Excursion Tip: An Afternoon at the Sonnenhof

After weeks of gray, cold and rainy weather, warm and sunny days are finally here again. And what better to spend it than outdoors. If you have kids, spending the day or even afternoon outdoors with your kids will do a lot of good - you get fresh air, are able to move and the kids have hours of fun and lesser screen time.

If you are living in or near Stuttgart, one good place to visit is the Sonnenhof. It offers different activities for children of all ages. Aside from the farm animals that children can observe and learn a lot from, they have play areas, pony and donkey rides, tractor ride tours around the farm, trampoline, quad rides and a ropes course. The area is big, so you can just take a picnic blanket with you and laze under the shade of the numerous trees while the children are having their dose of fun. They also have a market where they sell fresh produce and a self-service restaurant that offers cakes, warm food and hot and cold beverages for when you get hungry. You can also book the place for wedding reception, birthday party or family gathering. 

More information about Sonnenhof here.   

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Gift Ideas for Your Outdoor-Loving Family

Shopping for your loved ones is hard enough, but it is all the more challenging when they have interests that differ from yours. If you have friends or family that love being active outdoors, and you want to find a gift that will embody the things they love to do, keep reading. Here are a few ideas for the more adventurous people in your life.  

Buy an Experience

Guided hunting trips New Mexico are a great alternative to your typical holiday offering, specifically for those who relish in time off the beaten path. There is nothing that shows you care for your friends or family more than giving a gift that they will be able to appreciate for years to come. Buying an experience is an over-looked option that can mean the world to some pone who prefers making memories over a tangible present.

Find the Gear

Suppose the outdoor-loving friends you have in mind already have a few trips planned for the upcoming year. You can add to their excitement by gifting the necessary equipment and gear they need to be safe on their journey. You can look into a guide of ten items of gear every outdoors-person needs to own for recommendations. The following items may also pique your interest:

• Weather protective clothing
• Hiking boots
• Gloves
• Head protection

Picking the perfect present for someone you care about is overwhelming. Still, you can use their hobbies and interests to get your creative juices flowing, making the whole process much more manageable. It also helps to keep a mindful ear out at get-togethers for any hints as to what your friends and family may want when the holidays and birthdays come around. However you choose to surprise your loved ones, you can relish in the warm feeling that comes from giving a killer gift.     

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New Attractions in Tripsdrill

Amusement or theme parks have started reopening their doors to the public with the relaxation of restrictions because of the Corona virus pandemic. Hygiene regulations, social distancing rules, and sneezing and cough etiquette are of course in place and must be observed to protect both visitors and staff of these amusement parks. With the number of guests allowed to enter the amusement parks limited to a certain figure, the traffic inside the parks, especially the lines to main attractions, is also lessened.

Tripsdrill in Cleebronn reopened this season last 29th May until the 1st of November and is open from 9.00 am until 6.00 pm. But what's new with Tripsdrill amusement park when it opened its doors again to the public?

There are actually 3 Attractions which opened this season: 2 roller coaster rides, the "Hals-über-Kopf" & "Volldampf" opened in June 2020, and the relatviely new adventure playground Spielewelt "Sägewerk" opened in June 2019.

The "Hals-über-Kopf" roller coaster ride will get you screaming your heart out as it takes you to 4 rollovers!

"Hals-über-Kopf": The Head Over Heels Roller Coaster Ride
This is a newly developed type of hanging roller coaster with four rollovers. Its course crosses several times with the course of the new family roller coaster "Volldampf". Both rides deliver a breathtaking competition.

The theme of this ride goes back to the "Seven Swabians" - a story that has been rooted in Swabia for centuries. The Seven Swabians once set the goal of tracking down a terrifying monster on Lake Constance. Armed with a huge lance, they embarked on a daring adventure. The monster turned out to be a hare, however, who jumped away in alarm when the Seven Swabians rushed toward him. The new roller coaster therefore bears the name "Hals-über-Kopf", refering not only to the rash heroic stories of the Seven Swabians, but also to the four so-called rollovers, which are the unique selling point of this new ride.

To ride, you need to be at least 6 years old (accompanied by an adult) and at least 120 cm. From 8 years old and above, are allowed to ride alone. 

The "Volldampf" family roller coaster ride with its steam locomotive design.

"Volldampf": The Full Steam Family Roller Coaster Ride
This new family roller coaster ride not only goes forward, but also downhill in a backwards shot.

The design of this family roller coaster was inspired by one of the best-known Swabian folk songs: the Swabian Railway. Created at the end of the 19th century, the song is about a turbulent journey on the Swabian Railway from Stuttgart via Ulm and Biberach to Durlesbach. The railway line is now fictitiously continued in Tripsdrill, with a steam locomotive design from the 19th century and several compartments. Full steam ahead!

To ride, you need to be at least 4 years old (accompanied by an adult) and at least 95 cm. Children from 8 years old and above are allowed to ride alone.

The play world "Sägewerk" with over 250 game elements on 1400 square-meter area.

Spielewelt "Sägewerk": "Sawmill" Play World
This huge adventure playground on 1400 square meter area has around 250 game elements and is considered as one of the largest adventure playgrounds in Southern Germany. It is strategically situated right next to the wooden roller coaster "Mammut", inviting both children and adults alike to climb, slide, sand and splash around with water. It has nine partially covered play areas, a climbing tower that reaches up to a height of almost 15 meters, an over ten meter long network bridge and an almost eight meter high spiral slide - everything just spectacular! The little ones in particular will never be bored as there are numerous possibilities to play with sand and water. Even the young at heart will also be refreshed here.

So the next time you visit Tripsdrill, be sure to try these new attractions. I wish you an enjoyable visit!

Photos taken from the Tripsdrill official website.

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Top 3 Ways To Keep Your Kids Entertained This Summer

The summer's almost here, and that means warmer weather, time outdoors and, for many families, kids on school vacation. Luckily, there are plenty of fun ways to keep your little ones from getting bored over the break. Take a look at the top three ways you can keep your kids entertained at home this summer.

Learn a New Hobby Together
Experts have shown that summer activities are key to staving off boredom and mischief. With many families spending more time together than ever, this is the perfect chance to pick up a new hobby. Kids will love the hands-on messiness of putting together a scrapbook, the sugar rush of baking cookies and the rewards of growing their own vegetables in a backyard garden.

Throw an At-Home Pool Party
If you have a pool, an amazing staycation is right in your backyard. After a long winter, it's easy to get your pool prepped for fun in the sun. For example, if you're looking for pool filter maintenance Myrtle Beach SC, trained experts can help make your pool ready for the ultimate party. Your kids will be thrilled by touches of summer décor like pool floats, beach balls and neon towels. To set the mood, be sure to load a playlist of your favorite hits and keep some healthy snacks on hand, like watermelon or pretzels.

Have a Family Game Night
Summer rain keeping you inside? Try having a family game night! Board games are great for your kids' cognitive and linguistic development and also help teach focus and teamwork. When the kids are full of energy, games such as Charades are a fun way for the whole family to bond and blow off some steam.

It's important to help your kids stay stimulated over the summer. Whether it's baking sweet treats, hanging out by the pool or playing board games, these ideas are sure to keep your kids entertained without ever leaving home!

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Time to Party!

The Christmas season is that time of the year to celebrate parties. Almost everyday, there is an invitation to attend this gathering and that party and this reunion and that Christmas market. Whether you are the one invited or the one inviting, it is customary to observe some rules as a courtesy to the host or as host to your visitors.

If you are the invitee, appropriate items that you can give to your host may be the following:

• bouquet of flowers in a vase or potted plant
• a bottle of wine
• home decoration such as candles, photo frames, holiday ornament
• baked goodies
• guest soap, guest hand towels

If you are the hosts, it is always a good idea to give your guests any of the following:

• a bouquet of blooms that you decorated the table with
• flavored oils and vinegars are a trend these days, your guests will appreciate getting one
• card games which you used to entertain your guests while waiting for the food to be served or as an ice breaker
• handmade gifts for those who are crafty outside the kitchen - this is a surefire way to delight your guests

Oh, and never ever forget to say THANK YOU! For the invitation if you are the invitee and for coming if you are the host!

So there you have it. Now that you know a thing or two about good manners and party etiquette, it's time to party! Enjoy the Holidays everyone!

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Crafts Day: Colorful & Soft Felt Owls

So my daughter's girl friend came last weekend for a pyjama party. The girls were pretty excited to spend the night together since it has been a while since they last saw each other. We decided to do crafts in the evening and made felt owl softies. It was a good thing that we had a fresh supply of craft felt. We searched through the internet and found a pattern which I modified to suit the girls' taste.

It was pretty simple and easy to do. For the materials, you would need craft felt in various colors, a pair of scissors, board paper for the pattern, thread and needle, some cotton for the filling. We printed out the pattern and then I modified some of the parts, traced it on the board paper and cut it. I let the girls choose the colors for their owls and then cut the owl pieces accordingly. I just placed the board paper on the craft felt and cut my way through following the edges since the pattern is pretty small.

Then it was time for the girls to do the sewing in between watching the cartoon series Winx. I had to show them first how to do it and then they sewed up the parts together. The difficult and small parts like the eyes and beak, I volunteered to sew on for them. 

The owls were so cute and sweet and soft! And the girls loved it! They named both owls Meggie. Aren't they adorable? Try making this simple craft with your children too! They will definitely love it and it also helps develop their fine motor skills too!

P.S. Since Christmas is coming this could also be a good custom gift idea for your loved ones. Instead of owls, you can make other animal figures or Christmas symbols to give to your loved ones. It also makes a good idea for a customized Christmas tree decor. You can use high quality felt so they don't fuzz too much.

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DIY Modeling Clay Project

There are so many modeling clay products out there in the market today. In different sizes and colors. Many of them claim to be non-toxic but if you want to be safe and sure, might as well make your own clay right? It is easy to do and your kids will also love it knowing that if they run out, you can always make them using ingredients from the kitchen.

If you want to make your own clay, here is a recipe that I got from one of our family excursions during our summer holiday:

I know it is in German, so here is the translation:

Our recipe:

400 grams flour

200 grams salt

2 packs of citric acid powder (I used the one from Dr. Oetker)

3 tablespoons oil (vegetable)

500 milliliters boiling water

Mix everything and then knead in the desired food color (until the color has well blended).

-But be careful: HOT!-

You can ask your little ones to do the kneading once the temperature of the dough has cooled down. I am sure they would enjoy adding in the different food colors into the dough and knead them, and also learn how to mix them (food colors are mostly available in primary colors red, blue and yellow) to create other colors.

So there! Easy peasy right?

And here's my not so little girl S showing off her tiny creation she made from our excursion.

I just made a batch of clay today using twice the recipe to make 6 colors for my not so little girl. I will try to update this post once I get the chance to take photos of the finished batch that I made.

How about you? Do you have your own clay recipe too? I would love to learn more about it. The more variations, the better. And if you made your little ones clay using this recipe, please tell me about it too. I would love to hear about your DIY experience.

Happy crafting!

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My Little Girl's Frozen-Themed Birthday Party Part 2

A birthday party will not be complete without the games. Kids and kids at heart always look forward to an activity-filled party so it is important that you prepared some activities that the kids will enjoy. At the end of the day, our objective will be to let the kids go home happy and say that there never was a dull moment. 

We just had some typical birthday party activities and modified some of them to fit the theme.

"It's Snowing Candies" Pinyata:

This is just hand-crafted since there are no Frozen-themed pinyatas available at the local suppliers. What my sister did was paste together cardboard paper to form the body of Olaf and then she covered it with white cartolina. They then cut out Olaf's hands, hair, buttons, carrot nose, mouth, eyes and eyebrows using the rest of the rubber sheets and colored cartolinas. At the bottom, she made a flap and tied white plastic ribbons that the kids can pull. We filled it with sweets and other goodies for everyone to enjoy!

Pin the Carrot on Olaf:

For this game, I just had Olaf printed on a tarpaulin, minus the nose of course, and mounted it on a flat surface. Then I cut out carrot figures proportional to the size of Olaf on the tarpaulin and pasted double-sided tape on each carrot. We then asked the kids to line up and had each take their turns "pinning" the carrot on Olaf blindfolded. It was really a fun game that the kids enjoyed they wanted to "pin" again. So just make sure you have enough carrot noses at hand.

The Frozen Dance:

This is just your traditional stop dance game where each kid should "freeze" when the music stops. We modified it a bit when the number of kids went down to 3 so we can determine the best "frozen" dancer. Instead of freezing when the music stops, they should dance instead and freeze when the music plays again. Who do you think won this game?  

You can add more games if you still have more time... and prizes too. :D

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An Unexpected Winter Hike

We were set to go sledding on the second day of Christmas (December 26). Everything was set: sleds, snow clothes, even the hotel where we were supposed to spend the evening. But when we arrived at Silvretta Montafon, we were disappointed since the sledding track was closed due to very small snow cover. It hasn't snowed for quite a while.. It was snowing on that day though and up in the mountains, the situation was different. We went hiking anyway, since we were already there. It would be a waste of time, fuel and effort if we didn't go up the mountains to enjoy the snow right? 

And so hike we did. We took the cable car (Hochjochbahn) from the Hochjoch station up to the Kapell station and then started trekking our way down to the Middle Hochjoch station. It was a good thing that we brought one sled with us so the little one can sit when her feet get tired from walking. No one went sledding that day since it was closed but we still had some sledding fun every now and then during our hike. It was a 5 km long sledding course with gentle slopes, perfect for families and children and I can just imagine how much fun it would be if it was only opened. You also have a very natural setting, with a very beautiful pine tree forest in the background. On normal days, one can sled this 5-km stretch in as fast as 20 minutes but in our case, which was just walk, sled and more walk, it took longer. There was some good snow cover in some parts, especially in the higher area but as we trekked further down, we realized why they closed the sledding course. 

I think it took more than three hours and landing on my po for a few times before we finally reached the Middle Hochjoch station, where we stopped briefly at the restaurant to empty our bladders and fill our bellies with hot mugs of chocolate drink before we descended to the Hochjoch valley station. 

If you are interested in sledding at Silvretta Montafon in Vorarlberg in Austria, you may buy a day ticket at the Hochjoch station or online. It costs €23,20 for adults and €14,40 for children. 

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Crafts for Kids: Bambi and Friends

My little girl has been asking me thousands of times that we create something together. So on this day when the Kindergarten is closed and there is only her and me in the house, this Mommy has no choice but to oblige. It has been Bambi lately... 

Source: spoonful.com

Last Monday, when we both had to stay home because she was sick, we created this Bambi Shadow Box Playset which was unfortunately done in grayscale since we didn't have a colored printer. :( It would have looked better, like the one in the photo from the website where we got the printable from. But it was fun for her... And she gave it away as a gift to her friend at the Kindergarten yesterday. Sweet ain't she?

And today we found this pattern of a doe from macula.tv. We printed it out, again in grayscale and the little girl is in the process of cutting them out. We will try to paste them on brown board paper and put them all together. Hopefully, we will get it right. If not, we will try again tomorrow as it is another "no-Kindergarten-Day". First, I must buy some colored paper and other craft supplies since I am running out of them.

If you want to try them out, check out the websites that I have linked to. Happy crafting!

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Travel Destination: South Tyrol

Think fresh air, breathtaking views of mountains ranges and valleys and lakes, rolling hills, green fields, mountains of every height, and trails, lots and lots of hiking trails for as far as your feet can take you. That is South Tyrol... And oh so much more!

South Tyrol, Süd Tirol, Alto Adige... this vacation region in the northern part of Italy is one of the best and preferred travel destinations for sports and nature enthusiasts the world over. Whatever time of the year, there will always be something that will beckon you to come: be it hiking during the summer season or skiing and sledding in the winter season. And the food... just mouth-watering and just what your body needs after a day out in the woods or the great outdoors.

So if you are looking for a place to spend your winter holidays, why not South Tyrol? The video says it all! And if you are one of the lucky readers of the online magazine "Dolomighty", you might just win a 5-star ski holiday trip to South Tyrol and a GBP10,000 worth of Salomon ski gear.

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And It Don't Look Like We'll Ever Stop Our Wandering....

My little family of three has just discovered something fun, healthy and fit to do together: wandering. Some may call it walking, hiking, even trekking. But I guess wandering is a more apt word because it meant going where ever our feet will take us and exploring the area. It started first as a hobby for my hubby but then I came to love it and then our little one too.

The little girl on her first wandering trip with us.

We initially planned to leave the little one at the Kinderclub at The Garda Village while hubby and I go wandering but since the staff are quite busy preparing for some activities for the evening program, we decided to bring the little one with us. And I was glad we did. 

The view of Lake Garda was very beautiful from above...
Too bad it is not so clear in the photos...

The little wanderer... and nope, she doesn't look tired at all!

Walking further... we got her a little wooden stick we found along the trail to help with her balance.

Standing on a rocky precipice... I bet Hubby's knees were shaking while I was taking this one. :D

Me and the little girl sitting on the rocky precipice...
I had to hold her tight. We are a family afraid of heights. 

She had a lot of fun and enjoyed singing and dancing while on our way. She also got to see a lot of tiny crawling and hopping and flying creatures and wild flowers along the trail. And what was more beautiful was the sound of bells singing during our descent. At first we thought it was from the little chapel that we saw on our way up the mountains but thought it was too far. Then we realized it was from the bells on the cow's necks. They were moving to another part of the mountain to graze and the sounds their bells made was music to our ears. And that was another thing that our little girl really liked.  

Almost there! Yay!

Of course we had to consider the distance we will be covering so that her little feet won't tire too much. I was amazed at how much energy she had. She took great pains in walking with us all the way without any complaints... at least up to a certain point near the peak of the mountain. To think she didn't have appropriate shoes on. All things considered, I think she really did a great job! And she was very enthusiastic for the next trip. 

Only the Hubby made it to the peak.
The little girl and I stayed behind for some coloring, dancing, and singing..

And back to where we started... this way please!

If you love to travel, going on a little hiking with the family is a very good activity to kill the time, get to know the area a little bit better, discover beautiful views, and keep fit all at the same. You will also discover a lot about your children in the great outdoors and realize how carefree and  enthusiastic they can be when out in the mountains.

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Living at The Garda Village

Remember I blogged about wanting to go on vacation in South Tyrol? Well, we had to move a little further south since it was where I found accommodations ideal for families. We had our short summer vacation in Lake Garda in Italy and stayed at The Garden Village in Sirmione, situated on the south of the lake. 

We had a bungalow for our five days accomodation and I thought it looked very good: the mini kitchen was newly equipped with a two-burner electric stove, a fridge, lots of storage space in the cupboards, cookware and tableware; there was a flat TV with some German channels in it; there was also an airconditioning unit although we never really used it since it cooled down in the evenings. It looked clean when we arrived.

Our accommodation looked something like this...

Dinner prepared from the kitchen. :D

Everything was perfect until we took our baths and brushed our teeth. The drainage in the shower cabin and the bathroom sink wasn't so good. It took some time before everything drains out it made me think of plumbing scarborough. I can understand that the bungalow is a bit old but since they already renovated the kitchen and the floors, why not the drainage system too? An expert vaughan plumber's advice will really be helpful in this case. I wonder it it's the same for the other bungalows in our block...

The children's playground where the little ones can play.
The Kinderclub also meets here.

The little girl enjoying the pedal boat.

But on the lighter side, the village is almost enough in itself. It has a bar and a restaurant that offers good food. There's three outdoor swimming pools at the center of the village where you can enjoy the sun and water. There's the lakeside beach where you can play beach volleyball and water sports equipment to rent to enjoy the lake. They also have an animation program in the evening and Kinderclub for children during the day so parents can also enjoy some "couple" time. The playground and minigolf was a favorite of the little one.

Info board shows you where is which....

I would love to go back here again to enjoy some idle days with the family. It is a good place to relax, to spend some quality time with your loved ones, to just do nothing.. :D 

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Gone Camping

With the new girlfriends from the neighborhood.

Look who's gone camping with her friends?

Well, it looks like the little girl is out camping with her friends but nah... this photo's just taken at home. 

Just where did she get the tent? My daughter was out window shopping with her doting Lola and saw this pretty pink Barbie bundle and insisted that they buy it. When they got home, I asked what it was she bought and she said, "Ein Zelt". It wasn't even assembled but she knows what's inside. I guess she just figured out from the image she saw in the packaging. True enough, it was indeed a tent. She placed the couch pillows inside to "furnish" it and made it into a small home. 

Bonding with cousin Miggy....

Parang nasa bahay lang.... Eh, nasa bahay lang naman talaga! :D

She enjoys playing inside but it could get very warm especially if she and her playmates would take down the flap. It would have been perfect in the garden, where it is cool and airy. 

Oh yes, my little girl has an eye for pretty things. She knows what she wants and gets away with it, especially if she is with her grandma. :)

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Boracay Beach Club

Looking for a nice place to stay in Boracay that is reasonably priced? Boracay Beach Club could well be the answer. This family-owned hotel is conveniently located at Boat Station No. 1, and just within walking distance to Willy's Island, Obama Grill and a lot more. 

The reception itself has a very homey Filipino feel and they serve very good breakfast. I love the furniture, which is made of hardwood and also the condiment and tissue holders, which are made of local materials. 

There is a swimming pool that connects the hotel building to the restaurant and is perfect for evening swims. The poolside cabanas are perfect for a relaxing afternoon or a whole body massage. They also have a front beach lounge, known as Ariel's Lounge, where you can enjoy your breakfast and watch the beachgoers stroll by, enjoying the feel of fine white sand on their feet. Ariel's Lounge is also the meeting point for guests who wanted to go to Ariel's Point, one of Boracay's highlights so it could be very packed with guests beginning at 11:00AM until 11:45AM.

 

The hotel rooms themselves are spacious, clean, and furnished with a very comfortable bed, flat screen TV with various selections of local and international programs, safety deposit box, hot and cold shower, and a mini bar. There is free WIFI in the whole hotel, even at the front beach lounge so you can always get connected with your loved ones.

The hotel staff was very friendly, always ready to serve and assist you with a smile on their face. The hotel owner was even there to personally greet us when we arrived. I know that I would come back to Boracay again and will choose to stay in this hotel. Thank you everyone for making our brief stay a pleasant and memorable one!

Visit the official website of Boracay Beach Club at www.boracaybeachclub.com. This post is also published in www.cupsandlowercase.com.

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