Where we were: a ferry adventure with kids

One thing I love most about living in Washington State is that we're literally surrounded by water. I love just sitting at the beach and listening to the waves crashing, I love running around and taking pictures while the kids play, and I love exploring all the islands around us. Edmonds BeachAnd, while I wish we had our own motor boat to make island hopping easy, I do love the inherent adventure in hopping on one of the Washington State Ferries and taking it somewhere for the day.

Ferry BoyIt's great because you can just walk on with your day's worth of stuff and let someone else take you where you want to go, let them figure out where to park, and they can provide bathrooms, snack options, and entertainment.

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Corolle dolls are adventure-ready

Our vacations almost always include water, which isn’t that surprising considering we’re literally surrounded by water here in the Pacific Northwest. The one problem with spending so much time at the beach and lake is that there are certain things that just aren’t water-friendly, like electronics and toys with small parts. Thank goodness that Corolle … Read more

Amazing sound, indoors or out with the JBL Xtreme Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Sponsored postYou can find speakers just about anywhere these days – at discount stores, gas stations, even in packages of chips {true story}. But, where do you turn when you want an amazing speaker that will blow you away with amazing sound quality? Hint: it’s not the dollar store.

No, if you want amazing sound, you are going to want to look to a company that is known for audio excellence, like JBL. They’ve always been known for big, full sound, and their newest speakers definitely keep up with that tradition. DSC03JBL Xtreme speaker by boxWe got to test out the JBL Xtreme Portable Bluetooth Speaker this month, and it has been adored since the day it arrived. Initially, I was sold on the fact that it is splashproof and rugged, which means it is as adventure-ready as we are. From camping to days at the beach, we needed a speaker that could keep up with us and keep the party going, and it’s been confirmed that the JBL Xtreme is the ultimate portable Bluetooth speaker for all of our needs.

 

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Planning an adventure? Meet the Polaroid iE090 dual-screen waterproof digital camera

Sponsored postI’m going to date myself a bit here, but there was a time when us photographers used to take pictures and then it was days, weeks, or even years until we ever saw how those pictures turned out. Crazy, right? So, back in the day, the absolute coolest thing you could have is a Polaroid camera with “instant” photos that you could share, display, or put into albums immediately.

We now live in an era where instant photos are the norm, but that doesn’t mean that Polaroid isn’t still relevant and cool. In fact, the technology has just gotten cooler throughout the years. They now make printers that fit in your pocket that work with your smartphone {yes, really}, fancy digital cameras that can survive a swim, and even retro Polaroid cameras with “instant” film like I fell in love with all those years ago. Polaroid iE090We got to check out the Polaroid iE090 Dual-Screen Waterproof Digital Camera this holiday season, and I just love it. Since it takes high quality, 18MP images, it’s perfect for when I want great pictures but don’t want to risk ruining my DSLR. Shock proof, waterproof, and sized perfectly for your pocket, it makes it easy to take with you even on the most extreme adventure.

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Got a math tip for young kids? You could win big with Zorbit’s Math Adventure! {contest}

Disclosure Zorbits
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Teaching my kids to spell and read might just be my downfall as a mom, but both kids picked up basic math from me at a very young age.  Ironically, math wasn’t my strong subject in school, so I thought English and reading were going to be where I excelled at teaching, but I guess it goes to show you that you never really know how you are going to be as a mom until you actually have kids. 

For me, it was easy to infuse early math with simple games we would play from even the toddler stage.  It started with counting to three before we ran, playing counting games with numbers, and adding small objects like toys and foods to make math fun and easy to learn.

With summer here, the last thing we want to do is spend our days indoors with flash cards and workbooks, so I love that I can even take the lessons outdoors. With simple games like hopscotch that teach ones and twos to chalk problems on the trampoline where the kids jump to the right answer, we’ve found all sorts of math games to do outdoors that are so fun that the kids don’t even realize they are learning. 

Making math fun is the goal of Zorbit’s Math Adventure, a new iOS app from Best Boy Entertainment for kids ages 3-5 that will be launching in mid-August.  Early childhood learning is so important for school success, and giving your child a fun and exciting way to learn the basics is the perfect way to help your child.  

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Briggs & Riley BRX Adventure Travel Gear

Get Out and PLAY Event – Day 35 While in San Diego for BlogHer, I received what is quite possibly the coolest email ever and made me a hero in both my husband’s eyes and our daughter’s.  My mission: go to an outdoor retailer and shop for luggage.  But, not just any luggage… the Briggs … Read more