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One Dad's Quest to Regain Control of his Kingdom

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3 Winter Getaway Ideas

November 15, 2022 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Are you planning to get away this winter, but are not sure yet what to do? Whether you’re undecided on what to do this winter or just haven’t found the time to decide yet, here are a few ideas to get you started.

A Warm Destination

Looking to escape the cold season? Many people prefer to leave snow and slush behind and head somewhere warm to escape from the winter weather. Some just prefer the beach over a winter wonderland. If you’re looking to go somewhere sunny and warm this winter, there are some great options.

There are many warm destinations that you can visit during the winter. Some of the most popular warm destinations include Florida, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. In Europe, people often visit Tenerife or Cyprus during the winter months. Since these locations are warm year-round, you can visit them any time of the year. Some other locations that are warm from December to February are Australia and South Africa.

A Winter Adventure

There are many ski resorts around the world where you can go skiing, snowboarding, or both. In Europe, the most popular countries to go skiing and snowboarding are France, Switzerland, Italy, and Austria. However, they are available worldwide, from Australia to the United Kingdom. You can find all about skiing destinations from Piste Pro.

If you’re not a fan of winter sports, you can also experience winter adventure in other ways such as ice climbing or snowshoeing. Even those who aren’t interested in these activities will appreciate the gorgeous scenery. There are places throughout the world that look like a true winter paradise. You can choose to stay in a cosy cabin in the wilderness or stay in a luxury resort in the mountains. There are resorts that offer various activities, accommodations, and guided tours.

No matter what you choose to do, it will be an adventure you won’t forget.

Staying in and Relaxing

You may also want to consider just staying in and relaxing or visiting a local resort. Many resorts offer accommodations and activities during the winter months that can be great for a family or a fun getaway. You can go ice skating, see a holiday show, visit the local winery, and much more.

If you would rather just relax for a few days, that is a good option as well. Relaxing at home and spending time with loved ones is often underrated! Although it is not technically a getaway, this tip certainly deserves consideration.

If You Want to Go on a Getaway

If you have decided not to stay in this year, there are a few things to do before you set off. Start by figuring out how much money you can spend on your winter vacation and then map out some ideas for places you’d like to visit. You might want to make a list of things you want to do while on vacation or research some of the top attractions in the area that you might want to visit while you’re there. If you do not like to find things to do when you arrive, you might also want to plan a few activities ahead of time so you have an idea about what you will be doing once you arrive.

Once you decide what type of getaway you want, the next step is to book your flight or train ticket if you haven’t already done so and book your hotel reservations. If you’ll be renting a car when you get to your destination, be sure to make those arrangements as well. Finally, you’ll need to make sure you have all of your travel documents in order (such as your passport) and any necessary immunizations before you go.

 

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: family travel, travel, travel tips, travel with family, travel with kids, traveling, traveling with kids, traveling with teenagers, winter, winter travel

Snow Joe Gets You Ready for Winter!

December 20, 2015 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Snow Joe gets you ready for winter!
 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

It’s winter, and thought here in Michigan we have been a bit light on snow itself, I know that I need to be ready, as we can get dumped on at anytime. When the winter months start getting near I am always trying to look ahead. Some people look to the farmers almanac, or their local weather experts. I try and look at a mix of the two, though I know that Mother Nature always has her own plan for me and for all ofthe people in our State.

With the fact that no matter what I do to research and guess, weather will always surprise me, I need to have snow removal equipment from a company that I can trust. I had the opportunity to try a Snow Joe Plus back in 2012 and since then I have continued to use this and have been impressed with the quality and how well this has continued to work over the years. Because of the positive experience of this, I have been following and watching all of the great products that Snow Joe has brought out over the years and I have to say that the mix of powered and self-powered snow removal devices is amazing!

Snow Joe gets you ready for winter!

One of the things that has changed over the last few years is how far things have come in the battery/electric technology. When I last reviewed the Snow Joe Plus this was a device that had to be plugged in at all times. Now, when you look at Snow Joe Snow blowers, one of the ones I will share with you, the new Snow Joe iON 40-Volt Cordless 18-Inch Single Stage Brushless Snow Blower w/ Rechargeable Ecosharp Lithium-Ion Battery changes the game, and allows you to get a ton of power without being plugged in consistently.

So over the next few months I will be sharing with you some great new Snow Joe products with you, but also will share some great new tips, hints and resources to make sure that you are ready throughout the cold weather months.

Snow Joe gets you ready for winter!

Before I leave you today I wanted to leave you with a list of must have items that I would recommend for all winter-laden readers:

  • Snow Blower
  • Extension Cords
  • Snow Scrapers & other automotive supplies
  • Ice Melt
  • Snow Pusher/Shovel

 

 

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Filed Under: fatherhood Tagged With: snow, Snow Joe, snow safety, technology, winter

Cozy Cub Winter Clothes Make A Cold Winter, Warm #dadchat

November 30, 2014 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Cozy-Cub-Winter-Clothes
 photo disclaimer_zpsaa1cb05b.jpg

Living in Michigan you know that winter is something that is inevitable and something that you have to prepare for. This fall we have been having unseasonably cold temperatures and my wife and I have had to kick it into high gear as we have had to prepare for winter so far ahead of schedule. That being said I was excited to be able to learn about a new line of children’s winter clothes from One Step Ahead, called their Cozy Cub line of clothes. What I love about these is that they are interchangeable and allow you to get winter apparel that actually relate to one another, thus you can find gloves, coat, fleece liners, snow pants, boots and more that all connect together in regards to colors. Too often you are having to search from store to store to find items that match. With the Cozy Cub line you do not have to worry about that at all.

Cozy-Cub-Winter-Clothes

When I received the items (all but the boots) my daughter was SO excited! She wanted to jump right into them even though it was not very cold on the day in question. We assembled the coat easily, putting the fleece liner in for added warmth and getting everything else taken care of. I was impressed with how easy it was to get the liner into the coat as we have had others that have given us nothing but problems, but not this. We also found that the sizing charts on the website were very accurate. The gloves fit as they were supposed to, and so did everything else, which has not always been something that we have found with every site that we have tried out in the past. The coat was good on warmer days too, just take the fleece out and you get a much lighter weight coat that I know Diva PJ enjoyed wearing!

Cozy-Cub-Winter-Clothes

The clothes were well made and very warm. When we did get our first substantial snow the girls had to go outside to have fun, and when Diva-PJ came back inside, even though she had been rolling around in the snow, she was still dry and warm, which is exactly what we want to find when it comes to winter clothes.

All-in-all I was impressed with the quality and price of this line of clothes and if you too are in need of some warm winter clothes for your young ones, I highly encourage you to look at these!

 

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Filed Under: Gift Guide, product review Tagged With: clothes, gift guide, product review, winter

Tips for Driving with Little Ones this Winter

December 21, 2012 by dadofdivas 3 Comments

Winter Safety Tips for Driving with Little Ones

Provided by:

 

Julie Kleinert, North American Child Safety Technical Lead for General Motors

Kate Carr, President and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide

 

1.       Avoid Bulky Winter Clothes. We know you want your little ones to be warm this winter season, but please don’t strap your child into a car seat with a bulky coat as it can affect the ability of your car seat to do its job.  A bulky coat can compress in a crash and create a loose car seat harness, putting your child at greater risk of injury in the unlikely event of a crash. To properly secure your child, the harness straps must be snug and close to their body.

 

Make sure your child’s harness is adjusted correctly yearound by using the “pinch test,” which is the best way to make sure your child is secure. First, remove bulky clothing and blankets.  Make sure the harness straps are adjusted to the correct height – they should be at or just below the child’s shoulders when they ride rear-facing, and at or just above the child’s shoulders when they are forward-facing. Then buckle and tighten the harness straps. Place the chest clip at armpit level. Now pinch the strap at your child’s shoulder. If you are unable to pinch any excess webbing, you’re good to go.

 

2.       Ensure Comfort and Safety at the Same Time. So how do you keep your little one warm and safe? Remove bulky coats and snowsuits before putting your child in their car seat or opt for outerwear that is not as heavy like a lightweight fleece or hoodie. To keep your child warm and toasty after you remove the bulky coat, you can use a blanket (or even the removed coat) placed over the tightened car seat harness. It also helps to warm the car up before leaving – those remote car starters are pretty nice and make a great holiday gift.

 

3.       Check your Tailpipe. Before you get in your car, do a quick walk-around and check to make sure your tailpipe is not blocked with snow. A simple check can ensure you won’t have any problems with carbon monoxide, which is dangerous.

 

4.       Prepare for Mother Nature. You never know when you might get stuck in the cold and snow, so always have an emergency bag stocked in your car. Be sure to include necessities like baby food or formula, water, diapers, extra blankets and a spare set of warm clothing. You’ll probably never need it but it’s nice to have just in case.

 

5.       Watch Out for Sleds. One of the great things about snow is the chance to go sledding. And kids will do it anywhere, anytime, often cruising right into the street. That creates one more thing to look for when you’re driving. A few ways to be prepared are to slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones, turn on your headlights earlier in the day if your car is not equipped with daytime running lamps, and, as always, reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

 

6.       Buckle Up. This is an “all-weather” tip. We know that when adults wear seat belts, kids wear seat belts. So be a good example and buckle up for every trip.  Your kids are safer in a crash when everyone in the vehicle is buckled up.

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With: driving, safety, winter

Getting to Try Out the New GMC ( @thisisGMC ) Terrain #gmcwinterdriving

December 27, 2011 by dadofdivas 9 Comments

Last week I was lucky enough to be asked to go to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to try out the new GMC Terrain in winter conditions. As I have never driven the Terrain before I was very excited about the opportunity to not only learn abotu the new car and what it offers, but also to learn more about tips for driving in winter conditions. Living in Michigan, while I know we do not have a lot of snow and ice yet it is coming very soon!

Arriving in Steamboat Springs last Thursday I had the opportunity to explore the city which was very quaint and western in Nature (which makes sense). I found some fun shops with very neat people. One of the fun stores was a store named FM Light and Sons. This was a store that has been in business since 1905. I walked in and was amazed to see that they had a whole wall of cowboy boots and another section with so many stetson hats that you can not even imagine. What I came to find was that people come to this store from over 100 miles away to get fit for hats and boots and a large amount of their orders are custom orders. What this means is that a person would have to go to the store get fit and then come back in a month or two when the boots are ready to get fit again. You might ask if I stocked up on western gear, but alas, I would have to say no. That being said though I do have to say that I was impressed though in the overall selection and the personal attention that the store provided!

The rest of the town was great and the people were very happy to have tourists in town. I walked through the entire town and found some fun gifts for my girls as well as one for my family in general (have to come back with something, right?).

The first night that I was there we had the opportunity to eat at a great restaurant called Cafe Diva (perfect name for a Dad of Divas like me) and again we were met with great hosts and amazing food. I even decided to try fresh Bison and let me tell you, if you have never tried this, it is so tender and the flavor from this restaurant was out of this world!

 

Day 2 was where the meat of this program took place. This was the day in which I and the rest of our group would be learning to drive in winter conditions in the new 2012 GMC Terrain. We started the day with a great overview of the Terrain itself and let me tell you from all of the things that were being explained to us, I was very impressed, but as the old saying goes, the proof is in the pudding, so it was up to the actual driving to let me get a true sense of the vehicle itself.

Getting into the vehicle I was impressed to find the large on-screen display with the

added upgrade of a navigation system. This system was great and ended up being (in my opinion) as good as the Garmin that I have in my own home.  With the fact that this is only an $800 upgrade it seemed to me to be a great add-on for this vehicle. The vehicle also has some great functionality built in for stability control as well as for someone like me that is a bit shorter, I appreciated the additional controls to make it easier for me to adjust the pedals as well as my seat so that I could drive in comfort. Add onto this the rear camera as well as the new safety features that alerts you when there may be someone that could be close enough to cause a collision (don’t worry, no bells and alarms, but instead lights that were easy to understand and follow).

The Terrain handled well on main roads and when we got onto the snow it also handled well. Keep in mind that we did have snow tires on, but I can say that we had no problems with the vehicle itself. One of the things that I really liked about the vehicle (outside of what I have already related) was the fact that it was so quiet on the inside. Even with winter tires on, I found the inside to be very well insulated to outside noises which was great. I also liked the fact that you could fold the seats down to the ground for easy storage and hauling if need be.

Seeing that this was a winter driving experience, I learned quite a bit about what to have in the car with you, as well as what to do when in a slide and other treacherous conditions. Outside of this thought, one thing that I did learn was more about when to shift into first or second gear when in snowy conditions, which was good to know in any situation!

When we were done driving we had the opportunity to go outside and experience more of Colorado. I chose to try something I had never done before, snowmobiling. I had heard fun things about this, and with my bum knee being what it is I knew that I needed to try this out for myself.

Getting out on the trail with the wind in my face was exhilarating. With that and the speed behind this I can see why this is a popular winter sport. After finishing this I wanted to go out for more and now that I am back in Michigan, I may just look into doing this!

All-in-all, I was completely impressed with the Terrain as well as my trip to Steamboat Springs. I have to say thanks to GMC (@thisisgmc) for the opportunity to go and try out the vehicle as well as to experience a great town in Colorado.

If you or your family are looking for an amazing vehicle, take the new  GMC Terrain for a test drive and I think that you will be as impressed as I was!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: auto, automobile, car buying, driving, travel, winter

Skin MD Lotion Giveaway

January 8, 2010 by dadofdivas 28 Comments

Many of you read my review of the Skin MD Lotion that I did a few weeks back. I have been using the lotion and it does make a drastic difference in the quality of my skin in this cold winter season.

After writing the review, I was approached by the company to offer a giveaway to one of my readers for a bottle of this. I do recommend this and think that you will love it if you win it yourself!

Even if you do not win it, I definitely would recommend finding out where you can find this product, it has saved my hands and I am sure it can do the same for you.

Giveaway

How would you like to win a bottle of this great lotion? All you need to do is let me know why you would have an interest in this lotion to be considered. The contest will run for one week and will end on January 15, 2010.
Bonus Entries:

  • Blog about my Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
  • Grab my badge to your sidebar

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    • Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
    • Stumble this post. (leave username in comment per day)
    • Digg this post (Leave username in comment)
    • Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
    • Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away Skin MD Lotion – http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
    • Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
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    • Become a fan of Dad of Divas on Facebook (Leave username in comment)

    Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

    This contest will run until January 15, 2010 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

    Winner must be a resident of the U.S or Canada.

    Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

    Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

    All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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  • Filed Under: giveaway Tagged With: skin, winter

    Review & Giveaway – Twin Draft Guard Helps You Save Money On Your Bills

    December 23, 2009 by dadofdivas 21 Comments

    Twin Draft Guard is made from the same foam used to insulate pipes in Northern Canada

    • Keeps the internal climate from being affected by the outside elements allowing for more efficient temperature regulation
    • Blocks drafts from both sides of doors and windows keeping cold air out and warm air in

    Twin Draft Guard features and benefits include:

    • Can fit windows and doors up to 36 inches
    • Used on interior and exterior doors
    • No installation required
    • Slides under doors
    • Removable, washable cotton cover
    • Double sided for maximum protection
    • Reduces noise, dust and odors

      Where Can You Find it?

    • Distribution partnership with Lowe’s to carry the Twin Draft Guard® product in 350 stores in the Northeast in the Northeast Region
    • Twin Draft Guard® retails for $9.99
    • Can be purchased at major retail chains including Walmart, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreens, etc.
    • Double packs are available at http://www.twindraftguard.com/


    Additional ways to improve energy efficiency and maximize savings:

    • Perform an energy audit
    • Set your thermostat as high as possible in the summer and as low as possible in the winter, comfortably
    • Clean and/or replace furnace filters regularly
    •  Insulate your attic and basement walls
    • Keep drapes and shades open during the day to allow sunlight to warm your home, but closed at night to act as a barrier to cold air
    • Keep window coverings, such as drapes and shades, closed during the day to prevent excess heating
    • Use ceiling fans

    My Take On The Product

    I was excited to try this product, not only to save money (which I am always for), but also to be greener altogether (but mostly to save the 20% that they claim to save). When I opened the product itself, I found the product to be simple enough to put together. You typically only have to cut the foam to match your door jam and place the foam in the holders and then you will be ready to go.

    I tried the product on the door that leads to our garage. I came to find that the product does limit the amount of draft that comes through the door, but on the door in question, I found that because it had a raised door jam, the product was bulky and cumbersome to use and it prohibited me from opening and closing the door with ease.

    Eventually we decided to move it down to our basement door and it now works find and the door seems to open and close a bit smoother.

    Overall, the product does work as it states, but it depends on how your door (or window) is set up that will determine whether the product works well in your own household.

    Giveaway
    How would you like to win a twin draft guard for yourself? I am giving away five of these to lucky readers. All you need to do is let me know why you have an interest in this product. The contest will run for one week and will end on December 30, 2009.

    Bonus Entries:

    • Blog about my Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
    • Grab my badge to your sidebar

      <a href=”http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/”><img src=”http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg” /></a>

      • Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
      • Stumble this post. (leave username in comment per day)
      • Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
      • Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I’ll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:” @dadofdivas is giving away 5 Twin Draft Guards – http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/” (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
      • Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
      • Add me to your Technorati Favs list (one entry, leave username in comment)
      Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

      This contest will run until December 30 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

      Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

      Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

      Open to USA Only

      Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

    All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site’s Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.


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    Filed Under: giveaway, product review Tagged With: product testing, saving money, winter

    Project 365 (178/365) – It looks cold out there!

    February 4, 2009 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment


    100_0441, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.


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    Filed Under: photo Tagged With: Diva-J, photography, picture, project 365, winter

    Project 365 (171/365) – Time to sled!

    January 24, 2009 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment


    100_0416, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.


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    Filed Under: photo Tagged With: Diva-J, photography, picture, project 365, winter

    Project 365 (169/365) Angels among us!

    January 22, 2009 by dadofdivas 2 Comments


    100_0418, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.


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    Filed Under: photo Tagged With: photography, picture, project 365, winter

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