Disclaimer: This post is sponsored but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Affiliate links may be included below - you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.
We're all juggling a million things at once - the house, the kids, a job, our sanity! A good life hack here and there can save you lots of time and energy, and I've got a pretty major one for you. Are you ready for this!?
With the Black+Decker Steam N' Vac, you can steam mop and vacuum AT THE SAME TIME!!! That's right!!! Let the steam mop scrub and sanitize your floors while the vacuum picks up all the crumbs and dust bunnies. 2 birds 1 stone! Huge time saver and game changer - I couldn't love mine more!! Watch my unboxing and demo of the Black+Decker Steam Mop & Vacuum combo, read below for more details, then enter to win one in my $1000 value jackpot giveaway at the bottom of this post!!
Here's a break down of the 2-in-1 Black+Decker Steam N' Vac's features and why I'm loving it:
STEAM MOP:
VACUUM:
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Disclaimer: We received these masks free for review but all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased! There are also some affiliate links included - you don't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.
Life in the time of COVID, I feel like I'm always on the lookout for the perfect face mask - adjustable with a great fit, washable & reusable, breathable, effective, cute design options... and you know what? I was able to check off every box with these amazing Happy Masks (we received ours free in exchange for promotion, but they didn't reach out to me, it was vice versa cuz I was so impressed!!).
Watch our YouTube video here for a fun unboxing and demo of the various features, and read on for more details as well as to grab your code for free shipping!!
SUPERB FILTRATION:
Made with a 3 layer nanofiber membrane filter, Happy Masks have been tested by Nelson Labs to show they filter out over 99% of airborne particles as tiny as .3 microns!! That includes allergens (pollen!!), dust, and smog. And they factually filter out 99.9% of bacteria, and viruses (including COVID-19 / coronavirus)! On top of that, the filter is not removable, so there's no concern about losing it or having to replace it.
UNIQUE "BEAK" DESIGN:
Happy Masks have a soft fabric with a unique "parrot beak" design which means they don't suck into your nose and mouth when breathing and talking! Your kids won't suck on them! And they don't feel like they're suffocating you!
ADUSTABLE EAR LOOPS:
Our faces are not one size so face masks shouldn't be one size fits all, am I right? Happy Masks come in Medium and Large for Adults, and one size for kids, but feature super easy-to-use adjustable ear straps! They also feature a metal wire over the nose for added adjustability, and provide a great snug and comfy fit all around the nose, cheeks, and under the chin! They also sell a protective pouch, and a lanyard that easily snaps onto the ear loops, so you can put it on and off without touching the mask itself, and not worry about your kids dropping it onto the bathroom floor (or... into the toilet!).
WASHABILITY & DURABILITY:
Happy Masks' efficacy have been tested for a minimum of 50 hand washes and 250 hours of wear. The trim is hand sewn for increased durability and snugger fit. Washing instructions: soak in cold water with a drop of dish detergent for 10 minutes (use a drop of dish detergent on a soft toothbrush to remove makeup or sweat), gently rinse (do not rub or wring), air dry. For added disinfection and deodorization, spray with 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol after each wash and place in the sun.
You can buy these great face masks for kids and adults at happymasks.com and use code USJAPANFAM for free shipping!
If you read my last blog post, I was knee deep in researching brands who offer an invisible clear aligner system for straightening your teeth at home. There are many out there, but ultimately I decided to go with Candid (who agreed to provide my treatment free in exchange for sharing my experience with you guys)!
**Several video updates below including 12/10/21 after finishing treatment!!!
Disclaimer: I'm not being paid but am being provided complimentary treatment by Candid in exchange for promotion. But don't worry, all thoughts and opinions are 100% unbiased! As always, I tell it like it is!! There are also affiliate links in this post, you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.
I'll walk you through why I chose Candid, why I want to straighten my teeth at home, and the process of using their Starter Kit in my video below (or keep reading for everything in text & photos), but the video is more fun, I promise ;)
Why I chose Candid:
Why I'm straightening my teeth:
My teeth are not currently a hot hot mess. I had braces when I was a teen, however I failed to continue wearing my retainer, and my teeth have been gradually moving since. My dentist recently confirmed it's normal with age for teeth to move gradually forward, and yes, my bottom teeth especially are getting crowded and bothering me. My mother's got so bad by around 60 that she had to have a tooth pulled and wore braces to straighten them out. Her dentist warned her that if she didn't, she'd start experiencing pretty major tooth damage and decay!! Knowing what happened to my mom, I was anxious to go ahead and get my teeth straightened out again, and keep them straight this time!!
Using the Candid Starter Kit:
I ordered the Candid Starter Kit online and it arrived within a few days. The package is fun, very Apple-esque in a big pretty white box. They have very detailed instructions and video tutorials for how to take your EIGHT photos and FIVE dental impressions. I felt a bit of pressure to get these right, otherwise they'll get rejected and you'll have to start over. The reason is that they'll base everything off of these - your whole treatment plan and printing your aligners. They need to see every tooth, gum line, bite from different angles, ALL OF IT!
They send a "cheek stretcher" to help you get the photos of your teeth just right, and you simply use your phone camera with a flash, upload to their website, and boom. Done. Easy peasy, though kind of horrifying seeing your teeth like that. You have to keep the cheek stretcher til you finish treatment, I'm guessing you'll have to do finished photos with it, but if I'm being honest, we'll probably play some pretty funny games with them for some future videos!!
The impressions were harder to get done but I'm fairly confident, or hopeful??, that I got some good ones. The issue is that you have to mix in your hands 2 tubs of putty and once you start mixing you have only 60 seconds before they start hardening!! So, about 30 seconds of mixing, then the next 30 seconds rolling out to a 4" line (they give you a measuring tool), putting it into the impression mold, marking it with a tooth pick where your front teeth will go, getting it into your mouth and holding it in there for 3.5 minutes. 3 times for top, 2 times for bottom. Kinda fun, kinda gross, kinda nerve wracking!! But that's it - they give you a pre-labeled no-stamp-required box and you ship them back to Ohio!
Stay tuned to my blog / social / YouTube channel as I'll be posting updates regarding if my Starter Kit was accepted or I have to redo it, starting my aligners, how they feel, etc etc!! I'm eager to hear what the orthodontist I'm assigned has to say about my treatment - I've heard most do the 22 hours a day plan but some have a nighttime only plan, and treatment usually lasts 4-6 months or so. Eeeeek!!! Wish me luck, and throw any tips, comments, or questions below!!!
Learn more about Candid here and get $70 off your Starter Kit with code USJAPANFAM!
Update 1: March 16, 2021:
Unboxing my aligner kit, going over treatment plan, putting in first aligners, submitting first scan to my orthodontist!!
UPDATE 2: JUNE 16, 2021:
Halfway done with my treatment!! Come see how it's going, how to use "chewies", the on-the-go container for your aligners, and how the scan works!
UPDATE 3: August, 27, 2021:
Putting in my last set of aligners - 16 of 16!! 10 days left of my 5 month long treatment!!
UPDATE 4: December 10, 2021:
Disclaimer: this post includes affiliate links - you don't pay more but we receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.
So if you're wondering how to clean your dishwasher, more specifically, looking into removing residue from hard water, this is the post for you! I too have that icky white film on dishes, glasses, and inside of my dishwasher! My husband even complained that the glasses SMELLED! WHAT!?
I'm not quite up to the task of making a homemade dishwasher detergent, and read how damaging vinegar and other things can actually be for your dishwasher. But I wanted something environmentally friendly, a more natural dishwasher detergent. I checked the EWG Database, they have great guides and a huge database where they rate products' safety based on the chemicals they include (THE best to search for the best environmentally friendly cleaners). Please note, this is NOT SPONSORED, I simply bought some products that scored REALLY well on the EWG database and seemed to have great reviews for getting rid of white film in dishwasher, and figured I'd share how they worked for me, in case they might work for you! Supposedly Lemi Shine products use citric acid to break down hard water residue and whatever is contributing to your cloudy dishes. Seventh Generation Dishwasher Detergent is a great environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent (and according to GE, dish detergent packs do better than liquid, but be careful if you have little ones at home who may mistake them for candy), but the Lemishine Booster is what really really did the trick. It didn't get my glasses 100% crystal clear but got them to about a 90, and cleaned the dishwasher completely. Watch the video to see how they did (links under the video to purchase, if so inclined):
Do you have another technique for getting rid of white hard water residue? Are your glasses completely clear and spotless?? I'd LOVE to hear your tips, share in a comment below!!!!
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links - you won't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking. However, this is not a sponsored post - I purchased both sets of brushes :)
Our kids' dentist recently recommended them to all upgrade to electric toothbrushes (see more tips for kids' teeth here), apparently they do a MUCH better job at cleaning teeth than traditional toothbrushes (Burst says they provide 91% better plaque removal!). Turns out, we ALL should be using them! There are several brands out there to choose from, so it can feel a bit overwhelming. One of my friends is a dental hygienist and rep for Burst, and I'd been seeing their targeted ads on Facebook (you know, the ones where they brush charcoal off of a cob of corn) and decided to bite the bullet and buy one for my husband's Christmas gift (one for myself too, of course)!
Check out my unboxing video here:
Not only is my Rose Gold brush BEAUTIFUL, it does a great job and I'm truly loving it, as are my teeth!
Here are some key points:
SAVE MONEY!!
BURST ORAL CARE PRODUCTS:
We recently moved from our tiny Brooklyn co-op to a big house in Hudson Valley, but our twins were still sleeping on their crib mattresses on the floor under big brother's Ikea Kura loft. They just turned 5 and were ready for new beds so we did some researching and I am SO excited to give you a tour and let you know exactly what we used in our kids' gender neutral bedroom makeover (so you can easily copy cat your own makeover if so inclined)!! Watch our 2 videos (1 is the loft / bunk build, the other is the rest of the makeover and final reveal) and read on for details!!
THE BEDS
It took me a while to figure out what type of beds to go with. I thought about a triple bunk but our (not even 8' high) ceilings weren't tall enough. I also thought it'd be really hard to change sheets, and not enough space between beds for the kids to sit and relax. I also considered a twin over full bed where the twins could share a bed, but thought they should have their own space. Ultimately we settled on a Twin Loft Bed and a Twin over Twin Bunk Bed from AdultBunkBeds.com (by Francis Lofts & Bunks) because:
The beds came in a million pieces, 14 boxes weighing a total of 500 pounds to be exact, and we were completely overwhelmed. Thankfully, they have extremely helpful assembly videos on their website that totally saved us and it took us a few hours to get them all up. AdultBunkBeds.com has a bunch of great add-on accessories including a tray, bookshelf, pull down desk, pillow support, trundle, corner shelf, fire pole (!!!), curtains with stainless steel cable, headboards, drawers, bed skirt, and staircase with or without a hand rail. After speaking with the representative, I felt the traditional ladders would be the safest option for our kids, and was impressed with how securely they latch on! You can attach them to basically anywhere around the bunk - on the side, head, or foot of the bed, which gives you so much flexibility in arranging the room!
The feet of the beds are kind of a rubber foam which makes them really grippy, adding to their sturdiness. However, it means you can't simply slide the beds around to their best location after building them, and the bunk was HEAVY, we couldn't lift it!! The trick we did find was sliding cardboard under each leg and I was able to slide the beds around by myself this way.
THE BEDDING
Finding 3 sets of matching or coordinating bedding was my next challenge. I focused on black and white and settled on this super affordable but awesome bed-in-a-bag set from Amazon Basics (affiliate link). They have Twin/TwinXL ($40) and Queen ($50) in a ton of designs. I can't tell you how well it'll hold up long term yet but they washed and dried nicely and are really really soft! They also have a little pocket on each side of the fitted sheet which is handy for lightweight things such as chapstick, flashlight, even a phone.
THE MATTRESS & PAD
Since the guardrails on the bed are completely adjustible, we could go with any depth mattress we wanted. I decided on the Zinus 6 inch gel-infused green tea memory foam mattress (affiliate link) because my son already had one and we like it. It's CERTI-PUR US certified meaning the foam is made without fomaldehyde / ozone depleters / PBDEs TDCPP or TECP ("Tris") flame retardants / mercury / lead / heavy metals / phthalates regulated by CPSC and are low VOC emissions for indoor air quality (less than 0.5 parts per million). It has a 10 year warranty and supports up to 250 pounds. They came vacuum packed and rolled up, and need 24-72 hours to completely expand to correct size. Of course we want to protect the bed from accidents (puke, nose bleeds etc) and protect our kids from allergens, so we also got the AllerEase Waterproof Zippered Mattress Protector (affiliate link) which fully encases the mattress, is waterproof, and protects from allergens, bed bugs, dust mites, and dander!
THE STORAGE
I wanted to avoid particle board dressers and storage units because of their potential toxic VOC off-gassing, so instead went with a wire frame cube storage unit (affiliate link) with fabric collapsible boxes. The frame was a PITA to assemble, but once together it seems like it'll work out. nicely, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE how it looks!! You have to be careful as the boxes can get caught up on little round disks that hold it together (you can see this in my video) but overall I think it's going to work out fine.
They have a decent sized closet in their bedroom so I added parts of an old hanging / storage unit we had to allow us to make use of the bottom half of the closet. We use it for all 3 kids shirts and dresses. Their pants, pajamas, undies, socks, and other items will go in the new cube storage unit - folded and rolled Marie Kondo style of course!!
OTHER ITEMS
GIVEAWAY!!!
In honor of Father's Day, we've teamed up with Shelving.com to give away a $400 wire shelving gift card!!! Enter to win in the Rafflecopter app box at the bottom of this post! Open to US residents ages 18+, giveaway ends at June 17, 2021 at 11:59PM Eastern. Winner will be emailed!
Disclaimer: Product was provided free of charge by shelving.com in exchange for this post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post may also include affiliate links - you don't pay more but we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.
Do you have a room (or rooms) in your house where you just walk in and feel suddenly stressed out. Clutter and disorganization are an anxiety trigger for me, so getting our home organized ASAP after we moved here in July was a top priority for me. We quickly unpacked and to keep our living spaces neat and spacious, I haphazardly threw all other boxes and items into the attic/playroom and garage. On top of that, my husband keeps a constant stream of boxes and boxes of work stuff in the garage. So, these spaces were atrocious. Shameful. No fun at all. Which is why I jumped at the chance to work with shelving.com to do a makeover of our garage (discount code at bottom of post)!!!
You can watch my full before, assembly, and after video here, and keep reading for more details!
We desperately needed more shelving, ideally lower profile and sturdier than the ones we already had, so we went with Shelving, Inc. Black Wire Shelving. The black epoxy coating protects them from scratches and makes them rust resistant, so they're suitable in moist/humid environments like the garage, shed, and basement! Perfect for us and our un-air conditioned house - our garage was about 100 degrees and 75% humidity most days over the summer.
They've got shelves in many different dimensions, and it's really interesting how they work - you snap a plastic clip on each post where you want the shelf to sit, meaning you can adjust the shelves to any desired height in 1" increments along the posts. So flexible!! You can build the shelf to be a specific height for one use, and next year decide to change it up and use it in another way! You can even have the poles custom cut to a certain height. We had one of our sets cut to fit our garbage can under it (seen below left). So that we could keep it open at the front, we ordered 1 hanger rail for width and 2 hanger rails for depth. These allow the lowest shelf to be raised without losing stability.
Another of my favorite features is the leveling feet! You can unscrew each foot individually so that it sits perfectly level! In a space with crazy cracked and uneven flooring like our garage, these came in handy big time (see an example in the bottom of the shoe rack in the above right picture)!
Another fun feature, which you probably can't tell by just looking at the above photo, but those two big racks in the center are attached!! You can kind of see in the below right photo, but if you watch my building video you'll better understand how it works. Basically it's 1 full shelving unit with 4 posts and 4 shelves, and another 4 shelf unit with just 2 posts. Then you have these little S-hooks - you add 2 per shelf and the add-on shelving unit attaches to the other. It's really really easy, and so practical, allowing you to extend your shelving to conserve space. You can even attach the add-on at a right angle to create an L-shaped unit perfect for maximizing corner space!
Beyond the shelving units themselves, shelving.com has tons of accessories! We got 2 baskets which hang right on the edge of the shelves (see below left photo). Haven't figured out what we're going to put in them just yet, but they simply slide in and out of the shelf so we can move them around easily when we decide where and how to use them.
We also got shelf liners so that we could throw little stuff on the shelves if we need to without worrying about it falling through. See below - They're so pretty, I hated to cover them up with our boxes!! They're very cleverly constructed with cutouts at each corner so they fit in perfectly and don't slide around! They're easy to wash, are made in the USA, and are recyclable.
So excited for how much more organized our garage is now! No, it's not pinterest perfect and stunningly gorgeous (maybe upgrading our storage boxes and beautifying the space will be our next project...hmmm...) but everything has a safe place to be stored out of the way, and that was my priority! We no longer have to move several boxes or bikes to get to something! And we now have a huge open space in the middle of the room where the kids can go do gymnastics or sit down and play cards (or watch a tablet, if we're being honest, which seems to be the most frequent occurrence) HA!
Be sure to head over to shelving.com for all of your storage and organizational needs! I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised by what goodies you'll find over there. Heck, they've even got desks, lockers, storage bins, kitchen carts, you name it!!
GIVEAWAY:
Only a comment on this blog post is required to enter (you must tell the app you commented), but every action you take in the app will earn you more entry points! Good luck!!
Disclaimer: This review was sponsored by Mead and includes affiliate links where I'll earn a commission from purchases made after clicking, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Every family has a million things going on - from school events and sports to birthdays and vacations. Having an easy and practical way to organize everything and allow all family members to stay in the know is essential. Which is why I'm thrilled to be working with Mead on this review of the Mead MotherWord Deluxe Magnetic Family Calendar! Watch the following video as I walk you through the various features of the calendar, and read on for more details as well as the chance to win one in my $500 value jackpot Back to School Giveaway!!
This calendar is large and keeps you in charge - each month's page is 18" by 13.5" giving you plenty of space to write in each day, and has a notes section on the bottom of each month as well. Each month features a cute illustration on the top, a touchy feely or inspirational quote, and key dates such as national holidays and even moon phases! There are also tabs at the bottom so you can easily flip through to any future month.
It has a heavy duty magnetic strip on the back so you can throw it up on your fridge or front/back door, or you could pin it to a wall or use on your desk.
I think my favorite feature of this calendar are the hundreds of tiny stickers it comes with!!! Trash, recycling, yard waste, compost, parent teacher night, babysitter, the list goes on!!! Really great for quickly noting regular or one-off events for everyone to be aware of. It has a growth chart and a chore chart, so you could put the stickers on the calendar itself or directly on the chore chart for individual kids to be in charge of handling. It also has a pocket in the back for storing key papers and documents (for example your list of key phone numbers / passwords / allergies for your babysitter).
Pretty great calendar if you ask me, and for only $16.99!! Buy one now at Mead.com (affiliate link) and don't forget you can
enter to win one and the entire $500 value jackpot in my #2020B2SGiveaway here!!
**ENTER TO WIN A PAIR OF PEDIPED SHOES IN OUR $500 VALUE JACKPOT GIVEAWAY RUNNING THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22!!** Disclaimer: These shoes were provided free in exchange for our review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!!
We have been huge fans of pediped over here, pretty much since my oldest started walking 8 years ago!! Why? For one, I know they're healthy for my children's growing feet. In fact, they have been awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance for the promotion of healthy foot development! Another very important factor is that they last. My kids wear their shoes HARD, we're talking dragging toes on the scooter, jumping in muddy puddles, you name it. And pediped shoes put up a darn good fight - lasting past the initial owner and usually through a couple rounds of hand me down kiddos!
Some other features of their various styles (not all apply to all styles) include being water-safe and machine washable, leather and vegan options, having flex inserts so that the shoes can last a bit longer (use the insert for a snugger fit and remove when child's foot grows a bit to get a longer life out of the shoes), faux laces and secure velcro straps, some crazy super lightweight options, and incredibly flexible thick natural rubber soles! Of course, also very important for a children's shoe company, is having endless adorable styles of shoes to choose from! And for a twin family like us, having coordinating options is key, as well!! I let my (almost 5 year old) twin girls shop for a set of coordinating "dressy" shoes and a set of coordinating "sports" shoes on the website because they are about ready to bust out of their last pairs (kids' feet grow like weeds!!). It's always fun to see how their own personal styles come out in what they choose to buy or wear! Here are their precious faces walking into the room to see their shoes unboxed and waiting for them!!
So cute, right!?!? Here's more info on the shoes they chose!
For their "sporty" shoes, they chose the pediped Flex Force in navy/fuchsia and pink/silver, available in sizes EU 24 (US 7.5-8) to EU 36 (US 4-4.5Y). They retail for $60, are vegan and machine washable, and feature man made and mesh upper (do you see the light filtering through on the upper left photo!?), flexible rubber and phylon sole, faux laces and easy velcro strap (that goes through the tongue so you don't have all that tongue-drama when kids are dressing themselves!), come with pediped's signature FLEX Fit system insoles, and get this, they weigh all of 5 ounces!! SO LIGHTWEIGHT!!!
And for their "dressy" shoes they chose the mary jane style Flex Barbara Leopard and Metallic Pink, though if you ask me it's definitely more of a deep purple, but when the light hits it right it shimmers pink. Available in sizes EU 24 (US 7.5-8) to EU 33 (US 1.5-2Y). The Metallic Pink ones are actually vegan, with a textile upper and canvas lining, whereas the Leopard ones have a leather lining and man made upper. They both feature a flexible natural rubber sole, an easy velcro closure, and pediped's signature FLEX Fit system insoles. The FLEX Barbara design comes in 7 other colors (!!!!) and goes for $38 - $55 depending on the style.
They love their new shoes so much (as do I)!!!
So cute, right!? pediped has the best children's shoes from infant through 6Y (about 10 years old), from water-safe summer sandals to winter boots and everything in between! Check them all out on pediped.com!!
But wait. Don't go yet! Did you know you can... ENTER TO WIN A PAIR NOW!!! That's right! A pair of pediped shoes are in the $500 value jackpot of my 2020 Back to School Giveaway running through September 22!!
Parents are always asking where they can escape the city with their kids to pick apples, see farm animals, wander through a field of sunflowers or corn maze, indulge in fresh apple cider donuts, or take a hayride and go pumpkin picking. There are an overwhelming amount of farms you'll see pop up on a Google search, but I'm here to give you my family's 10 thumbs up on such a family-run destination we just visited yesterday: Barton Orchards!
Disclaimer: Tickets were provided in exchange for this review but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. We're no sell outs - quite honestly, this place was amazing!!
Barton Orchards is a 175-acre apple orchard and vegetable farm located in Poughquag, NY (Dutchess County), run by the Barton family for over 40 years. While many pick-your-own fruit spots offer only that, Barton Orchards goes above and beyond, providing a variety of activities that are fun for all ages, most of it included in admission. For the full experience, be sure to watch our video highlights here and read on for more details about our trip to their 2nd Annual Sunflower Festival and what you can expect on your visit!
Sunflower Festival
2020 was Barton Orchard's 2nd Annual Sunflower Festival. It's quick, held over just 2 weekends in August so you better pencil it in now for 2021 so you don't miss it! You can walk to the field but it's much more fun to hop on their complimentary hayride to the 5 acre sunflower field which was simply spectacular! They give you cutters (based on your ticket type you either get 1 flower or a vase with 6 flowers, and pay for extras picked) and a plastic bag. You wander through the field, taking a million photos and at least a handful of selfies, am I right!? You pick your flower, put it in the bag, and fill it a bit at their water station, tying it off with a rubber band hoping it doesn't leak on the trip home. Our kids were REALLY into the super big job they each had to pick out their own sunflower. It was such a special time watching them wander, considering what makes the perfect sunflower, deciding which one to choose and take home. There's no storage so I recommend doing like we did, saving the sunflower picking for the last activity before you head home, otherwise you'll be carrying them around (and likely a couple of bees will be your companions while doing so).
The Kids' Fun Park
I was expecting a generic playground, but what we found was so much more! A tractor-drawn children's train, rope climbing, a hay chute slide, pedal go carts, barrell pong, a swing, rock maze, hop balls, mini golf, and probably some other things I'm forgetting. My kids (and us parents) had an absolute blast, even in the rain!
Live Music & Entertainment
They have 4 stages for live music, there was a band going in the food court area which was nice while we scarfed down the (most amazingly soft and delicious) apple cider donuts! There was also a band playing in a gazebo up at the sunflower field, which really added to the ambience! But what really blew us away was the Bubble Bus, blowing bubbles and foam across an entire field. You really have to watch my video to see how cool this was, my kids could have played and danced there all day!
The Food
Whether you are looking for a meal, a snack, some booze, or treats to take home, you'll find them in abundance at Barton Orchards! After seeing their unique sundaes on social media, we decided to get the Apple Cider Donut Sundae and a half-dozen box to share of Apple Cider Donuts ($1 each but half dozen was the minimum purchase - we saw many people buying 3 dozen!!). I will say, hands down, one of the best donuts I've ever had! They were SO fresh, soft, simply scrumptious!!! Do not miss out on these when you visit!! They also have the Tap Room with lots of great beer and hard cider on tap, but due to covid, the system of ordering alcohol is a bit tricky. You're required to purchase with food, so basically you buy your food and tell them how many drink tickets you want, and purchase all together, then you bring your drink ticket to the Tap Room and get your drink. Not too much run around, but I had never experienced the new covid drinking-with-food rules before so it was new to me!
Petting Zoo
They had lively goats, curious llamas, a huge peacock, a couple of bunnies, a duck, and more! We didn't spend too much time here but did enjoy seeing all of the animals, petting some, and getting a surprise tongue bath by one LOL!
Other Family Fun:
In September and October they have pumpkin picking and a haunted house, "Rotten Core Manor". Their website also mentions a dog park, a corn maze, 120 acres of pick-your-own veggies and apples starting from end of July (see what's available for picking now), and Tree Tops Adventures ropes course! Notes for those with strollers & babies: There were gravel paths around, which don't scream stroller-friendly, but it is completely doable and wouldn't deter me from making a visit with a stroller or wagon, though you may want to consider also bringing a baby carrier to wear your baby in the fields and less accessible areas. There were porta-potties with hand sanitizers, a handwashing station in the foot court area, and we saw a changing table by the petting zoo.
Visit their website to learn more and don't drag your feet, go ahead and plan your family's visit now! You won't regret it!!
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About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! Categories
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