Great Ideas for Your Child’s Next Birthday Party

Thinking of ideas for your child’s next birthday party isn’t always easy, especially if they aren’t sure what they want either. As your child grows up, they will move away from the usual fun games and cake to more interesting parties like a soft play area. However, when you have used all of those ideas, what else can you try? Here are some ideas that might be able to help you.

Photo by Jennie Brown on Unsplash

Listen to Your Child’s Interests
If you are stuck for ideas, sometimes the best solution is to try talking about their interests. Although you might think you know what they like, this might not be the case. You can then take those interests and use them as a theme for a party. You are also almost certain that their friends are interested in the same things. If you are planning a surprise birthday party, then it might be a good idea to speak to your child’s friends. They may have a greater idea if they will like it or not.

Glow in The Dark Party
A party like this is especially good around Halloween as it makes a great nighttime event. You can have everything glow in the dark from face paints to neon clothing. You can also hire or buy an ultraviolet light to make the neon and white stand out. There is also a great recipe for glow in the dark play dough that the kids will have great fun making.

Indoor Drive-In Movie Theater
For the younger children, this idea will be sure to keep them entertained, especially if you put on their favorite movie. All you need are some cardboard boxes and stick on a paper plate steering wheel and wheels You can then line them up in rows and let them watch their movie in comfort. You can even give them their snacks there as they are unlikely to want to get out.

Adventure Days
There are many adventure days set up around the country; they offer several activities including a high zip wire and climbing frames. If you are looking for something involving more puzzle solving, then there are also places like the Atlanta Escape Room. They offer the opportunity to get trapped in a room that you then have to work your way out of by solving clues. These adventure activities are great for older kids, especially those that love the outdoors.

Pool Party
Pool parties are a great way to have a summer birthday party, but the weather doesn’t have to stop you. If it’s raining outside, then you can still hire your local pool complex for an hour or so and invite all their friends. Some pool complexes have inflatables that they will let you use, as well as flumes or water slides. It is a good idea to ensure that all those attending can swim before you book.

These ideas are just a few of the many you can try if you think a little outside the box. The main part of any party, however, is to have fun.

7 Hacks For The Perfect Road Trip

Going on a road trip has its pros and cons. Pros, you’re going on an awesome adventure; cons, it can be costly. Here are some hacks you can try to balance those pros and cons to reach vacation nirvana.

1. Download a gas app: One of the most costly aspects of any road trip, especially in this economy, is gas. When you’re travelling in an unfamiliar area, it’s hard to know where to stop for the most frugal fill-up. To aid in your decision, you can download GasBuddy or Gas Guru, only two of the several gas pricing apps. These apps display the location and gas prices of gas stations near you. Most apps like these are free and update pretty regularly, so you won’t be deceived when you pull up at the pump.

2. Take side stops: Have you ever gone on a trip and passed signs for museums or monuments that you think would be awesome to see in person? Allot time in your travel to make a few stops on the way to your destination. It will not only keep you entertained throughout your trip, but it will also give you a chance to stretch your legs and learn something new.

3. Gassing up a rented or borrowed car: Chances are, if you’ve never driven a car, you probably don’t remember which side the gas tank is on. If you do forget, look at the gas gauge. There is an arrow that will point to whichever side of the car the gas tank is on. This will save you a tiny bit of time and hassle when you have to stop at the pump.

4. Stay awake while night driving: If you’re feeling sleepy, it’s probably best to switch drivers or check in to a hotel. But if you’re feeling only a little drowsy, try listening to comedians on your road trip. Odds are, the comedian will keep you laughing and their jokes will keep you engaged, chuckling and most importantly, awake, all the way home.

5. Know North from South: If you’re old school and like following paper directions instead of having a little square computer yell at you to turn, you know that your passenger might end up telling you a wrong direction by mistake. Remember that interstates and highways with odd numbers run North to South, and interstates with even numbers run East to West. If you get mixed up, this will help you get back on track, or at least in the right direction, in a jiffy.

6. Cool down hot cars quickly: In the dead of summer, stopping for only five minutes for a quick bathroom break can leave your car unbearably hot. To cool down a hot car in seconds, roll down one window all the way and open and close the car door directly across from that window a few times. This will force hot air out of the car.

7. Know where to get directions: When asking for directions, some people gravitate towards gas stations. However, the best place to ask for directions is a restaurant with a delivery service. Stop in at Pizza Hut or Dominos to ask for directions. Odds are, they have a driver waiting for a delivery who can give you quick and easy directions to a destination in the area.

With these seven road trip travel hacks, you’ll be ready to hit the road for the vacay of a lifetime. For more tips on all things car related, visit Blitzify.com, check out their blog, and download the Blitzify app that is revolutionizing the way motorists search and shop for automotive services.

About Blitzify 
Blitzify is a new mobile application that connects customers and automotive service providers through a comprehensive and innovative mobile platform that is changing the way people buy and sell automotive services. The app merges data from local market research, information from service providers, special offers, testimonials and ratings and reviews from customers into a user-friendly interface giving the user out-the-door, real time price comparisons.  For more information, visit www.blitzify.com.

Winter Storm Pax and a little earthquake to shake things up a bit | Winter 2014 in SC

February has been a very, very interesting month. We have lived in South Carolina for over 16 years and have experienced all four seasons, our share of storms and everything in between (so we thought). We had our second snow storm hit this last week which is quite rare for SC. Normally snow for us is maybe an inch or some flurries. Not this time, we had 4 inches of sleet, snow, freezing rain, snow, sleet and more freezing rain, in that order!

I am sure we are being laughed at from the Northerners about our little 4 inches of the frozen stuff. Laugh all you want. This does NOT happen here!

Of course our entire state for the most part was shut down. Everyone was urged to stay indoors for good reason. Our state is not equipped to handle snow and ice. Snow plows and sand/salt trucks are very few and rarely needed. The biggest scare for us was the ice situation. I know that most of the rural areas lost power and had a lot of fallen trees and even structures collapsed. I am so thankful that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Besides the inconvenience of not being able to leave the house for 3 days, we got through it. I am one of those Southerners who run to the grocery store to stock up on extra items, and for good reason! At least we had a lot of good things to snack on and lots of firewood covered up in tarp out back in the event we had to use it. It's better to be overly prepared in my opinion.

My husband cleaned our cars off before anything else added to what was on there. I watched him push huge sheets of frozen precipitation off. It was amazing! We even had to shovel our front deck and steps. Of course, living in the south, we don't have an actual snow shovel. We used traditional garden shovels and even dust pans. Hey, we had to make do with what we had!

Don't I look like I am floating in this photo? I was standing on top of frozen grass. We had to be careful because it was very slippery. I am not an ice skater, that's for sure! I felt so badly for the neighborhood dogs as they struggled to walk or stand up on the ice.

William wanted to play in the snow, but unfortunately, it wasn't that type of snow. He did enjoy exploring outside and making tracks in the crunchy ground.

We are lucky that the temperatures are rising and everything is melting pretty quickly. Later next week, we are looking at seeing temps in the upper 70's. We thought we were done with the crazy weather until last night. Valentine's night 2014 will never be forgotten. Many of us in South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina felt an earthquake for the very first time. Although it was very quick and a 4.4, it was enough to scare us silly. Facebook and Twitter exploded with updates about the earthquake. I know our California friends were amused!

Hopefully the weather will start to improve for everyone. I really feel for my friends living out in states that are getting hit super hard by storm after storm. I can't imagine living in that. What has the weather been like where you live?