A Fun Summer Family Adventure (& Giveaway!)

Summer started two weeks ago in our house.  We spent our first week of summer vacation away at the beach.  We arrived back home earlier this week & are getting settled into our summer routine.  On most days, our schedule consists of lots of playtime at home, meeting up with friends, daily trips to the pool, & catching up on errands that need to be done around town.  As much as I love the simplicity of summer days, I also want to make sure that I take advantage having all my kids home every day during the summer.  This year, I decided to plan an Adventure Day each week that we are home.  We will go somewhere or do something that we normally would not do!  There are so many places to go and things to see in our area, so this will make sure that we get to see a few of these wonderful places before the school year starts again.  This week, our little Abby had a very special request.  She has been begging to go see the cute goats and piggies, so we decided that our first trip of the summer would be to a free local farm in our area.

  

The kids had a blast.  Despite the heat, we got to see lots of farm animals including goats, pigs, cows, and more.  We also took a special wagon tour around the farm learning more about farm life & the history of the farm.  Our adventure also included a special ride on the carousel, their absolute favorite spot on the farm.  I often pack our lunch when we head out and about for the day & this week, we found the perfect picnic spot in the shade of this old red barn.

 

 

With three kids, I have learned over the years to be prepared when I head out.  There are things that we must have no matter where we go or how long we are going.  This year,  I have been using the JJ Cole outdoor blanket for our summer adventures.  Honestly, I just keep this in the trunk of our car and have it no matter where we go.  We have used this summer blanket for picnics at the park, trips to the pool, and even for a trip to see fireworks last week at the beach.  It's large enough that our whole family can fit on it, but is super easy to fold and store away and carry with the shoulder strap.  It's comfortable,comes in fun patterns, & is super easy to wash.  I highly recommend this blanket for outdoor adventures with your family.  You can read more about this awesome outdoor blanket & purchase on Amazon here.

 

I also love to have a bag that is packed and ready for outdoor adventures, separate from my purse and pool bag.  In this bag, we store snacks, bug spray, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, wipes, & all the other necessities you need with young children.  I often keep this right by the door so we can just grab and go when we head out.  This year, I have been using the JJ Cole Aqua Radian Bucket Tote.  I love that this cute bag is super durable because it's made of water-resistant canvas.  There are 13 different pockets making it easy to store different items, including the cell phone pocket that is on the inside the bag making it easy to locate my phone quickly.  For parents of younger children, it also includes bottle and pacifier pods that easily attach to the bag & comes with a coordinating changing pad.   I also love that it comes with stroller straps that allow you to hook the bag onto any stroller & leave the storage basket in your stroller for other items that you may have be carrying or need.  You can learn more about the bag & purchase at Babies R' Us here.

I love how easy it is to store these two items and it makes it easy to grab and go when we head out the door.  I often head out on these adventures while my husband is working, so the convenience of carrying both of these items on my shoulder is great!  Today, I am excited to share that one of our lucky readers will win a JJ Cole Diaper Bag & Outdoor Blanket.  To enter to win, just fill out the Rafflecopter below.  Good luck! Disclosure: We were not compensated for this post. We received this diaper bag & outdoor blanket set from JJ Cole Collections for the purpose of review. As always, all opinions are our own. 

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