Wordless Wednesday Bullfrog Sighting

Teela and Zari found this American Bullfrog while on their nature walk.

Up close. He jumped back into the water by the road after saying hi.

Wordless Wednesday Amphibians & Reptiles

Zari and the frog she found.

Zari with a Long-Toed Salamander we found on our Nature walk.

Quilted Monkey Mat Review

I received this product free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Monkey Mat has you covered both in and outdoors. No more bulky blankets! The Monkey Mat is easy to take on the go to just about anywhere! Just fold up and stuff it in the attached pouch. Make your space, any place.

Features:

• Clean
• Cushy
• Portable
• Compact to carry
• In/Outdoor
• Soft 5'x5' mat
• Ripstop nylon
• Durable
• Machine washable
• Water repellent
• Loops for stakes (sold separately)
• Weighted corners
• Center loops to attach items like: toys, keys, dog, leash, etc.
• Attached 10”x10” pouch
• Perfect for travel, home, beaches, parks, concerts, picnics, dirty floors, sporting events, outdoor festivals, camping, and more!
• Seats 4, lounges 2
• Comes in gray groove, blue yonder, and red coral crush

Quilted Monkey Mat Picnic

What We Thought:

We love the Quilted Monkey Mat! We got a red one to try out. It is lovely to take traveling so we can lay it out and be able to sit just about anywhere. We found it works best on flat surfaces though. We also love that if the grass is slightly damp from dew or rain showers then this mat is perfect because it is water proof and water repellent so your tushie doesn't get wet while sitting in it. We also love the attached pouch. It is so convenient to just shake it off, fold up, stuff in the bag, zip, and go. The pouch also has a handle you can hold and hang it from. This would be great for trips to the zoo, outdoor concerts, festivals, fairs, etc. We had a picnic outside on a nice sunny day in out front yard too. We like the idea it could be staked down because even with the weighted corners it was blowing around a bit. I love that it can be machine washed and is easily wipe-able in case of spills too.

This is a great mat for both indoors and out and I highly recommend this for anyone who needs a good sized mat for sitting or lounging on.

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Tags: #QuiltedMonkeyMat #MonkeyMatLifestyle #MonkeyMatMama

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Free Entry to All National Parks to Celebrate the National Park Service’s 99th Birthday on 8/25

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act creating the National Park Service (NPS), a new federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for protecting the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the department and those yet to be established (now there are 408 national parks!).

I am surrounded by Oregon and Washington state where I live. Oregon, the gorgeous state where I reside, has a total of 6 national parks, 10 national natural landmarks, and 17 national historic landmarks so far. Crater Lake National Park is by far the most famous of our national parks with its beautiful lake and scenery. Washington state has 14 national parks, 18 national natural landmarks, and 24 national historic landmarks so far. Mount Rainier National Park is one of the national parks in Washington with its gorgeous mountain and surrounding forests.

To celebrate the upcoming centennial of NPS in 2016, the National Park Foundation (NPF) launched their Find Your Park campaign to encourage everyone to get up, get out there and #FindYourPark - no matter your interest.



The National Parks Service has provided 99 ways you could celebrate NPS’ 99^th birthday on August 25, 2015 and get ready for NPS’ big 100^th birthday next year. Founders’ Day also marks fee free day to all national parks.

99 Ways to Find Your Park
http://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/nps99.htm

1. Go climbing
2. Write poetry
3. Be an urban hiker
4. Visit a National Heritage Area
5. Dance
6. Learn about climate change
7. Discover a culture new to you
8. Experience silence
9. Walk through a doorway of a historic house
10. Find inspiration in the story of a civil rights leader
11. Go on a ranger-led tour #rangerspointingatthings
12. Hug a tree
13. Make a memory
14. Earn a Jr. Ranger badge
15. Relax on the banks of a scenic river
16. Celebrate innovation
17. Find life in a desert
18. Get inspired by a First Lady
19. Stand on a mountaintop
20. Bring a kid to a park
21. Paddle a water trail
22. Take a photo that matches a historic one #retrogram
23. Try something new
24. Channel your inner Bill Nye—become a citizen scientist
25. Walk a historic main street
26. Find your park in Spanish #encuentratuparque
27. Explore a cave
28. Go green
29. Brush up your national park trivia skills
30. Scout a park, boys and girls!
31. Make art in a park
32. Celebrate Native American heritage
33. Come sail away
34. Take a picnic and dine al fresco
35. Be bear aware 
36. Hit the road
37. Enlighten yourself at a historic lighthouse
38. Go biking
39. Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander culture in America
40. Feel the sand between your toes
41. Share your story
42. Learn about endangered species
43. Join us
44. Follow NPS on social media
45. Follow the footsteps of a woman who made history
46. Get in the know about H2O
47. Bee pollinator friendly
48. Get VIP status
49. Catch a wave
50. Immerse yourself in a living history program
51. Hit record
52. Get prehistoric
53. Improve your health—get a park Rx
54. Use your free active military pass
55. Get reel—Visit a park featured in your favorite movie
56. Join a trail clean-up
57. See the sea
58. Discover a traditional tribal cultural practice
59. Let Elmo and Murray be your guides
60. Mail a postcard
61. Discover history around you
62. Make new friends
63. Raft down a river
64. Pay your respects at a national cemetery
65. Pick a POTUS
66. Take a mini-cruise
67. Plan ahead and prepare
68. Walk nature's treadmill
69. Pose for a family photo in a park
70. Recognize women who made history
71. Reflect on our most difficult stories
72. Stamp your park passport
73. Ride on a historic carousel
74. Run
75. See history from a different perspective
76. Renew your spirit
77. See how NPS helps transform your community
78. Go fish
79. See the starry, starry night
80. Make a splash
81. Share a #tbt park photo
82. Discover the beauty of our nation's other public lands
83. Sleep outside
84. Spread the love—thank a park volunteer
85. Plan the best field trip ever
86. Visit our international sisters
87. Trash Your Trash
88. Find a monument and decode history
89. Travel the Underground Railroad
90. Use the buddy system!
91. Visit for free on our 99th birthday
92. Wander an American battlefield
93. Watch wildlife
94. Take a deep breath
95. Go wild: Experience wilderness
96. Use a national park lesson plan
97. Play
98. Take a sunrise selfie
99. Get ready to celebrate with us in 2016!

The National Park Service waived all of its entrance fees on nine days in 2015. The remaining entrance fee free days are August 25 for the National Park Service’s birthday, September 26 for National Public Lands Day, and November 11 in honor of Veterans Day. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

Parks are so much more than the majestic landscapes you might think of; they also protect and preserve our culture and history in urban areas and offer endless ways for families to get involved. So get out and go visit a national park!

To find a national park near you, and to learn more about the Find Your Park campaign, visit FindYourPark.com or EncuentraTuParque.com.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I am posting about these events because I want my readers to know about them. Thanks to a public relations email for providing me this campaign information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for posting about this campaign and event information.