Hello October! Summer ‘19 may be gone but the memories are forever

Summer 2019 is officially over and we’re saying hello to Fall!

Just this week we hit a 90 degree day which had the beach written all over it. Instead of hitting the ocean we chose to get in the feeling of fall and head to a farm in New Jersey for apple picking.

We love the actual shop of Battle view orchards in freehold, NJ. So, it was only fitting to collect as many apples as possible (20 to be exact) then head over to the shop to purchase, pies, apple donuts, apple cider, AND candy apple kits once done in the fields.

With Halloween approaching we plan to head back to one of our favorite farm locations. Maple Leaf 🍁 Farm in Manalapan, NJ or Salem NY Harvest Moon Orchard and Wilkins Fruit & Fir Farm. It’s such a privilege to live in a state that has Farming options for fresh fruit and veggies so close by from upstate New York to our neighbors in New Jersey.

Let us know where you’ll be heading during the harvest season? Pumpkins 🎃 or 🍎 Apples or both?

We’re sending Summer off with so much love!

There was less travel to far away destinations but so much love and adventure captured in our CTH (close to home) stay cation destinations.

We’re listing them below and starting with the brand new Lego Land in Goshen, NY

Summer 2020 is going to be “awesome” if you’re a lego fan living close to NY or ready to travel to this new location. It is beyond adventure in the theme park there will also be a resort filled with awesomeness.. I mean is there anything better to look forward to?! Get your passes NOW

~ The Kartrite in Monticello NY

~ The Great Wolf Lodge

~ Martha’s Vineyard

~ Dorney Park

~Hershey Park

Local weekend/Weekday fun included trips to the Zoo, summer camp fun, Partying at Luna Park Coney Island; which will be opening up their halloween 🎃 👻 fun fest “Hello October!”

🏖 Endless beach days

Brigantine NJ

All of the recap has me thinking about planning a new vacay or staycation , how about you?

Summer Road trip to Twinsburg Part I

The best part of traveling includes family and traditions.

We love to visit new places and discover new things; yet we also love to take our traditional road trips to our favorite places to continue building our family memories.

This years trip to Twins day festival was extra special. There seems to be a pattern of it getting better and better each year.

We took a road trip to Twinsburg Ohio in the coolest and safest Mazda CX-9 . The kiddos enjoyed the music and navigation features which let them know how far we were from our destination…..without them asking the infamous “are we there yet?”

As a driver, I enjoyed the room and luxury of my very own space. The 3 row seater vehicle is my favorite now that we have 3 children. The crystal white CX-9 Mazda has made its way to the top of our list, as we are currently on the hunt for a new vehicle coming October. I am always impressed with the safety features on this vehicle and now that we have had the opportunity to test drive the car for a week to one of our favorite place, it’s time to possibly make her one of the family.

Have you ever fallen in love with a vehicle and gave it a gender?

Amongst all the other excitement happening during our week in Twinsburg, V & K witnessed a royal twins wedding!

There’s more to come…. especially if you’re a fan of the TLC network.

Disclosure: this post was created with my personal opinion.

Our favorite road trip summer snacks

We have been on the go this summer as many of us all have. I mean, we’re all trying to squeeze in the joy of the sun before (not going to say it) you know what happens.

Being on the go with the kiddos means packing snacks for those quick hungry moments.

We’ve discovered imagine snacks – a delicious yogurt crunch blend. Also available in different flavors such as cheddar . We truly enjoyed the yogurt sweet biscotti taste …. so much so that K would have preferred to keep it to herself .

Imag!ne snacks

We also discovered that the delicious KIND co has “KIND KIDS” ! Exciting and delicious all wrapped in one small package.

KIND KIDS

I discovered my go to snack after receiving a shipment of the assorted blended brittles. The Softer than brittle brand has been around for 60 years and developed by a family recipe. I have been enjoying this snack with my morning coffee or matcha as well as when we’re on the go during this summer.

Summer Fun at Liberty Science Center

When you think of summer activities do you ever think of indoor activities? Well, we have an awesome indoor activity for you to consider.

The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ is a 300,000 square foot space located in Liberty State Park. There are so many reasons to visit this space and the surrounding areas but we’re going to share with you the reason why we love Liberty Science Center.

We attended the Summer time fun at Liberty science center with our friends at Mom trends to experience the FOUR great, Amazing exhibits and more. We couldn’t wait to share them with you – along with the opportunity to win 2 tickets of your own to experience it for yourselves !

This summer at Liberty Science Center there is a dinosaur experience, a scientific experience based on the human body called “Grossology”, Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium in a giant dome theater, and an Arthurs world interactive exhibit.

With all of that excitement….where do you start?

We began our experience at Jack Horner’s Dino Dig; where all of the kiddos were able to use their imaginations and the tools that paleontologists use to dig through 35 tons of sand to find fossils.

Next, we made our way over to the brand new Grossology exhibit.  LSC takes you on a fun and interactive experience within this exhibit. There is a slide through the tummy that is hard to resist as well as the belly pumping soda can which lets you know how much liquid enters the belly and the process of a belch. Our littles Bash had the best time learning about snot…yes snot.

The second new exhibit that you would not want to miss is “Arthur’s world”, itself.  This exhibit includes an interactive play stage for singing and dancing as well as some of his favorite places such as a camping site, Arthurs home, school setting and library.

We saved the 4th exhibit for last because it is the 4th largest Planetarium in the western hemisphere.

We are so happy that it has made its home at the NYC-NJ Metropolitan area!

The Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium is constructed of a dome shape at about 89 feet. This is where you will be able to experience shows and siting like the Orion Nebula – the night sky.

There are different show experiences throughout the day. However our top showing was Sesame Street! The planetarium is there for all age viewings, even 2 year olds will remain engaged when Big Bird is talking with friends, singing and dancing on the moving dome screen.

General admission is 22.75 for adults, 18.75 for children ages 2-12 and exhibits Arthur’s world and Dino Dig are included.

Enter to win our giveaway by commenting below and linking it HERE

Cool off at these Summer Pop ups

How amazing is the craze of pop up shops?!

Doesn’t it seem like everyone is sharing their photos in these perfectly curated locations? Pop up shops are so popular right now and we are enjoying the amazing talents of designers who create the space as well as the brands they’re dedicated to.

Since summer is the most motivating season to get out and enjoy the weather we visited 2 pop ups that will only be in NYC for the summer.

One is the museum of ice cream’s Pint Shop.

There are walls covered in photo opportunities and skateboards to purchase ( amongst other things) . The girls and Bash couldn’t get enough of the boards; but unfortunately Mr B couldn’t ride so he wasn’t too happy.

However ice cream to the rescue!

Yes there are refrigerators with stacks of frozen one of a kind delectable ice creams for you to purchase. The 7 amazing flavors make it hard to chose but we were strategic and narrowed it down to 2 of our favorites.

Can you guess by this photo ? And the other was chocolate chunk (how can you resist) besides we had to make Bash happy too! “Choco-wit” is his favorite!

After choosing our ice cream, we took advantage of the photo opportunities and went with the Banana setting. Hey ,girls like to chat; even if its with a banana in the ear.

We then headed over to the new pier 17 waterfront location at the south street seaport NYC.

On opening weekend of this pop up music, family fun and food location The amazing artist Geronimo created an installation of colorful balloons along the deck. The ambiance was very close to Ibiza or European waterfront (as close as I’ll be again for the next 8-10years) with music, happy children and adults mingling together on a summer day and night.

– It was an inspiration of color, art, and love! Everyone danced, and enjoyed the opportunity to take photos sharing the new Pier 17 location.

🎼 We highly recommend these locations for an easy summer day in the city !

For More photos and stories

Travel to the island we love most

After many years of traveling to the East to visit that amazing little Island for opening season called Martha’s Vineyard .. it never gets old. Every time I return, I tell myself that the children will always love it here as much as I do and will continue to come when they have their own families one day.

There is always an inspirational moment and something new to discover when visiting.

I found the best work space to sit and get work done in the early mornings or during afternoon naps.

Every town from Edgartown, to Vineyard haven to oaks bluff, back to the cliffs are phenomenal day or night.

The weather was completely perfect this trip so we made time for the beach and pool.

However the topper was the visit to the airport and the farm. The sweet farm in Edgartown was very interactive. The children were able to experience life on the farm as little “barnyard buddies” .

Nancy’s was our dinning of choice on National Lobster day and almost every night we found ourselves at the Back Door donuts for a snack.

The snacking is A OK when you’re walking through town or riding your bikes…. we were happier with riding the flying horses and catching the rings. In which K was the lucky winner of the brass ring 3 Times!

Epic for anyone whose ever had a ride on the flying horses!

We even squeezed in movie time to watch the Incredibles at the original Strand Theatre.

On our very last day we made a stop at the little free library to drop off a book – our new story that I began writing on our last trip to the Vineyard Here

Summer camp here we come

Books Books and more Books at BEA & BookCon

NYC Book Expo and Book Con has become one big playground for literary lovers, publishers and creators during this amazing event.

Over the years these two amazing events have joined in to offer a full display of authors, books, opportunities to connect readers  libraries and literary enthusiast over the course of 5 days. We were so excited to spend the weekend touring the floors at the NYC Javits Center.  V & K were so excited to explore the children’s books section of scholastic as well as checking out the new “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” .  While I was happy to have them lead the way and chaperone.

Walking into the center was very exciting their faces were highlighted when noticing the huge image of our friend (in our minds) Jim Patterson. Whom introduced his new book collaboration with Bill Clinton “The President is missing”.  Which has just been added to my must read pile right after MICHELLE OBAMA’s published story, “Becoming”.

I’m always inspired by the book expo because of my background in publishing and writing.  I love to attend to refresh my visions and connections with all of the great people working the floor.  There is always something new to discover in this creative space.  Quirk Books  a publishing and creative group of leaders in the literary world set a very open and inviting setting to allow you to learn more about what they offer their readers and authors.  The nostalgic animation to the new sense of fun and pops of color was noticed in their array of publishing.

V & K’s highlights included Harry Potter’s portion of the Expo ; I mean don’t we all!

The opportunity to meet a very talented Joker during Book Con was quite frightening and exciting!

The day was made when the girls were able to take a picture with (wink) Harry and Meghan Markle while wearing crowns themselves.

All of the added animation continue to bring everyone’s imagination to life; which is why we love attending each year.

Here’s to more TwinDollicious Adventures – currently going to summer camp

Balancing it all on Spring Break

We had a balancing act of a Spring break.

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Did you know that Spring break is one of the most traveled breaks in the USA? Most all levels of schools are off at the same time including graduate level. There are also many states that share the same time for break to observe the Easter, Passover and holiday crossing paths.

We ventured off to our home away from home during the break to enjoy some fun in the sun. We enjoy any excuse to visit beautiful Florida and the April weather was amazing; especially after being bombarded by snow storm after snow storm in NYC. Seriously Mother Nature- let’s get it together “It’s SPRING!”

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We visited 2 of the many places that we blogged about prior to our trip and even made an excursion to a new favorite place; the Brevard Zoo– where we discovered that Dinosaurs are still alive and living amongst us in Florida!

I am convinced that V & K are planning a trip to London to attend school with Harry Potter after their evening at Universal Studios in Harry Potter’s corner of the world. If you haven’t visited yet, you must…….just for the Butter Beer alone… in my opinion.

April 1st happened to be Easter Sunday this year, which was quite a treat for V & K. They renamed the entire day Easter fools day and continuously played tricks on us, some including hiding our cell phones for approximately 10 minutes until we figured out that they were hidden.

Our Easter Sunday included a fun egg hunt at an Orlando resort followed by a perfect day of sun at LEGO Land!

We managed to visit some of our favorite beaches and places for work and play during this trip.

Balance during vacation is possible!

There’s something about our family that doesn’t fully turn off even during vacation. Work is fun for us; it’s a lifestyle. So, we continued down south to Palm Beach. Here is where my husband finds his time to do his morning work routine, and visit properties.

My mom balance however isn’t as easy; but I’m sure many of you can relate. However I do find a way to balance my writing and staying connected while the kiddos are by the pool, at the beach at times simultaneously while Bash is napping.

During this trip I actually connected with a fellow hey mama at Luxury Garage Sale in Miami, and scored an awesome top at the same time.

Every time we find ourselves in the city of Miami we make time to lounge poolside with an adult beverage which happens close to never during our daily routines… at times it’s as if two ships are passing each other by. When we are in need of a anchor we regroup with time away; it’s how we strive in this lifestyle that we’ve created.

During our Spring break vacation we took a minute to look around and discover that 12 years prior to having children we dreamed of including these little people to the late night beach runs, sunsets, dancing, music, adventure and fun.

We learn from our experiences and remain focused to enjoy life!

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Our favorite places to visit for Spring break

Luna Park

Keeping up with Coney Islands honored seaside amusements Luna Park is an open gated amusement park. This means that there is no fee to enter. With Luna Card deals and Wristband deals there are options for any guest whether they want to go on 1 ride or tackle all the rides.

LEGO Land

LEGO land resort is a multi day vacation destination located in central Florida; great for children age 2-12. It includes a water and beautiful botanic garden. There’s even a chance for you to see if those LEGO come to life at night by staying over at the resort.

Disney land

Enter a magical kingdom where you can sail with pirates, explore exotic jungles, meet fairy-tale princesses, dive under the ocean and rocket through the stars—all in the same day! Disneyland Park is a beloved Southern California destination where generations of families have made their Disney dreams come true. Walt’s Disney’s original Disneyland theme park, which first opened on July 17, 1955, is now divided into 8 extravagantly themed lands: Main Street, U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Mickey’s Toontown, Frontierland, Critter Country, New Orleans Square and Adventureland

Sahara Sams

If indoor water parks are your jam , you’ve come to the right place!

School’s out for Spring Break and we’re open for 2 weeks straight! Come splash, surf and slide all break-long, we’re open everyday March 24th – April 8th.

Kalahari

Enjoy Spring break admission to America’s Largest Indoor Waterpark for each registered guest!

Overnight stay in a beautifully-appointed Desert Room for up to 4 guests.

YOUR CHOICE: 1 Dancing Kenya and 1 Kalahari-logo Beach Towel -OR- 2 Kalahari-logo Coffee Mugs and 2 Kalahari-logo Travel Mugs

Two Kalahari T-Shirts

Disney world

The greatest place on earth! What can we say 💕💕

It’s Time for Some Sun and Fun!

Save up to 20% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels for stays most nights April 15 to June 10, 2018 when you book by April 7, 2018

Universal Volcano Bay

At this all new theme water park it’s a tropical paradise for you to enjoy amazing waterfalls with an easy wave of the wrist.

We’ve set our eggs for the Easter Bunny and packed our most stylish Sun hat as we set off for an adventurous spring break!

Shopkins Live tour dance party

As huge fans of Shopkins we were super exited to learn that they were Taking their show on a Live tour!

V and K have been collecting these little figures before there was a fashion mall attached to them. What a dream for a fashion girl x’s 2 – I Know

After learning about the story behind the world tour and how the characters

would resemble some of their favorite Shopkins we were excited! What was even more exciting was how close the authenticity of how children may pretend play with their own shopkins at home come to life on stage… we were ready to witness the show !

We were able to catch the ShopKins Live show at the Staten Island St George Theater during their last show In NYC before the show hits the road for Canada. V & K enjoyed watching their favorite shopkins Bubbleisha, Jessicakes, Cocolette, Pirouetta, Polli Polish, Rainbow Kate, PeppaMint, kooky cookie, shady Diva and the show stopper Slick breadstick, just to name a few. While Bash made a new BFF in Apple Blossom, during his dance routine in the aisle.

There is no way for any shopkins lover to remain seated during this amazing show.

The music was an instantaneous dance shaker!

The show had such a great storyline with a perfectly timed intermission that kept you wanting more. What great story doesn’t include a little mystery and excitement; well it was included in the live show!

At the end of the show some lucky kiddos were treated to a dance off to the sounds of the Shopkins Theme music, which then lead to a meet and greet photo opportunity.

V & K were so excited to show Jessi cakes and the gang their glam routine, so they put those Pink Lip purses and TwinDollicious tutus to great use.