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Adventure Mom

An Adventure, Travel and Lifestyle blog designed to encourage you to try something new.

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giveaway

What’s New at the Ohio Renaissance Festival ~ Giveaway

September 21, 2015 By Nedra McDaniel 8 Comments

Ohio Renaissance Festival

There is always a lot to see and do at the Ohio Renaissance Festival each year. We’ve enjoyed our visits over the past few years and look forward to several of the shows each year.

Adventures at the Ohio Renaissance Festival 2

You can read the full recap of our adventures at the Ohio Renaissance Festival here.

This year there are new additions that will make the festival even better!

New this year!

Axel the Sot, the original drunken sailor, will feature bawdy comedy, pub songs, jokes and limericks.

Experience the ancient art of Falconry, birds on display, and an impressive stage presentation from the Birds of the Gauntlet. Great for all ages!

Mermaids will tell stories of the sea and entertain children both young and old in the all new Pirate’s Wharff.

New! The Royal Smoker

An hour of bawdy humor, cigars, and ale for ages 21 and over starts at 5pm! Purchase tickets at the all new The Dirty Duchess next to the Muditorium. Ticket includes: two beers or ciders, lite appetizers, commemorative pin, and loads of fun! Cigars are available for purchase at The Dirty Duchess during the show.

New! Royal Joust Seating

Get the best view of the tournament joust action! Cheer on your knight from the covered and cushioned seating and enjoy a meet and greet with knights after the show. Purchase tickets for only $10 at the joust arena. Premium Joust Seating is handicap accessible. The premium tickets includes:

  • Seating under the covered viewing stand
  • Cushioned seating
  • Your choice of a refreshing bottle of water, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, or Mountain Dew
  • Pennant to cheer your knight to victory
  • Meet and greet with your knight after the tournament. Be sure to get an autograph on your pennant!

 

 The Ohio Renaissance Festival is from September 5 – October 25.

 

**Open Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day from 10:30am to 6:00pm but on Saturdays the pub stays open a wee bit later.

Tickets can be purchased online at renfestival.com or at your local Kroger.

Tickets at the gate: 

Adult (ages 13+) – $21.95

Child (ages 5-12) – $9.95

Seniors (ages 65+) – $19.95

Military/Police/Fire/EMS – $19.95

Adult Season Pass – $119.95

Child Season Pass – $49.95

 

I’ve been given 4 Tickets to Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit renfestival.com for more information and the latest news from the 16th Century.

 

Disclosure: I was given tickets for review and giveaway purposes. All opinions are my own. 

Filed Under: Adventures, Adventures With Friends, Cincy/NKY Area, Family Adventures, Giveaways Tagged With: giveaway, Ohio, The Ohio Renaissance Festival

Reason to Consider Trying a Spartan Race

July 24, 2015 By Nedra McDaniel 9 Comments

 

Have you tried a Spartan Race before?

I haven’t tried one yet and I’m considering the challenge to get back in shape. I’ve participated in color runs, mud runs, half marathon and even a sprint triathlon in the past but I’ve gotten out of training mode which is why the Spartan Race might be good motivation.

So what is a Spartan Race?

Here is a little more from the Spartan Race Website.

Spartan Race is a true adventure that anyone can do, and everyone should try. With course lengths of 3+miles (Sprint), 8+miles, (Super) and 12+miles (Beast) each course is filled with mud, water, and signature obstacles designed to help you discover your inner Spartan. Athletes of all fitness levels will enjoy participating in a Spartan Race and the feeling of accomplishment that comes at the finish line.

Spartan Race even has events for kids. We believe that fitness and adventure should involve the whole family. Come out and watch your kids run, jump, and climb like children were meant to do all in their own Spartan Kids race.

For those that want a more team based experience Spartan Race has the Hurricane Heat and for the truly adventurous theHurricane Heat 12 Hour. The Hurricane Heat takes you out of the individual role and has you work with a group of complete strangers to complete tasks designed to bring you together as a team. Those that have done the Hurricane Heat have often done multiple across the country, making friends for life along the way.

Not sure you are ready to run a Spartan Race? It’s ok we have everything you need to get you ready: Spartan SGX training, workouts-of-the-day, nutrition tips to help you eat better, and free workouts held in cities all over the country. Spartan Race is not only the worlds best obstacle race (period), but can be a complete lifestyle overhaul.

So even if you’ve tried a trail race, mud run, obstacle race, or adventure race it’s time to try a Spartan Race. Unlike other obstacle races we offer something for everyone. So sign-up, gear-up and find out why we say…

You’ll know at the finish line.

1. You can get inspired by others 

Watch Season 2 of Spartan Race

Follow the journey of top athletes as they tackle the grueling challenges of Reebok Spartan Race, the global leader in obstacle racing. Don’t miss your front row seat to watch these fearless athletes showcase their abilities as they jump over fire, crawl under wires, and throw spears. Tune in beginning July 21st at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN to watch five races all leading up to the Spartan Race World Championship when the best and bravest compete for the title on December 20th at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. Follow @SpartanRace to learn more today.

2. Recruit three friends and your next race is free.

There more races than ever, in new locations. There also have new obstacles, new burpees, new finisher tees, new medals and new stories to tell. So when your friends hit you with excuses, you have the facts to hit them with.

Recruit three of your friends sign up, you’ll get your next race on us; completely free! Your friends will also get $20 off of their race. That means everyone wins.

See you and your team at the starting line. Use Code: TEAM

3. You can challenge yourself to do something that once seemed impossible

 

I’ve been given a Race Code to Giveaway for an Upcoming Spartan Race!

the race code will work one time for any open heat (non-confirmed start time) in any Spartan Race in the continental US.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

You can find out more about the Spartan Race from their website.

 

Disclosure: I was given race codes for review and giveaway purposes. All opinions are my own. 

 

Filed Under: Fitness Fun, race Tagged With: giveaway, run, Spartan race

Five Travel Hacks You’ll Love

March 10, 2015 By Nedra McDaniel 3 Comments

Warmer weather means that travel season is near. Whether it’s spring break, a day trip or summer vacation, these travel hacks can help you make your next trip a less stressful.

 

Spring is finally here, and I’m teaming up with Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus to share five travel hacks that you’ll love, along with a great giveaway offer. One lucky winner will take home a Travel Pack from Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus valued at $150 (including a $50 Target gift card!)

Five Travel Hacks You’ll Love

1. Roll; Don’t Fold
As you pack, roll your clothes instead of folding them. You’ll be able to fit up to two times the amount of clothing by rolling them as you would by folding them.

2. Pack your “Iron”
And by iron, we mean Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus. The 3 oz travel size meets airline standards. Slip it into your carry-on bag, and with a simple spray, you’ll be wrinkle free all trip long. (It’s also a great fabric refresher if you have to wear your clothes more than once on vacation.) Click here to read more and grab a coupon.

3. Bring an Empty Water Bottle
After you get through security, several airports have filtered water stands to fill your bottle. You’ll also find that most airport cafes will gladly fill your water bottle as well.

4. Snap a Picture
If you’re checking your luggage, snap a picture of your suitcase contents before you leave the house. If the airline loses your luggage, you’ll be able to use the picture to prove the value of the contents.

5. BYO Blanket
Blankets on airlines are hard to come by these days – and they’re not always washed between flights. If you tend to get cold on planes, or you’re going to be flying overnight, pack your own blanket to stay comfortable.

Enter to Win a Travel Pack from Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus

One lucky winner will receive a travel pack valued at $150, including a travel tote, a Tervis Tumbler, Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus and a $50 Target gift card.

Giveaway ends at midnight on Friday, March 20, 2015. Open to US and Canada.

Complete the form below to enter. Good luck!

Filed Under: Giveaways, Travel Tagged With: downy, giveaway, travel, travel hacks

Izzy’s Lenten Cod Special “The Codfather” is Back! ~ Giveaway

March 5, 2015 By Nedra McDaniel 14 Comments

Izzy's Lenten Cod Special

Do you love Fish Fry Season?

My family enjoys ANY excuse to have me NOT cook!

Izzy’s Lenten Cod Special, or ‘The Codfather’, is an Izzy’s favorite and perfect way to celebrate Fish Fry season…..and enjoy getting out of cooking.

…

Read More

Filed Under: Cincy/NKY Area, Food Adventures, Giveaways, Restaurants Tagged With: Fish fry, giveaway, Izzy's, Lenten Cod Special, The Codfather

Gift of Adventure ~ Go Ape Zipline and Treetop Adventure Giveaway

December 13, 2014 By Nedra McDaniel 9 Comments

Gift Certificate Image

 

I absolutely love experience gifts. I really enjoy  sharing experiences with people that I care about. It’s so incredible to create memories that last a lifetime together.

…

Read More

Filed Under: Adventures With Friends, Family Adventures, Giveaways, On A Date Adventures, Outdoor Adventure, Solo Adventures, Zip line Tagged With: adventure, Christmas gift, experience gift, gift idea, giveaway, Go Ape, outdoors

Cucinova Urban Italian Review

October 8, 2014 By Nedra McDaniel 17 Comments

Cucinova Urban Italian Kenwood Cincinnati

I recently attended the preview night for Cucinova’s newest location that is located near Kenwood Mall in Cincinnati. I was really excited to check out their Italian food that’s served Chipotle style where you pick all of the ingredients and your food is made to order in front of you.

…

Read More

Filed Under: Adventures With Friends, Cincy/NKY Area, Family Adventures, Food Adventures, Giveaways, On A Date Adventures, Restaurants, Solo Adventures Tagged With: Cincinnati, Cucinova, giveaway, Grand Opening, italian, Kenwood, pizza, urban

Adventures Around Cincinnati Author Interview

June 17, 2014 By Nedra McDaniel 8 Comments

IMG_5182

 

I first met Terri a few months ago when we shared a tea adventure at Mrs. Teapots. We hit it off right away as we swapped stories of our favorite places that we’ve visited and adventures we’ve tried. She co wrote an amazing book that gives TONS of suggestions for places to visit within a 2 hour drive of Cincinnati. I found several places that I will be crossing off my list this summer to try.

 

I asked Terri to share a little more about how she got started.

 

IMG_2162

How long have you been exploring the area?

 

We started intentionally exploring the area with our kids in 2003, so this is our 14th summer of Adventures. In the summer of 2003, we decided that we wanted to be intentional about exploring Cincinnati with our kids, so we decided to pick a day and set it aside for that purpose. We picked Tuesday and almost every Tuesday that summer we went somewhere we’d never been before. We’ve been doing that every summer since then.

 

 

What’s one of your favorite places that you discovered that you had no knowledge of prior?

 

Only one? We were already familiar with many of Cincinnati’s parks and were thrilled to discover that Dayton also has a wonderful park system. We love Wegerzyn Gardens, which has a wonderful children’s garden, and Carriage Hill MetroPark, which is a living history farm. There are also several all museums that many people don’t know about. One of them is Vent Haven, the world’s only ventriloquism museum. It’s located in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. You can see over 800 dummies and puppets on a guided tour of the museum.

 

 

What’s your favorite free adventure in the area?

 

My kids love to go to Trammel Fossil Park in Sharonville. You can search for fossils and take some home for your personal collection. There are fossils in practically every rock you pick up and there are signs that tell you about the different layers of the fossil beds and which types of fossils are more likely to be found in each.

 

 

Where did you get the idea for your book?

 

A few years after we started going on Adventures, we started speaking to moms’ groups all over the city. We had a list of Adventure ideas that we gave out, but that wasn’t enough information for most people. We consistently received requests to write a book. It took us a couple years to wrap our minds around that, but eventually we wrote the book that we wished we would have had when we started going on Adventures. We’ve tried to take the scariness out of going somewhere new. We’ve personally visited all of the attractions in the book with our own kids. We have assessed stroller-friendliness and give estimates of how long it will take to explore each Adventure and what age children we think will enjoy each one.

 

 

What challenges did you have to overcome in writing a book?

 

Both of us are former engineers. Neither of us knew anything about writing a book. We decided to self-publish, so we had to learn about the publishing process and what options were available. We learned how to improve our writing and how to structure a book. Finding time was also a challenge. We both have busy families and it is challenging to make time to work without neglecting our families. And writing the book is only half of the work. Promoting it and selling it takes far more time than most people would expect.

 

 

What advice would you give to someone who dreams of writing their own book one day?

 

Start writing now and build an audience. A blog is an easy way to start. After you have an audience that enjoys your writing, you can rework what you’ve written into a book. Also, know that you need to passionate about what you’re writing. Many people mistakenly think that this is a lucrative profession. While a few writers do very well, most of us make very little income. Income is not a good reason to write; there are much easier ways to make money. If you write, it should be because you love it and have something to say.

 

 

What tips do you have for someone who wants to explore their city more often?

 

We have an ebook all about that. It’s called Adventures Around You. It tells you the whys and hows of planning Adventures, no matter where you live. The biggest tip I have is to be deliberate about it. Make a list of the places you want to see and be proactive about scheduling time to explore.

 

 

I’ve been given a copy of Adventure Around Cincinnati to giveaway! 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

You can learn more about Adventures Around Cincinnati from their website.

 

 

 

Disclosure: I was given books for review and giveaway purposes. All opinions are my own. 

Filed Under: Cincy/NKY Area, Giveaways Tagged With: adventure, Adventures around Cincinnati, explore, giveaway, Terri Weeks

Cincinnati on a Date Adventure Package ~ Giveaway

February 10, 2014 By Nedra McDaniel 32 Comments

I love getting gifts that are an experience. My husband knows that if he bought me jewelry or a stuffed animal, he would be in big trouble because I would rather spend that money on a shared adventure together.

Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, I’ve got a great way for you to share an experience with someone special in your life with an AWESOME Cincinnati Adventure Themed Giveaway.

This is a combination of two Cincinnati icons- Skyline Chili and Kings Island Amusement Park.

Stacked tagline 4 color logo vector

When we lived out of town, my parents would bring cans of Skyline chili to us when they visited so that we could still have our favorite chili no matter how far away we lived. We LOVE this Cincinnati staple! You can’t go wrong with mounds of cheese and oyster crackers on top of incredible chili!

 

KI_logo

 

Kings Island is an amusement park that I have soooo many great memories from. I went with my parents as a kid, my friends as a teenager, my husband (pre kids) and now I share memories at Kings Island with my whole family.

I’m really looking forward to riding the newest thrill ride that will debut on April 18th at Kings Island. Banshee will be the world’s longest inverted roller coaster. Here is a peak at what riders will experience.

Even if you are not into thrill rides, there are still plenty of other rides and attractions at Kings Island. As the weather heats up, we can also look forward to the relaxing water park this summer. My kids also love checking out the rides at Planet Snoopy.

 

I’ve been given

a $25 gift card to Skyline 

AND 

2 ticket vouchers to Kings Island

to give one lucky winner a great adventure to be shared.

You can use your Skyline gift card when you visit Kings Island or even sooner if you have a craving.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was given gift cards/ tickets for giveaway purposes and for review purposes. All opinions are my own. 

 

Filed Under: Cincy/NKY Area, Giveaways, On A Date Adventures Tagged With: adventure, Cincinnati, giveaway, Kings Island, Kings Island Giveaway, Skyline Chili, Skyline Chili giftcard giveaway, Valentine's Giveaway

50 Rules for Sons ~ Advice from a Dad ~ Book Review

May 17, 2013 By Nedra McDaniel 10 Comments

I was given the opportunity to review Tim Hoch’s book, “50 Rules for Sons.” As a mom of boys, I was interested to hear what advice a dad wanted to instill in his son as he graduated from high school.

Here is a little more about Tim from his bio:

Tim Hoch is a writer and trial lawyer with more than 20 years of experience. After litigating over two thousand cases and defending hundreds of depositions, Tim has the special distinction of being one of only a few with board certification in Personal Injury Trial Law.

Being a working father is hard. And when it came time for his oldest son to leave for college, Tim found himself asking, “Did I miss anything?”

Inspired to impart one last lesson on his son, he assembled the many rules he learned from his own life situations. From the simple to the more complex, Tim compiled his most important wisdoms for his son to carry to college. His book 50 Rules for Sons (April 2013) was the end result.

Tim has lived his life by these rules and hopes to help guide families with them. His words have turned into memorable and powerful tools to help sons of all ages and backgrounds grow and mature to be their best. Rules that help boys of all ages make the right decisions in life. Departing advice and wisdom that only a parent can learn from a lifetime of experiences.

Tim hopes to help families everywhere grow closer and share in the bond of passing on generational wisdom.

Tim currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife and two children. He hopes to expand his work with youth and families with the publication of this book and the soon to come follow up, 50 Rules for Daughters. More information about Tim can be found at his blog.

 

This book is a short read with practical tips and wisdom that you can apply at just about any age. At the end of the book, Tim gives a few paragraph explanation behind each rule. I really enjoyed that part because it gives insight into Tim’s journey of learning life’s lessons. There was some language within the rules which made the book not as appropriate for my elementary aged boys. Anyone graduating high school will definitely be ready for that type of language.

 

Here is a sample of some of Tim’s rules that I really liked:

 

Rule 21- Most of your life should be spent running uphill. If not, you’re not challenging yourself

Rule 13- Time is your only commodity, don’t waste it.  And don’t give it to people or projects that don’t respect it.

Rule 14- Try new things – daily.

Rule 44- Look for beauty in the mundane.

Rule 41- Don’t get frustrated just because your immediate needs are not the priority of others. They seldom will be.

Rule 23- Most of your life your only company is yourself. Like yourself.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and the reminders and practical advice given to instill in a young man with honesty and a straight talk approach.

 

I’ve been given 2 books to give away to readers.

Book Cover_Low Resolution

To Enter

Comment on this post by sharing why you want to read the book by 10:30 am on Monday, June 10. (required to enter). 

 

 

*Bonus entries (comment separately for each one)

Become a fan of the adventure mom on facebook and comment here that you did.

Subscribe for email updates and comment that you did

 

 

Winner will be randomly selected by random.org and will be contacted by email and must respond within 24 hrs or a new name will be drawn. Must be 18 or older to enter. Winner cannot have won a previous giveaway in the past 30 days.

 

 

Disclosure: I was given a book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: 50 rules for sons, advice for boys, advice for young men, book review, giveaway, Tim Hoch

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