Welcome to Perfect Chaos. My name is Stacie D. Wyatt. I am a published poet and writer. I review books and products. I also host giveaways.
I also have two kids: 21 years old and a 10 year old. My oldest is Autistic/ADHD and my youngest is global developmentally delayed with autism, adhd, seizures, sleep apnea, and more.
I enjoy writing about the ups and downs of parenting two differently-abled children.
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by US Family Guide Bloggers Program.
The Monkey Mat (as seen on Shark Tank), helps you make space, anywhere. Originally inpsired by an unexpected six-hour layouver at the airport (while two crying babies crawled over the floors) and an active lifestyle, the mat gives you a clean space anywhere. You don't have to bring along bulky blankets or towels.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by US Family Guide Bloggers Program.
My mother is trying to do more inclusive family trips since we cruised last year with a family of 9. She wants her kids, grand kids, and great grand kids to do more things together. This means I have to find discounts because she and I will be spending most of the money on the trip and I am cheap. Cruises are out for now until they leave my middle sister at home and/or I get an aide to help me with the kids.
One of the places, I just heard about was Fiesta Farm in San Antonio, Texas. Fiesta Farm is a great place for kids to play They have petting zoos, play areas, pony rides, and a hay ride. The Farm is open to the public and they offer field trips and birthday parties. You can bring food in. The farm also has cold drinks and plenty of shaded areas.
Save $2 off admission to Fiesta Farm. Each person saves $2 off a regular $8 admission. The Farm is open 9-1 midweek; 9-5 Saturday; and 12-5 on Sunday. Call ahead if it's rainy.
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by US Family Guide Bloggers Program.
My mother is planning a trip to San Antonio. While I prefer to go to Morgan's Wonderland because of my kids, she prefers to explore the city, such as the Alamo, Sea World, and the River Walk. She also can take the kids and grand kids to the Natural Bridge Caverns.
The caverns has a discovery tour, which is a 75 minute, underground tour. You and your family can go on a half-mile tour of the caverns The Hidden Passages Tor gives guests an up-close view of cave formations. You also can pan for gems, minerals, and fossils at the Natural Bridge Mining Company.
Next, you can do a canopy challenge--a 4-level, 60 ft, high challenge course, with ziplines. You will be harnessed and travel across hill county on one of four zip lines. The caverns also has Discovery Village, which has food, drinks, and retail shops. There is also an amazing courtyard and a 5,000 square foot outdoor maze. Picnic grounds are also available.
The caverns is open year round, starting at 9 am, with special hours in the Spring and Summer.
You can save $2 off an adult ticket and $1 dollar of a Child's Discovery Tour Ticket. The discount can not be applied with any other offer. Limit 6 per coupon
This post is sponsored by US Family Guide bloggers program. I received 4 play passes in exchange for honest review.
The family and I went to Mountasia Houston yesterday. I was not sure what to expect, since I never been before. After taking forever to pick up my nephew from his mother's job, we finally headed out, toll road and all to Mountasia.
The car was packed with my mother, niece, great-niece, sons, and nephew.
Mountasia had bumper boats, go-karts, arcade, mini-golf, and of course food.
The first thing, which stood out, was the layout. The food station was between the arcade and the tables. As soon as we walked in, we had to curve around the people, waiting for food, to walk around. The area was congested. Between people trying to find a seat to waiting for food to the arcade. My son had to look for a seat. He took a seat from a birthday party first, before my niece found him another one.
We ended up back in line to eat. The kitchen was backed up but the food was made fresh. I loved the potato patch fries (cheese and bacon covered fries). I loved the regular fries. Then, one of the staff, brought out funnel cake. I have not had funnel cake since working for Aramark in 2006. The funnel cake was good. Popcorn was good. Dipping dots-great way to end the trip.
The potato patch fries cost 6.99 each (I bought 2). The regular fries was around 3 bucks. Funnel cake was 3.99. Dipping dots was 3.99, I think. Popcorn was 2 something. I forgot how much drinks cost.
Then, we headed outside. My nephew got on the bumper boats. After the infamous Schlitterbahn trip, I am not getting on any water activities with Brad ever again, so we watched my nephew spin around in circles. It was hilarious.
I also watched the go-karts and mini-golf games going on. Mountasia had a big track, which curved around, over and under. Double and single carts. The staff proclaimed the rules before people started their engines. I liked how the families interacted. Mountasia also had batting cages. There was a group of teenagers, who was batting without their helmets. The area seems more self-regulated. The batting cages needs staff near by. I moved away quickly before I witnessed a concussion.
The toddlers, Brad, and I then, moved to see the arcade. Since, I was not trying to spend too much money, I cashed in 2 bucks for the arcade. The toddlers and Brad played a spider game, similar to Whack-a-mole, but with your feet. The three of them, plus myself was killing virtual spiders. Brad also played a car-racing game.
Then, the trouble began:
Brad did not want to leave the arcade. He started showing his Autistic side and his teen angst side. He was screaming and I did not want to lose my cool. I just wanted to leave the arcade with 3 kids and move back outside, where I don't have to bump into anyone. I also did not have his medication or melatonin with me, to calm him down. I was on my own.
After what seemed like 15 to 20 minutes, I finally got him to leave by drinking his drink. He didn't like that. We left the arcade. I bought some dipping dots and popcorn, and left the building--to the parking lot.
Will I go back again? I am not sure but not with my kids.
This post was sponsored by US Family Guide. I am a USFG Blogger. I will receive tickets for participation.
I love spending time with my kids, but usually we spend a lot of time at home. I love to go out, where the kids can have a good time, despite disability.
Mountasia Houston makes celebrating a birthday or having a party, a great place for spending time with family. The families can eat, play games, and relax.
Mountasia offers bumper boats, go karts, arcade, minature golf, and batting cages.
Coupons
Save $5 dollars off per person using the coupons below.
I reviewed Pleygo, in exchange for honest review from US Family Guide. The company sent me the City Park Cafe set from my wishlist. The set took me about 2 hours to put together, with the help of my nephew. Then, we quickly broke it apart and put it back in the box. I chose this set for me, but my next set will hopefully be a Duplo Set, so the babies can help.
Pleygo is an innovative concept, which allows parents and guardians to rent legos for a monthly fee. When the kids are done with the set (or you get tired of them), you can send them back and get another set from your wishlist. The site has three plans available: Fan, Super Fan, and Mega Fan. The Fan is $15 a month, the Super Fan is $25 per month, and the Mega Fan is $39 dollars per month. For those of you wanting Duplo Sets for the young kids, The Super Fan or Mega fan plans would be ideal. The Fan set does not offer Duplo.
The Fan set offers small and medium lego sets. The Super Fan offers small, medium, and large lego sets. The Mega Fan offers small, medium, large, and huge sets. The City Cafe Set had about 250 pieces.
Another idea is to gift Pleygo to a child or children.
I was provided 4 tickets to Itz in Willowbrook Mall area (Houston, Texas) Courtesy of US Family Bloggers.
About Itz
Itz is a family-fun center, with multiple locations around Texas. The Willowbrook Location had food, arcade attractions, bumper cars, video games, and rides. Everyone, who enters has to pay for admission and food. It'z had an unlimited buffet with Pizza, Salads, Pastas, desserts, and drinks.
Readers can enjoy Itz from now, with the fall promotion, until 9/22 here. Tickets must be used by September 22, 2013.
The code will provide:
Unlimited Food. Like I said before, Pizza, Pasta, Salad, Baked Potatoes, Drinks, Fries, Icees, etc.
Unlimited fountain drinks.
Unlimited video games (not the coin operated games.)
Kids also eat free at It's every Thursday.
My Review
The family went two weeks ago or so. My mother, sons, niece, nephew, and great niece. The tickets included admittance, food, and an Itz card with 20 tokens on it. The food had mixed reviews between the family. I liked the salad, soups, and hot pizza, fresh from the oven. Some of the other pizza's sitting out was cold. You can always request a pizza. My youngest son wouldn't eat anything. He is a picky eater. He did eat some salad and drunk some soda. Brad ate a lot of food. He was being picky as well. My nephew is a veggie and allergic to gluten. He ate some fries, baked potato, and a salad.
My niece got on the big ride: The Disk'O. She covered her face the whole time with her hair. lol. The ride was in the shape of a disc or maybe a big UFO. The rails were curved. The riders went up the curve, high and down the curve and back up again on the other side.
I also enjoyed the kiddie rides, which was free. My great niece cried on every last one. Kalen took the rides like a champ. I thought he would be the one crying, but he was mature and enjoyed his self. The froggie, the horsie, and the plane. Kalen took it like a champ. I also enjoyed the arcade games. One of them was called Fast Fingers, or something similar. You had to trace the path with your finger from start to finish before time ran out. I never finished in time.
Another game had you stacking blocks. The virtual blocks came down the screen and you had to steer the virtual platform to catch the blocks. The blocks can fall off and can tumble. I scored maybe 1000 points in both rounds.
Brad played on the skeet ball machine, along with the hoops. Kalen and the niece played on the kiddie rides. They also tried some ball games.
All-in-all, Stacie, Brad, and Kalen won 75 tickets, which wasn't enough to buy hardly anything except candy. They had little trinkets, but some was too small to bother with. I got some candy. But, the cards are reloadable. If you come back for another visit, you can accumulate your tickets on your Itz card until you are able to get a bigger prize. I needed about 600 tickets to 30,000 tickets.
