About Liza

We’ve been in our home for a couple of months now and we’re slowly making some of the updates, changes, and remodels that need to be done. I recently shared how we made over the lighting in the living room. Well, the lights weren’t – and aren’t – the only thing that needs to be changed in that space. The carpet has had better days and really needs to be replaced completely, but we’re waiting until we pick out our new couch and recliners so that we can choose a color that best works with the furniture.

Our old rug needs replacing and it's so blah.

This post brought to you by PA Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you planning a roadtrip this summer? We’ve discussed the idea of taking a short one or two, but with a wide range of tastes in the family, sometimes it can be a challenge to find something everyone will love. A1 isn’t a fan of being on the water or being in the heat; A2 would really love to go on a tropical cruise; and Bubbles is too young for a lot of activities.

And even after you’re all able to agree on something, the actual planning can be a little bit of a challenge, especially if you don’t know well the area to which you’re traveling. With the introduction of the Roadtrip-a-Matic, Visiting PA has come up with a creative way to address this problem if you are planning pa-roadtrips. You can visit their site, pick your favorite roadtrip theme, and off you go!

For example, when I visited their site I saw one titled Kidsylvania. There were three cities highlighted – Philly, Pittsburgh, and the Alleghenies – and under each city they list out for you a 3-day itinerary. The itineraries suggest lodging, eateries, and places to stop and interact. They also have printable PDFs and maps for you to make it even easier.

What about all of you? Out of all the roadtrips the Roadtrip-a-Matic lists, which one would you most like to take with your family?

School is out and summer is here! The good news: lots of free days for the kiddos to play. The bad news: lots of free days for the kiddos to get bored. Matter of Cents and I want to help you avoid the glazed-over eyes and the “I’m bored” whine with these fun activities for kids from Pinterest.

This checklist of 100 Things To Do this summer should be a good start!

Once you go through those, here’s another 100 Things To Do this summer!

Try a weekly Family Appreciation Night this summer. Have it in the backyard as a picnic or along with a camp-out for an extra-special event.

Have the kiddos save Batman and Robin (or any little character!) from a frozen prison by shooting the ice blocks with a water gun.

Water balloon pinatas! What a fun way to cool off during those hot summer days. You could add some glitter if you have a sparkly princess at home, or dress the kids in clothes you don’t care about and fill the balloons with colored water and let them spray themselves in a rainbow.

What are your favorite summer activities for the kids?

Our bed sort of looks like a pillow factory exploded all over it. Not that we use all of the pillows, we’ve just sort of acquired them over time as we search for “the” pillow to use. The ones we use each night are the ones we’ve most been able to tolerate but “the” pillow has always alluded us, which is unfortunate because getting a decent night’s sleep when you have a baby or toddler is already a challenge.

Bare Fieldcrest Luxury Pillow

Having recently had the opportunity, however, to try the new Fieldcrest Luxury Pillows featuring DACRON Memory Fiber I can honestly say my personal search for “the” pillow is over. I laid my head on it before even slipping it into our pillow cases and it was so incredibly soft, thanks to the 300 thread count cotton sateen stripe cover. The pillows themselves are hypoallergenic and machine-washable (a huge plus!).

Fieldcrest Luxury Pillow With DARCON Memory Fiber

From the very first night we slept on them I have experienced a noticeable improvement in the quality of my sleep. It’s just so darn comfortable! The pillows are large enough that they cradled my head with plenty of space on all sides. You know those stress-relief squeeze balls that feel like they’re filled with a thick gel? The pillow kind of reminded me of that. When I woke up the next morning I could see where the pillow had formed itself to my sleep position. It quickly poofed back up and filled the pillow case, though.

The pillows will launch exclusively at Target and Target.com this month. When they do they will retail at less than half the price of most natural down pillows! Soft, easy to clean, affordable, and – most importantly – comfortable. Now if only we could find a mattress that’s as comfortable as these pillows…

I received pillows in order to facilitate my review. No additional compensation was received and all opinions, as always, are 100% that of myself and my family.

Bubbles has gotten to the point that unless she’s eating on her own, it’s hard to engage her during mealtimes. She wants to be a big girl and feed herself all the time, which is, of course, great. It’s exciting to see her learn and I’m proud when she asserts her independence (yes, I know – I might not be saying the same thing when she gets a little older and can say a few more words!). That independence, though, usually comes at the price of cleaning mashed potatoes out of her belly button and nose.

The other piece to her desire to self-feed is that my husband is constantly worrying that she’s going to jab herself in the back of the throat or poke her eye out with a spoon. She’s much more coordinated than that – most of what she spoons does actually make it straight into her mouth – but, you know. I guess it could happen? Continue reading »

Views From the Ville

Liza

Give Your Home A Quick Makeover With Mohawk Home Rugs

Roadtrip Planning Made Easy With Roadtrip-a-Matic

Avoid The “I’m Bored” Refrain With These Summer Activities For Kids!