Date Night: The Romance of NYC

It can be hard to keep the spark alive in a long-term relationship or marriage, but sometimes all you need to do is go away for a bit. Even more difficult is finding a proper date to start. Being romantic is no easy task, but whether you are taking time away from the family you’ve made or you’re on a first date, New York City makes the ideal date easy to plan.

Relaxed Romance

photo credit

If you want a slow-paced date with your husband or want to get to know someone quietly overtime, choose one of New York City’s lush, beautiful gardens. Brooklyn Botanical Garden, for example, is a paradise of flora and fauna. With acres of romantic cherry blossoms and an on-site conservatory, this natural beauty is sure to set your hearts aflutter.

A bit of Childhood Whimsy

Sometimes, it can be hard to be yourself on a date – especially on a first date. Head over to Brooklyn Heights and take a ride on the gorgeous Jane’s Carousel. This hundred-year-old children’s attraction will bring you back to a simpler time and put your mind and heart at ease around that special someone. Top off this idyllic afternoon at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, which is just nearby. You can take a more cultured route and take in a show at St. Ann’s Warehouse.

A Night Out

The Slipper Room on the Lower East Side is a seductive experience for a date that needs close contact. With performance art, comedy, dancers and singers, you and your date will find something exciting going on here on any night of the week. Take in the swanky atmosphere of this throwback lounge and create the ideal first date.

In Brooklyn, you’ll find the aptly named Brooklyn Night Bazaar. There is too much to do in just one night, but if you can manage it, you can play mini golf, belt it out at karaoke, and experience the fun of being a kid with arcade games. Dinner, drinks, and vintage knick-knacks give this artisanal-scented marketplace the best date night vibe out there.

Traditional is Fine, Too

If you crave that classic dinner and movie vibe, Greenpoint is famous for its rustic pizza house and you can take in the awe-inspiring skyline of Manhattan. Over in Williamsburg, the Nitehawk Cinema is a lux movie theatre that serves a full menu (tacos, anyone?), large and comfortable lounge chairs, and showings of retro and independent films alike. You can even get a drink with your movie.

photo credit

Find a tour of the city at https://www.topviewnyc.com/ if you cannot exactly decide what to do on a romantic getaway. An informed tour guide can give you a plethora of ideas and you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of them yourself.

While New York City hasn’t been nicknamed the city of love, it is certainly overflowing with art galleries, high-end and unique restaurants, and a botanic paradise in all that steel and chrome. For your next big date, New York City has something for every couple.

What To Pack For A Winter Sun Holiday

The sun might not be shining in your hometown, but you do not have to stay there during the holidays. You can head to a sunny destination if you are looking to escape the winter chill. When the shops are full of winter boots and coats, packing for the beach can be a bit intimidating.

No matter where you are going, you need to pack light. To find the best hotels in your destination location, you should check out any travel website for some offers. Here are some things that you should include in your travel bag:

A Versatile One Piece Bikini
Pack a reversible bikini if you want to be versatile while keeping your bags light. Packing busy patterns and bold tropical prints will allow you to stand out. However, if you want to wear something elegant and classy, stick with a solid one-piece.

According to the owner of Wear Saga, if subdued elegance is what you are after, go for a plain black or blue swimsuit. Wearing classic colors will allow you to have the time of your life while looking stylish.

Stylish Cover-up
The ultimate beach accessory is an exotic and bright kaftan. If you want to lounge by the pool or sunbathe by the beach, head out in a colorful kaftan. Not only is this outfit stylish but it is also weather-appropriate.

A Chiffon Dress
In the hot weather, chiffon material is your best friend because it is light. You need to pack several lightweight mini dresses in a range of colors and styles to style up your beach wardrobe. Nude and white shades are flattering if you have a tan while bold and floral prints provide some flair.

You can slip on your chiffon mini dress when going to bask on a yacht. Moreover, you can wear it to lunch at an outdoor restaurant.

Beach-ready bag


A canvas backpack, quirky tote, and straw bag are all ideal for a day on the beach. You can use these carry bags to transform from a day on the beach to a night of drinking at the bar. You can use the bag to carry your sun block lotion, sunglasses, and a change of clothes.

Wide-legged Pants
You can opt for billowing, silky pajama style pants on breezy days when you are looking for more cover. Moreover, patterned wide-legged pants can add a touch of sophistication and style to your outfit. You should pair the pants with a flowing, loose blouse for a nonchalant yet classy style. Flat shoes will work just fine when navigating the sandy beaches.

Day to Night Heels
You do not want to sink in the sand as you enjoy some sun during your holiday. Moreover, you do not want to appear clueless as you trot along boardwalks in stilettos. Make sure to pack some chunky heels such as wedges and thick platforms when going on a winter sun holiday.

Accessories
When it comes to holidays in the sun, accessories are necessary. Sunglasses are necessary for defining your beach style and protecting your eyes from the sun’s glare. A hat also protects you from the sun’s rays and adds an haute feel to your outfit.

Hair and Skin Protection
Carry sunblock with an SPF of over 30 for anti-wrinkle action and maximum skin protection. You need to buy a moisturizer with sun protection for some light coverage during the evening. Using a lip conditioner will protect your lips from the sun and prevent drying. As for your hair, you need to buy moisture spray. 

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. 

Snowland Returns to Great Wolf Lodge at Charlotte/Concord

If you're looking for somewhere to visit with your family this holiday season, Great Wolf Lodge at Concord is hosting its annual Snowland celebration. It runs from November 26th to January 1st. The resort is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with indoor snow showers and spectacular decorations.

Great Wolf Lodge’s month-long winter celebration, Snowland, offers festive activities from visits with Santa and Mrs. Clause to indoor snow showers to a Polar Wolf Walk. For a truly delectable experience, visitors are invited to dine inside the resort’s life-size gingerbread house. Other activities are Santa’s Letter Depot, North Pole University with holiday themed projects and the Great Clock Tower Holiday Show and Story Time.

Featuring more than 5,000 candies, 600 pounds of gingerbread dough and 1,320 pounds of sugar, the life-size gingerbread house is baked, iced and candied to absolute perfection, setting the scene for a memorable holiday feast. The appetizing walls of the lodge-baked abode have as much heart as taste, as the proceeds for each meal go to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Guests can opt to stay in festive Snowland Suites, complete with twinkling lights, glimmering garland, a fully decorated tree, oversized snowflakes and a copy of Great Wolf Lodge’s story book, “Unique as a Snowflake.” As a special treat, Wiley and Violet the Wolf hand deliver cookies and milk to each Snowland Suite nightly to help guests end the day with a super sweet surprise.

Adults can receive their own special delivery of Wine Down Service. The menu, developed by Great Wolf Lodge and The Wine Group, features both sweet and savory culinary treats with wine pairings that can be delivered to the guestrooms after children go to bed. To avoid waking up the kiddos, a “pack member” sends a text announcing the delivery is on its way rather than knocking.

Here are some of the fun activities they have in store: 

• Cookies with Mrs. Claus, where children decorate cookies in the life-size Gingerbread House with Santa’s leading lady.
• Hot Cocoa with a Great Wolf Kid for an afternoon sip. Kids can customize their cocoa by adding fun toppings, or a favorite adult libation for the parents.
• The Snow ‘n’ Glow Dance Party, the chance to prance and dance the evening away with neon glow sticks under falling snowflakes.
• Festive Family Flicks, a time to wind the night down by cozying up with the family and watching a holiday movie in the Grand Lobby.

About Great Wolf Lodge:

Great Wolf Lodge is North America’s largest family of indoor water park resorts, and through its subsidiaries and affiliates, owns and operates family resorts under the Great Wolf Lodge brand.  Great Wolf Resorts is a fully integrated resort company with Great Wolf Lodge locations in: Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Sandusky, Ohio; Traverse City, Mich.; Kansas City, Kan.; Williamsburg, Va.; Pocono Mountains, Pa.; Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada; Mason, Ohio; Grapevine, Texas; Grand Mound, Wash.; Fitchburg, Mass., Charlotte, N.C.; Garden Grove, Calif. and Colorado Springs, Colo. Additional resorts planned include Bloomington, Minn. (late 2017), LaGrange, Ga. (late spring 2018) and Gurnee, Ill. (summer 2018).

Local Food Find: Famous Toastery Columbia, SC

For several months now, I have been following a restaurant on Instagram called Famous Toastery Columbia. For some reason I assumed that it was located in downtown Columbia or even further away. Turns out that it is super close to where I lived, so the husband and I went for a breakfast date. Being newbies, we were overwhelmed by the menu. They have a lot of options for breakfast including everything from shrimp and grits, to pancakes, French toast, and omelets. Unlike most breakfast joints, Famous Toastery serves up the perfect brunch-worthy cocktails. Deciding what to order was hard. 

My husband already had the idea of pancakes stuck in his head so he went with the apple cinnamon pancakes paired with turkey sausage, and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The word lobster caught my eye from their weekend special menu, so I went with the lobster scramble with potatoes on the side. I also splurged and got a Bloody Mary because I was feeling a little fancy. 

Isn't this cocktail so pretty? It was so delicious and full of zesty, spicy goodness. 

Our server brought over a small basket of homemade cornbread with a delicious apple compote type concoction. We decided to only take a nibble to save room for our meal. Trust me, I would have devoured all three pieces if I could! We didn't have to wait very long for our entrees to come out. Everything was presented so nicely and the server was super sweet and accommodating. 

I'm a huge potato lover so I had to take a bite of that first. Oh man, it was perfectly cooked with the right amount of seasoning. The lobster scramble was everything I hoped it would be. It had nice pieces of lobster nestled inside the soft scrambled eggs, along with some veggies. I loved this dish! The hubby was so happy with his pancakes and turkey sausage. We both were impressed with that made-from-scratch taste you normally don't get from most chain places. We were also pleased to see how many non-pork and non-meat options were available. Perfect for vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. 

We will definitely head back to Famous Toastery, northeast Columbia location to try out some of the other menu items. The food, drinks, and service were all excellent. It's a perfect spot for a girl's brunch. I know my daughters will love it! If you're ever in Columbia, SC, you should check out Famous Toastery for yourself! There are also locations in a few other states as well. 

I did not receive any incentive to post this review. We simply enjoyed our meals and wanted to share our review with you. Thanks for stopping by today. 

Keep Your Family #GermFree24 With Zoono GermFree24

CLOSED
Today's conversation is sponsored by Zoono USA. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you're a mom, you know how much effort goes into planning and packing for a trip or quick getaway. It might often times look like you're going away for two weeks when it's just a weekend trip. I mean, you can't leave home without all of the essentials, right?

It's almost the same situation for when we get ready to leave the house just to go to the grocery store. Moms have to make certain to be prepped for those just in case moments. We have experienced times where we took our little one out for a quick grocery run, and he came home sick out of the blue. I mean, we homeschool so how did he get sick? Germs can linger anywhere and it's unfortunate that you can come in contact with them without any clue.

There's a great way to combat germs before they take over by using Zoono GermFree24 Hand Sanitizer.

This hand sanitizer is an FDA-compliant, water-based formula that kills 99.99% of germs on contact and keeps killing them for up to 24 hours. Yes, you read that correctly, 24 HOURS! It bonds to your skin’s surface and sets up a nano-molecular layer of “pins” that physically impale and destroy germs on contact. Can you believe that it stays on even with hand washing or sweating? This is so far from your traditional hand sanitizer that stops working the moment water hits your hands.

GermFree24® has been proven to provide long-lasting antimicrobial protection against a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses (such as influenza), fungi and mold. Over that time period, you might touch hundreds of surfaces, each covered with tens of thousands of microbes, half of which will stick to your hands. Here’s a breakdown on some of the germs you may encounter over a 24-hour period:

• Doorknob: 8,643 bacteria
• Computer mouse: 79,000 bacteria
• Remote control: 17,000 bacteria

Yikes! That's a whole lot of icky germs and bacteria and think of how often you come in contact with those everyday items. My son loves that it doesn't have a bad scent since he's very sensitive about smells. It's also not sticky at all and leaves no feeling of a film on your hands. The fact that you only have to use it once a day means you are using less, which makes it a great value. 

Zoono products are available on Amazon. You can currently purchase Zoono GermFree24® 50ml Foam Hand Sanitizer ($6.99) here, and the 9ml Spray Hand Sanitizer ($13.99 for a 4 pk) here. I keep the spray in my purse for when I am on-the-go and is perfect for travel. I think this is the perfect hand sanitizer for teachers to keep in their desk for their personal use. It's great for the workplace as well. They make wall dispensers that I wouldn't mind having in my house. 

Reader giveaway: Would you like to try Zoono GermFree 24 for yourself and your family? Enter to win a gift pack for Zoono GermFree24® 50ml Foam Hand Sanitizer, and the 9ml Spray Hand Sanitizer as well as a $25 virtual Visa gift card so you can stock up on more Zoono products for the flu season. Enter below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only and will end on October 16, 2017. Please follow all rules in the Rafflecopter widget and be sure to use a valid email. One winner will be selected and contacted via email to claim prize. Please be aware that Mom Files is not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged prizes. Good luck!

Be Last-Minute Guest Ready With A Bestway Airbed

This is a sponsored post in partnership with Bestway and BraVoMark. All opinions are mine.

I am sure many of you have dealt with last-minute guests or pop-up trips that can stress you out. With the upcoming holiday season approaching in a few short months, many of you might be entertaining guests. Not everyone has an extra room for guests, but you don't want them to have to spend a fortune on a hotel either. One of the smartest items you can invest in is an airbed. It can be stored away in a closet while not in use and easily taken out at the last minute when needed. I'm not talking the $30 air mattress though. Remember that kind? We had one for years and it felt like you were sleeping on the floor because it would lose air throughout your slumber.

There is a great solution for keeping your air mattress inflated and comfortable at all times. The Fortech Queen Airbed with with an AlwayzAire Pump from Bestway is one of the best higher quality airbeds you can find. Here are some details:

What makes this airbed better than others? 

• This queen size Fortech airbed measures 80in. x 60in. x 17in. (2.03m x 1.52m x 43cm). Includes built-in 110-120V- electric AlwayzAire pump (ETL approved) which continuously monitors and maintains air pressure. It inflates in just 150 seconds. 
• It is made with strong puncture and scratch resistant material 
• The pump has an easy, one click operation with 3 options for airbed firmness.
• Once you choose your preferred firmness, the pump automatically engages to inflate bed silently as you sleep. 
• Comes with a carrying back for travel and storage
• It has raised edges to help prevent roll-offs
• Great for indoor use, with canvas-feel fabric top, sides and bottom. 
• Costs $139.00 plus tax. This is a small investment for something you will use for years to come.

Right now Bestway is having a big Facebook giveaway:

• Purchase an ALWAYZAIRE bed from Walmart.com or Walmart here 

• Take a photo of yourself using the bed or next to it. (Be fun and Wacky)

• Post your photo under the comment section of @BestwayUs Facebook page contest post to be entered to win a SaluSpa Miami (retailed at $369.99)

• Bestway will be picking 5 Winners September 15th

I want one of these airbeds especially since we travel often. I can see us bringing this along on our family road trips. It's perfect for if you have a larger living space where you can inflate it in no time. It will give you a sense of sleeping in the comfort of your own bed. Man, I wish we had this one years ago! Get all the details about the Bestway airbed here and be sure to enter their Facebook giveaway. 

Sacramento And San Francisco: Nearer Than Expected

Get The Best Of California, And A Good Education Too!

California has many things to offer. To the north are vast redwoods. To the northwest are vast mountains. To the south is substantial desert, and to the southwest are the mega metropolises of Los Angeles and San Diego. Smack dab in the middle of California’s west coast is San Francisco, jewel of the bay area. Just north and east of that is Sacramento.

Sacramento is an interesting community in that it gets some of the year’s finest weather, but it also manages to avoid much of the overcrowding you see in places like San Francisco and Los Angeles. But it is not too far away from the city by the bay, and it’s also not too far from the ocean, or the redwoods to the north.

If you’re a young person with access to a vehicle, Sacramento is a great place to go to school in California; and not just because of its centralized location. There are also some exceptional higher education programs in the region, like the college located southwest of Sacramento at the outskirts, UC Davis.

 

UC Davis is just 72 miles away from San Francisco. With traffic, you’re looking at about a two-hour drive; but at least twenty minutes of that would be covered by your transit over the bay bridge. Another twenty minutes is consumed in going through east Oakland, though you could loop around through Santa Rosa to the north, if you like.

 

These things are all academic (pun-intended). The point of attending college isn’t your route to adjacent cities! But one of the fine things of college is having an independent base of operations from which you can explore. To that end, it’s better to live in an apartment than a dormitory.

 

Some Real Considerations

Granted, there’s a lot of camaraderie to be experienced in a dormitory, but really this method of living just serves to uncomfortably extend your adolescence. You’ll get a similar portion of experience living in apartments, but you’ll have increased responsibility and more quickly learn the atmosphere of independent living.

 

Until you reach a certain point in life, you’re very likely going to live in homes that you don’t own, but lease. Getting the feel for this atmosphere while in college will save you a lot of difficulty later. Oftentimes new things aren’t hard, but because they are unknown, we fear them and put them off. Sometimes it’s better just to jump in that cold water.

 

Additionally, owning an apartment will increase your credit, and make it easier for you to lease living situations in the future. And there are some excellent options available right near UC Davis.

 

Living Arrangements

According to CarmelApartments.com, some of the finest living situations are apartments near UC Davis campus; these apartments are, as the site puts it, “a newly renovated student housing community in Davis, CA conveniently located just minutes from downtown and UC Davis.”

Also according to CarmelApartments.com, west village solutions are “Now leasing for Fall, 2017!” The more swiftly you source a living situation, the better—obviously you’re not the only one who will be leasing from such a complex of apartments!

Generally when it comes to collegiate arrangements, you want to get everything squared away as soon as possible. But like alluded to earlier, the more foreign something is, the more likely you are to balk and procrastinate. It’s not that you can’t do it, or don’t have a work ethic; it’s that you just don’t want to. You’ll have to get over that!

Packing Checklist For Summer Travel On The Road With Kids (Giveaway, too!)

This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

Summer break is here and many of us will be fitting in a few quick family trips before school starts back. Even if we take an overnight trip, we have learned to still pack for emergencies. You never know if something will happen unexpectedly. We have had a few scary moments during travel that really taught us a lesson.

Last year we drove down to Florida to visit relatives overnight. It was the one time I told everyone to pack light. I opted to not bring any medications for our little one and of course, he ended up with a headache and fever out of nowhere. I had to send my husband to the nearest pharmacy to grab a bottle of Children's Advil® Suspension. Thankfully after about an hour, his headache and fever broke. He felt like his normal self the next day. That was definitely one of those Sick just got real.™ moments. It is imperative to be well prepared, even for a simple overnight trip.

If you are hitting the road for summer travel with the kids, be sure not to forget these essentials.

• Snacks for the car. Go for things like crackers, nuts, fruit, granola bars, sandwiches, and portable yogurt. 
• Medium-size cooler with ice packs and drinks. The ice packs can double to keep drinks cold and help with cooling your little one down in case of overheating or fever. Don't forget plenty of bottled water!
• An emergency kit to include adhesive bandages, ointment for scrapes or bug bites, thermometer (in case of fever), pain reliever and cold/cough medication such as Pfizer Pediatric products: Children's Advil®, cold/cough medications Children's Robitussin® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief, and Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free. Note: Always keep medications in the original packaging (complete with measuring cup/spoon) for accurate dosing information. 
• Baby wipes for keeping hands and faces clean
• Extra underwear and basic outfits packed in individual zipper storage bags
• Rolls of coins for tolls, snack machines, etc... 
• Entertainment items like a tablet, books, toys, and portable coloring books with colored pencils

Here's a little information about Pfizer Pediatric products:

When sick gets real, the pediatric brands of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare are there with three solutions – Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin® and Children’s Dimetapp® – to tackle the ickiest of symptoms.

• Ease those aches and pains, while reducing a child’s fever fast with Children’s Advil®*, a great solution for kids as young as 2 and up to 11. Children’s Advil® comes in several great-tasting flavors, including: Sugar-free Dye-free Berry, Bubble Gum, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Fruit and Dye-Free White Grape flavors. There’s also Infants’ Advil® White Grape, which provides unsurpassed fever relief (among OTC pain relievers) with a syringe for easy dosing for children 6-23 months.
• For your child’s cough, trust Children's Robitussin® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief to control and relieve symptoms all-day or all- night. Available in grape or orange flavor, for children ages 4 and up. Please note, certain Children's Robitussin® products are only suitable for children ages 6 and up.
• Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free eases your child’s stuffy and runny nose, while quieting a bothersome cough. All in a great-tasting grape flavor that’s dye-free, for children ages 6 and up.

Visit Sick just got real.™ for information to help with selecting the correct medications for your child's symptoms. Also, be sure to follow on Facebook for wellness tips, products updates, and promotions.

To help assist you to get some supplies for those unfortunate moments when sick gets real, one Mom Files reader will win a prize pack including:  a $25 virtual Visa gift card and (1) Children's Advil® Suspension, Grape, (1) Children’s Robitussin ® Extended-Release 12 Hour Cough Relief, and (1) Children’s Dimetapp® Multi-Symptom Cold Relief Dye-Free. Enter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only and will end on June 30, 2017. Please follow all rules in the Rafflecopter widget and be sure to use a valid email. One winner will be selected and contacted via email to claim prize. Please be aware that Mom Files is not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged prizes. Good luck!

Alligator Adventure Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Review

A week ago, we took our son to Alligator Adventure in Myrtle Beach, SC, to celebrate his 9th birthday. He had been wanting to go for a while, so we figured it would be the great place for some birthday fun. William is a big animal lover and enjoys learning as much as he can about them. Alligators and crocodiles are in his top 5 favorites, so we knew Alligator Adventure would be the perfect choice. It was actually quite chilly when we went, but that didn't stop us!

They have a massive parking area, but since we were there in more of the off-season,  we were able to park in front of the main entrance. You are greeting by a pond full of turtles basking in the sun. We paid for entrance at the ticket booth and were pleased to find out that at the end of our visit, we could get our receipt endorsed to return within 7 days. So basically it's like a buy-one-get-one free deal. This explained why I wasn't able to find any discounts or coupons anywhere. It's actually a really good deal. Admission was around $66 for two adults and one child.

The minute we entered the park, I could hear William squeal and almost yell out, "Alligators!" Of course, we had a quick talk about rules beforehand to remind him not to be loud so he would not scare any of the animals. Trust me though, the parents had to hold back their excitement, too. 😃

The first exhibit was the Juvenile American Alligators habitat. It's actually very overwhelming to see so many alligators piled up all over each other. Although I grew up in Florida, I can truly say that I have never seen this many alligators at once. It's absolutely amazing to see! William was in absolute gator heaven.

The whole park is filled with so many amazing creatures and they have show times where you can gets hands-on with a few of them. It was really cool to learn some animal facts as well as get to actually touch them. Again, William was in heaven! At the end of each animal handling session, the zoo keeper would ask if anyone had any questions. Leave it to my kid to be the only one with his hand raised high!

My son loves every animal he meets! I love his heart and spirit 😀 . . . #animals #animallover #nature #birds #happy #joy #live #life

A post shared by Shelly 🇬🇾👑 (@momfiles) on Mar 20, 2017 at 6:20pm PDT

I don't want to bombard you with 100 photos, but I do have to mention that the reptile house/Serpentarium was so impressive and had so many snakes species in beautiful habitats. Some of the snakes were enormous! It was really a lot to take in.

The crocodile area was one of my personal favorite places and had a great variety of species from all over the world. William fell in love with one particular croc that you would not have expected. It wasn't the largest croc on earth weighing 2,000 pounds or the rare albino ones, it was a lonely one named Bob who was born without a tail. She would not have been able to survive in the wild without it and Alligator Adventure took her in and gave her a wonderful home. William talked about Bob for days after we got home.

Alligator Adventure is an absolutely beautiful place to visit if you are an animal or nature lover. We really enjoyed the Nature Walk and feeding the ducks along the way. It was really great that William was able to stop at each exhibit and read all about the animals and the habitats.

We utilized our free second visit the following day (which we highly recommend) and discovered spots we missed during the first visit. This was one of our most favorite trips and if you have ever considered visiting Alligator Adventure, I don't think you would be disappointed. I actually read a lot of reviews before we made the trip and they were mixed. We give it two thumbs up! I am going to make William a photobook with all of the animal pictures to remember how much fun we all had.

You can get more information about Alligator Adventure here. This was not a hosted event. We had such a great time that we wanted to share our thoughts with you guys. Thanks for stopping by today. 😀