Thrift Schooling

While visiting my family in New York, we toyed with the idea of taking a day trip to Niagara Falls. We wanted the kids to get a glimpse of this majestic wonder. We were unsure whether the visit would be worth it since my parents live a good two hours from Canada. We decided to go for it, hence giving us the right to label our summer voyages with the hashtag #CanadatoMexico! Why not? When else will we have the opportunity to be in Canada and Mexico in the same summer? So we went. Knowing that parking can be a bear in Niagara Falls we chose to park on the American side and then walk over.  Yes, I said walk. With five kids.  Honestly, it was not that bad. We parked the car at Niagara Falls State Park. It was around $8 for the day. Walking across was breathtaking and entertaining because it was then that I got to see my children's initial reactions to seeing the falls. They were amazed and they let us know it. My eldest son couldn't stop snapping photos and my daughte...

Before reaching our final destination on our Canada to Mexico trip we made a quick stop in Houston, Texas. After an eventful evening in New Orleans, Louisiana, we made our way to iT'Z Family Food and Fun, Willowbrook loacation. Our plan was to reach the area in the mid-afternoon giving us plenty of time to enjoy all the fun and games (and food!) it had to offer but thanks to the wonderful construction we met right outside of Houston we didn't arrive until about seven. Fortunately, their dinner buffet is open from 11am until 8pm so we had plenty of time to feast on a wide variety of goodies! I wasn't sure what to expect with a pizza buffet but we were all pleasantly surprised. We all enjoyed the variety of pizzas offered, the salad fixings were awesome and the pita and hummus was delightful! Of course a kid-friendly buffet is never complete without a good side of macaroni and cheese. I couldn't resist.  There are so many options to choose from as far a...

...invite him in for dinner! Meet Ed Pratt. As of TODAY, July 27th, Ed is the FIRST person to circumnavigate the GLOBE on a UNICYCLE! After starting out over THREE years ago, he has finally made it from England, hitting several European countries, China, Australia, New Zealand and the States.  We were thrilled when we saw him cycle past our home in Virginia just a hair south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We invited him in, shared a meal and eagerly listened to highlights from his worldwide adventure.   Congratulations, Ed!  What an awesome and inspiring accomplishment!  For more info about Ed, check out   the World Unicycle Tour website. 

As a part of our Canada to Mexico trip, we made sure to schedule an overnight stop in Hershey, PA! Greeted by Hershey Kiss streetlights and pleasant, warm, weather we made sure to make the most of our short visit to The Sweetest Place On Earth! We were wrestling with whether or not we wanted to visit either Gettysburg or Hershey since we were only in the general vicinity for a short time. Since my ten-year-old son just recently did a Milton Hershey Unit Study , we opted for the latter. He was super excited and could not wait to get there! We started our visit with a 75-minute trolley ride with Hershey Trolley Works . There are several different tours you can choose from. We went on the Chocolate and History Tour which highlighted the exciting life and work of Milton Hershey. Prices vary depending on which tour you choose or if you decide to bundle several activities together then you can receive a discount. In order to get your tickets, you either can order them online o...

As a busy mom of five, going to the dentist is quite the ordeal. At least when I need to go for  myself. It's one of those times I have to make sure I have someone to watch the kids because what am I going to do? Hold the baby on my lap and correct my two year old while my mouth is filled with minty-flavored gunk? It's challenging enough trying to answer the dentist's questions with metal tools in my mouth. Now imagine trying to go to get my teeth whitened. Not happening. This is one of the reasons why the Smile Brilliant  Custom Made Teeth Whitening System is the perfect solution for teeth whitening. This system is not your typical teeth whitening product  that you pick up at the grocery store but it is actually professionally grade and it is designed to use in the comfort of your own home. The whole process went much smoother than I anticipated. First, you order your kit. The company is extremely efficient in making sure you r...