Hello, I’m Angelica Kajiwara
Welcome to our corner of the internet where we travel to strengthen family bonds, have fun and make core memories together. We learn together as we go. We love Jesus.
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3 Reasons to Book a Farm Stay Now
While farmers markets bring fresh food to you, farm stays invite guests to the farm to experience the lifestyle – for a night, for a weekend, or more. But why vacation on a farm? Here are our top 3 reasons to pack up the family and head out to the country.
Connect with nature
Where else can you snuggle a baby chick, hand feed a goat, practice your best turkey call and eat under a gorgeous shade tree? Your family can do all of that and more when you vacation on a farm.
PandA Homestead in Capron, Virginia Our family has enjoyed quite a few farm stay vacations, and I’ve never felt more relaxed and more connected to nature. There is nothing like the up-close experience of taking care of the animals, learning about where your food comes from and spending truly intentional family time together.
Pine Ridge Dude Ranch in Kerhonkson, New York Connect with the animals
This isn’t a typical day at the zoo. Your kiddos will get to care for, ride on and play with their new furry and feathered friends. We’ve watched our children grow in confidence and learn so much from our farm stay adventures. They respect and love the animals they’ve met. They also know exactly where their food comes from.
Connect with each other
Family time is precious. Family time away from grind is priceless. A farm stay allows your family to spend time together learning, playing and connecting like never before.
Blue Hill Farm in Boyce, Virginia Some of our favorite travel memories were created during our farm stays together. We do our best to unplug and take full advantage of the beauty around us. It is so fun to watch as our kids explore, get dirty and grow together. Also, our little ones aren’t into R-n-R like we are and it is so nice to have lots to do right outside our front door.
PandA Homestead in Capron, Virginia Next time you sit down to plan your family vacation, visit Farm Stay USA and check out the family farms near you. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
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My Girl’s Weekend in Richmond, Virginia at The Jefferson Hotel
Last weekend, we set off on a much-needed girl’s weekend – kid free. I know I know, you’ll miss those adorable faces, I sure did, but the gorgeous hotel will make up for it, promise. We hope you enjoy this review of The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia!
Our home away from home for the two nights we were in town was in the downtown Richmond area. The hotel itself is absolutely gorgeous. Visiting the hotel felt like stepping into a luxury time machine that transported me back to the early 1800s. The opulent statue of Thomas Jefferson greeted me upon arrival as well as the kind and attentive staff.
We stayed in a Grand Premier Guest Room with two queen beds, sitting area, dressing area, and a to-die-for bathroom with dual sinks and an in-mirror TV.
Seriously, I need that bathroom in my life.
The room was spacious, comfortable and well-appointed with everything we could have ever needed. I mean, a mama needs her Nespresso machine, right?
Another bonus was the location. It is in the heart of downtown Richmond, and the complimentary shuttle can take you just about anywhere in the downtown area. The area is packed full with perfect little restaurants and cafes to start your girl’s weekend off right.
No girl’s weekend is complete without a little room service and breakfast in bed. We decided that vacation calories don’t count and went for all the breakfast goodness. Top that off with one of the fluffy robes, and I think I found heaven on earth.
I had no trouble enjoying my toddler-free morning in bed, but Susannah decided to take advantage of the fitness center and indoor pool. To each her own, I guess. Just kidding!
We decided we eventually had to leave the hotel, so we drove over to Agecroft Hall. It is a Tudor mansion right in the middle of Richmond. It is kind of crazy, but T.C. Williams purchased the mansion in the UK, and after a long political debate, disassembled it, and sailed it back to Virginia.
The home and gardens are stunning, and the history is super cool. I highly recommend adding it to your “kid-free” list of things to do in the area.
We ended up checking out the New York Deli for lunch and found ourselves in the midst of another amazing history lesson. Opening in 1929, and in its present location since 1934, the New York Deli is Richmond’s oldest (any maybe yummiest) restaurant.
Be sure to bring a few dollar bills for the 50-year-old, black and white photobooth. It is a great souvenir.
We all had such a great time at The Jefferson Hotel. It is pure luxury and relaxation.
You can learn more about this hotel in downtown Richmond, Virginia, and book a room or two here.
The Jefferson Hotel hosted our stay in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.
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Top 8 Things to Know About Visiting Jurassic Quest with a Toddler
If your little ones are anything like mine, they love dinosaurs. Not like normal love, we’re talking complete obsession, total devotion, and unfailing dedication. This love means we must visit every single dinosaur attraction that comes within 500 miles of our home. Of course, we had to visit Jurassic Quest, and I am so glad we did. It was toddler heaven and the stuff dreams are made of.
Thank you, Jurassic Quest for hosting our family. We had such a wonderful family day out with the dinosaurs.
Here are the top 8 things to know about taking your toddler to Jurassic Quest.
- It is awesome – I’ve never seen a dinosaur exhibit like this one. There are over 80 true-to-life size dinosaurs. You can ride on a huge T-rex, pet a baby Brachiosaurus, or marvel and a roaring Velociraptor. Obviously, my kids went completely nuts. But the adults were in awe too. It is epic
- Dinosaur rides for all – I love that Jurassic Quest is for all ages. There are big dinosaur rides for kids over 3 feet tall and little dinosaur rides for tiny dinosaur lovers. My oldest loved the T-Rex ride, and my youngest got to ride on a Lambeosaurus. My oldest daughter wasn’t interested in waiting, so she decided to dig for fossils instead.
- Don’t forget to bring snacks and drinks – The exhibit graciously allows outside food, and we would have had “hangry” fits without it. They have onsite food options, but I was happy we had our own water bottles, pouches, and finger foods. Goldfish Crackers were an excellent distraction while we waited in line.
- Pack the stroller – all of the Jurassic Quest venues are handicap and stroller accessible. We took our Zoe Triple Stroller, and we didn’t have any issues navigating the exhibit. My Littlest is almost two, and she preferred the stroller over walking since it was pretty crowded. It also helped me keep track of everyone.
- Bring socks – there are lots of bounce houses on the other side of the main dinosaur hall, and you will need socks for your little ones to hop in.
- Yes, there’s a gift shop – each Jurassic Quest event is at a different venue so they may not be exactly the same. In Chantilly, Virginia, there was a decent sized toy shop with tons of dinosaur toys to take home. My kids loved the “pet” dinosaur ($15). It is a balloon that hovers just above the ground and has a leash for your child to pull. It is really cool.
- Lots of crowds and lines – Jurassic Quest is an extremely popular exhibit, and it often sells out. Just another example of how amazing it is. With that comes a ton of people, lines and crazy excited little ones desperate to ride a dinosaur. We arrived about 15 minutes before it opened and there was already a line to get in. However, we didn’t wait more than 5 minutes to get in the exhibit, no more than 10 minutes for a dinosaur ride, and we walked right up to most of the little kid fun. Jurassic Quest recommends arriving after 4 PM to miss some of the crowds. Side note: I highly recommend heading over to the shows very early. They were lined up 10 people deep, and it is difficult to see if you aren’t near the front.
- You can see it all before naptime – We arrived just before 9 AM, and we were all sitting at lunch by noon. I have no doubt you could spend a lot more time there, but we always try to sneak in a nap if we can. My kids actually spent the most time digging for fossils (basically a huge sandbox).
I highly recommend checking out Jurassic Quest with your family. Be sure to buy tickets in advance, and stop at all of the amazing photo ops throughout the exhibit. You’ll have some pretty awesome memories!
Thank you, Deana Moreno Photography for these amazing family memories. We’ll cherish them always.
Thank you, Jurassic Quest for hosting our family. We had a great day!
Check out our daily fun on Instagram
- It is awesome – I’ve never seen a dinosaur exhibit like this one. There are over 80 true-to-life size dinosaurs. You can ride on a huge T-rex, pet a baby Brachiosaurus, or marvel and a roaring Velociraptor. Obviously, my kids went completely nuts. But the adults were in awe too. It is epic
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Find the Best Family Beach in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
We’re always hunting for the most family-friendly beaches to splash in the water and dig in the sand. During our recent trip to Lake Geneva, WI, we went into town to spend the day at Riviera Beach. It’s the perfect lakefront beach for families. The beach is clean, not too crowded, close to everything downtown has to offer and near public parking. We enjoyed Riviera Beach in Lake Geneva so much that we returned for a second day.
Since we traveled up from Chattanooga, TN, we decided to rent all of our lake day gear from BabyQuip. It made it so much easier as all of the gear was delivered to Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Lake Geneva where we stayed. Our BabyQuip quality provider, Heather Stewart brought us a 10 x 10 canopy with sun protection, chairs, towels, a cooler and wagon to carry it all. Everything was spotless and easy load and unload. Definitely check out this rental service anytime you travel. They have everything!
Riviera Beach – Lake Geneva, WI – Need to know:
The Riviera Beach is open during summer months, beginning May through September, with Lifeguards on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Cost: $8 (over age 6). You’ll need to buy your tickets at a roadside kiosk or at the window at the bottom of the entry stairs.
Beach Rules
- No glass containers
- No alcohol/drugs
- No smoking
- Dogs and other pets are not allowed
- No knives or weapons
- Food and flotation devices are allowed in the beach area.
The lake is so clear and perfect for swimming. We’re planning to go back next year if we can. It’s the perfect place to escape the crazy summer temperatures down south. Also, Riviera Beach is unique because it is fenced in and kept very clean.
Comment on the Instagram post below and let me know if you have any questions about our trip to Lake Geneva, WI.
***our rentals with BabyQuip were complimentary. However, we LOVED the service, and plan to use it again as soon as we hit the road for our next trip.

About Me
Angelica Kajiwara, her husband, mom and three kids are always up for an adventure. She shares day trips, weekend getaways and family road and field trips within driving distance of Atlanta. This travel-loving mom focuses on destinations and attractions where you can strengthen your family bond and make core memories. When she’s home in Georgia, her life revolves around homeschooling her three kids, loving her Brazillian husband and hanging out with her mom, who lives with them on Lookout Mountain.
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