Swim Like A Fish

Jayla loves swimming and being in the water and we have been battling getting her to take her floaties off and learn to swim to with out them. She likes being in the water as much as a fish does.

It's even on our Summer Bucket List to get her to swim with out her floaties and we have accomplished it!

She maybe more like a drowning fish at this point but I am so proud of her and I'm sure by the end of the summer she will have it down pat! 

I also have a video to share with you of her first time swimming with out the floaties.

Along with crossing off the swimming without floaties we can also cross off counting to 100 flawlessly but she counted to 154 before she decided she couldn't go any further.

I am one proud mama of my little girl

Keeping Up With Us

Summer has been keeping us busy. Not as busy as I would like, rain has slowed us down some. It has seriously been raining everyday. I'm over the rain at this point. 

I figured I show you guys what we've been up too in pictures.

We've been spending a lot time at the library coloring, reading, and putting on puppet shows. It has become a great little escape to get out of the house with this crappy weather we have been having.

Isn't she just the cutest? With all the flowers in full bloom she is picking flowers every time I turn around. She loves to put them in her hair and pretend she is a hula girl.

We have satellite TV and every time it storms it gets knocked out. I swear it's like having our own little personal weatherman. If you have satellite you know what I'm talking about. Right before a storm hits, the TV goes out so my child took matters in her own hands and made herself into a TV. Complete with finger puppets. She has been a weather woman, Sophia the First, and the funnies. Who needs TV when you have her to entertain you. Love the imagination of a child.

We went and visited with my mom in Greenville and took Jayla to Falls Park to walk around and see the waterfall. She was bound and determined to pet a duck. It didn't happen, but she enjoyed trying. 

We put bubbles in the kiddie pool! She had an absolute blast having bubbles in there. It seriously kept her occupied for the longest time! I eventually slid the pool up to her slide and put dish soap on the slide when she wasn't looking. She went flying down that slide and slid right out the other side of her pool. She thought it was awesome and slid down it until she knocked all the water out of her little pool.

5 Helpful Tips in Preparing for Family Travel

With 4th of July weekend coming up and Summer in full swing many families are preparing to leave on vacation. We all know how stressful family vacations can be from the planning,packing, and traveling. To help make the process go a little easier I have a travel expert taking over the blog today to share some tips with you.

A little bio about our guest poster!

Kendra Thornton:Travel advocate,TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman,proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I've found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. I have taken my excitement for travel and brought it to you with some of my favorite travel tips and tricks. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: kennymatic via Compfight cc

                 

            

  Helpful Tips in Preparing for Family Travel

 
Spending time on a vacation with family is an excellent way to enjoy the summer. As a mom, I have found that being prepared plays a crucial role in preventing hiccups and ensuring an unforgettable trip. Here are some tips that have helped me as I prepare for summer travels.

1. Wonderful Baggage Options
When packing for your next trip, your first packing essential needs to be luggage. There is certainly no shortage of options, but choosing the right design can make or break your trip. Suitcases can be clunky and heavy duffle bags can really damage your shoulders. For carry-on’s try a backpack that will free up your hands. If you’re traveling to Europe or driving to the beach, avoid rolling bags, as wheels don’t fare well with cobblestone, stairs or sand.

2. A Fantastic Place to Visit
I’ve found that having a fantastic place to go when traveling is truly key. Take time and look at a travel guide for the summer to find terrific destinations to visit. These guides highlight wonderful restaurants, attractions in the area and amazing deals. From the 2016 Olympics in Rio to the best 4th of July fireworks displays, an unforgettable trip starts with an amazing destination. Try consulting Gogobot’s Top 25 Summer Destinations to see which locations sound appealing to your family. Then check to see what fellow parents say about the area. Want to combine culture and kid-friendly fun? Florida’s 500th Anniversary is a great time to visit the magical world of Disney! You can even celebrate by having breakfast with Mickey and Mini at one of Orlando’s top hotels.

3. Practice Firework Safety
Even when traveling, firework displays are usually a big attraction for families. With July 4th fast approaching you should make sure you know how to safely practice firework viewing with children. Unlike many shows, fireworks can be seen just as well at a distance. Watching fireworks from a balcony will still allow your child to see them while staying out of harm’s way. Sparklers are also a fun way to celebrate Independence Day. But most people don’t realize that sparklers can reach over 2,000 degrees. That’s hot enough to not only burn little fingers, but melt some metals as well. A great vacation begins with safety.

4. The Right Kind of Sticking
Another tip I’ve learned, quite possibly the hard way, is how important it is to stick to a routine. It can be quite easy to skip a nap or a meal, but children do not adjust to these changes well, particularly in a new environment. I try to do my best to keep things as normal as possible while on vacation in terms of naps, snacks and meals. Not sure how you’re going to fit in that nap? Let the experts help.

5. Searching for Hidden Airline Fees
Booking airplane tickets online is certainly a popular thing to do. There are great deals that may be found at terrific prices. However, keep in mind that there can be fees that are added to increase the final cost of flying. Hidden costs range from baggage charges to fees for seat selection, a real problem for families with small children looking to sit together. To combat this, take time and research various airlines and their potential fees. The cheapest ticket price may not have the best overall value if there are additional charges.

Summer Bucket List

School is out and summer is finally here! 

As much as I miss the routine that school brings in our day it sure has been nice staying up late and sleeping in but I'm beginning to think that Jayla views summer vacation as one continous play date. That girl wants to be on the constant move and swears she is bored after 5 minutes of down time. I wish I could bottle up her energy and sell it. I would make billions off of that!

I'm trying to keep her busy for my sanity so I've come up with a Summer Bucket List. We've already started on our bucket list. I've been wanting to put this post up for awhile now but our little internet issues kind of slowed that down.

1. Make homemade ice cream

2. Get mommy/daughter manis

3. Master swimming with out floaties. (we are getting there! YAY!)

4. Complete our Summer Reading Challenges.

           -Jayla: read/be read to a total of 24 hours this summer

           -Me: Read 25 books. I'm 13 books in!

5. Have a water balloon fight.

6. Frequent the free movies at the theather

7. Catch fireflies

8. Go to a museum

9. Play balloon ping pong

10. Go to the park after dinner

11. Have story time at the park

12. Have Jayla learn 20 new sight words

13. Count to 100 flawlessly. She gets 17 and 70 mixed up.

14. Organize every room in the house. I'm dreading this one

15. Frequent the Farmer's Market.

16. Go ride horses. I found a place near me that has lessons for $10 an hour!

17. Have snow cones

18. Blow up soap

19. Make play dough

20. Make window clings

21. Make lava lamps

22. Make a peach cobbler

23. Cook a meal that is entirely from the Farmer's Market

24. Play in the rain

25. Visit a water park. I think one of the Grandma's has this one in store for the little one.