Summer Hair Care Favorites

Summer is the perfect time to try something new for your hair and I have been trying out all of the best in hair care products and can't wait to tell you about a few of my favorites!

5 years ago if you had asked my about my hair, the only word to describe it would have been FRIZZY. I had a big, frizzy mess of hair. I didn't know what to do with it, and I didn't even try. I just bought whatever was on sale and went with it. When I was a kid, I remember getting excited about apple or strawberry scented suave shampoo. If my mom bought it instead of V05, it was something to talk about.

These days, I have learned to look for better ingredients to get better results. Here are a few of my summer hair care favorites.

Samples may have been received, or affiliate links may be used.

Clarifying shampoo is a must have, and it goes with hydrating conditioner like a dream. Get the combo from Number 4 Hair and treat your locks to deep cleaning and deep conditioning! Prices start around $32 and you are going to love the bottles! 

My hair has a little curl to it, and a little wave. When I want to play up on that, I like to use Orange Marmalade by Ecoslay. For $10 a bottle you can get a curl definer that has a ton of holding power and a wonderful fragrance to it too. Refrigerate this for best results as the ingredients are natural!

Having dry shampoo on hand is a must have anytime of year. CoLab makes a variety of award winning dry shampoo products to suit all hair types and deliver amazing results.  The original is awesome for anytime of day, and you will love that there is no white residue with this dry shampoo! Check out the collection and locate a store near you on the CoLab website.

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You can find more of my best of 2020 posts here.

Feather Beading Fine Motor Activity

Feather beading is a fun fine motor activity that kids will love. It is perfect busy work and offers an outlet for creative expression with essential skills. Best of all, the supplies to create this activity are affordable and easy to find.

The kids have been out of school for a long time, at least 4 months already. I have been pulling out all of the stops to keep mine entertained and ready for when they are back in a classroom. This easy fine motor feather beading activity has been a big hit with both kids. They love to make patterns and have something to tinker with.  It is ideal for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Supplies:

Craft Feathers

Pony Beads

Directions:

Give your child a few feathers and a pile of beads.

Encourage your child to thread the beads onto the feathers.

To make things more of a challenge, encourage your child to make a pattern with the beads.

If you are offering this activity to younger kids, observe them carefully as beads can pose a choking hazard.

If you are giving this activity to older kids, challenge them to make more complex patterns, with a reminder to keep beads out of the ears, nose and mouth. No matter what age you complete this with, it is a great boredom buster with some educational perks.

                                             You can find all of my fine motor activities here.

Reader favorites include:

Fine Motor Counting

Unicorn Fine Motor Bin

Coffee Lovers Favorites of Summer

Over the last few months, nothing has been better for my soul than my coffee time. I love to sneak away to the kitchen and watch the squirrels and birds come visit the feeder with a cup in hand. If quiet coffee time in the morning can make one feel so good, adding a little bit of the bean to the rest of the day is a recipe for success! Here are a few of the best ways to bring coffee to all parts of the day!

Samples may have been provided, or affiliate links may have been used.

Nothing smells quite as lovely as coffee. Once Upon a Candle captures the fragrance with mouth watering perfection! Check out their wonderful assortment of fragrances and they also offer fresh coffee bath bombs that are wonderful for the skin and the spirit.Order online for a special gift, or an indulgence for your self care routine. Candles are about $18. 

Getting a great blend of coffee is easier than ever. You can get whole bean, or freshly ground options delivered right to your door starting at about $17 a bag, with Yes Plz Weekly. Set your delivery preference and get ready for the best brew in town to happen in your kitchen.

I could sip those wonderful little bottles of coffee all day long, but they have so many calories. Milkadamia makes really great dairy free creamer that has like 10 calories a serving. Add it to your favorite coffee and enjoy a creamy, low cal way to get your fix without milk. Locate a store near you to stock up on this creamer.

Kickbar is one of my new favorite things ever. These little coffee bean bars are so easy to eat on the go, and they are really good too! You can get all of the flavor and benefits of a cup of coffee, anytime, anywhere. I love to toss them in my bag and take a tasty pick me up along on all of my adventures. Get a 20 pack of Kickbar in latte, coffee, or mixed for $40. Order online.

This summer, I have been skipping the coffee shop and making my own drinks at home, adding a splash of Torani puremade syrup to your cold brew for a summery kick to your coffee. I love the smoked black cherry with a dark roast coffee. Explore the extensive line of syrups and locate a store near you on the Torani website.

Cowffee is a unique coffee drink that you will want to try ice cold. It is a premium blend of coffee and milk with CLA protein to create a thick and delicious drink that is filling and has all the kick you want from coffee with a hint of sweetness.

I have been avoiding retail enviroments as much as possible since March. With the avoidance of my beloved Tim Horton's, I have a surplus in my coffee budget. I have been loving the indulgence of whole beans, roasted to perfection. If you too want to sip on some stellar brew, check out the offerings from Unrest coffee. You can get a monthly subscription for under $12 and the bags of beans are generously sized. Order online.

Wouldn't it be great if you could get all the good stuff like caffeine, on the go, in a portable little package? With a Viter Mint,  your get up and go got up and mint. With 5 tasty flavors, you are bound to find a few to love. Order online for about $18 a 5 pack. These are perfect for an afternoon pick me up without the cup of coffee.

Good beans make a good brew, and a good brew can give anyone a good brain. Rube's Good Brain Coffee makes for a great way to get that indulgence we discussed earlier delivered to your door. Get a subscription starting at about $13 a month for those times when great coffee is required.

If you want a coffee service that delivers fresh roasted and flavorful beans, you will want to check out Rave Coffee. This UK based subscription service is one of the best coffees I have tried. The beans are roasted to perfection, and provide a robust flavorful brew. I highly recommend! Get info on ordering, with international shipping options online.

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Find more of my best of 2020 posts here

Best Toys of Summer

Is it just me, or does it feel like summer of 2020 has been going on for a really long time now? My kids have been riding their bikes, playing Minecraft for days, and taking plenty of dips in the pool. But, even with all of that fun going on, they are still looking for ways to play! We rounded up some of our favorite toys of summer and I know you are going to want to check some of these ideas out for your family too.

Samples might have been provided for some items listed or affiliate links may have been used.

My kids have been hip to politics since the 2016 election when they made a facebook hit song about the new president. We put our difference of opinion aside and appreciated the innocence and patriotism of little kids. To keep their interest in this presidential election year, we got this fun Election Night board game the whole family can enjoy. Play one on one, or form teams to make your way to the white house. Order this fun game for about $40.

My kids are crafting kids. Some of you know this already. For years we hosted a kids crafting show on facebook with our friends at Quirky Momma. Now that they are older, we love to add education to craft time. Little Learning Hands is the perfect option for kids. It gives a taste of other cultures with a fun project, and a chance to practice life skills. My kids thought the little backpacks were cute, and they really enjoyed learning about other cultures! Order a subscription for a little global learner in your life. These would be perfect for kids who will be attending school remotely this year as a fun way to add social studies to their day!

My kids are big fans of stomp rockets. These are fun, kid powered  toys. I love them because they encourage active play. The kids love them because it becomes a competition to see who can stomp their rocket the highest. There are a ton of different stomp rockets to chose from. Check them out and find a retailer near you on the Stomp Rocket website.

The men in my house are big fans of  Evel Knievel. So much that my son was fully prepared to portray Evel in the wax museum at his school, until the pandemic upended his plans. Luckily, the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle rode into his summer with daring jumps and stunts. This throwback toy is perfect for adding a little pizzazz to the day. Order online for about $40 to delight kids of all ages. Husbands will dig it too!

STEM projects are my favorite way to keep the kids learning, engaged and creating. This Solar Powered Rovers kit from Thames and Kosmos gives kids everything they need to make vehicles that are powered by the sun. This is the ideal amount of challenge and fun for elementary aged kids. Order it online for about $20.

Take the fun outdoors when the sun sets with this My Discovery Telescope by Thames and Kosmos. This is perfect for introducing kids to astronomy in an economical fashion. Order this starter telescope for about $20. Kids will also love exploring wildlife with great detail at a distance. 

Osmo Creative is a great way to step up screen time to include games and invitations to get creative. For about $88 you can buy a 3 game starter with an Osmo base, that works with ipad or Kindle Fire. These are so much fun for elementary age kids. I think this is a must have for anyone keeping their kids home this fall too.

Kids First Crystals, Rocks and Minerals from Thames and Kosmos is a great way to get kids learning about geology with hands on fun. This kit has everything you need to complete introductory experiments. Kids will love admiring the rocks and crystals too. Order for about $45. This makes a must have for  a home school and is a perfect way to entertain the kids all summer long!

Little kids will love to build in a unique way with Magformers. These are magnetic tiles that kids will want to play with all of the time. These are perfect for imaginative building sessions. Basic sets start at about $13. There are an assortment of great options including vehicles, animals and more.

Set your sights on fun and be prepared to hit a Bull's Eye with this fun game for preschoolers that brings non stop fun while building short term memory skills. This game has mini plungers that make picking up the cards fast and fun! Order at Amazon for an action packed twist on memory games.

We have been LOVING this really fun Wizards and Werewolves game from Starlux. It gives the kids and their friends something fun to do after dark, and it keeps them super active! I don't know about your kids, but mine always sleep good after a good running session and this game offers just that. Kid can be a wizard or a werewolf; they hunt for the glowing red gems or protect them in this action packed game. Order it for about $30. It is well worth it.

Keep the fun of game time going strong with this fun Doggy Bag game. It combines fine motor skills with hand eye coordination for a ton of fun for preschoolers!  Order this from Amazon because it will become a favorite with your little kids!

I hope these ideas help keep your kids entertained this summer!

6 Family Friendly Day Trips

If you've just purchased one of the Columbus houses for sale, or you've lived in the city for a while and are looking for something a little different, you'll have access to a wide range of opportunities for family-friendly day tripping.

Columbus is centrally located between Ohio's two other major cities, Cincinnati and Cleveland, and there is a long list of historic towns, parks, and many other fun destinations within easy reach to explore.

Downtown Mansfield, the Carousel District

The kids will love visiting Mansfield, with its downtown area known as the Carousel District. Located just an hour from Columbus, it's home to the Richland Carousel Park which made history when in 1991 it opened America's first new hand-carved carousel in 60 years. It was inspired by G.A. Dentzel, one of the most highly acclaimed carvers of the early 20th century and includes 52 creatures including horses, chariots, and a menagerie of others, like a mythical hippocampus.

Mansfield is also home to a fantastic children's museum, an immersive attraction aimed at kids aged two through 10, with dozens of exhibits, including a dinosaur dig where the kids can play paleontologist as they discover bones from prehistoric creatures, a doctor's office where they can perform exams and take X-rays, and a petting farm where they can ride a horse, feed pigs and milk cows while.

Hocking Hills State Park

An hour southeast of Columbus you'll find Hocking Hills State Park, home to unusual rock, caves, a spectacular waterfall, and all sorts of hiking trails. A walk in autumn brings the chance to stroll through brilliant fall colors. Zipline rides, kayaking, and rock climbing are all possibilities here too, but the highlight may be Ash Cave, which forms a huge recess in the rock that you can walk into.

Amish Country

There are more than 330,000 Amish in America, and Ohio is home to its own Amish Country, made up of several towns, with the largest Millersburg, about an hour and 40-minute drive from Columbus. You'll be in a place that feels foreign; in fact, in many of the communities, people speak Pennsylvania Dutch as their first language. The Amish live without cars and most modern technology - you can see them getting around in horse-drawn carriages and purchase some of their magnificent handcrafted items downtown.

Cuyahoga National Park

Less than two hours north of Columbus is the state's only national park. Stretching from Cleveland to Akron, this huge park is a magnificent area of natural beauty following the course of the Cuyahoga River with walking and biking trails, caves, and waterfalls. A 2.2-mile trek, perfect for miles, will take you around the Virginia Kendall Ledges, passing through the forest dotted with mossy cliffs, caves, and huge limestone boulders. There are several notable waterfalls too, but the most impressive is 65-foot-tall Brandywine Falls, easily accessed via a wooden boardwalk.

Olentangy Indian Caverns

For those who have an interest in Native American history and perhaps want to teach their kids more about it too, the Olentangy Indian Caverns are less than a 30-minute drive north of Columbus. The natural cave system was once used by the native Huron people as their shelter. The caverns stretch over three floors and provided a safe haven during war, as they're hard to see from above ground. Guided tours can take you underground to explore them. Other attractions can be enjoyed here too, including mini-golf, a petting zoo, treasure hunt maze, and gem mining.

Springfield

Just 45 minutes from Columbus, Springfield is home to a fun farmer's market, a unique rock garden, and a child-friendly art museum. At Young's Jersey Dairy, you can visit a petting zoo, hit the batting cage, play mini-golf and enjoy famously delicious ice cream cones. On a warm day, Buck Creek State Park hosts a large lake for watersports like swimming, water skiing, fishing, and boating.