Summer Must Have: Ever-Ready PicNic Bag

I'm a stay-at-home-mom.  What this means is that come summer time I have to find ways to entertain not only my preschool-aged children (who were home with me most of the time during the school year) but my school-aged children as well (whom are used to spending 6+ hours at school).  It's hard.  I'm not going to lie.  Sometimes I just look in the mirror and thing "I'm going to go nuts today if I can't find something to do with these little minions".

Yes, we go to the pool (one officially scheduled time every Friday morning with friends and then occasionally we act spontaneously and visit our neighborhood HOA pool) and we go see the free movies at the local theater.  We are part of the Library's Summer Reading Program, so we go and pick out books and visit the library for their weekly events.  And of course, we do all of the usual errands and chores that I have to do as a stay-at-home-mom (household chores like the laundry and dishes, yard work like mowing, watering, and trimming, and life chores like getting groceries, vet visits, doctor appointments, etc).  But there are some times multiple days in a row when we have nothing scheduled and nothing that needs accomplishing.  I call these the "do nothing" days.

That first "do nothing" day is great.  We lay around, watch movies, read books, play games and just generally enjoy playing.  We make exciting breakfasts (french toast or cinnamon rolls), cook delicious lunches (like grilled cheese and soup, this is vastly different from our typical "left overs" or PBJ sandwich and fruit lunches), and we enjoy the relaxation of just being.

Then comes day two.  Oh, day two.  Why can't you be a repeat of day one?  We had such a fun time laying around relaxing... why can't you be just as nice day two, why?!?!?!  You guessed it... the kids are board.  They pick.  They fight.  They yell.  They don't sit still.  They beat stuff up.  They whine.  They generally annoy the living day-lights out of me.  I'm not ashamed to admit it.

On this cool Summer day we went down to the creek and had a PicNic in our pallet fort (that we had build previously).
On this occasion we threw our little chairs into the fort for some added adventure.

So how do we make day two (and day three) subsequently more exciting and entertaining?  How do we keep the kids from eating each other's faces off?  The answer is simple and your going to think I'm one of those ridiculous geniuses...

If your like me, trying to throw a picnic together spur of the moment is rough.  There's plates, napkins, utensils (ugh, there aren't any clean utensils?!?! who was in charge of the dishes today?!), drinks, food, etc... then when you get to your destination you find that the table is dirty, the wind is blowing, and there is no where to sit.  UGH!  A fun trip just turned stressful.  Everyone is grumpy and no one is enjoying the picnic.

The answer is the Ever-Ready PicNic Bag.  Yes, a picnic bag.  Sometimes you just need a spur of the moment picnic to get your kiddos and yourself some sanity.  We find that a lunch time picnic is the PERFECT activity for those lazy summer days that we don't have other activities planned.  With this picnic bag we can throw some random food items into a bag and run out the door.  Whether it be to the playground in our neighborhood, down the street to the riverside park, or across the city to the big park, this Ever-Ready PicNic Bag is essential.

Here's how to make your Ever-Ready PicNic Bag:

1. Collect the necessary items (these items may vary according to your own family's picnic needs):

• PicNic Blanket (for those times you have a picnic on the ground).  We used to keep a rectangular weaved blanket in the bag for this purpose, but found that it absorbed growund moisture.  So now we like a round style picnic blanket with a vinyl top because that allows us to set the food in the middle and self-serve while we sit around the edge and not get wet from a moist ground.
• Table Cloth (for those times you have a picnic at a table).  We use a vinyl top/cloth backed  reusable table cloth that is easy to wipe clean after each picnic.
• Paper Cups (because sometimes its easier to just throw the entire jug of juice into the lunch bag and not give everyone individual drink choices)
• Antibacterial Hand Wipes (these have saved us sooooo many times!  You never know when someone will touch duck poo or pick up a creepy crawly while your setting up for the picnic!)
• Napkins (we put them into a big ziplock bag to keep them clean between trips)

• Frisbees (to keep everyone occupied while I set up the picnic and while others finish eating)
• Clothes Pins (to keep your tablecloth attached to the table on those windy days... And they double as plate support if your put your paper plate inside the frisbee!)
• Plastic Utensils (we also put these into a big ziplock bag to keep them clean between picnics... we also like to throw some little packets of salt and pepper into this bag)
• Face Wipes (because for some reason my children ALWAYS make a giant sticky face mess)
• Paper Plates (again, in a big ziplock bag to keep them clean between picnic trips)
• PicNic Baskets (these are an added fun item that my children love... They make picnics a little more special and make my kids feel like they are eating some kind of special meal when their snacks are put in these baskets)
• Grocery Bags (to use a trash bags for everything you need to throw away after the picnic is over)
• A Canvas bag (to keep it all in! Why Canvas?  So that you can pop it into the washing machine every now and then)

2. Pack it all into the Canvas Bag

It all fits perfectly :)

3. Put it by the door or hang it on your coat rack.  Bam!  Now all you have to do is pack some food and your ready to leave!

Fully Packed and Ready to Go!

Ok, so I'm not really the genius that came up with the Ever-Ready PicNic Bag... I have to give credit to my own mother, who always had a picnic bag ready when we were growing up.  When I had children of my own and my little family moved 6 hours away she sent me plenty of love and advice, plus she made me my very own Ever-Ready PicNic Bag.  I've kept it stocked all these years and it has truly been a life saver every Summer!

Do you have your own version of an Ever-Ready PicNic Bag?  We also have a bag for the pool (fully ready with all the necessities) and a tub of stuff for the beach (always packed and ready to go!).  What other Summer necessities does your family rely on?

Top 5 Best Restaurants at Universal's City Walk

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After a long day of endless miles walking around Universal's theme parks, or perhaps after a relaxed day laying around your Orlando Resort, there is nothing quite like taking in the exciting night life and tasty dinner options at Universal's City Walk.  Having been there countless times on numerous vacations, I have put together this list of the Top 5 BEST Restaurants that are sure to tantalize your taste buds:

1. The CowFish
This is my family's top pick for dinner at CityWalk.  We have even wished we had one closer to home.  My 5 year old says that this is his favorite restaurant of all time and it is the one place he requests each time we visit Orlando.  Their menu boasts some fun twists on the classics.  Whether your interested in classic sushi or if your love burgers and fries, this is the place for you.  The owner's ability to envision how any dish can be turned into a sushi roll is miraculous.   Here, you can get a classic pulled pork bbq sandwich complete with slaw and shoelace fries (like my husband), a classic cheeseburger (hold everything but add bacon, like my 13 year old orders), fried shrimp sushi bento boxes (like my 5 year old), or classic salmon sushi with candied ginger and wasabi (like I order).  Where else can your whole family eat like kings exactly catered to their own tastes?!
Read More About The CowFish on TripAdvisor






2. Bob Marley- A Tribute to Freedom
I'm a sucker for Jamaican food.  There is something about the fresh ingredients and spicy jerk seasoning that really make my mouth water.  This restaurant not only boasts classic Jamaican dishes, but also gives visitors a spectacular atmosphere.  Complete with live entertainment, partially outdoor seating, and an "everyting is erie" attitude, this is definitely the place to be after a long day.  For starters, get their Blue Mountain Jerk Chicken Dip which is sure to wet your appetite while you listen to the smooth reggae band.  For your dinner, try my favorite the Sun is Shining Chicken Curry.  The perfect blend of chicken vegetables and rice will have you singing the Island's praises.  Or if you want something a little different, try the Belly Full Beef Patties.  Their zesty warm interiors are absolutely authentic!  Whatever you do, make sure to order one of the many Rum drinks offered on their specialty drink menu.
Find Out More About Bob Marley A Tribute To Freedom on TripAdvisor







3. Toothsome Chocolate Emporium
One of CityWalk's newer establishments, the Chocolate Emporium is the PERFECT place for either a delicious meal OR the most delectable dessert.  My recommendation is to try one of the other awesome restaurants on this list for dinner and then head over to the Chocolate Emporium for dessert!  Whether your into milkshakes, desserts of chocolate explosion, peanut butter, brownies, ice cream, or totally unique concoctions of epic dessert proportion, this is the place for you!  With a separate dessert line on the left side of the building, this is a great place to stop off and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Find Out More About The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium on TripAdvisor

4. Antojitos
Looking for something familiar but still exotic?  Check out Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food.  The menu is sure to have items you are familiar with as well as fun and exciting dishes that will excite you.  Start your meal with a classic Margarita or my favorite the "skinny" (a great blend of tequila, lime, and syrup) while you enjoy some chips and queso and listen to the live serenading of the mariachi band.  Then move on to a filling dinner of your choice (if your like me you'll pick the tequila marinaded steak tacos called "Carne" on the menu).
Read more about Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food on TripAdvisor












5. Red Oven Pizza Bakery
If your family is looking for something a little more familiar, check out Red Oven Pizza Bakery.  A hit with the kids, this pizza place is sure to fill your tummies and satisfy your tastes.  All their pizzas are stone baked in an open fire oven, so they get that authentic Italian taste.  Enjoy the pizza quickly by using the take-out window or sit down and enjoy the night life while you wait table-side.
Find Out More About Red Oven Pizza Bakery on TripAdvisor

Are you headed to Universal's City Walk?  Have you tried any of these spectacular restaurants?  Share your thoughts, opinions and favorite orders below.

Disney World Tips and Tricks

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Disney World.  A trip that can both excite and exhaust us just thinking about it.  I spent my childhood at Disney World.  Every year, often twice a year, my family would make the 12 hour trek down to Tampa, Florida to visit my grandparents and while on that visit we would spend at least one day at one of the Disney Theme Parks.  And now I like to share those experiences with my children.  I've been to Magic Kingdom more times than I can count.  I've been to Animal Kingdom 4 or 5 times.  And I've been to Hollywood Studios (which used to be called MGM Studios wayyyyy back when...) and Epcot a handful of times.

But let's face it, no one wants to spend thousands of dollars on a Disney Vacation and then spend hours waiting in traffic and lines in the hot sun all day.  That's why I have developed a handful of tricks to maximize my time and fun at the parks.

Read reviews and find resort deals on TripAdvisor

Top Tricks and Tips for Making the Most of Your Disney Visit:
1.  Don't Visit During the Summer.  Let's face it, everyone goes on vacation in the summer or on holidays.  It's when our children are out of school, when we have long weekends, and when many don't have to work at all.  Skip the popular times, take time off work, and pull your kids out of school for the week because you will find much smaller crowds in the Fall, Winter, and early Spring.

2.  Go on Halloween Day.  Disney does a great Halloween night event each year.  Most people who are going to that event will be saving their energy for the all-night extravaganza and wont be at the park during the day.  This opens up a great opportunity for you!  Go Halloween day and forgo the evening events.




3.  Visit on Good Friday.  Everyone who visits Disney World the week of Easter will be either traveling to Disney on Good Friday (in order to spend the week after Easter in the parks) or will be headed home on Good Friday (in order to be home for Easter).  Again, this opens up a great opportunity for you!  Use that day to your advantage.

4.  Thursday is their Least Busy Day.  I'm not sure why, but the parks have noticeably fewer people on Thursdays.  This could be because week-long-vacationers have already visited all the parks and are taking a "rest day" or it could be because half-weekers are headed home, or that weekenders haven't arrived.  Either way, Thursday is your best opportunity for shorter lines.

5.  Visit the Other Parks.  Magic Kingdom is the ONE PARK everyone goes to, which also makes it the most crowded.  Many people skip Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios.  Use that to your advantage!  Visit these other parks and save Magic Kingdom for another trip or plan to visit that park on one of their less crowded days (see #2, #3, and #4 above).

6.  Plan to ARRIVE an Hour Before You Can Get into the Park.  It takes that long to get through the maze of parking lots and to actually park your car.  Then you have to stand in the line to actually enter the park and get through security.  The closer to the front of the line you are the more likely you will be one of the first to ride.

Getting early entry into the park is also a great time to take that picture that EVERYONE wants!
Notice that we are all in jackets?  That's because we visited in Mid December!  The park wasn't crowded at all!

7.  Take Advantage of Early Opening.  That extra 30 minutes to an hour really makes all the difference for that first ride.  Often, if your early into the park you will have a minimal wait for your first ride, so plan accordingly and get their early.  It's worth the added expense.

8.  Plan Your First Ride.  Which ride do you want to ride the most and which will be the most crowded?  Make that your first ride of the day.  The first ride will often have the shortest line, especially if your utilizing early entry.

9.  Look at the Map Ahead of Time and Chart a Course.  This could perhaps be my biggest tip.  Look at the map long before you even arrive to Orlando and plan which rides you want to wait for and which to skip.  Create a plan of attack with routes into and around the park.  Having a plan ahead of time will save countless hours of deciding where to go next and will also save you from wasting time playing with the map in the park.

10. Get the Park Hopper Option.  The Park Hopper option is critical in my opinion and well worth the added expense.  Getting to switch parks let's you use early entry in one park, switch parks during the day, and then visit the parade of your choice at night.  This let's you have optimum time in each park and allows you to switch parks if you find yours to be too crowded.

Park Hopping or not, expect your children to pass out after the fireworks!
Make sure they have somewhere easy and safe to sleep and get the rental stroller!
Notice how the rental stroller on the right protects her legs from getting bumped into by stranger?
 It also would let a smaller child stretch out when sleeping.  

11.  Use the Rental Stroller.  People are maniacs in the park.  They steal stuff, they bash their strollers into yours to get a better spot in line, they don't look where they are going, and they have no concern for others.  I once had someone step over top of my sleeping child in a stroller and actually FALL on top of her.  The park rental strollers are much sturdier and wider than regular umbrella strollers, thereby protecting your little one.  Using a rental also deters thieves because your nice clean new expensive stroller isn't sitting their advertising your nice things, ripe for the stealing.

12.  Bring Someone in a Wheelchair.  Don't purposefully put someone in a wheelchair that shouldn't be (this is just dishonest) but if someone in your party has an ankle, knee, hip, etc problem let them ride in the chair!  My brother-in-law went with us to Magic Kingdom just weeks after breaking his leg.  It's a little known fact, but wheelchairs are often channeled through the quick pass line.  This is because there is limited handicap seating on rides and the ride staff show preference for those seats to those in wheelchairs and the people accompanying them.

Not only was the wheelchair a "get in quicker" tool, but it also
gave the kids a break from the strollers when they got to ride!

13.  Use The Rider Switch Program.  Another little known secrete is that often families will get to ride a ride multiple times with the Rider Switch Program.  Consider this:  you have a family of 5 (2 parents and 3 kids), 2 of the kids can ride everything but the youngest is just a tad too small.  So parent 1 takes the older 2 on the first ride while parent 2 waits with child 3.  The next ride, parent 2 gets to ride WITH THE OLDER 2 while parent 1 waits with child 3.  In other words, the 2 older kids actually get to ride the ride twice.  Total WIN!  The trick is making that time alone with each parent special with the child that doesn't get to ride.  I brought all kinds of fun things with us to do with our youngest while he waited for each ride.

14.  Eat.  Really, eat as often as your children want.  Don't try to make them share the pizza at lunch, don't tell them "it's not lunch time yet", and don't deny them the Mickey Mouse Ice Cream.  Keeping your kids full and happy is CRITICAL in enjoying your time at Disney.  A hangry child wont wait in a line and will not remember this vacation fondly.  Feed your kids.  And buy the big drink to refill!  Florida is hot and your little ones can easily get dehydrated.

15.  Don't Worry About VIP Tickets to Parades.  The parade routes are long and the parade is quick.  It's easy to find a spot to watch them and the VIP area isn't worth the added time and expense.




16.  Plan a Rest Day.  Don't try to visit all the parks back to back.  Even a grown adult will have trouble with this.  The heat and walking alone are enough to exhaust you.  Plan a day or two to just lay around the resort property.  Plan to play in the pool, sipping tropical drinks, and enjoying all the amenities the resort has to offer.

17.  Spend Two Days in Magic Kingdom.  There is just NO WAY to get all of Magic Kingdom done in one day.  If you plan on spending two days in the park it will be much less stressful trying to fit it all in.  This way, you can start your to do list (see #9 above) and if you have to skip something because of a long line then you can plan on making that ride a priority your second day.

18.  The New Rides Will Be the Most Crowded.  Feeling frustrated by the 3 hour line to Frozen Ever After?  For your next ride pick one of the older rides that often get over looked.  Our favorite go-to rides when we are tired of long lines are Small World, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and Jungle Cruise.  These lines move quickly and are sure to have you on in no time.  We also like Haunted Mansion, the Tiki Room and Pirates of the Caribbean, who have very entertaining line areas (so you feel like your getting to experience the ride throughout the entire wait).

19.  Let your Kids Play.  Areas like Tom Sawyer's Island, The Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, the Boneyard, and Project Tomorrow are great areas to just let your kids run for a bit.  After waiting in lines it's essential for them to get some wiggles out and play.  You'll be surprised how refreshed they are after being out of the stroller for a bit.

Testing out the Gorilla Hands at Animal Kingdom.
The parks are about more than just rides, make sure to enjoy the sites and Play Areas too!!

20.  Big Groups are Better.  As much as traveling as just your little family of 4 sounds like fun, at Disney it's better to travel in large groups (multiple families or extended families, groups of friends).  Just don't expect people to stay together.  It takes a village to raise your kids, so bring your village with you to the parks.  This will most likely give you a small rest (when other's take over the care of your kids for a bit) and lets people with similar interests stick together.

A few more great tips:
21.  Get your Disney Parks Merchandise online instead of at the park!! You will find much better sales and deals here: Fantastic merchandise previously available only at Disney Parks can now be purchased exclusively at the online Disney Store.
22.  Planning to do Breakfast with the Princesses?  Get your costume BEFORE you arrive.  You can save with extra sales here: The Disney Princess Shop - Royal Adventures Await!
23.  Make sure your little one looks great in ALL your Disney pictures by getting them some great Disney apparel to wear.  Check out the sales here: Find the best Disney kids apparel for girls, boys, tweens, toddlers and babies when you do your Disney shopping at DisneyStore.com.
24.  Save a bit by staying off resort and taking shuttles from your hotel.  Check out the deals here: Save BIG on Orlando Travel Deals. Don't Miss Out!

Have you been to Disney World?  What are your tips and tricks for having a good time and making the most of your trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth?  Share your thoughts and advice below.