If you get a copy of the book, make sure you tag your photos on social media using #letscolortogether.
Disclosure: This post does contain affiliate links. I was supplied with two copies of the coloring book. One for me and for a reader.
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Nighttime Beach Essentials for the Summer + Energizer Giveaway
August 1st, 2016
Nighttime Beach Essentials can include many of the obvious list of items but what many forget that for anyone to enjoy nightly activities there must be light available to create night-time fun especially with little kids. Energizer products definitely come in handy to make these activities possible especially when a fire pit is not even available. Enter the giveaway to have your own successful beach getaway with your family.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Motherhood and Energizer. All opinions and photos are my own. Giveaway sponsored by sponsor. There are also affiliate links included in this post.
I love starting August with lots of energy after returning from a week at the beach. It was the first time our little family of five has gone out to relax in a secluded area to detach from our busy schedules. It was a blessed time to recoup and embrace the art of slow living. We checked out Broadkill Beach in Delaware based on a friend’s recommendation as opposed to the more popular areas like Lewes and Rehobeth Beach. It was secluded, quiet and away from the busy and loud activities.
When I started packing for the trip I got stress paralyzed because I realized I had never packed for a WEEK away to the beach. How much is too much? I was able to get a little feedback from friends but I essentially knew there were several things that I knew that my family would need to make our trip doable. I look forward sharing that on another post because one of the things I knew I wanted to focus on was how our nightly activities were going to go being so close to the beach.
Below are a few beach essentials we found helpful for our night-time activities:
Nighttime Beach Essentials
Comfy Beach Chairs: Who wants to sit at the beach on towels? Yes, exactly, no one. We had lovely small reclining beach chairs that worked as back packs so that our hands could carry other fun items like……
Wine and Wine glasses: I was able to hang with another mom at the beach catching the sunset and relaxing hearing the waves. Although we forgot our wine and glasses at the house, due to being busy with kids, we knew it would be ideal. A wine carrier with plastic wine glasses are a must to add to the relaxing experience.
Bug Spray or Repellent: While I would love to make my own spray, I just do not have time. I rely on several products to repel bugs even to the beach flies that I learned all too quickly how painful they are. Many of the these not only work for me but also for infants and toddlers.
Battery operated lights: Energizer has amazing lanterns and headlights that are light and easy to carry. It helps with finding the way back to your beach house after it is pitch black. It is also great for night-time activities such getting ready for kids and firecrackers.
Hooded top: Even though it is summer, the weather always ends up being cool in the evenings or even windier than usual. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Nighttime Activities
Besides enjoying the time at the beach we also had a great time out on the porch with the kids. When we found out that the house we were staying did not have a fire pit, we knew we were going to have to make the most of our time by planning other activities. One evening our friends brought sparklers for the kids to enjoy so we knew that the area would have to be dark so the porch light was not used. We used the Energizer area lantern to light up the area to make lighting each sparkler possible. The kids then could concentrate on running around with their sparklers.
Energizer products
Energizer lights and batteries are the ideal accessories for all your summertime family activities as you can see from our experiences. A simple flashlight could do but just experiencing the powerful light and design of these products, I cannot wait to take them to our nightly activities during the rest of the summer like some outdoor movie nights and such.
Whether you’re camping under the stars or playing in the backyard, Energizer’s high performance headlights are just what you need for summertime adventures that require two hands. Even so, Energizer® EcoAdvanced™ batteries are the world’s first AA and AAA battery made with four percent recycled batteries and are great when used and paired with the lantern and headlight.
When you’re preparing for your summertime adventures, don’t forget the batteries as well as these great nighttime beach essentials!
Giveaway
Enter to win your own set of Energizer products like the headlight, lantern and batteries. I promise you that your family will use them even if it is in your own backyard.
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Guilt-Free Mango Mint Daiquiri
July 22nd, 2016Summer is a lot more exciting with fun frozen drinks especially when you add friends to the mix. These Mango Mint Daiquiri will keep you cooled off during this hot and humid summer.
Mango is a delicious fruit that can be accessible in the frozen section. It is also available during the summer months in grocery stores or places like Produce Junction where they have tropical fruits available. There is a store in Houston called Fiesta which is an international food haven. You can find all kinds of tropical fruits and pretend you are on a beach.
Today was one of those days. After a long week of taking the girls back and forth to the Main Line where are church is located, I decided to create a quick cocktail that would be nice for a happy hour while the kids were napping. Mango is such a creamy fruit with a sweet tangy flavors. It is a deep yellow flesh wrapped around a huge seed and fun to eat on its own.
After being in the heat watching two kids wanting to slip and slide with normal clothes, I gave in. Who can deny the kids to enjoy some water games? I evidently did! Since we are preparing to go to the beach, I had planned for the kids not to do any water activities to save from cleaning more towels and bathing suits. Oh well. I failed.
After a long afternoon, I find myself sleepy and ready for my spouse to take over for the evening, but since that is not here, I made myself useful by preparing a fun cocktail that is light, fruity, tropical and FUN! Daiquiri cocktails like this Mango Mint Daiquiri can be made over the rocks or blended with ice. I tried my recipe both ways and I preferred them with blended ice.
What makes this GUILT-FREE? I used simple stevia syrup ( Like NuNaturals brand) instead of simple syrup. It really tastes like simple syrup and is a great substitute with no added calories. Buy frozen mango at the store and makes these for your friends this weekend. Maybe I can take some to the shore for the next week.
What is your favorite tropical fruit and drink?
Ingredients
Instructions
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Caribbean Eats at a Reggae Fest + Giveaway
July 19th, 2016Enjoy Caribbean eats at your local Bahama Breeze and be transported with all the delicious food and drink choices. From now until August 13th, Reggae Fest will be another experience with musical performers, unique menu selections and amazing sweepstakes.
Disclosure: We were treated to a VIP experience thanks to Bahama Breeze. While it was our first time enjoying the venue and all opinions and reviews are unbiased and are based on our experience.
Since moving to the East Coast we have quickly learned that summers are spent on the beach. We have only been able to go twice to Cape May since moving to Pennsylvania but we are looking at enjoying a WHOLE week in Delaware next week. When it comes to enjoying a Caribbean beach, neither my husband nor I have enjoyed the pleasure of relaxing at a resort but I think we came close to that experience last night as we visited Bahama Breeze. Even though we have lived in the area for 5 years, we had never checked out the restaurant until last night!
As we arrived, we immediately felt welcomed and almost expected a lei but instead we heard wonderful live music in the center of the restaurant. If anyone knows me, I love going to places with live music. I would drag my hubby to live jazz at local coffee shops in Houston when we were dating, and it is something I miss terribly. Music and dining just makes the perfect evening in my books.
Reggae Fest
Parker was our great server last night, explaining all the delicious options we had to drink and eat. We specifically were introduced to all that was involved within the Reggae Fest. Since July 1st, Bahama Breeze started out celebrating on International Reggae Fest. Every Saturday, there is a party with live bands that can be heard throughout the restaurant. Select cocktails, food and other beverages are available to celebrate the special season along with giveaways, pop up rum punch bars and more.
While we were not able to experience the party, we hope to the beginning of August after we are back from the beach. We were able to experience the food and the great ambiance and all in all it we had a relaxing time. Not only were we able to enjoy delicious food from the Caribbean for the first time, but my husband and I have great conversation because, dining with kids is a challenge. I know many of you know that!
Drinks and Appetizers
While we waited for our starters we were greeted with One Love drinks a special during Reggae Fest. It consists of Malibu Banana rum, pineapple, orange and guava juice shaken together and topped with an Appleton rum floater. It definitely was flavorful and was refreshing after coming in from the heat.
We started with the Taste of Jamaica which is a taste of Jamaican favorites like pulled pork, jerk chicken, beef empanada, callaloo, sweet plantains, yellow rice and black beans. We also had the Curry Goat which was a new dish for both of us. The spices in this dish were definitely made the dish very flavorful and even though curry is not a favorite of ours it was savory. The goat was tender with a mix of tender greens and rice. It is considered one of the Reggae Fest Chef Special.
I also wanted to take some Breeze Cheese Bites because crisp fried yuca stuffed with melted cheese and cilantro-crema dipping sauce sound amazing don’t they? They were super crispy and hot when they arrived and almost tasted like potato but as they got cooler you could tell the difference in texture. Yucca is also served in Cuba and over mojo a garlic and oil sauce on top. I liked this appetizer especially the dip.
Main Meal and Drinks
While we ordered our meals, we received another set of drinks that made for a lovelier evening. I have never been to a place that offered a margarita flight. I thought of ordering a Tamarind Margarita but the Hibiscus Margarita was calling my name so I ordered the flight that consisted of the two mentioned and a Grilled Pineapple Margarita. The presentation was amazing but my ultimate favorite was the Tamarind Margarita with the Hibiscus coming in at a close second. The Tamarind Margarita was slightly sweet but tangy with a great blend of tequila. I would totally order it next time especially since it is so unique!
Bahama Breeze has an extensive menu and it took a while to decide what to order but since most of the special items consisted of seafood we stuck to the theme and ordered a Jumbo Stuffed Crab Shells and I ordered the Yellowtail Snapper Veracruz so we could taste from each other’s plates. The portions are plentiful and come with fresh sides either with yellow rice, black beans and sweet plantains or a veggie.
We loved how flavorful and fresh everything tasted. The snapper was grilled beautiful and combined well with the green olive and tomato garnish that came on top. My husband’s stuffed crab shells were my favorite while he favored my dish so it was good that we were able to experience each other’s choices. We were glad to start our week with a delightful dining experience and we will for sure be returning back. I think our girls would love the music as well. I also foresee a Ladies Night Out because the drinks are amazing!
Think of checking Bahama Breeze? If you are in the Philly area, check out the location at King of Prussia.
Sweepstakes
To continue the celebration, Bahama Breeze is giving away a cruise for one righteous winner and a friend to the JamRock 5-night cruise to Jamaica. This Reggae Cruise line features live music lineups daily including Sean Paul, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Stephen “Regga” Marley, Toots and the Maytals. Starting July 1, guests can snap their best selfie at #ReggaeFest and upload their picture on social media using #ReggaeFest and #Sweepstakes. Guests can also register at SummerReggaeFest.com for a chance to win.
For more information about Reggae Fest, visit www.BahamaBreeze.com/Reggae.
Giveaway
What to experience your own Reggae Fest at home? Enter below to win media mailer kit to make have your very own reggae party at home!
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Blackberry Basil Rum Smash
July 13th, 2016
This Blackberry Basil Rum Smash is made with an aged rum produced at a local distillery in Pottstown, PA called Manatawny Still Works. Tomorrow, July 14th, they are releasing and selling a limited quantity of their fourth batch of aged rum. Once it is gone, it is gone, so make sure you get your own bottle.
One of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of berries available. My girls consume them so fast that it is hard to keep up with restocking the fridge. It is hard to choose from blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries but usually we purchase what is in abundance at the time.
We love eating them plain or over cereal in the morning or evening with fresh whipped cream for dessert. Another way I like enjoying berries is in mixed drinks muddled in a little sweetener with fresh herbs for added depth. When I received a bottle of aged rum to try, I knew I wanted to make a cocktail with blackberries, basil, and creme de cassis.
Located in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and only 20 minutes from my home is the distillery called Manatawny Still Works It is pretty cool that there are so many distilleries and breweries in our area because it makes it exciting supporting local businesses providing such exciting products. The environment at Manatawny is very inviting especially with the tasting room at the entrance, waiting to serve their customers with monthly specials featuring their spirits.
When I opened the aged rum I loved the smell. It is a Caribbean-style rum that is finished in 59 gallon Gandona Winery Cabernet Sauvignon French Oak Barrels. The finished product is truly unique and flavorful rum with the sweetness of red wine and the richness of molasses especially since the aged rum is fermented from 100% baker’s grade molasses with a heavy rum yeast.
The rum is smooth goes down the throat with an oak finish and a buttery richness and is recommended to be enjoyed on its own or in a simple cocktail which is what I did decided to do. Batch FOUR is 105 proof and is $42.99 a bottle. Make sure you support local businesses by going to try your own bottle!
Hope you enjoy this simple Blackberry Basil Rum Smash which is made from mashed blackberries muddled in chopped basil and creme de cassis. There is also an addition of citrus juices to make this an ideal drink for a brunch.
Ingredients
Instructions
Disclosure: I received a bottle for review. All comments and reviews are my own as are my recipes.
