Category: Travel

Kids, Travel

Day Passes Now Available at Great Wolf Lodge

Erin Sluka

If there is one place Anthony loves most here in the Seattle area, it is Great Wolf Lodge (Grand Mound, Wa). This past May you may remember my posting about spending Anthony’s birthday at Great Wolf Lodge (see that post here). He asked this year to forgo presents and a big party and bring a few friends to GWL for an experience instead. He has never regretted that decision. He even now talks his cousins into asking for an ‘experience’ instead of gifts because he promises them it’s “better than any toy or game”.

I wanted to take this post to announce that Great Wolf Lodge now has Day Passes!

We took our day passes and treated my nephews (ages 5, 9, 13) to the experience of Great Wolf Lodge for their first time along with Anthony (age 11). I brought my Mom along and she is hooked! No doubt that we decided that because all 4 boys have birthdays fairly close to each other that doing spring birthdays here going forward is a must! These boys were hooked! My nephew turns 10 at the end of this month and is so excited to find a way to get back here to stay!

With the day pass you get all access as you would normally if staying the night minus a room. You can eat at their restaurants, visit the other activities (extra charges apply as usual), attend story time and more. We did have ropes course passes but with the rain we had that day, we could not visit so we will update you later on that experience.

In the Wa. location near us, the water park hours were 10am to 8pm. Check in at that time of morning is a breeze and we were in the water by 10:30. The lines were low too at that time so I am glad we made a point to get there right at opening hours.

They were worn out and water logged by 4pm, so we got dressed and played some arcade for a but upstairs. Grandma bought them each a play card and they had some fun there.

Spending the night can cost you on average about $300 a night, but remember that is for up to 6 people to enjoy the water park and stay. You can bring your own food (to your room when you stay). It is well worth it. If you stay the night you get great value buying Wolf, Pup or Paw Passes if the kids plan to utilize the indoor activities.

If you are going for the day, I would weight how much stimulation you want the kids to have. It is a lot of great activities for the value on those passes, but if only going the day, it is hard to pull those kids out of the water when they know they will not be staying.

We spent so much more time in the water with the day pass then we ever do staying the night with play passes. So, if you have been before and plan to come back for only the day plan to get there early, score a table and keep it all day.

Another fun tip if trying to enjoy Great Wolf Lodge and save is that at the cafe in the water park, we spent about $20 on 2 Family Fries and a bag of chips and salsa and it was a lot of food! We had leftovers to throw out after feeding 4 hungry boys, my Mom and I. Kids meals are about $9 each and that would have added up with 4 boys (2 of which are teens). We also brought packaged snacks and gatorade bottles from home for them. Great Wolf Lodge is really good about allowing you to eat your own snacks so that you can spend your dollars on the fun instead if need be.

Enjoy the day and be in your own bed by night at Great Wolf Lodge!

Beauty, Travel

The Glister Mini Flat Iron is a Must-Have For Summer Travel

Erin Sluka

Next week we leave on a special trip we have been so excited about. My husband and I travel to Las Vegas a few times a year. Next week we go with only our 2 oldest boys. The middle son turned 21 this year and my husband just turned 50 this month so for a while we knew that we would all go to Las Vegas in 2019 to celebrate the 21st and 50th.

The older boys are not taking their girlfriends (for their work commitments) so we actually get them to ourselves. Then we have friends and family also meeting us there and 3 of them have birthdays this week. The youngest is staying with Grandma on this trip as he is only 11 so we can all be adults with our 2 adult sons. With friends and dinners this trip I have some new outfits and a new hair accessory I am excited to start traveling with.

I don’t travel without my flat iron. I have a large one and it never came with a travel bag so I get nervous about it being in my carry-on because it is a ceramic iron and a loose cord all over the place in a suitcase. I would be lost if it were to break and I was stuck on vacation without the one tool I use to style my hair. Now, I can keep my large one at home. My Glister mini flat iron is perfect for travel and the small size makes great waves in my hair!

Of course it comes with its own cute travel bag so tucking it away in my suitcase is easy. I can now even carry it on my backpack when traveling in case I need to do an airplane touch up before landing!

It has a simple on/off switch and contains the most advanced technologies – including Far Infrared heat, Ionic anti-frizz, and Tourmaline gemstone infused floating plates for OnePass styling.

I am featuring the MINI ADVENTURIST FLAT IRON (WITH DESIGNER TRAVEL POUCH) – CHAMPAGNE.

You will love the designs to choose from! For more information and to discover all of Glister’s products and collections, visit LoveGlister.

Parenting, Summer, Travel

Preventing Summer Kidnappings

Erin Sluka
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Summer is supposed to be a carefree time, especially for children who are out of school and can spend the majority of their time outside enjoying the beautiful weather and doing fun activities. But according to the National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Thrown away Children (NISMART), 41% of kidnappings occur during the summer months of June, July and August. So before sending your child to the park or pool with friends make sure they know what to do if a stranger approaches them.

Below are a few tips from Krav Maga Worldwide on how to help lessen your child’s risk of being a victim of kidnapping this summer.

  • It starts with open conversations. It’s important to teach children while they are young about what do if a stranger approaches them or makes them feel uncomfortable in anyway. Young children may be confused about the concept of a stranger in general and who is or isn’t one. Parents should emphasize that a stranger is just someone the child doesn’t know and not necessarily a good or bad person. It can also be helpful if parents ask their child about their day on a daily basis to help ensure that nothing suspicious occurred. Even if a child does not directly say a stranger approached them, parents should be able to pick up on body language and verbal cues that something is off base.
  • Fight Back. Sign children up for intro self-defense classes specifically for kids and dealing with situations that can arise for their age group. These classes often teach children body language and verbal skills that can help deter potential attackers as well physical skills. Unfortunately, there is a very real possibility that a child may be in a situation that they can’t defuse or walk away from. Having a foundation of physical skills is vital for the child to be able to protect themselves when push literally comes to shove.
  • Emergency planning. If a child will be left alone during the day, create and practice an emergency plan with them so they are aware of what to do in case someone comes to the door or tries to break in. Leave written instructions and important phone numbers on the fridge or counter and continuously practice safety skills with the child, which can help them become second nature and the child will know what to do on the spot.
  • Make a plan and keep kids busy. Parents can set up a schedule with their child so that they know where they are supposed to be at what time and with who. If parents are friendly with neighbors, touch base with them and ask if they can keep an eye out on the child if they play outside often. Inform your child that they are trusted adults that they can go to if an uncomfortable situation arises. Parents can also tap into what the child’s interests are and sign them up for classes or programs that involve something that they love to do, such as art classes or sports programs. These programs and activities tend to be supervised by trained adults that can help keep the child safe.

For more information check out kravmaga.com see the Facebook page (KravMagaWorldwide), follow on Instagram @krav_maga_worldwide or call 800.572.8624.

Non-seasonal, Parenting, Summer, Tips and Tricks, Travel

Helpful Packing Tips When Traveling with Small Children

Erin Sluka

I hope you get the chance to travel together this summer, locally or abroad. These tips are great for flights or day trips and even a night at Grandma’s when traveling with small children. Safe travels!

Buy the RIGHT luggage

The fun monkey head suitcase is adorable, but I hate to tell you that many children luggage brands are not practical. Don’t get me wrong, there is a brand or two out there that does children’s travel cases well, but I ditched the cute stuff years ago with our 10 year old because I needed to fit more and stay organized with it all.

What do I use? We happen to use the Expanse Wheeled Duffel Carry ON by Eagle Creek. I use an Eagle Creek wheelie myself as well as the Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter On Board toiletry bag. Shout out to Eagle Creek in this post, they seriously do a great job with their bags and I recommend them for you and the kids!

Use Ziploc Bags for Clothing

I’ll never forget the look I got from my Mom when I dropped my son off for a stay with her years ago and as we opened the suitcase she saw my gallon Ziploc bag packing job. But, let me say that when I picked him up, they were all neatly re-stacked and refilled, dirty inside.

As I pack, I lay the bottoms, shirt, socks, underwear (in that layered order), fold all together in one set and put in a gallon ziploc and seal with air released. Put it in his duffel and repeat for all outfits. It is not only a folding space saver where I can stack many outfits neatly, but it is a time saver every morning. I (or whomever he is visiting and now himself) can grab a bag and head to get changed. It is all there. He shoves his dirty clothes back in, presses and seals. Smelly clothes are sealed and stay away from clean clothes and repacking to leave is so easy! Try it!

1 Bag + 1 Blanket + 1 Present

This is what comes on planes with us to the seat. I have one small backpack (bright colored so you can spot them if they get ahead of you) that he can wear and help me carry less with his snacks, entertainment, headphones and a small (noiseless) toy when younger. Now it is a tablet, his phone, book and chargers plus snacks. He carries his blanket and I always have a gift when he was younger to make the ride start off pleasant. The last one I bought him was a Pokemon neck pillow. He never took it off all flight or the next flight…..

Your Luggage Front Pocket

Chances are one of your luggage bags has that extra front pocket you never really know what to use it for. Grab 1 ‘special’ treat per child and a new thin book. Once you are done with the hassle off the plane, to a car or taxi, into a hotel lobby and finally checked in to your room you (and they) are beat! You have an urge to get organized, freshen up and plan the rest of the day and you have some exhausted kids.

Just wait for the magic as you unzip that pocket, pull out that special pick-me-up snack and quiet book(s). It will buy you some uninterrupted time. If you got in early enough a child or two may just doze off. Let them rest a moment or 2 and use that time! Then you’ll all be more relaxed, rested and ready to start your trip.

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Disclaimer: Thank you Eagle Creek for partnering with us on this feature. All opinions are 100% my own