Grilling after dark?

It's hard to believe the days are already getting shorter...  And with shorter days, seems to mean more running and evening activities.  Football camp began this morning and the first day of school is next week!  Where did this summer go?  I ask myself that a lot as it seems there's never enough time in the day.

Well here it was again almost 9 at night.  Hubby and I had ran kids around all day but actually had an evening to ourselves.  Well, with Baby Kolton of course! But Kolton doesn't mind if Mommy and Daddy wait until almost 9 at night to eat because by that point, hes usually asleep.

If you've become familiar with us by now, you will notice Hubby likes to grill a lot!  I for one definately don't mind!  I mean who could argue with not heating the house up and him cooking instead of me?  It's great! But like this weekend, sometimes it just gets late and that makes it hard to see the grill.

Cave Tools sent us this BBQ Grill light last week and we were really excited to put it to the test and with these late nights approaching on us, I know we'll be getting a lot of use out of it!

This BBQ Light from Cave Tools was super easy to put together and install on the grill.  The batteries are secured in a screwed compartment but don't worry they include a tiny screw driver, just not the batteries.  *bummer  The light is adjustable and the clamp stays put on the side of the grill with just a turn of the knob.  Then of course, check out these super bright 10 LED bulbs.   They light up our entire grill with no problem!

 The easy swivel head also allows us to move the light and point it towards the table or where we're preparing to put the meat on or off the grill.  Which is really handy.

But... Do you wanna know my favorite feature?  We now have a built in light on our BBQ grill that easily pivets and turns.... right?  I turned that sucker straight up or up towards the house and now I have another light outside that's not going to magically walk off when the boys need it.

The Cave Tools BBQ Light is a great feature to your outside living.  We spend so much time outside, I know we're gonna get a lot of use out of this handy thing.



Be sure to check out Cave Tools and all their products at the following links;
Amazon    Cave Tools Website

Get 15% off with code:  BBQLIGHT15

Cave Tool Facts: 
DURABLE; Lite It Up is waterproof, fireproof ABS is heat resistant up to 520 degrees so this one will last longer out there. 360 rotation angle to make sure the light is where you need it to be. 50,000 hour rated LEDs means you can use grill light every day without worrying about the life of the bulb.

LIFETIME SATISFACTION GUARANTEED; if at any point you are not pleased with your grill light you may return for a full refund. Customer satisfaction is always Our #1priority.

We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.

Hours and Hours of Physical Activity with Glow Battle

Ya know... I spent the last couple of weeks not letting the kids play Glow Battle because they had been acting up, didn't get chores done, or were just flat out grounded.  That's supposed to be good parenting right?  NOT rewarding your children when they miss-behave.  But then.... I got to thinking about it.... We have a box full of "safe" weapons, a new game, and a fabulous opportunity to wack the tar (safely of course) out of the kids.  Who wants to play?!


The rules to Glow Battle are pretty simple, but fun to read.  The writer really made them easy to remember with remarks like "It's fun to hit your friends, not crash into each other." or "Again, with capital letters and explanation points: NO HEAD HITS!!!".  Yes, even though the game encourages striking each other with the glow wands, there are rules to help make sure everyone plays in a safe manor.

Home Station lights

The point? Glow Battle is a outdoors physical activity game, for 2-10 players, to primarily be played in low lighting conditions.  Glow Battle comes with regeneration station lights for each team to make a home station, which is where everyone starts until it's time to attack your opponents.  Each player is equipped with a glow bracelet and a glow wand to attack each other.  If a player gets hit once, they turn their bracelet to a flashing mode and have to return to their home station before continuing to play.  A second hit makes them out.

I love that the kids have to return to that home station because that's just that much more physical activity in the game.  And since the game is pretty flexible, we made our stations further apart for that very reason.

We let the kids play a couple times before joining in.  It was fun to see them racing back and forth through the yard chasing each other. This game encourages so much physical activity it's great!

My favorite part of the Glow Battle game? There's more than one way to play!  So of course tag like I mentioned above, but then you can use the station lights to play it as Capture the Flag, or Death Race where you pass the other teams station lights without getting hit.  There's also a Gladiators, Knights of Old where the team protects their King of Queen, Thieves and Guards, Vampires, Steal the Beacon, and even Double Weapons.  Then how about a Wound Variation?  If you get hit in the arm you lose the ability to play with that arm!  All the options that come with this game are crazy cool and provide hours and hours of endless play!

Holy smokes!  I hadn't seen the kids run around the yard that much in a very long time! If your looking for a physical activity game for your kids during the summer break, check out Glow Battle and see how many different ways you can play!

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We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.

The kids are getting little wiser with Wise Owl + GIVEAWAY

When we first moved out here to the middle of no where, I told Miss Layla I would build her a  different type of swing for every part of the yard. 2 years later.....  Yea life happens.  But a couple of weeks ago we were offered the opportunity to test out the Wise Owl Hammocks and although I never thought of a hammock as a swing I was quick to realize the kids were gonna teach me a thing or two. 

From Wise Owl we received a two person camping hammock and an Owlet Kids Hammock.  They are super compact, the biggest at just 8 inches tall making them easy to take anywhere!

I have to admitt, I was a bit thrown off by the title of a "kids hammock".  If you have been following along, you may have noticed my kids are tall and have grown very well. Both Maison and Layla had always been tallest in their class and Jeramiah is becoming built like a little brick house working this summer.  So we put up the two person hammock and let the kids have at it until I was ready to review.

Eventually, hubby informed me that it was sitting too close to the ground because the tree's I choose were too close together and he put up the kids owlet.   Wise Owl sent plenty of the heavy duty rope to make the hammocks reach trees that were further apart, I just really liked this spot in the yard so that's where I started.

 I was quick to notice however, the only difference between the two is the length and width.  The two person hammock is 10 feet long and 6.5 feet wide while the kids owlet is only 6 feet long and 3.5 feet wide.  But once we had the owlet out, I realized even I fit in it.  Both hammocks have a 400 pound weight limit supported by the tripple interlocking stitching in the parachute nylon.  The soft material is really nice and doesn't stick to you like other outdoor fabrics.  I even put Baby Kolton in the owlet and he loved it! 

Both hammocks came with nautical grade nylon ropes and two steel carabiners so I'm also not worried about them slipping with anyone in them.  They are incredibly strong and very supportive!

So, just another toy or something worth purchasing?  These hammocks from Wise Owl are definately worth the purchase!

The first weekend the hammocks were set up, Jeramiah used the two person one to sleep in. The kids set up a campsite with the hammocks, a fire pit, and some movies with a projector screen I found on Amazon.  The kids camped outside all weekend!  It was almost like we had the house to ourselves we seen them so little! 

<------ Seriously, Jeramiah's asleep in there!





Since we've put up the Wise Owl Hammocks, I find the kids outside more and more every day! I've really been surprised at how much use these hammocks are getting!  I've found Layla in them more than once reading.. Yup I said it READING!  She's been reading her Very Bad Cat book even though summer is here and she's officially out of school.  I asked her what she was doing and the response was "Swinging".  So never mind the book, she found a minute when the boys weren't in the hammocks and took advantage of the opportunity.  I joke and say the kids are "getting a little wiser in their Wise Owl".  Wise enough to stay outside anyways! I just love seeing them outside rather than glued to an electronic.

The hammocks have been up now for almost three weeks and the kids never seem to get out of them!  Be sure to check out Wise Owl and all their products at the following links;

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.

Do you have a Freeloader?

It's Memorial Day weekend and I regret I didn't write this sooner because I know so many of you could really use the Freeloader child carrier.  But at the same time, I wanted to really get to know this lightweight compact carrier because it has to be one of the coolest child carriers I've ever seen! I couldn't be more ecstatic to give you the run down!

 The Freeloader Child Carrier is a lightweight (5.8 pounds to be exact), compact, super easy to use, portable child carrier.  But the quality materials and the design are top notch, which is part of the reason why we wanted to share it with you!  The Freeloader was developed to carry kids up to 80 pounds! The Freeloader is for your toddlers, your tired kiddos, and even your kiddos with disabilities.  The Freeloader makes sure families don't have to slow down for a kiddo that can't keep up; that families can keep on with their adventures without having to worry about a stroller or a baby on the hip.  The Freeloader is designed to evenly distribute the child's weight on the carriers hips so not to cause any back pain or tension as well.

We are a very busy family from the trails in our own back yard to the parks in town and adventures on vacation.   But kids get tired quickly and it can suck to carrying a baby on your hip while we're out and about.  Until I found the Freeloader, I really figured I would just stay home with Baby Kolton while the rest of the family continued on with some summer adventures.  Of course we could utilize a stroller or a wagon but those take up so much room in the car, and I really couldn't imagine pushing a stroller up and down some of the trails around here.  We would definitely end up carrying the stroller and that's just frustrating to say the least.   It's just not gonna work!

The Freeloader is compact enough I can actually just leave it in the car so it's always there when we make spur of the moment plans.  We can take it anywhere! Especially all those crazy trails!  We can truly utilize the Freeloader on any adventure and not have to worry about baby Kolton getting too tired or the trails being too difficult.

Perfect pockets for all our small
necessities. 

We have been testing it out with Tator, her mom my best friend and Maison, all gave it a try so I could take some pictures for all of you. The Freeloader is easy enough even Maison could get it all on plus there's a ton of zipper pockets for things like bug spray, sun screen, wallet, keys, phone, ect. 





Taylor was able to crawl right on and she was easily buckled even though at first I forgotten to adjust the straps so they appropriately fit her.  The adjustable straps on the 5 point harness with foot stirrups is great! I really feel like the kids are well supported, comfortable with the padding, and safe which is of course the most important quality.

Most of all, the Freeloader goes places a stroller wont without slowing us down and that's important for us as a busy family!  Be sure to check out Freeloader for yourself at the following links;

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Hevy duty construction! 

Thick well sculpted padding for
the best comfort!

We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.

Playing Outdoors with Zoom Ball Hydro

 A few weeks ago we got this Zoom Ball from Goliath Games and the kids have been dying to try it out!  I finally gave in and heck I even got out there with everyone to play with it.  But if you look really really close, see the word "Hydro" on the box?  Yup, you can unscrew that blue middle ball figure and a stinking water balloon goes in there!  Oh my goodness!!  

The package comes with 5 water balloons which is enough to get started but that's about it.  We luckily had some quick fill water balloons from Amazon that I love!  I'll stick that link below.


The kids love the Zoom Ball!  In case you haven't seen one before, each end has two handles on two ropes that when spread send the blue ball canister to the person on the other end.  Hubby and I got carried away and were trying to see who could send it back and forth the fastest without it hitting the handles.  Yea yea, that's not really how your supposed to play this one but hey it held up!

The boys had fun trying to send it to each other and hoping the water balloon inside would bust.  Look at their faces! What goofs!  The funny part is, you never really know when the balloon was going to break so they would send it back to the other as fast as they could! 

Overall, I wish it had more water balloons with it, but balloons are cheap that's no big deal! The Zoom Ball Hydro got everyone outside playing together and laughing when the balloons bust, or when the boys were trying to let it land right in front of their faces without hitting the handles.  I should have recorded that one for ya! LOL

The kids have played with the Zoom Ball several times now and it's still holding up against my monsters.  I'm sure it's going to get plenty of use over the summer!  Check out the Zoom Ball Hydro at the following links and don't forget the balloons!

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Be sure to check out all our current giveaways on Back Road Momma.

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We may have received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for you click on. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.  

Getting our outdoor gear together starting with Helens Kit

The kids are really starting to spend more and more time outside which is great!  But they are reckless!  I'm constantly losing dishes due to them getting left outside and then broke either by them or the elements of the weather.  It really REALLY makes me crazy some days!

So when I came across Helens Kit, I knew I needed a set of these stainless steel drinking cups.  They are dishwasher safe, unbreakable, won't rust, chip, melt, or fade, and I can put vinyl on them!  So I can personalize each cup and know who left theirs outside irresponsibly.   Plus, they are easy to clean!  Our plastic cups are constantly getting tea rings left in them because of the ridged interior.  These are smooth and easy for even Miss Layla to wash. 

 

Layla using her Helens Kit cup while painting outside.  I
Love that if she leaves it outside it's not going to be ruined
by the time they bring it in!

These cups are great!  The stainless steel keeps the temperatures of the drinks cooler longer and the indestructible design is perfect for my kids!

The mesh bag that they come with makes these perfect to throw them with the camping gear as well!  These are a must for our busy house and are totally something we would buy again!


Click here for a 20% off coupon

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We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers. This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.

Summer Bucket List for Kids & Families

Summer's almost here and this year I'm determined not to let it slip through my fingers without creating some memories.  I've created a Summer Bucket List to help us stay on track and the best part is most of the activities are FREE!

Sleep in a hammock

Swim in the river

Outdoors

Go Hiking

Sleep in a tent

Have a water Balloon fight 

Draw with chalk

Feed Ducks
Sleep in a Hammock- Check

Go night swimming

Catch a firefly

Read a new book outside
Play a game in the dark- CHECK 

Watch a sunrise

Watch a sunset

Watch a movie outdoors

Pick wildflowers

Fly a kite

Ride in a boat

Float down a river
Swim in the river

Blow Bubbles

Plant a flower

Grow something edible

Go fishing

Walk on a trail

Watch for shooting stars

Walk barefoot in the sand
Go Fishing- Check

Go Fishing

First time swimming in a pool :)

Play a game in the dark

Places to Go

Visit a new city

Visit a zoo

Visit a farmers Market

Visit a major landmark

Toss Pennies in a fountain

Go to the Drive-in-Movies

Visit an Aquarium

Go to a festival 

Listen to a band outside

Visit a waterfall

Visit a beach

Visit a splash pad

Visit the library

Go to two parks in one day

Play put put

Skip rocks

Visit a waterpark

Stay in a hotel

Go to the movies

Go skating

Visit an orchard

Food and Treats

Make Popsicle's

Make Ice Cream

Eat a Snow Cone

Make S'mores

Try a new restaurant

Eat from a food truck

Treats from a farmers market

Roast a hot dog

Cook dinner over a campfire

Have a picnic in a park

Strawberry Shortcake

Have a BBQ

Make lemonade

Go out for ice cream

Other Fun Things to Do

Send a postcard

Do a Summer Craft

Paint a picture

Decorate a shirt

Take 100 pictures

Make a DIY picture frame 

Summer Scrapbook

This page may contain affiliate links in which we receive a small compensation for your purchases. This allows us to continue to offer you our services.  

"Not a Football" Passback Sports

“That's not a football!” Maison said as he opened the package from Passback Sports. I kinda laughed a little because I had told the kids that I had footballs coming for them that I thought would help them get better before the season started. I guess I failed to explain that they're not traditional footballs like the ones that are laying around in the woods rotting because they play with them for about half a minute and then never again.

Yes, all three kids have footballs, and basketballs, baseballs, and just all sorts of sports gear. But the problem with sports gear or games is that more often than not only one of them really wants to play at a time. So while Jeramiah want's to go through a ball around, Maison and Layla are usually off doing something else. Hubby will get out there and toss the ball back and forth with them but I don't think the “once in a while” is really going to help them train to get better and better before the next season.

When I came across Passback Sports I knew it was another perfect item to not only get the kids out of the house more but help prepare them for the football season. So when Maison said “That's not a football”, no he's right it's not your traditional football like the ones they play with so rarely. The Passback football is half a football. Check it out! But the half a football is designed to be thrown against a surface and you guessed it, it “Passes itself back”. I almost said bounces back, but it comes back in a manor that it helps learn how to catch it as well. So the passback ball is truly passing itself back to you. Which is what makes it so significant. The kids don't need each other to go outside and play ball. Now they can take their Passback Balls outside whenever they want without begging someone else to come throw it back to them.

The Passback Sports football is like a triple win! The kids are getting out of the house, they are getting in some quality training time, and they can toss the ball by themselves.  No fighting involved! Passback also comes in three different sizes, so there's a fitting one for each level of your player.  Or  my monsters, Layla got the PeeWee ball while the boys got one of the larger ones.

 Be sure to check Passback Sports out at the links below;

Website     Youtube     Instagram     Facebook                

We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.  

Kicking the kids outside w/ GoSports Cornhole Set

As I look out the window I have to wonder where those nice spring days are. We hit 70 over the weekend and yet again its 32 degrees out now. Wow, I thought spring was here? Where did it go?

I've really been trying to find the kids more things to do outside and hope before summer get's here to have a complete list of outdoor activities to keep everyone's kiddos busy during spring break. Goals!

Last week we received a Solid WoodCornhole set from GoSports. The two 4' x2' boards (regulation size) made up a pretty big box so I had the boys set it in the garage until the weather warmed up thinking they would need to put it together before playing with it. Finally.... I let them tear into the box and was really surprised to find it already put together in a really tough carrying case. I was shocked there was no assembly required and they were already outside playing!

So I was pretty impressed with the design of the cornhole set being 100% wood and the surfaces are made of a beautiful oak that although it has the American Flag graphics, its done in a vintage style which still allows the woodgrain to show through. I love that because I truly love wooden products. (Remember I'm a crafter) The legs also fold up pretty easily. Easy enough that Jeramiah was able to put the set away himself (considering everyone else left him anyways...).

Now I know Cornhole is truly a two person game, but we have a lot of BBQ's and swim parties over the summer, which means extra people and extra kids. GoSports sends 8 all-weather regulation bean bags but they also have additional sets available on Amazon. I'm planning on ordering some more before our next BBQ to allow more kiddo's (or the adults) to play at the same time. It's not like they really truly follow the rules that came with it anyways.

The verdict is... GoSports has a top of the line, regulation Cornhole set that's about half the price of other regulation wooden sets and the kids loved it! Heck hubby even got out there a couple of times and played a few games with them. I'm not to great on my feet lately, 5 days until baby! But I can't wait! I love being outside with the family.

Check out GoSports and all their outdoor activities at the following links

Website    Instagram    Facebook   

We received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for an honest and non-biased review. While we have been compensated for our review with the product, our reviews our our own opinion based on our personal experience and realize our experiences may be different than our readers.