Travel

Where To Take Little Kids While You Wait At Walt Disney World – Ultimate List With Maps!

by Jill March 1, 2019

written by Jill

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World with toddlers? Will you have to balance entertaining small ones while big ones ride rides? I’m sharing my favorite toddler and preschooler friendly spots in all 4 WDW parks in this post! Be sure you save or screen shot the maps for each one, too!

image of a toddler held up around lots of balloons

We just wrapped up an epic family vacation at Walt Disney World with kids ages 2, 5, 8, and 10. Not everyone was tall enough to ride all the rides. Not everyone wanted to ride the same rides. It’s a challenge when you’ve got to divide and conquer, but it’s not terrible if you know where to go while you wait.

My husband and I would take turns and split up with the bigs waiting in the ride line, and the littles who needed to be entertained while they waited. Even when we had FastPasses, we could expect to wait 20-30 minutes for our riders to exit some rides.

Of course, we tried to time this during stroller nap time. And if that was the case and I only had the 2 year old with me, I’d find a shady spot and enjoy the relative silence. When he was awake, though, he wanted OUT. And if I had another kid with me, we were certainly not going to enjoy any kind of silence just sitting and waiting.

So we hit up the following spots in each park while we passed the time:

Walt Disney World – Magic Kingdom

Rides: Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain

There is a play area to the right of the entrance to Splash Mountain. It’s right near a bathroom, has plenty of seating nearby, and it’s pretty easy to keep an eye on runners without having to helicopter them.

Ride: Space Mountain

We spent a lot of time getting energy out at the space in front of the Tomorrowland stage. In the past, this has been home to a dance party that our then 1 year old loved. This year, there didn’t seem to be anything happening on the stage, but that meant that space was left wide open for running and playing with his Buzz Lightyear bubble blower.

There is a little bit of seating, but you definitely have to be ready to chase a runner since there’s no fencing or barricade to keep them from running into the crowds. You could also take them onto the PeopleMover while you wait if the line isn’t too long (generally it doesn’t seem to be). It’s our 2 year old’s FAVORITE.If your little will sit still for it, and you have the budget and the desire, there’s a face painting spot near the Tomorrowland stage, too.

Rides: Barnstormer, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Dumbo

Anyone can ride Dumbo as long as littles are seated with adults, but did you know you don’t have to ride Dumbo to get inside and play under Dumbo’s Big Top? It’s an indoor, climate controlled play space that’s 90% contained, and it’s glorious! I’ve nursed babies here, I’ve sat and enjoyed coffee in peace while big kids played, and I’ve brought them here to entertain them while we wait for riders.

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A post shared by Jill Krause (@babyrabies) on Oct 29, 2015 at 8:02am PDT

If you do plan to ride Dumbo, they will give you a buzzer, like you get at a restaurant, and when it goes off, it’s time to jump in line. Never waste a Fast Pass on Dumbo if your kids will want to play in the tent!

If it’s hot out and you are cool with your kid getting wet, you can also take them to Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station right outside the Dumbo ride. As of today, it’s closed for renovations, but should be open by the end of March, 2019.

Screenshot or save this map to your phone for quick reference in the park!

Walt Disney World – Epcot

Ride: Mission Space

After you say goodbye to your riders entering the line, walk to the left and head into the exit. You’ll walk into a gift shop, and on the other side of that is an area with video simulations for big kids and kids-at-heart, and then you’ll see a play area, complete with climbing tunnels, to the right. This climate controlled area is an awesome space to step out of the heat. I’ve found a quiet corner to nurse babies here a few times. The playground has spots for toddlers and bigger kids. And there is only one way in and out so if you have a runner, you can just park yourself there.

Ride: Test Track

This is one of those lines that is long even if you have a Fast Pass, so settle in. No worries, though, the BEST new play area in Epcot just opened within steps of the ride. To the left of the MouseGear entrance, you’ll find what is now a Ralph Breaks The Internet themed outdoor playground. It’s fully enclosed (except for the entrance) with quite a bit of seating for adults. I’m told the theming will change, but this playground is a permanent fixture.

Ride: Soarin

Soarin is inside The Land pavilion, and you can certainly let your littles run around the waiting area there, but it’s not very entertaining. If you’d like to stay inside the pavilion, check out the wait time for the ride Living with the Land. It’s about a 20 minute ride, and the wait has always been next to nothing while we’ve been there.
If you would rather not sit and hold them, head over to The Seas with Nemo & Friends and take the escalator to the 2nd floor. There’s an incredible aquarium that they can walk through with windows right at eye level.
There is a splash pad at Epcot between Future World and the World Showcase. Just be sure your child has a change of clothes before you let them discover this.

Screenshot or save this map to your phone for quick reference in the park!

map of Walt Disney World Epcot

Hollywood Studios

Ride: Tower Of Terror and Rock & Rollercoaster

Hollywood Studios is lacking in dedicated play spaces for kids at the moment, so here it’s all about finding places littles have space to safely get their sillies out. The open space in front of the TOT exit may seem like a good spot at first glance, but I’ve found it’s a nightmare. There are stairs that my danger baby insists trying to go up and down, and there’s a pathway that’s also a designated smoking spot that he is determined to explore. So if I can’t convince him to stay in his stroller and enjoy a snack at this spot, I take him to the open area in front of Rock & Rollercoaster.There’s still a lot of foot traffic in and out of here so it’s not a place you can let runners run free, but you can usually find an empty spot off to the side and let them play with a toy or enjoy a snack. If you’re feeling festive, there’s a face painting spot here!

Ride: Star Tours

We rode this ride A LOT so I have a few options that worked well for us. The SciFi Drive-In Theater restaurant is adjacent to this ride, and there’s a car out front that entertained the toddler for maybe 5 minutes each time. He climbed in and out and pretended to drive and honk a horn. It was never entertainment enough for an entire ride cycle though.
There’s a courtyard in front of the Muppet Experience and a dead end road to the side of it (for now) with a Star Wars backdrop that will stop your runner from running off. Both are decent places to let them get their energy out.
I actually found the best solution for us was to take my 2 year old across the park (it’s not a big park) to the Animation Courtyard and into the Star Wars Launch Bay. I was able to nurse him in the quiet Han Solo museum and then we got in line to meet BB-8 and Pluto was right outside. We timed it perfectly to meet the rest of the fam on their way to Toy Story Land once they exited Star Tours.

Rides: Slinky Dog Dash & Alien Swirling Saucers

Toy Story Land would have been the BEST PLACE for a playground, right? Sigh. Sadly, there isn’t one, and with height restrictions on two of the three rides (Alien Swirling Saucers is only 32”), if you’re traveling with a little little, you’ll have to find something else to do with them while you wait.

Our 2 year old was OBSESSED with the Green Army Men, and they were out and about nearly the whole time we were in TSL, each time we visited. He even got to bounce a Pixar ball with them! This was plenty of entertainment for him for one ride cycle.
If you can manage to get a FP for Toy Story Mania for the same time your other riders will be on the height restricted rides, it’s an easy enough ride to manage littles on your own and the FP line seems to move pretty swiftly. You could also hop in line to meet Woody & Jessie or Buzz if you think you have the patience for that.

If none of that is working and you need a place with a little more space to run and perhaps a dance party, head out of TSL and just after you exit, to the right, will be the old Pixar Place alley. It is currently home to An Incredible Celebration. If you’re into cookies or bribing your kids with cookies, you gotta get a Jack Jack’s Num Num cookie while you’re there.

Screenshot or save this map to your phone for quick reference in the park!

Animal Kingdom

Rides: Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR, Primeval Whirl, Flight Of Passage

Animal Kingdom, in my opinion, has THE BEST play area for littles- The Boneyard. It’s HUGE and there’s something there for kids big and small. We just really love Dinoland U.S.A. as a whole, especially now that Donald’s Dino-Bash is going on. There many character interactions throughout the day, and a dance party later in the afternoon that lasts through the night.
Another cool thing about Dinoland is it’s not a bad place to hang no matter what ride you’re waiting for riders finish. You can all meet back up in the center of the park on Discovery Island.

You might also like: 6 Stunning Photos You Would Never Guess Were Taken And Edited With A Phone

There is also the Hakuna Matata Time Dance Party, which lasts a good portion of the day, on Discovery Island.
The Muziki Drums across from the Harambe Market are a family favorite for us, too.

Pandora has winding trails and tons of beautiful foliage to look at, especially at night. You might also catch the Pandora drums that play throughout the day. Fair warning: this can be a stressful place to let runners out of strollers. The combination of foot traffic and all the trails can make it easy to lose sight of an excited kiddo.

Screenshot or save this map to your phone for quick reference in the park!

map of Walt Disney World Animal Kingdom

I hope this helps you on your upcoming Walt Disney World trip! I’ll be writing more about taking babies and toddlers to Disney here soon, so be sure you’re subscribed and following me on Facebook and Instagram for updates. For videos about family travel, be sure you subscribe to our travel and lifestyle channel Happy Loud Life.

Click here to read more tips and tricks for Walt Disney World.

And if you love my photos and want to know how you can take and edit pix of your family at Disney World with just your phone and a few cheap apps, be sure you’re subscribed to my newsletter to find out when my next ebook- Picture Play At Disney World- goes on sale!

If you found this helpful, I’d love if you’d pin it to your Pinterest board!

image collage a pictures of the main highlights at WDW

March 1, 2019 29 comments

Tech Travel

One Of My Favorite Travel Apps Just Got Better For Families!

by Jill February 14, 2019

written by Jill

I can’t stop procrastinating, and that’s ok! I’m done guilting myself over it. It’s how I operate and honestly procrastination has it’s perks sometimes.

There are even companies completely dedicated to living that last-minute life, like HotelTonight. The longer you wait to book a hotel room through their app, the more you save! That means you are right on time to book something for tonight, and even this coming weekend. You can use the app to book hotels for future dates, too.

We had a chance to take a very last minute trip to Fort Lauderdale last weekend and got to hop on over to the Everglades.

I’ve worked with HotelTonight a few times before, and they are sponsoring this post, too. You know a brand is awesome when we team up long-term, you guys.

In the past, though, I had to be careful about messaging, only promoting their last-minute hotel reservation app as an option for a solo or couples getaway or staycation because the app didn’t have the option to book multiple rooms at one time for larger groups or families.

THAT ALL CHANGED! HotelTonight is now an incredible option for last-minute-lifers who want to book rooms for their whole family or big group! This is a brand new update.

On the iOS app, you can book up to 4 rooms in a single booking. Just open the customized search menu located on the top of the screen and select the number of rooms you’d like to book. If you’d like more than 2 people to stay in a room, that’s still up to the discretion of the hotel and could be subject to additional fees. I’d call just to be sure.

In Fort Lauderdale, we stayed at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort in two rooms. It was boys vs. girls!If you’d like to save $25 off your next HotelTonight booking, use my referral code JIKRAUSE.

The two rooms were not connected, but we did manage to get on the same floor with just one room separating us, and that room wasn’t occupied. It was being renovated.

When you book more than room, it will note in your reservation, but it’s best to call the hotel ahead of time or a HotelTonight rep to ask that they work to get your rooms next to each other.

Leyna was not complaining about the silence and solitude in our suite. We kept all the clothes and toiletries and general mess in the boys room so our room really felt like a quiet escape at the end of the day.

I love this option for larger groups just as much as I love it for solo or couples getaways and staycations. HotelTonight partners with hotels at a variety of levels- from basic to super luxe. I always discover quirky boutique hotels in great locations through their app, but you also have the big brand chains to choose from, too.

If you haven’t downloaded the HotelTonight app, be sure you do that. It’s free and even when I’m not planning to escape somewhere that night (though the idea is always tempting), I love to see what their Daily Drop is. This feature offers up to 30% off HT’s already low prices, but the catch is after you swipe you only have 15 minutes to book it. Sometimes it’s SO good that I want to make up an excuse to get away.

Thank you to HotelTonight for sponsoring this post. If you’d like to save $25 off your next HotelTonight booking, use my referral code JIKRAUSE.

February 14, 2019 4 comments

Travel

Budget For This Extra On Your Walt Disney World Vacation

by Jill February 6, 2019

written by Jill

When I am old, my treasures will be photos, and this will be a crown jewel.

We recently hired Melissa Ann Photography to meet up with us for an hour at Magic Kingdom and what she captured was more than I could hope for.

I am always the magic manufacturer when we do Disney, and I mostly don’t mind, but combine that with being the family’s primary documentarian, and there’s rarely proof I exist, let alone proof that I made that magic happen in our vacation photos.

So I know, I KNOW WDW is already a pricey experience, but maybe consider this if you have a trip planned.

Why Hire A Professional Photographer For Your WDW Vacation?

1. These trips are, for many people, rare, long planned for and, just like other big and expensive moments of your life, you will love having high-quality images to look back on.

2. Park photographers at Photopass spots do an ok job most of the time, and you get access to those photos when you purchase Memory Maker or they will happily take them with your phone or camera, but they are not going to be able to follow you onto or between rides and capture the small moments when the magic really happens.

3. This is a guaranteed way to be sure everyone in your party gets in the picture, beyond the posed and staged shots.

4. Your photographer will also know all the coolest places to capture moments that will stand out and not get lost in a sea of other people.

How Does It Work?

We coordinated our plans with Melissa beforehand. She’s an Annual Passholder and was able to get fast passes on a few rides the same time as us. We met her in the park, she followed us back to the rides and then walked around with us to a couple other spots. In all, it took about an hour and then we were free to enjoy the rest of our day.

We tried to be considerate of people around us and didn’t make a big deal about the photo shoot. We waited in line and got on rides just like everybody else and Melissa would do her best to get a good vantage point, so there are some factors that will be out of your control. You need to be ok with that and trust that your photographer can capture the magic even if you don’t get the perfect seats on the ride or your favorite color Dumbo. We really tried to keep the whole session low-key and not get in the way of someone else’s magic that day.

How Much Does It Cost?

Rates will obviously vary based on who you hire. Melissa Ann Photography starts at $375 for an hour, including your final digital files. For us, an hour was plenty. If you have a bigger family or group, though, you might want to consider a longer shoot.

Budgeting Ideas- Some Ways You Might Be Able To Allocate Money For A Photoshoot:

Start with your food. If you’re doing the dining plan, I strongly encourage you to really crunch the numbers and see if it’s worth it. We’ve done it three different ways now: free dining plan, paid for the dining plan, no dining plan. Obviously, the free dining plan wins every time (a promo they offer 1-2x a year when you stay at a WDW resort.) But if you are paying for the dining plan, there’s a strong possibility you’re not actually going to come out ahead financially. You could easily make up for the cost of a photoshoot by paying out of pocket for meals, bringing in your own snacks, and not eating at a table service restaurant for a few days. Not as hard as it may sound. Lots of quick service restaurants have great food, and many meals are easily shareable.
Downgrade from Park Hopper tickets. In my experience, park hopping is a time suck and a huge stress when dealing with littles anyway. If your itinerary allows, consider paying less for tickets that only let you in one park a day.
Prioritize photos over other souvenirs. It’s very easy to get sucked into buying stuff at WDW, and even if they aren’t huge purchases, they add up fast. If your kids will want a WDW souvenir, consider buying Disney merch on Amazon or from Walmart or Target before you go, and then sneak it in your luggage and gift it to them there.

We are basically living at Walt Disney World right now and have been for nearly a month- popping in and out of Fort Wilderness, Disney’s official on-site RV park, and other Orlando area RV parks. Don’t hate me, please!

This is such a rare and wonderful thing, and we are fully taking advantage of it. Partly because when else in our children’s lifetimes will we be able to do this with them? Homeschool part of the day, and then run up and catch the fireworks or snag a fast pass for a favorite ride- we are so super lucky, and I know that.

Also, a big reason for the extended stay is so I can get all the research I need done here for my next eBook (title still pending) all about how to take photos of your family at Walt Disney World. After the jaw-dropping success of my first eBook Picture Play- CLICK THROUGH to read reviews and buy-over 1100 copies sold in less than 3 months and still going strong, I was so inspired to keep creating content that will help regular people take and edit gorgeous photos of their families and of themselves with whatever camera they know and use the most.

Be sure you’re signed up for my newsletter so you can find out when the next Disney-focused eBook presale starts!

But even while I’m here working on a book to teach you how to take pictures at Walt Disney World yourself, I still think it’s worth it for you to consider budgeting to hire a professional photographer for your trip to WDW just so you can feel confident that YOU will be represented in some of those magical moments.

Yes, I know WDW is already an expensive endeavor, and a professional photographer is an additional expense that not everyone can add onto an already pricey vacation. But, with a little bit of planning and budgeting, it’s possible it could work out for you!

This post is not sponsored. We hired Melissa Ann Photography and loved the experience so much I had to share.

February 6, 2019 1 comment

Babies Parenthood Travel

You Could Turn Your Baby Gear Into A Legit Sidehustle

by Jill February 1, 2019

written by Jill

I got an email from a biz called BabyQuip last week. They wanted me to tell you all about how you can use them to rent all the baby stuff you need when you travel so you don’t have to worry about renting things like high chairs and car seats and strollers. They even have packages that include toys and full-size cribs.

And I think that’s a valuable service for many people. Definitely check them out if you are traveling and would rather rent that stuff than haul it all with you.

I started looking into how the stuff gets to you when you rent it, though, and that’s when I stumbled on what I thought was more exciting to share with you- becoming a BabyQuip Quality Provider, or, as they call them, a QP.

My links to them are affiliate, but this is how bad I suck at affiliate marketing: I only make money off people who click through to RENT things and not what I’m writing a whole blog post about.

QPs own all their own baby equipment that they then rent out to traveling families through BabyQuip. BQ is a “platform business” similar to what Uber is. You use their platform to service people with stuff you own. The people using you have assurance that you are legit. You are insured through them (billed monthly on a sliding scale based on what you make). And they make it easy to list what you have available to rent on their website.

There is a $100 fee to get started, which covers your first month of insurance and setup & admin expenses. After that you make 80% of your rental and delivery fees and BQ keeps 20%. You get to keep 100% of your tips. People will (hopefully) tip you because you’ll be delivering immaculate baby gear that you lovingly care for and thoroughly clean in between clients, setting up cribs, demonstrating how to fold and unfold strollers and more. In addition, hopefully they will be rating you highly on BQs internal rating system.

They have QPs in many cities, but it doesn’t seem saturated, and many cities still don’t have QPs. So this seems like a really great opportunity for the right people to put some of their gently used baby gear to work! Or even for someone to slowly invest in new baby gear and build a business.

The Ultimate Baby Rabies Book Launch Giveaway

On the FAQ page, in response to “Do I need to buy gear to get started?” BQ replies:

“No. We can get you launched on the BabyQuip (formerly Babierge) platform and open for business before you buy any gear. We recommend (but don’t require) that you purchase one item– a full-size portable wooden crib–because that’s our most requested item and could easily be your first order. It fits in many cars and all vans and SUVs. We’ll tell you how to order a crib later. If you’re close to a baby store, or use Amazon Prime, you can actually purchase gear after you get an order most of the time. That’s how Quality Providers build their inventory. You can also purchase used gear in great condition.”

I’m kind of regretting giving away some of our less abused baby stuff now! If you’ve got some gently used baby gear you could do without, or the means or desire to build up a stash of baby gear, and if you’re looking for a way to bring in some extra money each month, head over and read more about becoming a BabyQuip QP.

Not an MLM, and this is not sponsored. But if you would like to rent travel gear through BQ, I love if you’d click through my affiliate link.

February 1, 2019 4 comments

Giveaways Parenthood Travel

Parents, You Deserve A Night Away- And We’re Going To Give It To You

by Jill November 14, 2018

written by Jill

I am SO excited to partner up with HotelTonight and MyLifeSuckers for this HUGE giveaway… two lucky winners are going to get a $500 coupon each to use at HotelTonight.

In the spring, I shared my experience using HotelTonight to book a solo night away (remember that amazing outdoor bathtub??) and a lot of you were excited to check it out. It’s a super easy way to get amazing deals at some seriously gorgeous hotels around the world. And you don’t just have to book tonight, you can book up to 100 days in advance for most places.

You can book online or grab their app. Perfect for a much-needed night away- or book that sitter and enjoy some one-on-one time with your spouse!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter widget below. For those on mobile, click the link and it will take you right to the entry form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to read the full rules and regulations (linked in the widget above) before entering. For my full HotelTonight review, click here. This giveaway will end Thursday, November 22nd at 11:59pm ET.

November 14, 2018 3 comments

Toddlers Travel

I Am Breastfeeding My Toddler Around The Country

by Jill August 5, 2018

written by Jill

I mean we are currently traveling around the country, and I’m currently breastfeeding a toddler. So naturally I am breastfeeding my toddler around the country.

But also, I’ve made it a point to document many of the amazing places I’ve breastfed him along this trip, and they are some of my most treasured photos ever. (Backstory if you’re not familiar: we sold our house to live in an RV and drive around the US this year with our 4 kids.)

It started with a “get in the pictures” moment at White Sands National Monument at the beginning of the year. I was nursing Wallace while the rest of the family had a picnic lunch in the back of our truck, and I handed my camera to Scott. “Here, take a picture. I don’t have any pictures of me today yet.”

Breastfeeding My Toddler Around The Country

Then I joked that by the end of this trip I could have a whole collection of me breastfeeding in national parks and other beautiful places. People encouraged me to do just that, including some Instagram followers- one who suggested I use the hashtag #MotherNurtureMotherNature when sharing future nursing-in-nature pics, and that’s how my growing collection of these pictures began.

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From tiny seeds grow mighty trees. ? #mothernurturemothernature

A post shared by Jill Krause (@jillkraus.e) on May 11, 2018 at 7:03pm PDT

At the beginning of our trip, Wallace was just over a year old and still nursing quite a bit during the day so I really was having to stop and feed him while hiking and exploring quite often. Of course, sometimes I took advantage of a really beautiful spot and offered him a snack, but many times it was just a natural opportunity to rest and feed him that presented as a photo opp.

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We couldn’t pass up an opportunity to take in the Grand Canyon while nursing. #mothernurturemothernature (And please don’t worry, there was a stretch of flat land beyond that wall. I didn’t breastfeed him on a cliff. ?)

A post shared by Jill Krause (@jillkraus.e) on Mar 24, 2018 at 8:09pm PDT

As the year has gone on, and Wallace is now breastfeeding less frequently throughout the day, the opportunities have dwindled. I regret not getting any at Yellowstone! But we’re also always keeping safety in mind, and Yellowstone really exhausted us just trying to keep an eye on the kids. We drove so much at Yellowstone that I mostly just nursed him in the truck after we stopped for a break.

I don’t think we’re done capturing these photos though. Not yet. As long as Wallace is breastfeeding while we’re visiting these valleys, forests, mountains, lakes, deserts, and oceans, I’ll gladly hand the camera over to my husband and request a picture. Wallace doesn’t seem to want to wean anytime soon, so chances are we’ll capture many more #MotherNurtureMotherNature shots this year.

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Wallace slept through the big kids working on their Jr Ranger badges and woke just in time for a brisk hike through the Petrified National Forest. Those aren’t rocks behind us! #mothernurturemothernature

A post shared by Jill Krause (@jillkraus.e) on Mar 16, 2018 at 5:39pm PDT

I really, really want to get a starry night sky photo of him enjoying a late night snack. I just need to work on my starry sky photo skills a bit. It’s my unicorn photo wish, though! I’m going to make it happen.

Have your own pics of you breastfeeding in the wild? Feel free to share them using the #MotherNurtureMotherNature hashtag, and be sure you’re following @BabyRabies on Instagram!

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Quick snack at the #tentrocks. Hiking makes you thirsty! ? #mothernurturemothernature

A post shared by Jill Krause (@jillkraus.e) on Mar 10, 2018 at 3:53pm PST

August 5, 2018 1 comment

Parenthood Travel

Consider This, Moms: A Solo Staycation For Mother’s Day Or Any Day

by Jill May 9, 2018

written by Jill

You know we sold our house last year and decided to travel fulltime in an RV with our 4 kids because we thought that would make our life… easier? Or… I don’t really know what we were thinking, but I do know I was fully intending on writing MORE here, not less. And hopefully I will soon.

Read on if you are looking for THE BEST last minute Mother’s Day gift for yourself or someone else!

It’s just that this lifestyle has a pretty steep learning curve and the first 5 months (OMG almost half a year already!) have flown by and we are just now feeling like we finally have things figured out. That’s really just another way of saying LIFE HAS BEEN STRESSFUL. (And glorious and beautiful and amazing, but very stressful.)

May 9, 2018 6 comments

Babies Travel

15 Tips For Travelling With A Baby

by Désirée April 9, 2018

written by Désirée

Travelling with a baby, especially if you’re doing it for the first time, can seem daunting- but it doesn’t have to be!

We asked our Facebook community to share their best tips for travelling with young kids and their advice might just help you navigate your next trip a little more smoothly.

April 9, 2018 3 comments

Travel

Our Happy Loud Life

by Jill May 9, 2017

written by Jill

I’ve felt what I like to call “creatively constipated” about this post for a week. There’s so much to say and I don’t know how to say it, and every day that I don’t say it keeps me from saying so many other things. So FINE. Here. Just going to put this out there.

We’re selling our house, buying an RV and a truck, and we’re taking our family on a year-ish long trip around the country so we can “roadschool” our kids. I am totally serious. And WOW does that feel so much better.

If you missed my announcement on Facebook last week, here’s the video where Scott and I talked about what lead to this huge life change and a giant leap of faith.

So… yeah. Life is about to get super interesting in, I hope, mostly exciting ways.

Baby Rabies is not going away. In fact, I have plans to re-brand and grow this platform, but we’ll be gradually moving our personal story- the story of our family- over to HappyLoudLife.com. I’ve been brainstorming my baby blogger exit strategy for a while now, and this makes the most sense. I don’t want to stop blogging about pregnancy, babies, and parenting littles anytime soon, but it’s going to make less and less sense for it to be about my personal story as my children get older.

Okay, let me clarify, my exit strategy only recently involved the whole RV part, but that’s really just the first chapter in our new Happy Loud Life. When we get back, I’m sure HLL will evolve a bit. We’ll always be seeking a happy loud life, and that’s the place we’ll tell that story.

Anyway, I am sure you have a TON of questions, and I did my best to answer a lot of them today in a Facebook Live broadcast from the Happy Loud Life Facebook page. (Would love if you’d like me over there and follow me on Instagram at @Happy.Loud.Life.)

I’ll be back on the Baby Rabies Facebook page next week at 10:30 am CST for another Baby Rabies Playgroup live broadcast.

May 9, 2017 4 comments

Photography Travel

I Brought You All Souvenirs From Hawaii- Free Photo Downloads

by Jill November 7, 2016

written by Jill

I was so positively overwhelmed with the photos I took on our anniversary trip to Hawaii that it’s taken me a month to edit my favorites. I knew I couldn’t go to Hawaii and not dedicate a good portion of the trip to getting photos that I would love and want to display, and I’m SO glad that I stumbled upon Oahu Photography Tours. I want to do something like this for all our vacations from now on, though I’m not sure such a personalized experience exists elsewhere.