Wild Waterparks: An Indoor Adventure

Today's post includes some options for indoor waterparks, particularly in the Great Lakes area, although most sections of the country now will have an indoor waterpark or two. When the weather turns cold, why not spend a night or two and enjoy some summertime temps.

One of my favorite indoor waterparks is Great Wolf Lodge, with locations scattered throughout the country. I like the multitude of things for the kids to do and it has always been very clean. Of course, it is going to be more crowded and expensive during the school breaks and weekends, but if you can swing going during an off-week or on a weekday night, it becomes much more affordable. We always try to do a Sunday night-Monday day combination right after the spring break rush and it is fairly deserted. The kids ask to go there all the time and there really is something for all ages. If you sign up for their mailing list you will get savings offers in the regular mail or thru email.
http://www.greatwolf.com/

Another popular destination in our neck of the woods is CoCoKey Resort, which can be found in many places around the country as well.  While smaller than Great Wolf, it is not quite as expensive and day passes are also offered. The only caveat to the day pass being that it could also be more crowded since people would not have to stay overnight at the hotel. They have plenty to do for younger kids and older kids so it is perfect if you have a large age-range in your family. This link gives a list of most of the Coco Key locations.
http://themeparks.about.com/od/findindoorwaterparks1/tp/Coco-Key.htm

Of course, the granddaddy of all indoor waterparks would be Kalahari in Sandusky, Ohio. There are also locations in the Wisconsin Dells and Pennsylvania. I know the Ohio location used to be and might still be the largest indoor waterpark in the country. Beautiful place to stay and lots to keep the kids busy, perhaps even a little extra for the more adventurous kids. My children were in awe of how big it was and they enjoyed the outdoor animal park and safari theme.
http://www.kalahariresorts.com/ohio

Creamy Italian Noodles

This pasta side dish is very simple to make and goes well with most chicken/beef main dishes. My kids love it and will eat several helpings. It would also be good with some chopped vegetables added.

4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 ozs.) wide egg noodles
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup whipping cream (can use half and half if you do not want it as rich)
2 tsps. Italian salad dressing mix
Parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Directions:
1. Cook noodles according to package directions.
2. After draining, place in a bowl and toss with softened butter.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients together (except Parmesan cheese) and then pour over noodles, stirring well.
4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

5 Unique Gift Ideas

Christmas gift shopping can be a daunting task: trying to find unique gifts and not buying the same thing every year. "Gee thanks for the fruitcake. I think we still have the one you gave us last year."You get the idea!

It is difficult with children because they want something tangible, but getting them to understand that some gifts can keep giving all year long will really open up the gifting opportunities.

I've listed some non-present gifts that can offer the spirit of giving all year long. Many of these ideas are also great for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

1) Museum, zoo, amusement park membership passes. My dad buys our kids a pass for birthdays, Christmas and Easter. We really get a great deal of use out of our zoo pass. I remind the kids every time we visit that this was a gift from Grandpa. When grandparents or family ask for ideas for Christmas or birthdays, suggest a year-long pass to your favorite museum. It can be a present that is ideal for the whole family. While those broken toys are communing in the closet, you can be out enjoying your local zoo or amusement park.

2) College fund contributions. This is a wonderful long-term legacy that grandparents can leave for their grandchildren. There are many different types of funds to chose from and different amounts that can be contributed annually. My children have had contributions made by grandparents since they were young. It may not be fully appreciated by the kids at this point in their lives, but those funds are growing quite nicely and they will embrace it wholeheartedly when they aren't paying back school loans someday.

3)Wildlife Adoption Program. My kids love animals and it is so exciting to them to think that they have an animal that they have sponsored. I have used the World Wildlife Fund, but there are many organizations that do this type of gifting. If you have someone interested in astronomy, there are name a star registries that would make a unique gift as well.

4) Subscriptions. Most people like getting mail. Why not gift someone with their favorite magazine subscription? It is the gift that you will be reminded of whenever the mail comes!

5) Event tickets. Most large or small theaters have multiple-event packages. We were once given a children's theater package of 4 shows for a gift and it was a truly wonderful experience for the kids. Perhaps tickets for an upcoming circus, ice show or concert would be appreciated.

ABCya: Free Computer Games for Kids

ABCya is a website with FREE educational computer games for elementary aged children. The games are modeled after elementary grade lessons and incorporate fun graphics. My kids both enjoy playing on ABCya and I have used the website with them for years. There are games for kindergarten through grade 5 and they include lessons in reading, math, science, social studies and holidays.
http://www.abcya.com/

Baked Custard

Baked custard seems like it might be a time-consuming endeavour to take on, but this recipe is so simple that you can have it in the oven within 5-10 minutes. I like to put whipped topping, caramel or fruit on top before serving.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients; cover and process until smooth.
2. Pour into a greased 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour; refrigerate until serving.

FREE Santa Greetings

Delight and surprise your child this Christmas season with either a letter or video message from Santa Claus. I have always used the free versions of each service although they have additional services for a fee if you want to add to your letter or video. I appreciate the fact that even with the free option, there are many ways to customize the message for your child and it is easy to use, taking only a few minutes to put together. We have done this for a few years and the kids are always so happy to get a personal greeting from Santa.

Free Letters:
http://www.freelettersfromsantaclaus.com/free_printable_letters_from_santa.asp

http://www.easyfreesantaletter.com/

Free Videos:
http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home

http://www.freepersonalizedvideogreetingfromsantaclaus.com/

3 Go-To Travel Websites

I love travel and I like to find not only the best deals on travel, but the best things to do, restaurants to visit and hotels in a certain area. There are three websites that I always check when planning a trip. They have provided me with valuable insight and reviews of attractions and lodging.

1) Kayak- I love using this site to quickly compare pricing for hotels and flights. It saves me time and money.
Kayak

2) Trip Advisor- Whenever we are going somewhere new and I am not sure of the attractions and reputations of attractions in the area, I check out Trip Advisor. When you go to the main page, you can search by area and look up lodging, restaurants and things to do. I find their reviews to be pretty accurate after I visit the place myself and I trust most of the feedback shared on the site. Plus, it will list pricing for most lodging choices.
Trip Advisor

3) Virtual Tourist- This site is similar to Trip Advisor. I find the advice invaluable when planning vacations. If you check Trip Advisor and Virtual Tourist and they both are giving an attraction or lodging 4 stars based on many reviews, you can be assured that it is a quality stop.
Virtual Tourist

Before booking or planning things to do on your next trip, check out these sites and save the hassle of a bad booking or stop on your next vacation.