Our Fall Bucket List

September 21, 2022llmckenzi Leave a comment

Tis’ the season for pumpkin spice and everything nice! I love everything about Fall from the crisp air to the warm apple cider. Just like how Lorelei Gilmore can smell snow, I can smell Fall from a mile away… it’s a gift! My family and I have gathered a list of all our favorite fall things to share with you! Enjoy! 🍁

1. Go Apple Picking

2. Carve a Pumpkin

3. Take a Hayride

4. Drink Apple Cider

5. Drink Pumpkin Spice Coffee

6. Make Apple Crisp

7. Make Apple Pie

8. Make Apple Turnovers

9. Buy a Pumpkin Candle

10. Rake Leaves & Jump in the piles

11. Wear your favorite fall sweater

12. Eat Apple Cider Donuts

13. Make Pumpkin Muffins

14. Make Pumpkin Pie

15. Decorate your home in fall decor

16. Go to a Pumpkin Patch

17. Watch Hocus Pocus

18. Go through a Corn Maze

19. Dress up for Halloween

20. Eat lots of Halloween Candy

21. Check out local fall festivals

22. Go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disney’s Magic Kingdom

23. Make Carmel Apples

24. Enjoy the Crisp Air

25. Wear your Favorite Scarf

26. Take a Scenic Drive

27. Take a Fall Photo

28. Tell Ghost Stories

29. Go to a Haunted House or go on a Haunted Hayride

30. Eat Halloween Oreos (my favorite)

31. Eat Candy Corn

Hope you enjoyed our Fall Bucket List! Comment below with your favorite things about Fall!

Happy Fall Y’all

Disclaimer: This article is based on my opinions and is not affiliated or being endorsed by Walt Disney World or any other Disney company.

The Traveling Fab Five’s Favorite Travel Gadgets & Gear

December 18, 2018llmckenzi Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again, between the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and holiday parties we are always on the go. We have tested out of our share of travel gadgets and some have won over our traveling hearts and some have not. So this year we have put together our must have travel list of all our favorite travel items and gear and we can’t wait to share them with you!

First lets start with luggage! Our favorite luggage is by American Tourister, we love the Disney prints which are always easy to find in airport baggage claim. We love how these roll smoothly as we run through the airport to get to our gate in time. They have a ton of pockets and the 28″ is quite large, it holds all of our family of five’s clothes for short trip.

Our next must have item is luggage straps. I am an over packer for sure, and this little gadget gives me the travel security and peace of mind I need to ensure my luggage wont burst open on the runway. I like how inexpensive they are and how they come in every color imaginable. I also love how I can use them to strap luggage together (again over packing at it’s finest!).

While most people travel with neck pillows, I am a full pillow kind of gal. Those fancy neck pillows just don’t do me any justice when traveling, especially when traveling in the car! My head and neck need full support but instead of carrying around a huge pillow. This travel pillow is the perfect compact cushion for my noggin. I have also found it to be the best pillow for my kids when traveling because it is small enough for their little heads too.

The next item is not only our favorite tumbler to travel with, but a daily must have in our family. It’s a YETI stainless steel insulated tumbler. This baby beats out all other travel tumblers in my opinion. It keeps our drinks ice-cold all day long. I have tested out a fair share of tumblers and I always come back to my YETI. They are a bit pricey but they go on sale often and trust me, they are worth every penny!

Now, let’s talk sleeping arrangements. As you know, we are a family of five and most hotels only accommodate four people so we purchased a Regalo My Cot which is a portable toddler bed. It folds up to be the size of a camping chair and comes with a fitted sheet and a carrying case. If you are traveling with little ones, this toddler bed has saved us from squishing together into a tiny full size bed. Some airlines will even not charge you to fly with it since it looks like a portable crib when it is folded up (and those fly free!). I like to pack toddler sized bedding for it too since it is a cot and could use the extra bedding for comfort.

Speaking of travel with little ones, I always seem to be potty training (those dreaded words still send a chill down my spine!) one of our kiddos every time our family takes a cross-country trip. Rest stop bathrooms are not built for our their little bottoms. I found this handy-dandy folding potty seat which is worth its weight in gold. A quick tip for littles that are scared of automatic toilets is to carry post-it notes with you and place a piece on the sensor until your little one is finished their business. Just make sure to remove it before exiting the bathroom!

When taking a long car ride or road trip a good backseat organizer is a must. I love this Munchkin backseat organizer because it has plenty of pockets for toys, books, snacks and cups. Some pockets are deep enough to fit a few larger heavier items. They also sell some fancier backseat organizers that have a place to store an iPad so that children can watch a show or movie or even store it when they are not using it. A clean backseat equals a happy mom!

I mentioned my favorite travel tumbler, now it’s time to tell you about my kids favorite travel cup! Snackeez Jr is a snack and drink cup all in one. It holds a small snack in the top of the cup. Then you can unscrew the lid and the bottom of the cup holds your drink. I love this cup for traveling because we do not have a ton of cup holders in our car so this cup is a great space saver! They come in cute designs and even Disney prints.

As you may already know, we have a kiddo that has sensory issues and that can sometimes make traveling a bit more challenging. We love these Snug noise canceling headphones because they fold up nicely and can be easily thrown in a purse or bag. They come in 9 different colors and are my kiddos favorite for those sensory overload situations. They have also come in handy for movie theaters, concerts, loud parades and firework shows.

My last must-have item comes in handy when traveling on business or for a special occasion. This URPOWER garment steamer is portable and heats up fast! A travel steamer was a must-have travel item for my husband when he was traveling for residency interviews. It includes a small travel pouch which is small and great for packing into a suitcase or carry on. Trust me you will thank me when you show up to that wedding or interview wrinkle free! You’re Welcome!

So there you have it folks, those are some of our must have gadgets and gear. Feel free to comment below and let us know what your favorite travel items are or if you have one of the products above a try!

Happy Travelin’

Disclaimer: This article is based on my opinions and is not affiliated or being endorsed by any of the products or companies listed above.

Ten Fabulous Traveling Tips

December 29, 2016March 12, 2024llmckenzi Leave a comment

This year my family & I have been fortunate enough to be able to take some amazing trips. We have traveled to Disney World, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, Durham, NC, Wilmington, NC, Hilton Head, SC and Jacksonville, Fl. While some of these trips were planned some were also spontaneous adventures. Our family loves to pack up the car for a night or two and take the kids on a mystery ride. Over the years we have mastered the art of the road trip. I thought I would share a few tips with you.

1. Hangers- Most hotels already have some in your room however if they don’t then I recommend bringing some from home. We use hangers to hang our wet bathing suits on. Genius, I know right! This saves us some coin, so we don’t have to use the hotel dryer. There is nothing I hate more than coming home from a trip with your suitcase smelling like stale pool water (gross!). Most Disney World Resort hotels have a clothesline in the shower, so I recommend bringing clothes pins, since they take up less space.

2. Bins- Most of the time you can find these bins in my office filled with all sorts of fun finds. When we are traveling I empty it out and fill the drawers with food for my boys, since they require special allergy friendly diets. The key is to find bins that are portable but also are not too heavy when you fill the drawers with food. The bins work out great in hotel rooms since there is usually not a lot of extra space to store food. When traveling to Disney World we like to pack extra food for the entire family so that we do not have to eat out as much, which saves us a lot of money in the parks!

3. Collapsible Hamper- I picked up this beauty at the Dollar store. Since we are a family of five we have a lot of laundry! The hamper comes in handy so that we do not have to put dirty clothes in our suitcase with our clean clothes. It also makes going to the hotel laundry room a lot easier!

4. Toy organizer for your car- We bought this toy organizer a few years ago and it was worth every penny! Trust me, you and your car will thank me for this tip! There is nothing worse than taking a road trip with kids and arriving to your destination to find your backseat looking like a bomb went off! I have found that a Dollar store shoe organizer does the trick just as well!

5. Prizes/ Car Games- After a few hours in the car I am sure your little ones have already played with every toy they brought with them. This is when I get the mom of year award… before the trip I will go to the Dollar Store or hit up the Target dollar bins and buy some small games & toys. I will then randomly hand out a few of these prizes to keep the little ones entertained for the remainder of the trip. Our family loves car games to pass the time. One of our favorite games is Eye Spy. Although after a while you may tire of the same trees, cars and billboards. Once your little ones learn how to read you can play the license plate game which is always fun. Another tip is to save unopened kids meal toys. My kids get so excited for kid’s meal toys, it is like Christmas morning all over again!

6. Plan Breaks- I like to get to our destination as fast as possible but when traveling with little ones I have found that planning breaks ahead of time is a must! I like to find stops where the kids can run and play. I have found that most outlet shops have playgrounds that are a great way to get some ‘ya yas’ out before continuing on with your trip. We also like to pack a lunch, have a picnic and maybe do a little shopping. If you don’t have access to any outlets or malls along your journey then you can also turn a rest stop into a fun adventure. You can have your little ones play tag or simply just run before heading back in the car. Don’t forget to have everyone empty his or her bladders before getting in the car! I can’t even begin to tell you how many times we have left a rest stop just to have someone say five minutes later that they need to use the bathroom.

7. Portable DVD player- This is my secret weapon! My kids can tell you that it takes us about 4 movies to get to Disney World, ha-ha! Whenever we are about to take a long car ride we hook up the DVD players even if we decide not to use them. They are a wonderful distraction from the long hours in the car plus who doesn’t enjoy a few hours of screen time!

8. Snack Bag- This was a gift from another Disney loving family like us! Anytime we are planning to leave our house for a few hours we take our snack bag along and fill it with allergy friendly snacks for our boys as well as some breakfast & lunch food so we can stop and have a picnic. Most highway rest stops are filled with junk food or fast food so bringing healthy treats from home is super helpful and saves you some money.

9. Overnight Bag- Some of our road trips are 10 hours or more so we like to stop at a hotel for a night and get a good night sleep before continuing on our adventure. Instead of bringing in 4 suitcases into the hotel for just one night I usually pack an overnight bag for the entire family. I will pack pajamas, a change or clothes and a bathing suit (if the hotel has a pool) for everyone. I also like to do this when we travel on a plane too just in case the airline happens to lose our luggage. Also, when traveling to Disney World, the Magical Express will pick you up and take you to your hotel then magically your suitcase arrives at your room a few hours later. While waiting for your luggage to arrive however, it is nice to have quick access to a bathing suit or a fresh change of clothes after a long day of travel.

10. Blow up tube- I purchased this one at the Dollar store. I keep it in our suitcase as a back up if I forget to bring our Puddle Jumper life vest. A blow up tube is perfect for traveling because its compact and all you need is a little hot air! There is nothing better than arriving to your hotel after a long day and taking a dip in the pool! Also a great way for your little ones to get some energy out before heading to bed.

If you have decided to fly instead of drive to your destination, I have found that the cheapest flights are best to book on a Tuesday at 3:00pm six weeks prior to your trip. Our family has also found that last-minute travel websites like Priceline are amazing for saving a ton a money at the last minute. We have stayed at 4 & 5 star hotels for a quarter of the price and sometimes we have booked them an hour prior to arriving! Hope you have found these travel tips helpful!

Happy Travelin’

Travelin’ with Allergens (Food that is!)

August 23, 2012March 12, 2024llmckenzi Leave a comment

My son has several different food allergies, which makes traveling and going to restaurants a bit challenging. On the up side finding soy free, dairy free and egg free products is a lot easier now a days. You no longer have to go to specialty food stores! I buy most of my son’s special food products at our local grocery store and I buy them at a reasonable price, which is always a plus! Here are a few tips that I have learned over the past year that may help you out!

Tip 1: Don’t forget to read food labels!

I cannot tell you how many times I have forgotten to check a food label… I would have never of guessed how many allergens could be hidden in a product! Most parents of children with food allergies know how important it is to read the ingredients label. In my house, to make life easier for me and for my family, my son has a special shelf in the food pantry that has all of his allergy free foods. I also label all foods in my pantry and in my refrigerator with a giant black “X” if that food is not safe for my son to have which makes sure that I don’t accidently give him something he cannot have. Even at restaurants I ask to read the ingredient listed on all the food that my son will be eating.

Tip 2: Don’t be afraid to leave your house!

Every time my son has an allergic reaction to something I immediately change into overprotective mom mode. I know that I cannot protect my son from the world (even though I try!) and after a few days of rashes and vomiting I soon realize that he is a toddler and needs to be a toddler! Luckily my son does not have life threatening allergies or else I think I’d be a complete basket case.

Tip 3: Don’t be afraid to bring food from home!

Lunch totes

Whenever I leave the house I always remember to pack my son snacks or even a full meal to bring with us. Having your child’s favorite foods on hand can be a lifesaver when you are out somewhere and you want to buy yourself (or your other child) a treat that contains allergens. I bought a lunch tote on clearance at Target at the end of fall that is the perfect size for traveling. I also bought a cheap ice pack at the grocery store for $0.79, which fits perfectly in the bottom of the bag. I take the tote pretty much everywhere… Even into restaurants!

Tip 4: Don’t be afraid to eat at restaurants!

Restaurants over the past few years have become very accommodating to people with food allergies. If I know ahead of time that we will be eating at a restaurant I will go onto the restaurants website and research the menu. Most chain restaurants have a special menu for people with food allergies. Then when I arrive at the restaurant I will inform the server what my son’s allergies are so that he or she can inform the chef. I have yet to find a restaurant that has not found something for my son to eat.

Tip 5: Don’t be afraid to fly!

The TSA and most airlines have recently made flying with food allergies easier. The TSA allows you to bring milk, juice, and formula for children in your carry-on bag. These items are excluded from the 3-1-1 rule! (Check out the TSA website for an explanation of the 3-1-1 rule) Also, before you travel make sure to check out the TSA’s website on items that are on the ‘prohibited list’ to ensure that you can bring it through security without any issues. I also brought a note from my son’s pediatrician that listed the items he is allergic to and the items that we therefore had to bring in our carry-on (i.e. Rice milk). Before you book any airfare though, you should look up the airlines policy on traveling with allergies. In a few days we will be traveling with Jet Blue ourselves and I was amazed to find out that they make sure you are seated in an area that is free of allergens (such as peanuts). If for some reason they are unable to accommodate you then they will reimburse you for the airfare.

Even though having a child with food allergies can be challenging at times. With good planning and preparation you can travel with them have fun and keep them safe!

Happy Travelin!

Jet Lag = Melt Downs

August 17, 2012March 12, 2024llmckenzi Leave a comment

My goal is to give you tips on how to travel with kids so I wanted to share a story with you and give you 4 quick tips from my most recent trip to California with my four year old.

Tip 1: Some airlines offer great deals on flights for “Black Friday” aka the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Last year, on a whim, I decided to take them up on this great offer and purchased a round trip ticket from Boston to Los Angeles for a steal of $250! That’s right I said round trip! I have yet to find an offer as great as this one! The downside to this deal is that you need to plan your trip anywhere from ‘as soon as possible’ to only three months out. Due to my budget I chose to book our trip on the very last week I possibly could in order to save up some extra money for spending.

After calculating the numbers (2 adults + 2 kids= $1,000 for plane tickets) my hubby and I decided that since the trip was to visit my best friend that I should be the one to go. Then after numerous discussions about how much I would miss my hubby and my children we made another decision to make the trip a girls weekend for my four-year-old daughter and myself. The next day I was so excited to tell my daughter the great news! Finally she would be going on a plane again… (my daughter thinks plane trips are the coolest thing in the world!) This brings me to my next tip.

Tip 2: Don’t hype up a trip to a four year old that is over 100 days away. It will only lead to him/her asking you everyday “are we leaving today?” My advice is to create a countdown calendar when the trip is 30 days away. This way he/she can visually see how many days before your big trip and this will help keep you sane!

Tip 3: The day before you leave make sure you give your kids a late morning nap especially if they have to wake up at 3:00am the next morning. Also, put them to bed an hour early. Trust me, you will thank yourself when you have to wake them at the crack of dawn!

On the morning of our trip, my biggest fear was airport security. To my surprise the security guards were AMAZING! They were so nice to my daughter and could tell she was nervous so they made sure that she didn’t leave my side. Next we boarded the plane, which was also a pleasant experience, because some airlines will let you board after first class with kids under 5 so you can get settled and not hold up the boarding process. The flight was 6 hours long (which feels forever especially when you did not get any sleep the night before. Tip 3 would’ve come in handy right about now!) I came prepared with toys, games, movies, books, and magazines for her and my own entertainment.

After landing in LAX and rushing through the airport to baggage claim my daughter mentioned she was hungry. I told her we would get some lunch soon which I quickly forgot about in the hustle and bustle of the airport. My best friend picked us up and our trip began without missing a beat. Our first stop was Hollywood Blvd for some star searching and shopping. At this point I am exhausted (there is a 3-hour time difference) but I am eager to see what the Hollywood fuss is all about. Soon we came across the Disney Soda Fountain & Studio Store and that’s when I have the fabulous idea of ordering us some ice cream for lunch (it is vacation of course!). We eat, enjoy then carry on. Our next stop was the Santa Monica Pier, which brings me to the greatest tip in the world!

Tip 4: Make sure to plan or pack healthy snacks, meals and stay on a schedule! After parking at the pier, my daughter throws the most dramatic temper tantrum that I have ever seen her throw. Which then made me realize it is 2:00pm (when in her world is really 5:00pm EST aka dinner time) and all she has eaten all day was a piece of a muffin and some ice cream. So frantically I run up and down the pier looking for a quick bite to eat. I was able to get her to eat a few bites of a burger and some fries. About 20 minutes later the second meltdown began which would have been avoided if I had followed my own tip and stayed on our Eastern Time zone schedule!

Before the Meltdown….

Fortunately the next day was a new day and I made sure that I was going to stick to our normal schedule with plenty of healthy snacks and meals for the rest of the trip! Hope these tips help you on your next trip!