Crown Reef Resort & Waterpark Myrtle Beach Is Your Off-Season Family Vacation Destination

Although the weather is cooling down quite a bit, it never stops my family from traveling to Myrtle Beach. The beach is my family's happy place, and not matter the weather, you can find us there numerous times throughout the year. Our favorite months to visit are between November-March during the off-season. Most people assume because it's colder during that time, that we are nuts. What they don't realize is that Myrtle Beach has so much to offer year 'round. 

Our latest Myrtle Beach adventure landed us at the Crown Reef Resort & Waterpark. When we first pulled up to the resort, we were in shock by how enormous the property was. Check-in is done across the street at their conference center. The process was very quick, and the staff members were quite friendly and happy to answer all of our questions. We received our room keys, wristbands for the pool and waterpark, as well as a much needed map of the property, We headed back across the street to their oceanfront property to park in the covered garage. 

We stayed in the third building on the eleventh floor. It was the perfect spot that offered amazing panoramic views of the entire beach! As we entered our oceanfront suite, we were greeting with a lovely beach bag filled with some goodies for my family. It was such a nice, personal touch! We immediately noticed the pretty towel swans that were placed on both of the queen beds in the bedroom. 

The bedroom was spacious and had plenty of storage space for our clothing and personal items. It had a flat screen television, as well as its own heating and air conditioning unit. There were ample pillows and extra blankets for the living area beds. 

As you leave the bedroom, you walk into the kitchen area with a full bathroom on the opposite side. The bathroom was a good size and it had ample vanity space, light, and a  separate door for the toilet/shower area. I wasn't sure how 5 people were going to share the one bathroom, but we managed just fine. There were plenty of fresh towels available for us. 

We really loved the full kitchen. It helps a lot when you are traveling with a larger family since eating out can really add up. We brought some of our own groceries and made good use of all the appliances. It comes equipped with all of the basic pots, pans, dishware, utensils, and drinkware. It's like having a piece of home on vacation, and is such a great convenience. 

Once you exit the kitchen, you enter the living and dining area. The space was large enough for all of us to gather, yet had a warm and cozy feel. The sofa bed and murphy bed were perfect for extra sleeping space. This unit could sleep up to 8 people. Once you were up in the morning, all you had to do was push the bed back into the sofa and the murphy bed back up in the wall. Makes me want a murphy bed in my own house, because it is such a space saver. 

Let me tell you, the views are incredible. You can't get any better than standing out on your private balcony taking in the sights and sounds of the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. It's the best thing ever! Life has been so stressful lately, and just sitting out there looking at the moon at night and the sunrise in the morning was therapeutic.  

We didn't come all the way to Crown Reef Resort just to sit in our room, we came for some family fun. Having two adult children with their own busy lives, it's not often we get to all come together for some family time. We ventured around the property to check out all of the amenities, and were blown away. There is SO much to do to a point where you really have no reason to leave the resort at all. Crown Reef has so many beautiful pools, whirlpools, sun decks, and the longest lazy river in Myrtle Beach. I wish I had my waterproof cover on my phone so I could have taken some video while we were in there. It was awesome! 

During the warmer months, they have a walk-up poolside bar offering a variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Whether you want a frosty hurricane or just a simple diet cola, they've got you covered. So as you're sipping on your beverage, you can listen to the sounds of the ocean while relaxing. If privacy is more your thing, you can head up to the sun deck and enjoy the oceanfront views from above. 

The pool areas were all so beautiful and very well kept. We noticed a lot of friendly staff members everywhere we went. You can tell that a lot goes into running that place. They had so many patio chairs so there was ample space to accommodate a lot of people. I could totally see having birthday parties, graduation parties, or other big events there. It is very family friendly, so that is a plus.

These two boys were so excited to hop into every one of the pools!

One of the favorites of Crown Reef is the waterpark. The Crown Reef Resort Waterpark towers nearly 40 feet above the ground and features a 278-foot long two-person tube waterslide, a single-person 302-foot long waterslide and an 8-foot tall 20-foot long slide for the little ones! We put in a lot of steps that day making it up the stairs so we could slide over, and over again. The adults all felt like big kids. We all laughed ourselves to tears because we were having so much fun!

And if the pools weren't enough, the arcade at The Town Center gave us even more giggles. They had so many fun games for all ages. My family enjoyed shooting some hoops, doing a little target practice, and some fun classic games like air hockey and skee-ball. There is a kiosk in the front of the arcade where you can load a game card right from your credit/debit card or by using cash. The girls stopped by the Swirl Ice Cream And Sweet Shop for a couples scoops of their favorite ice cream.

If you're hungry and need a bite to eat, they have you covered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Loco Gecko Beach Shack offers oceanfront dining for lunch and dinner. They have plenty of choices including burgers, sandwiches, salads, and wraps. They have a full bar, and even flat screen televisions where you could watch the game and feel the cool ocean breeze at the same time. They have these cool clear doors that can be lowered or raised like garage doors if it gets too chilly. The fact that they are clear does not obstruct your ocean views.

You can grab breakfast at the Grab n’ Go Grill and Coffee Bar. They have quite a spread with plenty of choices to satisfy everyone's taste. The service was excellent, and the staff was so friendly and attentive. It was so nice to enjoy my morning coffee and breakfast while looking out at the beautiful beach. Again, you really don't have to leave the resort if you don't want to. We stayed put our entire stay. Everything we needed was on site. They even offer laundry facilities, and have a little store where you can purchase snacks and other items.

Crown Reef Resort gets 5 stars from my family and here is why:

• Family-friendly and clean environment 
• The entire resort is oceanfront, including dining areas
• Courteous and helpful staff
• Excellent location, and close to attractions and activities
• Rooms and suites offer many conveniences of home
• Parking and elevators weren't a problem
• Great value for the rates they charge
• Plenty of amenities, and the best pools we have ever seen at Myrtle Beach
• The beach access was much nicer and easier to maneuver compared to other places we have stayed. 
• Reasonably priced food and drinks

If you're thinking of a beach destination for an off-season vacation, Crown Reef Resort in Myrtle Beach is an excellent choice. The weather is a lot better than the northern states, and you will have to beach all to yourself (or so it feels). If you are a Groupon member, you can find some amazing deals for Crown Reef, so be sure to check it out. We were not disappointed with our stay, and look forward to going back early next year.

Be sure to stop by the Crown Reef Resort site so you can book your vacation. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Be warned: seeing all of the beautiful photos from the property will make you want to hop in your car and GO! 

Disclosure: Many thanks to Vacation Myrtle Beach and Crown Reef Resort & Waterpark for hosting our family. All opinions stated are my own. 

How to Create Your Own Dixie Deadzone Diners

Dixie, the leader in disposable tableware, has launched ”Deadzone Diners,” a campaign inspiring people to disconnect from their mobile devices and connect over a meal.  The initiative will transform the negative perception of cellular dead zones into unique opportunities for people to “Be More Here.”  To help families better connect over the dinner table, the company had a created a set of tips to help them create their own “Deadzone Diners” and foster conversation and interaction.



With a focus on family, friends and mealtimes, Dixie is committed to promoting environments where meaningful interaction can occur in the absence of distractions such as phone calls, social media and text messages. 

​1. ​Put your phone away during mealtime.  Establish a guideline that everyone must put their phones on airplane mode and leave them in another room. This will allow families to focus solely on having meaningful face-to-face conversation with the people around them.

​2. Have dinner in unique location with no cell signal.  Make dinner more fun, compelling and unique by finding a change of atmosphere.  See if you can find a cellular dead zone to have a meal, such as your basement, a park or an isolated spot in the backyard. A change of scenery with “no bars” will encourage engaging conversation.

3. Come to the dinner table with one topic to discuss.  Everyone in the family should come prepared with a conversation topic.  It can be as simple as the best thing that happened to you that day.  A shared meal is an important opportunity to have your family's full attention to talk about the things that matter most. 

4. Make sure everyone is involved.  Make sure everyone at dinner has a role, whether it’s helping in the kitchen, setting the table or cleaning up.  If everyone has a responsibility, it will limit the time they can spend on the phone and create a shared experience. 

5. Try a new recipe, but keep it simple.  Introducing a new recipe could be the start of great conversation.  A home-made meal doesn’t have to take hours and it can be fun to prepare.  Cooking will bring the family together, while avoiding the distraction of cell phones.

The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale available Feb 25th

The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale is now available in Blu-ray combo pack, DVD and Digital. 

For a limited time, you can find specially marked packages with a free on-pack collectible Swan Princess Tiara. Makes a great gift!

Check out the movie clips below:

Homemaking tip | Cook dinner early

I have been a homemaker for over 19 years now and I LOVE my job! I have met a lot of new wives and even new homemakers over the years and they ask me for advice on how I keep everything together. Aside from having my planning book, I do a lot of things at unusual times. I cook dinner (yes dinner) before 11:00 AM during the week. I know you are wondering why I do that. I find that when my husband is at work and the kids are at school, I get so much more done. By the time school lets out and my husband gets home, I am not trying to rush and exhaust myself by having to figure what to make for dinner at 5:00 or 6:00 in the evening.

By cooking my meal in the morning, I save myself the drama and can enjoy my family at dinnertime, stress-free. What I do is cook my meal and pack everything up in containers. I let it cool down for about 20 minutes and I place it all in the refrigerator until later. This also allows all of those good flavors to set in and the food tastes even better than it would if it came straight off the stove. I also don't have to worry about washing dishes, pots and pans at night. It really helps out a lot and I pack any leftovers up for my husband to take for lunch the next day.

Homemaking really comes down to time management. I like to get most of my "work" out of the way before my crew gets home. It gives me more time to focus on things they may need me to help with or just to have a more relaxed evening. A more relaxed mother and wife makes for a happier household!

If you have any homemaking tips you would like to share, I would love to hear them!

Could You Win Your Family Holiday This Year?

Times are tight for most families, with budgets being squeezed to pay ever increasing grocery, utilities and petrol bills. Add to that reductions in tax credits and child benefits for some and it’s easy to see why luxuries like a family holiday are having to fall by the wayside.

If you know you can’t afford to get away this year, why not try a different tactic and give winning your family holiday a go? What have you got to lose? Search online competition forums or keep your eyes peeled at the supermarket, when reading magazines or when watching the TV, and take every chance you get to win your family a great break.

For example, when you’re buying your loo roll this month, look out for special packs of Cushelle. Cushelle and Butlins have teamed up to give away three UK breaks, at the Bognor Regis Butlins resort. The lucky winners can check in two adults and two children to the brand new Wave Hotel, for a super exciting staycation at Butlins – for free!

If you have older children, between the ages of 8 and 14, the new Wave Hotel is ideal, as everything about it has been designed with hard to please teens and pre-teens in mind, including quirky submarine style rooms with the latest gadgets for tech savvy kids – including iPod docks, Freeview, and individual DVD players for each bed, saving on squabbles over what to watch!

The hotel is also the first Butlins hotel to boast a high-tech Games Port, where families can play interactive games together. In addition, there’s a kindle and iPod library for guests to use, and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, so the kids can still check Facebook, tweet and chat to their friends back home.

To enter, all you have to do is get yourself a Cushelle barcode from special packs (everyone needs loo roll, right?) and fill out a simple form online, but don’t stop there! Keep seeking out summer holiday competitions – after all, the more you enter the more chance you have of winning your family holiday this year!

Smooth Fitness Update: Get your kids into fitness early #SmoothBlogger #spon

I am participating in a campaign as a Smooth Fitness Ambassador and will be reviewing a treadmill from Smooth Fitness in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts/opinions expressed are always my own.

I enjoy getting my walk/jog/run on in the morning during the week. When you have a 5 year old around, it can be a challenge to get your workout complete, without interruption. My son has been so curious about our Smooth Fitness 5.65 treadmill. He often stands by and watches the belt move and you can tell he wants to try it out for himself. Of course a treadmill is not made for small children, so I occasionally let him walk on it with the power turned off.

He has become very creative and gets on the mini trampoline that we have set up not far from the treadmill and makes up his version of exercising. He walks and jogs in place and tells me that he has his very own treadmill. He enjoys when I have my music hooked up to the adapter so he can have a fun workout as well. It's amazing how much his coordination is improving with his pretend treadmill workouts. We both get our exercise in without any interruption and he is being conditioned to having fitness become important at an early age.

If you are thinking about purchasing a high-quality treadmill for your home, I greatly recommend Smooth Fitness. We researched treadmills for 6 weeks prior to receiving ours and nothing can compare. It is truly gym quality and Smooth Fitness has different models to choose from as well as financing and payment options. For what you will pay in a year for a gym membership, you could have paid for a treadmill in full and have your own private at-home gym. Here are a few features of the Smooth Fitness 5.65 treadmill:

SmoothDrop™ Folding Frame: Soft Drop, Easy to Fold Design

Industry Leading Warranty: Lifetime on frame & motor, 5 years all parts & electronics and 2 year in home labor.

SmoothDrive™ 2.75HP Motor: Powerful, Quiet, Durable Operation

Im-pression™ Shock Absorption: Helps Reduce Impact on Joints

Be sure to check out Smooth Fitness on the web, Facebook and Twitter to learn more about their line of treadmills and elliptical machines.

London Festivals with the Family: To Go Or Not To Go?

The summer season is nearly here and with summer comes the opportunity to enjoy festivals. While they’re certainly not everybody’s cup of tea, they can be incredibly exciting, with live music and activities to keep everyone busy throughout the days.

Whether you’re a festival veteran or a complete fledgling, having a family can sometimes affect your ability to enjoy festivals in all their glory, with many people choosing to give up on the idea altogether. It goes without saying that the festival experience changes somewhat when children come along – the idea of being wild, young and free doesn’t necessarily exist anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy them.

 If you’re wondering whether to head to a festival in the capital this summer, you can click here for budget accommodation deals in London so that you and your kids have somewhere comfortable to lay your head.

While some people will be ruling out the concept of a festival with their brood, others may be weighing up the options. What are the pros and cons of taking kids to these summer traditions?

 Pros
 • The learning experience for your kids is immeasurable
 • Fun-filled for the young ones, in an environment they wouldn’t ordinarily see
 • A chance to appreciate culture, hone their creativity and appreciate child-friendly activities
 • A great opportunity to spend some quality time with the children this summer

 Cons
 • Inevitable responsibility – you won’t be able to be crazy like you may have done a decade ago!
 • They may mean you miss music you were hoping to see because they clash with the activities your children would like to participate in
 • Early nights to coincide with sleepy ones

Luckily nowadays, it’s not all about taking children to adult-orientated festivals and hoping that they enjoy it. There’s a whole host of child-friendly festivals all over the country which provide a schedule of entertainment that cater for the youngsters too.

Family-friendly festivals offer a great chance for everyone to enjoy some quality time together this summer and a reason to spend a little time away from the creature comforts together. While many may choose to throw themselves into the deep end and camp for the duration of the festival, if you’re a complete festival newbie, it would be more advisable to click here for budget accommodation in London so that you have a fresh pillow to retire too once the festivities are over.

The LolliBop Festival (August 17th – 19th, Regent’s Park) is the ultimate festival for kids. Radiating good vibes, while catering on the most part, towards little ones, it returns for its third year in 2013 and includes the Gruffalo Live, Waybuloo, Mister Maker and Little Angel Theatre. There’s plenty of activities throughout the weekend to keep them busy and provides a superb day out that’s based around them. Take the plunge this summer and start a family tradition of heading to an annual festival. You’ll wonder why it’s taken you this long to realise just how fun-filled and enjoyable they are with the brood in tow.

10 Tips to help winterize your car for the busy holiday travel season

The holiday travel season is upon us, and so too is winter driving season. Is your car winterized? This is especially important if you are hitting the road with a high mileage vehicle. Just this week, AAA* projected that 43.6 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, of which ninety percent will drive to Thanksgiving destinations and 7% will fly. Furthermore, according to a recent AutoMD.com survey,** there is an aging fleet of cars on the streets, with the primary vehicle for 60% of respondents having over 100,000 miles. This all adds up to a lot of older metal on the road this holiday season. Fortunately, most cars on the roads today, even the high-mileage ones, have been built to last longer and withstand the test of time – and weather – with the proper care, of course.

AutoMD.com encourages all drivers to take some time to put their rides through their ten point winter travel vehicle checklist before making those Holiday road trips, so they don't end up stranded on a chilly roadside.


1. Check the antifreeze (coolant). The engine cooling system should be filled with a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and distilled water to prevent freezing and boiling over. Antifreeze testers are available at your local auto parts store to test the mixture. To keep the cooling system operating at peak performance, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for changing the antifreeze (flush and fill). In addition to changing the antifreeze, pressure testing the cooling system on an older vehicle may expose a minor leak before it becomes a major problem. Most repair shops charge a minimal fee for pressure testing, and some shops will do it for free.

2. Change the engine oil. Be especially meticulous about changing your car’s fluids and filters during the winter months. Your car’s older engine will thank you for it! Remember to change the oil and oil filter every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Use the recommended oil viscosity range for winter. 5W-30 motor oil flows quicker in cold weather than 20W-50. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend 5W-30 oil for year round protection.

3. Check the tires. Keep your vehicle riding smoothly and safely by maintaining your tires! Remember, there’s a very good chance a third set of tires is needed if your vehicle has reached the 80 to 90,000 mile mark. Tires that are unevenly worn or out of balance can cause a car to pull or shake when driven, potentially damaging other components. Remember to rotate and balance your tires every other oil change; regularly check for uneven wear and try to keep them clean. Tires should be properly inflated, and the tread depth should be at least 4/32”. Using snow tires can improve traction over all-season tires.

4. Check the battery. Cold temperatures can reduce the battery’s power. If the battery is older than four years, it may be time to replace it. Check the battery tray and hold down brackets for corrosion - a common problem on older vehicles.

5. Check the belts and hoses. If your vehicle has a timing belt, it’s very important to replace it at the recommended interval (60,000 miles or more). Cold weather can reduce the life expectancy of belts and hoses, so make sure yours are in good shape before getting on the road. A stretched timing belt affects engine performance, and a broken belt can leave you stranded. If you have an interference engine, a broken belt will also cause engine damage!

6. Check the wipers and wiper fluid. Replace wipers that are old or worn, and (to prevent freezing) use windshield washer fluid instead of water. Just like the elderly, an aging vehicle needs clean glasses to see!

7. Check the emergency kit. Make sure your kit is well stocked and add an ice scraper, tire chains, jumper cables, and warm clothes for winter weather emergencies. Remember to include a candle and matches, as well as some bottled water and energy bars. You can use a candle for light and warmth inside the vehicle if you get stranded.

8. Check 4WD operation if equipped. Since you may not have used 4 Wheel Drive (4WD) all year, or in several years, make sure the 4WD is activated (review your manual on “how to activate”) when you switch it on. Using 4WD improves traction in slippery conditions.

9. Change your driving habits. Cars that are driven easy last longer. To prevent component wear and possible damage in very cold temperatures, warm up your car by driving it slowly to start. This will help the engine, transmission and other drive line components warm up with less stress. Avoid fast driving in general, hitting curbs, off-roading, and trailer towing as these can put unnecessary strain on your vehicle. Slow down and increase your following distance when driving in harsh weather. All vehicles lose traction in rain, snow and ice.

10. Wash and wax your car. It is a good idea to get a good car wash and wax before heading out onto winter roads to protect your paint from road salt. And be sure to wash your car as soon as you return home, to remove any lingering road salt. As your vehicle ages, the paint/finish becomes more vulnerable to the elements, which could lead to rust etc. so, if you can, keep your vehicle in the garage to protect it or consider a cover if you don’t have a garage.



I wish you all safe travels this holiday season!

Our Great Wolf Lodge Experience

We had the great pleasure of experiencing Great Wolf Lodge (Concord, NC) to end our summer off with a splash! Unfortunately, the weather was not the best but it did not stop our adventure. Lucky for us, Great Wolf Lodge has an amazing indoor water park that is kept at a comfortable 84 degrees. Before I go into that, I will start by telling you our first impression when we drove up to the resort.

The entire family fell in love with the beautiful grounds and the enormity of the resort. The gorgeous wolf statues were huge! We were promptly greeted by a gentleman at the front entrance and directed to our parking spot. Then we entered through the front doors and immediately started oohing and ahhing. It was so beautiful inside, almost overwhelming at that! Our experience at the check-in desk was fast and the clerk was extremely professional and helpful. We felt as if we were the only guests on the property with the type of customer service we received. Truly first class!

Once we got our wristbands and room information, we headed up to our Family Suite. What a lovely suite it was! I can't begin to tell you all how clean and pretty the room was. There were so many wonderful details including the signature wolf towel on one of the beds, rustic decor, an in-suite safe, microwave/fridge/iron & ironing board, balcony with table and chairs and one of my favorites... the signature paw print embossed toilet paper. You can absolutely tell how much the resort management and staff care about their guests by how immaculate the property is inside and out. We had an abundance of towels, blankets and extra pillows. The beds were so comfortable and we slept soundly. We were amazed at how quiet it was in our suite since the resort was super busy and packed with so many families. Another great plus is how environmentally friendly the whole facility is by having recycling bins in each suite as well as all over the resort. Even the hair dryer in the room had green standards!

The hubby loved the balcony and enjoyed catching up on some reading and of course, sipping on his Dunkin Donuts coffee. The resort had so many food options to satisfy every family member. Believe me, we tried almost every spot! We had everything from pizza, ice cream, doughnuts, salads and so much more. I think our favorite place was the sweets and bake shop. Hey, we were on vacation!

Although this is not my photograph, I wanted to show you what the indoor water park was like. Truly amazing and everyone had a blast! There was something for every age. The water slides were incredible and the outdoor pool area was very nice and lots of fun! It was almost impossible to get the kids out of the water. Something I noticed was that EVERY lifeguard on duty was very focused and constantly looking around to make sure all the guests were safe. That truly made us feel at ease, especially with a 4 year old that can't swim yet.

The other big highlight of our visit was the Northern Lights Arcade. We ALL had so much fun and I can't remember the last time I laughed that much, non-stop! There were so many other activities but we did not have the time to do everything. We are planning to visit again when it is during the off-season.

Little William loved the story-time at night at the big Clocktower. He was completely mesmerized. He still continues to howl "Great Wolf style", as he likes to put it.

It was hard to get really clear photos with all the crowds and chaos going on but overall, we had the most wonderful experience at Great Wolf Lodge. I truly could go on for hours telling you even more but you need to go check it out for yourself. You and your family would NOT be disappointed! This was the most fun family getaway we have ever been on and we can't wait to do it again!

We want to give a big thank you to the entire Great Wolf Lodge staff for making us feel so welcome and comfortable. There was never a moment that we did not hear "We hope you enjoy your stay". That we did!

Stay connected with Great Wolf Lodge via the web, Facebook and Twitter for discounts and deals. 

I received a discounted rate from Great Wolf Lodge and all thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Trio of Signature Pancakes from IHOP® (for a limited time)

IHOP®, known for its world famous buttermilk pancakes for more than 50 years, is showcasing a trio of special pancake creations this summer designed to further inspire the American breakfast experience. Red velvet pancakes, sweet strawberry pancakes and whole wheat pancakes with banana offer guests a classic, seasonal and wholesome choice and demonstrate the family-friendly breakfast giant’s commitment to continually offering innovative breakfast options all day long.


 “Our guests love pancakes, especially super unique ones that they can’t make at home,” said Natalia Franco, IHOP’s senior vice president, marketing. “We are dedicated to continually introducing twists on classic favorites and innovative new breakfast creations to make sure that IHOP is everything you love about breakfast. We are all about choice.”

IHOP’s Signature Summer Pancakes are available from July 9 through September 2 at participating IHOP locations and start at only $4.99. Don't they look amazing?! Check IHOP out on the web and "like" their page on Facebook to stay updated on specials.

Red Velvet Pancakes: Rich chocolaty red velvet pancakes, drizzled with cream cheese icing, a dusting of powdered sugar and crowned with whipped topping. 

Sweet Strawberry Pancakes: Our fluffy famous buttermilk pancakes crowned with cool strawberries in a glaze, drizzled with cream cheese icing and crowned with whipped topping. 

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Banana: Wholesome and lightly sweet, fluffy whole wheat pancakes topped with fresh sliced bananas.