Exclusive Discounts from Under the Momfluence

This is a space for me to list my active discounts available to all my friends and readers, I will update as needed. 

Happy Shopping and Saving!!

Metal Marvels: Link to shop here, 15% discount code is UNDERTHEMOMFLUENCE. Always active!

MommyCon: Link to see all events here, 10% discount code is STMB18. This code will be active until the end of the year. Can be used on ALL MommyCon events!

Fresh Apparel Tees: Link to website here. Free shipping with code FRIENDFREESHIP, only one discount code per transaction. Also, you can save 25% on the UTM  x FA collab with discount code UTM25.

If you own a business and would like to partner with me and offer discounts to my followers, please email me at underthemomfluence@gmail.com.

JAK: Kids Bowl Free this Summer

I recently learned of a new program I need to share with all of you! I am always looking for free family friendly activities, and Kids Bowl Free looks like a perfect addition.

The program is designed for children 17 and younger. Each child registered will be able to bowl 2 free games every day from May 1st, 2018 until September 4th, 2018. The entire summer can be filled with free bowling for your kids! This is a great option for the especially hot days when you would rather be in air conditioning.

Parents and children over the age of 17 are not free, but the program offers discounted family packages for the summer as well. I did not buy a family package because my children are 2 and 4 and will need my help bowling and there will be no time for me to bowl. You can also buy individual games for the adults when you attend, if you made the choice to not buy a family pass.

This is a national program, when signing up it will ask for you zip code and show you which bowling alleys near you are participating in the program.

Have you started making your summer plans? Feel free to share any family friendly ideas in the comments!

Make sure to keep checking the Just Add Kids calendar to see family friendly events in the Racine, Wisconsin area.

5 Tips for Having a Successful JBF Shopping Trip

I attended my first Just Between Friends Sale, the JBF of Port Washington/Germantown, Wisconsin.  I have some tips I would love to share to make your shopping trip a fun and worthwhile experience.

1. Make a List: Before arriving at the sale, have a list of items you are looking for. The space is huge and filled to the brim with goodies. It is easy to get overwhelmed and forgot what you wanted to buy.

2. Bring a Shopping Partner: There is an immediate rush when the sale starts. Have a game plan with your shopping partner. You already have a list, thanks to tip #1, so split the list up and grab your "must have" items as soon as possible.

3. Wear comfortable shoes: The location is large and the floor is cement. You don't want to be distracted from the great deals due to an aching back or feet.

4. Compare Prices: Thanks to this being a consignment sale, there are multiples of the same items, and many of them have different prices! When you see an item you love, look around to see if there is more than one and check prices. The more you save, the more you can buy!

5. Bring a Wagon/Cart/Bag: Ikea bags are provided, but were in limited supply and high demand.  If you plan on buying big items, bring a wagon! You can also bring your own bag or rolling cart to fill.

Noteworthy points:
-Kids are 100% welcome, but if you can leave them at home, you may be happier. There were so     many toys, you may never be able to leave without bringing half of them home.
-Nursing accommodations are offered and there are changing tables in the rest rooms.
-This event is quite organized, with a lot of workers and volunteers.
-It is a large space with big aisles. (No shoulder bumping!)

Below is the Sale Schedule.

Wednesday, March 21st | Opening Day! 9:00am- 7:00pm 

Public sale day! $3 admission at door 

Thursday, March 22nd | Public sale day! 10:00am- 7:00pm 

Free Admission 

Friday, March 23rd | Public sale day! 10:00am- 5:00pm

 Free admission 

Saturday, March 24th | 50% off all day on tags with no stars!!! 9:00am- 7:00pm 

Public sale day! (Doors close at 7:00pm) 

I enjoyed my time at the JBF sale and found some great items, and I really enjoyed the hunt for a great deal. I want to thank Ammie for this opportunity, I can see all the hard work she has put in. Make sure to check out the website and Facebook page for the Just Between Friends Sale of Port Washington/Germantown.

My thoughts on Toys R Us Closing

I'm sad.

There is the obvious reason, Toys R Us is an iconic part of our childhood, when I think of the toy store it's Toys R Us. It is where we went to buy our friends birthday presents, it is where we went when we had a little spending money. It was the place to go! I wanted to be a Toys R Us Kid!

My love of Toys R Us has only grown over the years and as I became a parent, Toys R Us became a part of my family's routine. When my husband and I were expecting our first child we made a registry at our Toys R Us/Babies R Us and looked at all of the things we would hope to use with our future baby. When we found out we were having a girl, we went to Toys R Us/Babies R US to buy her first outfit.

When we finally had our baby, our first outing was to Toys R Us/Babies R Us. As a first time parent we were starting to learn what we actually needed and decided to exchange a few gifts to get the items we needed. During that trip I learned that our Babies R Us offered a Mother's Room. This was a room dedicated to moms who needed a quiet, private place to nurse or change their baby. Which came in handy during this first outing. Our baby had a huge blowout and being a first time mom I had no change of clothes with me. I was able to buy an affordable change of clothes and comfortably clean my baby up in the Mothers Room and then rest and nurse her. This space was so convenient for us, that we planned all of our outings with a stop at Toys R Us because my baby I were both comfortable there and my husband could browse video games while we were occupied.

Skip ahead two years and we are expecting our second child. We bought our oldest a big sister gift from Toys R Us and soon had our newest baby. We had our first outing once again at Toys R Us with our second child, and of course, she had a blowout there too! Newborns man, I tell ya! I had packed an extra outfit this time, but forgot socks. Thankfully, I was able to just buy new ones at Babies R Us. Again, Toys R Us was still in our routine for outings. My two year old and husband had fun looking at toys while I nursed and changed baby. We would let them pick out an occasional toy, and often were able to find a great deal.

As my children aged, we would stop at Toys R Us on each of their birthdays. They would receive a crown, a balloon, and a shout out on the PA system. I cried there when we celebrated my firstborns first birthday, happy tears of course. We have let our children pick out their own birthday gift each year. I even stopped there for a Parent's Night Out event on my birthday this year and was given a crown of my own.

On top of all these happy memories, I have only been greeted by friendly staff over and over again. They have been familiar faces over the years, whom I have come to know thanks to their free monthly community events. We have participated in countless events over the years and I will be sad to not have them as an option for my family any longer.

So many people are excited for the incoming closeout deals and normally I would be too, I LOVE a good deal, but I am having a hard time feeling the excitement when I know we are loosing an important landmark for our family.

Toys R Us was so much more than a toy store for my family. They were a place that held our cherished memories, brought joy to our faces, and we looked forward to visiting on the weekends. Toys R Us in Racine, Wisconsin will be missed.

Just Add Kids (JAK): Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure

Have you ever attended a Packy Play at the Racine Theater Guild? I grew up going to and enjoying the Children's Theater and I am excited I can now bring my children to see them too.

The Packy Play season is coming to an end, with 3 of the 4 shows completed, but there is still one more show we can all attend! Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure is being put on March 16th-18th with multiple show times, with one I am sure will accommodate your family's schedule.

Tickets are available for $6 each for any age. The shows put on by the Children's Theater are appropriate for all ages! I personally only take my 4 year old because she has more patience than my 2 year old to sit and watch a show, but younger children can go too. No one will turn you away for the age of your child, bring the whole family! There is also a handicap accessible entrance and seats.

After the show, all characters will line up in the lobby to take pictures and sign autographs. I suggest bringing a pen, and the Racine Theater Guild will provide the program to collect signatures on.

To see all show times and buy your tickets, click here. I hope to see you there!

"Soar away to Neverland in this musical adaptation drawn from the beloved novel! Join Wendy, John, Michael, Peter Pan, and Tinkerbell on a magical journey!"

Make sure to check out the JAK calendar to see more family friendly events coming up.