Discover the Caribbean Coast at Stone Zoo- Sponsored

*This post was created in collaboration with Zoo New England, specifically Stone Zoo's new Caribbean Coast Exhibit.

You may remember last year's trip to Franklin Park Zoo to check out what was new, well this year, the team over at Zoo New England wanted to send the Propah kids to check out the Caribbean Coast exhibit that just opened this Spring. My kids were super excited to hit the road and meet some friends to take in some of the sights and sounds at Stone Zoo. We started our journey to the Caribbean in our walk-through aviary, Flamingo Flats, which is exactly what it sounds like... lots and lots of flamingos. We were greeted by friendly staff and a beautiful flock of flamingos, and are excited to come back because I hear it through the grapevine, we may be able to feed them in the near future!This exhibit also features scarlet ibis and colorful macaws (pictured). We also had the rare opportunity to see the critically-endangered Jamaican iguana, the island's largest terrestrial vertebrate which was thought to be extinct for decades.

One child was interested in the beautiful birds (and dressed to match) and the other child was all about the calypso drums that allowed him to make more noise than usual. This area of the zoo has definitely changed since I had last been there (when Wes was a baby) and I have to say for the better, for sure. The kids really enjoyed seeing the birds, the bush dogs, running along the "calypso trail" and onward towards the rest of the zoo. The way that it's set up, you can enter the Stone Zoo, and go directly into the Caribbean Coast exhibit, while the kids are still in a good, patient mood lol. As a mother, I like to plan to hit the animals and exhibits I most want to see, right out of the gate, to ensure that no meltdown has ensued before I see my bush dogs!

We were able to see a lot of the animals on our visit and I think that besides the Caribbean coast, we were really enthralled by the reindeer on this visit, don't ask me why but we came back to them a few times before calling it a day. The bears were hanging out, the company was great and I marked this off as another great visit to the Stone Zoo. I hear from my friends at The Boston Day Book that the Franklin Park Zoo has some great new exhibits as well, so we'll definitely be making use of our membership this Summer and took a map to plan our next trek!

Have you been to the new Caribbean Coast Exhibit at the Stone Zoo? 

Desert Essence Haircare

* This post was written in collaboration with Moms Meet and Desert Essence Haircare. All opinions are 100% my own as with every blog post that I write.

I've been afforded the opportunity to try a lot of bath and body products since starting this blog 8 years ago. A lot of them I've loved, some not as much and I have always been honest about my thoughts because when it comes to the products we are putting on our bodies, it's serious business for me. Moms Meet sent me a goodie box from Desert Essence and I was excited to try some haircare products because they aren't always a priority for me to ensure are 100% clean and effective. Desert Essence was founded in 1978 around a simple concept: beauty is natural, and nature is beautiful. By bringing the best of nature’s offerings to personal care regimens everywhere, they strive to strengthen the bonds between our planet and all the beings that call it home. Creating that they do. They believe in being responsible to others, honest, and forward-thinking to create and preserve a better future for us all. <--- Their words not mine... I dig it, Desert Essence, I dig it.

They sent a set of their smoothing shampoo and conditioner, their anti-breakage shampoo and conditioner, their smoothing primer, anti breakage hair mask and samples of all (which I promptly tossed in my gym bag) so I got to do a little testing on my colored strands in hot hot humid heat.

What's in my bath and body products is important to me. This you know about me. I don't want unnecessary chemicals, additives, preservatives and so on, especially because it's becoming easier and easier to find products that are better for us and for our environment. Taking a look at the Dessert Essence products, you'll be pleased to see that there is quite the care and consideration taken into what the team there has been using for years. Their ingredient list is extensive but nothing is foreign. It's all easy to understand so you know what you're putting on your body and your family's body (since I'm the one supplying everything for my household, the responsibility falls on me.) The products themselves, ingredients aside, do the work they are tasked to do. I love the way my hair looks after using the Smoothing shampoo and conditioner but if you have an aversion to the way that tea tree oil smells (it can be a touch strong), it may not be the best option for you. The Anti-breakage is welcomed in my routine as my hair has been colored more times in my life than I can count. I don't wash my hair every day so at less than $8 a bottle, this brand is bringing me value that will last for awhile. Dessert Essence brings in the product at a price point that you can try without feeling guilty if it doesn't work out... but I think it will; they've got a good thing going.

Want to try these products yourself? Get 20% off Anti-Breakage and Smoothing Hair Care Products on desertessence.com with the promo code DELovesMomsMeet