Feeling blue??? That's a GOOD thing!!! :)

Smurfette and Vexy Come to Visit...

We are feeling very blue at our house...

AND WE LOVE IT!!!

Smurfette and Vexy (one of the Naughties), stars of the new Smurfs 2 movie, came to our house to play (many thanks to Build-A-Bear Workshop!)!  My 12 year old BOY pounced on Vexy...yes, I said my TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY.  My 8 year old took them on a playdate (she almost refused to bring them back), and my almost three year old bawled when he had to go to bed without his new friends!  (Is it bad that I kinda wanted to keep them both in MY room???)

I know you've all heard of Build-A-Bear, and you probably know all about my favorite part of the experience...the outfits!!!  You will not be disappointed in the Smurftastic outfits and accessories available for your Smurf or other stuffed pal!  Check them out here:

http://www.buildabear.com/shopping/productBrowse.jsp?howMany=24&prevVisit=true&pageStart=1&categoryId=cat10810001&selectedParentCategoryId=cat110197&viewAll=false&start=1

The Smurfs 2 opened today to rave reviews (even better than the first one, they say!), and you know every kid loves to take home their very characters from the movies!  Most of the time, it's a trinkety toy from a Happy Meal, but you won't want to toss these new stuffed friends from Build-A-Bear!  They are awesome, and your kiddo will remember the experience of creating their new friend with you for a looooong time.  What's better than creating a memory with your family?

 

If you've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to head to BABW, now is the time!  Who doesn't love the Smurfs?  They are nostalgic and hip, great for all ages (my 12 year old, remember???), and just all around fun!  And remember...it's okay to feel blue when you're hanging with the Smurfs!

Be sure to visit Build-A-Bear before the Smurfs and the Naughties before they disappear through the portal!

http://www.buildabear.com/shopping/

Dive into Adventure at the Adventure Aquarium!

Part 4 of my Mini-Series, Fun Family Things to do in the Bucks County Area!

Camden, New Jersey

WOW!  Just.....WOW.

My almost three year old touched a shark, stingray, starfish (oops...sea star), and a sea cucumber today.  And, he didn't get in trouble for ANY of it!!!

If you want a hands-on experience with ocean animals, you can't do better than the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey.  First of all, the aquarium is right on the waterfront and...it...is...BEAUTIFUL!  You must take a picture with Philly in the background before your visit (you know there will be major meltdowns after...not the best pictures!)!!

 

The entire Aquarium is fantastic, but if you are headed there with your family, you will definitely want to hit all four of the Touch Tanks.  I think our favorite was Chompy, a little shark that bobbed out of the water on his way around the tank to greet all of his visitors!

There are four adventure zones at the Adventure Aquarium...and you'll want to make sure you have enough time to hit all of them.

Adventure Zone A is the temporary home of Mighty Mike, the largest American Alligator living outside of Florida...he is a doozy of an animal at 14 feet long and 800 pounds!  I would not want to run into him outside of the aquarium, but to be able to get so close to such a massive creative was pretty awesome.  (He's there until September 2nd.)  We also saw some incredible sharks, including a hammerhead!  The tanks were immense, and it was so cool to get right up to these amazing creatures.

Adventure Zone B brought us to the penguins...the comedians of the Aquarium!  We could have watched them all day long.  Everything these little guys do is hilarious, and we were laughing at their antics long after we left the Aquarium!  The stingrays were not to miss...they are so graceful as they are swimming around, but they are not above splashing you or nibbling on your fingers.  Perfect for the kids!

The turtles are very friendly in the KidZone!

Adventure Zone C was full of hands-on fun for the kiddos!  Whoever came up with the concept of creating a "break space" full of things that the kids can do on their own...climbing, touching, exploring...ought to be rewarded!  It was a fun, yet educational, part of the adventure!

Adventure Zone D was pretty darn amazing!  We were mesmerized by the jellyfish, and amused by the hippos.  Then, we entered the Shark Tunnel and my kids went berserk with delight!!!  Sharks and other fish were literally swimming all around us!  Those dudes are rockstars.

Bring your lunch or enjoy a meal in the Feeding Frenzy Cafe so you can spend the day at the Adventure Aquarium.  There is so much to see and do, and you will not want to be rushed!  The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and we learned a lot just by striking up conversations with them...it was like our own private tour!  There are many extra adventures you can take at the Aquarium, like a 4D movie experience or swimming with the sharks, so be sure to check out their website before diving in!

http://www.adventureaquarium.com/

Learn through play at the PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM!!!!

 Part 3 of my Mini-Series, Fun Family Things to do in the Bucks County Area

Hey Parents....

This is seriously your "Dream-Come-True" museum.  They WANT your kid to touch everything.  EVERYTHING!!!!!!

Run, don't walk, to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, PA!!!

My sister and I took our kids (ages 1, almost 3, almost 3 and 8) to the Please Touch Museum on Eagles Day.  We prepared for some serious wrangling (where did we put those leashes???), "hired" the 8 year old to be our helper, and steadied ourselves as we walked through the front doors of the historic building.  I mean, preschoolers in a museum?  The thought is EXHAUSTING, right?

Oh.  My.  Word.
Best. Museum. EVER.

I'm not sure I can adequately describe the Please Touch Museum.  The really want the kiddos to touch.  In fact, everything in the joint encourages them to touch.  And everything in there is AMAZING!

Our kids...

• drove a bus
• rode on a subway, a trolley, a train, a motorcycle
• worked in a grocery store, hospital, construction site, train station, McDonald's, a shoe store, Rita's Water Ice, and a food cart
• exercised at the gym (with mini equipment!!!)
• climbed a rock wall
• ran around a mini track
• visited Alice in Wonderland
• hung out in City Park
• launched rockets
• went to the moon
• banged on drums in the rainforest
• played with a giant snake
• ran a household
• made things go
• completed a maze
• fixed a car
• walked on the gigantic piano that was featured in the movie "Big"

Blast off!

Grocery Shopping

Let's go for a ride on the City Bus!

Go ask Alice...

  
And sooooooooo much more!  They even participated in an Eagles Pep Rally, which was adorable, by the way. 

The Eagles Mascot Swoop visited the museum for Eagles Day!

You and your kids could literally spend all day at this place, and you will want to, so get there early!  We brought our lunch and ate near the (really cool) carousel, but there was also a great restaurant (Please Taste Cafe) right inside the museum.  The bathrooms were nicely placed all over the museum (and they were clean!), which was super helpful to us moms of the potty training crowd.  One of my favorite things about the museum was the very helpful staff members that were stationed in each of the exhibits.

The Please Touch Museum has events all summer long, so you will want to check the calendar before you plan your trip.  They are even hosting each of the area sports teams to support their newest exhibit, The Grow Games, which is part of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! program!

http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/visit/events-calendar/

If you are looking for an awesome place to have a birthday party, look no further...your kiddo's friends will be talking about it for weeks!

Honestly, I couldn't give the Please Touch Museum a higher recommendation.  If you have kids up to age 8, you NEED to go!  Check out their website for more info:

http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/

Adventure on The Delaware!

Part 2 of my Mini-Series, Fun Family Things to do in the Bucks County Area

Who doesn't love tubing down the river???  Not this family!!!  We had a blast on the Delaware, thanks to Rick and the gang down at Bucks County River Country, who is in their 48th year in Bucks County!

Thanks to all of the rain we got, the river was running high, so the Littlest stayed with Nana while the rest of us hit the water...it was safety first so the under 18 crowd wore life jackets.  (As a mom, I appreciated the fact that the website has a scrolling update to water conditions, and that safety was of the utmost concern.)

After parking the car, we picked out tubes based on weight (there was a range for each size, so don't worry, ladies!).  We loaded onto a repurposed school bus for a quick jaunt upstream, which was fun in and of itself!  (Depending on the length of tubing time chosen, the bus drops you off at different spots.) 

HINT:  Be sure to bring rope to tie the tubes together if you plan on staying as a group.  Especially when the river is running high, it moves fast, and it's easy to get separated!  Bucks County River Country does have rope for sale if you forget.

Once we got in the water, all bets were off!  Splashing ensued, kids fell out of their tubes (on purpose) and laughing echoed off of the beautiful trees, rocks and houses that line the river.  It really is a gorgeous place to relax and float...I think the best that PA and NJ has to offer.  Dragonflies showed up for the party, landing on knees, toes and fingers...I wish I had a waterproof camera to capture the adventure!

 

(I also decided that I would love to chill and read a book whilst floating down the river...I'm guessing I'll have to wait a few years for that dream!  LOL!)

The trip lasted about two hours, and we floated right into the place where we left the car.  It was super well laid out and pretty darn convenient for families!

HINT: Fill your belly on site at The Riverside Cafe...there is a cute little beachy place to enjoy your food before or after your ride.  Or...visit the snack and supply cart for all of your tubing needs.

You know I love a discount, and you will not be disappointed in the coupons and discounts that the Bucks County River Country offers...just check their website before you go, and then tell them that Christen from Go Go Family sent ya!  (OK, so that MIGHT not get you a discount, but it's pretty fun to imagine people saying it!)

Thanks, Rick & the entire Bucks County River Country family...we had a blast and will DEFINITELY be back next summer (the hubs says without the kids for a date...lol!)!!!

http://www.rivercountry.net/

Lots of Giggles at Giggleberry Fair!

Part One of my Mini-Series..

Fun Family Things to do in the Bucks County Area

It rained...A LOT...while we were in PA this summer.  What's a girl to do with 5 kids, ages 1 to 12???

Well, she takes them to Giggleberry Fair, that's what!

Giggleberry Fair at Peddler's Village is a 10,000 square foot, indoor attraction that has something exciting for every age, adults included.  

Head to Giggleberry Mountain, where adults and kids alike can climb the three-story, 6 level obstacle course, all while dodging the foam "berries" being hurdled at you by berry blasters and berry fountain explosions.  My two year can tell you from experience that the custom designed, enclosed slide that coils down all three stories is pretty intense, and not for the faint of heart.  ;)  You may want to stick to the side by side racing slides!

 

The little guys will love Giggles Discovers!, an interactive "edu-tainment" area for the 5 and under crowd.  The Waterway was a big favorite...yes, it does contain real water, and yes, they provide aprons for the kiddos!  Our preschoolers loved playing in the Giggles Fire Station and putting on a puppet show for all of us big kids.

 

Be sure to take a ride on the historic Grand Carousel, built in 1922, and fully restored in 1998.

 

Want to keep it low key?  Grab some tokens and hit the arcade, where you can play everything from racing games to Skeeball (they boast ever 50 games).  My 12 year old spent all of his tokens trying to win the ticket jackpot, only to win it for my 8 year old when she asked him to help her.  It was hilarious for the rest of us, but he was not thrilled!  Be sure to head to the redemption counter to turn in your tickets for cool prizes before you head home (my oldest chose about 40 Smarties...seriously???).

If you are anything like me, you will want to check out the deals on the Giggleberry website before you head over.  There are different deals everyday, and you can purchase an all-inclusive pass or just head to one area.  Giggleberry Fair has won the Best of Bucks award for Birthday Parties, too...so be sure to check them out when your kids are ready to blow out their candles!

www.giggleberryfair.com

Family Vacay...in PA!!!

 

Every summer, we hit the road (oh, who am I kidding...we head to the airport) to visit Nana & Papa in Pennsylvania.  With three kids (2, 8 and 12), two parents, and two grandparents, we have to get creative to find activities that everyone enjoys and can participate in.  This year, my sister and her 2 and 1 year olds joined us...ummm, this could get complicated.

Bucks County, PA

Bucks County has a ton of fun things to do, but sometimes you need to dig a little to find them.  Recommendations from people in the area tend to be the best places to visit.  I decided to do a little series called "Fun Family Things to do in the Bucks County Area", which I will add to every summer.  The next time you are in PA, be sure to hit these spots!

Giggleberry Fair
http://gogofamily2012.blogspot.com/2013/07/lots-of-giggles-at-giggleberry-fair.html

Bucks County River Country
http://gogofamily2012.blogspot.com/2013/07/adventure-on-delaware.html
Please Touch Museum
http://gogofamily2012.blogspot.com/2013/07/learn-through-playand-please-touch.html

Adventure Aquarium
http://gogofamily2012.blogspot.com/2013/07/dive-into-adventure-at-adventure.html

The Delaware River in Bucks County