travel – Luv Saving Money

Aurora Fossil Museum in Aurora, NC

When we take a vacation, I tend to search for months beforehand to get idea of things to do in the area. We try to do something new every time we go. Topsail Island, NC is our go-to beach spot. We’ve been going for years. So after so many years it’s harder to find something “new” to do. Don’t get me wrong we still have our favorite, must-do things, but we like discovering and exploring.

I guess because of the search I was doing, a blogger article came up in my facebook feed about the Aurora Fossil Museum in Aurora, NC. It looked like something interesting, it was free, and the “dig pits” were a big draw (also free). When I mapped it I found it wasn’t too far out of the way for a stop on our drive back home from Topsail Island to PA (relatively speaking).

Getting there involves going through some beautiful rural areas. The town of Aurora was much smaller than I expected but the Aurora Fossil Museum’s dig pits were active. As we pulled into the parking lot we noticed license plates from Wisconsin, South Carolina, and other states so we were not the only out-of-state visitors.

The museum is free (but donations are accepted). While the museum itself is small it had a lot of interesting fossils and info on the area. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They have a museum store where you can purchase souvenirs, fossils, gems and minerals, and digging supplies if needed. They also sold bottles of water. They have a guest book that they encourage visitors to sign. Currently they have had visitors from 48 states. Last update on the Aurora Fossil Museum facebook page was they haven’t had visitors from Iowa or North Dakota. That was as of July 2024.

My daughter couldn’t wait to get out in the dig pits. We did take a plastic beach shovel and a ziploc bag for findings. However, things went a lot smoother when we bought a sifter and a decent hand shovel in the shop. My daughter found a sharks tooth within 5 minutes. I found one myself after about 10 min of digging. There were lots of fossilized coral too. There are multiple dig pits so you don’t have to worry about being elbow to elbow with people.

We spent about 45 min in the dig pits and came home with a few pieces of fossilized coral, a cute shell, and about 6 sharks teeth from at least 3 different species. They have helpful visual charts up at the dig pits to help you identify what you might have found. The museum staff encouraged us to bring items into the museum too if we needed help identifying.

Next to to the museum was a little shop that advertised ice cream and a few other treats. We did not venture in but it was available and would be a nice treat on a hot day. Less than a mile from the fossil museum was a little restaurant called Frank & Shirleys. Though it was small they had plenty of staff, a big menu with a nice variety of options, and the prices were great. My daughter ordered a soft shell crab meal, I ordered a greek salad with chicken added, hubby got a club sandwich, and my son got their hotdog special. My daughter got a brownie for the road that was huge. For the 4 of us to eat including tip and the brownie it was only around $52. So a budget friendly place to eat after the museum visit.

Frank & Shirley’s restaurant in Aurora, NC has a facebook page where you can see their menu and daily specials.

Things to know before you go

Take a sealable container with you to collect your dig treasures. Ziploc bag or jars work great.
a garden trowel or small shovel is handy as the plastic beach hand shovel we have wasn’t really cutting it.
Have some kind of sifter to sift through the dirt made it much easier to find the sharks teeth through the rocks and dirt. The holes need to be a decent size. The plastic beach sifter we had did not work. They do sell them in the museum store for about $6 if you don’t have one that works.
I have Consumer Cellular for my cell phone service which runs off of AT&T and T-Mobile towers. Google maps got us there but once in the town I had ZERO cell phone service. Only SOS mode available We had moments of 1 bar of service so I was able to get it enough to pull up the map for the area on my phone to find Frank & Shirley’s. Once at Frank & Shirley’s we were able to pull up the wifi from the Dollar General to get Google Maps up and running to get back out of town. Just keep that in mind that you’ll either need to remember your way out or do the same if you’re not familiar with the area or have the same cell service I do.
If you don’t want to spend any money I’d suggest packing a lunch as places to eat were limited in the town. There is a gas station not far from them museum as well if needed.

Summary

I’m glad we took the time to stop. I think it was such a great experience and something not everyone has seen. It’s possible to get away with not spending any money at all for this fun side trip if you plan well. I would encourage a donation to the museum though as it is such a nice resource and draw for the little town. The staff were all great.

I would not make this your only destination if you’re driving more than an hour to visit as the museum really only take about a half hour to get through if you really look at everything though you could spend as much time as you want to in the dig pits.

I would add this to your itinerary for travel on the NC coast if it’s not too far out of your way, especially if you have younger kids. It’s a great way to get the kids out of the car to learn, move, and expend some energy. I would definitely consider stopping again as part of our itinerary.

Hershey Bears Official Bobblehead With A Cause

If you are familiar with the Hershey Bears hockey team in the AHL then you might know about their teddy bear toss. Fans toss stuffed animals onto the ices after the first goal of the designated Teddy Bear Toss game. Teddy bears tossed on the ice during the designated game this year were donated to 35 Hershey area charities including: Vista Autism Services, Milton Hershey School, Harrisburg school district, Hershey Food Bank, Palmyra Lions Club, and more.

The last teddy bear toss game was Jan 7, 2024 when the Hershey Bears played the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at GIANT Center. Bogdan Trineyev scored the “Teddy Bear Toss Goal” that flooded the ice with thousands of stuffies. A record 75,599 stuffed toys were collected, breaking the previous record of 67,309 set in 2023.

Now the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has unveiled an officially licensed Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss Bobblehead with a cause.

The bobblehead celebrates the Hershey Bears world-famous Teddy Bear Toss, and the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum will be donating $5 from every bobblehead sold to the Hershey Bears Cares initiative that the Teddy Bear Toss supports. The special edition bobblehead is being produced exclusively by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of the American Hockey League.

Standing on an ice-textured base, the bobblehead features the Hershey Bears’ mascot Coco the Bear holding a bobbling teddy bear with teddy bears also covering the ice-textured base. Each bobblehead is individually numbered to 2,024 and they are only available through the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s Online Store. The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in July, are $40 each plus a flat-rate shipping charge of $8 per order.

Fun Facts About Hershey Bears Hockey

The Bears have a long and storied franchise history in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Chocolate manufacturer Milton S. Hershey first established the “Hershey Hockey Club” in 1932 to manage professional hockey teams based in Hershey, and the Bears were officially founded for the 1938-39 season when the Canadian-American Hockey League and the International Hockey League merged to form the eight-team International-American Hockey League, now known as the AHL. The Bears have played in Hershey for their entire existence, making the franchise the longest continuously operating AHL member club still located in its original city.

The most successful franchise in the history of the American Hockey League, the Hershey Bears won their 12th championship in 2023 after defeating the Coachella Valley Firebirds in seven games in the Calder Cup Finals. The team also won titles in 1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, and 2010. The Bears captured their first championship since 2010 when forward Mike Vecchione became the first player in AHL history to score a sudden-death overtime goal in Game 7 of a Calder Cup Finals, clinching the championship at 16:19 of overtime.

How To Get Hershey Bears Bobblehead

The Officially licensed Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss Bobblehead with a cause is available for pre-order now on the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum website.

The bobbleheads are expected to ship in July. Remember that $5 from every purchase of these unique bobbleheads go to the Hershey Bears Cares Initiative.

About the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum:
The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country. Visit us online and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

On a Side Note

If you have never been to a semi-pro hockey game I highly encourage you to do so. About 6 years ago I was looking for something to do in the winter with my kids. I wanted something indoors something that didn’t cost a lot of money. I had heard about the Johnstown Tomahawks hockey team. I looked at the ticket prices and they were very reasonable even for good seats. It was just me and my to youngest kids at the time and we had so much fun. I talked my husband into going with us the next time. After that we were hooked. We go to several games a year now and are even considering getting season tickets. Support your local sports teams! Plus, you never know who will make it big time. You can say “Hey I saw that guy play when he played for the local team”

Deal: Road Trip Ready Package from Midas

It’s travel season. Do you have plans this year? Are you planning a road trip? We are hoping to. We have plans, we just hope everything works out with it. One thing I ALWAYS do is to get my car in for my inspection early (mines due in June). We want to make sure everything is safe and in working order before we set out with our family for a trip. Oil change is done if necessary, and fluids topped off. I know we’re going to need new brake pads on my car this year, possibly new tires but I guess we’ll find out for sure.

I know cost can sometimes hold people back from car maintenance so I thought I’d share this deal. Midas is offering a Road Trip Ready Package. It includes and oil change and tire rotation for just $24.99. That’s an awesome deal.

Before you go you’ll need to make sure your local Midas is a participating store by searching your zip code or city/state. If your local Midas store is participating you just have to request an appointment then print your coupon for the package. The Road Trip Ready package is valid until July 4, 2021.

Submit email address, request appointment and receive printable Coupon for Conventional Oil Change & Tire Rotation for only $24.99 plus disposal fee at MIDAS. Prices and fees in Hawaii/Alaska are $49.99.

This post does contain affiliate links. I will earn a commission when you check out the deal.

Give Your Valentine The Gift Of Jewelry AND Safety In One With Invisawear

I work in a hospital in small city. It’s not a particularly dangerous city. But areas very near to wear employees have to park are known to have their share of problems. I was driving to work one day and saw a SWAT team outside of a run down apartment building. That was about half a mile from where I park.

The hospital provides shuttle service from the parking lots during the day because parking is anywhere from 1 -3 blocks away depending on which lot you park in. Obviously the closer ones fill up first. But shuttle service is not available after 6 pm. And let’s face it, hospitals don’t close at 6 pm and there’s staff coming in at all hours.

I often choose to walk up to work to help get my steps in. Plus I tend to walk faster than the shuttle can get me there because of the stops and route it has to take. One day though, I was walking under the railroad trestle and a man jumped down from the trestle right in front of me. I’m not even afraid to admit that he scared the daylights out of me. He started laughing and rather mockingly said “Did I scare you?” and walked away laughing. Not long after I found out that that railroad trestle is a popular place for the homeless population to travel and hang out.

I had my phone in my purse. I have a tendency to put my hand to my heart when startled. I realize had he not just walked away and would have tried to take my purse or worse that I would not have had access to my phone. That’s where Invisawear comes into play.

Shop invisaWear - Safety Devices Disguised as Everyday Accessories

Invisawear is a discreet safety device disguised as jewelry. With options that include: necklaces, bracelets, key chains, and scrunchies. I think the scrunchy idea is great for everyday wear, outdoor running, walking, biking, or going to the gym. I personally love the necklaces because I feel like my reflex reaction to cover my heart would be easy and unassuming access to my necklace if I was in trouble.

You device/jewelry is able to notify pre-selected people of your choice of your location even if you’re not sure where you are. It also has the optional feature to contact 911. You can also choose to have it share personal information for 911 dispatchers so they can better help you.

Right now Invisawear is having a Valentine Sale:

Get 20% off plus 2 Day Free Shipping I’m excited to have the chance to review a piece of Invisawear jewelry. I’m choosing the necklace. I’m planning on doing an unboxing and review post so watch for that on my social media channels. I can think of so many occasions it would be a blessing to have piece of mind like this. Girls nights, 2nd and 3rd shift workers, travel (especially alone), home health workers, subway travel, runners and joggers, any place you’re not familiar with or has a less-than-positive reputation, etc. This would make an amazing gift that definitely shows you care. This post does contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission from sales made through my links.

If You Experience Cold Winters, You Probably Keep These Things In Your Car

I have two fairly new drivers in my family. My oldest son has been driving for about a year and a half. My middle son just got his license in June. Living in Pennsylvania, our winters can get pretty bad. Snow, ice, occasional blizzards, occasional subzero temps. Not only do I worry about them hitting a patch of ice but I also worry about them breaking down or getting stuck when it’s 10 degrees outside.

While at the grocery store I pick up a jug of kitty litter. I bring it home and tell my oldest son to put it in the trunk of his car. He looks at me funny. Then I realize he probably doesn’t understand the purpose. I also realize that for people that might not live in a colder climate, they might not do the odd things we do when prepping for winter. Whether you’re on your way to work at car dealership in Yonkers, NY, taking a drive in Duluth Minnesota, or going to the grocery store in the Laurel Highland of Pennsylvania, here are things people in colder climates keep in their vehicles and why.

Kitty Litter or Bags of Sand

Seriously, a lot of us that live in areas that get frigid winters keep either a bag of non-clumping kitty litter or bags of sand in the trunk of our vehicles. For those with only front or rear wheel drive it helps to weigh down the vehicle a little bit for traction. But mostly it’s used for when your vehicle get stuck in some snow or wheels are spinning on an icy patch. Pour some sand or some kitty litter in front and behind each tire. This helps to gain traction.

Emergency Shovel

Most of us have small shovels to throw in the trunk or back of our vehicle. A small metal one is best. If you look up emergency shovels you’ll see what they look like. This can be used to serve several different purposes. It’s not unheard of to park your car at work, have snow dump down while you’re working, and come out to your vehicle buried in snow. Having an emergency shovel makes life a little easier to dig your car out. A good metal shovel can also be useful when freezing rain happens to break up ice around tires or pry things out of the ice.

Blocks of Wood or Wooden Boards

I don’t personally do this but I know people that do. Some people keep blocks of wood or shorter wooden boards in their vehicle or truck. This one I didn’t really know about until recently. The blocks can be placed in front of the tire if stuck in a ditch, mud, or a snow drift. Wedge in front of the tire. Hopefully it lift your vehicle up enough to get out of where you’re stuck.

Emergency Blankets

My husband had actual emergency blankets from a survival kit in his vehicle. Some people just throw an extra fleece blanket or two in their car. The idea, if your car breaks down, it might be a while until help arrives in bad winter weather. You can’t keep your car running forever. If you’re low on gas this statement is very true. Emergency blankets could mean the different being ok until help gets their or going straight to the emergency room once help arrives do to hypothermia or frostbite.

Bottles of Water and Energy Food

Ok so maybe this one isn’t so different but it hits different when it’s 20 degrees outside and you’re broke down in the middle of nowhere. Foods that store for a while and might be considered energy food are helpful. Things like protein bars, nuts, or granola bars. Again if you’re gonna be there a while you grab your emergency blanket and have water and food for at least a little while.

Yes it’s true the water bottle can freeze but it will typically start to melt while driving hopefully having melted enough by the time a car breaks down. It’s also helpful if your car is overheating.

Vehicle De-Icer and/or Winter Washer Fluid

Vehicle De-Icer comes in handy a lot. De-icing windows, frozen locks, windshield wipers froze to the windshield, etc. They typically come in convenient spray cans or squirt bottles to make de-icing easier.

There is also special winter windshield washer fluid that can help melt snow and ice while cleaning your windshield. Some people will fill their washer reserve with the winter wash fluid and keep a container of vehicle de-icer but the washer fluid can also help de-ice locks in a pinch.

Closing Tips

Whether you live in a cold climate or not, have a car emergency kit is always a good idea. Most include things like emergency triangles, jumper cables, a couple basic tools, roadside flares, flashlight, etc. Some more elaborate ones will even have the emergency shovel I mentioned and air compressors. It’s a good idea to keep your phone charged and even carry a back-up battery or power bank with you in bad weather. Have the name of your mechanic or roadside service handy just in case. Always let someone know where you’re going and approximate time of return so if you do break down or get stuck there’s a better chance someone will know where you are to get you help.

These are just a few things I know people do to prep for winter driving emergencies. If you have idea I’d love to hear them!

This post is sponsored by Central Ave DCJR . This post also contains some affiliate links. I will earn a small commission from sales made through my posts.