Family – Page 6

HAILEY’S FIELD TRIP TO THE PUMPKIN PATCH!

October 14, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Today Hailey took her first “real” field trip, and by “real” I mean first field trip where they took a bus there ; ) I went along with several other parents, and I am so glad I did. Today instead of the blog post I had originally set to go up, I decided to share a few pictures of Hailey’s Pre-K field trip to the pumpkin patch.

If you enjoy these types of posts, please let me know! Thank you for letting me share my family with you. If you ever feel nosy, feel free to check out our daily vlogs ; ) Please subscribe! xo

Are You Taking Advantage of These Walt Disney World Planning Secrets?

September 23, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

If you watch my families Daily Vlog Channel then it is no surprise that we LOVE Disney and are over-the-top excited to be heading there in a couple of months. No matter what your plans are for a Disney vacation, it’s Disney so it’s going to be magical, but today I want to share 5 things that I’ve learned about while planning for our big trip that are HUGELY helpful! These tips will give your trip an extra magical edge, a step up from just the basic, easy to come across information.

*Photo credit to InsideTheMagic.net

1. Disney Dining Buddy

In my post called 5 Things To Do BEFORE You Book Your Disney Vacation, I mentioned that dining needs to happen 180 days prior to your trip, which seems intense but even then some reservations are nearly impossible to get! I desperately wanted the Be Our Guest dinner reservation, but finding that for a party of 9 was just not possible even at 6a.m on our 180 day mark. Luckily, I had done my research and found out about “sniper services” that you pay not to book your reservation but to text and/or email alert you if the reservation you want becomes available. The cost is $8/reservation, and while it doesn’t promise that you’ll get an alert, it scans constantly and saves you from spending precious time on the website or the app. Time is money, people ; ) I have a few requests out that I haven’t booked yet, so I can keep you posted, but I got the most coveted Be Our Guest dinner, and couldn’t be more excited! *Note: There are other “sniper services” out there, but I’ve put a lot of time into checking them out, and this one seems to be the fastest for alerts and has the highest success rate.

*EDIT: Disney Dining Buddy has shut down! You can try Disney Dining Scout.

2. Facebook Planning Groups

No matter when your trip is, I am sure there is a Facebook group waiting for you to join! Most groups are by month, so for example you could search “Walt Disney World March 2016 Planning Group” and find something. They have these for cruises, too. This group is like my lifeline lately, any question I have? BAM! Someone, or several people, have an answer or idea. Plus, it’s a fun way to get excited for your trip!

3. Touring Plans

I’ve been to Disney world before, but not in years, and never with 3 little loves of my own, so even though I had a million drafts of each days itinerary I was lost. Then came Touring Plans and the app to go along with it, Lines. You can use some features of the site for free or pay $12 for customized touring plans that optimize your schedule, you can schedule in breaks, change your plans and update, get real wait times, manage your reservations, and more. Yes, you get MyDisneyExperiecne for free, but this helps you make a plan with a map that is realistic, in an order of the park that makes sense, and in a way that fits your needs.

4. WDW Dining App

This is an awesome way to familiarize yourself with all of the dining options in all 4 of the parks, at the resorts, at Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney), both water parks, and all the resorts. This lists where the restaurant is located, average price range, type of food, a little about the resturant, and if they are quick service (walk-up) or table service (sit-down). And honestly I love to just get excited about all the delish food that we can enjoy!

5. CharacterLocator.com

This is the perfect guide for telling you where the characters are located and what times. This is awesome for planning your character interactions and knowing where to look for your kids (or your!) favorites. It has great information such as tips for when to line up for the shortest wait, and what characters don’t sign autographs. I would totally get photos with the characters even if I didn’t have kids : )

If you’re a Disney lover like me, please share your tips! If you found this post helpful, fun, interesting, or amazing, please share! All of my social media share buttons are at the bottom of every post to make it super easy : )

Makeup Free Monday!

September 21, 2015 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I talk about makeup a lot on this blog, and on my LeahTackles YouTube channel, but as a busy mom I don’t always have on perfectly winged eyeliner! ; ) Today I wanted to share a real, unedited, filter-free,iPhone photo of me with not a dab of makeup!

Today I traveled 250 miles with only a few hours sleep, I am recovering from a cold, and had a busy afternoon of appointments.

Tonight I cuddled up in bed with two of the men in my life and snapped this picture.

Feel free to share YOUR makeup free pictures with me on social media! All linked on this blog : )

Have a beautiful week!

VTech Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train Toy Review

September 9, 2015 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I can’t believe I’m about to type this, but Christmas shopping is right around the corner! So, today I want to share the Sit-to-Stand Ultimate Alphabet Train with you because we have been enjoying it SO much in our house. Hailey is 4, Connor is 2, and Logan is 7 months old and all of them have been able to use it.

*Note: I was contacted by VTech and asked if I would like to review a few of their toys. I recieved four toys for consideration for honest reviews and was not paid to review any of them. Links are NOT affiliate links and are provided solely for your conveinence! A.K.A I do not get any money if you purchase ; ) Also, I apologize for the poor picture quality, but these are action shots!

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

-10 Activities that help teach letters, numbers, and colors

-Helps with fine motor skills with the storybook, clock, gears, and 13 double-sided letters that can snap into the side of the train to learn letters.

-The “caboose” converts into a wagon that can be filled up with toys and used as a pull toy

-Helps with gross motor skills when using as a ride on toy, push walker, or pull toy

-Target age is 12-36 months

$49.99

HOW MY KIDS USE IT:

Hailey, age 4, likes to use the letter blocks to work on letter sounds, and word formation. She also is interested in the clock and now wants to learn how to tell time!

Connor, age 2, LOVES to ride his train! He immediately claimed this as his (he is the only one of my kids who fits into the targeted age right now) and uses it all day long! I love that he practices his fine motor skills while not even knowing it, because he is a go-go-go little guy who usually gets bored pretty fast.

Logan, 7 months, likes to sit by the train and work on cause-and-effect as the lights and sounds go at the touch of a button. I know soon he will be walking behind it and riding on it!

PROS:

-Appeals to all 3 of my kids!

-So many toys in one! This is such a multi-purpose toy

-Easy to assemble and very sturdy

CONS:

-This is a large toy, so consider storage (I rotate our toys so the kids never get bored and my house isn’t overtaken!)

-It’s a somewhat pricy toy

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I really do love this toy! We already have the VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker (which I purchased long before I was blogging with my own money!), so I hadn’t planned on purchasing a new one for Logan, but I am THRILLED we recieved this! Connor especially absolutely adores this thing! Each one of the kids uses this daily and I love that it engages them all together! That isn’t an easy task! And like I said it *is* a little bulky, but how cute would it look as the “big gift” for a birthday or under ther tree? I think VTech does a great job because the kids seem to really love the toys, and because of that use them enough to learn with them.

Please let me know some of your favorite gifts for kids or what you have on your holiday shopping lists! If you found this helpful please feel free to share! Thank you all for your support!

MY ROOMMATE’S WEDDING! PICTURE POST

September 7, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday! And Happy Labor Day!

I hope that all of you are getting to enjoy a wonderful long weekend with your family and friends. I had the honor of being a bridesmaid and standing up with one of my best friends, my sorority sister, and roommate. Cara, a.k.a “Rooms” (even though we haven’t lived together since 2008), was glowing all day long and married the love of her life, Allen. Thank you to both of you for letting me be a part of your gorgeous day! I adored watching you two become husband and wife. And thank you to Cara’s dad for throwing an AMAZING party! A full on Italian dinner with every course you could imagine, and let’s not forget the Dairy Queen blizzard bar and taco food truck to round of the night. Today I want to share a handful of pictures and the vlog footage I have from the wedding. If you like posts like these be sure to let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to our vlog channel so you can be nosy and see what I’m up to every single day ; )

Thank you, as always, for taking the time to read! Have a wonderful day!

WATCH OUR LIFE EVERYDAY!

August 10, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Okay guys, after LOTS of anticipation, I am super excited to tell you that we officially launched our family vlog channel!! I have spent yesterday and today uploading two weeks worth of content, and by Wednesday it will be all caught up! Every day you will get to watch what we did the day before…like you’re watching from the future. It would mean the *world* to me if you subscribed to our new YouTube Channel!! I promise it is SO easy! You DO NOT NEED A YOUTUBE ACCOUNT! All you have to do is have a gmail.com email address and when you’re logged into gmail you can click subscribe! That is it!! You can also “like” the videos and comment, too!! I hope that you’re all feeling nosy ; )

HERE IS OUR CHANNEL:

KWAPISFAMILYTACKLES

and here is our very first video:

Thank you so much in advance for the support! We are so excited to this new adventure and definitely need your help!! Please share this post! xo

Our Mini Vacation In Pictures!

August 3, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! We spent 3 nights at my family lake cottage in Indiana. Here our some pictures from last years trip. A special thanks to my mom for helping out with the kids while we were there, and a shout out to my dad who is currently in a brace from his head to his lower back but still toughed it out at even though he couldn’t take part in the fun stuff like the zoo, was able to make the trip to the cottage. Have you been anywhere fun this summer or do you have any trips coming up? Let me know in the comments!

OUR MINI VACATION PICTURES!

I was waiting to take this picture ever since last year when we took one with Logan still in my belly ; ) Maybe next year they’ll all look and smile!

Thank you for reading and letting me share my family with each of you! Don’t forget to subscribe!

My Family Pictures 2015!!

July 15, 2015 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

We are lucky enough to have the hugely talented Brooke of Brooke Ashley Snow Photography take pictures for our family once or twice most years. Recently she snapped a few quick pictures for us as a family of five, our 5 year wedding anniversary and for Lo’s 6 month birthday. If you’re in Michigan and need photos done, CHECK HER OUT! She is awesome to work with, makes you feel so comfortable, and takes amazing pictures! Also, she can make any kid smile! She will do all sorts of *crazy* stuff to get a great picture…and she’s my friend AND family, so I’m allowed to say that ; ) Love you lots girl, thank you again! Your photography is on *fleek* ; )

FullSizeRender (19)

Have a beautiful weekend! I appreciate each of you!! xoxo

Homemade Glitter Playdough {No-Bake and 5 Ingredients!)

July 8, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Can you believe that it’s going to be the middle of July in a few days? We are finally getting some gorgeous weather here, but we have had some rainy days where we are stuck inside…blah! The kids get restless, FAST! Because I have 3 kids who are all so young going places isn’t a simple undertaking, and we usually are home on weekdays, so I LOVE this playdough recipe because it has all things that I have on hand. A lot of homemade playdough calls for heating the ingredients or ingredients that I don’t always have, so this one sticks out to me. The kids had a great time making this, and it works really well days later.

Homemade Glitter Playdough:

What You’ll Need:

1 Cup of Water

Food Coloring

4 Cups of Flour

1 1/2 Cups of Salt

3-4 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil

Glitter

Step 1:

Pour your water into a large bowl.

Step 2:

Add your food coloring and then stir! We made a purple-ish color.

Step 3:

Add your dry ingredients and stir. Next add your oil so it isn’t so crumbly, but not too much to where it’s sticky.

Step 4:

Add your GLITTER!!

Step 5:

Mix it up! We formed ours into balls & stored in plastic containers but plastic baggies would work, too.

Step 6:

Have fun!!

If you liked this, please share on social media! You can also “pin” it to your Pinterest account by hovering over any picture and clicking the “pin” button! I apprecaite the support so much!! Have a wonderful weekend : )

4th of July 2015! PIC HEAVY!!

July 6, 2015 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that each of you had a safe and happy weekend! If you are in America, tell me in the comments what you did for the 4th! I would love to hear about it : ) We had a wonderful weekend and I have lots of pictures to share with you. We also have decided to start vlogging as a family, and we want to launch a FAMILY VLOG CHANNEL soon!! If you think that’s a good idea, let me know! Also, if you want to watch our first video you can check it out here! Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel if you haven’t already to give me more opportunities for fun giveaways and better review material for all of you : )

Our 4th of July Pictures:

Here are our 4th of July pictures from 2014!

Thank you for reading!! Have a wonderful week! Please, don’t forget to subscribe! xo

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