Mermaid Spotted In FL - Sun Tail Mermaid Tail And Monofin Review #usfg

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Gwyn showing off her tail on the beach. She was quite the attraction.

Sun Tail Mermaid is yet another amazing product that thanks KickStarter.com was able to expand their kid-sized monofins and mermaid tails. on March 2015 Sun Tail Mermaid launched a campaign on Kickstarter to expand their product line to include premium realistic mermaid tails and monofins for teens and adults. Within one month they were fully funded thanks to 78 generous backers and now offer a large selection of monofins, mermaid tails, swimsuits and shark fins. Sun Tail Mermaid is a multi-family owned and operated business based in Alaska but they are spread all over the seven seas.

Not only are Sun Tail Mermaids dreams coming true, but my daughters is as well. What child (or adult for that matter) hasn't fantasized about being a mermaid.

A moms review:
Christmas arrived a little early for my daughter and just in time for our trip to FL. Let me give a quick little back story so you understand just how special this early Christmas gift was for my daughter.

As you may have noticed I haven't been blogging much this past year. If you follow me elsewhere on social media then you know that I have been struggling with some very horrible health issues. Last November I had major foot surgery and well this November I had major cervical and skull surgery. The only surgeon I could find that would do the much needed surgery on my neck to rid me of my chronic migraines and neck pain was in FL however and he didn't take insurance. So we spent a year fundraising and selling lots of stuff (including pets) to get the funds we needed. This meant that we had no family vacation this year, no frivolous spending, and it meant that the kids most likely wouldn't be getting many (if any) Christmas gifts. Well surgery did happen and we are still in FL, so I guess our vacation did happen after all (at least for the kids) since we got to spend 3 weeks in a condo with a pool and bay beach out our back door. And Christmas came a little early for one of the kids thanks to Sun Tail Mermaid and US Family Guide blogger offers.

It took me a good 1/2 hour to choose the perfect tail for  Gwyn. There were so many beautiful options. I ended up choosing the Seven Seas Mermaid Tail + Monofin Set which is rainbow. I had just dyed her hair rainbow so it matched perfectly. Since we were heading down to FL within the week of me ordering I emailed the company and explained our situation to see if they thought it would arrive in time before we left or if I needed to change the shipping to the FL condo. They assured me it would arrived very quickly and before we left...and it did. Talk about great customer service. The tail arrived in a large brown box with no markings so the kids had no idea what was inside. I opened the box in secrecy to check out the tail, and well couldn't resist trying it on. I was unsure about the size, but thanks to several reviews I decided on the JS so it would fit her next summer too. She is 11 yrs old but just about my size in the weight department (107 lbs) and just a little shorter (5 ft roughly). She already wears my clothes...not sure how that happened! Because the material is 4 way stretch a Kids XL would have probably fit her as well. The tail fit me perfectly as well and I am closer to 6 ft and 130 lbs. I immediately wrapped the box and placed it by the door to be loaded into the car. The wrapped package drove the kids crazy especially since they weren't expecting anything this year and it was killing them as to why it was going with us to FL when Christmas was still a month away.

We didn't give her the gift right away since they were going to a friends while I had my surgery and we didn't want her bummed out that she couldn't use the tail right away so we waited until the kids got home. We gave Gwyn the present and explained it was an early gift and that we were giving it to her now because it was something she would be able to use while we were in FL. She unwrapped the present and I am pretty sure everyone within a 1 mile radius heard the squeal.

 
As recommended on the Sun Tail Mermaid paperwork she first practiced with just the monofin. I couldn't believe how well she did and how natural she was with the monofin. She said the monofin is very comfortable, easy to get on and easy to use. The unique thing about these monofins is that they are made with neoprene and one size fits all (2 sizes available Keiki for kids and Nunui for adults/teens), thanks to adjustable velcro straps. Many of the other monofins on the market are plastic, breakable, difficult to adjust and uncomfortable. They also come in a wide selection of colors so that you can match your mermaid tail. The monofin will be something she will have for years to come.

After she mastered swimming with the monofin she added the tail. The tail has an opening in the bottom making it easy to just slide the monofin into the tail. The set also came with monofin protector tips (removable when not using the tail) and mer-shield tape to help protect and repair the tail as needed. The tail is made of high quality swimsuit fabric which is 80/20% nylon/spandex material with 4 way stretch. They do quality control testing on all batches of fabric to ensure the best color fastness and durability for your tails. The laser printed scales on the tails make them look 3d and very realistic. Sun Tail Mermaid indicates the tails are made to last a season however with proper care (which may be easier for older kids and adults) I think these tails could withstand a couple seasons. Gwyn as taken great care of her tail so far making sure to not drag it on the ground and hanging it up properly to dry. The tail could also be used for swimming without a monofin and since the bottom is open making it easy to walk in, you could also use it for dress-up or a costume.

As we imagined she has had a great time with her tail and monofin and has become quite the mermaid. She is definitely going to be bummed when we leave FL, since she will have to wait until the Spring to use it again. The condo we are staying in has a lot of "older" folks visiting and they all been quite impressed and enamored. One evening we walked down to the beach for a mermaid photo shoot and she became quite the attraction...it isn't everyday that a mermaid washes up on Boca Ciega Bay after all. Several people ended up asking to take photos of her with her tail to show their grand-kids. 

My daughter gives the Sun Tail Mermaid tale 10 stars! She has wanted a mermaid tail since she was about 6 yrs old, but in all honesty they always worried me because I am quite the stickler for water safety. But she is such an excellent swimmer now and to make sure my kids had some resemblance of Christmas I caved and I am glad I did. She has had no issues with swimming with the tail...but of course adult supervision is always required when near the water.  Some tails I have seen on the market make it difficult to stand up if need be but the Sun Tail Mermaid tail and monofin are easy to stand up in which made me feel a little at ease. She is already trying to convince me she needs a second one and a swimsuit top to match. She read inside her packaging that Sun Tail Mermaid has a photo contest....thus the reason for our beach photo shoot.

Links to follow:

-Sun Tail Mermaid Facebook
-Sun Tail Mermaid Twitter

Where to buy:

Want a mermaid tail or a shark fin of your own? My readers can save this holiday season. Take 10% off your order at Sun Tail Mermaid by using code BestGiftEver at checkout!

Crown Reef Resort - Myrtle Beach, SC

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Crown Reef Beach Resort, opened its first tower in 1994. This affordable, family friendly, ocean front resort is located at 2913 South Ocean Boulevard along the south end of Myrtle Beach. It is just minutes from the Myrtle Beach airport and about a 1/2 hour away from a variety of attractions and entertainment, such as Alligator Adventure, Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium, Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and more. The Crown Reef offers the most oceanfront rooms (514) in Myrtle Beach, a large conference center, indoor and outdoor water amenities, on-site dining and more.

A moms review:
In today's economy family vacations can be difficult to arrange. They are often cost prohibitive, unaccommodating, and require excessive travelling.  But what if I told you there was an affordable, family friendly resort on the east coast that offers something for everyone in your family and is only hours away from major east coast cities? Yes such a place exists and it is called Crown Reef Beach Resort.

Myrtle Beach is just 6 hours from Atlanta and a super easy, relaxing drive. Believe it or not we have never stayed at a resort so we were very excited and didn't know what to expect. The Crown Reef Resort has undergone major renovations over the last year totaling 7.5 million dollars. Some of these renovations include 500 newly renovated rooms, 2 million dollar Oceanfront Watepark, Loco Gecko Beach Shak Restaurant, Grab n’ Go Grill and Coffee Bar, Swirl Ice Cream and Sweet Shop, and Game On! More renovations are in the works and will continue to be added over the next several months. 

Finding the hotel was really easy...it's kind of hard to miss three giant towers. We arrived at the resort around 5 pm. Because of our blogger status we had priority check in at Tower 2, but standard check in is located across the street. The very friendly guest services hostess gave us our room keys, parking tag, bracelets for waterpark admission, hotel map, VMB card offer sheet and resort activity schedule. The check in was super quick and easy.

After we got checked in we found a parking spot in the covered garage closer to our elevator and unloaded our luggage. There were ample luggage carts available by the elevators to make unloading and loading easy. There are plenty of elevators available so you don't need to worry about loitering around the elevators for too long.

Below is a breakdown of all the fabulous resort features.

Newly Remodeled Rooms and Private Balconies:
We were in complete awe when we entered our room. It was large, clean and smelled great. But I will admit that we didn't even pay much attention to the room details when we walked in, because we all made a mad dash for the private balcony to check out our view first. We took advantage of the balcony several times during our stay. Each morning my husband and I enjoyed a quiet breakfast on the balcony while the children ate theirs and watched cartoons. And each evening we would sit on the balcony in the moonlight and listen to the waves crashing on the beach.

After soaking in the beach front view, which all 514 rooms at the Crown Reef offer, we then preceded to check out our room and unpack. The updated decor is bright and modern, but still retains a beachy feel and look with light oak furniture and a blue and white color palette.  We stayed in an Oceanfront Queen Efficiency which sleeps 4 (2 double beds). The room has many amazing features and Crown Reef definitely tries to make you feel at home as much as possible. When you first enter the room you will be standing in the full kitchen area complete with a full size refrigerator, sink, granite counter tops, a microwave, stove, coffee maker, serving dishes and utensils as well as granite counter tops! Having the kitchen was amazing. About 10 miles away from the hotel we stopped at one of the many local grocery stores to pick up beverage, breakfast, lunch, and snack items. It was terrific not having to eat out for every single meal and it really saved us lots of money. Other features included a dining table for 2, 2 chairs, a nightstand, a dresser, ironing board and iron, closet with hangers, in room safe, flat screen TV and hair dryer. The beds were really comfortable and included ample pillows. There are also basic rooms, deluxe suites and jacuzzi suites available. We had the opportunity to meet our housekeeper a few times during our stay. She was very kind and provide us with everything we needed on a daily basis to make our stay as comfortable as possible. As we were leaving our room on the last day she was in the hallway. She thanked us for visiting, told us to visit again and wished us safe travels home. How often does that happen at a hotel or resort?

Oceanfront Waterpark and Water Fun Area:
 The Crown Reef Resort just opened a new 2 million dollar Oceanfront Waterpark. This amazing waterpark is free to use for all Crown Reef Resort guests. Remember I mentioned something for everyone. For family members who are not fond of the sand and ocean they will really enjoy this waterpark. We didn't hit up the waterpark on our first night, but we did take full advantage of it our second and third. The new waterpark towers 40 feet above the ground and features a 278-foot long two-person tube waterslide, a single-person 302-foot long waterslide and an 8-foot tall, 20-foot long slide for the little ones. The "TWISTER" Waterslide and the world's first hotel" EXPLOSION" Tube Waterslide are the two newest water amenities at the Crown Reef. The two-person “EXPLOSION” tube slide pumps more than 2,500 gallons of water per minute. The "EXPLOSION" is a two-person serpentine-style ride with many left-to-right turns in 54-inch enclosed flumes. There are tight radius, 360-degree turns where the fiberglass enlarges and explodes into a 72-inch diameter to provide a change of speed and direction and add an all-new experience to the ride. The “TWISTER” slide, is a one-person body slide that pumps 800 gallons of water per minute.

The waterpark also includes a water fun area for all ages with a silly sub and other fun water features, like a giant dumping water bucket. My children are apprehensive of large slides so they mostly hung out in the water fun area and rode the 8-foot slide over and over again. But don't let this little slide fool you, it is really fast!! The lines were always short which was perfect for impatient children. 

There is ample seating in this area so parents can relax while children play. And guess what? This attraction will be open year-round! Yup even in the winter you can enjoy the waterpark, because it will be enclosed. 

Pools and Hot Tubs:
Besides the awesome waterpark and water fun area there are several other water features including a tropical island pool, heated indoor pool, hot tubs and fountains. Our family loved the 125-foot ocean front pool, which was never crowded. For the younger children who are not quite ready for the big pools there are three kiddie pools. On days it is really hot or raining you will love the large winding pool by Tower 1 where you can be splashing around in the sun on one side and protected with a covered top on the other side. The children loved the bridge with the sprinkler in this pool. And parents there are 11 hot tubs where you can relax. Yes moms you get to relax too on this vacation! I spent some time in the hot tub relaxing (with an adult beverage) while the children enjoyed the lazy river, it was perfect!

The pool deck is always hopping but surprisingly it is never too crowded. We always found a lounge chair or table and there were plenty of areas that provided shade if you are not fond of baking in the sun. Here are some of the other things going on around the pool deck.

• Snow cone stand where you can purchase a cold treat
• Pool side bar where you can get yourself a refreshing beverage. I made friends with the amazing bar tender and bumped into him several times during our stay both on the resort and off. He even posed for a photo.
• Salty the Shark appearances. Salty visits the Crown Reef every day except Sunday in June and July.
• Chief Kamu's Fire and Hula show. Cheif Kamu is a native Hawaiian and shares stories about Hawaii and performs a captivating fire show. His authentic hula dancers also teach you how to Hula Dance if you are feeling brave. 
• Greg Holt Magic Show. Greg performs weekly magic shows right at the pool, or in the arcade if the weather is bad.
• Other activities may include trivia extravaganza, water aerobics, tie dye shirts ($10), family scavenger hunt, hula hoop and limbo contests, arts and crafts (fee varies), beach soccer, beach kickball, Hair wraps ($1 per inch), shark tooth search, pool games and more! When you check in you will be provided with a list of events for the week!
• Need some alone time? Then take advantage of the Kids Night out for $15.

*All activities are subject to weather and occupancy.

Lazy River:
Get super lazy on the Lazy River. This was were we spent the majority of our time. We floated round and round the 575-foot lazy river for hours each day. It is the longest oceanfront lazy river in Myrtle Beach. Tubes are provided and we could always find a tube when we needed one. I loved that I could relax in a hot tub or on a lounge chair and easily keep an eye on the children while they floated in the river.

Town Center Dining & Fun Zone
The Town Center opened this spring and offers visitors oceanfront dining and entertainment! There is a casual dining restaurant, coffee bar, ice cream and sweets shop, and video game arcade and redemption center. Below is a breakdown of these areas.

Game On!:
If you need something to keep your children busy for an hour or so you can head to Game On! This arcade center provides children a fun place indoors to relax and have fun! You can easily load a game card with credits for playing games, that way children can pick and choose which games they want to play without the hassle of coins or bills. Some of the games include Crank It, Sink It, Super Bikes 2, Typhoon, Ice Ball, air hockey, Doodle Jump and more. For even more added fun you can earn tickets/points by playing the games and then redeem them for small prizes at the Winner's Circle. Tickets/points are automatically added onto the card so there is no need to hassle with carrying paper tickets around.

Grab N’ Go Grill & Coffee Bar:
Whether you are looking for a light breakfast, quick lunch or dinner, refreshing beverage or a tasty snack the Grab N' Go Grill has something for every appetite. The thing I liked most about the Grab N' Go Grill was that everything was really affordable. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor seating options too if you choose to stay rather than go! Breakfast buffet options include a continental style breakfast with biscuits & gravy, pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, fresh fruit, pastries, and more. Tip: If you add the breakfast buffet to your reservation you can save money! Dinner, lunch and snack options include pizza, corn dog, salad, chicken wings, chicken fingers and more. There is a wide variety of cold and hot beverages to choose from including fresh-brewed coffee, smoothies and more. We definitely utilized the Grab N' Go during our stay. One evening we enjoyed a quick, quiet dinner there and the morning we left we stocked up on some bottle beverages and snacks for the road.

Swirl Ice Cream and Sweet Shop:
If you are looking for a way to cool down after spending all day at the beach or waterpark in the sun then check out Swirl Ice Cream and Sweet Shop. Swirl Ice Cream shop serves up creamy Breyer's ice cream. Flavor selections include mint chocolate chip, french vanilla, cookie dough, strawberry and more. At the Sweet Shop you can find all kinds of sweet goodness to add to the top of your ice cream, from gummy bears to M & Ms, there is something for every sweet tooth. I don't know about your children, but mine love ice cream and sweets so this place was totally irresistible and added even more fun to our vacation.

Loco Gecko Restaurant:
We are loco for the Gecko. We ate dinner at this brand new restaurant 2 nights during our 3 night stay. I loved that we didn't need to leave the resort to have a nice, relaxing sit down dinner. As long as there are not hurricane force winds the Gecko opens the garage doors on the restaurant to give you fabulous view of the Atlantic while you dine. The restaurant decor is everything you would expect from a beach shak resturant. There are fun beachy signs, and beach themed art pieces. The restaurant features casual beach dining and has variety of menu options including salads, pizzas, burgers and more. For children there are several tasty options on the children's menu. You can choose to sit inside or outside, but either way you will still get to experience the ocean breezes and beautiful view. We were able to feed our family of 4 for around $35 (including tip). The restaurant was never crowded and we often had our choice of seating. During each of our visits the waitresses were helpful and friendly. We had one minor issue during our 2nd dinner visit, but the attentive restaurant manager resolved the issue quickly and professionally. The children were thrilled that we were able to take our plastic Loco Gecko cups home as souvenirs!

The Beach
Don't worry I didn't forget about beach! After all the beach would be one of the main reasons you stay at an ocean front beach resort, right? We spent afternoons relaxing on the beach, swimming in the ocean, building sand castles and of course collecting shells. And each night after dinner we took a nice relaxing walk on the beach to collect more shells and do some beach combing. It is amazing what you can find laying on the beach after a busy day. We were even able to sneak in a beach geocache which we found several resorts north of the Crown Reef. And shh don't tell the children, but we also were able to sneak in some homeschool too! The beach is full of educational learning opportunities.

Accessing the beach is super quick and easy. Just walk through the pool area, over a gated bridge and your toes will be touching the sand. If you don't want to lug your umbrella and chairs out to the beach you can rent a set of comfy chairs and an umbrella for the day from the lifeguards. There are numerous wash stations to rinse off sandy bodies and gear before heading back to your room or next amenity. 

A few other amenities I'd like to mention include the fitness center (which will be getting an overhaul too) and  a 12,000 square foot space for meetings, banquets, weddings and events for groups of 25 to 1,200.

More Details
So are you ready to book your next vacation now? The Crown Reef  “all-in-one” resort offers something for family at an affordable price. You can stay at the resort the entire time and never run out of stuff to do or head to the many wonderful attractions located around Myrtle Beach. If you decide to take advantage of the local attractions be sure to check with the Crown Reef front desk to see how you can save and in many cases even purchase your tickets. We would definitely stay at the Crown Reef Beach Resort again!

Where:
Crown Reef Resort
2913 South Ocean Blvd
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
877-684-9998

When to visit:

All year long!

Cost:

For families looking for a great budget friendly option definitely check the Crown Reef Resort first. Rates start at just $39 a night on select dates.

SPECIALS:

Crown Reef Resort offers a variety of special throughout the year. Check their Specials Page for more details. 

Links to follow:

-Crown Reef Resort Website

-Crown Reef Facebook 

-Crown Reef YouTube

-Crown Reef Twitter

What do you think your favorite amenity would be?

We were given 4 days, 3 nights at the Crown Reef Resort plus a $100 food voucher in exchange for our review, all opinions are our own.

Shark Week Resources (Mostly FREE)

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

Shark Week starts tomorrow and before we head to the beach to celebrate I wanted to share a few resources with you. I am hoping we get lucky and see a real shark. Follow us on Instagram,  Facebook, Twitter and/or Google + to view photos and updates from our adventure!

The majority of these are FREE resources, if they are are not free I have included the current price.

Discovery Channel Shark Week website. View schedules, clips, videos, shark cams and grab FREE resources.

Printables:

• Shark Unit Study
• Hammerhead Shark Unit Study
• Shark Lapbook
• Free Shark Unit Study Printables
• Mini Shark Pack
• Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett Shark Unit Study ($5.00)
• Shark Notebooking Pages
• LEGO Shark Printable
• Geography Quest Shark Edition

Arts/Crafts

• Crayon Resist Art 
• Lots of Shark Craft Ideas
• 40+ Kids Activities for Shark Week

• Shark Chalk Pastel Art eBook ($5.99) here is also a FREE How to Draw a Great White Shark tutorial video
• Shark Coloring Pages
• Shark Coloring Pack

Books:

• Sharks: Kids book of fun facts & amazing pictures on animals in nature Kindle FREE
• Sharks: Amazing Pictures and Facts on Animals in Nature Kindle ($2.99)
• Sharks Discover Your World Series Kindle ($2.99)
• Amazing Sharks! (I Can Read Book 2) ($3.64)
• Hungry, Hungry Sharks ($3.61)
• National Geographic Kids Sharks! ($3.48)

• Shark DK Eyewitness ($13.23)
• Bull Shark ($22.18)
• Great White Sharks Up Close ($19.13)
• Shark Attack ($2.99)
• A Visual Introduction to Sharks, Skates and Rays ($13.80)

Media:

• Jonathan Bird's Blue World: Great White Sharks YouTube
• Megalodon Giant Shark YouTube
• Mermaid Dances With Sharks YouTube
• Sharks Of Lost Island YouTube
• Shark Week 1998-2012 Netflix

• Search for the Great Sharks Imax Netflix
• The Great White Odyssey Netflix
• Sharks Mediterranean Netflix
• Shark Superhighway Netflix
• Android App - Dolphins, Sharks & Turtles - Ocean Tales from Generation Nature, Empowered by SeaWorld Kids FREE

More Fun Stuff:

• Eyewitness Shark Casting Kit ($10.87) 
• Shark Dissection Kit ($60.90)

1. 

• Shark 4D Anatomy Model ($21.17)

Even More Ideas on Pinterest:

Mile Marker News - South Carolina Beach Getaway

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

"Mile Marker News" will include details about our upcoming trip, the preliminary itinerary, the planning process, travel tips, and more. And of course there will be many posts to follow after the adventure when we share our reviews and other travel articles pertaining to our trip.

Well we are gearing up for another fun adventure, but this time we are heading north to our sister state, South Carolina. Did you see our South Georgia Adventure itinerary? I completed the post about our stop in Albany, Georgia, but I am still working on a few more for the other cities we visited.

Remember to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and/or Google + so you can see snapshots of our adventure.

South Carolina Beach Getaway:

We are total beach bums and if we could live near a beach we totally would. In a few days we will be heading to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. Myrtle Beach is the perfect beach getaway and offers a wide variety of activities, accommodations and dining.

Image courtesy of Wikipedia.org.

Here are just a few of things Myrtle Beach offers:

• Rich history - there are tons of great historical places to visit in Myrtle Beach where you can learn about the Native Americans, colonial living, plantations, pirates, railroads and much more.
• Beautiful beaches - with over 60-miles of beach Myrtle Beach is a picture-perfect gateway to the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. There are tons of activities like boating, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving and more. And the area's ancient rivers, winding creeks, and spectacular marshes, along with the Intracoastal Waterway, offer water lovers even more opportunities for fun in the sun and water.
• To die for food - from mouthwatering seafood and steaks to scrumptious pastries and coffee Myrtle Beach offers a wide variety of eateries. 

This trip is not nearly as elaborate as the last trip but it is going to still be tons of fun and super relaxing. Here is information on where we plan to stay and have fun!

Itinerary:

• We will be staying at the beautiful, newly renovated Crown Reef Resort. Crown Reef Resort, which opened its first tower in 1994, is located at 2913 South Ocean Boulevard along the south end of Myrtle Beach. Crown Reef offers the most oceanfront rooms (514) in Myrtle Beach, a large conference center, indoor and outdoor water amenities, on-site dining and more. We are really excited about the $2 million waterpark that just opened at Crown Reef Resort. In addition to two new 4-story enclosed waterslides, including the world’s first hotel “EXPLOSION” slide, the waterpark features a kids waterslide, sub play area with water sprays and bucket dumps, and a sun deck.

Image courtesy of Crown Reef Resort.

• We will visiting Alligator Adventure the largest reptile facility in the world. This 15 acre zoo gets visitors face to face with nature’s fiercest and most beautiful animals. We cannot wait to meet the 2 rare albino alligators that live at the zoo. The zoo is located adjacent to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, and is one of South Carolina’s most outstanding tourist attractions, 

Image courtesy of Alligator Adventure.

• At some point we will swing by the T.I.G.E.R.S. Preservation Station at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. This FREE wildlife exhibit and living tiger museum gives you the chance to meet some of the world's most amazing animals up-close and in-person while they play and relax in an outdoor environment. There are Bengal tigers, Siberian tigers, Royal White Bengal tigers and of course, the Golden Tabby tiger. 
• For some geocaching fun we plan to visit Myrtle Beach State Park which sits nestled among an oceanfront maritime forest. A quiet, and surprisingly green, escape from the otherwise bustling beach, the park provides educational opportunities, a nature trail and some of the best surf fishing South Carolina has to offer as well as stunning ocean views and another great fishing spot on Myrtle Beach pier.
• Either on our way to or from Myrtle Beach we will be stopping by Murrells Inlet a historic fishing village where you can experience nature along the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk. The MarshWalk is FREE to enjoy and offers great views of the saltwater marsh, birds, and beautiful scenery. Home to many waterfront restaurants, music is in the air once evening rolls around. 
• For some evening time strolls we plan to visit the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, Broadway at the Beach and/or Barefoot Landing. These place offer a variety of dining, shopping, entertainment and magnificent views!
• Since we are an art loving family we definitely plan to visit the FREE Burroughs-Chapin museum. This is the only art museum in Myrtle Beach. It is located across the Springmaid Pier. They feature many exhibits including an Art Studio just for kids. 
• To learn more about how native people lived along the Carolina coast before the arrival of Europeans we will make a stop at the Horry County Museum in downtown Conway. This museum features a great collection of Native American artifacts from Archaic, Woodland and prehistoric time periods. There is also a living history farm. Admission is FREE.
• For more nature exploration we will be hitting up the Heritage Shores Nature Perserve. This preserve is one of the most unique parks in the city; created in 2007 with seven (7) acres of walking paths. The park is located on an island that extends into the Cherry Grove Marsh.  The land is preserved in its native state and is accessible via a series of elevated boardwalks and observation docks. Interpretive signage throughout the park describes the plants, animals, fishes and birds that can be seen in the park. This is also FREE to visit.

What is your favorite beach to visit?

365 Days of Pinterest Link Up - Week 2

*This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Page for details.

I would like to introduce you to a fun new link up and my friends blog Almost Supermom. Jordyn is a the group leader for our local homeschool group, a great wife, amazing mom to 6 beautiful children and the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for. For the last few weeks I have been helping her get her blog up and running, doesn't it look great?

Well she had a brilliant idea to put all those pins she has been adding to her Pinterest boards to good use and is committing to doing a Pinterest activity everyday with her kids over the next year. I convinced her it would make a great link up and so we are teaming up and encouraging you to do something with those thousands of pins (we know you have that many) with us over the next 365 days.

It is really simple choose a pin from one of your many boards and do it! Then blog about it and link up. Because of everything else I have to blog about (reviews, giveaways, etc) I will not be posting my activities everyday (and with my upcoming move I may get a little behind) but I will be doing a weekly pin wrap up and linking up.

Be sure to follow Almost Supermom as well as Kathys Cluttered Mind Pinterest boards to see what sort of stuff we will be doing.

So here are my Pinterest projects this week (remember it's okay to modify):

Day 8 - Boredom Buster Jar

Materials:
-Some type of jar or container (I used a plastic drink mix container)
-These 2 printables I made which you can download for FREE - boredom buster ideas and boredom buster jar label

What to do:
Print out this FREE printable with boredom buster ideas (or make your own) and this one for the jar label. There are a few blank cards included so you can come up with activities that may better suite your children. To add your owe activities either download the pdf and add text in a pdf program, use a label maker or a marker. I choose to laminate my cards to make them more durable. Cut the cards apart and place them into the jar/container. Next time your child says those dreaded words, "mom I'm bored" send them to the boredom jar!

Day 9 - Homemade Lipstick Out Of Crayons (we had a blast doing this one with the Almost Superomom kids)

Materials:
-Box of Crayola brand crayons (don't use any other type of crayons for a few reasons, 1) Crayola crayons actually go through special testing to make sure they are non-toxic and 2) other crayons don't melt nearly as well)
-Small bead containers
-Some type of oil (we used coconut oil)
-Double broiler (we used a little sauce pan and a bigger sauce pan)

What to do:
Fill a pot with water and heat it to a simmer, be careful don't let it get too hot because wax is combustible. Once the pot is simmering, place 1 crayon (without the wrapper) and 1 tsp of oil in the double boiler. Put the double boiler in the pot of water and stir the crayons and oil until completely melted and mix. Remove double boiler from heat and immediately pour the lipstick into your container. Let the mixture cool for 5-10 minutes before applying. Repeat with your favorite colors! 

This project was tons of fun and it worked really, really well. The lipstick looks great and stays on for a long time. Plus the crayon lipstick is non-toxic and doesn't contain a bunch of ingredients you cannot pronounce. You can search the internet and find lots of different recipes. I have seen several where they use shea butter, vitamin e, essential oils, glitter, glow in the dark crayons, etc.

Day 10 - TV Time Tickets

Materials:
-Small plastic tray or a basket
-Envelopes (1 for each child, 1 for placing used tickets and 1 for reward tickets)
-Letter stickers (for names)
-Colored paper
-This tag printable I made which you can download for FREE

What to do:
Print out this FREE tag printable (or make your own). I chose to use different colored paper for each child. To add your children's names download the pdf and add text in a pdf program, use a label maker, stickers or a marker. You can also add your desired amount of time to each card. We do 1/2 hr time slots on each card and each child gets 10 at the beginning of the week (for 5 hrs of TV time each week). I choose to laminate my cards to make them more durable. Cut the cards apart and place them into each child's envelope. Next label the envelopes: one with your child's name, one with used tickets and if desired one with reward tickets . At the beginning of the week give each child all their TV tickets. Throughout the week children must redeem a ticket whenever they wish to watch TV. They only get to watch TV for the amount they redeem. When the cards are gone that means there is no more TV until a new week starts. This system has been working great for us. It requires the children to budget their TV time better and also incorporates some math skills as well. You can use the reward tickets as you please. Our children get reward tickets for various things like helping out without being asked, doing something nice for someone, etc.

Day 11 - Street Signs
We recently learned about street safety and this craft was a perfect fit.

Materials:
-Construction paper
-Glue
-Scissors
-Markers
-Glitter optional

What to do:
Have your child determine which sign they would like to make. Gwyn made a yield sign and Rowyn made a street light. Next show your child a picture of the sign so they can determine what paper color then need. Next have them cut out the correct shape (s) for their sign and right the correct word if necessary on their sign.

Day 12 - DIY Shell Shower Hooks
The kids bathroom in our new place is going to be beach themed. I stumbled upon shell shower hooks on Pinterest which you can purchase on Amazon. They were cute and not overly expensive....but then I got a brilliant idea to use what we had on hand to make our own. So for FREE I made our very own shell shower hooks which not only look fabulous but also hold special memories of our beach trips.

Materials:
-Shower hooks of any kind (visit Dollar tree/clearance sections or use what you have on hand)
-Sculpey clay
-Shells
-Hammer (only if you need to break off decoration on existing shower hooks)
-Hot glue

What to do:
With a hammer break off any decoration from the existing shower hooks. Dig through your shell collection to find the perfect shells (I had the kids help me with this). Next glue the hooks onto the back of the shells. For smoother shells you may need to make clay supports. Simply mold small balls of clay and poke a hole in the middle. Bake per package directions. Then glue the hardened clay pieces onto the shells and glue the hooks into the clay. Hang up your beautiful new shell shower hooks!

Day 13 -  Best Way To Pack Clothes
We are moving again for the 7th time in 13 years. Yes I consulted Pinterest for packing and moving tips and found this great tip for packing clothes. Place folded clothes into trash bags. And for hanging clothes place all the hangers the same way and place a trash bag over the hangers by tearing a small hole through bottom of trash bag. Pull the bag down over the clothes and tie the bottom. Super cheap and super simple!



Day 14 - DIY Shell Night Light

This is another Pinterest item that gave me a brilliant idea to reuse what we had on hand. So with the help of my husband we created a beautiful piece for the kids new beach themed bathroom.

Materials:
-Night light base (3 pack on Amazon) (or visit Dollar tree/clearance sections or use what you have on hand)
-Shell
-Hot glue
-Dremel

What to do:
I dismantled the kids old ducky night light and then with the help of my husband cut out the base of a shell so it would fit snugly around the night light base. I then secured the shell with hot glue. And viola a new nightlight to match the beach themed bathroom.