Last weekend my husband & I had the opportunity to attend The Buffalo Zoo 21+ Boo Bash Event.Think the same Boo Bash you take your children too, but swap out the trick or treat candy for food & booze! 

The ticket price came in at around $75 a person. Sounds a tad bit steep until you realize this is an annual charity event where the funds do go straight back to the animals AND food and booze is not cheap these days! I think after calculating all of those factors in, $75 is not a bad ticket price!

The one question I received over and over on my Instagram stories was, Do you have to dress up? The answer is obviously no, you do not have to! BUT there are definitely more people in attendance dresses up than are not. We spotted a wide range of costumes as well since there was a costume contest! There were people fully decked out in prize winning apparel and then there were folks like my hubby and I that dressed in what I like to prefer to as comfy costumes! It can be cold in Western New York, so a costume hoodie with gloves was spot on for the climate.  

The Buffalo Zoo Boo Zoo offered attendees, 4 full sized cocktails with their ticket. The Buffalo Zoo also had a cash bar where you could purchase beer and wine if 4 cocktails didn’t quite cut it. 

So much food!!!! Buffalo famous Paulas Donuts! Cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries, soft pretzels, pulled pork sandwiches, the list goes on! We definitely didn’t leave hungry, so no need to eat before hand since you will have so much to snack on while wandering the zoo! 

Besides the abundance of food & booze, the Buffalo Zoo Boo Zoo had a DJ set up for dancing! There was also a photo station where you would receive a ticket to look up your photos & download for free the following day. You also had the opportunity to view a few animals that were out. For entertainment, there were fire eaters, dancers and performers!

The answer is YES! We honestly had so much fun! The event started at 6 and ended at 9 and there was so much to do that you literally use the entire time! $75 for 3 hours worth of entertainment, food and booze is a steal in my opinion. The Buffalo Zoo offers the Buffalo Zoo Boo Zoo 3 different evenings in October, so make sure to keep a lookout in the future if you would love to attend yourself!

This past weekend we went on our very first “Santa Train” as a family! My husband and I both had Santa train experiences as children and were excited to finally have Haylie have that same memory.

Every Christmas season I’m always reminded m about Santa trains too late. I will spot cute pictures, go try and book and sold out.

This year I actually spotted a Facebook ad a few weeks before the excursion & booked my little family a table. The best part?!? This train was only an hour away. 

50 Commercial Street, Gowanda, New York 14070, l
​716-532-5242

When you first arrive & check in, you can proceed to a table and write a letter to Santa. They have pens & paper ready for your kids to write out those lists.

Then while on board there will be snacks such as chips and Candy. Then non-alcoholic beverages all for purchase. 

Santa & his elves will then make their grand entrance.

​Then be prepared to be entertained with a few fun games like guessing how many chocolate kisses are in a jar to win a prize all while social distancing.

Santa Claus will be present on board, while social distancing mask and all. He does have gifts for all good boys and girls! My daughter received a Charlie Brown mug that you color that has a train on it!! Pretty cool since we were on a train. However, no sitting on Santa’s lap. My tip would be to have the kids sit on the outside when you spit Santa walking so you can get a cute photo with Santa & your kid in the shot 

Saturday & Sundays in December

11am
12:30pm
2pm
3:30pm

• $19 Adults
Ages 13-61
​
• $15 Children
Ages 3-12

• $17 Seniors
Ages 62+

• Free Infants
Ages 2 and Under

• $75 Table For 4 People
All Ages • Seats 1-4 People • Price per Table

I’m such a sucker for street art!!!!! I always spot all the Instagram girls posting all these fabulous mural shots and I’m always low key jealous since I live in a town with zero!!! I actually cannot think of a spot in my entire county that has a badass mural somewhere :(

So whenever I travel outside of my little bubble I’m always googling awesome walls to snap a few pics in front of. On our latest trip up to Niagara Falls to ride the famous Jetboats, hence the reason I’m dressed like a slob! I was on my way to get soaked cruising the Niagara River rapids, I just had to check out any street art I could find.

After a little bit on Instagram stalking, I found two walls to share with y’all! 

I will start with my favorite of the two walls I found! The Lets Fall In Love mural!!! So pretty and bright. I wish I had a fabulous bright colored dress on to complement the beauty of this wall!!!

101 Old Falls Street
Niagara Falls, NY
14303

Any Beatles fans out there?!?! Then you will
absolutely love this mural located right outside of the Hard Rock Cafe! Super easy to find since it’s literally across the street from the entrance of the falls!!! You don’t have to go far out of the way for this epic photo. 

333 Prospect St,
Niagara Falls, NY
​14303

Is it really fall if you don’t hit up a pumpkin patch with the family?!?! That’s exactly what we did last weekend since I’m all about the fall basic girl activities!

There has been a local pumpkin patch here in Jamestown, NY for about a year or two now, but we usually make the trek up to Buffalo to The Great Pumpkin Farm since it’s been our yearly tradition. With covid restrictions galore, we decided to hit up the local patch and shockingly we had a pretty festive time. 

Located in Busti, NY (Jamestown), this patch is a smaller sized property. Honestly, smaller patches are PERFECT for super little ones. Not overwhelming and fears of your kiddo getting lost are very slim. 

I would say you could easily do all of the activities this patch has to offer in about an hour, but I would recommend spending a few hours here to truly enjoy it. 

There is a cow train, bouncy pillow, petting zoo, side, hayride, mining, photo-ops and so much more.

3435 Baker Street Extension 
Busti, NY
​14701

Saturday’s & Sunday’s 10am-6pm

Admission is $10 for ages 3 and up. 
Kids 2 and under are free. 
Adults 65+ are $5. 
All veterans and active military with ID are always free ​

The post y’all have been waiting for!!!! I was a planning on waiting a day or two since I just posted our Jellystone Premiere Villa 2 Bedroom review, but holy smokes!!!It’s crazy! I love my instagram the most when I travel because my notifications literally go off the hook!!! Nothing makes me feel better about the things I share as my fellow travel friends blowing up my feed!!!!! It’s totally awesome!!! But honestly I just wasn’t really expecting THAT with Jellystone.

Not because Jellystones not a totally fabulous camping spot, but because I feel like everyone has been this summer and I was probably the last one to make the Jellystone WNY voyage lol... with all of the crazy travel restrictions due to covid, places like Jellystone & Splash Lagoon have been the IT staycation spots for Western New Yorkers! Boy was I wrong though! My notifications were going off like I was at Beaches Turks & Caicos or some other exotic location. Who knew a campground an hour and a half away from home sweet home would have fellow Western New Yorkers so intrigued!!!

Before I dive into all of the fun stuff, I figured I would cover Jellystone Covid regulations first! Hopefully if you stumble upon this post summer 2021, this whole section will be null in void and covid will be long behind us. Since we are still living in covid hell. Yes! I said what I said lol... Here is the regulation tea!

I was asked multiple times about face mask policies and how strict Jellystone was with enforcing them. The Jellystone Java, NY location policies are legit like every other spot in New York State in stage 4! Face masks must be worn inside restaurants, stores & in and out of recreation areas. You can remove masks once seated or in the water. No need to wear a mask at your own campsite either. This was a ridiculous rumor going around and I was happy to clear that up to several awesome insta followers of mine. As long as you can stay 6ft away, you can be mask free around the resort since it is outdoors!

Jellystone also sanitizes the pool and beach area once an hour. So plan on having your family leave both areas during that time. Good news is sanitation only takes like 10 minutes, so just run to your campsite. Use the restroom or grab a snack and head on back for more fun!

Jellystone Western New York is located in Java, NY. Wyoming County! If you’re in Chautauqua County like myself. Basically drive through Ellicottville and hit up some of the county roads out that directions and you will be there lol....

If you’re looking for a little adventure outside of Jellystone, Letchworth State Park is a few miles away! Makes a good day trip when you leave the resort!

We had the pleasure of calling a Premium Villa 2 Bedroom our home while at Jellystone WNY! A master bedroom, bunk bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. Sleeps 1-7 according to the Jellystone website. The cabins also have heat and ac which is always nice in New York since who knows what type of weather the weather gods will be gracing us with! I have a full review on the cabins here if you want a more detailed review!

Each campsite includes a picnic table, fire circle & charcoal grill. The fire circle definitely was the hot spot for our crew and got a ton of use on our trip!!! It was also nice not to have to lug a grill with us!

So many activities for kiddos!!!! So many that it will be impossible to participate in them all! Always a great problem to have on any adventure!!!

Jellystone had chalk art contests! Basketball with Yogi Bear himself! Hide & seek with Cindy bear! We even spotted Boo Boo Bear cruising around to campsites to take photos with the kiddos!!! There was even ice cream being delivered to campsites one evening!!!

I would say if you have a kiddo 6-10, they will be so busy hanging out at the various activities & making new friends that they will literally never be bored! I can’t wait for my daughter to be a tad bit older so she can actually participate in more of the activities!!

Tell me the bounce pad isn’t the coolest thing you have ever seen?!?! I would have loved this thing when I was a kid. Heck, I wish there wasn’t a line of kiddos behind us so I could have taken a turn!!!! Zero additional costs too which makes it even better!!!

Kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, the list goes on! The best part?!? Included with your reservation so there is zero additional costs! We definitely took advantage and tried out all of the water sports.

Due to covid they do need to sanitize the life jackets in between use, so you might have to wait a tad bit longer, but better safe than sorry right?!? You can also just bring your own if you happen to own life jackets to avoid any waiting!

I’m pretty sure the water park is the main reason so many western New York families choose Jellystone as a staycation spot! With many lifeguards and tables spread out, it’s safe to say we had a blast!

The Jellystone inflatable park was our only disappointment. Not because it’s not totally awesome!!! It’s the most epic thing EVER!!! But, due to covid, you have to go down to the beach the day you want to play and make a reservation for your family at 8am! The whole campground heads down there and you can only make a reservation the day of, so we did not get to enjoy the epicness that is the inflatable park.

I am told my veteran Jellystone campers that this is 100% a covid policy due to sanitizing in between families AND that regulations will only permit one family at a time out on the inflatables. Hopefully next year things will be back to normal and everyone can use the inflatable park and not just the ones that ran to the beach the fastest at 8am lol....

Forget something at home?!? Need more charcoal?!? More firewood?!? Spending too much time at the pool so you don’t feel like making lunch?!? Good news is there is a delicious snack bar that serves everything from quesadillas, pizza, chicken fingers, grilled cheese, wraps, sandwiches, the list goes on! You can even hit up the Jellystone website and order your food online and have the food delivered right to you!

You can also have firewood delivered to your campsite via the Jellystone website. Y’all do not know how handy that little feature is! When you have been drinking around the fire and realize you’re on your last log, just grab your phone and order some wood!!!

The gift shop also had all the camping necessities one may have forgotten at home along with basic food items like milk, chips, candy, soda, juice!

I’m pretty sure y’all can tell that my family had one heck of a time!!!! My hubby is the anti camper of the family. That’s right! Y’all thought I was the high maintenance one and it’s the other way around lol.... I crave adventure and he craves, well the opposite lol....and I can happily report that he is so in love with Jellystone!!! That’s how fun Jellystone is even for non camping folks! So much to do that everyone can find an activity to engage in!!

However, if you are renting a cabin, it can get a tad bit pricy, BUT the cabins sleep so many and include all of the amenities! If you go halves with another family, the prices are no different than a single hotel room!

The campground was pretty well maintained too. This was my biggest concern and I am pleased to report that everything was clean! No trash laying around. Nothing broken just sitting there. I feel like Jellystone takes good care of the place. Definitely not a jumkie campground!!

Pets are also permitted which I thought was pretty sweet! They even have a dog park!!! Love that furbabies can join in on the fun!

I will recommend however bringing a wagon or renting a golf cart while at Jellystone. Since we aren’t camping regulars, I had no idea golf carts are even a thing at camp grounds. I guess most camp grounds rent them and I was so bummed I was left out of this little detail! I will definitely be renting one next time. If you don’t want to shell out the cash for a golf cart, bring a wagon for the little ones so you aren’t carrying them all over the resort! You will thank me later for this little tip.

Will we be back?!?! You best believe it!!!! I really hope to make Jellystone a yearly thing since both my hubby and daughter had a blast! We spend several days at the resort and didn’t even come close to doing everything, so there is so much more for us to explore in the future! So happy we have such a fun campground here in Western New York!

The outside of the cabins reminds me of one of those trendy tiny houses! The best part I would have to say is the screened porch! It didn’t rain during our trip THANK GOODNESS!!! But, if it were to sprinkle, you could still enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of your own screened patio away from all of the mosquitoes!!!

Each campsite comes with a picnic table, charcoal grill and fire circle. I’m all about cooking via campfire and hubby was all about using his smoker is just had to bring with us, so we did not use the charcoal grill. The fire circle & picnic table definitely got lots of use!

There were plenty of trees as well, so I was sort of bummed I didn’t bring a hammock!

The living room features a flat screen tv with basic cable & I mean basic basic! I’m not a big TV person. I very rarely watch the thing, but our last night Hubby did turn the tv on to catch some basketball highlights while we packed up the place and it was a fail since there weren’t any channels lol.... the TV does have a DVD player though, so if you are camping with kids, bring DVD’s just in case it rains. You can have a movie night.

The couch is a pleather material which was PERFECT! If you happen to get mud on the thing, just wipe it right up!

There is also a dining table, but honestly we ate every meal outside so we did not sit there at all.

I was actually super impressed with the kitchen!!! Silverware, plates, cups! All there!!! There was also a toaster oven, coffee maker, 2 burner stove, microwave and full sized refrigerator. While we did do 95% of our cooking outdoors, it was nice knowing we had a kitchen for emergencies.

The master bedroom featured a queen sized bed, wardrobe closet and a flat screen tv! You do need to supply your own bedding, which we did! I just snapped these photos before anyone lugged any luggage in so my photos looked clean & organized lol....

Bedroom Two featured a set of bunk beds! One full sized bed on the bottom and one twin sized bed on the top. No tv in this room or wardrobe, but there are two storage draws on the bottom of the bed for clothing!

Ahhhh the bathroom!!!! The best thing a camper can have! It’s just your basic bathroom with a tub, sink & toilet, but basic is equivalent to gold in the great outdoors!

Honestly, I was impressed with the cabin! I was super worried the Premium Villa wouldn’t be that premium. Would it be really old inside?!? Not updated?! Super dirty from many campers going in and out?!?! I’m here to say I was worried about nothing!!!. Our cabin looked relatively new! Everything was ridiculously clean! Even the refrigerator which made me happy since even mini refrigerators in hotels have a habit of being gross sometimes.

The cabin smelled like straight up wood, which makes sense since the whole place is paneled with real wood. Definitely gave the cabin a super woodsy vibe which I loved.

However, Jellystone claims this cabin can sleep up to 7 people. I will honestly say that might be a stretch. Two in the master. 2 in the second bedroom and I would say one on the couch. You could squeeze two kids on the full sized bed in the second bedroom, but I would say if everyone wants to sleep comfy, I would say 5 comfy. 6 squeezing. Maybe 7 if you have a baby in a pack & play lol....

Would I stay in a Premium Villa again?!! Absolutely!!!! The cabin was everything I was hoping it would be. A clean place to reside after our outdoor daily adventures!

Y’all aren’t seeing things!!!! Sunflowers in Warren, PA! No more driving all the way to Buffalo for those sun-tastic photos!!! Literally a 20 minute drive from my home in Jamestown.I couldn’t be more happy about this hidden gem.

While this field might not offer the same entertainment as Sunflowers of Sanborn, this field is decent sized AND located on a super cute farm in Warren, PA! You will definitely get those same fabulous shots a short drive away.

Field is free.
Flowers are $1 a stem or 12 for $10. Fresh picked daily.

Sunday 9am to 1 pm
6pm to 9pm Monday thru Friday

1479 East 5th Ave.
Warren, PA
(8/10 of a mile past the Warren high school on the left)

We just returned from a fabulous staycation weekend at Splash Lagoon located a whole 45 minutes away in Erie, Pennsylvania! That’s right!!! It doesn’t get anymore staycation than that!!!

Our Splash Lagoon getaway was actually the very first time we have “traveled” anywhere since our last Disney Trip in February due to covid travel restrictions. We were itching for a getaway, but with pretty much every state on the New York travel ban list, our kid-friendly options were pretty slim.

Did we feel safe with all of the rules and regulations?!? What were the rules enforced?!? These were the questions I was flooded with on the gram so I figured I would write EVERYTHING out in one spot for y’all!!!!

I think it’s safe to say we all have a love/hate relationship with the damn things! Splash Lagoon is located in Pennsylvania, so they follow the Pennsylvania mask guidelines. You must wear a mask to enter the park. They actually have a mask check at the door.

Forgot you mask? No problem! They have a box of paper masks at the door and the attendant will give you one if you are in need.

Once inside, you can remove your mask when in the actual water park. You do not need wear the mask on any slides. You do however need your mask if you plan on ordering food. Playing any arcade games or decide to do any shopping.

​ Basically if you’re not in the water or walking around the actual waterpark between attractions or chasing kids, you need that mask on.

Splash Lagoon is running at half capacity That number still sounds large until you actually show up to the park. We arrived on a Saturday. A hotel is sold out Saturday so no day passes available and I was shocked at how little people half compacity actually was. It was literally a theme park dream come true. Shortest lines ever!!!!

When we arrived at 11am (opening) there was a line out the door (above). I was like omg! What did we get ourselves into!!?! But then quickly realized that the line was simply a mask check! Once inside, the waterpark was not crowded at all.

Each attraction has a limit. The wave pool was 103 guests. Basketball hoops, 34 guests. The lifeguards were keeping track too. While the wave pool never neared 103 people while we were there, the basketball hoops did later in the afternoon and they were turning kids away.

Security is also present. I spotted several guards asking lifeguards how many guests were in each pool. I overheard this happen several times at different spots around the waterpark. The security guards also walk around the arcade and lobby area making sure guests are wearing masks.

If your still not comfy with crowds after viewing the photos above, I would recommend showing up at opening. After waiting in the mask check line, there was literally no one at the park! We literally walked onto every slide. As it got closer to 4pm, hotel checkin time, the park did get a tad bit more people-y until people started leaving the park for dinner.

The drink policy!!! I’m sure everyone in NY/PA knows by now that drinks cannot be purchased without a food item due to covid. I was very curious how Splash Lagoon was going to handle this one since this literally went into effect 2 days before our trip.

The good news is, you can still get yourself a delicious drink at the bar located next to the wave pool. You can order two drinks with every food item. They offered pizza slices and hot pretzels.

The bad news, all those cute souvenir drink stands. Random beer spots?! Not there. I figured that would be the case, so when I didn’t spot my beloved coconut drink stand, I wasn’t heart broken since I was expecting it. I was just happy they did have a bar open!

Hooch & Blotto’s is the dining/bowling establishment attached to Splash Lagoon & the partner hotels. It’s always a must go place when we hit up Splash Lagoon. Love that there is a sit down dining option on property. Really gives you that vacation vibe since no driving necessary.

Like most restaurants, Hooch & Blotto’s is running at half capacity. Parties sit at every other table seemed to be their seating strategy.

We had the pleasure of staying at the Holiday Inn Express which is connected the Splash Lagoon. When you first check in, there is a sign in the lobby that suggests only one member of each party check in for social distancing reasons. I was the only one checking in, so I’m not sure how strict this policy actually is, but my husband & daughter waited outside while I checked in.

Employees were also all wearing masks! You cannot enter the lobby without a mask on, so make sure you have one with you.

Elevators can only run with 3 people inside unless everyone is from the same household. From what I spotted, everyone was taking the stairs. Even us! We had a room right next to the stairs on the second floor, so it was the fast option for us. I’m assuming most other families took the stairs to avoid people. Not a bad idea if you ask me.

There were also hand sanitizer Stands throughout the hotel so you could randomly disinfect yourself.

The free Buffett breakfast that Holiday Inn Express is famous for however was a tad bit different. No buffet unfortunately, BUT you still get a hot breakfast. You wait in line and an employee hands you your food. Reminded me of a school cafeteria setup.

Unfortunately, this system was a tad bit chaotic for us. The line was pretty long, so we decided to skip the free breakfast and to just have an early lunch. HOWEVER, ​I do want to mention that this had nothing to do with us being scared of covid! The hotel did a great job handling the situation they were dealt with. It was just that long of a line and my daughter is not patient lol....

Did I fell covid safe at Splash Lagoon?!!! Absolutely!!! I honestly felt very safe once I was inside the park. Between the capacity limits and attraction limits, I never once felt uncomfortable. The only issue I can see anyone having is the long mask check line when you first enter the building since people were all over the place. I did however love that Splash Lagoon did hand out masks to people that did not wear one. No excuses not to follow rules and regulations.

Did I feel covid safe at Hooch & Blotto’s?!?! Yes! While we were there early & I can only speak for our experience, there was never a time we were even close to another party. Even bowling, they have it set up every other lane. You never come in contact with anyone outside of your party. You almost get VIP vibes since you’re so secluded from other people.

Did I feel covid safe at the Holiday Inn Express?!? Again, yes! Check in had social distancing rules in place. They enforce a mask policy. The only issue I can see anyone having is with the breakfast line. Then again, there probably isn’t any other way to handle such a thing, so the hotel is doing the best they can with the ever changing rules and regulations so I’m trying to be very understanding!

I would 100% recommend Splash Lagoon as a safe staycation spot for any families residing in New York & Pennsylvania. I honestly felt more safe at Splash Lagoon than I do at places like Walmart!

Safe to say there isn’t a child out there, heck not even that many adults that aren’t obsessed with all things Frozen. So when we heard one of our favorite staycation spots, The Peek n’Peak was hosting a frozen themed family dinner, you best believe we scooped up tickets! We even made sure to get an extra one for Haylie’s Elsa obsessed cousin.

Spend the evening with some of your favorite characters while enjoying sing-a-longs, short performances and photo opportunities. Dinner will be served, including a variety of fresh pizzas and salads.

Ticket Pricing:
- $25 per Adult
- $15 per Kid (Ages 3-12)
- FREE (Kids Ages 2 and under)

The eats on the evening menu were cheese and pepperoni pizza. Salads, dinner rolls, lemonade, water and a hot chocolate bar! Basically as kid and parent friendly as foods can get! All served buffet style.

I actually went back & forth about writing this review. We are obsessed with the Peek n’ Peak! We practically live at the pool all winter long! So when I have to tell you guys, the event was just ok. It sort of breaks my heart.

To start out, the room was set up fabulously! Gave me wedding vibes!!! Each person had a marshmallow snowman to put together while waiting for the show to start, which I thought was a very festive touch.

The food? Exactly what we expected. Pizza and salad. You can’t go wrong with that combo! Only issue was this was set up buffet style and kids had to wait in super long lines to get food. If the Peek were to ever do this event again, I would hope for maybe being served family style? Bring a giant bowl of salad and a pizza to the tables. Keep refilling if needed. The lines and the amount of people in attendance just wasn’t a good mix. This was an event for kiddos and kids do not wait very well.

Also there wasn’t bar service. While this wasn’t that big of a deal for me personally, there were so many guests walking back and forth to the bar that it made me sit back and wonder why they just didn’t send a cocktail waitress upstairs to serve everyone? Major money the Peek could have made! Maybe next time have a beer/wine list and have that setup upstairs so there isn’t so much back and forth for the waitresses and guests. I think a lot more people would have been chill and more relaxed with a drink in hand. Maybe they wouldn’t have even minded their antsy kids behavior when it came to the long food lines?

As for the entertainment, the cast was fantastic! My daughter and her cousin were so happy to meet their favorite frozen characters and to see them perform!

So our overall experience was just ok! Would I go again? Probably! I would have to read the schedule of events and see if anything was tweeked.

My daughter and her cousin loved everything about the characters! They just wish they could have eaten when they wanted to eat. 3 & 7 year olds aren’t exactly that patient.

I really do hope to see more events like this in the future! I hope if anyone at the Peek does read this, that they take this criticism with love. We are huge fans of the peek! You did a marvelous job trying to entertain our kiddos! Just learn from the mistakes and plan an even better event next time!!! Hope to see an event invite in my inbox for another family dinner real soon :):):)

I know what you are thinking!!!! Really Courtney? Sunflower field tips?! Yes really! I know last year I would have been rolling my eyes at such a topic! Then I went to my first sunflower field and boy was I not prepared. You best believe I wish I would have skimmed what I assumed would be a pointless post before going on my first sunflower adventure.

On Monday Haylie and I went back to our favorite Sunflower Field, Sunflowers of Sanford NY for the second year in a row. We were definitely prepared this time around and I will fill you in on what you need to know below :)

1. Bring Water ~ You will be doing a lot of walking! Even if you don’t feel like carrying a bottle of water around with you, have a bottle in the car for when you are finished. You will be doing more walking than you expect. You will thank yourself later that you brought that bottle of water along with you on your Sunflower adventure since it gets hot!!!

2. Shoes ~ I know you want to look insta fabulous for those sunflower photos, but wear an old pair of shoes or sandals. Old sneakers would be preferred since it is a muddy field, but if you’re like me, you want to look glam. Rock an old pair of sandals that you care less about, so when they get dirty, you could care less.

3. Weather ~ Check the weather. Last year we went on our sunflower adventure the day after it rained! Even though it was 85 degrees and sunny, the field was still a muddy mess! I so wish we would have waited a day or two for the field to dry up! Our feet were covered in mud by the time we left.

4. Bring Cash ~ If you plan on picking your own Sunflowers to bring home, plan on bringing some cash! I think it’s safe to assume most Sunflower fields are cash only! Thankfully this was something I assume about all farms so I was prepared, but a lot of other folks were disappointed to leave Sunflower-less.

5. Timing is Everything ~ Sunflowers topically have a lifespan of two weeks. That’s right, you have two weeks once those sunflower bloom to snag those insta shots! You want to stalk the sunflower farm near you to find out when the sunflowers are due to bloom and head on over ASAP. If you wait too long, you will end up like us last year with droopy sunflowers in the background.

6. Beware of Bumblebees ~ Sunflower fields are like Disneyland for bumblebees. They are everywhere. If you’re allergic to bumblebees, you might want to stay away, or at least wear some bug spray!

Another fabulous Big Bounce America weekend has come and gone! We had so much fun at last years Big Bounce America event in Buffalo, that we had to go back again this year! We heard that there were so many new additions to the event that we just HAD to check them out!!!

Since we like to think of ourselves as pros at this point, I figured I would share a few tips since so many people keep asking me if the Junior Session is “safe” from crazy older kids? I figured I would give everyone some peace of mind here and tell you yes!!!! Your kiddos are safe and give you a few other fabulous tips you may need to enjoy your day at the Big Bounce America!!

1. Be Prepared To Run ~ while I feel like adults will have just as much fun as the kiddos, be prepared to run all over that bounce house! It wasn’t just my daughter bouncing off at lighting speed. Everywhere I would look I would see a parent racing after their kiddo. You don’t realize how fast your kids are until you look away for 2 seconds and they are off to another corner of the bounce house! So much fun, but you will literally lose 729202 calories from all that bouncing and chasing you will do! No need to work out for about a week now lol.

2. Pick A Meeting Spot ~ Just Incase you do lose your kiddo, before you start to even bounce, choose a meeting spot. If your kiddo loses you, they know where to head. We chose the DJ booth since it was smack in the middle. Easy to find and you can still have fun if you get separated bouncing to the tunes! Thankfully we did not have to use our meeting spot, but it did give me peace of mind knowing we had one just Incase the unthinkable happened!

3. Who Can Bounce?? ~ Any kids aged 7 & under and their parents/caretakers!!! No big kids allowed which is nice if you have little ones. Unfortunately this does mean if you are the mama to a few older kids and want to attend Big Bounce America as a family, you will need to attend the older kid sessions since older kids are not permitted.

4. What Goes On Inside The Bounce House? ~ Inside the bounce house they have inflatable activities such as basketball hoops, obstacle runs! They have inflatable chill out areas (big boats, oversized sofas, palm trees etc), inflatable animals and characters for you to grab a photo with, slides, ball pits and all manner of awesome entertainment!!! There is also an awesome DJ Spinning age appropriate tunes such as Frozen and Dora the Explore. So fun and nice since every kid trying to do these activities is under 7! You don't have to worry about too much since all the kids are pretty young! No fighting etc, just a bunch of little ones having fun.

5. Bring Water! ~ While yes, Big Bounce America does have a water stand with Dixi Cups, I would recommend bringing your own water. You will be crazy thirsty after all that bouncing and depending on how your event is set up, the water station may be far away. Our station was on the complete opposite end of the Main bounce house. Bring a water bottle! You will thank me later!!!

And just like that, another Ellicottville Summer Music Festival has come and gone! I swear this summer is flying by way too fast! Before you know it, the fabulous sunny weather will be replaced by, do I even want to say the word?! That fluffy cold white stuff that falls from the sky. Ughhh!!!!!! No bueno!!!

As usual, our besties over at the Ellicottville Travel buero invited us out to enjoy all the music festivities taking place during the Summer Music Festival.

Since I already have several reviews up on the blog from years past, I thought I would do something different this year. Give you my tips on how to get the most of if your Ellicottville Summer Music Festival experience!

1. Bring Your Own Booze! ~ That’s right, while you can buy your drinks on site if you don’t feel like lugging a cooler, you can bring your own drinks! I’m all about saving that coin when possible, so I always bring my own drinks!!! Not every often you can attend a music event and bring your own anything! Take advantage and save that $$$$$!

2. Dress In Layers ~ Trust me! You will be sweating all day. It is summer after all! But once that sun goes down, you will be freezing. You have to remember that this music festival takes place on a ski slope. It gets chilly at night regardless of the time of year. I suggest wearing a tank top or tee shirt and having a hoodie on hand when you start to get chilly!

3. Wear Old Shoes ~ I don’t know if it’s just our luck or what, but the last few years we have attended the Ellicottville Summer Music Festival, there are patches of mud! Save your fabulous kicks for another event and toss on a pair of sneakers/sandals/boots you won’t mind getting a tad bit dirty.

4. Do Not Purchase Kids Tickets ~ The first year we attended we had no clue about this, kids under 12 are FREE! That’s right, do not purchase your kiddos a separate ticket. I requested wayyyy too many tickets out first year because I assumed kids needed their own ticket! They can get in for free with a paid adult! Score!!!

5. Come Hungry ~ Ellicottville is Home to so many fabulous dining establishments. Ellicottville Brewing Company & Dina’s are two of my favs! I suggest checking out one of the local restaurants before heading to the show!

6. Show Early For “Good Seats” ~ If you didn’t purchase VIP, I would suggest showing up at least 30 minutes before showtime. Those lawn spots in front of the stage fill up pretty fast! Everyone wants that prime viewing location!

The world’s biggest bounce house is coming to Buffalo. AGAIN!!!! We had a blast last year at The Big Bounce America Buffalo and can’t wait to bounce the afternoon away this year as well!!!!

Big Bounce America will be in the Queen City on weekends from August 9-18. Plenty of dates so there is bound to be one that you can clear your calendar and head up and bounce!

The Big Bounce America is described as a “magical, candy-colored inflatable castle with 10,000 square feet of fun, games and laughter that can be enjoyed by all ages.”

In the middle of all the fun, there is a stage with a DJ/MC hosting games and competitions and playing the latest tunes!!! WooHoo!!!

Here are the times you can go check it out at Buffalo’s Outer Harbor (225 Fuhrmann Boulevard):
• Friday – Aug. 9, 16 – 1 to 5 p.m.
• Saturday – Aug. 10, 17 – 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Sunday – Aug. 11, 18 – 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Not in Buffalo? No biggie since Big Bounce America tour will roll into the following cities in 2019, so get ready for an event not to be missed:


Albany, Atlanta, Austin, Boca Raton, Boston, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Denver, Des Moines, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland,
Providence, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego,
San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Tucson, Washington D.C.

To spend the afternoon at The Big Bounce America attraction is $10-$25. Now that’s a killer deal if you ask me!!!

​For more info click away here!

Anyone else a huge fan of “staycations”?!? With my hubby’s crazy work schedule, it can be tough to go off on a spontaneous vacation as a whole family. Thankfully, living in WNY, we are so close to so many fabulous travel destinations. My favorite? Niagara Falls! A few weeks ago we decided to head up to the falls and take my daughter on the Maid of the Mist. She had never been and we felt like she was finally old enough where she would remember her first experience.

When I spammed my Insta with Niagara Falls pics, I was shocked when I was flooded with questions. I swear everyone wanted details on the Maid of the Mist!! So today I’m doing exactly that! Giving you all the tips you can possibly need to make your trip on the Maid of the Mist as epic as possible!

1. Wear Sunglasses ~ yes, you are provided with a free poncho, but if you’re a girly girl like me and caked your makeup on for those insta-worthy pics, pack a pair of shades and toss them on when the boat takes off. I didn’t even need to touch my makeup up afterwards thanks to my handy dandy poncho and my shades!

2. Bring Your Camera ~ This was the one question I was asked over and over. Is it safe to bring your fancy camera? The answer is yes! While you do get wet, you do not get soaked. Mist is the key word here! Just tuck that camera under your poncho when you’re not using it and it will be fine!

3. Go On A Weekday ~ We headed up to the falls on a bright, sunny 85 degree summer day. It was a Monday and there were zero lines!!! I was pretty excited about this because in the past, I had waited quite a while to board. Apparently Monday’s are the day to head to the falls!

4. Wait To Put Poncho On ~ when you first board the boat, you will see everyone put their ponchos on in a hurry. I was one of those people. It gets really hot with that poncho on! I would wait until the boat is about to take off and then put it on. You will literally be standing around for about 5-10 minutes while people board feeling like you’re in a sauna on a hot summer day with that thing on!! Just wait!!!!

5. Top and Bottom Decks ~ There is a huge difference! If you’re like me and just wanting to get misted with water to cool off from all that walking you have been doing, head to the bottom deck. I didn’t really get that wet at all and like I mentioned above, didn’t have to fix my makeup! If you’re wanting to get wet, the top deck is for you. Depending on where you stand on the top deck, you can apparently get as soaked as you want. You won’t be finding me there that’s for sure lol.