By all accounts, the community held up exceptionally well during our visit, even with the mood swings and attitudinal fluctuations my kids can deliver. A weeks ago, Jen and I took the kids out of school during the droll of state testing, we hopped on Interstate 65 south from Nashville, and six (okay seven—we stopped at Bucee’s) hours later, we saw the big water tower welcoming us to Orange Beach, saw the speed limit change to the infamous 26, and pulled up for a week of sun and fun at Spectrum Resorts’ Turquoise Place (use code DADORALIVE during your checkout for 10% off through the end of 2024!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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As the kids have gotten older, everyone’s crap continues to get smaller and smaller. I’m not lugging around pack ’n’ plays or strollers anymore – so we’ve perfected a duffle bag for each one. Generally, we need two bellhop carts to get everything to the room – but if a rival dad challenged me, I could get it done with one.

These turquoise towers soar 24 and 30 stories above the beach, respectively. I’m a big fan of the keyless wristband access to the property, which also allows charging privileges to the room. We stayed in a 3-bedroom suite – whether a 3,4 or 5-bedroom residence, they ALL have a Gulf-front balcony with a grill and jacuzzi hot tub. You’ve also got a full kitchen with enough crockery for a family of 20, plus a laundry room for the extended stay. OR if you’re like me and only brought one collared shirt, which caught a bath in the cocktail sauce while eating ‘reds.’ There’s nothing quite like spreading out across 2300+ square feet while on vacation.

It might catch you by surprise, but one of my favorite parts of the trip was breakfast each morning.

Spectrum Lounge hosts complimentary breakfast each day, with seating outside overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and inside, with room for the kids (and me) to play pool, ping pong, or Xbox while enjoying some breakfast tacos.

During the day, we split our time between the hotel amenities, relaxing on the beach, or an excursion.

Since our last visit two years ago, Turquoise Place has added a 300-foot, 4-story water slide, tennis courts, and a putting green on the front and side of the property.

And if you want to dodge the sun or wind, they’ve built a 450-foot lazy river on the 4th floor of the West Tower—and it is HEATED. We had one super windy day and chose to rent a cabana by the pool overlooking the beach.

Complete w/ A/C, TV, full bathroom, and sitting areas; it was a nice place to hide away and eat food from the poolside grill, Change of Pace. While we’re on it—order the Spicy Pickle Pizza Pie, the Carnival Corndog (a corn dog covered in flaming’ hot Cheetos), and the giant Memphis Charcuterie Pretzel—absolutely delicious.

You never need to leave the property – but if you’ve got a pack of children brimming over with ADHD and a sugar buzz, there are plenty of worthwhile excursions.

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and Fort Morgan are great places to take the kids. The zoo held an incredible history of being the only zoo to ever be fully evacuated due to Hurricane Ivan… The rescue of the animals garnered worldwide attention and was the impetus for the Animal Planet reality show. It’s back bigger and better than ever – offering animal encounters with sloths & lemurs, along with 120 species of animals, 21 endangered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Fort Morgan is a pentagonal bastion fort at the mouth of the Mobile Bay. It’s got an entertaining and educational museum but an exciting layout of batteries and structures to explore—you can take a picnic and collect shells on the beach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Speaking of shells, some of the best times we had during our week-long stay were at dawn and dusk, walking along the white sand beaches, collecting shells, and reconnecting.

Orange Beach and Turquoise Place have solidified their place in our hearts (and our calendar every spring break) and we can’t wait for our next visit!

If you’re thinking about visiting Turquoise Place, use code DADORALIVE during your checkout for 10% off through the end of 2024!

Editor’s Note: We were guests of Spectrum Resorts, however the thoughts, opinions and memories created above are all ours!

The post Turquoise Place is an Orange Beach Gem appeared first on Dad or Alive.

Turns out – they’re SKI RESORTS in VERMONT. And by gosh, fast forward 35 years, as my wife and I check states off of our bucket list, I felt inspired to quietly seek out the comfort of knowing what in the hell they were talking about all those years ago… so we loaded everyone in the truck and headed for America’s Family Resort, Smugglers’ Notch.

Smuggler’s Notch Resort is situated on lands included within the Mount Mansfield State Forest. It name comes from the activities that precipitated after Thomas Jefferson dropped the Embargo Act of 1807. Y’all remember that, right? Duh. No trading was allowed with Canada or Great Britain, so settlers utilized the notch in the mountains to smuggle goods and booze during prohibition. The caves and caverns made it easy to keep the alcohol around room temperature. After seeing the notch, I’m not sure I can imagine hauling a rucksack full of Canadian hooch in waist-deep snow, just to please a few settlers back at the colony…

But I digress.

Today, it’s still 1,000 acres of beautiful, awe-inspiring terrain. And along with those old smuggling routes, they have 78 trails covering 310+ acres, with 750 acres of woods in between… this was something we needed to experience. The only caveat? We live about 1,200 miles away in Nashville – roadtrippin’ (for real).

It takes a lot to pile these tiny savages into one vehicle for that kind of drive – the sheer physical stamina and bladder control, not to mention a level of patience we haven’t seen since waiting for more ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ episodes to come out.

In reality, as much as we might gripe about taking a 1,200 mile road trip, we love the flexibility and spontaneity that comes with driving instead of flying. We stopped off to see my folks in Pennsylvania and had dinner with a few friends. The next day, we marched onward into the Catskills of upstate New York and eventually crossed the Vermont state line and wound our way into the Green Mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We pulled into the resort late on a Monday night and headed towards the Village Center. We picked up a map and key cards at guest services. The resort accommodations are broken into small communities (North Hill, West Hill & Highlands Hill) and villages (Village East & West) of small rooms, but also full suites with multiple bedrooms for larger families. Since we knew we would have access to a full kitchen (and that we would be dead-tired every day), we decided to meal-plan and bring a cooler. We spent the week in the North Hill Community, in a building called ‘The Owls’.

Bright and early the next morning, we got everyone dressed and headed towards 3 Mountain Equipment for our gear. As we maneuvered through the process, every person – whether it be getting fitted for boots, helmets, skis or boards – was knowledgeable and quick to offer assistance. We’ve taken our kids skiing twice before, but never in this kind of amazing powder and at these ages. The employees were awesome and really great at explaining even the most mundane to the little ones. Plus, their side conversations offered a glimpse of a tighter-knit community that really provides the backbone of these resorts through the seasons.

That morning, Vermont got a little over six inches of fresh snow. We dropped the three older kids off at ski school and took Evelyn (5) over to the Mogul Mouse and magic carpet lift, to work with her on balancing. I can’t say that my back didn’t pay the price on this one. Neither she, nor I used poles and I wound up hunched over the entire time, really encouraging a curvature of the spine to add to my ailments. Even though it was fun teaching her, next time we’d send her to a day camp for a day so that she could learn amongst kids her own age.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Smugglers has three mountains that fan from left to right – the Morse Highlands leading up to Morse Mountain at 2,250′ (greens), Madonna Mountain which tops out at 3,640′ with blues and black, double & triple-blacks and Sterling Mountain at 3,040′ – nothing to sneeze at with a handful of blues and black diamonds and just a ton of really great runs overall. Lots of them were fun for our entire family – and given the range of experience and the fact that one of our boys insisted on boarding instead of skiing, these runs were a perfect time for our family once the big three got out of ski school.

It’s all brought together down at the Village Center where we checked in – you can grab something to eat at the Lodge where they’ve got a Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, Pizzeria and our favorite, the deli.

We grabbed a few sandwiches and snacks and circled up on a few Adirondack chairs by the fire. The littlest one fell in love with Vermont Extra Sharp Cheddar.

Once the lifts started closing around 4pm, there was no better feeling than heading back to our suite and being able to ‘feel like you’re at home’. We cooked dinner together every night, giving us a chance to connect.

It also bears mentioning that you can gain access to tube sliding hills, outdoor skating rink, as well as indoor/outdoor heated pools and hot tubs (which we took advantage of every night apreś ski) – but my kids REALLY enjoyed laser tag and when we realized we’d never played together as a family, it was game on. My wife lost big, which is a rarity, and I’ve wasted no time rubbing that one in. On the other nights we finished in the Fun Zone, an indoor facility that has tons of very clean bounce houses, air hockey, shuffleboard, arcade games, and other play areas perfect for our kids’ ages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I did everyone a solid and did not ski in jeans this time. We had an amazing time this winter and now that everyone’s fully outfitted, we can’t wait to go back. We’d love to see how it looks in the summer! This little gem nestled in the Green Mountains has all kinds of activities from mountain biking to freshwater swimming reservoirs and walking/hiking summit experiences. Check out Smuggs next time you’re in Vermont!

The post A Mountain of fun at Smugglers’ Notch. appeared first on Dad or Alive.

In 2019, Ava was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, an auto-immune disease that would forever change her life, as well as ours. In an ironic twist of fate, she was also simultaneously diagnosed with Latent Tuberculosis. Yep, TB… there was no one more surprised than my wife and I when those words came out of her doctor’s mouth. The scary part was that the high-dose steroids used to combat her immediate Lupus activity were in direct contraindication to the course of treatment for TB… in other words, testing Lupus could be absolutely devastating for her Latent TB and could cause that disease to spiral very quickly. Needless to say, we immediately found ourselves in crisis mode and had to get our house in hospital clean state.

We had no idea what caused her Lupus to become active… Her disease is generally triggered by things like excessive sunlight, heavy allergens, stopping medication or an abundance of stress (all things that are VERY easy to control around a then pre-teen… eyeroll). But there’s also injury and infection, so we’ve made it our mission to focus on not only good hygiene practices and a healthy diet, but also looking at our immediate surroundings – like the AIR.

Sadly, before we moved to Nashville, we had been in two separate mold situations in rental homes in coastal Virginia. Mold spores are invisible to the eye, but near impossible to get rid of. UNLESS you’re using an air cleaning system designed to remove these toxins. And these little particles can wreck havoc on your body. Since then, we’ve tried really hard to monitor our conditions at home. And with four kids, two cats and a tortoise, things can get messed up pretty quickly.

It’s a challenge to keep up with air conditions. Venta – is simply good air – and that’s not just a marketing slogan. With the leaves changing and temperature dropping, we’re in a vicious circle of kids running in and out of the house with dirt, mud, and who-knows-what-else on their clothes and shoes. And the temperature drop? Well, in addition to the dirty air that is already circulating around you in your home, the cold weather is also creating air inside that’s drier than normal, which can lead to dried-out mucous membranes (yum!) that invite a greater risk of infections, colds and possibly the flu.

I’m no scientist, but with our kids going to two different schools, in three different buildings every day (and my wife in and out of more stores than you can imagine) – my observation is that we’re TRIPLING our germ intake – so VENTA enters the chat… to regulate that air we breathe…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Venta makes premium humidifiers and air purifiers with eco-friendly technology. It’s got that intuitive touch display (imperative for older dads with limited patience) that indicates and controls the air humidity in real-time.

We picked up the LW25 in black for Ava’s room. Based on the size of the space you’re trying to freshen up, they’ve got the LW15 and you can really blow the pants off your neighbors with the LW45. It’s quiet, while naturally reducing harmful pollutants in the air at a humidity level of 40-60%…which is convenient, because that’s right where I like it.

Your cleaning intervals may vary, but it’s super easy when the time comes. Plus, it’s also got an aromatherapy option, if you feel the need to get your lavender on…

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a paid partnership with Venta, however the opinions and observations are all my own. Check out their products HERE.

The post Some Simply Good Air appeared first on Dad or Alive.

Shopping for me (and Dads in general) tends to get harder and harder each year; I’ve personally spent a lot of time over the decades trying to find that perfect give for my own Pop with each year becoming more difficult. I found myself hitting multiple specialty stores to achieve that handful of perfect gifts that say – thanks for all that you do…

So instead of wasting an entire weekend driving all over the city (even though that sounds nice after spending a year and a half in our houses), I decided to take a chance and take the family on an afternoon outing to our local Belk just outside of Nashville – which happens to be no more than a mile down the road. If you’re unfamiliar with Belk – it’s an American department store chain founded 150 years ago. Belk (and Belk.com) offers apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and wedding registry. It’s a one-stop shop and for a guy like me, that’s my cup of tea. There’s something to be said about a brick-and-mortar American retailer that can survive and succeed in our highly-evolved digital era.

This was an opportunity to point out (and pick up!) a few things that I might like. We shuffled across the Men’s watches and made our way to the cologne counter and I took a few minutes to show the boys how to apply a ‘spritz’ without going overboard – let’s just say that those few minutes we spent in the truck to get home will have my cab smelling like ‘date night’ for quite a while. They both found it somewhat funny that at the adjacent counter, a teenage boy was there with his Dad – trying out different scents, most likely getting his first bottle of cologne…

And one brother can’t do something without the younger needing it too!

After getting ourselves smelling sweeter than when we came in – we headed off to apparel (to replace a few of those shirts that got stained while working in the garage or doing yard work) and right away, I found a few things from Columbia, Salt Life and Saddlebred that I threw in the cart. And those weren’t the only men’s lines – they also have Nautica, William Rast, Champion, Adidas and Crown & Ivy Cabana. I scored a pair of Clark’s shoes and a bathing suit from Ocean & Coast…

Believe it or not, the kids were frothing at the mouth to move on – and explore some of the tech items. Belk carries Amazon Echo, Beats by Dre, Google Nest and a host of others, but I was sort of eyeing up a wireless bluetooth speaker that we could use by the pool or even on camping trips this summer…

I’m not a huge ‘in-store’ kinda guy, in fact, if I do happen to venture out to an actual store – I’m usually the one launching into a mission like a heat-seeking missile to find the ‘dad chair’ that sits in the middle of most sections. HOWEVER, when I do see a kitchen or cooking section, I’m all ears (and eyes). I sorted through a few Lodge cast iron pots, toasters, cookware and eventually settled on something that, alas, has been broken for years. Most Sunday mornings, I’ll get up and cook everyone pancakes, bacon and eggs on our plug-in griddle… that is, until it snapped in half during our move to Tennessee. Belk just happened to have a griddle by Dash.

I scored two new hats, including a Southern Bend Fishing Club ball cap and a handful of other things to bolster my summer wardrobe choices. And I couldn’t walk out being the only one that bought things for themself. My daughters and sons sneaked a few items into the cart, heck I even found my own dad a new tee and my mom a floppy pool hat. I will mention one thing though –  I couldn’t believe some of the sale items. Never in my life have I strolled up to the cashier, had her hand me a receipt as long as my arm and say – ‘Thanks for shopping at Belk, you saved $620.00 today’. I nearly passed out – because my total bill didn’t even come close to my total savings! Plus, every dad needs and deserves to get a good deal once in a while…

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was a sponsored post on behalf of Belk retailer, however, all thoughts, opinions and early Father’s Day gifts are mine! Check out Belk online and follow them on Facebook and Instagram!

The post Finding a Different Way to do Father’s Day. appeared first on Dad or Alive.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing additional details about the App and showing you some of the features that really make this platform special – how the videos look when they come paired with a gift, the options you have when choosing how aggressive or conservative you might want to be with your investment, along with 5% (soon to be increased) of your child’s portfolio that can be attributed towards stocks or companies of your choosing…

In the meantime, HERE is a unique link offered through me – DAD OR ALIVE – to get yourself started in creating a portfolio for your own children. AND, while using that link, you’ll get $15 automatically deposited into their account so that you can get the ball rolling!

Let EarlyBird help you to ‘Build the Nest’ and invest in the children you love…

The post Why Aren’t You Investing in Your Kids? appeared first on Dad or Alive.

I woke up this morning to my wife and four kids wishing me a happy 45th birthday. This last year has been a kick in the ass for many of us – struggling to survive – financially, physically and most important – mentally. Unless you’ve followed me on Facebook or IG, you may not know that we made a move from the coastal country of Virginia to Music City, bought a house and settled in Nashville, Tennessee – less than a year before COVID hit.

We decided on Nashville for no particular reason other than its simple inherent beauty and the plus that it’s a burgeoning entertainment hub – without the hassle. We now live between two massive lakes, surrounded by rolling hillsides and wonderful neighbors, farms, and people that seem to love waking up every day with a dialed-down pace, stopping to say ‘good morning’ or offer a hand with whatever you’re involved with. Maybe it’s just that I’ve had more years in a complicated city like Los Angeles than that of the south, but after six moves between four states and two coasts over ten years – we’re in a place that finally feels like home.

Upon moving here, I had an opportunity to come on board as a Senior Executive Producer for an internationally syndicated country radio music morning show, hosted by an old friend. This was an opportunity to step out of the house for the first time in over nine years of being a full-time stay-at-home dad and actually work with folks again in a physical capacity. It also paired perfectly with the role-reversal that my wife and I were embarking on – her taking a step out of the office full-time to work from home as a TV development producer and spending more valuable time with the kids, on the heels of our last little baby.

While my skill sets lie in comedy, TV, publishing and blogging – why not throw myself into the fire of another entertainment medium? It meant waking up at 2:45am each morning to be on-air by 5am, but I was willing to trade that in for the social component of working outside of the house and camaraderie involved with managing a team again.

And an added perk included being able to work with talent like Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean and so many more…

That streak continued for many months until the end of February when our lead host had departed for an opportunity that was quite simply to incredible to pass up. A few days later, an unexpected act of nature hit our small town: an EF-3/4 tornado ripped through our county in the early morning of March 3rd, 2020. I was already in bed, but our Emergency Weather Radio (daughter and I are weather geeks) started blaring and at 12:30am, I began getting texts and calls from colleagues that lived in East Nashville (just west of us in the storm’s path) as the twister ripped through their neighborhoods, barely missing our radio tower.

Our family had endured the earthquakes and mudslides of Southern California, but this was something completely foreign. As my wife and kids huddled in our back bathroom wearing bike helmets and eventually lying in the bathtub – a final warning from the local news station could be heard from the TV before the power went out and everything went black. Our local tornado siren screeched through the neighborhood along with ‘immediate shelter’ alerts on our iPhones as I stood on the front porch in a dead silence. You’re welcome to criticize me for not being in a place of safety, but there was something that didn’t sit right with me about not being able to see what was coming. As lightning struck the ground – it illuminated a massive funnel cloud not more than a mile or two away, headed straight for us.

The wind quickly accelerated from a dead stop and I slammed the front door and ran to the back of the house, sliding into the hallway while telling my family that whatever was happening – was going to be in the next five minutes. When it was all said and done, the tornado had skirted just north of our home, running along Interstate 40. It had destroyed part of our middle school, an elementary school, a private school, along with many homes up the road. All told, packing winds as high as 165 mph – over 600 homes and businesses were damaged or completely destroyed and dozens  were dead. As I drove towards downtown Nashville to get to our studio, I passed a half-dozen tractor-trailers on their side in the middle of the Interstate, with drivers crawling from the windows. I informed Metro police that I was essential personnel – showed my media credits and let them know that we were doing our part to get vital news out to local residents. We shifted our light-hearted International morning show content on-the-fly to focus on local stories and support community activists who were trying to help those that were affected. Friends, neighbors and struggling musicians who we worked with were left homeless.

A little over a week later, COVID had ramped up to become a National concern and within days, we were asked NOT to return to our studio downtown after sharing equipment and being exposed to the virus by an engineer from another radio show. I continued to run the show for almost two months from my home office until we were inevitably and ultimately cancelled, #thankscovid. All of this was happening as my wife and I (like many of you reading this) learned to adapt to finding the balance between virtual and home-schooling… with three of our four kids (Evie is still too young for school) now at home.

But there was a light that peeked its way through the shadow of gloom – I got a call from an executive at United Stations in New York City who wanted to create a weekly syndicated country music morning show and was curious if I’d be interested in writing it, as well as directing talent through the scripts. I wasn’t sure if it would come together, but in August of 2020, he called reached back out and gave me the green light on ‘Backstage Country’. Since then, I’ve been writing a show for a different country artist each week and meeting them downtown at our studio to work with and direct them through the week. Working with folks like Tim McGraw, Darius Rucker, Maren Morris, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Garth & Trisha, Luke Bryan and Thomas Rhett amongst so many more has been incredibly medicinal over what was probably the most troubling year many of us have experienced.

After a year of dodging COVID while committing to the best practices we could, last month I started to feel (what I thought was) a Man-cold coming on. For the first two days, I tried to power through it, avoiding playful criticism from my wife about my “shitty immune system” and my inability to function with a cold, but it quickly seemed like something more. I tested positive, along with my wife and three of the four kids. Thankfully, Ava (our oldest) tested negative. She had been diagnosed with Lupus just before our move to Nashville and with that, comes a compromised immune system. Also thankfully, her diagnosis comes with a daily regimen of Hydroxychloroquine (helps reduce flares), which we think helped keep her safe.

SIDE NOTE: There are literally, four blogs coming after this to go into more detail about all of these moderate bombshells. So we observed our 2-week quarantine, peeked through the blinds and voyeuristically observed neighbors through our Ring cameras as they dropped meals off on the front porch (again: the south brings amazing neighbors!) and we eventually made it through to the other side…

Judging by the numbers and social media posts, I know that many of you have either had COVID or had family members who have contracted it and I’m not making light of that. Our experiences were very “typical” and mild, but we know that some aren’t as lucky as we were. For that, we are so sorry.

But today is a new one – today I turned 45 years old. If I’m lucky, it could mean that I’m only halfway through my time here on Earth – but perhaps I have less time than that idea guarantees. I’m closer to 50 than I’ve ever been before and that tends to inspire some thought behind whether or not I’m where I want to be. Whether or not I’ve created something that can be left behind for my kids to be proud of. I guess I’ve done a fair share, more than most but less than many?

In the ten + years since I started ‘Dad or Alive’, I’ve partnered with countless incredible brands and am currently working on a sixth book, with a TV show in development with a major production company. My ‘We’re Pregnant! The First-Time Dad’s Pregnancy Handbook’ is quickly closing in on a quarter-of-a-million copies sold with over 5,800 global reviews.

But I never started this blog to make money or find any degree of success in the publishing world or blog landscape – I started the blog as a creative outlet. I started the blog as vessel to share the unknown fears of parenting and commiserate with others in real-time, all while not taking ourselves so seriously and having some laughs along the way.

So that’s the renewed pledge that I make to myself today. Parenting hasn’t stopped for me – I still have four kids 11 and under. The tough shit is still up ahead and I’m more terrified than ever. So I hope you stick around for the good, the bad and the ugly…

Until the next article–stay safe.

The post A year to celebrate? The good, the bad and the ugly. appeared first on Dad or Alive.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Pigeon Forge is a mountain town and vacation area in Eastern Tennessee. It sits nestled along the foothills of The Great Smokies, not far from Gatlinburg. Many people will recognize it as the home to Dollywood, country singer Dolly Parton’s Appalachian-themed park consisting of rides, a water park and much more.

For more information on Pigeon Forge, visit their official website.

Our first visit was in the early summer of 2019 and after a long weekend, my wife and I both commented to one another that we felt as if we didn’t have enough time to see and do everything that we wanted. It definitely made our ‘return visit’ list.

There are so many wonderful places to stay in and around Pigeon Forge. During that first visit, we made the decision to book a cabin off the beaten path of the Pigeon Forge Parkway . With 4 kids under 10, we felt as if having a little more space (plus a hot tub, deck and arcade machine) might make the few days a bit more manageable. However, we did realize that while it was quiet being set back in the hills, we didn’t have that quick access to the ‘NashVegas’ strip.

There are certainly tons of options along the Parkway  that will keep you close to the action – each with their own extra perks. I’ve put together a quick list of some of the most talked about hotels:

Econo Lodge Riverside: You will be pleasantly surprised by this 3-time Platinum Award Winner that sits on the Little Pigeon River. It’s got an incredible indoor pool and hot tub, a riverwalk, picnic area, covered pavilion and firepit. Don’t forget to have the kids check out the game room!

Music Road Resort Hotel: With 163 spacious guest rooms and suites with private balconies, this Resort is great for a romantic getaway, honeymoon or family vacations and weekend expeditions. The coolest perk here is that you can choose a scenic view of the Little Pigeon River and Great Smoky Mountains OR grab one that overlooks their awesome Outdoor Water Park and Music Road Resort Inn.

Park Grove Inn: This 3-star hotel is right in the heart of Pigeon Forge, and at the foothills of the scenic Smoky Mountains AND it won’t break the bank. This seven-story structure with breathtaking balcony views of the mountains and downtown has beautiful, spacious rooms. In the off-hours while not exploring Pigeon Forge, children can find adventure in a well-equipped arcade room, while you relax in the indoor pool and hot tub. Or together, you can all recline beside the outdoor pool and mushroom waterfall!

Holiday Inn Express & Suites: This Holiday Inn is in the heart of it all in Pigeon Forge. With a modern vibe and pool, this place is affordable and super family friendly!

The Inn on the River Pigeon Forge: This 3-star hotel has walking paths, picnic tables, grills and has an outdoor pool right along the river. They’re family-friendly with fresh popcorn served nightly and sweet tea brewed fresh every day. Did I mention that it’s within walking distance of most of the best restaurants along the Parkway ?

These are just a handful of the great hotel options located along Pigeon Forge Parkway  – all with quick access to the hundreds of things that will keep you busy during your stay.

Some of the highlights from our trip we’re gem-mining…

Tearing up the race track at Kid’s Country…

Visiting The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel…

And of course, checking out Dollywood!

EDITOR’S NOTE: This was a sponsored post on behalf of the Tourism Board of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. For more information on visiting this hidden gem, click HERE.

The post The Hidden Gem of Eastern Tennessee appeared first on Dad or Alive.

I’m not talking about Google in the sense of my current partnership with them (stealth disclaimer), but rather the fact that I had to use the search engine to figure out ‘what age constitutes a tween’ and ‘what should I be worried about with a tween’. As my wife likes to remind me, I don’t know everything. In fact, without having kids old enough to have gone through this phase, I’m entering uncharted waters without a directional (or emotional) compass.

The physiological and behavioral aspects are things that I can relate a bit closer to. However, when it comes to the current era of social media, it’s brand new – I didn’t have this in my adolescence. I grew into social media when I was already past the legal age to drive. Cell phones had only become mainstream when I was in college – texting and email wasn’t a thing yet. I certainly didn’t have to worry about too much screen time affecting my sleep patterns or people hacking into my personal data beyond physically stealing my wallet.

When I was a kid, threats really only came at me in one form – and that was generally physical. The occasional tussle, fistfight or bully on the bus looking to put gum in my hair or pull my Hanes over my head was generally something I could see coming.

This entire year has found me with three out of my four kids not only using tablets, but becoming wildly proficient with them. I’m constantly receiving push notifications on my phone – requests for approval on various apps for any one of them. This forces me to take a minute and do some research on age appropriateness, as well as if they have in-app purchases. Do they have a social chat function? Can ANYONE reach them or just people my wife and I approve? Are they able to hit ‘buy’ and all of the sudden drain my checking account?

And if I allow the apps, how much time are they spending on them? I’m always looking for ways to make their online experience safer AND encourage them to build a positive relationship with technology.

Just this week, I went up into Ava’s room (she’s my 10 year-old) and she had fallen asleep with her tablet on her lap. First, I’ve told her time and time again that she shouldn’t be using it as a sleep tool. Second, she was supposed to be reading on Epic. I noticed that she was watching videos on TikTok. Personally, I love TikTok, however, even if you can change the settings to scale to creators her age, I don’t necessarily think that’s enough of a safeguard on content that might be inappropriate for her to view.

One of the benefits of Google’s Family Link is that you can control which apps your kids are using and with what frequency. It also includes a shut off, so that you know your kids aren’t using their devices past a certain point in the evening. Another great tool is within the dashboard – showing you exactly how much time you’re attributing to things like email, YouTube, messages, etc.

Beyond that and in addition to, we’re in the process of coming up with a list of rules for our kids when it comes to devices, screen time and safety. For example:

• We have started making them earn the privilege of using them every day… their morning behavior, whether they take care of their pets before school, and their attitude when they get in the car afterwards are all part of how much time we allow them to have.
• Unless they are reading a book, they cannot use them before bed. (For times when tech is keeping them up, the Family Link app from Google has a sleep setting where the device “goes to sleep” during set times so that even if Ava gets a hold of her device, she can’t access it around bedtime.)
• We also don’t like our kids to be with their friends, but playing on tablets side by side. They need to be interacting as humans… that’s not a lot to ask, is it?
• We eat out frequently when we travel, but infrequently at home. When we do eat out, we allow our kids to have their tablets because Jen and I want some solitude… when you pay $75 for a meal, you want to enjoy it. That said, tablets go away when food hits the table.
• There is ZERO chat function allowed on in any app unless it is an app where we can control who they are talking to (i.e. friends only, no one else).
• There is a two-hour screen time max per day–this may sound like a lot, but they’re home and around some type of electronics (be it a tablet or tv) for about seven hours a day… if our kids decided to watch one Christmas movie, they’d hit that max. The rest of that time is assigned to structured activities, playtime with friends, reading actual books, or outdoor time.
  • Family Link also allows you to set screen time limits so that their limits are “enforced” by the device, not me or my wife!

So this is the foundation for our ‘tech  daily practices’ list that we’ll use for the kids – I’d love to hear your thoughts and how you implement any kind of standards at home when it comes to young kids and tech devices. Maybe I can add it to my list…

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a sponsored post on behalf of Google and their #GoogleFamilyPartner and #BeInternetAwesome campaign. To learn more about Family Link, click HERE.

The post How We’re Making Tech Work for Our Family in 2020 appeared first on Dad or Alive.

Beginning at our in-laws’ house in Georgia over the Christmas holiday a solid decade ago, we’ve now introduced the first of a long series of collectible keepers that will sit on the shelf in my office. Ten years ago, my kids weren’t old enough to read (heck, most weren’t born) or follow anything more than the colorful pictures, however, much like a Guinness World Records title – that’s all changed over a short amount of time.

With Ava, Charlie and Mason achieving different levels of reading proficiency this year, they’re fully ensconced in every nook and cranny of this book. From the Fantastic Feats to Curious Accomplishments, Incredible Edibles, Engineering and Planet Earth – they’ve caught the BUZZ.

So it was no real surprise when they all came home from school today and had suggestions on how we might make a run at the title.

Ava suggested that we see how far we could stretch some of her homemade slime in thirty seconds. Mason thought we might be able to make national headlines by sorting the largest number of jellybeans in a half-minute using a straw?!?

The winner though, was Charlie who came up with the idea to take some of our crayons and see how many they might be able to snap in the same allotted time period….

After briefly arguing about who would go first (your kids don’t fight over this stuff?), we defaulted to ‘oldest first’, which is normally ‘youngest first’, but for the sake of process I wanted them to watch Ava do it as an example!

The results are as follows:

• AVA: 29 crayons in :30
• MASON: 23 crayons in :30
• CHARLIE: 20 crayons in :30

VIDEO OF MASON’S EFFORT COMING SOON!

With Mason putting in a valiant effort, Ava ended up our ‘house champion’.

These are the guidelines that our contact at #GWR issued to us, just in case you wanted to see…

• The crayons used must be commercially available and unmodified, with a minimum length of 10 cm (3.93 in) and a minimum width of 1 cm (0.39 in). Details of the measurements must be submitted with the claim.
• Each crayon must be laid out on a table or similar flat surface prior to the start of the event.
• Hands must be placed on the table, palms down prior to the start of the attempt. The first crayon cannot be handled until the clock has started.
• Each crayon must be snapped in two (with a clean break, and the crayon split into two separate pieces), using only the contestant’s hands, before they commence on the next.
• Only one crayon may be snapped at a time.
• Only crayons clearly broken in two halves within 30 seconds will count towards the final total.

….and yes, many tears (mine) were shed over breaking perfectly good crayons, but we’re excited to watch them change shape as we reuse them in molds to make heart shaped crayons for the kids’ teachers.

If you aren’t confident that you can snap an insane amount of crayons in half or swim the length of the English Channel – what record CAN you set?

Even if it’s not in the book, their office fields over 1,000 submissions and inquiries a day and they’re looking to put YOU in the record books!!

Guinness World Records published their first book in 1955 and by 1976 (the year I was born), had a museum located within the Empire State Building in New York City.

In 2015, they celebrated 60 years and during the journey to current day, they’ve established the Gamer’s Edition, Amazing Animals, Science & Stuff, along with Wild Things.

They’ve eclipsed 15 million followers on Facebook, 4 million views on YouTube and sold over 143 million + books to date.

With 11 chapters, 3,500 NEW and updated records, never-seen-before photographs AND new chapters focused on Robots and Tech/Engineering, #GWR2020 serves as an educational, learning and reading tool!

The all new Guinness World Records 2020 is out now and available for the holiday season! Click HERE to learn more AND get your copy – it’s a perfect gift for kids (and adults if you’re like me)…

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a sponsored campaign on behalf of Guinness World Records and their #GWR2020 campaign, but the fun and excitement derived from watching everyone make history is all ours! Check them out on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and TWITTER!

The post Attempting a Guinness World Records Title is a Snap? appeared first on Dad or Alive.

Sure, keeping track of the amount of baby blow-outs that escape the diaper and ruin a onesie OR times that one child hurled into an emesis bag in the middle of the night on a roadtrip in a snowstorm are certainly noteworthy in parenting circles. However, was it enough or too little to qualify for the Guinness World Records 2020?

Thanksgiving is the official kick-off of the holidays for us, which means an ample amount of time in the truck, visiting both friends and in-laws in the 800+ miles of road that stretch between Nashville, Philadelphia, and Atlanta. We invested in the entertainment package inside, but after numerous movies and exhausting the battery life on our tablets, we move onto car road trip games and trivia…

When you’re staying with family, it’s sort of like a B&B… lots of space, but also lots of “stuff” that isn’t necessarily your own. At home you may have a Kindle bedside or a stack of history books that your wife has been gifting you for years but that you’ve never gotten around to reading. It’s funny what books you discover at your in-law’s house when you’re trying to get your little ones to sleep…

One collection that I unearthed in Atlanta way back in 2010 was that of my wife’s younger brother… her parents had bought the hardbound Guinness World Records books for Jen’s younger brother, Max, for many, many years during his adolescence. I’m guessing he must’ve been fifteen years old or so.

They were stashed beneath some blankets in a chest at the foot of our guest bed and after frantically searching for a pack of baby wipes, I uncovered the full treasure trove. Beginning in the late 1990’s, his collection extended well into the mid-2000’s.

I’ve always been particularly fascinated with odd facts and historical landmarks – and this book falls squarely in the middle, encompassing everything in between. Fun fact: before my wife had kids she worked for the production company that took Guinness World Records to television. Her personal favorite record is the longest fingernails – look it up, but do yourself a favor and maybe wait until AFTER your holiday meal…

To this day, the kids and I look forward to going upstairs at the end of an exhausting day of holiday events to continue our own tradition – laying on the bed in our pajamas, looking at the records of years past. We joke about whether or not we could be the ONE that could put the most amount of straws in our mouths or be the quickest to eat a hot dog without the use of our hands. FWIW, Charlie gets that record.

After Max (my brother-in-law and her last to leave the nest) moved away to attend college, my mother-in-law took a break from getting The Book. This year, I’m about to kickstart the tradition once again, by bringing them the 2020 edition!

Guinness World Records published their first book in 1955 and by 1976 (the year I was born), had a museum located within the Empire State Building in New York City.

In 2015, they celebrated 60 years and during the journey to current day, they’ve established the Gamer’s Edition, Amazing Animals, Science & Stuff, along with Wild Things.

They’ve eclipsed 15 million followers on Facebook, 4 million views on YouTube and sold over 143 million + books to date.

We aimed to hold off on opening the package from Guinness World Records until we traveled to Atlanta, but with a few days off to eat turkey, we just couldn’t resist.

If you aren’t confident that you can build the world’s biggest sundial out of Legos or wrap your bestie in cling film in under two minutes – what record CAN you set?

Even if it’s not in the book, their office fields over 1,000 submissions and inquiries a day and they’re looking to put YOU in the record books!!

With 11 chapters, 3,500 NEW and updated records, never-seen-before photographs AND new chapters focused on Robots and Tech/Engineering, #GWR2020 serves as an educational, learning and reading tool!

The all new Guinness World Records 2020 is out now and available for the holiday season! Click HERE to learn more AND get your copy – it’s a perfect gifts for kids (and adults if you’re like me)…

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a sponsored campaign on behalf of Guinness World Records and their #GWR2020 campaign, but the fun and excitement derived from watching everyone make history is all ours! Check them out on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and TWITTER!

The post WHICH GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ TITLE CAN YOU BREAK? appeared first on Dad or Alive.