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My Little Pony and Pirate Pool Birthday Party

By on September 6, 2018
My Little Pony and Pirate Pool Birthday Party | sunshineandholly.com

This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them helps support this website. 

When it comes to the kids’ birthday parties, I feel like we’ve done it all. We’ve done the super-cute Pinterest party, the easy/simple at-home party, the expensive kid’s play-place party.

I’m thinking the only thing left to try is the “hire a party planner and have them do the set-up and clean-up” type party. Maybe next year!

This year, we did a joint My Little Pony and Pirate Pool Party for the kids. They both have September birthdays, so joint parties will be a norm until they specifically request their own parties. Graham was dying to use a pirate pinata we had leftover from his birthday party two years ago, so he wanted a pirate theme. And Maddie is obsessed with My Little Ponies, so that’s what she picked.

I kept things really simple with decorations from Party City, food from Costco, and cakes from Publix. I didn’t make any cute Pinterest-y things this year. But I think the party turned out great anyway!

My Little Pony and Pirate Pool Birthday Party | sunshineandholly.com
Matching My Little Pony hair extensions!

My Little Pony and Pirate Pool Birthday Party | sunshineandholly.com

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family | Family Fun | fun | motherhood | Travel

Fun Things to Do in Chattanooga with Kids

By on August 24, 2018
Fun Things to Do in Chattanooga with Kids | sunshineandholly.com | travel | Tennessee | family fun

A few weekends ago, we decide to take a last minute weekend trip to Chattanooga. We’ve visited a few times in the past few years. It’s a short drive from Atlanta and a great place to spend a night or two when you’re wanting to get away. The city is also super kid-friendly! Here are a few of our favorite kid-friendly Chattanooga attractions. Fun Things to Do in Chattanooga with Kids | sunshineandholly.com | travel | Tennessee | family fun

Fun Things to Do in Chattanooga with Kids

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Steel City Pops – the BEST Popsicles in Atlanta (Plus a fun kids activity!)

By on June 27, 2018
Steel City Pops - the BEST Popsicles in Atlanta (Plus a fun kids activity!) | sunshineandholly.com | summer fun | kids activities

UPDATE: I’m so sad to say that our Decatur Steel City Pops location has closed as of November 2019. We sure will miss these yummy pops! If you’re looking for other fun kid-friendly things to do in Decatur, click here! 

This post was sponsored by Steel City Pops, but all opinions are my own! 

Imagine this:

A sweet and tangy buttermilk popsicle dipped in decadent dark chocolate, sprinkled with crunchy chocolate cookie crumbs, and drizzled with smooth and creamy caramel sauce…

Steel City Pops - the BEST Popsicles in Atlanta (Plus a fun kids activity!) | sunshineandholly.com | summer fun | kids activities

How about a coffee flavored popsicle with a chocolate brownie hidden inside, dipped in creamy milk chocolate, drizzled with dense dark chocolate, and dusted with espresso…

Steel City Pops - the BEST Popsicles in Atlanta (Plus a fun kids activity!) | sunshineandholly.com | summer fun | kids activities

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family | Family Fun | fun | happiness | home | kids activities | parenting | summer

5 Summer Break Survival Tips

By on June 8, 2018
5 Summer Break Survival Tips | sunshineandholly.com

Bad-mom confession: for the past few years I have dreaded the summer. As soon as the end-of-the-school-year activities start, and the “countdown ’til summer” begins, I would start thinking about all those long summer days alone with my kids with no “mom-breaks” or me-time. I’d feel a pit in my stomach. My anxiety would skyrocket. I would frantically start pinning summer crafts and activities on Pinterest.

“What am I going to do with these kids all summer long?!?!?!”

5 Summer Break Survival Tips | sunshineandholly.com

The old saying that goes, “the days are long, but the years are short” is especially true for stay-at-home moms during the summer. Those summer days are looooooong! It’s hard to keep the kids entertained. I know all the experts say, “Let them be bored! It’s good for them!” But those experts aren’t with my kids for hours and hours at a time. I spend all summer breaking up fights, refereeing arguments, cleaning up millions of messes, and fixing snacks after snacks after snacks after snacks. Sure, naptime can be a reprieve for some moms. But my kids have never been big on naptime. And trying to get them to stay in their rooms for “quiet time” is more work for me than it’s worth.

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Exploring the Imaginary Worlds Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

By on May 30, 2018
Exploring the Imaginary Worlds Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden | sunshineandholly.com | family fun | things to see and do in Atlanta

A couple of weeks ago, we received a brochure in the mail advertising the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s new “living plant sculptures” exhibit – Imaginary Worlds. I knew the kids would love seeing the larger-than-life storybook characters and animals made out of plants, so we planned a trip to check it out. Graham was especially excited to see the exhibit and grabbed a map when we walked in so he could be our tour guide.

Exploring the Imaginary Worlds Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Exploring the Imaginary Worlds Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden | sunshineandholly.com | family fun | things to see and do in Atlanta

Graham was actually a little scared of the woolly mammoth. I thought he was cute!

Exploring the Imaginary Worlds Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden | sunshineandholly.com | family fun | things to see and do in Atlanta

I was jealous that Rip Van Winkle was able to take a nap.

Exploring the Imaginary Worlds Exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden | sunshineandholly.com | family fun | things to see and do in Atlanta

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