A Summer of Fun at the Perot Museum of Nature & Science

Well, we took a trip and made it memorable! Our most recent excursion took us into Dallas (and surrounding areas). In downtown Dallas, we had the great opportunity to check out the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. A HUGE thank you to them for giving us complimentary tickets for this time. 

*Disclaimer: I was given free tickets to the museum in exchange for my honest review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions shared are mine or my families.*

What to know when planning your visit

Okay, where to start?? They are located in Downtown Dallas. You can check out their website HERE. They had the Bug Lab Exhibit opening when we were up there. This one costs you extra to see. As with many museums, they rotate out their Special Exhibits. Other exhibits that stay year round are fascinating for all ages! They also have videos that educate while entertaining. While walking through one floor, there was quite the line waiting to try out the earthquake simulator! You stand on a platform that gives you the feeling of being in an earthquake. 

Tickets and entries are timed. Make sure you pay attention when you purchase your tickets, so that you know when you are supposed to go in. They have a high volume of visitors to juggle. This also means that there are times when huge crowds are EVERYWHERE! 

Parking... Here is one that is super important. They have a museum parking lot that is $15 for non museum members. If you get the membership, it is only $5. Per vehicle, not per person. It is first-come, first-serve. If it is full, they have an overflow lot. However, they also have a special section if you are needing a handicapped spot. We ended up finding a lot that charged us $5.35 for 4 hours. You have to download the app or find the kiosk to mark your vehicle paid and avoid towing. 

What is inside? 

They have 4 floors of exhibits to see. My youngest loved the dinosaur level. So many skeletons and things to learn about the fossils. 

Being from an oil town, we loved seeing the exhibit on drilling and oil processes. There was so much to learn from it. Even a giant drill exhibit to give you an idea of what they are like. or the one that shows you how the oil is pumped upwards. 

We loved seeing the Gemstone exhibit too. Learning about topaz stones and geodes. The giant geode was extremely popular with the kids.

Seeing all the types of animal displays was fascinating too. We got to see what kinds of animals live where. 

Start at the top and trickle down! The elevators were constantly busy. And the escalator was down when we went. So be prepared to climb all the way up and then all the way down. We loved seeing the outdoor walls that were decorated with greenery and rocks. 

The staff were friendly, even in the rush of dealing with so many people. They were helpful in guiding us and answering questions we had. There are seating spots all over the place in case you get worn out from all the walking. The bathrooms were clean too, which was really nice. Oh yes, final notes! There is a food court and gift shop available. There were also fun things for little ones to do out front.  

We are so glad we got to stop in and see everything! It was a wonderful trip for our family.  

Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Review (Discount included)

Summers are meant for fun, for family, and for making lasting memories. Usually, you take time out of school and, if you can work, to travel together and do something different. 

That being said, times are harder on many. Maybe taking a full trip isn't in your budget. So what about a one night trip? What about a day filled with fun? What if one place could give you the away time you need? Come with us as our family did just that!

*Disclaimer: I was given the chance to go to Ripley's Believe It Or Not! in Grand Prairie, in exchange for sharing about our experience. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are mine and my family's own.*

First off, Ripley's Believe It Or Not! has locations across the nation. Maybe not in your city, but I bet you can find one in your state. For us, it is near the Dallas area. This meant we had quite the drive to plan for. It also meant we had to get a hotel room and stay overnight. For my family, this equates to a mini vacation! So be sure to check their locator and see if you can find one close to you. 

Since the one we went to is the one I'm spotlighting, I'm going to say that not all Ripley's are the same! What we saw here, you most likely won't see at the other locations. So keep that in mind. 

How to get started! 

Ripley's in Grand Prairie has multiple things to enjoy. If you get their combo ticket, you can enjoy Luis Tussaud's Waxworks exhibit, Ripley's Moving Theater, Ripley's Power Up and Ripley's Mirror Maze, as well as the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium exhibits. These tickets are $56 per adult. If that isn't in your price range, they also offer the 3-Way Combo or a 2-Way Combo option. I love the fact that you can choose which attractions you want as well, if you choose the 3 or 2 options. You can purchase your tickets online, ahead of time, or in person. In-person purchases are how you can use various modes of discounts, so check their website to see if you qualify for any before you purchase. 

                                Thinking I might just need to join the MIB.

Parking is free! Huge bonus for the wallet on this one. Especially in a big city. 

Our Ripley's just installed a new exhibit as well. It is based on their actual Ripley's Warehouse in Orlando, Florida. That warehouse holds all the oddities that Ripley's collects over the years. Things like medieval torture devices, odd taxidermy (ever seen a two-headed calf before?), and ancient artifacts from Asia - just to start with!  

My family voted on their favorite attractions. The Mirror Maze won hands down. It took us about 4 tries to find the exit and the youngest was begging to go back in. Part of the maze has a cool selfie room that is lit and mirrored. The floor was a shiny tile that almost made it seem like you were floating with the hanging lights. 

Luis Tussaud's Waxworks exhibit came in second place. It has a long trail to follow with so many characters, both modern and historical. If you are brave, the ending can lead into a horror haunted house. But they have an exit for those who are faint of heart as well. We chose to check out the haunted house.

And let me tell you... there were some great jump scare moments. My favorite part was seeing the Phantom of the Opera! 

We took up the challenge on the 7D Moving Theater to shoot at robots and try to save the city. That was a fun experience. I think my oldest son had the best luck at shooting the janky guns, but we all had a blast. (pun intended!) 

We shot at mutant slimes in the Power Up attraction. That allows 3 people at a time to go into a room where 3 of the walls allow your device to 'shoot' at things on them.  

The Odditorium had so many fun things to see though. A mechanical statue of the world's tallest man that will go from sitting to standing! Talk about having big shoes to fill. 

There are plenty of places to sit and rest. So don't worry about getting tired as you galavant along. You can rest along the way. Each one is designed to fit the theme of the exhibit. 

My final note was in the Wax display attraction. As a Christian woman, I was particularly surprised, and pleased, to see a part that was dedicated to the life of Jesus Christ. There were scenes set up to show important events like the Last Supper. 

You don't see things like this often. It was almost like a gospel presentation, but in an entertaining way that isn't hard to handle. I really loved that.  

I highly recommend a trip to Ripley's! No matter the age. No matter your interests. I think there is something for everyone! Let me know what you liked from what you could see. Or let me know if you have been. I'd love to hear from you! Until next time, my friends. Keep it weirdly real out there.  

What Are You Doing This Summer??

It is time to dive into some amazing fun! Summer is here, it is hot outside (my car was reading 117 yesterday), and the kids need something that tears them away from the screen. So I have a suggestion on one of your next destinations! If there is one near you, why not try a Ripley's Believe It Or Not?? Have you ever been to one of these? My Mom took my sisters and I once to the one in Florida near her. They are FANTASTICALLY FUN! There is something for everyone, of every age. But not just fun... They sneak in learning in ways that the kids don't expect it. Everything has a weird-but-true story attached. 

Okay, okay - so maybe oddly true facts don't seem like enough education to make that a selling point. For me, just having the kids out of the house, but inside where it is cool, and away from the video games for a bit is a sell I can't pass up! I'm looking for ways to beat the heat, but make some great memories. 

And best of all?? They are offering you some great coupon deals! Why?! Because you are my readers, of course! 

Don't wait, get your tickets! Then come back and tell me about your amazing trip. I can't wait to share mine! My local Ripley's is in Grand Prairie (The DFW area), but there are others, so don't let the location ward you off in the provided information they asked me to share with you. Other locations are also hosting similar deals, so check your local bloggers.  

One of DFW's Top Family Fun Attration's - Experience five extra-odd-inary attractions under one roof at Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Grand Prairie! Be astounded by hundreds of artifacts, incredible art, pop-culture memorabilia, and interactive games in Ripley's Odditorium! With more than 200 lifelike wax figures, strike a pose and take a selfie with your favorite superstars in Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax! Embellished with LED lights and infinity mirrors, challenge your perception and sense of direction in Ripley's Enchanted Mirror Maze. Feel every twist and turn while you compete to get the highest score in Ripley's 7D Moving Theater! And enter the Ripley's Power Up arena and immerse yourself in our all-ages, group gaming experience. Make lifetime memories and experience the excitement of Ripley's Grand Prairie, your one-stop destination for family fun!
$5 OFF Ripley's Attractions Combo Ticket with code DFWKIDS - Show this coupon at the ticket counter or use code DFWKIDS to buy online and SAVE $5 on a 5-Way Super Combo ticket!

Ticket includes admission to FIVE attractions: (1) Ripley's Believe It or Not! - Explore hundreds of oddities, artifacts, memorabilia, and more from around the world! (2) Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax - Strike a pose with over 200 lifelike figures, from the famous to the infamous! (3) Ripley's Power Up - Battle it out against friends and family in this virtual, all-ages gaming experience! (4) Ripley's Enchanted Mirror Maze - Find your way out or lose yourself in seemingly endless hallways of lights and mirrors! (5) Ripley's 7D Moving Theater - Become part of the movie in this full-throttle, interactive motion simulator ride!

Children 3 & under are FREE!
Visit: https://www.ripleys.com/grandprairie/
Coupon to Share: https://www.usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?bid=13445&dealid=3359

Reusable Water Balloons?!

Did you play with the water hose as a kid? Chasing siblings or friends? Maybe jumping through the sprinkler system? How about water balloons? Did you love throwing them at others and hoping to get hit in turn? I did! And so, apparently, do at least some of my children. You know what I didn't like? I didn't enjoy having to pick up the balloon pieces afterwards. Tiny bits of busted rubber, a rainbow of colors everywhere! Reminded me of that part in Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters where his very important job was to clean up after the Hero Games were over...

 So, what if I told you that there were alternatives? Like... reusable water balloons? No, I'm not talking about sponges filled with water that you throw at each other! I'm talking about a soft silicon-like container with magnets that keep the top half attached to the lower half. And actually do pretty good at keeping the water inside until they hit someone and splash!

It is a very clever concept called Hydrobursts Balloon by Relatable toys. I got this through Influenster. But when I attempted to look them up, I learned they are just too new! So I'm letting you know what we think for when they start hitting the store shelves.

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product for free in exchange for sharing my reviews. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own.*

As a mom, I don't want something that is going to make a horrendous mess in my yard. I don't want bits of rubber everywhere that is dangerous for pets or babies. That makes my yard look trashy. I also prefer toys that are economical. We don't have money to buy tons of new balloons just to throw and pop in a couple seconds. 

These are soft, so the hit won't hurt. Even the ridge with built-in magnets isn't that hard. My 7 and 11 year olds both had a blast tossing them at each other. 

I suggest having a water-filled bowl or bucket to keep the fun going. They are easy to refill like that. 

This is going to make the summer so much more fun! And also give us a good reprieve from the Texas heat. Definitely an amazing product that we enjoyed testing out!

Simply Mixology to Rescue Us From the Heat!

The heat here has been well above normal. Consistently hitting over 103 on any average day. We have made several jokes about looking forward to the 90's again. Maybe around Thanksgiving if we are lucky?? 

Which is why I was so happy to be chosen to test out the Simply Mixology juice mixer.  I'm not one for alcohol. But a good mocktail is refreshing and fun around here. I typically make them for our family for fun events. This one, makes a great break from the overwhelming heat. 

I call it my Nerdy Unicorn Mojito Mocktail! Yes, I used the unicorn    ice in it. It was fantastic. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent the mixer in exchange for trying it out. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Gather what you need:

Sprite

Simply Mixology

Fruits of your choice

Ice

Not many things needed to make this great drink. And you don't even need the fruit if you don't want it. We did it to add a little color and make them fun. As for the ice, you can even skip this step too. We don't really use ice around here. It melts too quickly, causing our drinks to be watered down. But it was fun to use the shaped ice pieces in the drinks. The kids really liked it. 

How do you do it? 

Glad you asked! If you are using ice, put them in the cups first. Then pour in your Sprite (or you can use 7Up). One part Sprite to 4 parts Simply Mixology. As you can see, I had multiple sizes to work with here. Next we add the Simply Mixology. We chose the Strawberry Guava Mojito because it sounded good and was the only one we found at our local Walmart. The other one is a lime flavored mixer. Now you can add in the fruit. You can throw in little chopped pieces of fruit or just garnish the cup. 

My family really enjoyed it! We aren't fans of drinking it as a stand alone juice. (Yes, we tried it that way too - out of curiosity.) 

This product is made my the CokeCola company. That was an interesting find! 

What do you think? Is this something you'd try? Let me know in the comments below! Stay fresh out there, guys. 

Ice Cream For Summer!

I've been giving various frozen treats a try. Partially from participating in review opportunities. That and it is just sooooo HOT here! Triple degree weather has us trying to stay cool as often as we can. 

*Disclaimer - Some of these products I received for free in exchange for trying them out. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Ripple Street has been having some bloggers work with Halo Top and Bomb Pops to promote new flavors for summer. I received coupons to get free products and some to give discounts to others. 

First up! 

Halo Top is generally out of our price range. However! That being said, we like it as a special treat for just my husband and I. We get one pint for the 2 of us to share on home date night after the kids go to bed. 

The first flavor we tried was the Strawberry. It was definitely creamier than I expected.

And if I remember correctly, no dyes! (Yes, I'm anti-artificial colors). So those are my pros on that flavor. I was a little sad that the flavoring wasn't stronger though. I love strawberry! So there is the con.

We couldn't have just one flavor though. After all, I needed to know if all the varieties were light on taste in order to be better with creaminess. So we grabbed Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. This was a winner! There were many chunks of chocolate chips and cookie dough throughout. When you add Halo Top's signature creamier texture, it is perfection! My husband and I enjoyed it while watching Mythbusters together. And yes, we finished the entire container in that one sitting... Don't judge me! 

Other thoughts....

There are other things to appreciate about this brand, however. Take their sense of humor, for instance. I love being able to smile while indulging in a snack. And their lids hide a great smile-inducing saying that gets me every time.

But wait, that's not all! 

Let us not forget the Bomb Pops we had. Okay, so big sadness is the dyes in these. We won't be buying them very often (if at all). However! The children did really like the Nerds flavor ones that we bought.

They are the perfect size for a quick treat. Which is nice for us as we are super busy with moving. We also brought some to a friends house for our daughters to share while they had a play date. They were quite the hit. 

So these are the two kinds of frozen desserts we have had in recent times. I'm excited to give some others a try as we endeavor to stay cooled. Here's a way you can help me with that! Leave me a comment below on what your favorite is so I can look for and try. Thanks for reading!

Sliding Into Summer Fun With a Bestway Slide'n'Glide!

I have always loved the fun things you can do during summer that you can't do any time else during the year. Especially water fun! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product free of charge in exchange for hosting a party and sharing my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed.*

I was given the opportunity to test out Bestway's Slide'n'Glide water slide! Do you remember having a slip'n'slide? My parents laid out the tarp. I still laugh when I think back to sliding across it and hoping I wouldn't hit a root or rock (which I sometimes did). Or how about adding a little dish soap to make it even slicker? 

Well, they have gotten fancier since those days. Bestway has created quite the fun one. Simply hooking up the hose and letting the kids have fun is all it takes. 

Sadly, I wasn't able to have the party yet. There have been flu and weather issues every time we try to plan it out. But soon, we will be gathering up the kids and getting together. I promise there will be a lot more information and photos once we do that! 

What is the best thing you like about this? What might prevent you from wanting one of your own? 

Summer Reading Has Begun

Summer is here! And with it, my kids and I are again participating in the reading program with our library. Need to print off the log for Barnes & Noble too...

                                 I think the majority of these were supplied by my mom alone.

My mother sent about a truckload of books (not really exaggerating on this!) My kids and I are all proof that reading truly promotes literacy. All 3 of the school aged children are above their grade levels in language arts. Even my oldest, who has ADHD and writes in chicken scratch, has excelled in comparison to other kids his age. It makes me quite proud. This summer, we are going to put those reading skills to their paces. 

My husband and I decided to home school. This past year has been horrendous as far as public school goes. And I, for one, was fed up. Truthfully, it is a shame we didn't start sooner. My oldest sons grades began slipping and he spent more time telling me what other kids were doing or saying than he did on what he was learning academically. At 12 year old, he can tell me more about porn, watching banned videos on YouTube at school, or evolution and how his teacher says things that make me a liar than he can about fractions and division. My 8 year old spent too much time hanging with a girl who had "family troubles" according to their teacher. She started smart mouthing the teacher and then me. Stopped doing her homework. Stopped caring about the answers she put down. After all, her 'friend' did it, so why couldn't she? Hmm... Because your Mama won't put up with a brat child! 

                            The beginning of our historical adventure lies within these pages.

I could go on, but this post isn't so much about that as it is about my first step into this new journey. Which starts this summer. Home schooling isn't usually done according to mainstream school schedules. It is done with the parents schedule in mind. Which means summer can be a great time to do school work! We are going to learn how to write proper book reports. And the first one is going to be on.... drumroll please... Pirates! Yep! This nerdy Mama is going to teach them some history. Starting with pirates. What they did, who they were (the notorious ones at least) and why they were such a cool big thing in their time. My mom sent a great book to get us started. She also sent the Pirates of the Caribbean movie - Dead Men Tell No Tales. It was the only one I didn't have. I'm thinking a marathon might be in order. She also sent Treasure Island for us to read together and the movie to watch. It has that one actor from Lord of the Rings in it... I only think of him as Frodo Baggins now... Anyhow, we are going to sorta have a learning party. There was even a board game included. All this will be followed by a book report. I think kids learn best when they are immersed and having fun. I know I did. The things I remember from my school days were the things I genuinely enjoyed. Still do! Pirate history is going to be their first lesson.

To add to the fun, I think these movies give a decent representation of piracy. 

Except with Captain Jack Sparrow...

What about you? What books are you reading? Are you participating in any challenges? I'm also participating in Goodreads summer reading challenge. For that one, I set how many books I want to read this year. Then I enter each book I read. I also prefer to leave a review on each one. I'm over the halfway point already. I think I low balled my goal and need to up it. Again. But that is how a bookworm rolls! Leave me a comment below and let me know. I love hearing from you guys!

Time to Kill Boredom the Fun Way!

Another week has gone by. Kids have finished another history report, this time on the American Revolution. We were entering the weekend and I decided we needed some fun in our lives. Okay, the kids needed fun in their lives. Unlike Mom, they can't spend all day reading and be fine.

So I thought... why not a scavenger hunt? But this one would be different than last time. That one was too easy. Too quickly over. No, no. This time it needed to be more of a challenge. This time I wanted multiple options. I wanted them to split up. So I created multiple paths for the girls and boys to take separately. I'm getting help from various scavenger hunt clues I found through Pinterest bloggers. After creating a new board that will be dedicated to scavenger hunts, I took ones that I knew would be useful in our particular household and wrote them down on some business cards I had that the printer messed up. Though note cards work just as well.

Fun looks like this:

One blog post in particular caught my attention. They listed out so many other options that you can incorporate! *Light bulb moment* Now I'm in the zone to really spark the fun. I tried out Word Search Clue. I created a word search that could be solved by eliminating all the letters of a different word.

Then I pushed myself to go a little harder. I wrote 2 messages backwards so that they can become Mirror Messages! And let me tell you, I impressed myself!

Then, while everyone was sleeping, I got to work hiding them all. With them, are things they enjoy. Small things. The idea is, the more you participate, the more "treasures" you will find.

Then I wrote a note explaining my little game. I left the note where they were sure to find it.

Normally, they would've just followed the clues to find their treasures. However, my daughter decided that wasn't enough. She started going around the house and looking for the clues out of order. Oh, the argument I woke to the next morning.... So the next one I do, will have changes.

What can you do when you have multiple kids?

Color coordinate the clues. Then tell them they are only allowed to go after their colors.

Put their names on each clue so that they know if they picked up the wrong clue, they need to put it back and find their own.

My husband had the idea of creating ciphers for each child. Then code their clues. Only their cipher will decode the clue so they can find the next one. This one is trickier, but would definitely make it challenging for them.

Another idea my husband had is to make it so that each clue they find holds a piece of the puzzle towards solving a final riddle that will give the location of a prize OR would be the code to a locked box where the final prize is hidden.

Overall....

Have fun! I spent a few hours working on this one. Trying to get the clues to line up just right and keep the kids all going to their own clues. Which is why I really wasn't happy when I caught my daughter cheating in the game. But ultimately, I created something that would have been so much fun. Keep that in mind as you make yours. It needs to be fun for them, but you will do a better job if you are having fun while you make it!

Let me know what you think! Leave me a comment below on your thoughts. What would you change? What ideas might you have? I'd love to hear them!

Who Says Social Distancing Has to be Boring??

Just because we are stuck at home, doesn't mean that we can't still have fun. And affordably so. If you haven't already, maybe you should be considering getting a pool! After all, the warmer weather is coming and nothing else is accessible. There are many options to choose from, but the one I want you to consider would be Bestway's Coleman Swim Vista Pool. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product in exchange for my honest review and hosting a virtual party. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly my own.*

Bestway is the name for pools and outdoor fun. The one that we received is available at Walmart, check here. However, they have plenty of options from Amazon, Walmart, and these other retailers that might be closer to you. This one comes with the filter pump, a safety ladder and the cover to keep debris out. I love the vista, or porthole, option that allows swimmers to see out and be seen! It adds a fun feature to it. It is 18' in diameter and 48 inches deep. Right now, it is selling for $398. Vacations may be out the window, so now is the time to consider investing in fun at home. I have 4 kids who are going absolutely stir crazy! Being able to at least swim and cookout will alleviate some of that monotony. Added bonus? I plan to make sure this is the year that they learn how to swim!

Things you need to know. 

First and most importantly, this bundle comes delivered. You can't just pick it up in the store. It comes on a pallet-type device. Ours was delivered through FedEx. The bundle weighed 250lbs. So be sure to have help if you need to move it around after delivery. In addition you have to prep the yard before setting up if you want this pool to last and be at optimal condition for enjoyment. What does that mean?

Grab a shovel and get to leveling the yard where you want the pool. I suggest, not under the trees!

We also laid out sand to soften it and built a sort of sandbox to contain it. Later on, my mother in law plans to add a deck. We want to enjoy our time with this pool as long as possible. Altogether it took us about 5 hours to get the truck, sand and paving stones we used, lay everything out and set up the pool. So plan for a day to put in the work. Then comes filling the pool with water. If you are like us and using a regular water hose, plan on 12 hours filling time. 

Let the party start! 

Then the magic happens and everything is alright again. The kids have had their first time in the pool and it was awesome! While swimming, the grill was going so that lunch would be ready when they got out.

What do you think? Is a pool an option in your life right now? Why haven't you invested yet if it is? What is the coolest part of this? Let me know in the comments below!