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State Park Observation Sheet Freebie!
State Parks are such amazing educational resources! I have been blown away with the things we have learned during our visits to the many Florida State Parks. We have learned about beaches, sea creatures, mangroves, manatees, Florida History…you name it…we have learned it! Does your home state have a great State Park System?? I wanted to create a printable that we could take with us to record some of what we experience! So I thought you guys might like one too! State Park Observation Sheet Printable One of our favorite things to do when we visit our State Parks is to look for as many birds and animals as we…
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Top 4 Reasons Why Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival is the BEST!
Epcot’s 2019 International Flower and Garden Festival is just days away! I am literally counting the minutes! Epcot is my favorite of all of the Walt Disney World Parks, but I especially love it during festival times! While I love ALL of the festivals, the International Flower and Garden Festival is hands down my very favorite of them all!! I am going to share with you all of the reasons why I adore it…and throw in some tips to make the most out of your visit!! WHY is Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival the BEST? We all have that one friend who knows how to throw a really great…
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Enjoying Nature at Robinson Preserve
Nature Preserves are one of our very favorite places to explore with our kiddos…and Florida has a TON of them! We love spending time in nature and seeing where the different trails lead us! Last summer we found an absolute gem. Robinson Preserve in Bradenton, Florida is an absolutely gorgeous nature preserve that is the perfect place to take a family hike, bike ride, or launch your kayak! We spent a couple of hours exploring and hiking last summer and we can’t wait to go back for another hike and to launch our new kayaks! What is Robinson Preserve? Robinson Preserve is a salt marsh in Bradenton, Florida that is…
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EXPLORE- Our 2019 Family Goal
I am not exactly sure how it happened, but it is officially 2019!! Where did 2018 go? Did it go by in a flash for anyone else?? Anyway, despite my disbelief, 2019 is here and along with it are so many goals and plans for the coming year! Are you a resolution maker? A goal setter? Someone who just takes the year as it comes? This year we have decided to change things up a bit and set a goal for our family. I LOVE the idea of choosing a word to focus on in the coming year. So we decided to choose a word to focus on as a…
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12 Tips for an Amazing Time at MNSSHP!
One of my favorite nights of the year is right around the corner! Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World! The night is pure magic! If you ever get the chance to attend I highly recommend it. It is fun for all ages! This will be our 5th year attending MNSSHP and we have learned some really valuable tips and tricks that have helped us along the way so I wanted to share them with YOU! MNSSHP Tips GET THERE EARLY– The party technically goes from 7pm- midnight…but they will begin admitting MNSSHP ticket holders at 4pm. Getting there early not only allows you to have some…
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Exploring Florida- Sweetwater Wetlands Park
Last Sunday we set out on another family adventure. This time we headed north to Gainesville, Florida! Before we moved to Florida all I really associated Florida with was Disney, beaches, and TONS of people. I never anticipated how much gorgeous nature there would be to explore. Florida is home to more State Parks, Nature Preserves, and Wilderness Parks than I can even count. I want to see them ALL! In an attempt to see as much of Florida as we can we are trying to dedicate one day every weekend to adventures! We pick a destination and just go! This past weekend our goal was to hit Sweetwater Wetlands…
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Florida Off the Beaten Path- Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive
I know when the topic of Orlando comes up the first thought is THEME PARKS! My mind certainly heads there first! I have been visiting Orlando for years and never ventured past the central hub of theme park central! Now that we are permanent Floridians we have made it a goal of ours to explore our new home state. I don’t know if you know this or not…but Florida? IT IS HUGE! Like, really huge! There are so many fun and exciting places to visit! If you ever find yourself visiting Orlando and you want to find something off the beaten path to do…look no further than the Lake Apopka…
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The Conservancy of Southwest Florida- A Must See for Nature Lovers!
During our week-long visit to Naples, FL, the kids and I were looking for some fun and educational places to visit. Boy did we find that place when we found The Conservancy of Southwest Florida. I stumbled across an ad for The Conservancy when I was flipping through an area guide that I grabbed in my hotel lobby! It sounded like exactly what we were looking for…it was close by, the price was great, it was educational, and it was FUN! We packed up our notebooks (as all good homeschoolers do, right?!?!), grabbed some waters and snacks, and hit the road. When we arrived at The Conservancy I was pleasantly…
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A Picture Perfect Day at Naples Botanical Garden
Last week we had the opportunity to do some exploring around Naples, Florida! If you ever get the chance to visit I highly recommend it! It is an absolutely gorgeous area with a TON of stuff to do! One of the top items on our list was a visit to the amazing Naples Botanical Garden! If you find yourself in the Naples area, The Naples Botanical Garden is a must see! It is fantastic! The Naples Botanical Garden is one of the most gorgeous gardens I have ever had the pleasure of visiting! It is stunning! Situated on 170 acres, the Naples Botanical Garden is known as “Gardens with Latitude”.…
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State Park Family Pass for the Win!
My fellow Floridians…are you aware of the sheer number of State Parks in this state?? My mind is seriously blown! They are everywhere!! Not only are they everywhere…but they are amazing! Whether you are looking for a place to go biking, birding, snorkeling, camping, shelling, hiking, tubing, or just relaxing…Florida State Parks have you covered! The amount of educational opportunities at each park is mind-blowing…Florida is so full of nature and history it is a homeschoolers wonderland! My family moved to the Sunshine State in January of 2017. We relocated from New Hampshire…cold and snowy New Hampshire. When we arrived, it was sunny and beautiful. One of our very first…