Keep the kids entertained with Carrera slot car toys!

Looking for a way to keep the kids engaged on something that doesn't have a screen? We got into slot car racing and the kids love it! I remember playing with a slot car set when I was a kid and don't know what happened to that set. Fast forward to 2020 when everyone is spending copious amounts of time at home, we decided to try slot car racing and it was so fun.

We got a set thanks to the great folks at Carrera Toys of America, which had cars that were modeled after two cars in Disney's movie Cars and of course my little guy wanted to be Lightning McQueen. It was so fun. 

We worked together to set the track up, which was a little more involved than I remember. The cool part about the track that we got is that it included a full loop-de-loop circle and also track raisers so that one piece of the track could go over another piece of track. We quickly learned that you have to install the track guides because if don't do that, the cars will most likely run right off of the track.

At the beginning of the pandemic in the US, the 55-year-old slot car company blew through its U.S. inventory in a month as families realized they could spend quality time building their track setup, learning how to use hand controllers to operate the miniature cars, mastering the art of taking the curves at top speed without losing the cars’ grip on the track’s guide-slots, and competing against each other for braggers’ rights.

If you've never played slot-car racing before, it's simple: you have to run your car around the track using a hand controller and be faster than your opponent without running the car off of the track! That is quite hard since the controllers are quite sensitive. Somehow my little guy was able to use the hand controller at full speed without running the car off of the track - something I was not able to do.

We played a lot with the set and one thing that my dad said would be a good thing to do would be to build the set on a piece of plywood so you don't need to keep assembling and disassembling it. We've played it a handful of times so far and it's a lot of fun - one thing to watch out for is that the track connections are very brittle and we've already broken a few of them.

If you're looking to spend some quality time with the family without being in front of any screens, we recommend that you check out slot car racing with sets from Carrera Toys of America!

NOTE: We were provided with a sample set to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions, as always, are our own.

Dinosaurs have arrived in Foxboro through September 27th!

Just in time for the 2020 season, dinosaurs have arrived at Gillette Stadium, the home of the 6x World Champion New England Patriots! 

The Jurassic Quest tour is here now through September 27th, featuring over 70 moving and life-like dinosaurs, as well as our 50 foot-long Megalodon that you can see all from the comfort of your car as you drive through the exhibit! If you're looking for something different to do this weekend, this is it.

We arrived around 6:30 pm as our tickets were good for any arrival between 6 and 7 pm and we pulled into the large parking lot off of Route 1 and were directed to the start of the exhibit. After checking in we downloaded the audio tour on our mobile device and started playing it through the car stereo. There were lots of cars ahead of us and it moved quite slowly, so it was great that we packed snacks as it took us around 10 minutes to get to the start of the exhibit.

For $49 per vehicle (up to 8 people and less than 10 feet tall and 25 feet long), your dino-adventure-seeking crew can enjoy about an hour-long ride back in time. Although we saw kids standing through the sunroof of cars, sitting on the roots and hanging out the windows - we decided to play it a little safer and checked out the dinosaurs through open windows.

One thing that was neat was the size of these animals in real life compared to things like our cars, rather than just reading about them in a text book or online.

At the end of the tour you can take a picture of the whole family inside the car, with a dinosaur in the background - by the time we took our picture it was so dark outside you could see us thanks to the flash photography but the dinosaur wasn't really in the photo... oh well!

Event: Jurassic Quest 

Place: Gillette Stadium (1 Patriot Pl, Foxborough, MA 02035) 

Date: Through September 27, 2020 (Closed Monday & Tuesday) 

Hours: 9 am - 8 pm daily 

Admission: Tickets available online at https://www.jurassicquest.com/events/drive-thru-boston

Cost for entry: $49 per vehicle.

NOTE: We were provided with passes to check out this awesome exhibit and be able to tell you all about it. No other compensation was provided. As always, all opinions are our own.

Trolls world tour is a great movie!

We watched Trolls World Tour on digital and absolutely loved it! The kids loved watching Poppy and Branch learning about the other kinds of music and troll tribes over different lands. It was great to see the trolls travel to different lands, meet other trolls and hear some great music.

This film was an industry first as it was released directly to digital since we were not going to the movie theater in times of Coronavirus.

We really enjoyed the plot, script and trip through music history in this colorful tale with Trolls World Tour!

NOTE: We were provided a copy of the movie in exchange for this review. All opinions are our own and no other compensation was provided.

Trolls World Tour is now yours to own on digital today and Blu-ray/DVD on July 7th!

Trolls World Tour is now yours to own on digital today and Blu-ray/DVD on July 7th! It includes two versions: the movie plus the exclusive Dance Party Edition and an original short, Tiny Diamond Goes Back to School. Dance. Sing. Play. Repeat. Keep the party going when you own the “pitch-perfect family film.”

You can download and print the Trolls World Tour activity packet for event DIY decorations, recipes, games, and more!  Roll out your own red carpet party at home as you watch Trolls World Tour! www.dreamworks.com/movies/trolls-world-tour#activity-sheets

NOTE: We are providing this information to you, our readers, since we thought you would find it useful! No compensation was provided and all opinions are our own.

Wears Woody: A local brand with Bold, Coastal Style and a great mission of giving back to drive over diabetes

When I attended the New England Boat show earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet Mike Norwood, the founder of Wears Woody, a local Boston area clothing company with an awesome product and even greater mission of giving back to “drive over” diabetes. He started the company selling shirts out of his Jeep Wagoneer, Woody, and driving around selling his stock and giving back.

Wears Woody donates 7% of each sale to back to non-profits to help cure the disease. Such an amazing concept! You can choose which organization to give to (JDRF, Riding on Insulin, College Diabetes Network and T1D Exchange), or have it split evenly right at checkout.

Mike was a great host and took the time to explain their mission, products and we had a chance to check some of the new items they now have available in their online store.

Each article of American-made clothing is made in a local mill in Everett, Massachusetts, which produces their line of clothing for the mobile surf chalet as well as retailers and resorts around the east and west coast. I remembered the mobile surf chalet from seeing it parked near Boston’s South Station in Dewey Square - it is so cool that they can literally “set up shop” and provide an inviting retail experience anywhere!

Wears Woody has a new UPF line which is here this summer and has three different weights of clothing. I had the chance to try a few of their shirts and ended up getting their Solar Stretch Half-Zip in navy and it is SO comfortable and has UPF 50 sun protection in the fabric. New this summer, this line of clothing with embedded UPF protection has three weights and is perfect for the cooler temps that the evenings can bring.

The Anorak is one of their best-sellers and is perfect for colder times as well as wet or rainy situations. It has a pocket for your cell phone, too! I tried their t-shirts and other shirts and they are so soft and comfortable. It is great getting clothing that you can feel good about giving back to the community with.

Here's their founder, Mike, talking about Wears Woody:

NOTE: I was provided with the solar stretch half-zip shirt to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions, as always, are my own.

Stuffed Puffs - A fun new way to make S'mores treats without the chocolatey mess!

Recently, we had the chance to try a new product that solves the age-old problem of melting chocolate and marshmallows to make s'mores. Whenever I've tried it, I will put the marshmallow over the fire, try not to burn it, and then when it seems gooey enough, quickly transfer it to chocolate and graham crackers and hope the chocolate melts enough. More often than not, I'm eating a s'more that is a little hard on the chocolate. Can you relate?

Enter Stuffed Puffs... a marshmallow with the chocolate on the inside! Who would have thought of that? Thankfully someone did! You put the marshmallow on the stick and when it's melted, the chocolate melts as well. We decided to try them and were surprised how they worked!

We decided to see if we could go a different route and make Chocolate Rice Crispies Treats with them and found that it was just the right amount of chocolate. We tried eating them right out of the package without melting them, and admittedly, the kids enjoyed them more when they were melted and not "raw" marshmallows.

If you would like to try them, you can find them at your local Walmart and online at http://www.stuffedpuffs.com

NOTE: We received a few sample packs of Stuffed Puffs to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are our own.

The Red Sox, PawSox, Celtics and Revolution are all providing engaging content to keep youth moving!

Since the start of the stay-at-home quarantine we have all been living through for the past two months, we are adjusting to a new way of living in these uncertain times. Life has been upended and normal activities have come to a screeching halt. Something as simple as watching live sports either in person or on TV has been paused at both the local as well as professional level.

In New England, our beloved sports teams have embraced their digital communications even more and have created everything from a whole section of content dedicated to fun and educational activities as well as videos showing exercises you can do at home! Our favorites have been the Red Sox puzzles, STEM worksheets, learning how to play half-ball, what a baseball is made of and Rick's Points to Ponder from the PawSox, and workout videos from the Revs!

For a limited time only, you can also have your personalized message displayed on the main John Hancock centerfield video board at Fenway for a donation to the Red Sox Foundation.

Here are a lists of fun things you can find broken down by sports team:

Boston Red Sox "Home Fun"

Keep the whole family entertained in the house with the Red Sox Home Fun activity page. Choose from coloring pages, math and STEM worksheets, videos, recipes and more!

• Fun Outside!
• Coloring Pages
• Games and Puzzles
• Spot the Difference
• Math Worksheets
• STEM Worksheets
• Comic Books
• Videos
• Fenway Farms Recipes
• Summer Slugger 

Pawtucket Red Sox (and soon-to-be Worcester Red Sox), AAA Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox

• “Safe at Home with Paws and Sox,” presented by Vertikal6, provides greetings from such PawSox personnel as Manager Billy McMillon, Hitting Coach Rich Gedman, and first baseman Josh Ockimey, as well as messages from Red Sox stars Mo Vaughn and Lenny DiNardo.  Third baseman Jantzen Witte demonstrates his hobby: woodworking.
• Filled with tips, stories, and humor from PawSox front office members (and their family members), the show teaches how to practice at home with half a tennis ball, dissects a baseball to reveal the small rubber ball inside, and even includes jump rope lessons.
• Also included are do-it-yourself lessons for artistic “Mothers Day Cards,” just in time. 
• Merchandise dedicated to safe physical distancing practices and raising funds for local COVID-19 Relief in the RI/MA area

Boston Celtics

• Jr. Celtics at Home, powered by New Balance: An interactive content series providing parents of young hoopers with various skill-enhancing basketball drills, as demonstrated by a collection of Celtics personnel. Jr. Celtics at Home, powered by New Balance offers drills that can be completed individually and utilize little space, helping your Jr. Celtics to stay active and develop their game in a safe and healthy way.
• Jr. Celtics LIVE: The Jr. Celtics program is also offering live workouts on a weekly basis. Every Tuesday and Thursday, kids can virtually join Coach Sam as he hosts a fun, free interactive event for kids to sharpen their skills while distancing at home.
• Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. (Eastern) on Instagram Live (@celtics)
• Basketball workouts geared towards older kids with a stronger basketball focus
• Has previously featured a mix of Celtics VIP guests, including center Enes Kanter and assistant coach Scott Morrison
• Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. (Eastern) on the Celtics official Facebook page
• Basketball workouts designed for the younger Jr. Celtics crowd with an emphasis on getting active and energized
• Fit to Win, powered by Sun Life: An event-driven community initiative that’s been re-imagined for the digital world. Visit our Twitter page (@celtics) for a weekly virtual workout conducted by the Boston Celtics strength coaches. Designed to encourage the importance of staying fit and healthy, each workout is also followed up with a different health tip each week.
• Virtual Read to Achieve, presented by Southern New Hampshire University: Join Celtics mascot “Lucky” the Leprechaun as he offers a read-aloud of 12 different children’s books through an extension of the team’s Read to Achieve program. Each book is kindly provided by Barefoot Books and includes a set of relatable curriculum questions, offering a unique way for you to engage and entertain younger audiences.

New England Revolution "UHC at Home with the Pros"

• Exercise videos you can do at home, hosted by Revolution players. Professional athletes are just like the rest of us right now – quarantined and using whatever they have around their home to stay fit. This video series features players demonstrating 1-2 minutes of drills for all ages to practice balance strength and footwork with items such as books, socks and shoes. 

NOTE: We are providing this information to our readers as we are part of the Red Sox Parents blogger initiative as well as being fans of all of our local sports teams - Go Red Sox, PawSox/WooSox, Revs, Celtics, Bruins, Pride, Cannons, etc.! No compensation was provided and all opinions are own own.