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.

Posh Pampering Box Subscription and a GIVEAWAY

Before I even launched this blog, I was approached by a Posh consultant who was starting a new monthly subscription box program, Posh Pampering Boxes! She wanted to send me a box in exchange for my honest reviews and promotion. I had to say yes! I hadn't owned any Posh previously and had heard so many great things about it, and I really do love supporting others. I honestly had no idea what to expect, but was looking forward to it!

Lyndsey is the Posh consultant, and I am loving this subscription idea! She is offering 3 different price point boxes, $25, $35, and $55. When subscribing, you fill out a questionnaire about some of your preferences; body care, scent, and experience. Each box is completely customized to you!

I did a live un-boxing of my Posh Pampering box on Facebook and Instagram, come find me over there to keep up with my happenings.

Here is what I received in my $25 box:

5 full size Posh items, 4 sample packets, and 2 bonus non posh items along with a hand written note and a monogram picture.

The breakdown of products and my reviews:

Big Fat Yummy Sassyooma Hand Cream: I am normally not a had cream person because I hate my hands feeling greasy, but this stuff leaves no greasy residue behind, I know so many products say that, but this is true, haha. Also, I love the scent, it is mild and clean smelling. I have no idea what Sasyooma means, but I do love this hand cream!

Hipster Skin Stick: This product gives me the giggles a bit. It has a little catch phase on it that says "A throwback essential oil blend that will detox you from life in the mainstream." Kind of silly, right? I love it! The packaging is great, and again, the scent is mild and pleasing. This stick is meant to be applied to pressure points to reduce anxiety and stress. I am really enjoying it. 

All I've Avo Wanted Moisturizing Face Mask: Avocado is a hot produce item right now, so I was excited to see this mask in my box. It is such a great moisturizer. I'm not sure if I would call this a typical mask by most definitions. Most masks you apply and then wash off after 15 minutes or so. This mask is a moisturizer, no washing off needed. Mind you, this does not take away from the quality of the product, it offers fantastic moisture to my face, it just wasn't what I was expecting when I think of a mask. 

Citrus Kiss Caffeinated Lip Balm: I'm a fan! Super moisturizing, smells great. The ginger smell is a bit overwhelming at first, but quickly fades. Also, anything that is "caffeinated" is a win for me! #momlife

Gender Bender Chunk Bar: This thing is huge! And amazing! It really suds up and leaves my skin so smooth. I can also tell it will last awhile, some soaps just get smaller and smaller with each use, not this one! I feel you can totally get your value with a chunk bar. 

This whole Posh Pampering Box was an amazing value for the cost. So worth it and it was such a nice surprise to add to my day. A little pampering goes a long way! Head on over to Lyndsay's Posh Facebook page here and join her group to see more information and sign up for your own Posh Pampering Box.

Now, let's not forget about the giveaway! Lyndsey has graciously offered to giveaway a full size hand cream to a random person that comments on this blog! So, in the comments, let me know if you have tried Posh, if so what is your favorite? If not, what would you like to try?

Thank you for reading! These are my honest reviews and I want to thank Lyndsey for wanting to collaborate with me! I will choose a winner after the weekend! 

Just Add Kids (JAK): Riverbend Nature Center Feature

I am so excited to announce that I have been selected to be the official blogger for Just Add Kids (JAK)! That means that I will be blogging all about the kid friendly activities in my local area that are available to the public! Most will be free, cheap, or a fundraiser to benefit our community. These are topics I was planning on blogging about anyway, but now I get the privilege to partner with JAK.

I have a passion for my community, a love and appreciation that I want to share with others. I am always looking to see what Racine and its surrounding communities have to offer, and there is SO MUCH! All you have to do it look a little! Luckily, JAK makes it easier by putting as many events as they can on their calendar in one place, you can check out their calendar here. It is constantly being updated and they are always looking for new events for us! Do you know of a local event that isn't on the calendar? Share in the comments, and I will pass it on!

Now on to my featured event!

The Riverbend Nature Center Sugarin' Off Pancake Breakfast.

From their website:

Celebrate the beginning of spring with Sugarin’ Off at River Bend Nature Center!

River Bend Nature Center will once again host the spring time tradition of Sugarin’ Off pancake breakfasts to celebrate the maple sugar harvest. Sunday breakfast are scheduled for March 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 9am to 1pm.

Pancakes with 100% Wisconsin maple syrup, sausage, orange juice, coffee, tea, or milk are on the menu. Tickets can be purchased at the door. $8 for adults/$5 for children 10 and under/children under 3 free

Following your breakfast, hike through the woods to observe and learn the process of maple sap collection and syrup production.

Volunteers will tap 70 maple trees on the nature center grounds and collect sap to make the syrup. See the sap boil over a roaring fire as it concentrates into “liquid gold”. When the sap is boiled, the sap’s naturally occurring water evaporates as steam, leaving the sap and its sweetness to concentrate into maple syrup.

Pure maple syrup is 100% maple sap that has been boiled down; 40 gallons of sap makes one gallon of syrup. A gallon of pure maple syrup weighs 11 pounds!

We welcome you to join us for this local tradition of discovery and fun at River Bend Nature Center!

This is an event my family has enjoyed each year! We eat a delicious breakfast with maple syrup from Wisconsin, and then go on a small hike afterwards. The trails at Riverbend are small feet friendly, though a bit uneven thanks to mud, so I would not recommend using a stroller. While you walk the Riverbend woods, you can see the fascination process of maple sap collecting. 

So, go check it out! Great food, great company, fresh air, education, and supporting you community! How can you say no? See you there!