Bored this summer? Make a trip to...

CEDAR POINT

It hasn't been the greatest summer up here in Ohio, but atleast we have a pretty cool getaway to ride some AMAZING roller coasters anytime we want! Its been cloudy, rainy, and downright dreary this summer mostly. I hope it starts to brighten up, get a little warmer outside, and let summer show through for the rest of July & August!  

Now on to the fun stuff...ya know...about Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH! Its a nice drive, only about 45 minutes down the turnpike from our house. We got to stay at the NEW and IMPROVED Hotel Breakers for the first time on the most recent trip, and I can't tell you how impressed I was. Well, I guess I can try to break it down.

Lets start with the pool, which is the first thing my kids went for. It was cold when we arrived, so we opted for the indoor pool. The kids had fun throwing a ball around for about an hour. Tons of kids were in there to play with, and they also had a lifeguard on duty. The lifeguard was also paying attention to every detail, which I appreciated since I had a 2 year old. The water was the perfect temperature and so was the air inside the indoor pool area. 

When we left, we ordered pizza for room service and it was very reasonable! With our tip and all it was $15 for a  extra large cheese pizza for the kids. My husband and I went to Chilis downstairs and got take out for us. It was yummy as usual and they were SUPER FAST! On the way back to the room, my kiddos also discovered an arcade room...and we saw SNOOPY!

When you stay at Hotel Breakers you get into Cedar point an hour before everyone else. We did initially think we would be able to get on many of the popular roller coasters before anyone was really in the park, but most big rides don't start till the park opens to the general public. My husband and kids stood in line for Top Thrill Dragster and got to ride pretty much immediately when the park opened.

The big new ride at Cedar Point is THE ROUGAROU! The first FLOORLESS coaster! My kids were eager to try this, but the line was insanely too long. It safe to say they still had tons of fun, and we didn't leave till about 10 PM! We were all tired, but riding roller coasters and eating yummy food all day was just what we needed in this dreary Ohio summer. Cedar Point is the perfect place for our family to have a fun getaway or fun day because my husband and daughter can ride the big coasters and my 2 year old and I can hang out in Snoopy Land. The have a TON of little rides Brecken and I can ride. He would stay there all day if I let him. Its definitely FUN FOR ALL.

If you are looking for fun make the trip out and stay at Hotel Breakers and spend the day or weekend at Cedar Point.

Cedar Point + Hotel Breakers....SO EXCITED!

Hotel Breakers newly renovated for 2015 and opening soon! It's been two years in the making for this enormous renovation and their big reveal is going to be so exciting. The renovation has completely made this hotel a must stay at when you're in the Sandusky area. Resort destination on the mile strip of Cedar Point beach, it doesn't get much bette than this.

The obvious renovations include the exterior, to modernize the hotel appearance. All the rooms have been newly furnished and remodeled with new LCD TV's, furniture, bedding, decor, and many other amenities and offerings. They even have a new Starbucks and Surf Lounge Bar! The amazing panoramic views of Lake Erie and an outdoor water play area with a zero depth entry and splash zone is making this a fun place you just HAVE to visit!

Call ahead to make your reservations or book your stay online. They have discounted Cedar Point Admission tickets, so play...then stay! cedarpoint.com/hotelbreakers

Beautiful Mohawk Rug Review + Giveaway!! (Ends May 3, 2015)

Mohawk Pewter Honeycomb Area Rug

Gosh! I was so excited to finally be able to receive and review an area rug from Mohawk! They sell the most adorable line of rugs for the home. I usually look at them every time I pass by the rug aisle at Target! As most of you know, I also own a clothing boutique called Blue Layne Boutique, so obviously I am drawn to shades of blue. This rug was perfect for our shipping office where we pull our stock!

Conveniently, it also matched our living room, so we will be ordering another in their larger size to fit in our living room. My husband brought it in the house while I was on vacation and laid it on the carpet in the living room. When I got home, my little one ran and laid on it to watch his Mickey Mouse show. He LOVED this carpet. He laid his head down on it, jumped up and down on it, and rubbed his feet into it. This carpet is soft...and does not shed like other carpets! 

Okay, now try to continue reading after seeing all that cuteness. I made hubby carry the rug to the shipping office where it belongs. It fits perfectly in the room that is 10x12. The girls said it felt so much better to sit down on while they package orders. Why stand up when you have a comfy rug to hang out on while you work...

The design on the carpet is unique and we love the vibrant colors! The blue is subtle, yet bright and completely matches our Blue Layne office theme. They have tons of designs to match your home decor, and they are affordable and durable. This rug is high quality and I highly recommend you take a trip down the rug aisle at Target to check Mohawk out! Plus, its made in the USA! #ilovemymohawkrug

You can win a Mohawk rug here!

 The folks over at Mohawk want one of our readers to WIN a rug! 

Use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Castaway Bay Review + Giveaway! (Ends February 20, 2015)

We were so excited to be invited back to Castaway Bay Waterpark this year with our family. Our 9 year old daughter and our almost 2 year old son absolutely LOVE it there. It truly is a fun place for all ages, actually! Located in Sandusky, OH near Cedar Point, this water park packs a punch of fun!

The indoor waterpark features a wave pool, an area for smaller ones with some smaller slides, a basketball pool, a hot tub, and a big tower that has tons of gadgets and they all lead up to some big fun water slides! Now, if that doesn't sound fun, I don't know what does!! Check out the pics below.

They have a great buffet for dinner and breakfast at Mango Mike's right inside the hotel lobby. Adults start at $12.95 and kids are only $6.95. They have great food, I highly recommend if you visit Castaway Bay that you stay on property and enjoy this food! We did enjoy the dinner buffet with the kids last year, but this year we enjoy Breakfast at Mango Mike's. The breakfast buffet has anything you can think you'd want! Bacon, sausage, eggs, eggs with peppers and onions and cheese, potatoes, hash browns, fruit galore, all the favorite cereals, and more! The staff was so kind and friendly, their smiles brightened our morning immediately.

Other stuff we really enjoy about Castaway Bay is the kid activities! You can usually catch Snoopy walking around somewhere (we saw him at Breakfast!), they usually do karaoke or some kind of great activity at night. They also have an enormous arcade. Our kids were NEVER bored, thats for sure. We can't wait to go back!

DISCOUNT OFFER FOR OUR READERS

Castaway Bay would love for our Coupon Swag readers to come and enjoy their Waterpark and hotel! They have a special offer just for you! 

You can call or book online for one room for 4 people, entry to waterpark, and Breakfast buffet for only $149 + tax! Use code BLOG! Call 419.627.2106 or visit www.castawaybay.com

GIVEAWAY!!

Would you like to WIN 4 free day passes to Castaway Bay!? 

Leave a comment below with your favorite thing about SNOW!

One winner will be picked on 2/20/15! GO!

Holiday Travel Tips from Safety 1st + GIveaway!

Do you travel during the holidays? We actually normally do travel a ton. Thanksgiving we start by visiting my in-laws. We drive there, about 5 hours, with both kids. The drive actually isn't too bad, and we only stop twice...USUALLY. At Christmas time, I have flown with the kids to my parents house. They live about 12 hours away, and it would be insanity if I tried to drive that alone with both kids. Hubby works normally, otherwise we would probably make an adventure and drive the 12 hours also!

The hardest part of traveling with kids, is well, the kids. They are so used to their home, their routine,  their "stuff". Its tough to get them acquainted with the new space or home that will serve as your home while you're away. Safety 1st has some tips they'd like to share with you below. I also have some tips to share and hopefully they will help make your holiday traveling, or any traveling you do with your children much easier.

Samantha's Tips

• Pack extras in the diaper bag. There may have been a time where I ran out of wipes on a travel adventure. (oops!)
• Busy toys, NON messy snacks, and an iPad will save your sanity!
• Sanitizing wipes....PUT THEM IN YOUR BAG NOW! These come in handy for SO many things...stuff dropping on the floor, wiping hands, tables, etc.
• If flying...before going through TSA checkpoint, ask a TSA Agent if they have a FAMILY line. They usually do, and this could ultimately save you from pulling your hair out while waiting 37 minutes to get through the line with all your stuff and your kids. 

Safety 1st Travel Tips

1.      Avoid peak travel days –Try not to fly or drive the days immediately before and after the actual holiday.  Those are the busiest travel days. However, if you fly or take a train you might save money by traveling on the actual holiday, the roads are less congested too.

2.      Prepare your child for the trip – Holiday parties can be overwhelming with sensory overload.  Especially for young children it’s good to talk about the upcoming trip days even weeks in advance.  This will help him or her get excited about the journey.  Show photos of family members or friends your child has not met yet, this way the new face might be a little familiar on arrival. 

3.       “Are we there yet?” - To help avoid that dreaded phrase an hour into your six hour trip reserve a bag just for the kids, include books, toys, diapers a change of clothes and snacks.  Pre-load a tablet or smartphone with kid friendly apps or games. If you are driving keep all necessary items such as wipes, hand sanitizer or tissues easy to reach in a second – there are times you may not want to be digging through the bottom of a bag for such items. The Safety 1^st Car Door Sanitation Station is a great solution.

4.      Car Seats – If you are flying check to make sure your car seat is FAA certified. If it’s not clearly labeled contact the manufacture. For parents with older children the Safety 1^st BoostAPack can double as a kid survival kit, it’s FAA certified, and will fit in the plane overhead bin.

If you are driving make sure your car seat is installed correctly. If it’s been awhile since you visited a car seat check, it’s recommended to check your seat with a Certified Child Safety Technician in advance of your trip. Safercar.gov is a great resource.

5.      Prepare the guest room – If your child will be sleeping in a Play Yard during the trip, use that for bed or nap time the entire week before. This will help him or her get used to a new sleep environment.  Also if your infant or child sleeps better in a dark room or tends to wake up early with the morning light, bring garbage bags or dark fabric to tape over windows.

Safety 1st has been so generous with their tips, and for thinking of all of the traveling parents of the world...trying to make our lives easier. They are stepping it up a notch and giving away a FREE CARSEAT to one of my lucky readers!! How amazing?!

To enter...use the rafflecopter below, and please check out our Facebook, and share this with a friend who may need some of this info! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

****I was not compensated to write this post. All opinions are my own, unless otherwise stated (like the tips from Safety 1st). Giveaway is sponsored by Safety 1st. ****

Sweet Holiday Deal on a Quinny Buzz Xtra!!

Just in time for the holidays, heres a steal you WON'T want to miss! This luxurious stroller is on sale for just $399.99 HERE while supplies last. Normally this stroller is $595, and well worth the money if you look at all the features it has! Coming in 4 different colors like Red Rumor, Gracious Grey, Purple Pace, or Rocking Black. Great reviews on this product on Amazon and Diapers.com. 

Some of the wonderful features are...

•              Air filled, all-terrain tires

•              An extra-large canopy to protect little ones from the sun and rain

•              Extra padding to provide comfort during those all-day adventures

•              Large shopping basket provides more storage for on the go essentials

•              Automatic unfold, forward and rear-facing seat, and adjustable parent handle 

•              Compatible with the Quinny Tukk Foldable Carrier and Maxi-Cosi infant car seats

The features I personally love about this stroller are adjustable parent handle (because hubby is TALL and I am short!), the large shopping basket, and how reversible seating is available! This stroller is great for children 6 months to 5 years with a weight limit of 50 lbs, so it would be a great stroller to have for YEARS! The luxury of this stroller screams durability.

Ordering from Diapers.com will also get you FREE 2 DAY SHIPPING since your order will be over $49! If you don't have an account on diapers.com, CLICK HERE or below! Use code SAMA951517

use code: SAMA951517

New customers to Diapers.com, Look.com or other Quidsi sites only. $20 maximum discount. Subject to change or cancellation.

Cedar Point Halloweekends GIVEAWAY! (Ends 10/24/2014)

Do you want to go to Halloweekends this year?! Well, good news, Cedar Point would like to giveaway a family 4 pack of free passes!! There are only 2 weekends left to use these. Cedar Point is only open Friday(only after 6 p.m.)-Sunday this time of year, and they close for the season on November 2nd. This is so nice of the folks over at Cedar Point, and I know all of our readers appreciate this awesome giveaway opportunity!

Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, OH. Ticket prices for Halloweekends are starting at $39.99 for Friday and Sunday if you purchase online, and Saturday tickets are $46.99.

To enter to win a family 4 pack of passes, please use the rafflectoper below.

All entries will be verified!

a Rafflecopter giveaway