About a year ago I mentioned to my friend & fellow travel lover that I was interested in touring a local winery in the Smoky Mountain Area. Since we both have visited the area frequently she mentioned that she has taken her entire family to local wineries for a tour and free wine tastings. Her children are the same age as mine so I though if she felt comfortable doing that, why shouldn't I? I thought it was a great idea and since then have taken both my children to local wineries while Continue Reading
Cruise Travel: Top Tips for Cruising With Children #BayouTravel
Disclosure: My recent Royal Caribbean cruise aboard Liberty of the Seas was part of a press trip. My thoughts and opinions are always my own. Taking a cruise could seem intimidating to parents who feel like a vacation for the family is less than relaxing. Thousands of people in a single area, lots of pools, and plenty of places to get lost. There are a lot of reasons for families to avoid cruises. But for every potential negative there are plenty of positives as well. Taking a cruise Continue Reading
Yats Unlimited New Book Release: DAT NOLA Riverfront plus #Sponsored Giveaway
If you are an avid reader of Blogging, Babies and the Bayou then you are probably familiar with the Lil Yat's Adventure Books (Yats Unlimited) Collection. Lil' Yat Books incorporate colorful local characters (Lil' Yat is a shrimp, Yatty Boy is a frog, Drexel is an alligator and Yatty Girl the Pelican) with New Orleans flare. The entire series of Lil' Yat's Children's Books takes young readers into a New Orleans Adventure with every page. Whether they are visiting Storyland & New Orleans Continue Reading
10 Eco and Budget Friendly Easy Ways to “Go Green”
It’s very important to take care of the environment. Each and every one of use should be doing our part to conserve our energy and natural resources. There are many things you can do around the house to go green and do your part. Green Tip #1 Our appliances use a lot of energy. To make the switch to eco-friendly living, update your appliances so that they’re Energy Star qualified. Although this might cost money to do, in the end, you’ll be saving both energy and your money. Green Tip Continue Reading
Travel Tips: Where To Find WiFi in Mexico #BayouTravel
A few years ago finding WiFi in Mexico would have been pretty nonexistent. These days it seems that most towns have an internet service available. Finding WiFi in Mexico can be as simple as grabbing a Corona at an outdoor cantina or purchasing a WiFi USB modem from TelCel. Here are some great tips on where to find WiFi in Mexico. The majority of Mexico works on the 3G system and 4G is only available in large cities like Hermosillo and Mexico City. When you cross over the border, make sure Continue Reading
How to Balance School and Sports #BayouSports
For our family, we are making our way towards the end of the school year. Like many families, our children are active in sports and other extra curricular activities but school and education is always our main focus. With Spring soccer and baseball/softball in full swing many parents are asking themselves the same question: How do you balance school and sports? While I am not an expert, I have asked myself the same question. For many kids’ sports is a way to meet new friends and release some Continue Reading
To Shore Excursion or Not? #BayouTravel
If you’ve taken a cruise, or are planning to take one soon the question of shore excursions is bound to come up. Cruise lines offer dozens of shore excursions in conjunction with local operators to those on board. But, is taking one of these, sometimes quite expensive, excursions the best way to spend your time and money? The Advantages of Ship Arranged Shore Excursions ~You know that the tour company is reputable and trusted. There’s a reason the cruise line continues to work with them, Continue Reading
DIY Baking Soda Solutions
Baking soda is one of those supplies that can be used for anything and everything. Not only can baking soda be used for cooking, it has many other uses around the house, including cleaning and health solutions. Take a look at how you can use baking soda in every room of your home. In the Kitchen Baking soda has many uses around the kitchen. The two main uses of baking soda are to clean and to deodorize. Use a little bit of baking soda in your refrigerator and in the trashcan. This will help Continue Reading
New Orleans Family Travel Guide #BayouTravel
You might be surprised the learn that families are flocking to New Orleans, Louisiana as a family travel destination. With numerous kid-friendly attractions I can see why. Although I might be a bit biased, families with children from teens to toddlers can fall in love with food, family fun and more. Over the years I have written about New Orleans multiple times and share my love for New Orleans with others. TripAdvisor has recently ranked New Orleans #10 in their 2013 Travelers Choice Award Continue Reading
Educational Travel In The Smokies #BayouTravel
For many families summer travel is the perfect way to recharge our batteries from the stressors of work and school. My family has been traveling to the Smoky Mountains every November for the past ten years. We love the area! For my family, traveling to the area is a great way to unwind and reconnect before the upcoming holidays. We have many family memories of the Smoky Mountains and love when others share the same experiences that the area has to offer. But there are many family attractions Continue Reading
Dinner Dilemma & My Saving Grace #MarcosFreshSpinach #Ad
I would be lying if I said that dinnertime is fuss free! My family is not picky at all, it's life that become dramatic. I work Monday - Friday and get home around 5:30p.m almost everyday. Occasionally I stay late to wrap up a few loose ends but for the most part my family needs me home at 5:30. My husband does most of the after-school taxi driver routine for our 9 & 13 year old. One day this week my daughter had a Jr. high School softball double header (last games of the season) followed by Continue Reading
St. Augustine Family Attractions – Alligator Farm Zoological Park #BayouTravel
My kids (especially my son) love the swamp. Living so close to the Honey Island Swamp we have seen our fair share of gators in our lifetime. So it was no surprise that my family would want to stop at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park during our recent trip to St. Augustine. The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park began in the late 1800's as a small exhibition of Florida reptiles and soon became one of Florida's Top Family Attraction. Today the accredited zoo serves as Continue Reading