Melificent

How to Make Boating a Fun Activity for the Whole Family

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Owning a boat is something that many people dream of. Having the freedom to get out onto the water and leave behind the stress of work is an amazing feeling. Owning a boat of your own enables you to get yourself out into the open water to enjoy a few hours in the peace and tranquility of the ocean whenever you feel like it.

When your life is busy, time spent with your family is precious, so it’s vital to include them in your newfound love of spending time at sea. This sounds great in principle, but it’s important to ensure that the time spent on your boat is fun for every member of the family. Here are some of the ways you can make boating a fun activity for the whole family:

Choose the Right Boat

The type of boat you choose is going to make a big difference to your family boat trips. Choosing a family-friendly boat is the firsts tep to enjoying lots of fun boat trips together. After all, if everyone is feeling comfortable on board, you’re all more likely to have lots of fun. 

Looking at Sylvan pontoon listings is a great place to start your search for a new boat, as you will find lots of family-friendly options available that are perfect for all your adventures.

Get the Kids Involved in Planning Your Boat Trip

Your kids are far more likely to have fun if they’re involved in planning your next boat trip. Putting together an itinerary and letting kids choose the destination (within reason!) can be a perfect way to plan a trip that everyone will enjoy.

Kids will love the excitement of being involved in the trip planning, and the sense of adventure that this brings. All this trip preparation is also a helpful way to introduce kids to maps and navigation, so as well as being fun, they will also learn some new skills along the way.

Engage Kids With Their Surroundings

With no screens in sight, being aboard a boat is the perfect opportunity to engage kids in plenty of tech-free fun. Encouraging kids to engage with their surroundings, observing everything that’s around them and discussing what they can see is a great way to keep them in the moment and really paying attention. Describing the natural environment and it’s features is a great way to expand kids’ knowledge of the nature and their understanding of the world around them.

Always Bring Food!

One final tip to help make boating a fun activity with kids is to always be prepared with food! Feeling hungry is a major distraction that will prevent kids having a great time and will strongly impact their mood. So, it’s a great idea to pack plenty of snacks and even a picnic meal to enjoy together during your boat trip. Don’t forget to pack drinks too, including plenty of water to keep everyone hydrated in case it’s hotter than expected when you’re out on the water.

Six.

I’d like to start this yearly post by asking the universe: HOW ARE YOU SIX??? I’ve been telling you lately that this is it, six has to be it. You can’t keep growing…I’d like to keep you here always. But that isn’t fair, is it? You are so eager to grow. To learn. To be the person you are going to be. And I can kind of start seeing that person more clearly now. And she’s beautiful (not talking looks only – remember, mommy can see inside and wow, there is true beauty and power in there).

Luna, to know you is to love you. You radiate something otherworldly. I say that a lot. I say it a lot because it only gets more true the older you get. Never let anyone take that from you. One day, you will realize that some things you believed in were not real. But your magic is not one of them. Keep it ever so close to your heart.

Even though so many things feel like they are changing (you lost FIVE TEETH, you have grown like a weed, you dance on stages now, you aren’t that into Disney anymore + you are starting to read), you still crawl into our bed in the middle of the night and I let you (I love feeling you close), you still love dinosaurs, babydolls and performing. Jojo Siwa is your everything right now, and you have a big crush on Harry Styles. You are highly sensitive and emotional, and yet so brave and confident. This year I had you take the sorting hat test on Pottermore, and you are a Hufflepuff. I called it years ago. It fits like a glove. You love hard. You play hard. You work harder.

I see you watching me now. It’s both the most amazing thing and the most frightening. You know I don’t want to let you down. You want to be like me: act like me, dress like me, talk like me, even pose for selfies like me. I hope I’m a good model to you. More than anything you want to make us proud, so I tell you I am every single day because it’s the truth. Most days, roles are very much reversed and I’d like to be you when I grow up: an effervescent fairy leaving a trail behind her of smiles, glitter and joy, bestowing light on everyone she meets.

Lulu beans, I love you infinity x a million. Thank you for choosing me and, in doing so, solidifying that magic is very much real.

Happy sixth, my lion.

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Gluten Free Galentines

Having food allergies can be super tough on a daily basis, much less when traveling. Although I do my research beforehand and ask a lot of questions, I can still end up feeling crappy (for lack of a better word), which can be quite the buzzkill. I love a good weekend trip, especially when it’s a good weekend girls trip…to Disney. I thought it would be so fun to document the best places and spaces around Walt Disney World to get gluten free (and soy + vanilla free) treats for those of you that suffer from food allergies as well.

Oh, and I’d be going on this journey with Lizzie from @thewonderfulthingaboutlizzie while disneybounding as the ultimate Disney BFF’s: Minnie and Daisy! The mystery mousekatool was definitely FUN!

MAGIC KINGDOM

POPCORN

It’s hard to turn away a good Mickey bar (my favorite childhood treat), but I’ve learned to turn a blind eye and grab a tub of popcorn instead! If you buy one of their buckets, you will have $2 refills each time you bring it with you, which is amazing.

PETER PAN FLOAT

Storybook Treats always has really fun ice cream offerings and the Peter Pan float is one that has stood the test of time. Usually these specialty treats don’t last too long, but I think being a Dole Whip variant has helped this one! Although it is adorable, as most of you know, I am not a Dole Whip fan, but I thought maybe pairing it with lime ice cream and Sprite would be a good combo. It wasn’t for me, but it is really Instagrammable.

Honorable Mentions;

  • Dole Whip
  • Fomosa
  • Mickey Bar

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San Diego Comic Con: Building Simple Geek Chic Outfits

Creating geek chic outfits for San Diego Comic Con can be daunting since it’s the epicenter of geek style and fashion. You want to look good, while also being comfortable enough to be on your feet and on the go 24/7. I figured I would share some of my tried and true techniques to help take some of the stress out of packing now that we are in the final stretch (can you believe it?!).

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Mega-Whovian OOTD

If there is one thing that proves to be stress relief in my life (even at almost 40), it is planning a good outfit. My excitement grows if it is fandom-related, so putting together outfits for cons has always been something I really relish in. Lately I’ve found myself trying my best to find as many pieces as I can that are already in my closet. You see, I don’t go out much any more now as a mama bear, but I continued to buy outfits for awhile as if I did. So I have so many gems that don’t really get to see the light of day already in my closet. It’s been an extra challenge and my wallet has really, really thanked me during a very busy traveling year (what possessed me, I have no idea) where every penny counts.

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