Weekends Count Magazine - Helping you maximize your weekends through travel and DIY experiences.: Traveling with Family

Showing posts with label Traveling with Family. Show all posts

Reviewing the Geekey Multi-Tool: A Must-Have Travel Tool (TSA Compliant)

Last Christmas, we were fortunate to visit the Holiday Inn Resort in Tyler and I was EXCITED to have access to a kitchen. We purchased canned goods, fruits, and vegetables for our family and I was so prepared...or so I thought. Unfortunately, this kitchen did not have a can opener. So, this meant that I had to try to use a pocket knife from the Dollar Tree and that did not work either.

So, no canned goods for us. No black beans, no green beans, and no corn. I promised my family that I would be more prepared next time! That night, I searched on the internet for a travel can opener that is TSA compliant and I found several multi-key tools, but I never purchased one. A few months later, we were contacted by the Geekey company to review their product and I JUMPED at the opportunity.

You can check out the Geekey Multi-Tool here - https://amzn.to/3cbX4M7

*This is our Amazon Affiliate link.

This tool is life changing for our family. It is heavy duty and it can perform the following functions:

Bike Spoke Key

Multi-Fit Driver

Wire (Refiner). ;)

Open Wrench

Ruler

Bit Driver

Scoring Tip (great for opening boxes - instead of using a key)

Bottle Opener

Closed Wrench

Serrated Edge

Can Opener

File

Wire Bender

Multi-Head Fit

and Lanyard Hole

We will definitely keep this around, because we are always opening Amazon boxes, fixing items around the house with a Phillips head screwdriver, opening cans, and using a can opener!

Remember to add this item to your holiday gift and birthday list!

Sincerely,

The Weekends Count Family

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Samsonite Underseater Carry On Luggage is Great for Travelers

I typically travel 2-3 times per months and this makes packing and unpacking a process that I began to dread each time. I decided to address this dread head-on and to do something about it. I began packing the essentials in one pack instead of two bags.

Also, I dread spending extra money on checking a bag. In fact, I had to not checked a bag in over 9 years. When they began charging for checking a bag with the airline, I began to pack creatively.

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier!

Check out this bag on Amazon - Samsonite Large Wheeled Underseater
https://amzn.to/2CoMtNk

From packing potential medicines (headache medicine, pepto tabs, etc.) to packing additional shoes (because once I had a shoe malfunction in New Orleans at a conference), I had to pack items that I could use time and after time that I travel.

So, now I have this routine:

1 - Wash and Dry the Same Outfits Each Time
2 - Restock Any Medicine
3 - Restock the Toiletry Bag
4 - Restock the Food Bag (Teas, Creamer)
5 - Check my Electronic Hot Tea Maker

I pack all of the items listed above (at all times) in my Samsonite Underseat bag. Here's a video about my bag!

This has been the best bag for me and sometimes it is large enough for a weekend trip for my family. It has everything that I need in a bag and I never have to worry about leaving something at home because it is all there. With 15+ pockets and zipper sections, you have room for almost everything.

This bag has fit under economy seats on American Airlines and United Airlines. It is perfect for almost every adventure and in fact, I've escaped having to check my bag because it fit under the seat.

If you decide to purchase the bag, I strongly recommend that you connect with the airlines ahead of time about any seats one the aircraft that might have an added electronic panel. This panel can cause many travelers to rethink their packing strategy, because the Samsonite Underseater will not fit under those seats. This is true unless, they are inserted under the seat creatively.

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Contact Information:
1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110
Box #145
Granbury TX 76048
817-382-8475
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Remember to Purchase or Download Our Family Travel Book on Amazon! - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

Holiday Meal Kits and Holiday Meal Plans - Order Cooking Ingredients Online

As you prepare for the holidays, please EMBRACE the fact that you probably need some new utensils and some special holiday products for the ideal meal for Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza. We also take Brandless products on our travel adventures! Write this down in your calendar...

SHOP on the BRANDLESS site to save time, money, and also to find unique products for your holiday meals.

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We provide easy links for you to click to make your busy lifestyle easier!

Whether you are providing a potluck dish for your work family, a unique meal for your children, or if you just want the most amazing dish for yourself, check out their website. I always use their products for office potlucks and themed meals!

Make-Your-Own Pasta Bars - I got you!

Organic Tomato Sauce

Organic Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

Silicone Pasta Fork

Make-Your-Own Hot Cocoa Bars - I got you!

Organic Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix

Organic Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

Brandless also has you for the holidays as well! From $3 Silicone Measuring Cups and $3 Organic Dried Cranberries to $3 Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil and an amazing $3 Chef's Knife, they have it all! Check it out! Use the search box and they can help you find the best items for your office potluck or family meal!

Here's the video that we made about Brandless a few months ago!

Check out Brandless and see the amazing products they have. These products change each week and these products and my referral link (https://refer.brandless.com/s/fmajx) to your bookmarks. Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

Have You Read - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget: Keeping Your Family Organized While Traveling with Kids

http://amzn.to/2DCfhAp

Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget is focused on creating family memories through travel experiences. Did I mention that the book is ONLY $.99! Quite a deal! Here's the link - http://amzn.to/2DCfhAp.

Chapter one, “Why Travel with Kids” focuses on the importance of traveling with children. This chapter includes multiple resources, book suggestions, and sample questions that you can ask your children before your family trip.

Chapter two, “Traveling with Kids on a Budget”, presents tips for frugal family travelers and luxury family travelers. This chapter features recipes, meal suggestions, packing lists, and additional resources.

Chapter three, “Flying, Cruising, and Riding the Rails with Children” features several tips and checklists for each type of travel. These tips and checklists are timeline-based and highlight items to consider when booking your trip, 24 hours before your trip, and when you arrive to the airport/terminal/depot.

Chapter four, “Hotels with Kids”, focused on items to consider when booking your hotel, when you arrive to your hotel, and when checking out of your hotel.

Chapter five, “Day Trips to Local Attractions”, includes the “Top 10 Things to Pack for a Sea World Adventure (or Other Theme Park)”, a sample day trip itinerary for families, and suggestions for family reflections after a day trip.

Chapter six, “Innovative Ways to Pack for Family Travel Experiences”, highlights innovative ways to integrate binder clips and zipper bags on your trip. These everyday items can be lifesavers for families on-the-go!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

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About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Did You Watch Our Videos on YouTube, Yet? Remember to Subscribe! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Did You Become a Fan of Facebook? - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Did You Follow Us on Twitter? - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Did You Look for Us on Instagram? - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Did You Discover the Weekends Count Blog? - http://www.weekendscount.com
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Remember to Check Out Our Book - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

A Great Travel Product for Families - Halls Kids Pops (A Wellness Item)

Our family travels with our little one on road trips, by air, and by rail quite often. Inevitably, she develops a cough and I am often scrambling to find a local CVS, Walgreeens, local supermarket or at least an Amazon Now delivery service in the area. Since we rarely rent a car from Enterprise or another agency, this presents a problem for our family. Here's one item that can help your family remain healthy while traveling by packing this key item in your medicine bag.

This post contains affiliate links to help you build your shopping list and travel list for your family. We are passionate about the product and the experiences listed in this post, but we also wanted to provide easy links you can click to purchase products for your busy lifestyle.

As a result, I always pack our suitcases with themed zip-loc bags (with the items contained written on the bag with a marker. These bags usually contain powdered medicines and lozenges. We have never discovered throat lozenges for children until NOW!

Recently, when we were in Galveston for our Moody Gardens adventure, we stopped by a Walgreens along the way and I discovered the Halls Kids Throat Pops! They come in different flavors including: Vitamin C Drops (Orange Flavored) and Throat and Sore Throat Pops (Cherry or Strawberry Flavored). We will definitely pack some of these in advance of our trip and label them in a plastic zip-loc bag for medicine.

According to the Drug Store News site, these "cough and sore throat pops are available in cherry and strawberry pops contain 5 mg. of menthol per pop to temporarily relieve cough and sore throat" (Salazar, 2017). Apparently, these throat lozenges are the first ones to utilize menthol as the active ingredient.

We are VERY EXCITED about this opportunity to keep our family well while we are on vacation!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

Sincerely,

The @WeekendsCount Family!

References:

Salazar, D. (2017, July 17). Halls kids bring sore throat, vitamin C pops to cough, cold aisle. Drug Store News. Retrieved from http://www.drugstorenews.com/

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Did You Watch Our Videos on YouTube, Yet? Remember to Subscribe! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Did You Become a Fan of Facebook? - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Did You Follow Us on Twitter? - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Did You Look for Us on Instagram? - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Did You Discover the Weekends Count Blog? - http://www.weekendscount.com
Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com

Remember to Check Out Our Book - Family Travel Hacks and Tips for Any Budget!

Marriott M Club Lounge is the Best Restaurant in New Orleans for Millennial Travelers

At Marriott Hotels and Resorts (and most Hilton, Sheraton, Omni, and other hotels), there is a hidden feature that most individuals have no idea about. These are the lounges located on the top floors and bottom floors of most full service hotels. These lounges usually provide patrons with complimentary breakfast, lunchtime snacks, nightlight snacks (or actual dinner), desserts, and drinks!

Also, if you are attending a blogging (or other) conference or working from your hotel, you can print for free, have free coffee without standing in line downstairs without the other coffee drinkers who are paying $6 per cup downstairs, and. It is a great networking opportunity for millennials, moms, professionals, and others who want to exchange business information with others!

Usually, the conference speakers are present in the lounges, the CEO and planners are in the lounges, and other busy professionals who just want to relax away from the busy nature of downstairs.

The Marriott M Club Lounge at the New Orleans Marriott is a hidden gem. I discovered it by mistake when I attempted to travel to my regular lounge upstairs in my favorite hotel in New Orieans and I was informed that there was a M Club Lounge downstairs. This was my first time visiting an M Club Lounge and it was amazing! You can order lunch and dinner, there is a sparking water machine, amazing spaces to work on....WORK, and the dinner is AMAZING!

This video focuses on breakfast time in the M Club Lounge in New Orleans. The hotel had great vegetarian options, amazing gluten free options, fresh fruit, bread pudding (yum), made to order omelets, and you actual get to select items from the actual New Orleans Marriott breakfast buffet! Yes, this includes beignets! Also, anyone can have made to order beignets in the lobby! Plus, there is a bonus video at the end of this video focused on "How Make Beignets" from a baker or chef at the New Orleans Marriott.

This is one of my favorite Marriott Hotels in the United States for Millennials!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048

Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.commailto:weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com

Did You Forget Something in the Hotel Room? Here's a Simple Checklist to Complete BEFORE Leaving the Room!

We are ALWAYS frantic when leaving a hotel room. I always like to check and double-check everywhere (including ALL of the nooks and crannies) to check if we left something in a hotel room.

Here's why - We were having an amazing time in Orlando and we had EVERYTHING packed in our backpacks. We boarded the shuttle and finally arrived at the airport. Then, we discovered..we LEFT the iPad! We had the driver travel BACK to the airport and then we grabbed our iPad from the front desk (they cleaned the room) and we headed BACK to the airport.

http://www.weekendscount.com/2015/01/16-ways-to-make-most-of-your-disney.html

If you know anything about the Orlando Airport, you know that it is ALWAYS busy. Super busy! This was our last experience EVER running through an airport. Did I mention that I was pregnant at the time? ;)

So, we made this checklist and we are finally publishing it on the blog. When you are leaving a hotel room, you have to check everywhere for your belongings! Here's a quick checklist focused on leaving a hotel.

Here's the checklist in PDF format: http://tinyurl.com/WeekendsCountHotelChecklist

Do you have anything that you would like to add to the checklist?

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

About Weekends Count - Weekends Count is a Millennial Family Travel, Fun, Food and Activities blog based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We review hotels, travel and household items, and millennial family experiences!

Authors - Jennifer and Tony Edwards

Here's a link to our press kit/media kit - http://www.weekendscount.com/p/our-media-kit.html

Mailing Address: 1030 East Highway 377 Suite 110; Box #145; Granbury TX 76048
Phone Number - 817-382-8475

Send us an Email! We are PR friendly! - weekendscount@gmail.com
Watch Our Videos on YouTube! - http://www.youtube.com/weekendscount/
Become a fan of Facebook! - http://www.facebook.com/weekendscount/
Follow Us on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/weekendscount/
Look for Us on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/weekendscount/
Discover the Weekends Count Blog - http://www.weekendscount.com

The Top 10 Melissa and Doug Products that are Ideal for Family Travel and Learning-on-the-Go!

Our family loves Melissa and Doug products and we were delighted to discover the numerous travel-friendly products that the company offers families! Order one (or more) of these items for your summer or fall travel and you will not be disappointed! :)

Here are the Top 10 Melissa and Doug Products that are Ideal for Family Travel and Learning-on-the-Go!

*Some of these products are affiliate links.

Travel Product #1 - Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow! Water-Reveal Activity Pad - Safari

Travel Product #2 - Melissa & Doug Play House! Reusable Sticker Pad

Travel Product #3 - Melissa & Doug On the Go Felt Friends Craft Activity Set With 188 Felt Stickers

Travel Product #4 - Melissa & Doug On the Go Scratch Art Hidden-Picture Pad - Favorite Things

Travel Product #5 - Melissa & Doug ColorBlast! Sea Life and Dinosaurs Color-Reveal Coloring Books, 2-Pack

Travel Product #6 - Melissa & Doug Pet Shop Puffy Sticker Set With 115 Reusable Stickers

Travel Product #7 - Melissa & Doug Tape Activity Book: 4 Rolls of Easy-Tear Tape and 20 Reusable Scenes

Travel Product #8 - Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game - Wooden Game Board, 7 Double-Sided Cards

Travel Product #9 - Melissa & Doug On the Go Secret Decoder Activity Book - The Case of the Runaway Ruby

Travel Product #10 - Melissa & Doug On the Go Color by Numbers Kids' Design Boards: Playtime, Construction, Sports, and More

Please let us know which product you liked the most! WE LOVE Melissa and Doug products (especially for travel)!

Have a great week and plan for the weekend!

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