Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Our Summer Rhythm as a Homeschooling Family

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I turned in all of my reporting paperwork due to our county department of education a few weeks ago, which means that we are officially having summer break in the house right now. But unofficially, we are continuing to do work that looks very similar to the work we’ve been doing for several months, now. I’ve kept going because we have had a rather peaceful, laid-back approach to our schooling, which has been wonderful, but does require consistency in order to not get too far behind with some of our core skills, such as math and handwriting.

After 9 months of giving homeschooling a shake, it turns out that we are more naturally an unschooling family, so summer looks much the same as the school year, only with a noticeable drop in travel. We are traveling less this summer for two key reasons. First, we purchased a house a few months ago, and that has caused our monthly housing expenses to increase significantly. That means less money for travel, plain and simple. But the second reason is because summer is when everyone else fits in their vacations, and we learned this past year that going on vacation when everyone else is at work/school is AWESOME (such as spending the day at LEGOLAND and never once waiting in line!). We will do some quick stints up to Dollywood this summer since we are season pass holders, but we are saving up to take larger trips later in the fall.

We are, however, encouraging our friends and family who are taking their vacations now to come and see us. Summer is a great opportunity for us to host folks, show off our great city a bit, and spend quality time together with people we love. Our new house is much more spacious than our last one, which makes playing host more of a joy and less of a hassle, as well.

homeschooling during the summer

homeschooling during the summer

So on a typical day, what sorts of structured activities are my girls (ages 6 and 8) doing? Here’s a glimpse at what we did just yesterday (affiliate links included at no cost to you):

  • 2 chapters from My First Bible, along with discussion (my master’s degree is in theology, so this is great fun for me!)
  • 2 chapters reading aloud from a larger novel (currently reading Rump and very highly recommend it)
  • 1 page each of math worksheets from Daily Math Warm Ups (my oldest strongly prefers worksheets to online math work, as it turns out, and my youngest is fine either way)
  • 1 page each of handwriting practice (both children were taught cursive handwriting first in Montessori school, so my oldest practices print writing since she never learned it, and my youngest practices cursive writing).
  • Older child reads independently for 20 minutes (currently graphic novels are her jam)
  • Younger child reads 1-2 books out loud to me (currently anything by Mo Willems is her jam)
  • Older child reads a shorter book out loud to younger sister
  • 1 educational DVD from the library (recent example: What is Hinduism? from the Understanding World Religions DVD series )
  • History lesson of some sort (currently working through Usborne Encyclopedia of World History and Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History)
  • Younger child completes 2 mazes
  • Older child does one page of Building Thinking Skills
  • Older child completes one word ladder
  • Work on memorizing multiplication tables through songs. My oldest is a rising fourth grader, and is a bit behind in math due to anxiety, so I backed off of the pressure for a bit this year, and she has finally asked to learn her multiplication tables, which is an exciting step forward! I highly recommend this teacher on Youtube, who uses popular songs to help kids learn. My rising first grader, who at this point is a full year ahead in math, is learning them at the same time.
  • We also head to the library to get a pile of books at least once a week (sometimes twice!). I typically  have about 50 books and DVDs checked out at any given time. This is a great opportunity for me to do some “strewing,” which means to put some interesting  books out there for the kids and to see what resonates with them.
  • It’s also my job to pay attention to what the girls are asking questions about, and to become a reference librarian for them. We might watch any number of educational/informative videos on Youtube (I do pay for the commercial-free subscription service so that watching videos is a joy and not annoying) just based on what they are asking questions about at the time.

When I look at this all laid out, I can’t help but think that it might sound like a lot of worksheets (which is heading in the opposite direction of unschooling!), a lot of structure and a whole lot of time. But it might surprise you to hear that all of this can be finished in 2-3 hours (a little longer if we are watching an educational DVD). It honestly just doesn’t take that long, friends! We work on it in bits and pieces throughout the day so that it never gets too overwhelming. And as for it being too structured to be called unschooling, my view on that is that there are as many ways to school children as there are to parent them, and for now, I’m simply following the lead of what my kids want to learn about and want to do, all while making sure that we don’t get too far behind in a few very key skills. Even with those skills, I’m much more lax than what you might encounter in a more traditional school setting. I’ve found a rhythm that keeps me from totally freaking about whether or not my kids are learning what matters most (ok, I do still freak out about that from time to time, but I’m working on it), and my kids are not too overwhelmed by it at all and seem happy with the pace and with the work. Perhaps we are atypical unschoolers, but when it comes to unschooling, I’m not too sure that “typical” is really a thing!

So what are my kids doing the rest of the day? I’d love to tell you that they are doing self-directed art projects, or heading into the kitchen and whipping up fun things like muffins and cakes, or building forts outside for hours. Sometimes those cool creative things happen, sure. But the truth of the matter is that more often than not, they are playing Minecraft and Roblox like it’s their job. They love these games to no end, and they bond with their cousins who don’t live nearby by playing together at the same time while chatting with each other through Alexa. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by how much the girls are actually learning playing these games, so I don’t stress out too much about them. And I just (as in last night) learned about the educational resources available. I’m going to look into that this week to see how I can leverage something they love so much to help teach some important concepts.

I missed the boat on summer camp opportunities, which I do feel quite bad about, because they are great socialization opportunities, if nothing else. But around here they fill up very quickly as parents who are working full time need to find child care for their kiddos. I did, however, get us all signed up for an online opportunity that includes a treasure hunt component (there’s a real buried treasure out there worth $10,000, friends, and someone is going to find it!). It’s called Brain Chase, and it gets going in a few weeks. I’ll be posting more on it as I learn more about how it works! So far I know that our whole family will be involved in some weekly activities together (you have several options, but I chose community service, reading and cooking challenges). Want to join? Just code SPN10 to snag 10% off the cost. Yay for saving money, and double yay for the possibility of finding buried treasure!

Feel free to leave me a comment with any questions you might have about our daily rhythm, and feel free to share your own, if you like! I hope getting a peek into our day is helpful to you in some way.

When Bugs Dig Your Digs: What’s Working for Us

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Guys I know I’ve already gushed about our new house a few times on the blog, but I just adore it. It’s the perfect place for me and my crew to make ourselves right at home.

Spiders and ants seem to feel just the same way, unfortunately, and we have found ourselves engaged in a bit of a war with these pests. The ants are particularly impressive, finding the tiniest crumbs from (seemingly) miles away and forming a massive line from the tiny cracks on the other side of the house until they reach their treasure. And the spiders just think our basement rocks hard and they have no desire to budge. This, of course, means that my kids now officially hate the basement.
The bugs have GOT TO GO, but we also have 3 cats in the house, so we need to be really careful about what we are spraying around the house. Our curious kitties are likely to go over to something sprayed along the walls and give it a little taste.
So what to do? Well, I haven’t yet figured out a more permanent solution, but for quick fixes when we spy intruders, I’m really enjoying these products sent to us from Aunt Fannie’s. This company has an entire line of products for the home, but it’s the pest control products that have really gotten my attention.
natural pest repellent
I’ve used the All-Purpose Pest Remedy no less than 10 times and it will break up an ant conga line quicker than anything! We’ve found trails all along our front steps and used this product to discourage them from coming on in the front door (it worked!). And we’ve used it most any time we’ve found an ant party getting started. It doesn’t have any strong odor and my cats don’t seem the least bit interested in it, and I wouldn’t worry if they did because it’s pet friendly (and baby/toddler friendly, too!).
When I head out on a Saturday or Sunday morning to do a little gardening, I use one of these mosquito wipes. They help tremendously, and I find that just one wipe can provide protection for two people (just a little tip to get more bang for your buck!). I also appreciate not putting any sort of toxic bug repellent on me, and I love the ease of use of a wipe. I am a total mosquito magnet, so trust me when I say this stuff really helps! It’s another great product that I highly recommend!
I haven’t yet had to try the fruit fly trap, but I’m hanging on to it for the day when I’ll need it (it’s not a question of if, but when!).
So that’s a quick note on something that’s working for us. What’s working for you to keep bugs away without polluting or putting humans and pets at risk? I’d love to hear!

4 Games We Will Be Playing All Summer

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Thanks to Nintendo and YULU Toys for providing product samples. All other products mentioned have been purchased by me, and all opinions, as always, are my own. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. 

Over the last few weeks I’ve been hearing my mom friends talking strategy to each other about how to prepare for the ending of the school year and the beginning of the simultaneously awesome and awful summer. I remember this feeling all too well: it’s so fun to get to have special time with the kiddos, but it’s also really hard to plan for 12 weeks in a row of it!

One of the things that I always liked to introduce during the summer was new games to play, and since I homeschool now, I’ve got the inside scoop for you on what’s really fun to play right now. We incorporate game playing into our daily routine more days than not, so I’m not stranger to the game aisle of the stores!

So here are 4 things we are currently really enjoying playing. Maybe it will give you some new ideas for ways to keep summer boredom at bay!

  1. Watermelon Smash

watermelon smash review

We broke this game out for the first time this week as the temperatures started to hit the mid-80s, and it was a massive hit. Darah and her best friend played the game 10 times in a row! The basic premise is that you spin a wheel, follow the instructions for how many times you have to “smash” the watermelon over your own head (or over someone else’s head!) and eventually the watermelon will break open letting out about 1/3 cup of water and giving the person holding the watermelon a nice little cool off! The last person dry is declared the winner. There’s also bright blue and yellow plastic watermelon seeds that can be released instead of water just in case kids want to play the game inside.

2. Loot

I picked this up used at our local favorite used book and game shop, McKay’s (but you can easily find your own copy on Amazon). It’s a pirate-themed card game that young and old alike with enjoy. It moves quickly and is great fun! My girls love quirky card games (such as Sleeping Queens) and this fits the bill quite nicely.

3. Nintendo Selects Games for 3DS

Fellow children of the ’80s, listen up! Nintendo 3DS has some of our childhood favorites (like The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario (3D Land)) available on Nintendo DS. Yes, it’s more spiffy than it was on our original consoles, but what a great way to have some quality bonding time with your kid and to tell tales of the days when you used to play a more vintage version of these exact games. Also? They have them VALUE priced at $20 each (this is in comparison to the typical $39.99 for 3DS games). The only problem we seem to be having with these games, for now, is prying them out of Tim’s hands so that the girls can actually play. He’s totally hogging them, for now.

4. Ravensburger Puzzles

I think I’ve mentioned this brand before, but I’ll say it again: Ravensburger puzzles have a quality that is second to none. The pieces fit together well and don’t bend as easily as other brands. They also tend to have some really cool/interesting scenes to put together! We especially love the ones that have a fun border around the outside. After the girls put their puzzles together they usually spend quite a bit of time checking out the puzzle, itself, especially if we have one that has a whole lot going on like this one or this one.

If you have another great game or puzzle idea to share, please leave a comment below so we can all help crowd-source some great new ideas! Best of luck as we march forward into summer!

3 Meaningful Gift Ideas for Special Occasions

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Friends today’s collaborative post brings to mind a few of my most treasured possessions. I happen to own an example of each of the gifts listed below and they are each among my very, very favorite things. Check out this list to get some really special ideas for your next gift giving occasion.

Keepsake gift ideas for that special occasion

Choosing the right gift for birthdays and Christmas is one of those things that we all have to do. It is fair to say that while some people have the knack of coming up with great ideas for even the most difficult recipient, for many, it often turns into a case of trawling the stores, either physically or online, in an ever-increasing state of desperation to find something that “will do.”

For routine events, that sometimes has to suffice. But what about those extra special occasions? Perhaps a loved one is celebrating a landmark birthday, or a close family member is getting married. Or maybe there is a new addition to the family and you want to buy them something that they can literally treasure for their entire life.

Here are a few ideas for special gifts that will leave a lasting impression.

A personalized sketch

There are some great artists out there, and they will create a unique, hand-drawn sketch of anything. All they need is a photo to work from – send it to them electronically, and they do the rest. How about a picture of the house where your parents lived when they first got married – or what better picture for a newborn baby’s wall that a sketch of Mummy, Daddy and Baby all together for the first time?

Gold

Gold holds a unique place in human history. Quite simply, it has always been the most important and valuable commodity on Earth – and some say its value is equally important in other worlds! You can buy gold from Golden Eagle coinsin a variety of types, from traditional coins to one ounce gold bars. It is hard to think of any gift that could be more special – and it will always hold its value, so is also a useful investment.

A keepsake box

Newborns in particular will receive a host of special gifts. So how about thinking a little laterally and presenting them with something in which they can keep their treasured possessions? Of course, the same applies to people at any age. There are no hard and fast rules as to what someone might keep in their keepsake box, but there is no denying that it is something every single one of us will find a use for.

Best of all, whenever they go to open the box and look through their treasures, the first thing they will see is the box itself, which will forever be associated with the love and thought with which it was given.

A locket

Finally, a gift that in some respects is a combination of all three of the above. A locket can be made of gold, and can contain the most important keepsake of all, a personalized picture, photograph or hand-written message. You could even include a curl of hair from baby’s first haircut on one side and a photo of Baby on the other. It’s enough to melt the heart of any Mom on Mother’s Day!

When a Pest is a Pollinator: What to Do About Carpenter Bees?

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Our new home has a yard filled to the brim with flowering plants, which means that we are able to provide a happy home for lots of different pollinators in our community. That’s a great thing, overall, because as you may already know, North America’s bee population is in serious decline. Keeping our pollinating insects alive ensures that we all get to stay alive, because it means that the crops will continue to grow. So, yeah, it’s kind of a big deal!

But what do you do when the pollinator is also a pest to your actual house? Carpenter bees are a specific threat we have encountered in the last month. Spring is the time when these bees emerge, and while they do pollinate flowers, they also love to drill holes in wood, as that is where they like to lay their eggs. This can cause structural damage to your home, for sure.

I spoke with the experts at Arrow Exterminators, my preferred place of business for all my pest control needs. I explained that I was reluctant to have any sort of chemicals sprayed anywhere near our gardens as I felt that we needed to keep the bees around. I wondered if they might have any alternative suggestions, and I was surprised and delighted when they offered a suggestion that was in the best interest of the bees and that wouldn’t even require a visit from their company to my house. Just one more reason I really trust Arrow Exterminators: they are committed to responsible and ethical pest control management, and not simply dedicated to the pursuit of spraying chemicals as an answer to every problem. Go Arrow Exterminators!

how to get rid of carpenter bees

So what was the advice? Well, it was simple: carpenter bees strongly prefer bare wood, so to keep these insects from inflicting damage on your property, keep a thick layer of paint on wood. It’s much harder for them to chew through the paint and more often than not, it will deter them. Staining wood can also help, but it isn’t as reliable of a method as painting. Additionally, it was suggested to be sure to keep garage doors and shed doors closed as much as possible during the spring, as this is the nesting season and you don’t want to find a nest in your garage!

We have some unpainted wooden outdoor furniture that the carpenter bees seem to LOVE, so an upcoming weekend project will be to get that all painted in the hopes that we’ll send the message to those bees that they can hang out in the garden, but nest building is prohibited!

Have you ever had to deal with pollinating pests around your home? Do you have any other tips for how to keep your property AND the bees safe? I’d love to hear in the comments.

The Shoe Brand We Have Worn All Over the World: KEEN

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Thanks to KEEN and KEEN Kids for partnering with us for today’s post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

In the last 9 months, my family has done quite a lot of adventuring! It started with a month long trip to Switzerland, followed by a 10 day adventure in central Florida, and then last month we spent two glorious weeks in Hawaii.

And through it all, each and every one of us had a workhorse pair of shoes that we primarily wore for all our hiking and exploring and walking adventures. And each pair was made by KEEN and KEEN Kids.

My sister-in-law, who has lived abroad for over 10 years now, and who goes on outdoor adventures as much as possible, suggested we look into KEEN footwear when we were first preparing for our trip abroad. She said that in her experience, this brand of shoes held up the best and could work equally well in dry or wet environments. She said it was a tremendous shoe for whatever the day might throw at you. And she was right on the money!

These sandals have really been through it all, from summer hikes in the Alps, to logging mile after mile at Walt Disney World, to exploring tide pools on the North Shore of O’ahu. I’ve actually been stopped several times by fellow travelers wanting to inquire about what shoes our family was wearing, and I’m always happy to spread the word that we love our KEEN shoes so, so much!

KEEN Kids has just launched some great new colors in the Newport sandals for summer, and my girls have been breaking in their pairs in our yard by doing a little bouldering.

Just as expected, they have been comfortable from the very first wear and I can’t wait to see what lands we will trek on with these particular shoes. If you are looking for something that can be really flexible for different types of terrain, and that can get wet without issue, yet provide toe protection and also be easy to take on and off (my 5-year-old gets her on and off in mere seconds), do check out the Newport sandal. Layah is completely obsessed with her red pair.

And Darah had a purple pair before, and was so thrilled to go another round with purple, but this time with a deeper shade.

Friends, I simply can’t say enough great things about these shoes. They have endured mud-soaked hikes to waterfalls, scorching hot pavements, and all sorts of rocky terrain, and they have held up beautifully. They are easy to wash, too! We have said over and over again that we got more than our money’s worth on each pair that we own, and that we’ll be buying these shoes for our girls from here on out. They really do help outdoor time turn into a big adventure, for the kids and grownups, alike!

Housekeeping Hack: Clean Paws = Clean Floors

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Fresh Step. All opinions are 100% mine.

Just last week my family moved into a new home. We went from 1,300 square feet of space to 3,300 square feet, which makes for so much more room to play and have fun. It also means that there is much more house to keep clean, and that, my friends, is no fun at all. We need some new processes and habits to help keep the work load to a minimum, please and thank you.

One important decision we have made is to try to keep the floors cleaner by not wearing shoes in the house. We have a home for our “daily wear” shoes right by the front door (special occasion shoes can remain in our closets). Not wearing shoes in the house makes a HUGE difference and drastically cuts down on how often we need to sweep and vacuum. It’s also better for our floors and rugs!

And there’s even a solution for our feline family members. In the past, they have certainly contributed their fair share of debris to the floors thanks to little bits of litter that are often left on their paws after using the litter box. Those little bits end up all over the house. And let’s be real, that’s pretty gross, especially if you step on them with bare feet!

Fresh Step has just come out with a low tracking litter called Fresh Step Clean Paws. I have found it easy to purchase at Walmart and have been really pleased with the results. It really seems to work, as I have noticed a decrease in the amount of litter that finds its way outside of the box, and this is all without having to sacrifice the great odor control that Fresh Step has always been known to provide.

See those clean paws? 🙂

We are now a week into living in our new house and creating our new habit of shoes off at the front door, and low tracking litter in the litter boxes. So far, it’s all working out beautifully and I have only had to vacuum and sweep once, and that was just after the movers finished up (couldn’t really ask them to take their shoes off each time they came in with a load of boxes, could I?).

I wish I had instituted this “clean paws” policy for my family in the house years ago! Do you take your shoes off as soon as you come inside? Have you tried Fresh Step Clean Paws to help reduce litter debris in your house? I’m loving it so far, and would love to hear what you think! Any other tips to share to help reduce the amount of dirt and debris in the home?

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Two Weeks on O’ahu: One Family’s Itinerary for Maximum Fun at Minimum Expense

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Dreaming of a family vacation in Hawaii? Feeling deflated about how to ever be able to afford it? Let me help by sharing our itinerary that kept our “on the ground” costs much more reasonable.

When we found super cheap flights to Hawaii ($374 each for Atlanta to Honolulu, when normally $900 and up) we decided to just take a leap and purchase them, knowing we could work out the details later. We also decided that we were going to make such a long journey worth it, so we booked a 14 day stay, since my husband had enough vacation banked at work. I homeschool our kids so we are always available to travel, as well.

I really had a blast exploring all the amazing opportunities on the island. I had on my wish list to attend a luau, to swim with dolphins, to do some guided snorkeling and to visit lots of museums and cultural centers.

And then I started looking at the ticket prices for it all and my stomach just churned! I quickly realized that we would be spending well over a thousand dollars on activities alone if we did all the things on my list. Once I realized what we were going to be spending on housing ($188/night, on average…more on that in a future post) and setting aside about $400 for food (yes, groceries are more expensive in Hawaii), there just wasn’t much money at all left over for fun activities, and certainly not as much as I was calculating we would need. Almost everything had to come off the list and I needed a new plan.

But friends, here’s the wonderful news about Hawaii: the beaches and hiking trails are some of the most breathtakingly gorgeous things to see on O’ahu, and they are either completely free, or they only require a small fee (usually to park your car). You simply need to get out of the “tourist” mindset that says you “can’t miss” XY and Z tourist destination. This isn’t to say that experiences such as these aren’t cool, but if your budget is tight, they really aren’t necessary. We were told over and over, for example, that we simply couldn’t leave O’ahu without attending a luau. Ticket prices for luaus with good reviews were $125/person, so we certainly DID leave the island without attending one, and guess what? We had a BLAST and don’t feel as though we missed out one bit!

cheap ideas for oahu

So here’s what we ended up doing during our time in O’ahu, day by day. We had a planned itinerary that varied a little bit from the final product, and that’s because it’s important to be flexible and to be willing to shift and change based on what the weather’s doing (it was overcast and windy pretty much every day when we visited at the beginning of March) or what the family simply feels up to that day, or based on new discoveries you might have accidentally discovered. Be ready and willing to simply pull over by the side of the road when you see something you want to explore!

Day 1

things to do in oahu with kids 1

  • Arrive in Honolulu.
  • Pick up rental car*
  • Go grocery shopping (we shopped at a nearby Costco, but there are several options)
  • Drive to Lanikai Beach (about 35 minutes away)
  • Arrive at our rental, unload the groceries and quickly head to the beach to get some fresh air and help keep us awake (we’d been awake for about 21 hours at that point).

Day 2

money saving ideas for vacationing in Hawaii

  • Morning hike in Lanikai Beach area (Pillbox Hike)
  • Afternoon spent at Lanikai Beach

Day 3

off the beaten path ideas for Hawaii

  • Morning at Kailua Beach
  • Special treat at Island Snow shave ice (President Obama’s favorite shave ice on the island!)
  • Afternoon hike at Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail (paved, very kid friendly)
  • Check out the nearby blowholes and tidepools on the way back home

Day 4

inexpensive destinations in Hawaii

  • Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (spent the entire day here snorkeling and relaxing!) (Cost $7.50 per adult, kids 12 and under are free, and $1 to park).

Day 5

hiking trails for families Oahu

  • Catch a gorgeous sunrise on Lanikai Beach (watch your weather for the best day to do this; you won’t regret it!)
  • Waterfall hike at Nu’uanu Pali State Wayside (state park)
  • Afternoon at Kailua Beach

Day 6

pearl harbor with kids

  • Travel to Honolulu to see Pearl Harbor (don’t miss out on the Junior Ranger program offered for a nominal fee) (we also sprang for the headsets that provide a self-guided tour at $7.50 each)
  • Quick self-guided driving tour of Honolulu historical sites (such as the royal palace)
  • Stop by Nu’uanu Pali Lookout on the way back to the condo
  • Late afternoon beach session at Lanikai Beach

Day 7

fun places to take kids in Hawaii

  • Quick morning trip to Lanikai Beach to say goodbye
  • Pack up the condo and load up the car
  • Drive to Byodo-In Temple to look around for a bit (it’s lovely!) ($5/person…worth it if you stay for an hour or more, in my opinion).
  • Picnic-style lunch in the car as we traveled and looked around the area
  • Arrive at new condo at Punalu’u Beach
  • Unpack, and go enjoy the VERY quiet beach!

Day 8

quietest beaches on oahu

  • Day to catch up on some homeschooling and some work, and simply enjoy the beach for the day

Day 9

free version of the secret beach on Oahu

  • Visit Kualoa State Park for a beach day (totally free). You will be located pretty much right next to the “secret beach” that folks pay $$$ to visit!
  • Afternoon visit to Polynesian Cultural Center marketplace to pick up a few special treats and souvenirs (it’s free to enter the marketplace!)

Day 10

alternative to polynesian cultural center

  • Quick visit to Puu o Mahuka Heiau, which is a large ancient religious temple site. Beautiful views and a good opportunity to learn more about traditional Hawaiian culture.
  • Visit Waimea Valley. It’s a very beautiful botanical gardens, cultural learning opportunities, and the opportunity to swim to a waterfall, all at a fraction of the cost of the Polynesian Cultural Center. This was our most expensive “tourist” outing, costing $48 for all 4 of us, and it was very much worth it!

Day 11

best tidepools on oahu for kids

  • Watch surfers on the Banzai Pipeline
  • Take kids to a community playground across the street from Sunset Beach
  • Visit Shark’s Cove tidepools
  • Lunch at the food truck stands across from Shark’s Cove (a bit on the pricey side for food truck fare, so you could pack a lunch instead)
  • Afternoon of swimming and relaxation at Turtle Bay (a North shore resort that is $$$$$ to stay at, but the beach, itself, is free!).

Day 12

ways to keep vacation costs down in Oahu

  • Beach day back at the condo
  • Try to catch the sunset at Sunset Beach park (we struck out)

Day 13

cheap ways to learn about Hawaiian culture

  • Another beach day at the condo (we had other plans, but we had so much fun the day prior that we decided to do it again!)
  • Late afternoon travel into Honolulu to see the Honolulu Festival parade (once a year event, and if I had to do it over again I don’t think it was worth the hassle…traffic was beyond insane).

Day 14

enjoying ko olina without staying there

  • Morning visit to the beach to say goodbye
  • Pack up and leave the condo
  • Drive down to Ko Olina to check out the lagoons by Disney Aulani (parking lots are small…as in about 20 spaces per lagoon, so get there early if you can!).
  • Check out all the resorts and hang out at the lagoons. If I had this day to do over again I would have made a beeline for the Mariott, gone through the vacation club presentation (90 minutes) and then taken advantage of the day pass you are given as a reward so we could have played in their pools. I didn’t realize that was an option until we were too short on time.
  • Head across the street to the shops at Ko Olina and get the best iced coffee of your life at Island Vintage Coffee. SOOOOO good!
  • Late afternoon in downtown Honolulu exploring while my husband had a meeting with city officials to talk shop (he works in city government).
  • Fill up the rental car with gas at Costco (best price!) and return it.
  • Back to the airport for an overnight flight back to the mainland. Aloha, Hawaii!

Are there any specific elements of our trip that you’d like to hear about in more detail? Any questions for me? I am so appreciative of all the great blog posts I read before our trip that helped me make plans, and I want to pay that forward by helping you! Please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.

*A Note on Renting a Car

Renting a car on O’ahu is likely to come at a cost higher than you have ever paid before for a rental (around $750 for two weeks). This reality stung something fierce when I first started pricing out options. I even poked around different chat boards to get advice on whether or not we could just use public transportation to get around the island. And you can do that, by the way. But you will make big sacrifices of time in order to do that, and ultimately I wasn’t willing to trade the extra time for the cost savings. You may reach a different conclusion. In our case, we were able to trade in about 4 years’ worth of points my husband had accumulated through a wellness program at his work (he rides his bike to work every day and earns points for that healthy choice). We were so relieved to see that he had enough to provide us with a free car rental, so that really helped our budget for the trip. You may have something similar at your work, or perhaps you have some credit card points that can be applied to a car rental. Do some digging to see if you might have something like this available, because I will tell you that having a car was absolutely critical for us. We used it every single day, and it’s how we were able to see and do so many amazing things.

My Favorite Coffee Break Hobby (and How I Earn Money While Doing It!)

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As parents, free time is one of our most precious commodities. So when we finally do have that extra thirty minutes to relax on the couch, it’s important that we’re using it wisely. One common question I get from moms and dads is how they can use that spare time to make some extra spending money.

If you’re like many parents who are looking to work from home on a flexible basis, then you’ve likely heard about paid surveys. That means you’re probably also familiar with all the questions that we have to ask when deciding whether they’re worth taking.

Today I’m going to do the work for you and recommend that you check out one of my favorite panels- Survey Junkie.

Here’s why.

 

Survey Junkie Is Legit

The words “scam” and “survey” often appear together on the internet. So it’s important to make sure that if you are going to sign up for a panel, you find one that’s actually legitimate. That means no lies and no hidden fees.

 

As the highest rated survey site on Trust Pilot, Survey Junkie is one of the most reputable panels on the internet today. It’s absolutely free to join, and you don’t have to pay anything to redeem your points. Any site that asks you otherwise should automatically raise your red flags.

With Survey Junkie, all you need to do to sign up is input your email address on this page. You can also connect via Facebook or Google.

They’ve Got A Great Rewards System

Okay, so we get that they’re trustworthy and reliable. But what will you actually get with the points you earn on the site?

 

This is one of the best parts of Survey Junkie. First things first, they’ve got a very low payout threshold. As soon as you earn 1,000 points ($10), you’re eligible to cash out. And when you’re ready to cash out, you can choose from several different reward options. These include both cash via PayPal or e-Gift cards to popular retailers, such as Target, Walmart, Amazon, Starbucks, Sephora, and more.

When you redeem your points successfully, you’ll receive your rewards immediately. So you don’t have to wait for an obnoxiously long time to treat yourself to that new lipstick at Sephora or finally check off the items on your Amazon wish list.

You Can Actually Make a Difference on Survey Junkie

This perk is one that’s often overlooked, but also one that every parent needs to know about.

One of the greatest advantages of Survey Junkie is that they actually want to empower you to make a difference. So they’ve created a super user-friendly interface that makes your experience on the site easy to navigate and enjoyable to use. Members have the opportunity to share their opinion about the brands that affect their families, which puts the power back in our hands to create the world we want to live in.

 

The first thing you’ll do after confirming your email is fill out your general profile. (And FYI, you’ll get points for doing both of these things)! This series of questions helps Survey Junkie get to know your interests, so they can match you with the best possible surveys to take. That means you’ve got a greater chance of answering questions on topics that matter to you as a parent, and to make a genuine difference to the products and services that impact your life.

If you’ve ever entertained the idea of taking paid surveys, then I highly recommend you check out Survey Junkie. It’s one of my favorite ways to make extra cash, and I’ve found the site to be fun, reliable, and empowering.

You can sign up for Survey Junkie here.