I hope everyone saw my post on 10 Staycation Outings for here in Fresno. But I do realize that not all of you are not in Fresno (as much as I wish you were;). That is why I participated in a huge round up of staycation adventures from all around the country!!!

Mid Atlantic

NW (or all), Connecticut :: Parenting Miracles
Boston (or all), Massachusetts :: Maven of Savin
Central, New Jersey :: Our Good LIfe
Adirondak Mountains and Central, New York :: For This Season
Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York :: Ann’s Entitled Life
Syracuse, New York :: I am THAT lady
Erie, Pennsylvania :: Growing Kids Ministry
Greater Harrisburg, Pennsylvania :: Family Balance Sheet
Hershey, Pennsylvania :: Good Deal Mama
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania :: Beyond the Cover
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania :: The Coupon “High”
Poconos, Pennsylvania :: Bucktown Bargains
Scranton, Pennsylvania :: Bucktown Bargains

Midwest

Des Moines, Iowa :: Make the best of everything
Aurora, Illinois :: A Savings WOW!
Central, Illinois :: The Homeschool Scientist
Chicago, Illinois :: Chicagoland Homeschool Network
Naperville, Illinois :: The Sensible Mom
Schaumburg, Illinois :: Ravings By Rae
Fort Wayne, Indiana :: Simplified Saving
Indianapolis, Indiana (Metro Area) :: In Good Cents
Muncie, Indiana (Central IN) :: the daisyhead
Northern Indiana :: So Dough Savvy
Kansas City Area :: Kansas City Mamas
Metro Detroit, Michigan :: Saving Dollars and Sense
Grand Rapids, Michigan :: Give Me Neither
Oakland County, Michigan :: Bargain Shopper Mom
Minneapolis, Minnesota :: Creative Couponing
Rural Minnesota (either Southern our Lake Country) :: Mommysavers.com
St. Cloud, Minnesota :: Frugal Finders
Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas :: Kosher on a Budget
Springfield, Missouri :: Getting Freedom
Cincinnati, Ohio :: Family Friendly Cincinnati
Columbus, Ohio :: Cleverly Simple
Dayton, Ohio :: Savings Lifestyle: Dayton
Mansfield, Ohio :: The Traveling Praters
NE Ohio :: Raising Lifelong Learners
Northeast Ohio (Canton, Akron, Cleveland) :: Sisters Shopping on a Shoestring
Black Hills, South Dakota :: Little House Living
South Dakota :: Moms Mustard Seeds
Oshkosh, Wisconsin :: Adventures of a Stay at Home Mom

Mountain

Phoenix, Arizona :: Mom Endeavors
Scottsdale, Arizona :: Saving For Someday
Tucson, Arizona :: Desert Chica Ramblings
Colorado Springs, Colorado :: The Greenbacks Gal
Denver, Colorado :: Bargain Blessings
Helena, Montana :: The WiC Project
Omaha, Nebraska :: Mom Endeavors
Reno, Nevada – Lake Tahoe (Northern Nevada) :: Saving in Nevada

Pacific

Fresno, California (Central Valley) :: NerdFamily Blog
Los Angeles, California :: Savings.com
San Diego, California :: Good Cheap Eats
San Diego, California :: Life as MOM
Portland, Oregon :: Frugal Living NW
Seattle, Washington :: Thrifty NW Mom

South Atlantic

Arkansas :: Discovering Arkansas
Washington, DC :: Kidventurous
Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana
Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money
Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss
St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine
Tallahassee, Florida :: SwagGrabber
Atlanta, Georgia (metro area) :: Hodgepodge
Atlanta, Georgia (metro area) :: The Couponing Couple
Annapolis, Maryland :: The Happy Housewife
Hagerstown, Maryland :: Cheryl Pitt
Asheville, North Carolina :: Paradise Praises
Charlotte, North Carolina :: from our front porch lookin’ in…
Raleigh/Southeastern, North Carolina :: Upside Down Homeschooling
Upstate South Carolina :: The Tween & Me
Charlottesville, Virginia :: How to Have it All
Richmond, Virginia :: Teachers of Good Things
Smithfield, Virginia :: Walking in High Cotton
Virginia Beach, Virginia :: The Coupon Challenge

South Central

Coastal Alabama :: Meet Penny
Huntsville, Alabama :: The Traveling Praters
Northern Kentucky :: Simply Sherryl
Chattanooga, Tennessee :: Living Chic on the Cheap
East Tennessee (Smoky Mountains, Knoxville) :: Finding Joy on the Journey
Nashville, Tennessee :: Montessori Tidbits
Arlington, Texas :: Grocery Shop For FREE
Austin, Texas (Hill Country) :: Ponder the Path
College Station, Texas :: How to Homeschool My Child
Dallas, Texas :: Surviving The Stores
East Dallas, Texas :: Funky Faith Girl
Fort Worth, Texas :: Coupons & Freebies Mom
Houston, Texas :: MomsToolbox
Houston, Texas :: MyLitter
Katy, Texas :: Moms Confession
McAllen, Texas (Rio Grande Valley) :: iLoveMy5Kids
San Antonio, Texas :: Melissa’s Bargains

Forestiere Underground Gardens

Life is busy and expensive! We all want to do fun and exciting things with our kids but between time and money it can be challenging. Challenging to find something exciting to do beyond the Boomers or water parks! At least for many people I talk to. So here are some great 1/2 to 3/4 day activities to do with the whole family. None of them are more than an hour away from Fresno and quite a few are right in town. I haven’t been to all these places but I am hoping to this summer!

1. Fresno Chaffee Zoo: This is a local treasure that is not visited nearly often enough! They continually get new animals and now have the Sea Lion Cove. If you get a zoo membership it can pay for itself in just a couple trips. They also have Wells Fargo Wednesdays on the first Wednesday of the month so kids 2-11 get in free with their families. There are also daily giraffe feedings and the Winged Wonders Bird Show.

2. Forestiere Underground Gardens: Located on Shaw in West Fresno there are acres of underground gardens dug out! As a kid I always thought Forestiere must be some fancy word for forest but in reality it is the creator’s last name;). If you ever needed proof that the hard pan in Fresno is hard, this is it;). These are court yards and patios with the occasional fruit baring tree. The temperature is 20-30 cooler than above ground so it is a nice way to get out of the heat a little. They have 1 hour tours and a schedule on their website.

3. McDermont Field House: If you just have to have that amusement park experience head out to Lindsay which is about an hour outside of Fresno. The Field House has everything you can imagine to do for fun and all inside. They have wave pools, gym, a skate park,  a giant rock climbing wall, an arcade and more! The most expensive admission is only $29 but there are cheaper options that give you access to specific attractions.

4.Discovery Center: The Discovery Center has been around in Fresno since I was a kid yet many people have never been there! They have a 4 acre park that is free to visit with a pond, a space capsule, a cactus garden, a maze and a ton of other stuff in addition to shade trees, picnic areas and indoor bathrooms! They also have a museum inside and sometimes various classes. And while they call it a museum it really is more of a science discovery area. They have a variety of exhibits with hands on areas. There is a cost associated with the museum but it is a ton of fun.

5. San Joaquin Fish Hatchery: The Fish Hatchery is up 12 miles outside of Fresno up at Friant. There is no charge!! You can go up and see the various life stages of Rainbow Trout. You can even feed them and watch them jump. It opens at 7:30 am so you can get out there while it is cool. Did I mention that it is cooler up in Friant  and it is free?

6. Castle Air Museum: The Castle Air Museum is about an hour north of Fresno in Atwater. This is a former air base that became a museum when it closed. There is an indoor museum with all types of memorabilia but for me, that isn’t the fun. They have all types of aircraft and even restore old military planes! On May 26th they are having an Open Cockpit day. They will be opening up the planes, having helicopter rides and all kinds of other fun. They also have a calendar on their site so you can see the other activities they have planed.

7. Meux Home Museum: The Meux Home is a home that was built basically from a catalog. It is decorated in authentic Victorian style and is gorgeous. You can take a tour through this house with a docent who explains everything. You will see the Victorian kitchen with the pie safe. They do seasonal events like a Mother’s Day tea and decorate for Christmas. If you have daughters who love the Samantha series in the American Girl series, this is perfect. But even if not this is a great historical outing.

8. Downing Planetarium: Did you know that we have a planetarium here in Fresno? Well we do over at Fresno State! They have a variety of weekend shows (all the summer schedule isn’t out yet). They also have free star gazing on Fridays outside and a free fun with physics class after the 2pm show on Saturdays. The big downer when it comes to their summer schedule is that they are closed for the whole of July for facilities maintenance. But it is ope the rest of the year. Prices are pretty low. It is educational for all ages and a little awe inspiring for all ages…. Or I am just a huge science nerd;).

9. Fresno Flats Village and Park: Located up in Oakhurst this village looks at life in the late 19th century. They have homes from the 1870′s along with a one room schoolhouse and a jail. You can go up for a self guided tour or schedule on. This isn’t aimed a the gold rusher but the people who moved into the are to build a life. Just a little outside the valley heat and very historical, this would be a great history experience! You would learn about not only California history but also construction and life in the 19th century. You also will be outside and moving! A win-win for this mom when looking at outings to take the family on. There is also an official museum that is open 10am – 2pm daily.

10. Sugar Pine Railroad: Up at Fish Camp (up towards Yosemite) is the Sugar Pine Railroad. This is an institution in the Fresno area. You can go and ride on an honest to goodness open rail cars! You can ride on a steam engine. There are a variety of choices and prices associated but they are all very affordable. There are also special events like dinner trips you can take (my parents did that one year for an anniversary when I was a kid;). I think my kids would even enjoy the Jenny railcar! You can also pan for gold while you are there too!

There is just a quick list of 10 fun and affordable outings around Fresno! Who ever said there isn’t anything to do here just wasn’t paying attention! So what are you summer plans with your kids?

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you! Make sure you pop back later this week for a giveaway of my own!!!

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

Before you run off to enter all the fabulous giveaways make sure you enter mine!!! I am giving away a fabulous Wahl Hot-Cold Therapy Massager!!!

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you! Make sure you pop back later this week for a giveaway of my own!!!

Happy Mother’s Day!!!! I hope that you all are having a relaxing and fun day!

Stuff, stuff, stuff. We have too much of it. We love it and hate it all at the same time! Maybe I am just projecting but I don’t think that I am alone in this. So how do we deal will all that stuff so we can both enjoy the things we have AND also enjoy the space we live in? One word, and I swear it isn’t a dirty one, ORGANIZING. It doesn’t have to be complicated or hard. Use these 5 simple steps to have a more organized, decluttered space!

1. Decide on an area to sort and start kind of small, like a desk versus the whole office;).

2. Set up 3 containers: One for keeping, one for garbage, and one for donations (or yard sale;).

3. Go through everything piece by piece and decide which container it should go in. Remember, don’t keep it just because it is in good shape. If you aren’t going to use it, bless someone else with it!

4. After you go through everything then and evaluate what you are keeping. Then (and only then) decide on what containers you will need to fit the space and separate everything. Don’t worry if you can’t afford to buy containers, you can use free things too! Target will give you all the shoe boxes you can handle and in all different sizes too.

5. Put everything into containers and label them. Live in your organized space!!!

That is it!!! 5 simple steps to organization and sanity!!!

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

Before you run off to enter all the fabulous giveaways make sure you enter mine!!! I am giving away a fabulous Wahl Hot-Cold Therapy Massager!!!

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you! Make sure you pop back later this week for a giveaway of my own!!!

First off I have to get some business out of the way! This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. I received a Wahl Hot/Cold Massager for the purpose of this review.

Mother’s Day is coming!!! And with that comes talk treating moms to something relaxing and pampering. What can be better than something to have at home to relieve her aches and pains?

Ok, I know that I am not the only mom who has a variety aches and pains. And as I get older it seems to get worse! So when I go to try the Wahl Hot-Cold Therapy Massager I was quite excited.

This has a plate in the middle of the massage head that can go hot or cold (ie the name;) but also there are 4 interchangeable pads with different textures on it too. There are also 2 different speeds.

I have to say, I loved it! The first thing I tried it on was my neck that is still hurting from when I took a dive playing broomball a couple of weeks ago. And yes, that is a literal dive;). My neck felt so much better. Then I tried it on my achy knee! I find it is perfect to manipulate around the knee cap to really relieve the tightness!

Wahl’s Hot-Cold Therapy Massager is available at most retailers about $60 and you can pop out and get one as a present for the mom in your life.

But how would you like to win it?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. I received a Wahl Hot/Cold Massager for the purpose of this review.

Previous year’s haul!

Free Comic Book Day is this Saturday!!!! Yup, you heard me. The words free and comic books together!!! Free Comic Book Day is an event that happens every where on the first Saturday of May. The comic book industry provides a variety of comic titles to giveaway in order to not only encourage comic book reading but reading over all.

So how does it work? Just look online for a local comic book shop that is participating (we usually go to Heroes here in Fresno) and show up on Saturday. You may have to wait in a bit of a line, depending on your location, but it always goes much faster than you would think. Heroes (in Fresno) often has great costumed characters that interact with the kids.

Then when you get into the store you get to pick out at least 1 comic book (sometimes more). And that is it. You can of course look around and shop. Many comic book stores run some great sales on Free Comic Book Day but you are under no obligation to buy.

I do have one recommendation if you have youngish kids. Check out what is being offered ahead of time (they list them all) and have in mind what you would like. But don’t tell the kids until you get there because, depending on the crowds, they may not have your first choices.

I also recommend you wear something geeky but that is just for fun;). I mean, how often do you get to wear a super hero cape shopping;)?

So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

But before you add your giveaways and rush off to enter everyone’s giveaways make sure you enter mine!!! I am giving away a $75 gift card to Teleflora!!! You can get yourself flowers or some for someone you love!!!

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you! Make sure you pop back later this week for a giveaway of my own!!!