We are on our way to (hopefully!) sunny Florida to visit Winter the Dolphin, star of A Dolphin’s Tale, and Clearwater.
After that, we will be chilling out with Micky Mouse at Disney! We are making sure to save time for [Read more…]
Disney Princesses on Ice- a Magical Performance (Dare to Dream)
November 30, 2011 by 8 Comments
We recently took my son and his little friend Capt. E to see Disney Princesses on Ice.
It was my favorite Princess show we have seen so far- not that I am hard to please when it comes to Disney!
We went to see Dare to Dream, produced by Feld Entertainment, which focused on some of the “newer” Princesses- Tiana and Rapunzel, as well as the classic favorite Cinderella. My Little Man has not seen The Princess and the Frog, and neither has his momma (Gasp! I know.) but that didn’t stop us from loving the story or the performance. He most enjoyed when Tiana and Naveen were turned into frogs- but a close runner up was the ice-skating Gator, LOL.
And of course, there is always the magic of Cinderella- a classic Disney tale. The favorite of so many little girls, and of course the Princess of the famous castle IN Disney that is like it’s own “Statue of Liberty”, lol, the show got some comic relief in the form of “evil stepsisters” Anastasia and Drusilla. They were silly, clown-like, and falling all over the place. I was a little nervous about the Evil Stepmother, that she may scare the kids- but not to worry. She was not nearly as intimidating as the movie version.
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| enjoying the show- intermission time! |
Last but not least was Rapunzel, who longed to escape her tower and see the “floating lights” that appeared on her birthday each year. Her opportunity appeared in an unlikely way- as the thief Flynn was rushing to hide from his would-be captors for stealing, yet again. To evade capture, and to get back his stolen treasure (which the lady fair has hidden from him) he agrees to help Rapunzel [Read more…]
Mary Poppins- Disney on Broadway (Live Theater)
November 28, 2011 by 23 Comments
Last weekend, we had the opportunity to see Mary Poppins on Broadway, for it’s 5 year Anniversary. Not only that, but we were able to go backstage and check out some amazing props from other Disney shows, like The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, Aida, and Beauty and the Beast. OK, nerd alert? Totally have seen them all, with the exception of Tarzan, LOL. Aida is one of my all time favorite shows, ever-ever, and I nearly had a heart attack standing backstage.
Did I mention I was a total Broadway lover and geek? OK, well, so what? And I am raising one to boot! My son, age 4, loves the theater, and sits rapt through shows, then listens to the CDs and learns them by heart. This wonderful experience was not one either of us will be forgetting, especially since he got to touch the props themselves!
Disney Theatrical’s VP of Operations Dana Amendola gave us all a backstage tour, and told us a bit about the history of the New Amsterdam Theater- by the way, when you go, see if you can find the hidden Micky Mouse! LOL There is a ghost of one of the original Ziegfeld Follies stars, Olive Thomas who resides there and will only show herself to men. The cure for this phenomenon was to only hire female security guards, since Olive was scaring all the men off, LOL. There is also a “listening post”, where critics could be listened to during the intermission of shows. If they didn’t seem to like what they were seeing, then they were invited up to have a drink with a Ziegfield girl after the show. I bet that changed quite a few minds! Ah, men. So easy to manipulate, LOL.
There were also these beautiful ornamental light fixtures, that were re-created by using descriptions from old diaries and journals. Women would write in great detail of their theater visits, and when the time came to re-construct and renovate the New Amsterdam, nothing was held back. The above was what was created from the descriptions- and right before the show opened, they found one of the original light fixtures, with lights and all still working- buried in a wall! Here was what it looked like-
Not bad, right? So close! And how cool, don’t you just love that story? They very quickly had a new batch made, replicating the newly-discovered old fixture, just in time for the re-opening.
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| Another Quite Famous Lady of the Theater! |
These lovely and ornate carvings are found everywhere you look in the theater- many based on Shakespeare’s plays. Right now, if you go see Mary Poppins, you can get the added perk of being [Read more…]
Guaranteed Ways to Keep the Spark Alive in Your Marriage
November 25, 2011 by 6 Comments
Nobody ever said marriage was easy; in fact, the reigning theory seems to be that it’s a lot of hard work.
And if you’ve been married a while, you can probably attest to the fact that the flame of romantic love
can dull to embers over time. So how do you regain that spark that made you want to be with this
person for the rest of your life? There are plenty of ways if you’re willing to work for them and you can
get your partner on board for some changes. Here are a few that will get you started on the right track.
1. Do unto others. Why is it that you’re willing to treat friends and acquaintances the way you’d
like them to treat you, but when it comes to your spouse you seem to be full of expectations
that you may not be able to live up to yourself? If you want to create a happy home life for you
and your spouse, try giving a little of what you’d like to get. When your honey comes home
after a hard day, offer a nice meal, a massage, or a hot bubble bath. These little signs of love are
bound to improve relations and perhaps you’ll even get a little dose of what you’re dishing out!
2. Talk it out. There is no relationship that can’t be improved by a meeting of the minds. This
doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to over-analyze your marriage to death, but you can
certainly open up about how you feel (without attacking your partner) and ask for the things
that will make you happy. This honesty could lead to a breakthrough, some input from your
spouse on how he/she is feeling, and ultimately, a more [Read more…]
How to Know if You Have Bedbugs in Your Home
November 24, 2011 by 4 Comments
For quite a while, it was assumed that bedbugs had gone the way of the dodo, at least in places like
America where it seemed they had been eradicated by chemical pesticides. Unfortunately, they weren’t
even close to being completely exterminated throughout the world, and considering their penchant
for travel (and the fact that they can survive for up to a year without feeding), it’s no surprise that the
increase in global travel has allowed them to piggyback to places where they were previously thought to
be banished for good. But how can you tell if they’ve made their way into your home? Here are just a
few tips and tricks to help you identify bedbugs so that you can get them out for good.
First you need to learn what signs to look for, and contrary to popular belief, bedbugs are not hard to
spot. They are often confused with their microscopic cousins, mites. But in truth, an adult bedbug can
grow up to five millimeters in length (a little under a fourth of an inch). So if you’re looking for them,
you’ll find them. But how do you know where to look? And how will you know when you should start
looking?
The first thing you need to know about bedbugs is that it is exceedingly rare to find them on a person
or pet. They like to come out at night and feed (on your blood, unfortunately) and then return to their
hiding spots during the day. They prefer to nest in plush materials, which is why beds are an ideal home
for these critters. You may also find them in carpeting, furnishings, and even clothing. Pretty much
any surface in your home that isn’t hard could provide [Read more…]
The Carlisle Inn of SugarCreek, Ohio – Your Home Away from Home!
November 23, 2011 by 20 Comments
While touring the beautiful state of Ohio, a fantastic place to say is the Carlisle Inn. Located in the heart of Amish country, you will be right in the center of all there is to do and see. While there is always something to do in Ohio, I have to admit that I do love this area in particular. The slow pace and friendly atmosphere you will find here just can’t be beat.
The hotel is lovely and spacious, and right in the middle of everyplace wonderful in this area of Ohio- which is my son’s favorite part of Ohio, by the way. There are so many things to do- and this is a great, safe, and family friendly place to be. You may never go anyplace else again!
Looking over the scenic farmland from your balcony, there is no place else you will want to be. The rooms smell fresh and clean, and the staff could not be any nicer if they tried. They were exceptionally kind to my son, and they have an added bonus- every night from 6-9 pm, there is snack time with cookies, tea, and fresh made popcorn. Not to mention a a story hour! How sweet!
The pool is clean and well maintained, not at all a loud or rowdy place, and there is a hot tub for mommy and daddy to relax as well, if the kiddos will give you a second!
Every morning, there is a breakfast served- which always helps with travel- if breakfast is included, I am so much more likely to use a particular hotel.. This breakfast pulls out all the stops, with sausage, eggs, fruit, yogurt, cereal, bagels- everything you would want! Little Man sure did enjoy himself! (Pssst- so did my Meema- she does NOT mess with her breakfast, LOL)
Each floor is beautifully decorated in a different style, and there are ample sitting and relaxing areas around every bend. Filled with comfy chairs, couches, and sitting areas (even a library and game area) you will find the perfect place to relax and unwind after a fun filled day in Holmes County at the Carlisle Inn.
On December 31st- yes, New Years! – come celebrate with the Carlisle for their “Party With a Purpose“-
Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2011 with a dinner [Read more…]
Puss In Boots for Xbox 360 Kinect- Daddy’s Corner
November 23, 2011 by 6 Comments
Puss in Boots is the newest Shrek based film by Dreamworks. As with most current movies there is a game tie in. This tie in was developed by THQ for the Xbox 360 Kinect. The Kinect is a very cool piece of hardware which reads where you are and as the commercials say, ‘you are the controller’. It’s really neat and there is alot of potential. Puss in Boots introduces us to some of this potential in a kid friendly game about the swashbuckling feline Puss in Boots. This has some good moments and some tedious moments but overall is quite good. One must keep in mind this is a movie tie in and classically they are not of the highest quality, but Puss in Boots breaks this mold with a fun Kinect game. The meat and potatoes of the game are Adventure and Challenge. Adventure is the story of the game while Challenge is made up of various 1-2 player mini games involving game mechanics learned in the game. Challenge is unlocked throughout the game and is best played after the Adventure mode is beaten.
Adventure mode is very fun it follows Puss in his various adventures including sword fighting, sneaking, dancing, and playing guitar. All of which are controlled by intuitive easy body movements. An example is sword fighting is started by first gesturing as if pull out a sword then swinging up and down to swing [Read more…]
Keeping Your Children Safe In and Around Cars
November 23, 2011 by 5 Comments
It is estimated that an automobile accident occurs in the United States every sixty seconds, and of the
millions of crashes that occur each year, approximately 40,000 will result in fatality (according to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA). If you don’t find these statistics alarming,
perhaps it is because you are a recluse or you prefer public transportation. But anyone who drives a car
regularly is probably keen to check the safety features on their vehicle right about now. And if you have
kids, safety in and around cars becomes even more imperative. So here are just a few tips for parents
out there looking for some peace of mind.
1. Child seats. This is the first and most important tool in your arsenal when it comes to protecting
your child from harm while in a vehicle. You might think that at a certain age it is okay to let
your child ride without a seat, but in fact, most specifications are based on weight, not age. And
while your state has regulations that will tell you when it is legally safe to allow your child out of
a car seat, you should check standards for other states and follow the strictest rules in order to
ensure the best protection for your child.
2. Trunk release. While it is not terribly common for kids to become trapped in a trunk, it’s not
entirely unheard of, either. So warn your kids about the perils of getting into the trunk while
you’re not looking and make sure that they know where the trunk release latch is in case they
do become trapped. If your car has no release from the inside, show your kids how to get
through the back seat or simply check the trunk before you close it.
3. Child-lock doors and windows. [Read more…]
