Located at 6919 W Ray Rd in Chandler, AZ,  Makutu’s Island was a lifesaver as the temperatures climbed closer and closer to three digits.

Makutu’s was perfectly air conditioned and perfectly priced with kids from 1 thru 17 for $11.99 and for every child, an adult gets in for free.

Wrist bands are given to every participant and the bands are numbered and assigned to the head of your party.  When you are ready to leave, the Makutu staff checks the numbers to make sure that every child is leaving with the correct person.  This Grammy appreciated the attention to their security detail.

All of my grown children know very well how much I dislike Toon Town in Disneyland. When my children were littler, it made me so nervous to have them go in the door of a building there and then they would disappear and I had no idea where they would be coming out.  That makes for one very nervous mama!  Good job Makutu’s on making Grammy a little less worried.

The inside of Makutu’s is brightly colored and very engaging and stimulating.  All of the attractions that kids can play on had a jungle theme and they had two slides that looked like elephant trunks.  Very cute!

The entrance to some tunnels. Roar!

Do you think this is where Toucan Sam lives?

More tunnels and slides!

Their brightly colored aquarium:

They also have an arcade which we didn’t take advantage of.  We needed all of our little  “honey bunches of oats” to get their wiggles out and mom is not a big fan of just playing video games.

There is also a little restaurant where you can order the usual amusement park snacks.  We brought our own and took a time out for everyone to refuel and get ready for round two.

Oh and there is a little corner sectioned off for crawlers and toddler with padded cushions to crawl over and a small slide they can go down (with some adult help!)

Overall we had a great time and I would definitely recommend Makutu’s Island to those in or visiting the Phoenix area.

It’s a “cool” place to go. Both for fun AND their air conditioning!

The post Makutus Island – Phoenix, Arizona appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I will be taking three of my grandchildren to the happiest place on earth next month.  My oldest grandson is turning five and this is his birthday present.  I am so excited to go during October because Disneyland will be decorated for Halloween but the park is also still celebrating their 60th Diamond Celebration.

Can you say double magical?!!

If this is making you consider going during Halloween Time too, you are going to want to visit Get Away Today (affiliate) for the best deals on tickets and hotel packages.  Depending on the details of your stay, there is the potential of getting your third, fourth or fifth night for free.  You know you want to go.

In doing my research and reading for this trip, we will be trying out a lot of the tips and tricks I’ve read about and in a future post I’ll let you know how well they worked.

The ride my grandson is most excited about is the Jungle Cruise, although he’s a little worried that he’ll get bit by a hippopotamus.  {giggle}  I can’t wait!

The post Halloween at Disneyland! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Have you had any thoughts about going to Disneyland at all this year?   Because if you do, now is the time to buy your tickets!  Get Away Today is bringing back their biggest ticket sale of the year where you can save up to $18 PER TICKET!

Time is limited though.  This sale will be ending Monday, May 18th, 2015 so get your tickets today BECAUSE….

May 22nd starts Disneyland’s Diamond Celebration with a brand new Forever Fireworks Spectacular Show! 

Disneyland is celebrating 60 years of Magic and the entire resort will be glistening with enhanced attractions along with a diamond studded Sleeping Beauty Castle.

It is going to be a celebration that you won’t want to miss!  I know that I will be going this year and bringing my five year grandson to experience the Magic for the first time and I can’t wait!

Time’s a wastin’!  Get YOUR tickets before Monday, May 18th!

The post Disneyland Ticket Sale! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I can’t remember how I first heard about the Fairy Forest in Kamas, Utah but after some internet searching, my two daughters and I bundled up my grandsons and off we went!

Just a word of warning that it is a little tricky finding the place on the highway where you need to pull off and enter the forest but here are the directions: Drive on up to Kamas and then take the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway (Hwy 150). There will be an entrance fee – I think we paid $6. Continue on Hwy 150 until you see mile marker 17 on the right hand side and that is where you pull over. There’s not a lot of parking, it’s just on the side of the highway and there will be nothing else indicating that the Fairy Forest is close!

Follow the trail to the right and that takes you through a campground to a creek. At some times of the year there is a little water in like when we went. Other times it will be dry. Cross the river by climbing over the rocks (boys LOVE this part!). After crossing the creek bed, head down to the right and the Fairy Forest is about 30 yards away. If you go farther than that and you can’t see it, you’ve gone too far.

At the Fairy Forest, you will see tons of painted “fairy” rocks, “fairy houses”, “fairy toys”, and “fairy” treasures etc. It was WAY larger than what we had imagined.

It really did just go on and on. “Do you think the fairies are home right now Grammy?”

Did you know that fairies even live in teepees?!

And sometimes in burrows? “Grammy, are they in there RIGHT NOW?”

We brought some painting supplies with us and we painted our own rocks to leave for the fairies in the Fairy Forest. Do you think that the fairies will like black? That’s a boy for ya!

To make it a better experience for the next time we go, we will probably paint our rocks, or houses or whatever it is that we will bring for the fairies at home first. Painting outside was a little tricky. Let’s just say that there were two pairs of shorts that had paint all over them.

My oldest grandson still remembers this trip and really wants to return there because he wants his black rock back.

So sorry fairies.

We’d love to hear from you if you make this trip and what you thought!

The post Fairy Forest in Kamas Utah appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I now have grandchildren and can’t wait to take them for their first experience at Disneyland!  Which is why I am so excited to participate in this Huge Disney Giveaway!  If you love all things Disney like me, you are going want to enter this giveaway which includes a chance to win a FREE 2 night stay AND 2 tickets to Disneyland!

Get Away Today has locked-in  low prices on Disneyland Resort Tickets today only! (3/2/15) The discounted tickets are valid for travel through December 31, 2015.  Now is the time to purchase for the coming year for Spring Break, summer vacations Halloween or even during Christmas time!  Their no-interest layaway plans allow you to lock-in their savings for only $125 down.

So if you would like to book your vacation and lower your prices, click here!

In addition to the Disneyland Vacation Getaway there are NINE other Disney related prizes that you can enter to win like a Mickey Waffle Maker, Disney Gift Cards or our prize which is a Mickey Cake Pop Maker!

All you need to do to enter for the Cake Pop Maker is to answer this question!

Including all of the Disney movies, which Disney character is your favorite? 

Then click on the red rectangle below to be taken to the next blog.

Be sure to continue clicking through until you reach the blog that has the Vacation Package Giveaway!

Click HERE to go to My Mommy Style to enter to win her Disney Prize!

GOOD LUCK!

If you have any questions about package deals make sure to call GET AWAY TODAY (today 3/2/15) for the lower pricing and mention “MFPinterest” for $10 off your package!

The post Huge Disney Giveaway! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

We head home tomorrow afternoon after a week full of fun and food. So far we have seen the Old North Church, Faneuil Hall, Old State House, State House, MIT, USS Constitution, Beacon Hill, Salem and Little Italy. We all agree that we have “eaten” our way through this trip. If you are ever in Little Italy don’t miss “Mike’s Pastry Shop”! The cannoli’s and macaroon’s are to die for! We found a bread bakery down an alley and all they make is artisan bread from 6am to 12am! We thought we had died and gone to heaven!

The day we found the bakery we had eaten a “big” italian late lunch. What’s a girl(s) to do for dinner”? Buy a loaf of artisan bread from the bakery and butter from the corner market. On the way home to the hotel, get a gelato and then come back to the hotel. In your hotel room have bread and butter for the rest of  “dinner”. This is what you do when your wonderful husband and darling children are no where to be seen!  Boston is a wonderful city, but it is not the location that makes this trip special.  It is all about family….let me explain.

If there is one thing my sister’s and I know how to do well it is to have fun with each other anywhere, anytime. When we laugh it is not the “normal” kind of laugh, it is the “throw your head back, mouth wide open, loud till you cry” kind of  laugh. It is this crazy sense of humor that has gotten us through trials such as breast cancer, meningitis, lost pregnancy and the passing away of our father  to cancer ….. I’m not sure what I did to deserve these amazing women in my life, I only know it must have been something truly amazing to earn the honor of having them for sisters and such a wonderful mother.

Today is our last day in Boston, I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures of our “escapades” with you. Monday we will be back on “schedule” with something new we tried from Pinterest. In the meantime……..

On our way to the Old North Church we walked by this cemetery and there sits this beautiful black cat. Really? A black cat in the cemetery right before Halloween, love it!Debbie took this while we were walking to see the USS Constitution. Love the fall colors with the flag off to the side.The “baker” explained what every loaf of bread was and what specialty flours were used to make it. Amazing! We are going back tomorrow so we can each purchase a loaf to take home and share it with our families.

Below is Debbie in front of a ginormous piece of Kraft Mac & Cheese. Yes, Kraft Mac & Cheese is a fav on our family!

The post Sister’s Retreat in Boston appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.