Jurassic Quest - A Dinosaur Experience!

 

Over the weekend we went to check out Jurassic Quest for a family day! We were originally going to visit back in 2020 when they were in Arizona. However, the pandemic had just hit so all the shows were cancelled, so we didn't get a opportunity to visit again until now. What is Jurassic Quest? It is a fun dinosaur adventure & mobile dinosaur museum. They have life sized dinosaur statues, baby dinosaurs & their trainers, interactive kids activities, ride on dinosaurs and more. If you don't have any kind of dinosaur attraction near you, this is a great way to get to experience something similar when they stop by to visit your state. 

General admission is $22 which is for ages 11-64 and children 10 & under had two different purchase options, general admission which is also $22 or Kids unlimited which is $36. I definitely recommend the unlimited wrist band for smaller children, it will save you quite a bit of money since you won't need to buy rides and activities separately and your child will be able to get back in line for the rides & bounce houses as much as they'd like. They are in each location for three days & tickets can sell out so get your tickets early. Many of the time slots of our location were sold out for Saturday & Sunday, the line was a pretty decent size when we first arrived but the staff were quick at getting everyone through and into the event. Everything is self guided & is pretty easy to navigate where you are going.

This event is fantastic for small kids (under 10), it is an exciting space for them to explore and all of the bounce houses plus the ride on dinosaurs will help burn off some of their extra energy for the day. While we were there we saw seven or eight large dinosaurs the kids could ride on, three off them actually walked along a set distance while the others were in place like the one shown above but still had hands & heads that moved to make it feel alive. There were also several bounce houses, a fossil dig area where kids could use a paint brush to uncover bones in a large sand pit or they could go to the table area and break apart a fossil dig block. I think the only thing I would have changed about the location where this was hosted at here, is that the space was bigger. Based off of what I've seen online it felt like they weren't able to fit everything into the space at Bell Bank Park.

If you get snackish, they had a small concession stand with food and drinks. They also had a gift shop set up where you could buy shirts, light up wands or dinosaur shaped balloons. Trainers were walking around with adorable baby dinosaurs in their arms that you could take photos with, they also had a raptor show where kids could watch a raptor do a few trips and touch it. Before leaving they had a few photo opportunities set up where you could take a photo inside of an egg, or with a baby dinosaur. While it definitely felt geared specifically for small children, this was still a neat event for adults to see some massive dinosaurs & spend some time with the family. We enjoyed walking around and talking about the variety of dinosaurs they had on display and were able to see a baby dinosaur as well. 

I think they did a great job with setting up the large dinosaurs and the backgrounds that go with them. There are a lot of great photo opportunities in front of the dinosaurs & they had a variety of signs with information on the dinosaurs which is always fun because you might learn something new. This is a traveling event so they are in a new city every weekend, if this is an event that your family would love head over to their website to see which city they are headed to next. They will also have Canadian stops this year as well! 

Disclaimer- Tickets to the event for my family were provided by Jurassic Quest for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Madhu Chocolates!

 

If you love chocolate & enjoy trying new unique flavors that you won't find in your average grocery store then you should check out Madhu chocolate. They are a chocolate brand that started in Texas, they combine their love of traditional Indian flavors with chocolate. I was recently sent several of their chocolate bars to check out for a review, my family & I tried them together and were surprised at which ones were the favorites for each person. The chocolate bars are 2.6oz each & can be purchased for $10, the chocolate is really rich so you won't eat the whole bar in one sitting. (Unless you want to of course!)

Before I dive into the flavors we reviewed, how pretty are the chocolate bars? They have a beautiful design on them and some of the flavors have an added flare such as the rose petals shown in the bar pictured below. They also smell really good, each has its own unique scent that shines through the chocolate. So which flavors did we review? We received the Saffron Milk, Dark Masala Chai, Lemon Coriander, Dark Rose & Cardamom Dark. 

My favorite was the Saffron Milk, it had a really rich and creamy flavor with a little bit of spice that I really liked, it was the favorite of my daughter. My least favorite would be the cardamom, just because it was very heavy on the dark cocao - I typically like more of a milk chocolate, however my husband enjoyed this one. My son and husband liked all of the flavors, there were one or two that my daughter and I weren't as big of fans of, but they are all tasty in their own way depending on what you are in the mood for. I would try out their chocolate bars again! 

Along with the flavors we received they have several others along with spreads & more, so you should head over to their website to view what they have to offer. 

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Madhu Chocolate for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Oros - Play as a Demigod while the world shifts beneath your feet.

 

Board game nights are always a great way to sit & connect with your family while chatting and having fun. I was recently sent one of the newest board games in the Lucky Duck catalogue to try out with my family. The game is called Oros, it is a one to four player game that is played over the course of one to two hours. It is recommended for ages 14+ & can be purchased for $50. In this game you & your competitors will play as Demigods, racing to build mountains on which you can build temples that allow you to gain knowledge which in turn gets turned into points to win the game.  

You will need your best strategy moves in order to win this game. This game is all about moving around land tiles in order to create bigger land masses, volcanos and mountains in which you'll build sacred sites to gain knowledge. The initial set up is quite simple, and the rules may seem slightly confusing at first, but it will get better as you play through the game. There are four different demigods to select as a player & each one represents a different element - fire, water, land or air. 

As mentioned above there was a lot to absorb on your first time playing, My brain was a little confused but once I actually looked at the board some more and thought about the rules then it all clicked and I was able to explain it to everyone else as well. If you do need a little extra help there is a how to video on the Oros home page on the Lucky Duck website. When you get the hang of it, the game starts to pick up pace and is actually a lot of fun. It can get pretty intense when there are a lot of volcanos all over, and the player before you has the chance to swipe a movement out from under you. However that may play into your benefit, as more than one person can build on a mountain - in fact there are different points levels for each layer that is built on it. 

I really enjoy all of the game pieces, some of them are wood and others are a sturdy cardboard. The game can also be played solo which is nice when no one else wants to play a game. If this sounds like a game that would interest you, I highly suggest checking it out along with the other games in their collection. 

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Lucky Duck Games for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Golf N' Stuff - Tucson, Arizona.

 

My family & I always enjoy getting outside to do activities together when the weather is nice. One of our favorite things to do is mini golf, we have both indoor & outdoor courses here which makes it great because we can enjoy the weather when it is nice or escape the heat in the summer. Some of you who have been a follower of my blog for a while have seen me talk about the POGO pass before, but if you haven't it is an local attractions pass that can be purchased for $60 per person & it gets you into a number of activities for free saving you hundreds of dollars. You can get a Pogo Pass for a discounted cost $59.99 using code 6c8d10a3. You can learn more information about the pogo pass by visiting my review here. One of the places included in the Phoenix/Tucson POGO Pass is Golf N' Stuff in Tucson. It is located at 6503 E. Tanque Verde Rd. Tucson, Arizona 85715.

With your pass you will be able to get a free round of mini golf, a free round of laser tag & a free round of the bumper boats. Each will need to be used on a separate occasion, if you do not live near Tucson but will be in the area for vacation you can either use the trips on the different days you are there or visit once in the morning, leave & then visit later in the day you can claim your visits. 

When we were on a mini in-state vacation we stopped by Golf N' Stuff while we were on vacation to claim our mini golf visit. They have two different eighteen-hole courses you can complete & you are free to choose which you'd like to do. We got lucky & visited on a day when there weren't a lot of people golfing as it was closer to when they were going to close and it was also a little rainy that day so we mostly have the course we choose to ourselves. 

Like most mini golf spots the course could use a little bit of updating as some spots were a little beat up, but overall, we really enjoyed the course. It was well set up; each section was pretty cute and the holes themselves were fun. My favorite hole was the one near a miniature Victorian house because I love how older homes like that look. We were able to go at our own pace which was very enjoyable & fun since we weren't trying to rush so a group behind us could play next. We spent a little over an hour there playing golf, then we went inside to play some of their arcade games. They have a wide range of arcade games for all ages & it didn't cost a lot to play which is a bonus. 

You can find more Arizona attractions, events & restaurants by clicking the "Things to do in Arizona" link on the right-hand side of my blog or click the purple link in this sentence. 

**This is not a sponsored post, we stopped by here as a family & I decided to share about our experience with my readers.**

Sore muscles? Use a massage gun by Ekrin Athletics.

 

Like most adults I suffer from pain in my shoulders or back from time to time. Part of the reason my lower back tends to hurt is because my hips sit slightly uneven, which can cause a bit of lower back pain. The last time I went to get an adjustment they used a massage gun on one of my muscles for a minute before doing the adjustments due to my muscle being stiff that way they could adjust the spot properly. After having them use it on just that one spot. I wanted to try out one that I could keep at home not only for myself, but for my family as well to use when needed. I've heard a handful of great comments about massage guns & I've seen them all over in various stores near me, especially during the holidays. I was very excited when Ekrin Athletics wanted to work together on a review of the Ekrin 365 Massage Gun. 

First impression? Wow! It is crazy how quickly this helps relieve your sore and stiff muscles. I feel like I get an hours worth of a regular massage in about ten minutes with this. Depending on how stiff your muscle knots are it might hurt just a little at first, but once you work on the area around the spot it will help loosen it up and feel so much better. It is kind of funny depending on where you use it because if you talk it sounds like you are talking into a fan if you start speaking while using it. Have you ever gone for a deep tissue massage that is done by hand, then the next day some of the spots feel like you were hit in them? That doesn't happen with this, your muscles will feel relaxed. If you use it for a long period of time you might still feel a little tingly directly after, however that feeling will go away quickly. 

Everyone in the house enjoys using this, even the kids! Right after we received it I used it for a minute or two on everyone in the house to show them how it works and it was an instant hit. Later in the evening everyone was asking of I could use it on their backs, so I did then I got a turn. I slept so well that night with every thing in my back loosened up & surprisingly the next morning I didn't wake up with my usual back pain despite the odd sleeping positions I usually get into. I also tried this on my foot & even though it tickled it help relive sore feet too, plus you can also use it on legs & arms. It is super simple to use, the attachments just need a slight push and twist to lock into place. Then you'll click "On" and gently tap the top of the massage gun which will activate speed #1, if you want another speed you simply need to tap it again to change the speed.

It charges quickly and it seems to run for quite some time. There are multiple settings along with different speed settings along with different attachments. It comes with a guide letting you know which attachment is best for different areas of your body. The massage gun along with all of the attachments have spots in the carrying case that they rest perfectly in, it makes this quick & easy to put away and very convenient if you want to travel with this. I actually took this with over on a visit to my moms house, her back has been extra sore lately to the point where she thought something else might be wrong. So I told her about this massage gun that I had just received the night before we spoke & asked if she wanted me to bring it over and use it on her back, we figured it couldn't hurt to try. I used it on several different spots on her back and by the end of my visit she was already feeling so much better and wants to get a massage gun of her own as well. The only slight downside to something like this is that you can reach your neck/upper shoulders and also your lower back by yourself but if you have a spot mid-back that hurts it will be harder to reach on your own. Otherwise we love this! If you want to get this same model it can be purchased on their website for $179.99 or they have other models available at different prices. 

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Ekrin Athletics for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

BicBugs Review & Giveaway!

 

I've always loved butterflies, they are beautiful insects. The only sad thing is a lot of butterflies species do not have a long life and if you are someone who lives in the city you might not get to see butterflies that often. So how can you admire the beauty of butterflies in your own home? I personally have always loved seeing movies & shows where people have collections of preserved butterflies so as I got older I started my own collection. There are a lot of great shops out there that sell framed specimens, but one of the shops that I enjoy and has a wide range of not only butterflies but other bugs and more is BicBugs. I am very excited to be able to share not only a review of their site with you, but I get to host a giveaway for two products as well. For anyone curious where they & similar stores get their butterflies from they have a FAQ on their website that explains everything. All of the specimens come from butterfly aviaries that have passed away after their natural time frames have expired.

When starting a collection of framed specimens, where do you start? I would personally set a budget before hand that you'd like to spend each time you add something to your collection, butterflies can range anywhere from $15 to a few hundred dollars. I started out with a mixture of affordable pieces and have slowly added to that collection since. The above above shows a large portion of the collection of specimens that I own plus it also shows my newest addition. My favorite color is blue so I was so excited to find that BicBugs sent me a Morpho didius blue butterfly which is from Peru. The butterfly is gorgeous, the way the light bounces off of the butterflies natural color gives it a shiny sheen that is mesmerizing to look at and yes the butterfly is really as blue as it looks in the picture in real life.

If you select the framed option when shopping it will arrive in a black shadow box sitting on some soft cotton to keep the fragile specimen protected while displayed. They also have the option to receive just the specimen which you can then mount yourself in any frame or setting of your choosing. I also received an adorable little sea horse in a jar, it comes in a small vial which is easy to display. This is something brand new to my collection as I don't have any wet specimens, I do have a few assorted bugs and two bats, so I am excited to add this to what I currently have. 

I think their website has a large selection and their prices are pretty great as well so if you are looking to get started on your collection, just want to pick up one or two things, or are already a collector I suggest checking out what they have to offer. The FAQ section is also really nice for various questions you may have about the process. I also love that they are based out of Arizona, so any time I pick up something from them to add to my collection I am supporting a local business. 

Everything was packaged perfectly to protect the frame and butterfly during shipping & the little seahorse came wrapped in bubble wrap inside of a little baggie to not only keep it safe but to contain it just incase. I also have a great giveaway! The details for that are below. 

Prize Alert:

One lucky winner is going to receive a orb weaver spider in resin on a necklace along with a great hat that says "I like Big Bugs and I cannot lie" 

This is open US Residents only! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! 

This giveaway ends on 02/25/23 -> Has been extended to the 28th.

Giveaway entry question: Leave me a blog comment letting me know a product from BicBugs you'd like to have.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by BicBugs for the review & giveaway free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Vinebox - Date night wine tasting at home.

 

If you enjoy trying new wines, but don't live near a spot where you are able to do a wine tasting or you simply don't feel like going out to do a wine tasting Vinebox makes it super simple to do a wine tasting at home. They offer a collection of wine tasting boxes that are curated for specific events or occasions such as Date Night or a dinner party. I was recently sent a set of their Date Night boxes which is perfect for two people to try out three different wines. The date night set can be purchased for $78, you can also purchase a full bottle of wine on their website. 

How does it work? Once you decide which box you would like to try out, simply make your purchase & wait for your wine to be shipped to your home. Since it does contain alcohol, you will need to sign for the package upon delivery so if you are able to, I'd try to schedule it during a time you know you will be home. The Date night set comes with two boxes, each one has three tubes of wine - each tube equals one glass of wine. Inside you'll also find a small pamphlet that will describe each wine to you. I like the tubes the wine came in themselves, but I do not like the lids as much. One of the boxes we received the white wine was coming out of the cap a bit, so the bottle made the inside of the box a little wet.

The presentation is nice, especially if you are surprising your loved one with this as a gift. The box has a small pull-out tab & all of the tubes are cushioned to protect them from breaking. They are gifting ready upon arrival, if you prefer chilled wine, you can put the whole box into the fridge before enjoying. I personally enjoy wines that are sweeter & have notes of fruit, so I was very happy to find that the wines in this box fit with what I usually look for when trying new wines. 

What wines were included? In our boxes we received the following - Casual Blanco. Described as having white peach aromas with green tea + fennel flavor notes. Carignan La Galiniere. Described as Strawberry + Plum Aromas with a tart cranberry flavor. La Garganta Del Aguila. Described as having herb aromas with a Raspberry + Wild Strawberry flavor notes.

I think this is a fun way to spice up an at home date night, it gives you the comfort of being at whole while still trying something new. You could set up a charcuterie board to snack on, help each other cook a new recipe you haven't tried before while sampling this wine then relax with a movie. The wines were a little too strong for my taste, but it was fun trying them out with my husband. Each box has the perfect amount for enjoying a relaxing night at home, you can either try all three in one night or if want you can space them out and have one new glass of wine three nights in a row. 

What kind of wine do you enjoy drinking? Is this something you would do for a date night?

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Vinebox for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Jurassic Quest - Mesa, AZ Giveaway!

 

Jurassic Quest is coming back to Arizona! They will be in Mesa, Arizona from February 24th until the 26th at the Bell Bank Park. Jurassic Quest is a huge dinosaur experience that you & your family are sure to love - you'll see life sized dinosaurs including many that kids will be able to ride on. You will also get the chance to see baby dinosaurs, fossil digs, play in bounce houses & more. 

Tickets are $25 per adult, $25 per standard kids ticket or $39 per child for an unlimited ride pass. However I have a chance for one lucky Arizona reader to win a family four pack of tickets that includes two adult tickets & two unlimited kids tickets.  Normally I host my giveaways right here on my blog page, however for this giveaway I will be hosting it on my Instagram account so please stop by there by clicking THIS LINK or searching for @Themoonlitnook on Instagram. 

**Tickets are being provided for my family & for the winner of this giveaway by Jurassic Quest free of charge. No other compensation will be provided.**

February Beauty & The Book Giveaway!

 

Hello February! I hope you are all having a good start to the year so far & if you are working on a new year's resolution, I wish you the best on that as well. I didn't really set any resolutions as I usually work on some mini goals each month anyway, I am currently working on sticking to my skincare routine to help fight off some winter dry spots. Last month I shared some great sponsors with you & this month I will have some more fantastic sponsors along with more posts from spots we've stopped during our trips and of course some giveaways. This time of the year also brings a lot of exciting & family friendly events to our area, so I look forward to sharing some of those with my local readers as well. 

During some of the months with holidays I like doing a themed for the beauty and the book giveaway so this months themed is colors typically associated with Valentine's Day. I even found a pretty Morphe palette that fits perfectly with the theme! Last month's winner will be announced on my facebook page on the announcement post for this month's giveaway, I will also include the winner of the face mask bundles on the same post. Instead of doing an actual book for this month's giveaway I opted for a blank notebook, I know they help me stay on track, keep notes & more. I also have a cute couples fill in the blank book that you can fill out to give to a significant other, child or best friend (or even keep it for yourself!).

Let's see what is in this month's giveaway bundle. 

💗 Pink Blanket Notebook
💗 Fill in the blank book
💗 Two sheet face masks
💗 Two cream face masks
💗 Maree undereye gels
💗 Rose Scented body butter
💗 Pink & Silver glitter nail wraps
💗 Morphe Vintage Rose Palette
💗 NYX lip stick
💗 Wet N Wild gel lip liner stick
💗 Realher highlighter
💗 Sugar Cookie Bath Fizzer
💗 Revlon mascara
💗 Ioni 3d faux mink lashes

This is open World Wide! Please remember if you DO NOT leave a comment on this blog post as your mandatory entry into the giveaway then all of your entries will be void. Doing the Daily entries will increase your chance of winning. Winners have 72 hours to respond to the notification email! This giveaway is hosted by ME.

This giveaway ends on 03/01/2023

Giveaway entry question: Leave a comment answering at least one of these questions.

Which item in this bundle are you most excited to win?

What is something exciting that happened to you last month?

What is your favorite romantic movie?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can complete as many entries as you want, there are several one-time activities and daily activities that can earn you more entries into the giveaway. Be sure to keep an eye on my site & social media pages for more giveaways headed your way.