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Are You Going To #BloggyCon16 This Year? Here’s My Tips

Are you going to Bloggy Conference 2016 this year. I went last year to BloggyCon 15. It was my first in person blog conference. It was my first trip to Cedar Point. It was my first time in Sandusky, Ohio. It was also my first trip where it was just me and my youngest son. My son was 6 when we went. He was able to stay in the conferences with me and then we hit the pools and Cedar Point after. He was so good, I was so proud of him. He’s at the table in the pic below on the far left. You can barely see his head behind the bottle and pitcher on the table.

Bloggy Con 15 with Ty — Conference was held in the Cedar Point Convention Center

I consider myself an intermediate blogger. I’ve been blogging for years but I still feel like I have a lot to learn. There’s a lot of things I haven’t tried yet but I want to. And something I just can’t figure out how to do. Like increase my UMVs for instance. This is a nice, affordable conference with information relevant to beginner and intermediate bloggers. I say this because I had heard some seasoned bloggers say they already knew most or all the info and wanted different information. Some of the stuff I knew but I did pick up some good pointers, especially in regard to social media. One of my fave sessions was about videos which I really need help on. It was taught by Sara Mock from Savoring The Good. She also sat by me at one of the conference tables and was so kind to answer some of my questions about videos. Though it all centered around using imovie with mac products I didn’t think I could do it. Then I realized I had an iPhone and sure enough, there was an imovie app.

They provided breakfast and lunch for the conference attendees. It was nice. The staff at Cedar Point were very helpful. There were several tables of companies wishing to connect with bloggers. Including a company called Cow Candy that makes fruit flavored cheese to encourage kids to snack healthier. If you haven’t tried it, you should.

I loved meeting bloggers whom I only knew from their blogs. I liked meeting face to face with sponsors and exchanging cards. It was fun to swap knowledge and ideas about blogging with each other. So that brings me to the real reason for this post. If you’re thinking about going to BloggyCon 16 here are my tips and advice when going.

1. If you’re going along or with a young child that will stay with you I wouldn’t opt for the lake view room. I did but the only times my son and I were in our room was to change, shower, and sleep. Conference starts early and we took advantage of the park until at least 10 pm most nights. So as soon as we got back our head hit the pillow to be up again at 7. Now if you have your significant other or family going with you who will spend more time in the room then by all means get what you want. Or if you don’t plan on going to all the sessions you might enjoy it more. I just felt like I could have saved myself the money and got a non-lakeview room since I couldn’t enjoy the view much anyway.

2. Small children can attend the conference free however older children or significant others will need a ticket if they want to stay in the conference with you.

3. The conference take place during Halloweekend. Super cool and I loved it but some parts of the park are scarier than others. If you think your child (or even you) might not want to be scared by ghosts and goblins in the park you an buy a “no scare” necklace that lets the actors know you want to be left alone.

Bloggy Con Cedar Point pumpkin art — Pumpkin art throughout Cedar Point doing Halloweekend

4. Take hoodies, sweatshirts, or jackets with you. It was fairly nice during the day but at night at the park it got pretty chilly.

5. Take your business cards. I must have exchanged at least a dozen cards with people. I kept them in a business card holder in my purse.

6. Bring something to take notes. Either an old fashion pen and paper or your laptop. I took lots of notes and wrote down a lot of sites that were recommended.

7. I took a waterproof wallet I wore around my neck which I was so glad I did. I was able to tuck it under my shirt during rides, my phone, money, room card, and whatever else was in there stayed dry and I didn’t have to lug a purse or backpack around with me and try to figure out what to do with it on a ride.

8. If you want to see Cedar Point this is a great way to do it at a discount and when it’s not so hot and crowded. My son was able to jump from one kiddie ride to the other. If he had to wait, it was only for one turn.

9. Book EARLY! First of all if you book your conference pass before April 15 you save $10 on the pass. Also if you’re planning on booking a room at Hotel Breakers do it as soon as possible. I bought my ticket in March last year and book my room in May I think. Around August people were finding there were no more rooms left and were trying to figure out where they would be able to stay. Cedar point has a lot of other accomodations but they have special pricing at Hotel Breakers for conference attendees. They only block so many rooms though. If you book somewhere else, you’ll pay full price.

bloggy con 15 hotel breakers lakeview suite — 2 queen beds in the bedroom of the lake view suite at Hotel Breakers

10. Consider checking out an hour early on the last day. My son and I checked out an hour before we had to. Mostly because we had a long ride home but we had no wait at all to check out. You avoid the long lines of people trying to stay as long as possible.

If you have any questions about my experience at Bloggy Con, Cedar Point, or Hotel Breakers please let me know. I’ll try to answer from the conference attendee point of view.

This post does contain affiliate links. Regardless I only post legitimate offers from trusted sites.

Prepping Your Vehicle for Winter

Here in southern Pennsylvania, there’s a chill in the air, the days are shorter, and I know that any day could be the first snow fall. We’re actually quite lucky so far this year. We sometimes have our first snow fall the end of October. This weather makes me realize I need to give my vehicle a good check to make sure my car is as ready for winter as I can get it. My worst winter driving fear is getting into an accident or breaking down with the kids in the car when I’m the only one there and it’s 10 degrees outside. Walking it is not an option.

Here’s some things you can check on your own to make sure you’re ready for winter:

Windshield wipers: They do make winter windshield wipers that are optimal for clearing snow. They are made from a strong flexible rubber that is better to deal with colder temps and resist freezing to windshields
Tires: If you use all season tires make sure that they don’t need replacing. Winter tires are made to withstand colder temps, deeper treads to deal with snow and sleet.
Top off Fluids: Windshield washer fluid becomes more important in the winter with dirty slush, road ash/salt, and gravel being thrown at your windshield. Anti-freeze is another important fluid to fill.
Is your heater working properly? You may not have noticed in the winter months. If your air conditioner has been a little weak you might want to check your heater too. If your heater isn’t working it can become down right dangerous to drive with windows frosting and freezing. Not to mention how cold it can get for you or your family.
Car Battery: You can have your car battery tested for free a many auto parts stores or from your local mechanic. You want to make sure your battery is in top shape if you experience very cold winters. The last thing you want is for your car not to start when it’s 10 degrees outside and your 30 miles from home.
Winter Car tools: Make sure you have winter car tools available like an ice scraper. Emergency kits are a good idea to have year round but they become especially important in the winter time when walking to a gas station or walking home in below freezing temps could be dangerous. Have a phone charger in your vehicle.

Check out my guest post to learn: What is air conditioner recharging?

Deciding On The Right Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree we have has seen it’s better days. When we moved into our first house about 7 1/2 years ago it was given to us by my husband step-grandparents. It was a lovely tree. Artifical, full, 7 foot tree. Over the years though the branches have thinned out, the stand broke and we rigged it up so it would work. This might be the year we have to get a new Christmas tree. We also happened to move into a new house with more room. When I started looking at Christmas tree again, I realized, there’s a lot to consider!

Considering where we went to put it will determine the size tree we get. The family room could easily host a 7-9 foot full tree while the living room could only manage a 7 foot slimmer tree. Then the question is do we want to go artificial again or do we want to try a real tree.

Benefits of Artificial Trees:

No maintenance, there’s no watering, no cleaning up needles, etc.
You can use the same tree for years
They come in many different size, shapes, and colors
You can choose one that is pre-lit if you like so you don’t have to mess with raveling and unraveling lights
You can put them up whenever you’re ready, no need to wait
more economical. Once you buy one you can use it for years

Cons of Artificial Trees:

No scent
need storage space when not in use
You have the same tree every year

Benefits of Real Trees:

Some people like the scent of real trees
no need for storage, they can be mulched after use
different look each year

Cons of Real Trees:

Maintenance involved with cleaning up pine needles, watering tree
need to have a way to haul tree home
limited options for size depending on ability to haul IE: You’re gonna have an easier time bringing a 5 ft tree home than a 9 foot tree
You have to buy a new one every year unless you have access to chop your own

Things to consider with both Real and Artificial trees:

How high are your ceilings?
How wide is the space you want to put your tree?
Do you have the floor space for a full size tree? If not you could consider a mini tree and set it on an end table or sturdy stand
Do you have pets or small children? Babies, toddlers, and animals are drawn to trees. The shiny bulbs, the lights, the newness. My kids took bulbs off the bottom of the tree when they were toddlers. The first few years with my boys we just had a mini tree on a table.

Once I decide on the right tree and we get through the holiday season. The next thing I’ll be doing is deciding on the right vehicle for my family.

DIY Fabric Refresher

I like using the commercial fabric refresher products but I don’t like paying the sticker price. If I have a good coupon deal I’ll stock up but it doesn’t seem to happen very often. I tried making my own and it works really well. It’s a lot less expensive and you have some control over the scent.

What You Need:

One clean empty spray bottle
Fabric softener of your choice
baking soda
water

Add one dose/capful of fabric softener to the empty spray bottle. (The same amount you would put in your washer). Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Fill the bottle the rest of the way with warm water. Replace spray cap and shake. You’re ready to go.

If you prefer, you could add a teaspoon of your favorite essential oil to the spray bottle instead of fabric softener. The scent won’t be as potent but might make a better choice for those that prefer lighter scents.

Check out my guest post for DIY car air freshners too.

How to Fake an Clean House In a Pinch

It’s the holiday season. You get a call from your Aunt Nancy and she says “Hey we’re just over visiting grandma and we thought since we’re in the neighborhood we’d stop over and visit you” Nervously you say “Yea sure we’d love to see you.” as you glance around your house that could only be described as chaos. “Great we’ll be there in about 30 minutes!” You hang up the phone and go into instant panic mode. You’ll never get all this cleaned up in time.

We all know that no one’s house is spotless all the time yet for some reason we feel that sense of panic when someone’s coming over. Everyone says they don’t care they know you have kids but you still have that sense of “I need to clean my house” Listen I’m gonna tell you that even when I clean my house to a respectable clean by the time I’m done, I go back to the first place I started and the kids already bombed it. I totally admit that if someone stops over at any given time they’re gonna see toys on the floor, possibly crayon on the wall, a few dirty dishes in the sink but I do do that frenzy of the bees cleaning before someone comes over. Here’s my tips to fake a clean house in a pinch. Because we all have those people that you know criticize.

1. My mom told me that her mom used to tell her, if you do nothing else, make sure the beds are made and the dishes are done. The focal point of a bedroom is usually the bed. In the kitchen, even if the rest is spotless, a pile of dirty dishes is what people will focus on. Get the kids in the habit of making their own beds in the mornings (for the ones who are old enough). Let the little ones help you so they learn. Get the dishes done. If you have a dish washer load it up and get it going at least.

2. Delegate to the kids, Have one picking up toys in the living room while another cleans the crayon off the wall.

3. If you need to run the vacuum but don’t have time to do it all. At least vacuum the main walk areas and the main areas of your house that your guests will definitely see such as the foyer, living room or family room.

4. If you have paper or other debris on your desk or table gather it up. Put it in a desk drawer or filing cabinet until your guests leave. Definitely go through that and take care of it after your guests leave. You don’t want to miss a bill or a kid’s field trip form.

5. Use a home fragrance like a candle, plug-in or gel to give the smell of clean. When your guests walk in and smell apple cinnamon or clean cotton they get a sense of clean or home and gives them another focus.

Those are my quick cleaning tips. I also have tips for the car, like this guest post I wrote for “5 ways to clean your hubcaps”