Mom, can we go stay at a guest house somewhere nice?”

And my response:

“I’ve heard of a gorgeous guest house in... (our town). Beautiful weather, a yard, rooms filled with books and games.”

They laugh, a bit disappointed that they didn’t convince me to go on a trip, but deep down they know it’s kind of true.

When my kids were little, I used to make a big deal out of our “guest house.” They’d go to bed knowing that vacation starting the next day, and wake up to surprises that Dad and I prepared just for them.

Once, we even pretended to go on a real trip, took a short drive, and ended up at our “vacation home” — which was actually just our house. The kids loved this game, and for a couple of days, everything felt fresh and exciting.

If you’re looking to spice up the upcoming summer with a real treat

I recommend surprising your family (and yes, it’s okay for you to feel like a kid too) with theNinja Ice Cream Maker. It gives you endless possibilities to create ice creams every day, all day long.

What’s great is that you can sneak fruits or milk into your kids’ diet without them realizing they’re eating something healthy (“Mom, I want something unhealthy!” Sound familiar?).

And here’s a little mom secret for your ice cream - instead of sugar, you can add artificial sweeteners and enjoy guilt-free, diet-friendly ice cream yourself.