This is a year of firsts for us.  We are so excited to be spending our first summer in Denver.  We have lots of people coming to visit us and we can’t wait to spend the summer exploring Denver and the surrounding areas.  We have put together a list of things to do for each day of our summer.  We probably won’t get to all of it, but we are certainly going to try.  As we explore, I will try to find time to write about some of our adventures and I will come back and link to them here.

If you know of something we should add to our list, leave us a comment.

1.  Ride the Gold Runner Alpine Coaster and see what Breckenridge looks like without all the snow.

2.  Visit The Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave

3.  Hike around Rocky Mountain National Park and drive the famous Trail Ridge Road.

4.  Learn how money is made at the Denver Mint.

5.  Drive to the top of the highest paved road in North America – Mount Evans.

6.  Ride the train in Georgetown and pick up some caramel corn at Georgetown Valley Candy Company.

7.  Study science at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

8.  Try to catch a fly ball at Coors Field while the Rockies play.

9.  Have afternoon tea at the Brown Palace.

10.  Visit a haunted hotel in Estes Park.

11.  Tour the Molly Brown House Museum.

12.  Dig for dinosaur bones at Dinosaur Ridge.

13.  See a movie at Red Rocks Amphitheater.

14.  Learn more about homesteads at Plains Conservation Center.

15.  Visit Colorado’s newest state park, Staunton State Park.

16.  See the flowers bloom at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

17.  See the fish at the Downtown Aquarium.

18.  Learn fly fishing.

19.  Ride the rides at Elitch Gardens.

20.  Hike at least ten hikes in our Hikes with Kids Colorado book.

21.  Ride the cog railroad to Pike’s Peak.

22.  Try indoor skydiving at Skyventure Colorado.

23.  Tour the Stanley and see if it is really haunted.

24.  Look for elk in Estes Park.

25.  Tour the Celestial Seasonings factory and learn about how tea is made.

26.  See the flowers at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center.

27.  Hike at Eldorado Canyon State Park.

28.  Check out some backpacks and explore the exhibits at the Denver Art Museum.

29.  Do the scavenger hunt at The Wildlife Experience.

30.  Pick strawberries at Berry Patch Farms.

31.  Hike Lair o the Bear with the kids.

32.  Taste some fancy fudge at Seasonally Yours.

33.  Learn more about trains at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

34.  Hike at Castlewood Canyon State Park.

35.  Hike up to Castle Rock.

36.  Drive to Colorado Springs and visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

37.  Explore a ghost town.

38.  Go on a zipline tour.

39.  Visit Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.

40.  See Seven Falls.

41.  Visit South Platte Park and the Carson Nature Center.

42.  Visit Littleton Historical Museum and and have lunch in downtown Littleton.

43.  Tour a mine.

44.  Go horseback riding.

45.  Hike Chautauqua Park.

46.  Visit the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

47.  Ride the light rail to somewhere new.

48.  Take a lesson.

49.  Go to a water park.

50.  Ride the Platte Valley Trolley.

51.  See the butterflies at the Butterfly Pavillion.

52.  Tour Sports Authority Field.

53.  Learn about firefighters at the Denver Firefighters Museum.

54.  Take a weekend getaway to Great Sand Dunes National Park.

55.  Explore Cave of the Winds

56.  Find a waterfall.

57.  Learn about farming at the Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum.

58.  Wander around Larimer Square and buy a treat at Rocket Fizz.

59.  Try a restaurant that is new to us.

60.  Buy the ingredients for dinner at the farmer’s market.  Make dinner together.

61.  Paint some pottery or canvas at a local art studio.

62.  See a play.

63.  Go to an outdoor concert.

Stop by Delicious Baby and Friday DayDreamin’ for fun travel posts!

The post 63 Days of Summer in and around Denver, Colorado with Kids appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

Glenwood Springs is about two and a half hours from Denver down I-70.  As you make the drive, you see many of the small mountain towns.  There are not a ton of places to stop for food or restroom breaks, so make sure you stop when you see an exit.  At least one of the rest stops was closed at the time we made the trip.  As we drove to Glenwood Springs, we were amazed at all the different changes in landscape and weather.  We even hit some snow on the return trip.  At the end of May!

Day One – Arrive and Imbibe

When you arrive in Glenwood Springs and are all checked in to your hotel, head out for an evening in the downtown area.  On recommendation of the front desk of our hotel, we headed straight for the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub on 7th Street.  You can see the restaurant from the road and parking is relatively easy.  You might have to walk a little bit from your car but it isn’t as far as it seems.  Both street parking and small public lots are available for use.

Glenwood Canyon Brewpub has handcrafted beers and tasty pub fare.  We decided to share a pitcher of the homemade rootbeer.  The whole family decided it was one of the best we had tried.  I didn’t try any beer but next time we are there, I am going to be sure to try the Grizzly Creek Rasberry Wheat.  While we waited for our meals, we tried the pretzel appetizer that was well worth the $5 spent.  It was delicious and held our hungry children over until their meal came.  The kids meals are served on frisbees.  I had the Mahi tacos (minus the pickled cabbage) and they were wonderful.  Since moving to Colorado from the Gulf Coast, I have had a hard time finding a good seafood meal.  These tacos fit the bill.

Day Two – Hot Springs, Hiking and Treats

Get an early start to your day with a visit to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool.  These hot mineral springs have been thought to have healing powers and have been visited by people seeking that out for 125 years.  Though the Glenwood Hot Springs might look different now than it did back then, it still draws tourists and locals.  There are three pool areas: a small wading pool for children, a therapy pool that is kept at 104 degrees and a large pool kept at about 90 degrees.  During our visit, the pool was celebrating the 125th anniversary. It was very crowded but the pools are large enough that you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Visiting the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool is just like visiting your local public pool.  You pay an entrance fee, grab a lawn chair and enjoy some downtime.  We visited in the middle of May so there was no snow on the ground but it was still a bit chilly.  Jumping into the 90 degree water while you face felt the cold breeze was something else.  I would love to return to the hot springs in the dead of winter just to experience it with snow surrounding me.

When you are thoroughly pruned by the water and ready for lunch, there is a lawn to enjoy a picnic lunch.  You can bring food into the springs, you can purchase food from their grill, or you can leave and take a short walk to the nearby restaurants.  We opted to wander to a nearby restaurant called Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse.  Before leaving the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, get your hand stamped for re-entry.  Entrance to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool adds up (especially during peak season days) so this hand stamp will allow you back in on the same day.  This will help you make the most of your day at the pool.  Start the day early, head out at lunch to do something else and then go back to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool later in the evening if you want.

After our lunch, we decided to go on a hike.  There are a number of hikes nearby but we decided to do the Doc Holliday Trail.  The famous Doc Holliday was laid to rest somewhere in Linwood Cemetery.  His resting location is not known but you can see a memorial created for him.  The hike begins at 12th and Bennett.  It is a quick half mile hike but is pretty rigorous because it is straight up hill.  Keep your children close  because there are a lot of drop offs.  We had hoped to hike the famous Hanging Lake trail but the weather just wouldn’t hold for us while we were there.

When we finished with the hike, we headed to Chocolate Moose Ice Cream Parlor for a treat.  Two ice cream cones for less than $5 helped to fill up hungry tummies after a hike.  My children loved the saddle stools.

Day Three – Amusement Park on Top of the Mountains

As we wandered around Glenwood Springs, we would occasionally get a glimpse of a roller coaster hanging off the edge of the mountain.  On Day 3 of our weekend, we were finally going to get to see it up close and personal.  The Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is located at the top of the mountain.  Literally.  You have to take a tram or bus ride up to the adventure park.  The tram entrance and ticket office is next to Hotel Glenwood Springs.

We stayed two nights at Hotel Glenwood Springs.  Our room was spacious and clean.  The hotel has a small water park with a pool, a little lazy river and a slide.  The hotel was a nice base for our family of four but it did have one downside.  Unfortunately, we had to get in the car every time we wanted to go somewhere (other than the Adventure Park).  It wasn’t really within walking distance of the majority of the restaurants and shops.

We started day three early by checking out of our hotel, loading the car and walking over to the tram ride.  We took the tram up to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and the kids headed straight for the Alpine Coaster.  This alpine coaster is the longest in Colorado and it lives up to its reputation.  We had a great time zipping around the turns and laughing out loud.  The adventure park has a number of activities and rides as well as cavern tours.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park offers an all day pass or tickets to individual activities.  If you have the whole day, the best way to make the most of your trip is to purchase the all day Summer Funday Pass.  The tickets will add up for a family of four – $48 per adult and $43 per child – but by the time you tally up the tickets for each activity you want to do, you will probably be close to that number anyway.  By purchasing the all day pass, you can stay as long as you want and ride each ride as many times as you want.  Before purchasing the all day pass, be sure to read up on height and weight requirements for each ride.  Many rides require children of a certain height to ride with an adult.

Our favorites were the Alpine Coaster and the Soaring Eagle Zipline.  We also enjoyed the Historic Fairy Cave Tour where we learned more about the caverns in the mountains.  The tour also has one of the best views around.  My son has been learning about minerals and gems in school so he has not stopped talking about the limestone in the caves.  I am also glad that I spent the $7 each for a bucket of dirt.  The kids were able to head to the sluicebox and pan for gems.  They each got a bag of gems to take home where they are still sorting and labeling them.

The weather blew in right as we were getting ready to leave so the tram had to be shut down.  We got to see firsthand the efficient process to get people down the mountain when the tram is closed.  While in line, we were given a bus pass that would hold our spot on the next bus down.  We were to wait until they moved us to the loading spot.  After about fifteen minutes, the weather had passed, tests were run and the tram was opened back up.  We were able to ride the tram down and skip the bus ride.

After we got back down to the hotel, we loaded up the car and headed home.  It was a lovely weekend getaway and we are already planning a train ride back up for another weekend visit.

*Thank you to Visit Glenwood for hosting some of the costs of our visit.  All opinions are mine and mine alone.

The post Three Days in Glenwood Springs, Colorado appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

Visiting the hot springs is as easy as visiting your local public pool but there are some things you should know ahead of time.  The hot springs are fed into pool areas that will resemble your public pools.  They can get very crowded (we were there on a big celebration day as you will see in the pictures) but I think it is worth a visit to experience at least once.  My children and I had fun comparing the hot springs to the much colder springs we have visited.

Parking is free but limited.  Parking at the pool is free but there is not a lot of it on crowded days.  Arriving early in the day will give you a better chance of decent parking.

Towels are available for rent but you will want to bring your own.  Towels can be rented for $2.50 a piece but you will want to bring your own towels.  The towels are a little rough and small compared to the beach towel you will bring from home.

You can bring a cooler but no alcohol is allowed.  I love when attractions allow you to bring in your own food.  There is food available for purchase, but you are also allowed to bring in a cooler with a picnic lunch.  This will help defray some of the costs.

Lounge chairs are a hot commodity.  If you can, bring a large blanket for the grassy area.  Lounge chairs go quickly and people saved them with their stuff.  We were able to grab one and that was plenty for us.  We didn’t spend much time in the chair so it wasn’t a big deal.  It was just chilly enough that sunbathing was the last thing on my mind!  Lockers are available for rent if you need one.

Once you pay your entrance, you can come and go with a hand stamp.  Admission into the hot springs pool is included with your hotel stay, but it can get very pricey if you are just visiting for the day.  It can cost up to $20 per person on peak days.  To get the most out of your money, you will want to plan your day around your visit.  Start your visit in the morning and be sure to get your hand stamped before you leave.  This will allow you to return in the afternoon or evening if you would like.  The hot springs pool is just a short walk from many restaurants.

Prepare your kids for the sulfur smell.  The smell isn’t very strong in the largest pool but it is still definitely there.  It is a bit stronger in the therapy pool and if you drive around the building you will be hit by it.  I didn’t think to prepare my children to expect the smell and that was a big mistake.  What ensued were many bathroom jokes.

Access to the water slides (summer only) is an additional cost.  You can purchase an all day pass to the water slides or just four rides for $4.75.  We decided that was a little pricey and opted not to purchase water slide passes.  It was easy enough to keep my elementary school aged children’s attention off of the slides.  They are set off to the side and the slide does not drop you in the hot springs pool.  The only time we had an issue was at the end of our visit when we walked right past the slides.  The kids wanted to try them then but we just said no and made our way out!

*Thank you to Visit Glenwood for hosting some of our costs on this trip.  All opinions are mine and mine alone. 

This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday with Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels.

The post Tips for Visiting Glenwood Hot Springs Pool – Glenwood Springs, CO appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

I was recently given the opportunity to stay as a guest at The Curtis Hotel, a Doubletree property, for two nights as a representative of Trekaroo.  While we made the Curtis our home for two nights, we spent three days exploring a very small bit of what the downtown area of Denver has to offer.  Three days is not enough time to hit all the highlights so we made a list of things we want to do over the summer and free weekends.  Even though we have a list of things to do on return trips, we feel like we made the most of our three day adventure.

Day One – Arrive and Wander

We arrived shortly after 5:00 in the evening on a Friday night.  After getting checked in and settled in our room, we did a little bit of hotel exploring.  Our room at the Curtis was perfect for our family of four.  I loved that there was a sofabed for the kids because we could fold it up while we were hanging out and have lots of room for them to play.  The hotel was big fun for the kids and the best part of it was the elevator announcements made at each of the themed floors.  See more of my thoughts on our stay at The Curtis.

When we could finally get to the first floor, we walked down the street to Sam’s No3 Diner.  I had eaten here with my daughter a few weeks ago while we were at Mary Poppins downtown and she was excited to show it to her dad and brother.  This restaurant was featured on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives and has a huge menu.  You can get breakfast at any time of the day but it will be hard to choose a favorite meal!  I had the French Dip, my kids had French toast and my husband had a 2lb burrito.  That is actually the name: 2lb combo burrito!

After dinner, we walked another block to the 16th Street Mall.  There are mostly shops and restaurants, but we had fun wandering around and adding different restaurants to our list of places to try.  Neither of my kids could walk past the pianos, a public piano art program called Your Keys to the City.  These whimsical pianos are open for anyone who wants to play.  After banging on the keys for a few minutes, we discovered two very talented young musicians playing another piano down the way.  We stood and listened for awhile as they played an impromptu concert.

On our way back to the hotel, we took a detour to visit the Big Blue Bear at the Colorado Convention Center.

Day Two – A Self-Guided Walking Tour, Stand a Mile High and Try to Catch a Fly Ball

On Saturday morning, we actually had to race to a lacrosse game across town.  When that finished, we returned our car to the hotel and started our day.  We first walked to Larimer Square where we had lunch at Tom’s Urban 24.  I was underwhelmed by the prices of our food (ahem, EIGHT dollars for a kid’s meal?) and the crowd of young Kentucky Derby fans slinging back the drinks, but I would like to return on a date night with my husband so I could give it a second chance.  He was pleased with his meal and I liked the fun atmosphere.  Larimer Square offers a number of places to eat and every single one I saw has been recommended to us at one point or another.  From our booth at Tom’s, we saw the colorful sign for Rocket Fizz and it just called our names.  Little did we know that it is quite the soda and candy store.

Rocket Fizz offers just about every candy you can think of.  There are hundreds of soda choices and you probably won’t recognize some of them!  We spent about thirty minutes picking out some treats to get us through a lengthy walk to the Capitol.  We wanted to see the Capitol because we wanted to see the plaque that shows where you are standing exactly one mile above sea level.

We didn’t do a tour or go in because it was closed to the public on the weekends.  After taking some pictures and running up and down the stairs, we walked through a Cinco de Mayo festival that was happening.

We made our way back to the hotel for a quick break before walking to the baseball stadium to see the Rockies play the Tampa Bay Rays.  We bought our tickets at the gate and were still able to get $15 seats.  I don’t recommend doing this because we had a hard time finding seats in our price point.  The game was great and I will share more about that in a later post.  After the game, we walked back to the hotel and everyone fell asleep quickly!

Day Three – Museums Galore

Denver has a number of museums that cover all sorts of topics.  We decided to visit the History Colorado Center.  The History Colorado Center can be completed in under two hours as long as it isn’t very crowded.  Our favorite parts were the Denver A to Z exhibit and the Colorado Stories exhibit.  It was great to learn more about all of the different moments in Colorado’s history.  There is a lot that I didn’t know about our new home state.  There is a lot of reading, much like most history museums, but the displays are brightly colored and the paragraphs are short.  The museum is full of hands-on interactive exhibits that will help keep the kids busy while you read the signs.  There is a ski jump simulation, a barn to gather eggs in, and games to play.  After our visit to the museum, it was time to head back to the hotel to pick up the car.  Your day doesn’t have to stop here though.  The Denver Art Museum is just a few blocks away so you could make a full day of museum hopping.

We can’t wait to go back to the downtown area and explore Denver some more.  Do you have any suggestions for activities we should put on our list for our next trip?

Interested in other three day itineraries?  See our itineraries about Pensacola, Myrtle Beach, Asheville, and more.

Stop by Delicious Baby and Friday DayDreamin’ for fun travel posts!

The post Three Days in Downtown Denver, Colorado appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

At the beginning of the year, the 52 Week Money Challenge graphic went viral.  That graphic was everywhere.  If you were on social media shortly after the holidays it was hard to miss.  I tried to figure out exactly where the graphic came from to no avail.

The idea is that each on Week 1 of the year, you will put one $1 in a jar, an envelope or the bank.  On Week 2, you put $2 in the jar.  On Week 52, you put $52 in the jar.  By the end of the year, you should have saved $1378 assuming you don’t miss a week.

I liked the idea and in addition to our other savings techniques, I thought that this would be a fun way to save for travel.  I am currently dropping the money into four different accounts.  It has added up VERY quickly.  We just finished up Week 19.  In four accounts, we have saved an extra $760.  Almost $1000 in about half a year with just a dollar here and a dollar there.

We recently realized that we are only a half a day’s drive away from Utah and Arches National Park.  For as long as I have known my husband, he has wanted to see Utah and its otherworldly landscape.  We had a long weekend that we could squeeze it in but we could we squeeze it into the budget?  We decided that we could since we have the extra money set aside.  We are staying in a camping cabin for $50 a night and the cost of our activities will be minimal since we are mostly visiting national and state parks.

I love that we are putting away money without even really realizing that it is gone.  Every payday, I move the money over to each account and we forget about it.  I move it before we go out, pay for extra curricular activities or get that extra cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Do I think that I can keep it up?  I would like to but I am also going to be realistic.  During the month of December, I would need to be ready to put the following away if I was still keeping up with four accounts: Week 49 ($196) Week 50 ($200) Week 51 ($204) Week 52 ($208).  That is a grand total of $808.  That is probably not going to be possible with holiday travel, gifts, and other obligations.  That being said, I will try to keep it up with at least one of the accounts for the entire year.

How do you save for vacation?

This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday with Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels.

The post Saving Money For Travel (Or Whatever) with the 52 Week Money Challenge appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

Stop by Delicious Baby and Friday DayDreamin’ for fun travel posts!

The post Tinker Bell’s Butterfly Garden at Epcot appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

Since moving to Denver, I have been blown away by the theater offerings.  When I saw that Mary Poppins was coming to the Buell Theater, I immediately bought tickets for my daughter and I.  Our two tickets were $68 with fees and taxes.  I purchased seats in the lowest price point and we were in the very last row of the Orchestra section.  Thank you to the Buell Theater for upgrading our seats.

You will recognize many of your favorite Mary Poppins songs.  At the same time, you will hear a few new tunes that weren’t in the movie.  Those songs are just as catchy as the ones that we know and love.

When A Spoonful of Sugar started playing, Little S sang along softly.  As I leaned over to tell her to sing in her head, I realized that everybody around us was mouthing the words, too.  There is just something about Mary Poppins.

The costumes were amazing and the set designs were beautiful.  My daughter and I both believe, hands down, that the best scene of the night was Step In Time with Mary Poppins, Bert, Jane, Michael and the Sweeps.  As they tap danced around the stage, we felt like we were out on the rooftops with them.  Another favorite scene was Jolly Holiday.  Though we loved all the characters, we felt like Bert stole the show.

The Buell Theater was a great venue.  I loved the little touches to welcome children to enjoy the arts.  They offered booster seats for children and, while they aren’t the comfiest, they worked well for my daughter.  Because we were there on a kid’s night, there were all sorts of activities and meet and greets.  Two days before our show, we received a reminder email with links to a great Study Guide.  The Study Guide is also available on the website.

We chose to arrive early to avoid the rush hour traffic in Downtown Denver so parking was not an issue.  We parked in the Arts Complex Garage located directly across from the Buell.  Special event pricing was ten dollars but it was worth not having to walk out in the snow at 10pm after the show.  Because we arrived early, we didn’t have a problem finding a parking space.  After parking, we walked two blocks to Sam’s Diner for a quick dinner before the show.  The Buell is surrounded by great restaurants so you can plan a whole evening out or grab dessert and a drink after your show.

If you are in the Denver area, buy tickets to see Mary Poppins at the Buell Theater while it is here.  Performance times are as follows:  May 1 to May 5, 2013; Wed-Sat 7:30pm, Saturday 2pm; May 2 at 2pm; May 5 at 1pm and 6:30.  

The post Mary Poppins: The Musical appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

When I found, ordered, and used this contraption my very first thought was, “If it hasn’t already happened, some mom out there is going to be very rich one day from creating this thing.”

I could just see it – a mom stuck somewhere without a highchair, and with the need to keep her baby in one spot.  She probably grabbed a towel and tied her kid to a chair or something and thought of this BRILLIANT idea.  Sure enough, I read Totseat’s history and I was almost totally correct – except instead of a towel, she was using her long sleeved sweaters.  She made her first prototype out of her wedding dress.  I love it.

Compliments abound when my daughter uses her Totseat.  Every time I place her in it, strangers want to know what the heck that thing is, where I got it, and how much it cost.  The seat is a UK product and they do delivery to most all destinations but shipping and handling will run you 10.95 in pounds if you are not located in the UK.  With the conversion rate, it makes more sense for US residents to purchase the Totseat through Amazon like I did.   It was $39.19 with free shipping since I am an Amazon Prime member.

Some of you may be thinking to yourself, “Well, that’s what I have a stroller for.”  I very rarely use a stroller for my 10 month old.  My daughter much prefers to be worn everywhere we go and I find strollers to be cumbersome and annoying to maneuver.  Also, strollers aren’t exactly ideal in the situations I have used our Totseat.

You know the problem: you go out to eat and the only highchairs are the big wooden ones that your child can slip right through.  Or all of the highchairs are taken.  Or there is no high chair at all!  Totseat!  Seen below hanging out at a friend’s birthday at a restaurant (left) and meeting a friend for lunch (right).

You head out to enjoy a delicious dinner at a friend’s house and she doesn’t have any highchairs (or they are already occupied by her own children).  Totseat!

You just need to be able to keep your infant or toddler in one place!  For instance, when you are at the gym, fresh out of baby swim lessons.  Changing in the locker room, where there is obviously no where to put baby, is much easier when you are not trying to keep her out of lockers, or balance her on a bench.  Totseat!

I have not encountered a time where I wanted to use the Totseat and was not able to.  Not to mention, it is now my go-to gift for baby showers!  This will become one of those items that you say, “I have no idea how I survived without it!”

Marissa

The post Why EVERY Mom Should Own a Totseat Portable High Chair appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

Call Me Cuffs offered me a 12 pack of temporary wrist bands to review.  I said yes for a couple of reasons.  The wrist bands are temporary so if they get lost, you aren’t out a lot of money.  The wrist bands only have the phone number of choices on them.  There is no other identifying information and you can use the same order of wrist bands for all of your kids.

We used the Call Me Cuffs several weekends in a row while we were on the ski slopes.  As my children’s lessons progressed, they got more and more daring.  They were riding ski lifts with each other and without us.  They were swooshing down the mountain before I could even get myself off of the lift.

I have also replaced the hand written note with my phone number on it in each of their school backpacks and also the camping backpacks.  I just attached the Call Me Cuff to the tag and I can be assured that my kids will know how to get a hold of me if they need to.

Call Me Cuffs are waterproof and durable.  My kids wore theirs the whole weekend that we were skiing and they were in great shape at the end of our visit.  The bracelets can be customized with your phone number and also allergy and medical information.  12 bracelets cost $14.95 and shipping is only an additional $1.25.

*Thank you to Call Me Cuffs for sending me the product to review.

The post Call Me Cuffs: A Review appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.

Eat whatever you want and you don’t have to share.  Want a dole whip or an ice cream cone?  Go right ahead and eat the Mickey Mouse ice cream.  Nobody is going to want yours and you don’t have to share.

Ride what you want and skip the lines of the rides you want to skip.  Sure, Winnie the Pooh is a fun ride and I love watching my daughter’s eyes light up as we hop in the honey pot.  To be honest, I am glad my mom was okay with skipping the 75 minute line.

Getting ready to ride Peter Pan, our favorite ride!

Leave the parks when you want to.  When you are only paying for one ticket, it is easy to justify a shorter day at the parks.  My mom and I left before the fireworks show one night and headed to Downtown Disney to watch a movie we both wanted to see but didn’t have anyone to see it with back home.

Carry your purse or don’t even carry a bag at all.  The whole time my mom and I were walking around Disney World, we both felt like we were forgetting something.  We only had our small purses with our cameras and wallets.  We didn’t have water bottles, snacks, Camelbaks that needed refilling, toys to entertain during lines, and souvenirs bought at every gift shop.

See that bed? I don’t have to share!

Go to bed early.  Or go to bed very late.  When at Disney World with my family, I always feel like we have to get our money’s worth.  We plan to get there when the parks open and we shut them down.  If we leave before the parks close or get there a few hours after they open, I always feel like we missed out.  On the flip side of that, when my kids are tired and ready to go home we might not be.

I can take all the pictures I want because I am not carrying all that stuff.

What is your favorite part about going to Disney World without the kids?

*Some of my expenses were sponsored my Traveling Mom, Disney or Chevrolet during this retreat.  As always, opinions are all mine.

The post Disney World without Kids appeared first on Two Kids and a Map.