Life with Dylan

Category: Fun

  • Are you ready to join us for Dylan’s Animal Adventures?

    Do you love adventure? Do you want to learn how you can help save endangered animals?

    Are you ready to have fun while we explore and learn more together?

    Then you won’t want to miss the launch of our new adventure … Dylan’s Animal Adventures. We have been busy putting the finishing touches on the new website and getting ready to open our Adventure Shop. Here’s a sneak peek.

    Our first booklet will be The Original Adventure Guide, which recaps what kids learned at Dylan’s Animal Adventure Camp last summer. Filled with over 30 pages of educational fun, activities, games, craft ideas, and so much more … this adventure guide will set the bar for all booklets to follow.

    A little peek at one of the pages from The Original Adventure Guide

    Yes, you read that correctly. We will be starting new adventures every 2-3 months and would love for you to join us. Be sure to follow along on Facebook and Twitter so you don’t miss out on the fun.

    Are you ready to have fun and explore with Dylan? Great!

    The adventure begins February 15, 2104

  • Some days it’s all about having fun!

    After a long work week, I was ready to do anything but go home and make dinner. The weather has been beautiful and thanks to my friend Wendy (over at Wendy Will Blog) I was craving a frozen banana from Sugar and Spice on Balboa Island.

    So last Friday I was on a mission. Pick up kid. Drive to Balboa Island. Have some fun!

    Who says you can’t have a frozen banana before dinner? It’s fruit right?

    OK, so our next stop may have spoiled dinner a little, but you can’t go to the island without a stop at Balboa Candy. Seriously – you just cant!

    Could this evening get any better? Was it possible to have more fun?

    Oh yeah, it was possible. What kid doesn’t love a new pair of Vans slip-on shoes?

    What do you do for spur of the moment fun?

  • Good-bye Summer, Until We Meet Again …

    I can’t believe summer is over and my little boy will be starting 3rd grade in just two days. Where did the time go?
    It seems like the older I get, the faster the years go by … and the more I wish I could freeze time. My cuddly little boy is growing up so fast.

    As I look at school pictures from the past 3 years, my mind is flooded with memories and my heart is filled with love. Through pictures like these, I can freeze time … at least in my mind.

    (more…)

  • Take Time to Play in the Sprinklers

    Ever feel like all you do is work, and then more work? Do you watch your children playing and laughing, longing to have the days of childhood back?

    I had what seems like the longest week and realized that summer is almost over. I need to laugh and play with my son like I did when I was a child. Who says you can’t be silly when your 41 years old?

    Today we played in the sprinklers at the Post Office.

    Not planned, just a totally random thing. We went to check the P.O. Box and he noticed that the sprinkler was broken and shooting water all over. I looked at him and said, “You’re already in your swimsuit …”

    Today my son and I laughed.

    Today we rocked out in the car to Taylor Swift on Radio Disney. Music blasting, windows down, singing our hearts out. She wears high heels, I wear sneakers, she’s cheer captain, and I’m on the bleachers …

    Today we played.

    Today I was a child.

    And I loved every minute of it.

    When was the last time you played in the sprinklers?

  • Summer Vacation – Day 1 at @SanDiegoZoo

    A few weeks ago Dylan and I packed our bags for a fun-filled vacation in San Diego. The goal was to leave all computers and work at home and just have fun! Three parks in three days – World Famous San Diego Zoo, Sea World San Diego, and Legoland California – can we do it? Of course we can, we have annual passes to all three! Nothing was going to stand in our way.

    We left home early on a Tuesday morning and drove straight to the San Diego Zoo. Yes, we were just there last month, but this time we were on a mission … to see the baby tiger cubs!

    We walked right to the Lost Forest, but sadly, the tiger cubs were not out on exhibit this morning. However, there is always something to learn when you are at the San Diego Zoo!

    Did you know that you can find parts of the Rain Forest in your Cupboard? All of the products in this display come from some sort of plant found in the Amazon Rain Forest.

    From Tiger Trail, we headed to Hippo Trail and we got to watch the Momma and Baby Hippo play for about 20 minutes!

    We even managed to get his cute video of the Momma Hippo teaching the Baby a thing or two.

    Dylan loves the area by the Hippo exhibit. He always wants to climb in the tree and pose for pictures on the bronze hippo sculpture. I think I have about 20 pictures on this hippo (spanning over 6 years) Yes, I guess you can say we go to the zoo often … but it’s always worth it to see the look on Dylan’s face when he is near animals.

    Now off to the Discovery Outpost Children’s Zoo to see all sorts of cute and furry animals.

    Black Marmoset

    Playful Meerkats
    Scarlet Macaw Parrot
    Now as much as Dylan loves our next stop, I normally choose to wait outside … but he begged me to come inside the Insect House. The least I could do was take some pictures for him.
    And if this wasn’t enough to show how much I love my child, we headed over to the Reptile House next! However, this time I stayed on the outer edge and handed the camera over to Dylan. These are a few of the pictures he took.

    There was one little guy that I thought was kinda cool though … well, maybe not so little.

    Green Tree Frog

    Feeling a little hungry after the long drive and walking around the zoo for 3 hours we stopped at the Safari Kitchen for lunch. They have the best burgers! Not to mention some brightly colored neighbors.

    Dylan was so excited about staying in a hotel (it’s the little things you know) that we decided to drive over to the hotel and check-in, give our feet a rest, and maybe hit Sea World for some night time fireworks!

    But that’s for another post …

  • Date Night at #Disneyland

    This week has been so crazy with basketball camp and science projects that I thought it was time for a mother and son date night. Disneyland style!

    So last night with no planning, we grabbed our annual passes and headed to the “Happiest Place on Earth” for some fun and laughs. Just the two of us. No backpacks, no sunscreen, no camera (well, we had the cell phone, but not the real camera). We normally go to Disneyland during the day and Dylan is wiped out by 7 or 8 pm, so this was a whole new experience for him. Disneyland after dark.

    Since we haven’t been to Disney California Adventure Park in a few months, we started there.

    With all the construction going on for the new attractions we couldn’t take our normal route, so we walked around the long way … which turned out to be a fun adventure at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

    Dylan was excited because when we have come before this area is so crowded. Tonight it was perfect. Not too many kids and Dylan got to have some fun – Wilderness Explorer Style!

    Um, watch out for these stinky critters …

    Dylan had the best time running through the area and all the moving bridges. The only bummer was we were too late to get the Wilderness Explorer Badge. (The last ceremony is at 4:30 pm – next time for sure)

    Dylan even got to connect with his true “Animal Spirit” …

    After spending a good hour at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail it was Mom’s turn to pick something. If Dylan only knew what he was in for …

    My 8 year-old LEGO loving, Star Wars fanatic, 100% boy was about to go under the sea on the ride I have been dying to go on since it opened. Yes, The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure I have the best son ever! He huffed and puffed, but I know that he secretly enjoyed the ride.

    I went right into Little Mermaid mode, singing along and eyes wide open like a child. I was so entranced, trying to take everything in that I totally forgot to take pictures on the ride! haha

    The payback for going on the ride with me was that he got to ride the dolphin (my all-time favorite animal) on King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea

    We had a wonderful mother-son date night and will definitely do this again soon!

  • Phineas and Ferb Across the Second Dimension

    “There’s 104 days of summer vacation and school comes along just to end it … so the annual problem for our generation is finding a good way to spend it …”

    Yes, if you have a child who watches the Disney Channel then you know this song. Phineas and Ferb are two brothers who will do anything from building a rocket to finding a dodo bird to driving their sister insane! All in the name of summer.

    Dylan in 2D

    Well, Disney has done it again and now Phineas and Ferb are inviting you to join them in the 2nd Dimension on August 5th at 8/7c on the Disney Channel. Of course the promotions for this have been spreading like wildfire and the games on the Disney Channel website allow your children to 2D themselves and star right along side Phineas and Ferb!

    During one of the online games, Dylan was even able to create a custom screen saver and download a t-shirt iron-on image with his 2D character and Phineas and Ferb.

    Custom Screen Saver
    Will you be joining Phineas and Ferb Across the Second Dimension on August 5th? I know we will …

  • Wordless Wednesday – Fun in the Sun