Our family has many annual traditions and one of them is attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every year! There’s no better way to kick off the holiday season, then watching the larger than life floats go by and enjoying these moments with friends and family. Did you know that Kalahari Resorts and Conventions has their very own float in the parade this year? Continue reading Kalahari Returns to the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade & GIVEAWAY
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Italy with Kids and discovering La Dolce Vita
My inspiration for writing this Family Travel article is simple. I want everyone who has ever dreamed of taking a trip to Italy with their kids to know YOU CAN DO THIS! Our 10 day, 9 night trip last summer to VENICE, ROME, and the AMALFI COAST was not something I planned years in advance. In fact, we only had a 30 day window once our airfare was booked and my husband and I started planning our epic adventure. For reference, my kids were 13, 8 and 6 at the time of travel. Continue reading Italy with Kids and discovering La Dolce Vita
Weekending at the Woodstock Inn & Resort
Winter travel is a something our family looks forward to every year. After all, living in the Northeast area, there’s endless options for scenic and fun destinations. We always seek out places that are family friendly, not “too” far of a drive and of course places that we’ve never been.
When I first heard of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, I’ll be honest…my mind immediately went to Woodstock, NY? I know I ‘m not alone based on feedback I received from the trip. The Woodstock Inn is actually located in Vermont!!! Pre-pandemic, we always tried to visit beautiful Vermont at least once. Granted, it’s a little further of a drive than our comfort zone, but worth it! For reference, we live in lower Manhattan and the drive was under 5 hours with traffic.
When our family take a weekend trip, there’s little to no downtime. We have our routine and everyone knows we want to take part in all the experiences a particular location has to offer. There is no denying the beauty of the Woodstock Inn & Resort. Upon pulling up around the grandeur driveway at this picturesque building, even my kids were screaming with excitement.
The main lobby was busy with guests enjoying the serenity of the very large fireplace. Instantly we had the “warm and cozy vibe. The rooms are beautiful and from what I hear all very unique. Our elegant suite was plenty large enough for our family of five and we even found a warm and delicious welcome gift! I was immediately drawn to the bathroom. Very modern in style, it contained full size bath products that were 100% dreamy! They can all be purchased from the spa… just FYI!
The next morning we made the short drive to the local mountain, Suicide Six. I learned that Suicide Six is one of the oldest ski areas in the country! And would you believe America’s first uphill ski conveyance was introduced in Woodstock in 1934? Despite it’s name, the mountain is extremely family friendly and also one of the most picturesque trails I’ve been on. My kids all had a lesson and my youngest finished the day strong. I’ll have to have a mom brag moment and tell you THIS is the place she decided no more bunny hill!!! She’s good to go and Suicide Six gave her the confidence she needed to catch up with her siblings! Thank you Suicide Six for a memorable day we will not forget!
After a great day on the slopes, my family worked up an appetite and we were so excited to eat at the hotel’s restaurant, The Red Rooster. This award-winning restaurant was truly beautiful and served some of Vermont’s best local fare. The menu is seasonal and lucky for us it just changed over according to our fabulous waiter. It was hard to decide with so many options, but we all made the right choice and I’m pretty sure there’s no bad one! The Red Rooster made meal time fun for the kids. With coloring activities brought to the table and a kids menu, there were no restless little ones at our table! The Vermont cheddar fondue was hands down amazing and the fresh heirloom ingredients reminds me all the reasons I love Vermont!
After dinner we ventured down to the vintage game room. My kids had a blast discovering games they’ve never played before. This charming hotel really has so much to do for all ages. There’s another beautiful parlor room upstairs where mainly adults played checkers or chess. When is the last time you sat down to play a game? I was a little rusty, but by game two, I had to warn my husband, I was in fact a checkers champ! ha
The Woodstock Inn and Resort has an incredible breakfast buffet each morning at the Red Rooster restaurant. Everything was so fresh and amazing!!! We really enjoyed this meal before we headed out to the Billings Farm and Museum.
Before we headed back to New York City, the Billings Farm & Museum was highly recommend to us as a must visit! I’m so glad we did because it’s regarded as one of the nicest outdoor history museums in the county. Not to mention, there are daily educational activities and demonstrations. I was surprised to see what a “hands on ” museum this was and our family had a wonderful visit. We all saw how maple syrup is made which was really intersting and of course we stopped by the gift shop on the way out to purchase some syrup and Vermont cheddar to take home.
Today the Billings Farm & Museum is also a thriving dairy farm with an award-winning herd of Jersey dairy cows. My daughters loved looking at the various milk bottles and hearing about the milk delivery days. The Billings Farm even had their own trucks!
Being the history aficinado that I am, it was interesting to learn how Laurance Rockefeller and Mary Rockefeller created The Woodstock Foundation, Inc. which is a charitable and nonprofit entity. This encompasses their vision and dreams of promoting conservation, sustainable land use, and heritage that are essential to our culture and community. Future generations can now visit and enjoy this beautiful farm and learn about the agricultural practices through educational programming. Thank you to the Billings Farm & Museum for a wonderful day!
We hated to say goodbye to Woodstock Inn & Resort. During our stay we met so many people returning for a visit and I can see why! One couple got engaged here and another was visiting all the way from Chicago! This year- around resort has so many things to offer and I’m sure it’s stunning in every season. Thank you for the memories Woodstock Inn & Resort!
xoxo,
Suzanne
Kalahari Returns to the 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Kalahari Resorts.
Making memories as a family is something I hold in very high priority. We are constantly talking about past adventures and trips we’ve taken through the years and places we’ve gone including water parks! My kids love visiting places where “they” feel special and having a destination such as Kalahari Resorts & Conventions nearby makes me so happy!
The Holidays are often a time where families are looking to take a vacation, relax, unwind and let the kids celebrate the season as well. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions has locations in Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and now open in Texas as well! From the minute you step foot into Kalahari, you will immediately feel the authentic African themed vibes in the decor and surroundings. This family owned Resort features well-appointed guest rooms, family friendly entertainment center, on-site restaurants (so good btw!, a full service Spa and unique retails shops. There’s no shortage of activities at Kalahari, home to America’s largest indoor waterparks.
When I heard Kalahari was having a new float in the 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, I was super excited! The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is an annual tradition for our family and this will mark our 13th year to watch the floats and balloons go down the streets of New York City! This year, when I see the Kalahari float we will be clapping extra loud. Kalahari continuosly strives for a better experience for their guests and Kalahari’s new float delivers just that!
In connection with this partnership, we received this fun box from Kalahari with so many cute toys and activities. My youngest daughter love the elephant plush or course and I may not share the amazing sweatshirt material animal print blanket!
If you’re still thinking of a holiday gift idea, why not get something the entire family can enjoy. A Kalahari Gift Card let’s your loved ones choose their own unforgettable experience at a Kalahari resort. There’s truly something for everyone whether an adventure-seeker, foodie, or spa-lover. With three kids, I know we’re all about the family entertainment options and of course spending lots of time in the epic indoor waterpark area!
Here’s the details for the Kalahari Gift Card:
SPEND $250 – $999 ON KALAHARI GIFT CARDS, GET A 10% BONUS GIFT CARD SPEND $1000+ ON KALAHARI GIFT CARDS, GET A 20% BONUS GIFT CARD
• Where to Buy: https://kalaharigiftcards.com/ Ends on Dec 10th, 2021 at 11:59 PM CST
Terms & Conditions: Bonus amount is placed on a separate card(s), on the fewest number of cards possible and will be mailed to the billing address • Orders can not be altered after they have been placed, they can only be canceled, refunded and a new order placed. • Gift Cards are good for 5 years or from last date of fund load. • All orders will be shipped within 72 hours. • Bonus card offer valid only for online orders. Gift card purchases made on-site are not eligible for bonus offer.
But wait, there more… including this amazing GIVEAWAY!!!
TO ENTER CLICK HERE
GIVEAWAY Detail Below
One Kalahari Fun Box
2 night stay in a Double Queen Sofa Room (tax and fee included up to 4 people total) Includes: Passes to Indoor Waterpark & Tom Foolerys Adventure Park Passes for Registered Guests (Tom Foolerys in WI & TX only)
Terms:
Valid at all Kalahari Resorts.
Travel and incidentals not included.
Not valid on Fridays and Saturdays OR December 24-31, 2021, January 1-3, 2022, February 20, 2022, March 18 – April 17, 2022, June 13-September 5, 2022, October 10, 2022 or November 24, 2022. Subject to availability. No cash value.
Offer will expire 11/25/2022.
Happy Holidays!
Suzanne
Protecting with Microban
- This post is sponsored by Microban 24.
Now that we have an established school routine for the kids, we need one for the adults too! Granted I’m a little rusty at the morning routine, but we are getting there! I also have been cleaning more than ever in the new normal world we are living in.
We all know bacteria can lurk anywhere and everywhere. While it’s not possible for us adults to sanitize every single second, Microban 24 keeps killing bacteria for up to 24 hours, touch after touch. Living in a New York City apartment in a small space can be challenging and our high-touch areas can become hiding spots for bacteria. I feel so much better knowing that I can spray these areas once a day with Microban 24 to protect these areas from bacteria. And….. the best part is NO WIPING NECESSARY.
I’ll be honest, I don’t have a ton of time to dedicate for cleaning and this product really puts my mind at ease knowing it’s working while I’m not. My three kids have been really excellent at hand washing and being sanitary this past year, but at the end of the day, they are still kids and I need to make sure our home is protected.
As a parent, it’s my job to keep my kids healthy as best that I can. With flu season approaching, it’s good to know that Microban 24 also initially kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including viruses that cause COVID-19, common colds and the flu!*
This gives me extra incentive to incorporate a sanitizing schedule at home with Microban 24.
I didn’t realize with many cleaning products, bacteria can be reintroduced after the first touch and can build up. With Microban 24, it keeps killing bacteria for up to 24 hours, touch after touch – JUST SPRAY AND WALK AWAY!
xoxo,
Suzanne
*When used as directed and within 5 minutes, effective against bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica and viruses including Human Coronavirus, Influenza A H1N1, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Microban 24 does not provide 24-hour residual virus protection. Microban 24 is approved to initially kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in 60 seconds.