Kerrie's Favorite Affordable Beauty Products

These are products I swear by, and I hope you give some of them a try and fall in love with them too! 

Also, I'd love it if you'd follow me on my Facebook fan page for more updates! I'm also on Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Instagram! And if you're a writer, blogger, proofreader, or just love words, follow me over at The Published Parent! Here we go with 13 of my most favorite beauty products:

Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Face Moisturizer, Normal/Combo, 1.7 oz. was only $6.43 at WalMart (doing the grocery pickup*, of course). It's lightweight and perfect for summer or when you just want something NOT thick. My 15-year-old daughter loves it too and kept using mine so much I got her one for herself. We've probably bought this about 5 times so far. It's great for a quick moisture touch-up when your skin feels dry, during travel, first thing in the morning, last thing at night, etc.

Update as of 12/13/24, my youngest child, my son, just stole this from me! Teens love it because it isn't too thick and definitely isn't greasy. It doesn't contribute to the pimple problem, is what I'm saying! The price has gone up quite a bit from when we were first buying it but it's still worth it.

33 Things to Do Indoors with Kids in Kansas City

Okay, so my visions of snuggling up by a fire and homeschooling every day last winter were blown to bits by the fact that my kids are getting older and bounce off the walls when stuck inside on freezing days. So here are some indoor ideas I have come up with so far ... some are free and some are so expensive they should not even be on the list. Enjoy!

Please use this list and enjoy it and have fun NOT sitting around the house with your kids when it is 10 degrees outside this winter. Maybe I'll see you out there and please, I beg of you, don't judge me when you see me out with my 5 kids and I am feeding them Kit Kats for lunch with a Capri Sun chaser. Assume we got all our homeschooling done that morning and that they'd had apples and broccoli. Definitely let's chat and share in this parenting thing.

Also, I do mention homeschool programs quite a bit in this post. If your kids are not yet going-to-school age, these are great events to take your own kids to even if you don't plan to homeschool. Getting the kids some activity and social time while sometimes you also get some social time in is the name of the game!

Feel free to leave me more ideas in the comments section. Thanks, and see you around!

*This post is being updated as of April 4, 2025.*

You could take your kid on the $5 Roasterie tour and get to wear a nifty cap like this one! Reminds me of Laverne and Shirley a little bit!

1. Aaron's Family Fun Center in Belton (my new neighborhood, close to Peculiar). Aron and the kids went bowling there one night and had a blast. Check out this post about Kids Bowl Free all Summer! If you homeschool or have little ones, go during the day in the winter, and for just a few bucks you get a game, shoes, and a soda!
   
   
2. Bass Pro Olathe or Bass Pro in Independence just to mess around, especially at Christmastime.
   
   
3. Blue Valley Recreation Center and Activity Center. Indoor pool. Massage chairs. Enough said.
   
   
4. 
   
   
5. Centerfire shooting range if your kids are a little bit older and you are cool with teaching your kids how to safely handle a gun.
   
   
6. Christian Youth Theatre. $5 shows on Fridays during certain times of the year. They also have classes and plays that your child can audition for!
   
   
7. The Coterie at Crown Center, where you can go with a group to get the $5 tickets. 
   
   
8. Great Wolf Lodge for indoor water fun!
   
   
9. Ibis Bakery in Lenexa field trip.
   
   
10. IKEA in Merriam ... If you sign up for the family card we are talking about free kid meals on Tuesdays, free coffee for you and lots of roaming space. Here is my post about that.
    
    
11. Indigo Wild factory, where they make amazing soaps (ZUM bar!) and other great-smelling things.
    
    
12. Jump City indoor bouncy houses.
    
    
13. Kaleidoscope and Hallmark Visitors Center (both free!).
    
    
14. Kaw Prairie Church and play area.
    
    
15. Kidscape in Shawnee moved to the Heritage and Arts Center 87th and Metcalf!
    
    
16. Lakeside Nature Center near the Kansas City Zoo. Look for the Nolan Connors brick near the front door. He's my friend Jill's son who died in his sleep on December 31, 2012 at age of 13; he used to volunteer here.
    
    
17. Matt Ross gym and pool For $170 for 3 months you can get a family pass to  ... definitely worth it for big families if you can scrape the funds together. Check out the game room and explorer room for playing.
    
    
18. McDonald's Playlands! 87th Street in Overland Park by the Central Resource Library; 95th Street in Overland Park by Oak Park Mall; Belton by the Cass County Library; Lenexa near 435.
    
    
19. Let's Go Putt Indoor Mini Golf (Prehistoric Putt) in Independence, Mo replaces Paradise Park.
    
    
20. The Roasterie field trip (*updated* $5 for the tour)
    
    
21. Science City at Union Station and buy the planetarium tickets! Boom -- homeschool science for the week for the win!
    
    
22. Scheel's is a fun place to hang out and they have a Ferris wheel!
    
    
23. SkyZone (kinda expensive for my crew for only an hour of play even with the homeschool discount ... you have to buy their sky socks and good luck washing them and finding them ever again, hence the buying of the sky socks again and again). Get the monthly pass with friend option (a sibling counts as a friend) and go often!
    
    
24. Steamboat Arabia Museum in the City Market area takes care of history for the day.
    
    
25. The completely new and updated Wonderscope Children's Museum in the Red Bridge Area.
    
    
26. Go Kart place in Lee's Summit.
    
    
27. Library events reading time and craft times.
    
    
28. Paint, Glaze and Fire or some other ceramics painting spot (you can take the older kids).
    
    
29. The ballet and KC Symphony.
    
    
30. Check out Stone Lion Puppets' free shows.
    
    
31. 
    
    
32. Impact Gymnastics has a homeschool open play on Mondays and Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. ages 4 and up ... only $5 for an hour of open play (half the price of SkyZone and no Sock Police and a great staff!).
    
    
33. The Foundry Coffeehouse at Foundry Church in Lenexa. Friday afternoons you'll find bunches of homeschoolers there, and other times they have the gym open for open play (call for times), as well as a fantastic toddler play room that's open all the time (glass walls so you can have some coffee and watch your kids at the same time).

I've got a massive list of field trip ideas come soon!

When you get home from having a ton of fun with your kids, make one of these tater tot casserole recipes for dinner!

Runs/Walks in Kansas City: 43rd Annual Groundhog Run 5K, 10K, and Tunnel-to-Tunnel

 

What: Groundhog Run 5K, 10K, and Tunnel-to-Tunnel

When: Sunday, February 2, 2025

Where: The Hunt Midwest SubTropolis in KCMO (8300 NE Underground Drive, Kansas City, MO 64161)

From the KC Running Company Event Calendar: We are thrilled for the return of the Groundhog Run this winter! Please join us February 2, 2025, for the 43rd annual Groundhog Run, benefiting the children with disabilities receiving services at Ability KC. This unique event gives athletes the opportunity to participate in the 5K, 10K, and Tunnel- to-Tunnel experiences. With a consistent temperature of 65 to 68 degrees and paved underground streets. The Hunt Midwest SubTropolis, a USATF Certified 5K and 10K Course, is the ideal venue for runners from all over the country to compete in this annual winter event.

Register, Volunteer, Sponsor! Become one of the thousands of individuals who have become part of Ability KC’s legacy and helped support this event to build brighter futures for children with disabilities. No matter how you choose to support the Groundhog Run, this year will be packed with excitement and celebration.

More details can be found here!

On a personal note, here's my walking story for National Walking Day, which is always the first Wednesday in April.

When you're all done exercising, I bet you'll be hungry! Grab a copy of my Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook and whip up a batch of comfort and recovery food for dinner!

Flat Stanley's Adventures in Kansas City

Flat Stanley came to me in Peculiar, Missouri, in the mail from Maineville, Ohio. 

I took him about half an hour away (everything fun is at least half an hour away from Peculiar) to Crown Center, where the headquarters for Hallmark Cards is located (you know, like the Hallmark Channel!). He wanted a couple of photos in the main entryway, and also a couple at the restaurant where I went to work while my son was ice skating. 

The restaurant is called Fritz's Railroad Restaurant, and you order your food by using a telephone at your table. Then the food is delivered by a train that goes around the entire restaurant!

It was too late to go to SeaLife Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center, though.

Making the Most of Christmas Break While House Hunting

The holiday season is often a time for family and celebrations, but it also presents a unique opportunity for those looking to make progress on their real estate purchasing goals. Zillow is one really great tool. While house hunting during Christmas break can seem difficult due to the season’s hustle and bustle, it can offer distinct advantages if approached strategically. 

1. Using Time Off to Tour Homes

One of the key benefits of Christmas break is the extra time off from work and school. Families can take advantage of this time to tour multiple properties and explore different neighborhoods. Since many people slow down during the holidays, scheduling showings can be more flexible. This gives buyers the opportunity to visit homes more efficiently, seeing more properties in a shorter period. 

Homeschooling families or those with children on a break can involve everyone in the decision-making process. This allows for a better understanding of how well a home might suit the needs of the entire family.