YMCA: Reverse Toy Drive 2020

 

Calling all Vegas peeps! The YMCA has teamed up with Dreamr to host a FREE "Reverse Toy Drive" this Sunday, December 20th, from 9 AM - 3 PM at Heritage Tattoo. 

This is Dreamr way to thank the community for their support and spreading some joy during the holidays for what has been a tough year for everyone, especially all the kids stuck inside!

If you have children in your family and need a little extra help putting presents under the tree this year, you're invited to drive-thru! Check out this link for more info on this amazing event. 

What is a reverse toy drive? 

• Typically, an organization would have people bring toys to them so they can redistribute to children directly or in partnership with a local charity. This is the opposite! 
• Parents can drive down, stay inside their cars, and when they arrive let the dreamr team know how many kids they have. 
• Next, parents will pull up to our canopy, pop the trunk, and someone from the dreamr staff will place toys inside the trunk that can be wrapped and given to their children. 

When & Where: 

• When: Sunday, December 20, 2020 from 9am-3pm 
• Where: Heritage Tattoo (This is a drive-thru event, wear a facemask and stay inside your car!) 3827 E Sunset Rd, Unit J, Las Vegas, NV 89120 
• Who: If you have kids and could use help putting some extra presents under the tree this year, please drive-thru! 

Be sure to head over here for more details on this event! 

Burn the Bird at the YMCA!

Can you even believe that next week is Thanksgiving!?! 

If you haven’t grabbed your FREE Thanksgiving meal be sure to check it out here.

You can enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings without any of the guilt that comes with all those calories because the YMCA has you covered. They are going to help you Burn the Bird. 😁 What a great idea! 

On Friday, November 27th, you can head over to the YMCA and join the Mixed Conditioning class with Meredith or even my favorite Zumba with Sarah. 

Fun and burning calories at the same time? Yes please! 

If you have any questions about the schedule be sure to message Meredith Fattig at Mfattig@lasVegasymca.org. 

For more information or to see the Las Vegas Schedule be sure to check it out here. 

YMCA: Preschool for ages 3-5

It blows me away at how many programs the YMCA in Las Vegas actually offer. 

When you think of the YMCA, what do you think of? I think of working out, swimming and community center but they have so much more to offer! 

How about Preschool! I know! I had no idea either.

The YMCA offers half-day and full day preschool for your little ones between the ages of 3-5. They encourage hand on learning. (I wish my kids had that when they were little).

I have had no experience with the preschool at the Y (my kids are high and middle schoolers now😲) but I have seen some of the kids going into class with their parents. They looked very excited and happy to be there. They are actually running to the classrooms. Love seeing that joy and excitement on their little faces. 

Y Preschool prepares children ages 3-5 for future success through theme-based weekly activities that encourage hands-on learning and exploration. Our friendly, safe environment promotes positive social interaction and lots of fun! Our caring teachers support an educational process of learning through creative play while incorporating the Y’s four core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility into every lesson. It’s what makes our preschool extra special! The Y uses the HighScope Method, a research-validated curriculum and, and follows state standards for Kindergarten readiness. Your little learner is sure to make new friends and create memories while developing skills that will last a lifetime. For questions, please contact Erica Stegall, Association Youth & Family Senior Director.

If you are looking for a preschool for your little one be sure to check out the YMCA and see all that they have to offer. 

You can find out more information HERE.

*I am not being paid for these posts. All opinions are my own.

  

Y-Cares: Helping Working Parents this School Year

Can you believe that it is time for the kids to "go" back to school! I know that this year looks totally different than ever before, with some schools going to in person, some are hybrid and some are online only! No matter which, it is not the same and not going to be easy. 

Back to school is always a little overwhelming especially if you are a working parent. Having to set up child care or after school activities. Now adding the kids being home half the day or all day into the mix, you could just about lose your mind. 

The YMCA is here to help with a new program called Y-Cares. This program is a place that you can bring the kids. They will get help setting up their online classes but then they have so much more to offer! 

No more hearing that the kids are bored. I am sure I am not alone. My kiddos have been "bored" the last 6 months straight. ha!

In addition to daily academic support, Y Cares will keep kids physically active through games, sports, and pool time. Creativity is sparked and learning is promoted through arts, humanities, and STEM projects. Character is developed through our Y Ties Initiative, conflict resolution skill building, and by instilling the Y’s Core Values (Respect, Responsibility, Caring, and Honesty) throughout the day. That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Each week is jam-packed with fun activities that appeal to a wide range of interests and abilities.

Y Cares Components:

Character Academy 

Encourages social & emotional development while building upon the Y’s character values (honesty, caring, respect & responsibility). 

Enrichment Centers 

Y Cares is a holistic program that includes: Arts, Humanities, STEM, Literacy & PE. 

Learning Centers 

Caring staff provide academic support, specialized engagement & direction to complete class assignments. 

Activity Zones 

Brain breaks are important! The Y’s Basketball Gyms, Rockwall, Pools (where applicable), Youth Sports Complex, Parks, Playgrounds & so much more to keep participants active when not engaged in learning. 

Zoom Rooms 

Quiet space staffed to support participants in their scheduled distance education.

Register here

Are Your Stores Stocked Back Up? #Pandemic

UPDATE: Went into Sams Club a week after this post and was able to get some produce. This refrigerator area was not full but it had more than what is pictured.
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Month 4 of the quarantine/pandemic and this is my Sam's Club in Las Vegas this morning! Today is Tuesday, I do have a plus membership so this is when they first opened at 8am. 

This is the produce department, not the toilet paper aisle, the fresh produce! I am not going to lie and say that this is something I was prepared for. In fact, most of my shopping list this week was fresh produce. I thought the stores were getting stocked up again until now.  

I am hoping and praying that this is just a weird thing, like a truck not coming in or something. I asked a few associates but got different answers from each one. 

• One associate said that they haven't had any produce for the last week or so. 😲
• Another associate said that she picked up produce last Friday before the holiday weekend. 😁
• And the last associate said that the trucks come daily and maybe they will have produce and maybe they won't, no one ever knows. 😱

I am sure the trucks will show up later today or tomorrow. I know things happen and I am sure that the farmers and distributors are having more and more complications with the COVID crisis but this for one doesn't help my anxiety levels. 

I thought I was doing great wearing the mask without a panic attack but now I have to wonder if our stores are going to have food in the coming weeks and months. 

For all of you that know me, you know I am a planner and this "unknown" times is a bit too much for me. That's why I had to come up with some different ways to reduce the stress of our everyday life. I even created a guide to help you with quick and easy ways to reduce stress.  

How are you handling all the "new" normal stuff that has been going on? 

"Lost" Vegas: Day 52 of the Quarantine

I have lived in Las Vegas my entire life! It's just normal to see slot machines in every casino, grocery store and convenience store. It's so normal that I really don't pay too much attention to it. We rarely go down to the strip because, well, nothing really to do there, because we live here. 

When friends come into town we will show them around and if they want to head over to the Strip of course we go. With that said, I have to tell you that these last few weeks in Vegas have been weird. We are right in the middle of the quarantine/ pandemic and pretty much everything is closed. We can't go into restaurants, all the hotels and casinos on the strip are closed. Can we just let that sink in for a second?!? The Strip in Las Vegas is closed. If you would have ever told me that the Las Vegas Strip would ever close, I would have told you that you were crazy! Some of those casinos had to board up the doors because they don't have locks for the doors. Why would they? They never close. I also want to know if the electrician to all the different properties even knew where the master power button was. Can you imagine? 

We went down there yesterday for the first time. Don't worry, we stayed in our van but we wanted something to do to go check it out. It was such a different feeling. No partying. People down there were very few and far between. We did see lots of people on bikes riding down the strip, enjoying the evening weather together. We are assuming that they all just needed to get outside as well. IDK 

The Circus Circus was totally dark. No lights at all. They did have a security guard that we saw on property but other than that, very dark and scary. The Palazzo had the sign lite up but nothing else. It was nice to see that the Treasure Island (TI) had their name lite up as well as the pirate ship. That at least made it pretty and some what "normal" down there, whatever that means.

All and all I have to say that it felt very eerie and weird. I know that the Las Vegas Strip is not going to be opening back up until "Stage 3 or 4". I am guessing another month or so, but I have no idea.

Regardless if we go down there on a regular basis or not, I have to say this is my home and I can't wait for things to get back to "normal". Whatever that means now a days. I think my favorite part about going down there was the signs for the people of Las Vegas from the casinos. The Stratosphere or the "Strat" had the sign saying "We will Rise". Another sign on the strip told us to wash our hands. ha!

I truly wish I was able to get a good angle of this message from the Aria and the Vdara. They turned the lights on in certain hotel rooms to show us they love us. (Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.) The Vdara wants us all to have HOPE! I think that is so cool and shows that VegasStrong pride is alive and well!! Fox 5 News got the best shot. We are #VegasStrong

If you have been feeling stressed or overwhelmed be sure to Get my Guide on how to Reduce Stress!

Is Aquafit for You? Check it out in Person for FREE!

Look at that refreshing water. It is so inviting, isn't it?!? I love swimming, it is my favorite sport. I actually lettered in Swim Team 3 years in high school. 

Anyway, we are not here for all my high school memories. We are here to chat about the YMCA pool and the Aquafit class. 

Last month, I didn't attend any classes. I just went to the gym, the outdoor pool and that was it. The classes can be very intimidating especially if you are going alone. So this month was about me just picking a class I wanted to check out and jumping out of that comfort zone of mine. 

For those that don't know what Aquafit is, it's a water aerobic class that is in deep or shallow water. It is low impact. So if you have an injury or anything, this is great for movement without strenuous impact. That is one of the reasons I picked this particular class. I am having some major sciatic issues so I figured I would give this class a try and hope not to flare it up anymore. 

The first thing I learned is that you should be in chest level water. I was in the shallow water to begin with which was a mistake because I am tall. I was unaware and figure I should tell you now so you are not like me. 😊 Don't be like Geri. I do have to say that I met lots of great people that thought it was hilarious that I was on my knees doing some of the moves because I was WAY too tall for where I was in the water. 

I didn't really have big expectations on this Aquafit class. I thought we would just hangout in the water, kick a little bit, maybe walk around in the water fighting against the current of the water,  boy was I wrong. We used different pool equipment, noodles and weights. We used our body weight to float (core strength) while doing arm and leg exercises. This might not sound that hard, but it let's you know right away if your core needs additional help or not. When I left, I felt muscles that I forgot I had. 

This wasn't a hard class it was a fun class that helped build on your core and strength gently. I had a great time and it was really fun. The people in the class were so friendly. I think they go everyday because they all seem to know each other but they welcomed new people in the class. I loved that. 

This class had some cardio, strength training and helped with endurance all while being refreshed and cool in the water. We need that when the temperature in Vegas yesterday was 113 according to my car. 

This class is great for all ages and levels. I even met someone in class that didn't know how to swim. She was in the shallow end and standing up the entire time so she was safe. 

Don't forget that this is the last weekend that the YMCA outdoor pool will be open for this 2019 season. I know my kids will be sad to see it closed.

Would you like to try Aquafit or any of the other classes this month? I have some FREE 30 day family passes to give away if you are in Vegas. Leave a comment below with one thing you hope to accomplish this fall. 

Dreams do Come True: Swimming like a Mermaid

My daughter's favorite movie is The Little Mermaid. This little girl has always wanted to be a princess (she is mine but not sure that counts) and Ariel is just the best! She gets to swim all day and they have the same red hair. Today we were able make that dream of being a Mermaid come true!

Did you know that if you live in Chicago, Las Vegas, Phoenix, New York, Austin or Miami/Fort Lauderdale you can take Mermaid Classes? I had no idea! I signed my daughter and myself. Why should she have all the fun and we had a blast! In fact she told all her friends that it was the BEST DAY EVER!! 

At first they tested our swimming skills and then taught us the mermaid kick and had us practice. These classes are for ages 7 years old and up and they must know how to swim, they do have life jackets if you didn't feel 100% comfortable swimming on your own. After practicing the mermaid kick that's when we got to put on the fins. 

They had a few people on the deck to help out the instructor. I really liked that they were there not only to help us perfect our mermaid techniques but they helped me to take photos and videos while I was in the water. How awesome is that!                     

This was an hour long beginner class with time to learn the mermaid kick, half turn underwater, full turn, mermaid high five, big splash on top of the water and swimming through the hoop. That took a little bit of time to master but it was so much fun! Not only were we awesome Mermaids we were also getting an incredible ab and thigh workout. 😉

The best is AquaMermaid Swim school is for kids and adults. They have different classes to choose from but my daughter actually said the best part was that we did it together. At the end of your session they leave free time to be able to perfect all your techniques and then photo time. The instructors help you to get the perfect shot so that you can remember the time when you were a mermaid. 

If you want a little change in normal "human" activities check out Mermaid classes at AquaMermaid. 

They even offer birthday parties or bacheloreete parties. You can bring your own tail or use one of theirs. They even have Mermaid Tails to purchase. 

AquaMermaid classes are for ages 7+ years old and if you are in the Las Vegas area they offer them at Municipal Pool but also offer private lessons at your own pool. They have single group classes or a Mermaid Pod Membership where you have weekly Mermaid classes.  

We had a blast, the staff was incredibly helpful and nice. We think that you would have a great time. When you schedule your Mermaid class be sure to tell them that I sent you by using coupon code Aqua10 to save an additional 10% off classes and tails!

SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium in Vegas | Fun for the whole Family

Did you know that Vegas has an interactive aquarium?  I had NO idea! I was given the opportunity to go and check it out. 

The SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium is located at the Boulevard Mall in Maryland Parkway. I wasn't really sure what to think about an aquarium. We have taken the kids to zoos and aquariums before and I have to say they are a bit boring. You look at the fish, shark or animal and then move along. 

That is not what the SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium is. In fact, we were actually there for hours. We even got splashed repeatedly by this little one. This stingray wanted our attention (or food) and wanted to make sure we saw that he/she was there. 

If the stingray splashes weren't enough we also got to feed the fish, feed the birds and hold a snake. 

Did you catch that, I said "hold a snake". When I hear the word aquarium I was under the impression that we would only be seeing Aquatic animals: like Octopus, Sharks, Stingrays, Jellyfish, Eels, Dory, Nemo etc. That's not what happened. We saw so much more like Birds, Amphibians and reptiles.

The first thing that we felt is that the staff really want to be there. They know the animals and seem to want to teach everyone about them. They were friendly and helpful. 

Did you know that the color of feathers on these particular birds represent where they're from? If you are like me, you just learned something new. You're welcome! :)

Some of the animals you can feed for an additional charge. My husband liked feeding the Mandarin Duck by hand. I think he is crazy but the kids thought he was cool. 

All in all we had a great time and if you are looking for something a little different off the Vegas strip, you should give the SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium a try. 

The SeaQuest Online Gift Packages are on sale 

Cox is Enforcing Data Limits #StayOnBudget

Is Cox your internet provider? If they are, you are in for some changes happening very soon. Looks like next month October 2017, you no longer will have unlimited data usage. 

That's important when you are coming home and linking to your WIFI. You thought the cell phone companies were the only one getting into this action. 

Looks to me that Cox has lost a lot of money with everyone canceling cable TV and just getting the internet from them. Thanks Netflix and Hulu. 

I was told that Cox will be giving me 1 TB a month limit, which is 1024 gigabytes. 

The Cox rep also said that if we stream tv 24/7 then we would go over our limit. 

I have a friend that doesn't stream constantly and she is almost over her limit with 10 days left in her billing cycle. They are a family of 4.

This data cap has some options.

If you go over you will be charged an additional $10 for every 50 gigabytes you use.  You can choose to pay an additional $29.99 for 500 gigabytes or $49.99 for unlimited.  Again this is not total, this is in addition to what you are already paying. 

I would suggest you log into your Cox account and find out how many gigabytes you are allotted and how much you have been using in the previous months. 

If you don't have this cap yet just wait they are coming for you too!

The Range 702 in Las Vegas

When you think of date night you probably don't think of heading over to a shooting range. On that same note when you are traveling to Las Vegas your thoughts probably don't go straight toward a shooting range either, but that's the joy of it. 

There is so much more to Las Vegas to do than just the strip and here is just one example. The Range 702 is the largest Shooting Range and it is just off the strip. It's not only for locals but visitors as well. Don't have a ride from your hotel, don't worry they have a shuttle service to pick you up. 

I have to admit, I really didn't know what to expect. Ok, I knew we would be shooting guns but that's about it. When we walked in I was immediately impressed at the cleanliness of the place. Right away we were greeted by staff asking if they could help us. All the staff was very knowledgable and nice. They answered all my questions and I didn't feel weird asking them. It didn't matter if I had shot guns all my life or this was my first time. They were there to help.

They have 4 range areas with 4 lanes in each, so it accommodates 16 shooters. One is designated as the VIP area. :) Three of the ranges are 15 yards long and the last one is 25 yards and used for machine guns as well. Yep, you can shoot those as well at The Range 702.

The Range 702 hosts birthday, bachelor, bachelorette, events and parties. They also have a lounge area so you can enjoy your party's company. 

When you head to any range you want to make sure you bring the right stuff and ear and eye protection are mandatory.  The ranges are not designated for handgun or rifle. If you are shooting multiple guns, you can shoot them in the same lane. I would suggest not only wearing ear protection but ear plugs as well because it can get very loud with the rifles next to you. 

If you don't have your own firearm or you're just looking to try out a different one, you can rent a gun there. You also can bring your own ammo or purchase it there. They have a great weekly deals for locals that you can check out right here. 

If you are here as a tourist or local and have been drinking etc they have no problem turning you away. They need to keep everyone safe and I appreciate that. 

If you want to go ahead and check it out be sure to print out this coupons for FREE 1 hour range time.