Hiking the White Tank Mountains

"This post is sponsored by FLYJOY however all opinions are my own."

Last weekend my husband took a Friday off work so we set out to hike the White Tank Mountains. The park is just a short drive from our house, so we took advantage of a full day together and headed out.

We had the best time exploring and our kids did great! I've heard great things about hiking the White Tank mountains with kids, so I was looking forward to some easy trails with our kids.

We love that we get to live in a state where there is so much to do and see. I fully encourage you to take advantage of where ever you live and explore your city or your town! It has something to offer, sometimes you just have to discover it.

Ready for some gorgeous pictures of our hike?

We chose a shorter trail with our kiddos, I suggest finding a trail around 1-2 miles. Easy but not to long with kids. Our kids did great and loved looking at all the plants, cactus and finding critters! Ava was on the hunt for any animal she could find.

Some tips for hiking the White Tank Mountains;

Go early or after 6pm. Here in Phoenix it's not recommended to hike between the hours of 8 am - 6pm when the temperature of over 90 degrees. So that means so early to beat the heat or go after 6pm when it's not as hot but still a few hours of day light.
It costs $6 to enter the park. Make sure to bring cash. If the park attendant station is closed to can pay to enter the park in the library across from the entrance into the park.
For more info visit the park website here.

Tips for hiking with kids;

Find a shorter trail. The park is marked with signs at each trail that tells you how many miles long each is. I suggest between 1-2 miles for kids.
Bring lots of water. It's hot in Phoenix, and water is a MUST!
Bring a snack or two! Kids love snacks and after hiking a while it's nice to have somethings in your pack to give them. We love Fly Joy bars. Not only for their nutritional value but kids also love all the yummy flavors! Coconut & blueberries are some of their faves!
Bring something to carry your water bottles and snacks in. We use a back pack or I also love this Kammok tote that folds up inside itself when you're not using it.

Want to try Fly Joy bars for yourself? Head on over to Instagram (@andreamworley) I'm giving away 2 boxes of Fly Joy bars some some lucky winners!

We had the best time hiking and can't wait to go again! Have you been hiking lately? If you're in Arizona what are your favorite places to hike?

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Verrado Coffee Company

Ya'll know I'm a coffee lover, through and through. As much as I love my Starbucks, I also enjoy finding local spots around my home to enjoy. There's nothing quite like a hometown coffee shop that roasts their own beans.

I was so happy to stumble upon Verrado Coffee Co. located in the Verrado Neighborhood of the West Valley of Phoenix. This cozy little place is pretty close to my house, they have great coffee and a very friendly staff.

Zane and I like to go to story time on Wednesday mornings while Ava is at school, and it's quickly becoming my 'go-to' gathering spot for hanging out with friends. They have an adorable "den" area that you can reserve for larger parties, Bible studies or other group things.

This kids reading nook is one of my favorite things about this place! I can sit and sip my coffee and know my kids are totally entertained. They love it here as much as I do.

If you live in the West Valley and would love to check out Verrado Coffee Company here's their details:

1829 N Verrado Way Buckeye, AZ 85396

Find out more on their website here.

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Sea Life Arizona

A couple weekends ago we loaded up the kiddos and headed to Sea Life Arizona. It's pretty close to home only a 40 minute drive, and great way to get the kids out of the house and doing something fun. We had been here before with Ava when she was about two years old, but we haven't been since Zane been born.

There's a lot to see and do at Sea Life Arizona, I especially enjoy the different sea creatures that are there and the different "touch & feel" tanks where kids can get up close with different sea animals.

They have huge tanks full of sea turtles, different kinds of sharks, sting rays and more. Ava loved the sea horses, there are tons of different breeds of those in different tanks.

They both loved the "sea tunnel" where you could walk through and have the fish swimming over you. It was so fun to see their reactions. There's also a movie theatre on site where you can watch educational films on sea life. It's a fun experience for kids of all ages and parents too.

Another fun feature is the play gym at the end where your kiddos can just let loose and climb and play before you leave. You can save a little bit of money by buying your tickets online versus on site, find out more about tickets here.

Disclosure: I was provided tickets for my family free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100% my own, I try to find events, products and services that are a good fit for my family and think they will be for you as well.

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Out West Balloon Fest

More than 35 hot air balloons will decorate the sky at the first annual Out West Balloon Fest and Fun Run at the University of Phoenix in Glendale, Ariz. Locals, if you're looking for something fun to do the first weekend in March, this is it!

On March 6, 7 and 8, join us for a weekend filled with much more than hot air! We will kick off the weekend with a Friday night balloon glow. From bumblebees, to butterflies and even Smokey the Bear, there will be a special shaped balloon to please every member of the family. Come see these gentle giants as they light up the night sky and enjoy tethered balloon rides.

Bring your appetite because on the ground attendees will find dozens of food and novelty vendors, hours of live music, wine and craft beer tastings and opportunities to mingle with the balloon pilots. For the kids, there’s a special area with a slew of inflatable attractions a climbing wall and much more.

Saturday morning will begin with a family-friendly 5K fun run, proceeds benefitting the 100 Club of Arizona. A second balloon glow will follow that evening. Also enjoy the “Hare and Hound” balloon competition. Grand Marshall Bill Cutter will start off the race by launching his own balloon. He will land his balloon and lay out the target where the other balloon will then launch and race to the finish line. Each balloon pilot (or hounds) tries to drop a bean bag closest to the center of the target to win a variety of prizes.

Sunday morning will round off the weekend with a competitive balloon race. Our hot air balloon pilots will show off their skills by competing in a race to launch and land at one of three declared spots to win a prize. It’s a fun spectator event for the whole family.

Tickets range from $10 to $20 per person. Kids ages 12 and younger are free.

Event Information and Schedule:

Friday Evening Balloon Glow 4-9 p.m.

4 p.m.

Gates Open

4-9 p.m.

Vendor Market, Food vendors, Kidszone

5:30 p.m.

Tethered Balloon Rides

5-9 p.m.

Live music on the main stage

6:30-8:30 p.m.

25 hot air balloon glow

8:30 p.m.

Night skydiving demo by the Arizona Skyhawks

9 p.m.

Gates close

Saturday Morning Balloon Launch 6-11 a.m.

6 a.m.

Gates Open

6-11 a.m.

Vendor Market, Food vendors, Kidszone

7 a.m.

Morning Passenger Flights

7 a.m.

5K Fun Run

7 a.m.

Balloon launch, Hare and Hound competition

11 a.m.

Gates close

Saturday Evening Balloon Glow 4-9 p.m.

4 p.m.

Gates Open

4-9 p.m.

Vendor Market, Food vendors, Kidszone

5:30 p.m.

Tethered Balloon Rides

5-9 p.m.

Live music on the mainstage

6:30-8:30 p.m.

25 hot air balloon glow

8:30 p.m.

Night skydiving demo by the Arizona Skyhawks

9 p.m.

Gates close

Sunday Morning Balloon Launch 6-11 a.m.

6 a.m.

Gates Open

6-11 a.m.

Vendor Market, Food vendors, Kidszone

7 a.m.

Morning Passenger Flights

7 a.m.

Balloon Launch, Declared balloon race competition

11 a.m.

Gates Close

Events subject to change based on weather.

Some activities require an additional fee. Please visit the website atwww.outwestballoonfest.com for more information.

Disclosure: I received tickets to this event free of charge for my promotion of the events, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Desert Botanical Gardens Pumpkin Festival

We tried out a new pumpkin patch this Fall, the kids and I headed to the Desert Botanical Gardens here in Phoenix with some friends last weekend. I quickly realized that October is almost over (how can this be) and we hadn't yet made our trip to pick pumpkins.

As I said before this was a new location for us, but it didn't disappoint. With a hay maze, hay ride, petting zoo, carnival games, live music and food we had a blast.

Ava really enjoyed the pumpkin decorating station they had set up with all sorts of fun things to decorate your pumpkins with before taking them home!