Family Ski Travel On a Budget

Travel

Saving Money With Kids, Best Family Ski Resorts 

Okay, I admit it. I'm a family-centric ski bum. My hubbie (who still loves racing and jumping off cliffs I wouldn't dare attempt myself) and all of our four kids -- who were skiing intermediate runs before they turned 4 years old -- love it too. Nothing can stop me and my whole family from heading to the slopes whenever the opportunity arises. 

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In fact, I've broken a leg twice during past ski seasons. But, year and year, you can still expect to see me getting off the lift to head down one of my many favorite ski trails. For sure, this passion goes way back to my younger days. For many years before having children, my hubbie and I skiied most of the world's best resorts both in the US and Canada.

Tips to Saving Money on a Family Ski Trip 

We still love to ski but now we do it as a family, and for the most part, we drive instead of fly to our destination.  Especially in our home state of California the quality and quantity of snow this season has been the best in many, many years. BTW, Don't miss my picks for family-friendly skiing in California at the bottom of this post. 

Yes, skiing keeps getting more expensive every year and it really adds up when you're bringing children along. The good news is there are ways to save money on everything from your lift tickets and ski equipment to meals, travel and accomodations.

• Ski locally when possible to avoid overnight expenses 
• Drive instead of fly to your destination 
• Ski in Low Season (typically January - February)
• Plan your ski trips for non-holidays 
• Rent equipment near home and bring with you 
• Shop around for lift ticket specials (mid-week, low season etc) 
• Look for discounts for kids, those with disabilities, seniors 
• Book a condo (instead of hotel rooms) for your family 
• Stay several miles from the base of the mountain 
• Shop for groceries instead of eating meals out 
• Bring food/drinks with you to the mountain each day 
• Seek out end-of-season sales for equipment, ski clothing 
• Borrow ski wear from friends or shop thrift stores 

Here's Mini MommyBlogExpert (my daughter) reporting from Mammoth's slopes during one of our Winter Vacation when she was in elementary school.

Best California Family-Friendly Ski Resorts

• Mountain High,Wrightwood 
• Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes
• Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe
• Bear Mountain, Big Bear Lake 
• Snow Valley, Running Springs
• Mt. Baldy Resort, Mt. Baldy

Monster Family 2 Nobody's Perfect Movie Release

Movies

MBE partnered with Viva Pictures for this review

Monster Family 2 Review, Coloring Contest, Free Printables

There's some exciting animated movie news to start the new year for families with kids. Monster Family 2: Nobody's Perfect (PG, 2021, Viva Kids Films), which made its big screen debut in October, is available everywhere On Digital and On Demand as of January 4th.

Fans of the original hit movie Monster Family (2017) are of course going to be delighted with this sequel you can now watch at home. But young viewers who are new to the Monster Family will be equally charmed with the performances of returning voice actors Emily Watson (Emma Wishbone), Jason Isaacs (Dracula), Nick Frost (Frank Wishbone), Jessica Brown Findlay (Fay), Catherine Tate (Baba Yaga), and Ethan Rouse (Max Wishbone). New to the cast in Monster Family 2 is Emily Carey as villainess Mila Starr.

The Storyline

The Wishbone family at first glance seems to be just another average, happy family. Life is fairly uneventful with the Wishbone kids Max and Fay are dealing with the pangs and pressures of growing up, while their parents are multi-tasking at work and at home. But as the Monster Family 2 story quickly unfolds, things clearly aren't as perfect on the inside as they seem to outsiders. 

Before we know it, Mila Starr, a monster hunter is plotting to capture the Wishbone family's scary friends King Conga, The Loch Ness Monster, and The Yeti. The Wishbones are determined to upset the evil plan, and set out off on a wild adventure with lots of twists and turns to rescue their friends by transforming themselves into monster characters Vampire, Mummy, Werewolf and Frankenstein.

Watch the Official Movie Trailer

Free Movie-Inspired Printables

With such a fun movie available to see at home, here are some family-friendly free printables from Viva Kids Films to share with you and your children. Included are several worksheets as well as a Monster Family 2-inspired coloring contest with some great prizes to win which you can enter on Instagram. There's also an adorable kids Frankenstein mask craft boys and girls can make with a little help from Mom, Dad or other responsible caregiver. All of these should keep the kids busy and happy during snow days or when it's just too plain cold to play outside all winter!

More About Monster Family 2

Monster Family 2: Nobody's Perfect is On Digital and On Demand as of January 4. Buy or rent it on Amazon, iTunes, Redbox, DirecTV and more. Learn more about this family animated feature film by following Viva Kids Films on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as well as visit the Viva Pictures site. 

Virtual New Years Eve for Families and Kids

Celebrations

DIY Party, Craft, Activity Ideas to Celebrate 

The new year is almost here. Who's ready to say goodbye to 2021 and hello to a hopefully brighter, healthier 2022 by celebrating safely with your family and children? I thought so! So let's get on with it with some quick and easy ways to make your New Year's Eve celebration meaningful and fun.

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See the NY Times Square Ball Drop from Anywhere

Living in Manhattan does have its advantages like attending this iconic New York spectacle IRL. But in 2020, unfortunately that big outdoor event for locals was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. 

This year members of the public have the option to return to that traditional venue once more. However, due to the spike in cases caused by the latest strain Omicron, everyone attending is required to wear a face mask as well as show proof of full vaccination and valid photo identification. As an additional precaution, outdoor viewing areas will be limited to fewer people to allow for social distancing. 

The modified event will be televised and also live streamed commercial-free on the internet on sites such as Times Square NYC and others starting at 6 pm ET. You can also join the countdown live as well as learn all about the world's most famous Ball's history. A full schedule of activities and list of performers is available here.

New York City is already abuzz right now. Among the many festivities leading up to the New Year is event sponsor Kia America's arrival this morning to Times Square after 4000 miles touring the US with the 2022 lights in tow. 

Host a Virtual New Year's Eve Party

With Facebook Live, YouTube Live, What's App, and Zoom, there are so many ways to get together some friends or family and invite them to a virtual New Year's Eve celebration with everyone staying safely at home. All you need to do is give everyone some advance notice by texting/sending out email invitations.

 

Encourage your virtual guests to round up their own party food/drinks and decor and sign in to your group at the appointed time (making sure everyone is online at the right time zone where they live) to join the fun and revelry. 

Check out my personal picks for the perfect 2022 New Year's Eve party supplies at the bottom of this post, still all available for delivery by 12/31/21 as of the time this post went live. Alternately, you can run out to big box party stores like Party City or to your local party supply shop.

Stage a Small At-Home Gathering for Family

Another easy-peasy idea is to just have a simple, but fun celebration with your kids and those you live with. Get your children involved in planning the food/drinks and activities in advance. Make sure your pantry is stocked with snacks and if your kids love helping in the kitchen, bake some cookies or other special treats for your party. 

Don't forget to have the ingredients onhand to make some non-alcoholic mocktails for the kids. Using juiced and bottled drink mixes you'd be surprised how easy it is to use your blender to make sweet drinks (Strawberry Margaritas, Pina Coladas, Shirley Temples etc) without adding any liquor. Another kid-friendly idea is cookies and milk served in plastic champagne glasses with colored sprinkles around the glass' rim.

As far as entertainment, the family of course can easily watch the New York Times Square festivities on TV or online. There's also Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Paramount+, HBOmax, and others. But, if you want to do something different, also consider taking the kids to the library and let them pick out and borrow some free DVDs or Blu-ray movies to watch as a family. Playing board games together, which don't require an internet connection or smartphone, are also good ways to enjoy time together and bond as a family.

If your children enjoy art projects, why not get your kids involved by making this photo cardboard booth craft Crayola thought up, by cutting out a hard board frame and painting and decorating it, then start snapping photos of your kids with the frame, as well as all the party preparations and your little celebration itself.  For more fun ideas like this, check out MBE's New Year's Eve DIY Pinterest Board. 

Take Lots of Photos

It goes unsaid that you should definitely take lots of photos with your smartphone no matter how you choose to welcome the new year and share your celebration with your friends and loved ones!

DISCLOSURE: We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that allows our site to earn a bit of compensation (without extra cost to you) for including referral links within our posts to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Clifford The Big Red Dog Movie Craft Giveaway

Movies

MBE partnered with Paramount, post contains affiliate links

Kids Craft, Giveaway Celebrate Release

The big screen kids movie Clifford The Big Red Dog (Paramount Home Entertainment, 2021) is now available on Digital and coming to Blu-ray and DVD on February 1. 

The Digital release, which arrives just in time for the whole family to enjoy together at home, features supersized and fun bonus content such as a behind-the-scenes tour with the cast,  including a behind-the-scenes tour with the cast as well as a spotlight on the puppeteers who bring Clifford to life. Extras also include more about Clifford's creator, Norman Bridwell, tips for how to take care of a giant dog, and deleted scenes not seen on the big screen.

To celebrate the streaming release of this children's animated film, check out the fun Christmas Ornament Craft you can make at home with your kids over the holidays. Also, keep scrolling to the bottom of this post for your chance to enter MBE's exclusive Clifford The Big Red Dog Giveaway running now, through January 2, 2022.

Buy it Now

Digital Movie Download

Giveaway

With such a good family-friendly title now available to watch at home, Mommy Blog Expert is excited to announce this Clifford The Big Red Dog movie giveaway exclusively for MBE's audience. Read on for details on how to win.

Clifford The Big Red Dog

Movie Giveaway

MBE Giveaway

On Instagram

Thanks to Paramount Pictures, ONE (1) MBE giveaway participant will receive a code to download the new Clifford The Big Red Dog digital release. To enter this movie giveaway Mommy Blog Expert is hosting, visit this MBE Instagram post. Contest is open to US residents only and qualifying winner will be selected at random. Hurry, this giveaway ends January 2, 2022 at 11:59 pm ET. Paramount is providing the prize and is responsible for delivery of the prize digital code to the winner.

More about Clifford The Big Red Dog Movie

Clifford The Big Red Dog Movie (2021, rated PG) is now available on Digital. Pre-order now on Blu-ray ahead of February 1 release. Stay up to date on everything about this family feature film by following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

 

DISCLOSURE: We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program that allows our site to earn a bit of compensation (without extra cost to you) for including referral links within our posts to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Holiday DIY Sugar Cookie Bags Family Craft

Christmas DIY

How to Make Time to Bake, Craft as a Family 

Are a busy mom or dad? A parent or child caregiver who especially wishes you could find the time during the hectic holiday season to decorate and bake some homemade sugar cookies, make a simple Christmas craft and just spend some quality memorable moments together with your kids? If you answered yes, and feel the same way I do, you are not alone.

MBE partnered with Walmart for this story, post contains affiliate links

Truth be told, the holidays don't have to be non-stop do this, do that. Nor does this time of year need to feel overwhelming and stressful with a seemingly unending list of errands to run around town leaving you with little energy to just enjoy the season and spend some quality time with loved ones.

Mom Hack Secret

Want to know my my busy mom secret for creating an extra few precious hours in your day to bake and decorate those holiday sugar cookies you've been dreaming about, with time to spare to make easy DIY cookie bags from holiday gift wrapping paper? Sign up for a Walmart+ Membership at Walmart.

This can be a real game changer in terms of minimizing anxiety, paving the way to easily shopping online in one place for all the baking ingredients you'll need, as well as pretty colored decorating sprinkles, holiday cookie cutters, and Christmas gift wrap to craft your own seasonal gift cookie bags. My easy recipe and simple directions to make the handmade cookie bags I've created follow below. 

GRANDMA'S HOLIDAY SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE 

A Vintage Family Recipe from my Mom

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup margarine 
• 1/3 cup shortening 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 t. vanilla extract 
• 1 t. fresh grated orange zest 

Cream together the 5 ingredients above, then stir in 

• 2 eggs 
• 2-1/2 cups flour 
• 1 t. baking powder 
• 1/2 t. salt 

Mix together until you have a soft dough, then wrap in in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1+ hrs (or pop in freezer for 15 mins). On a lightly floured surface, roll out cookie dough with rolling pin to about 1/8" thick and cut out shapes with Christmas cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer cookies to cookie sheets covered with baking parchment paper to prevent sticking.

For Decorating Cookies

• Your choice of colored sprinkles 

Pour sprinkles into sets of mini bowls for each child and give them a tray of their own cookies to decorate. Some been there, done that motherly advice on a fun decorating experience: As mom of 4 kids born within a year (big brother, then triplets), you definitely don't want little ones pouring sprinkles directly from originally containers, unless you don't mind cleaning up the worst mess possible while playing referee to a sibling "I had it first!" fight or two over one particular sprinkle. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes, then transfer to baking rack to cool. 

HOLIDAY DIY COOKIE BAG CRAFT 

A new 2021 DIY project I designed

Supplies

• Choice of assorted holiday or Christmas gift wrapping paper
• White craft glue
• Ruler & Pencil
• Decorative Scissors (optional)

How-to Directions

To make paper cookie bags, use a ruler and pencial to mark and cut 7" x 10" rectangles from giftwrap paper. Then add a small amount of white glue around 3 edges of the paper and fold in half creating cookie bags which measure 7" tall x 5" wide and allow to dry completely. If desired, after glue has set, trim bag top opening with a decorative scissor (or pinking shears) to create pretty edging. Fillcool homemade cookies and start spreading some holiday cheer.

More about Walmart+ Membership

Walmart+ Membership offers perks made for today's fast-paced modern family lifestyles. It's the ultimate mom life hack for member shoppers, making it possible to do it all.

• Get free unlimited delivery from stores and free shipping with no order minimum 
• Grab extra savings on every gallon of fuel when you fill up your vehicle at Walmart and Murphy stations as well as access Sam's Club member gas prices at their fuel centers 
• Save on some prescription medicines, saving up to 85% on thousands more prescriptions 
• Enjoy the added conveniences of contact-free scan and go shopping and a streamlined store experience when you visit your local Walmart store

With those reclaimed hours, I hope you enjoy making, decorating, packaging, and giving some holiday sugar cookies as much as I have. Walmart truly has everything you need to make the holidays merry and bright -- and the best part is with Walmart+ Membership they can even deliver it all to your door the same day, saving you time that you can instead spend baking and spending quality time and memories that last a lifetime with your children.