IT’S TONIGHT!
We invite you to join us at the #LoveLO Twitter Chat! We have tips & ideas to bring out the beauty that you already possess.
Oct. 20, Tuesday
6pm PST | 8pm CST | 9pm EST
Hosted by: Ciaran Blumenfeld at Momfluential Media, along with our other #LoveLO Your Skin Ambassadors.
We have PRIZES- You can win $50 – $100 Visa Gift Cards and Liquid Oxygen products!
What child doesn’t dream of a trip to Disneyland? Taking a trip to the happiest place on Earth ends up being the trip of a lifetime for most families. It also ends up being one of the most expensive.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to take this dream trip with your family without having to give up taking another vacation for years after. Here are a few things you can do to make a Disneyland vacation more affordable:
Buy a Timeshare
One of the most expensive components of your Disneyland trip is lodging. Even the cheapest hotels around the area charge expensive rates thanks to their proximity to one of the hottest tourist attractions in the world. The longer you stay, the more rapidly your costs will add up.
Investing in a timeshare can help you save money while also giving you a nicer place to stay. For instance, a Welk Timeshare offers villas and suites with up to three bedrooms and 1,400 square feet. You’ll feel like you’re staying in someone’s home rather than living out of a hotel for the week. In many cases, you’ll end up paying less than you would for a hotel room for the same amount of time. Check out this Welk Timeshare review for more direct hotel information.
Invest in Annual Passes
A single, one-day ticket for Disneyland costs $99. Add another $40 and you can visit all the parks in the system. Now multiply that by the number of people in your family. It adds a hefty price tag to the cost of your vacation.
You can save a great deal of money by investing in an annual pass, which starts at $599, depending on the options you choose. This may seem like a lot, but it gets you into the park on most or all days of the year (again, depending on which options you choose). If you don’t think you’ll go that often, at least invest in tickets that last several days instead of buying them by the day.
Cook and Bring Snacks
Investing in a time share has the added benefit of allowing you to prepare and cook your own meals. You will save a lot of money by purchasing groceries and cooking in your suite than eating at restaurants every night.
You can save even more by packing up snacks and bringing them with you into the park. A simple ice cream cone can cost $5 in the park. A whole package of granola bars costs $3 and can last you all day. Budget for a few treats, but have the snacks on hand to cut down on the overall expense.
Bring All Essentials
Don’t forget the aspirin and wind up paying $10 for a few pills because you got a headache while you were in the park. Bring all essentials with you so you don’t end up spending needlessly. Some examples include sunglasses, sun block, sun hats, band aids, aspirin, and a toothbrush and toothpaste (if you’re the type who likes to brush after every meal). Think ahead and pack a bag before you go.
Take Your Own Pictures
Official Disney photographers wander throughout the park all day looking to capture family moments. They actually give you a card with a number ID on it that allows them to tag any photos they take of you during the day. You can then go to a photo booth and buy any that you like. You can easily spend a lot of money on these photos.
Instead, bring your own camera and take your own photos. You will find plenty of friendly staff members and visitors who will be happy to take a family photo with your camera.
Don’t let the cost of a Disneyland trip keep you from taking the family vacation of a lifetime. Use these easy tips to help you bring down the cost and make it more affordable. You may even find that you’ll have the budget to take several trips with the right savings strategy.
Guests will marvel at the beautiful colors of fall along the shores of southern New England at Connecticut’s premier resort destination in historic Old Saybrook.
Known for its charming New England character and feel, Saybrook Point is the perfect getaway for celebrating Autumn’s vibrant colors and refreshing seasonal delights. Nestled between Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River, the Saybrook Point Inn & Spa gives guests the opportunity to experience breathtaking views and elegant dining surrounded by the finest accommodations and luxurious amenities. During the season, this award-winning resort offers a unique array of packages for guests to enjoy the perks of being on vacation without ever having to leave the joys and comforts of this well-appointed property on the shores of southern Connecticut.
To celebrate Halloween, Saybrook Point is hosting its second annual “Pumpkins on the Point” extravaganza featuring a spectacular pumpkin display on the terrace of the award-winning Fresh Salt restaurant and Saybrook Point Marina, where hundreds of locally-grown, hand-carved jack-o-lanterns will illuminate the day and night. Guests will also enjoy a Trick or Treat Trail, hayrides, carving demonstrations, music and seasonal delicacies prepared by Fresh Salt’s award-winning culinary team. For guests, 21 years-of-age or older, Saybrook Point is also hosting a lively after party at the gorgeous Waterfront Ballroom starting at 7:00 p.m. This festive “Halloween Masquerade” features live music, hors d’oeuvres, and a variety of food stations.
Starting at $407, the “Pumpkins on the Point” package allows guests to enjoy the amenities of an overnight stay coupled with the delights of a special brunch the next morning. Families with small children will be able to extend their stay by choosing the “Pumpkins on the Point” family package. Starting at $319, this Halloween fun day will include overnight accommodations, as well as a delicious pumpkin-themed breakfast for the whole family.
The Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is also offering an additional autumn package for couples looking to spice up their romance. The “Fall in Love with Autumn” package features a luxurious and intimate escape complete with a complimentary bottle of wine to enjoy from a private balcony overlooking a picturesque Long Island Sound. Starting at $369, couples will rekindle the romance over dinner for two in the alluring waterfront restaurant, Fresh Salt, before embarking on a crisp fall hike after breakfast the next day using the property’s complimentary bikes.
For the nature-loving visitors, Saybrook Point is offering an exclusive “Autumn by Rail” package, which whisks away guests on an unforgettable 2.5 hour journey aboard the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. Here, guests will revel at the stunning views of the countryside and soak up the colors of the season, while meandering along the beautiful southern Connecticut hills. The next morning, guests will relish in a seasonal breakfast creatively prepared by Fresh Salt’s talented culinary artisans. Starting at $339, this unique package also includes overnight accommodations and a bottle of wine to share upon arrival.
Saybrook Point Inn & Spa’s spectacular Autumn packages are available now through October 30 and may be booked by calling 860.395.2000.
Tickets to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Go on Sale Everywhere
Following the Trailer Launch
Lucasfilm announced today that the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens will debut on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” on Monday, October 19, during halftime of the National Football League (NFL) game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. The game starts at 5:15 p.m. PDT/8:15 p.m. EDT. The Spanish language version of the trailer will air on ESPN Deportes simultaneously.
To commence the countdown for the trailer launch, today Lucasfilm released the Star Wars: The Force Awakens poster worldwide. Following the trailer launch, tickets to the highly anticipated cinematic event will be on sale everywhere movie tickets are sold.
In conjunction with the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer debut, the Walt Disney Company is providing unprecedented company-wide on-air and social support (#TheForceAwakens) as well as tying in events and special activities for the day of the trailer release.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in U.S. theaters on December 18.
ABOUT THE MOVIE:
Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as Star Wars returns to the big screen with Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan & J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt.
All press materials can be downloaded here: http://www.wdsmediafile.com/walt-disney-studios/starwars/
Like STAR WARS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarWars
Follow STAR WARS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/starwars
Follow STAR WARS on Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwars/
Follow STAR WARS on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/starwars
Visit the official STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS website: http://www.starwars.com/the-force-awakens/
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS arrives in theaters everywhere on December 18th!
Van Gogh Candy Corn Shooter
2 oz. Van Gogh Classic 80 Proof Vodka
2 oz. Banana liqueur
2 oz. Coconut rum
2 oz. Orange curacao
2 oz. Cream
Grenadine
Combine Van Gogh Classic 80 Proof Vodka and Banana Liqueur into a mixer with ice. Shake and pour into the bottom of the shot glass. Then combine Coconut Rum, Orange Curacao, Cream and a dash of Grenadine (for color). Shake in shaker with ice and gently layer on top using a spoon. Top with whipped cream.
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Disclosure- This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and honest. For more info, see “I Disclose”.
One of the things that I love about working from home is that I can help out with my child’s school. I love being able to help out with school parties or just helping in the class room. What I do not love are the emails back and forth. For something like helping out with a holiday party or event, there are emails flying everywhere that can make volunteering a huge pain.
That is how VolunteerSpot comes in handy. VolunteerSpot is a free service that makes it easy to organize events where you want to volunteer, or if you are running the event and you need to organize who is volunteering, it’s very handy. VolunteerSpot takes the hassle of volunteering.
You can create sign-ups at once when you are looking in the sign up area. You can also choose to customize your view. You can to see upcoming sign ups, past sign ups, or all of your sign ups, depending on what you are looking to figure out. There is the option to mark some as favorites so that you can have quick access to them, or see past sign ups that you have archived that way you do not have to delete them.
VolunteerSpot offers group pages that help keep all of the information you need in one place, and makes it a place so that others can see and add to the conversation.
Once you are signed up, you can view all of your groups, sign ups, and invites all in one place. When looking through your dashboard, you can run reports across multiple sign-ups, group Pages or organizations. Choose from popular formats that make your tracking of participation, hours, and activities easy. There are even more options when you activate Premium Reporting.
Using VolunteerSpot makes it even easier to help out your organization, whether you are the one organizing or just helping out. Check it out for your next function- those class parties and school fundraisers would be the perfect time to give it a whirl.
Disclosure- I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Boys & Girls Club of America. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
In his dance class
Children like to take part in all sorts of activities, from dance class, to karate, to soccer, and more. It’s been recommended that kids are moderately to vigorously physically active at least 60 minutes per day, but not all kids get that kind of activity. It seems only about one fourth of the kids in the USA ages 12-15 meet that goal, which isn’t good for mind or body. Getting kids active from a young age and keeping them that way is important for their developing and maintaining healthy habits for life. That’s where the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Triple Play program is great- it encourages kids and families to get up, get out, and get moving as a family.
“Triple Play, which is sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and the Anthem Foundation, is a program currently offered in Boys & Girls Clubs that demonstrates how eating right, keeping fit and forming positive relationships add up to a healthy lifestyle. The goal of the Triple Play program is to improve Club members’ knowledge of healthy habits; increase the number of hours per day they participate in physical activities; and strengthen their ability to interact positively with others and engage in positive relationships. “
Since 3 in 10 American kids are either overweight or obese, there are measures that need to be taken to get and keep kids healthy. Diet and exercise are important for not just the child, but the whole family to participate in together. Triple Play has a mind, body, soul approach that focuses on the person as a whole, instead of JUST the body or weight portion that is so easy to get hung up on.
Choosing his own veggies as a little bit
Eating healthy is important. I take my son to the farmer’s market every week so that he can choose the fresh fruits and vegetables he likes best for his meals. His lunches are primarily fruit and veggies, because that’s what he likes (that, cheese, soups, and yogurt). If he can’t have hot food, that’s what he prefers, and that’s fine with me. Since he has always chosen his own foods, he likes what he eats, and it’s not been a battle now or when he was small.
While he doesn’t love team sports, he is in karate, and he maintains good relationships with peers and also stays active in 4H, boy scouts, library reading club, Sunday School, and computer club. He likes what he does, and we both like that he has groups of friends in each class and club. It’s good for him developmentally, socially, and physically.
Exploring a new city
These kids will be the next generation of leaders- keeping them fit through nutrition and health education, giving them access to healthy foods, teaching avoidance of risky behaviors and giving them a safe place to learn and grow, and helping them build a lifelong commitment to fitness and health is vital to their well being and growing into the best adults they can possibly be.
Check out Triple Play’s site for more information and to download the plan for your own family. You can also follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bgca.clubs?fref=ts and Twitter: https://twitter.com/BGCA_Clubs
The Nonantum Resort is is Kennebunkport, Maine and is one of the prettiest seaside villages in New England. Their waterfront rooms are surrounded by sandy beaches and shores that can be enjoyed during any season of the year. You can easily walk into Dock Square and visit shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The resort is open from mid-April to mid-December. You will experience and enjoy the hospitality that the resort has to offer and start many traditions of your own on your visit.
When you stay at the resort, there is now a complimentary shuttle service within a 5-mile radius of the resort. This is available the third week of June through Columbus Day. They are open Sunday-Thursday from 10 am to 10 pm, and on Friday and Saturdays from 10 am to midnight. Anywhere you need to go within five miles of the resort, you can get to by the shuttle service and that includes the Amtrak DownEaster Station in Wells.
There are lots of activities for children to enjoy when they are vacationing no matter what age they are. There is the Kids’ Corner Crafts, Follow Me Kayaking Excursions, Family Movie Nights Under the Stars, Kids’ Ice Cream Parties, Princess & Pirate Parties, Stand-up Paddleboard Demonstrations, Family Campfire Sing-A-Long’s and Marshmallow Roasts, and Lobster Cracking 101 Demonstrations. The resort also serves a children’s friendly menu at each of their dining places.
If you are curious about what kind of opportunities there are for the kids you can take a look at the 2015 Activities Schedule. Enjoy kayaking, biking, tours of the coast, hiking, paddleboarding or you can just simply relax around the pool while the kids enjoy the activities that are just for them.
You can also take your family on a Lobster Tour on the Rugosa. The Rugosa is a restored 1963 oak-planked Lobster-style boat that will take you on 1-1.5 hour tour of the Kennubunk River and allow you to see the coastline. You captain will educate you on your trip about all the techniques of catching/trapping lobster. You will learn the life cycle of the lobster, the process of mating and molting, the migration of the lobster, and of course the laws and regulations that are set in place to help protect the Maine fish population. The kids get to help and take part in this exercise, and band lobster claws. (All lobster are thrown back, as they were when they were caught- it’s all good.)
After your tour of the coastline, you will then get to haul in some traps. You can put everything that you have learned now into action. You will hook and haul traps, measure, band, notch, and determine what sex your catch is. The other activities you will take part in is baiting, throwing the catch back, and inspecting other creatures, such as crabs, urchins and sculpin that may have found their way into the lobster pot.
This is the perfect experience for someone that may not have all the knowledge of what it takes to be out on the water for the first time. Adventurers that have been out on the water before will also enjoy this one of a kind experience for a little bit of adventure outside their element. The Rugosa tour has something for everyone to enjoy from scenic views to hands on participation.
The Rugosa is available for you to either book from the hotel or to privately charter, and can fit up to 30 guests. The boat has hardwood, cushioned seating and a covered canopy as well as many open spaces to be able to socialize. The tour is $30 per adult and $20 for children. The private charter rate is $600 for a two hour trip.
So with so much to explore and do on the coast of Maine at Nonantum Resort, visiting here no matter in the spring, summer, or fall- it is the right choice for a little change in pace from your average hustle and bustle of everyday life.
