Why visit Lancaster?

As many of you may know my family and I enjoy traveling to Lancaster for vacation. We've gone there the past 2 summers and have made some great memories. We love the slowed pace that life has when we're out that way. If you're wondering what else Lancaster has to offer besides farms, then just keep reading... 

 Our family really enjoys going on long drives or long walks to see the cows, farms, the Conestoga river flowing by. It's so peaceful and something we don't have much of where we live. If you're not really into farms or animals, then try stopping at a road side stand for a fresh baked soft pretzel, a bite to eat or an ice cream cone. What's not to like about stopping for food? Food is the highlight of my vacations. I don't have to make it, and it always tastes better. Those of you who are moms out there know what I'm talking about, right? ;-) 

There are cultural experiences like visiting an Amish farm, taking a buggy ride, touring a one room schoolhouse and more. We from these, but the don't usually flock to these as a family as out kids are young, but they are a great way to learn about a different culture and way of living. Summer break doesn't mean the kid's don't learn anything. There are always learning experiences. 

If you want to amp up your kids learning adventures when you visit Lancaster, try visiting a snapology location. At Snapology children will be guided through hands on activities using things they already love: LEGO® bricks, K’Nex and technology. Great for children ages 1-14. They offer classes, camps and parties that are so fun I bet kids won't even realize they're learning. That's the best kind of learning in my opinion. My oldest son would LOVE this. I wish I'd learned about it in time to go this past Summer. There's always next year!

We also visited the Turkey Hill Experience while we were in the area. I have to be honest and say this was a let down for the adults, but the kids had a good time. My boys loved the small slide and ball pit at the very end, and of course, the endless scoops of ice cream. It's something to do, but if you ask me, I'd say skip it. There are more interesting things to see and do.

If you're into shopping, then look no further. Lancaster has several sets of outlets. They have the Tanger and Rockvalle outlets. They have store ranging from high end names like Lord & Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft to Charlotte Russe and Rue21 to home stores like L.L. Bean and more. I feel like there is a store for everyone.

I think it's a really great place to go for a family vacation. It has great food, shops, family activities and peace and quiet. That's all I ask for in a good vacation spot. What's your favorite vacation spot? Let me know below!

Coolibar

Summer season seemed to fly by, or at least it did for us. And while we didn't get to the beach YET, we still spent a good amount of time outside between soccer practice, taking walks, playing at the park, and splashing in the back yard [as you can see from the photos]. It's not a good idea to be exposed for a long period of time without some form of sun protection. Coolibar, the leader in sun protective clothing, has clothing and hats rated UPF 50+ which blocks 98% of UV rays, allowing avid sun worshippers endless hours outside without worrying about sun damage.

Coolibar has lots of great hats, dresses, skirts, leggings as well as men's and baby/children's products to choose from. My son loves his reversible rash guard shirt from coolibar. It's lightweight, and keeps his skin protected from the sun, so he can splash to his heart's content!

My Thoughts:

Not only do they have clothing that offers UPF50+ coverage, but they're also practical and cute. I would definitely wear a skirt or leggings in the summer with one of their hats, and no one would realize I'm getting sun protection while looking stylish. I also LOVE that they offer these rash guard shirts for kids, so that our little guy can have fun splashing around but still be protected from sunburns. I'd love to try the hat too, since he doesn't have much hair on his head to protect his scalp. They offer SPF 50+ protection and are chlorine resistant so they don't fade from pool use.

Check out all their products here: http://www.coolibar.com/home.jsp

Vacation Series - GoCaddy

About the GoCaddy:
* Holds a variety of bottle sizes up to 1.5 liter, of your favorite beverage. (Bottle not included). Size: 4” dia. x 10” tall. BONUS! A water bottle cooler sleeve is included!
* Comfortable 1" x 54" adjustable strap. This extra long strap allows you to wear it over your shoulder or sling style. Our unisex Caddy makes it perfect for the whole family!
* Pleated deep front pocket with flapped Velcro closure easily fits a cruise ship pass (if you are on one), charge card, money, license/identification, etc. NOW with an additional hideaway interior pocket lets you store any valuable you may bring along. Size: 4 1/2” wide x 7” tall.
* Elastic back pouch is roomy enough so you can bring your cell phone, camera, a map and glasses. Size: 4 3/4” wide x 7” tall.
* Stylish and durable metal clip to hold keys. There is an additional "D" ring for the little extra you may want to clip on such as an eyeglass or pill case.
* Manufactured in luxurious Microfiber with a rubber backing. Packs flat for traveling.

My Thoughts:

The GoCaddy really is perfect for Cruises, Day Trips, Walking, Sporting Events or Fitness Activities as the site claims. My husband and I just returned from a 14 day trip (turned into an 18 day trip thanks to hurricane Irene) where we were walking all over the cities of London, Paris and Rome and needed a way to keep our essentials with us at all time - water, money, passports etc, and this GoCaddy was just the thing to do this! It has one open pouch for maps and such, a large whole for water bottles/thermoses and a velcro pouch for things like money and identification. While this is a super product and allowed us to travel lightly with only one bag I did have some critiques. After about 2 weeks of using this product the seams started to pull apart, so it isn't the most durable. We were carrying a nalgene bottle full of water with us which weighed it down, but that's it's purpose, to hold water and such so I felt it shouldn't have fallen apart so easily or quickly. My only other critique was that the strap material tended to snag and pull on the clothing I was wearing, so I have 1 ruined dress and 1 top full of pulls and snags because of the material. My husband had no problems with this, but other ladies might. It's a great concept, and works for short trips and light items but I couldn't recommend it for a tour around the world or a trip of great length.

For more information or to purchase one visit: http://www.bvtproducts.com/gocaddy.htm

disclaimer: sample received for review

Vacation Series - Dockers

About Levi Strauss & Co. (parent company of Dockers):

Founded in San Francisco by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss in 1853, we created the very first pair of jeans. Today, our products, sold under the Levi’s®, Dockers®, Denizen™, and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ brands are loved and trusted by people from all walks of life.

 

My Thoughts: I am a big fan of Dockers as a whole. I feel that they have quality clothing that lasts at reasonable prices. We were sent some pants and shorts that would travel well, and indeed they did. In the photo to the left is my husband in his black soft khaki pants that were so soft and comfortable, and didn't need ironing during our 18 day adventure abroad. Below he is wearing a legion blue soft khaki shorts, and again super soft material and very comfortable...perfect for traveling. They also have deep pockets which is great when carrying maps, money etc. My husband also purchased a pair of their Soft Khaki Classic Fit pants in Barn Door color and gets teased for them, but he and I both love them. I don't see why men can't have color in their wardrobes like women do, and am glad Dockers offers so many colorful options for men and women.

For more information or to buy a pair for yourself, visit http://us.dockers.com/home/index.jsp?clickid=topnav_logo_img

disclaimer: sample items received

Vacation Series - Funky Monkey Snacks

Funky Monkey Snacks are all-natural real fruit made using a proprietary freeze-drying process that creates Fruit That Crunches!® while retaining fruit's natural goodness. Funky Monkey uses full slices and pieces of real fruits, not the small dices found in other freeze-dried fruit products. Each ounce of Funky Monkey contains three servings of fruit, providing a snack that is delicious, healthy and convenient.

My Thoughts:

I am glad that companies are finally paying attention to nutrition for kids. There are way too many snack foods out there high in sugar and fat and lacking in nutrition, so I'm glad that more and more companies are using fruits as snacks. The way that these products are marketed appeal to kids - bright colors and funky combinations like pink pineapple - colorful, tasty and crunchy! The names alone appeal to kids - Purple funk - who wouldn't want to eat that? :) They have great products that are nutritious that kids would want to eat. Bravo Funky Monkey Snacks!

For more information visit http://www.funkymonkeysnacks.com/

disclaimer: samples received for review

BUY IT:

Vacation Series - Peter Rabbit - CLOSED

About the brand:
"Our fruit and veg puree pouches are all organic, contain 100% fruit and veg, and never have added sugar or anything artificial.  You won’t have to read the label – the fruit and veggies you see on the front is what’s inside!  If you do read the label you’ll see your snacks are high in vitamin C, have between 70 and 85 calories, 0 fat and 1.5-2 grams of fiber. Peter Rabbit Organics don’t require refrigeration before eating and come in BPA-free resealable pouches for easy packing.

You can find us in Starbucks nationwide, in select Whole Foods Markets, Publix and Albertsons, and natural food stores, in all Buy Buy Baby stores, and online at Amazon.com, Diapers.com, BabiesRUs.com and Spud.com."

Why include this product in a Vacation Series?
When you go on vacation, especially if it was a crazy whirlwind one like we had, you need food you can eat on-the-go. I know there are many pre-packaged foods out there but I am concerned about health and nutrition even when I'm on vacation. While I rarely "exercise" on vacation, I always try to maintain my normal diet of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and Peter Rabbit Organics helped us to do that. While trekking through Europe we tossed a few of these pouches into our bags to eat when we got hungry and they worked perfectly. We also saw some moms giving pouches like these to their toddlers, so all ages love these fruit and veggie pouches. The strawberry banana was my favorite flavor, but I really like these products and would highly recomend them to moms and to people who care about healthy on the go snacks!

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Ends Oct 1, 2011

Vacation Series - Kashi Bars

 About Kashi Bars:

"We put lots of tasty ingredients in our bars, like sweet fruits, rich dark chocolate, and crunchy nuts. Plus, you get real nutrition, nothing artificial, and a feel-good snack." ~ Kashi

My Thoughts:

With 34 Kashi Bar varieties there is something that everyone will love. The have the GoLean, GoLean Chewey, GoLean Crunchy, GoLean Roll, TLC Cereal, TLC Granola, TLC Crunchy Granola & TLC Layered Granola Bars tho choose from. Of all the varieties I think my favorites would be the TLV Layered Granola Cranberry Walnut, the TLC Cunchy Granola Peanut Butter and the Golean Crunch Chocolate Pretzel bars.  These are great travel snacks with nutrition. I would stay away from chocolate or the TLC soft-baked cereal bars as the chocolate melts in travel and the cereal bars are on the soft side so could crush and crumble easily, but other than that they are great to toss in a purse or clutch and take with you while you travel or sight-see!

For more information, visit: http://www.kashi.com/products/category/Snack%20Bars

Vacation Series - Coolibar Products

Gardening season is here at last! And while gardeners can spend hours figuring out the perfect sunny or shady spot for their plants, they often forget about the effect the sun can have on themselves. Coolibar, the leader in sun protective clothing, has clothing and hats rated UPF 50+ which blocks 98% of UV rays, allowing avid gardeners endless hours outside without worrying about sun damage.

Coolibar has lots of great gardening hats to choose from as well as a full line of breathable, lightweight shirts, pants and jackets that make it super comfy to get UPF 50+ coverage while toiling away in the garden. Coolibar even has sleeves alone that allow extra coverage without changing your shirt. For later in the summer, when heavy clean up starts, Coolibar's full finger, quick drying Aqua Gloves in Suntect fabric come in handy for the toughest of garden work.

 

My Thoughts:

I tend to think that women plan for every possible outcome for a vacation, and I think that Coolibar helps for those planners out there. Not only do they have clothing that offers UPF50+ coverage, but they also have hats, sunglasses and even titanium umbrellas to reflect rays and keep you cool (Silver color on the outside to reflect UV rays, green on the underside to absorb UV rays).

Not only are these practical items to pack for a sunny vacation, they are also fashionable and trendy. Some of the hats are collapsable/crushable (see hat below) for ease of packing, and clothing comes in many colors and designs. I think this is a line that everyone should look into before taking their next vacation.

 

 
For more information or to make a purchase, visit their website: http://www.coolibar.com/
 
disclaimer: items received for this posting

Vacation Series - Grasshopper Shoes

About Grasshoppers ®

Grasshoppers offers lightweight, flexible and supportive shoes from a premium line of casual comfort shoes in stylish & sophisticated silhouettes, including slip ons, sneakers, wedges and sale.

Grasshoppers wants you to be comfortable and with our proprietary PureFit™ comfort system, you'll have all over comfort and support. Grasshoppers supports your active life with a dual density footbed, Gel-Flex technology, stretch uppers, padded collars, and a flexible outsole, to provide support to take you from day to night in comfort and style. Select shoes have been APMA and podiatrist approved.

At Grasshoppers, they celebrate women's confidence, individuality and authentic lifestyle.

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What made me decide to include Grasshoppers in our Vacation Series? For one, you need great support when spending all day on your feet and Grasshoppers are extremely comfortable. Another reason is because when you are traveling to new locations, like Europe for example, it helps to fit in with their fashion,  and these come in so many colors and sizes there is a shoe for everyone. In Paris you can't wear tennis shoes, t-shirt and baseball cap; you have to look like you belong.

Grasshoppers are the perfect shoe for transitioning from work to running errands, or meeting up with friends afterward. They are comfortable for being on your feet all day, and still have energy to go out with friends at night! It's hard to find shoes that are both comfortable, and appropriate for the work place, and I think that these do just that!

For more information, please visit their website: http://www.grasshoppers.com/store/SiteController/grasshoppers/home

disclaimer: samples received