‘Tis the Season for Great Wolf Lodge’s Snowland Extravaganza

Great Wolf Lodge rings in the holiday season with its annual Snowland celebration from November 24, 2018 to January 4, 2019. The Lodge is spreading cheer to families this year with daily snow showers in the Grand Lobby, and visits from Santa Claus along with a life-sized Gingerbread House and more. Families will get into the spirit of Christmas, splash in the 84-degree waterpark, and create memories together that will last a lifetime.

Adults and children alike will be merry and bright as they arrive at Great Wolf Lodge’s winter wonderland complete with hundreds of twinkling lights, Christmas trees, and other jolly decorations in the Grand Lobby. The centerpiece of the Snowland celebration is the life-sized Gingerbread House constructed from more than 600 pounds of gingerbread dough, 1,300 pounds of sugar and hundreds of candies. For a truly delectable experience, guests can also dine in the life-sized gingerbread house with a small donation to the Ronald McDonald House. For reservations, visit GreatWolf.com/Snowland.

Snowland returns this year with guests favorite complimentary activities including Hot Cocoa with a Great Wolf Kid, the weather outside might be frightful, but the Lodge’s delicious hot cocoa bar will warm even the chilliest of guests up; Cookies with Mrs. Claus, where children have the opportunity to decorate cookies in the Gingerbread House with Santa’s leading lady; the Polar Wolf Walk, a tour of the lobby that teaches children about polar bears penguins and more. Families can wind the night down by cozying up to watch a holiday movie in the Grand Lobby during Festive Family Flicks.

Snowland’s most popular offerings are available including visits from Santa Claus; Santa’s Letter Depot, where kids can mail a letter to Santa in the Grand Lobby; and North Pole University, where kids complete fun, holiday-themed assignments around the resort for the chance to earn a Snowploma. During the howl-iday season, children’s activities such as Story Time, Yoga Tails and Paws on Projects will also get dash of Christmas cheer.

In addition to two days of play in the water park for each night stayed at Great Wolf Lodge, all of the Snowland activities are included complimentary as part of an overnight stay. Activities vary daily and based on location.  A complete listing of daily activities and times can be found in the Lodge Life event schedule provided to guests upon check-in, or verified in advance by calling the location directly.

For more information on Great Wolf Resorts and its brands of indoor water park resorts, visit greatwolf.com.

The 2018 Holiday Hess Toy Truck Is Now Available For Purchase

Hess Toy Truck has launched its annual, highly anticipated, Holiday Hess Toy Truck. The brand new model, a Hess RV with an ATV and Motorbike, is a three-in-one toy that features a sleek and modern recreational transport loaded with lights, and a dynamic wheelie-popping pair of team mates, eager for on and off-road action.

For over 50 years, Hess Toy Trucks have remained one of America's favorite Christmas traditions. Each year, a new and unique design is revealed, which is collected and gifted by families throughout the U.S. The Hess Toy Truck is known for selling out before Christmas every year, so hurry and get yours while you can.

The 2018 Hess RV with ATV and Motorbike is now available for purchase exclusively online for $33.99 with free standard shipping and 8 Energizer® batteries included.

The sleek and modern RV, loaded with 60 LED lights, comes equipped with three ramp doors that fold down for access to the ATV and Motorbike inside.  The oversized ATV and touring-style Motorbike are both designed with wheelie popping racing motors.  The 3-in-1 toy features green and chrome accents with a total of 73 brilliant lights, the most ever on a holiday Hess Toy Truck.

Hess also has made available for free download a new science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum with 8 lessons featuring the 2018 Hess Toy Truck. The curriculum can be used by teachers and parents as a learning tool to help teach core STEM concepts

The Hess Toy Truck, offered exclusively online, remains a highly sought-after collectible and treasured holiday tradition that has been shared among families for generations. To stay up to date, sign up for alerts online and follow Hess Toy Truck on Facebook and Instagram. For more information on Hess STEM, visit www.hesstoytruck.com/stem.

4 Fun Earth-Friendly Projects To Complete With Your Family

It is never too early to start planning in advance for the winter or spring breaks. Schools will be out, and you'll be searching for activities to keep the whole family busy and happy. If your goal is to go green, invest some time into eco-friendly projects that reuse materials you already have. Look for ways to conserve energy around the house too. Check out these green projects you can complete this holiday.

Upcycle Plastic Grocery Bags

Image via Flickr by groundsel

Each time you go grocery shopping, you bring home several plastic bags. Instead of recycling your bags, turn them into something new. Grab a crochet hook to make plastic yarn, known as plarn. Weave or crochet the plarn into hats, handbags or decorative coasters. 

During the holidays, turn plastic bags into festive decorations including wreaths and pom-poms. Flowers made from plastic bags make beautiful accents you can use any time of year.

Start a Green Energy Project

Let the kids pitch in with a summer research project. School-age children can study eco-friendly power sources including solar and geothermal energy. The finished report could be a head start on this year's science fair project. Review the information together as a family to decide if any of these green energy solutions can work in your home. 

One thing you can do now to make your home eco-friendly is to complete an energy audit. Check for drafty windows and doors and use a programmable thermostat to control the home's temperature. Also, ensure that your heating and cooling system is running as efficiently as possible. 

Consistent HVAC maintenance is an essential step in conserving energy at home. Schedule appointments to have a professional technician change your filters and clean your home's air ducts regularly.

Reuse Plastic Bottles

Plastic bottles provide durable craft material that you can use to make cute planters for your home or garden. Simply cut off the tops and paint on a design. Another idea is to take off the bottoms to create hanging lights for the patio or den. 

If you have a few extra wooden spoons and a plastic bottle, help your feathered friends and build a birdfeeder for the backyard. Poke a few small holes in a soda bottle, attach a hose and you have yourself a homemade sprinkler to help the kids cool off during a hot summer day. 

Photo by Parker Burchfield on Unsplash

Give Old T-Shirts a Second Life

Your favorite T-shirt you've worn hundreds of times may have seen better days, but it's still hard to let go and throw it out. Not to worry, that old shirt with a hole in it can still be useful. Cut more holes in it to make a reusable produce bag. 

You can also fashion worn-out cotton shirts into onesies or bibs for infants. If a shirt has stains on the front, salvage the sleeves and turn them into soft baby hats or socks.

Try these green project ideas this summer and see how you can recycle old materials and find ways to save energy. You'll have fun and feel good about going green and protecting the environment all year long.

Six Hacks for Breezing Through the Airport

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When it comes to travel one of the most familiar sights is that of an airport. Depending on how you prepare and how you spend your time there, an airport can either be a tedious drag, or it could be a true highlight. This is especially important when you have children with you. The younger they are, the less patient they will be with the waiting aspect of flying. By following these six hacks, you can vastly improve your airport experience for the whole family and make getting through the airport a breeze:

Hacks for Getting Through Security 

     1. Have Everything Packed for Easy Security Checkout 
Have your liquids and electronics within easy reach so that you can quickly and efficiently unload your luggage to be scanned. It is wise to also refrain from wearing metal and to remember to remove the items like coins or keys from your pockets.

     2. Teach Your Children Before You Go 
If this is your child’s first time flying remember to coach them on what is going to happen before you go. That way they will know what is going on and won’t need to ask questions.

Hacks for Making the Wait Easier 

     1. Have Games and Activities Ready
Games and activities are a sure-fire way to keep kids entertained, but just remember that electronics shouldn’t be their only source of fun. Bring coloring books, a doll, and other quiet activities for them to enjoy.

      2.Try Walking Around When Children Are Restless
If your child is restless, then walk around with them. Let them go into the shops and engage with the world around them. You will know exactly when your flight is boarding and when you need to go back, and letting them run around inside the airport should blow off some steam, so they rest well on the flight.

Photo by Briana Tozour on Unsplash

Hacks for When Your Flight is Delayed 

     1. Know What Your Rights Are 
You have rights when it comes to flying, but depending on where you fly, and with who you fly, those rights will differ. Flying in the EU means you can enjoy EU protections and regulations, but other airlines and destinations aren’t so lucky. Check in advance so you know what your rights are without stressing about a delay or cancellation.

     2. Get Compensation

Whether you travel for business or leisure, a delay at the airport will likely cost you. Perhaps the only cost will be lost time at your holiday destination, but more likely there will be extra transportation costs to cover the delay once you land. Do not let these inconveniences ruin your holiday. Instead, rest easy knowing which compensation plans are applicable. In the EU, for example, you are covered by government regulation, making the compensation process as easy as going to FairPlane and filling out their online form within six years of your flight’s delay. 

Photo by Dmitry Sovyak on Unsplash

Flying with children doesn’t have to be a nightmare, you only need to prepare your children and pack accordingly. By following these six hacks, you can actually turn the waiting hours at an airport from boring and stressful to fun for the whole family.

GhostBed Sheets Make For A Better Night's Rest

In recent years, I have found myself having a lot of difficulty getting comfortable at night to fall asleep at a decent time. My problem is partly due to always feeling hot. My poor husband would often times have to put on a sweatshirt and sweatpants to come to bed, because he felt like I kept our bedroom at Arctic temperatures. Okay, maybe dropping the A.C. super low, and having the ceiling set on super high-speed is a bit much for the average person.

Another part of my problem was that I've struggled to find a sheet set that is comfortable, cool, and durable. Thankfully I found the perfect solution with my new GhostBed Luxury Sheets made with Supmia cotton and Tencel fiber blend. This sheet set will work great on almost any mattress, but it's ideal to pair it with any GhostBed mattress. These sheets are amazingly soft and luxurious. From the moment I touched the sheets with my finger tips, I could feel a smooth coolness.

The GhostBed Luxury Sheets set is a product of GhostBed by Nature's Sleep, which makes a mattress that Consumer Reports rated very good or excellent in every category, and is the best mattress for fibromyalgia. I like knowing that the sheet set comes with a 3-year warranty, and free shipping!

So what exactly makes Supima cotton sheets? Supima cotton is one of the finest quality grown cotton in the US. Made using longer, smoother, and cleaner yarn, the result is a softer and more plush feel. Additionally, Supima premium cotton is also more durable, able to withstand washing year after year and maintains its original shape, feel and comfort. This makes me happy because I wash bed sheets frequently.

I have had sheets in the past where the elastic stretched out so much that it caused the bottom sheet to slip off. This does not happen with GhostBed sheets. Just look at that wide elastic band that helps prevent the fitted sheet from popping off.

My husband and I love how comfortable our sheets feel, and that the set came with four pillow cases instead of two like most standard king sets do. They come in either gray or white, which is perfect when you like neutral colors. There is a downside though. It is almost impossible getting out of bed, because we are so comfy! Also, it brings kids into our room sneaking under the covers so they can experience the comfort, too.

Our Ghostbed Luxury fitted sheet set goes perfectly with our new mattress cover. Be sure to check out GhostBed online and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Next up for us will be a bedroom makeover!