Travel Activites for Kids from The Dollar Tree to DIY!

Long trips in the car can go two ways- Stressful or Fun! I dont know about you but FUN sounds way better to me! To help pass time for our 20 plus hour journey in a vehicle I prepped by making activities for the kids.

Heres some super simple and inexpensive ideas that will keep those little minds busy!!!

1- DIY Geo Board
I purchased push tacks, bag of rubber bands and clear zipper pencil holder at the dollar tree. I found a piece of wood in the garage and spray painted it white. Using a ruler make 1-2 inch spaces and mark with a pencil. Take the push pin and gently hammer/rubber mallet it in and TADA!!! This was used the entire trip!

2- Dollar Tree metal baking sheets, magnets, and dry erase markers. Clip your artwork for easy coloring, color directly on it with dry erase markers or play with magnets! It can also be used for a tray when eating on the go!

I purchased clear zipper pencil holders to hold the markers and magnets. The Dollar Tree has some awesome activity books that have mazes, seek and finds and connect the dot pages. Either have them color directly on it or put it in a clear page protectors and use dry erase markers!

3- LEGOS. A small bin from the Dollar Tree filled up with legos. It can sit on the seat and the kids will be occupied by building their projects right on the dollar store baking sheet!!















4- Dollar store puzzles in a zipper holder. You can even stick magnets on the back of the pieces so they don't fall off.

5- Little totes. These make AWESOME snack holders! Keeps the wrappers off the floor and the treats within reach!

I put all the activities in clear zipper pencil holders and kept them together with a clip. It reduced pieces and toys flying all over the vehicle!

Hopefully some or all of these tips help you keep your littles occupied on your next adventure!!!

INNX Heavy Duty Waterproof Cargo Liner

With kids, dogs, beaches and mud my truck was in a screaming need for some cargo protection. This INNX offers cargo protection that has help up to my crazy life and keeps the area dry with its waterproof backing.

This is what I love about it

- it has a nice size pocket that is durable and can hold a ton of stuff!
- There is an option for you to just secure the sides with the included bungee cord instead of reinforcing it with the sticky velcro.
- It removes easy and with one or two shakes the sand and dirt flies off!
- It washes super easy- I just sprayed it with the hose, let it dry in the sun and put it back in the truck
- The company also provides the exact measurements of the liner so you can check to make sure it fits before you purchase it
-  The strong reinforcement of the straps on the headrest allows for some heavy duty use and you don't have to worry about ripping it!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FR0STOG


If you are looking for a cargo liner that is a perfect fit, waterproof, durable, and easy to use then you should definitely check out this one. It is used daily in my SUV and it has saved my truck from so many stains!!  Check it out here!

Cargo Cover/Mat for Dog/Muddy Stuff

Having a dog and lots of muddy stuff it was super cool that I was able to check out this cargo cover (check out the link below)! I have a ford explorer and the cargo cover provides some great coverage. It has held up well to the dog and beach stuff. The sand comes off super easy and the water just rolls of! Its nice to have the back of my truck protected from stains when I need to use the large truck space.  Therefore its modifiable if you don't want to stick anything to the inside of your truck! Overall I'm happy with this and it will provided years of protection!

The only negative I found to this product would be the only option of securing the side panels with a self adhesive velcro strip. I chose not to do this since I do not want this fastener a permanent part of my cargo area. However I folded over the sides and the velcro stuck well to the carpeted backing of the seats. Heres the link- check it out! 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LSMIGF4

Making life easy with an Instant Pot

I am so excited that I finally went out and purchased an instant pot. I have heard so many things about them. Its super easy and fast PLUS its healthy!! This thing has done wonders for my family especially during our summer vacation with the kids and two adults in an RV. With minimal counter space available to prepare meals it definitely makes things challenging when cooking for a large family.

So far all the recipes we've tried have rocked. My kids loved the BBQ chicken (click here for recipe). The only change I made was using the wired rack that's included with the instant pot to hold the potatoes on and cook them separately from the chicken

With living gluten free (not by choice since I have Celiacs) we are constantly learning and researching brands and recipes. Oh- that little cooker is our rice cooker. I had rice and veggies cooking in that one since the instant pot was full! And let's not forget to mention Advocares amazing SPARK focus drink! If your never had Spark you need to seriously contact me so I can send you a sample to try. Its amazing and keeps this mom on her feet with a TON of energy.

If you're on the fence about purchase one of these - DO IT! You won't regret it! I'm already debating an upgrade since that smart bluetooth one is pretty darn cool. Heres the instant pot website! 

Quick Dry Men's Compression Shorts Tights

Compression shorts have become really popular these days because of the incredible benefits of sweat wicking, rapid cooling, and proper blood flow to the area being compressed. Since hubby is a firefighter who would be a better person to test these things out!  With special thanks to Parateck men's compression shorts hubby is one happy camper! 


So ya'll know what its like to sit in 100 degrees and extreme humidity right? LOL... Well, think of that moment and add firefighter gear to the mix. Talk about SWEAT! Since hubby is a firefighter/paramedic he works in the Texas heat. We've tried multiple types of shorts that would help keep him cool and dry and most of them didn't hold up. We were able to try these compression shorts and he really felt like they did the trick. They kept him cool and dry for sure.

What we found while testing these out:

- These shorts are made from 82% nylon and 18% spandex which allows for more cooling and drying when compared to other brands. 
- The level of compression is 18-25mmHG in which provides the support, reduces the muscle fatigue, sore muscles and overall improve your sport performance. 
- Another difference we found was the soft mesh lining that is on the inside of the shorts. This addition reduces the chafing and makes them more breathable. 
-They also have a hidden mesh pocket that can hold small items if needed. These shorts can literally be used for every sport or job too! 
- The only complaint was the drawstring on the inside was not the best so he just took it out and problem solved! 


They are awesome, check them out- you can buy them right from the link below! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07238WBNQ