PLE SE HELP: Do You See The Missing Type?

Disclosure: Thank you to Tapinfluence for sponsoring Found Frolicking. I received compensation in order to facilitate this content. All thoughts and opinions expressed below are my own. For more information, please refer to the disclosure that can be found at the bottom of this post.

What's missing? Believe your eyes. Do you see it? Blood donations play an absolutely vital role in saving lives, with 1 in every 7 individuals who enter a hospital requiring a blood transfusion. In the United States alone, that breaks down to one patient every 2 seconds. Donating blood becomes even more essential and critical during the summer months when donations of blood drop approximately 20%. This summer, we urge you to make blood donations part of your summer activities. Whether you have never donated before, you have not donated for some time, or you donate blood regularly.

Taking the time to make a whole blood donation requires a minimal amount of time and effort, and yet can save up to three people! Making the time to donate blood at your local blood center is such an incredible way to make a difference. An individual can donate blood once every 56 days, that is six times each year---and potentially 18 lives saved! Donated blood is responsible for saving millions of lives each year, all thanks to generosity of people just like you and me. The chances are that someone in your life is alive today due to someone who donated blood---a family member or friend who was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy, an expectant or new parent and/or their child, and those who live every day with challenging health conditions.

Donating blood is more convenient than ever! At my nearest blood center, for example, Blood Centers of the Pacific, is able to offer free rides to donors within the city limits of San Francisco through Uber Health for a limited time. This amazing service is made possible by a community grant. The ride to and from either San Francisco blood center location can be booked in advance by the donor at the same time as the appointment for their blood donation by calling 1-888-393-GIVE. Learning about all of the ways Blood Centers of the Pacific makes a difference in the San Francisco bay area was an enlightening and inspiring experience. This grant and what it has made possible is such a great example of the ways that technology can bring us together for the common good. You can find out which services are provided by your local blood bank by using the locator on this website.

Life would, quite literally, not be the same without A, B, AB, and O blood types. No matter your blood type, your donation matters. Hospitals can be flooded with patients during natural disasters, and staff rely on the blood they have on the shelves to save them. The donations we make can help blood centers be at the ready and prepared no matter what is to come. Let us come together. We can make a difference! So now the question is: Will you help? 

Schedule an appointment today

to make your blood donation at MissingTypeUS.org.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received compensation to facilitate the writing of this content. All opinions expressed are my own, and were in no way influenced by the brand or any other sources. The post and all photos with the watermark are the property of Found Frolicking, and should not be used or distributed in any way without first receiving permission.

Find out how Found Frolicking can help promote YOUR business! If you would like to work with Found Frolicking for a review, giveaway, advertising, or promotion of any other nature, please email Lalia at found.frolicking@gmail.com.

Sacramento's Best: Fun Times and STEM Learning for the Summer Months---and Beyond!

Disclosure: Thank you to Nakturnal for sponsoring this content. I received compensation in order to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed below are my own. For more information, please refer to the disclosure that can be found at the bottom of this post.

Have you looked at the calendar today? Can you believe your eyes? The first day of summer is fast approaching. After all, June 21st is just around the corner! The seasons have come and gone, and with them, so has gone the school year. Perhaps your child, or children, have already graduated from their current grade and summer break has officially begun, or you're preparing for this event in the week or so to come. Regardless, the abrupt schedule change can be difficult at best, as the routine you worked diligently to implement had finally become easy---and BAM! Goodbye, predictability (again).

In the coming months, it is essential to come up with a strategy for keeping children on track so they are ready for the 2018-2019 school year. Although it may seem crazy, summers always go fast, and it's stressful to be scrambling to figure out your life all over again when school begins. We love to take advantage of the warm weather to squeeze in as many day trips as we can. Embarking on little adventures offer great sensory play opportunities and memorable experiences for children especially. But don't stop there! You can't have a proper meal without it offering healthy and balanced nutrition. Similarly, the best way to nourish the minds of our children all summer long is with brain food. And it doesn't get much better than STEM curriculum!

What is STEM? The STEM curriculum which can be found in many schools and other educational centers are based on teaching four specific disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The U.S. Department of Education recognizes long-term benefits to teaching STEM-based curriculum as an invaluable aspect to the brain development of children.

STEM learning is a great way to pique the interest of children of all ages, and feed their active, growing minds. Unfortunately, not all schools follow a STEM curriculum despite it's benefits. But there are plenty of ways to integrate the STEM values into your child's summer on your own. Many public libraries also offer excellent summer reading programs, such as the 2018 Summer Reading Challenge at the Sacramento Public Library. Many of these programs are not only great free learning resources for your children, but also offer the chance for your child to win amazing prices to keep them motivated to keep reading all summer long---such as a remote control car, $250 gift card of the winner's choice, and a Nintendo Switch.


In recent years, there has been an abundance of new kids franchises. The clean environment, controlled temperature all year long, and the high-quality tools and toys at many locations are quite a draw for families. Both of my children are huge fans of building toys. We have a little of everything---LEGO® Duplo® bricks, Uncle Goose® blocks, HABA® dominoes, Lincoln Logs®, Magformers, and more. But unless you live in a mansion, there's only so much you can acquire before storage becomes impossible. Which is why my children beg to visit these types of places on a regular basis, and I don't have to feel guilty for taking them because I know they are guaranteed to receive hours of entertainment and mental stimulation in the process. One great option is Snapology, which has a new location coming soon in Sacramento, CA. They even offer a STEM summer camp! In our own personal experience, our son submerses himself more into STEM lessons and programs when they are offered at his school, and I know he would love and benefit from the summer camp offered here.

A balance of outdoor activities (don't forget sunscreen!), appropriate grade level workbooks to prepare for their upcoming grade, arts and crafts to inspire creativity, and science projects that can be done from your home are a few excellent ways to keep busy little minds active and at work for June, July, and August. What do you have planned this summer? Share in the comments below! Wherever the coming months take you, we hope that many adventures await you and yours!



Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received a small compensation to facilitate the writing of this content. All opinions expressed are my own, and were in no way influenced by the brand or any other sources. The post and all photos with the watermark are the property of Found Frolicking, and should not be used or distributed in any way without first receiving permission.

Find out how Found Frolicking can help promote YOUR business! If you would like to work with Found Frolicking for a review, giveaway, advertising, or promotion of any other nature, please email Lalia at found.frolicking@gmail.com.

We Are Good2Go: Family Adventures in San Francisco

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Good2Go but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. For more information, please refer to the disclosure that can be found at the bottom of this post.

Only a few weeks ago, I found myself in a predicament. The type of predicament that has become uncomfortably present in my life, however unwelcome it may be. I was spending the day with my kids in East Bay solo, and I was ready to head home when I realized all at once that I needed to find a restroom. Pronto. I did a mental rundown of all the nearby businesses with which I am familiar, and tried to take inventory of which ones had restrooms and which ones did not. Of course, it is at this time I remember that restrooms are far and few between. The ones I can fit our Mountain Buggy stroller into being even more scarce. Inevitably, I found myself running (and let's be honest, with two toddlers this mostly consisted of me trying to encourage them to run by walking briskly, only to backtrack while they catch up) to a business blocks away, hoping they would remember I was in there earlier and that they would count this as still being a customer that was permitted to use their "Customers Only" bathroom facilities.

Well, traveling in the bay area just got a whole lot better for both me and you! Good2Go has recently launched in San Francisco, providing residents and visitors alike with the opportunity to remove the stress of a clean and convenient restroom stop during your adventures---both great and small. As soon as I heard about the launch of this phone app, I knew we had to test drive the service. The convenience of Good2Go offers the freedom to map out your trip ahead of time, with planned pitstops for bathroom breaks, or to explore free range, and pull up the app any time, anywhere---as soon as you realize nature is calling. Me and my two toddlers rode BART into the city, and we embarked on our little adventure from Embarcadero Station. We walked over to the Ferry Building to attend the weekly Saturday Farmer's Market. Settling on some takeout goodies from Imperial Tea Court to satisfy our appetites, we headed over to Pier 14 to look out over the water while we dug into our crispy spring rolls and I savored a Hong Kong iced tea. Both of my children enjoyed watching the water slap into the pier wall from our suspended location over the water. Steady winds carried the smell of the salty water into our clothes, through our hair, and right into our lungs. There was just enough sunshine to keep the weather from feeling too cool. Despite spending nearly my whole life in San Francisco, it dawned on me that I was not familiar with the pier anywhere below the Ferry Building. A situation I suddenly had the urge to rectify. My toddlers begged to stop at the giant bow and arrow, so I took a photo of them together in front of Cupid's Span. We meandered down along the water, stopping periodically to admire the view.

Heading into uncharted territory, it seemed wise for me to steak out a restroom somewhere along the way. I brought up the Good2Go app, and looked up the nearest location. Bingo! In the direction we were walking, I would only have to walk a few blocks off of our intended path to reach a Good2Go in the area, located inside The Creamery. So, off we went. Following the directions on the Good2Go app, it was very easy to find the location. This particular Good2Go was directly across from the Caltrain Station. As soon as we were approaching The Creamery, the app detected that we had arrived to our destination, and invited me to reserve my place in line so that the restroom was already waiting for me when I found my way to the restrooms inside the establishment. I flashed the barcode under the nifty scanner, heard a beep, and the door gently swung open of its own accord. There was ample room to maneuver my limousine of a stroller into the bathroom with ease, and I did not have to worry about juggling the weight of a door to hold it open in order to push the stroller in and out. The facilities were spacious, very clean (from floor to ceiling), and boasting some very impressive technology that doesn't end with the door scanner. I was pleased to see how well-maintained it was, even down to the changing table, which did not have a speck of dirt or any mess left behind from previous users. Especially as a parent, I appreciated the toilet flush feature, which allows you to manually flush the toilet by waving your hand over the toilet tank---without every coming in contact with the toilet at all. The sink was equipped with a Dyson dual faucet/hand dryer, and a motion sensor allows you to have the door open for you automatically. My son, in particular, was fascinated by the set-up of the Good2Go restroom, and completely enthusiastic about testing out the motion sensors. It was a huge bonus that this service was offered inside a coffee bar, bistro, and full bar establishment so that we could grab snacks or beverages. After our pitstop, we worked our way back up through the piers towards the heart of the city. A very fun and fulfilling family adventure complete!

Download the free Good2Go app through the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. For a limited time, this amazing service offered by Good2Go is completely free of charge! So download the app today, and enjoy your next adventure the way it should be---by skipping the questionable portable toilets and neglected public or private bathrooms altogether. We wish you happy travels.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received product and monetary compensation for the time and expertise associated with the writing of this content. All opinions expressed are my own, and were in no way influenced by the brand or any other sources. The post and all photos with the watermark are the property of Found Frolicking, and should not be used or distributed in any way without first receiving permission. Found Frolicking is in no way responsible for prize shipment, but will work with the sponsors in all ways possible to ensure the winner receives their prizes.

Find out how Found Frolicking can help promote YOUR business! If you would like to work with Found Frolicking for a review, giveaway, advertising, or promotion of any other nature, please email Lalia at found.frolicking@gmail.com.