Hershey Park and Pepsi – Made for Summer #Hersheypark #PepsiAtThePark #ad

Disclosure- I received free tickets to the park in order to facilitate this review. This is a sponsored post in cooperation with Pepsi. All opinions are my own and honest.  For more, see “I Disclose”.

As the hot Summer days roll in it is time for trips to the amusement park.  And the sweetest place on Earth is of course Hershey Park in nearby Hershey, Pa.

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The first greeting when getting close to Hershey is the sweet smell in the air.  The melt in your mouth chocolate flavor of a Hershey Kiss on the breeze lets you know you have arrived.  Hershey Park is open from 10 am to 10 pm, and there is a lot to pack into that time frame.

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From the park itself to Hershey Gardens and of course Hershey’s Chocolate World and The Hershey Store Museum on Chocolate Avenue, there is a lot to see.  It was more then we could do in a day, that’s for certain.  Your day might begin in the morning with a stroll in the 23-acre botanical garden that includes a Children’s Garden and seasonal Butterfly House.  The theme park itself is huge.  Hershey park is one of the most fun amusement parks around with 13 roller coasters and over 30 family friendly rides (as well as a new water park area, “The Boardwalk”), you’ll find a favorite among the group.

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There are special rides for the younger members of your family who want to join in on the fun but can’t handle the thrills of bigger rides.  Throughout the park, there are also a plethora of refueling stations  from of Pepsi products and promotions, like the creative and refreshing Pepsi Spire.  This is the innovative digital beverage fountain, to inspire consumers to raise the flavor of their favorite Pepsi beverages with totally customizable creations. Pepsi Spire is a sleek, innovative beverage fountain that puts hundreds of drink combinations at people’s fingertips. Pepsi Spire can pour up to three flavor shots simultaneously (think: lemon, vanilla, cherry and more), with fan-favorite beverages, like Mountain Dew, Pepsi or Brisk Iced Tea.

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Pepsi can be found everywhere in the park as new Pepsimojis, Pepsi emoji statues that coincide with the brand new global PepsiMoji campaign inviting consumers to #SayItWithPepsi – We’d love to see you #SayitWithPepsi as well by snapping some photos of the fun installations (tagged with #sayitwithpepsi).

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So no matter your taste or your flavor of fun, be sure to check out Pepsi at Hershey Park this Summer.

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Marvel’s The Avengers 16-Inch Big Wheel

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With summer here, you will want to be outdoors as much as possible.  Getting your kids away from screens can be a problem for some, but that can be remedied by taking time to get outside as a family.  The big kids might have bikes, but what about your little one?  That can be tricky, since they have little legs and less coordination. A Big Wheels might be just the thing- and it will be a blast from the past for mom and dad as well.  Remember when you had one?  I sure do- mine was “Smurfs”, lol.  My husband remembers his, he had a bug with wings. It’s for sure one of those things you don’t forget, your Big Wheels bike.

Your kids can ride with their favorite superheros with the new Marvel’s The Avengers Big Wheel®. It’s easy to assemble (even for me) and is sturdy, so when they decide they want to drive into a tree, it will be OK to ride again.  Kids, man.  It has a “Grow With Me” seat that can be positioned up to three times.  Grab yours today, it runs for about $60 at stores like Amazon and Walmart.

Here is some more information on the Big Wheels-

“With its large 16-inch front wheel, the Big Wheel® ride-on introduced in 1969 is a blast from the past! Now introducing the Marvel’s The Avengers Big Wheel® ride-on featuring children’s favorite Marvel Super Heroes! The low-riding design offers easy on and easy off access and a low center of gravity for comfort and security. The Big Wheel® ride-on is easy to assemble. It has sturdy plastic construction, and it includes a ‘Grow with Me’ three position seat to fit a child’s growing needs. So hop on and speed into action with the Super Heroes from Marvel’s The Avengers!
Age: 3+
Suggested Retail Price: $59.99”

Snuggling up With Cuddly Characters

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest. For more information, please see “I Disclose”.

My son is a cuddle monster, and he loves his stuffed animals.  In fact, I often joke that he likes to “Scrooge McDuck” in his pile of fluffy toys, making a huge pile and rolling around in it.  It’s how he sleeps.  It’s the oddest thing….but I guess we all have our “thing”, don’t we?

Recently, he found some video game stuffed toys that he loves. First there are the Nintendo Plush, which are not only cute, but also fun to play with and act out the games your child loves best.  Perfect for the collector or kids, they come in all sorts of characters, new and old, and even the more obscure.  Some of them even make the well knows Nintendo game sounds, like the coin bling, and the Koopa Troopa “hit” sound.  I’d try to spell those sounds for you, but I’m not willing to take the hate mail from fans (haha).  Find your child’s favorites (or your own) like Kirby, Mario, the coin box (really!) Koopa Troopa, Cat Toad or regular Toad- you can find most characters.  Visit any store that sells toys and pick yours up- prices vary, most are under $10.

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Collectors or kids will love the collectable Pokemon toys to commemorate Pokemon’s 20th anniversary. Every month until December 2016, one retailer-exclusive Mythical Pokémon will be released. These extremely rare Pokémon will be released as 8” plush in a very special crushed velvet material, as well as  2” pearlescent-finished figures that come with their own pearlescent-finished Poké Balls. There will also be various limited-edition Pikachu products all year long, but you gotta catch ’em all- because when they are gone, that’s it!  Visit http://tomycollections.com/ to see what Pokemon is being released each month and at what retailer. Prices vary.

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Precious Moments might not be out of a video game, but they are sweet and snuggely. They are perfect for even the smallest stuffed animal lovers, with a new 17-piece Precious Baby line just for your littlest cuddle bunnies. Now available through Aurora World (who you know we love, and make some of our favorite stuffed toys), the baby toys include a blanket puppet, wind up musical toys, plush rattles, toys that recite prayers (in either English or Spanish), and your traditional plush toys. Most toys are from $12-24.  You can visite www.auroragift.com for these and even more baby items, as well as stuffed animals for older children.

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BarreAmped FIRE EXTREME SCULPT DVD @suzannecbowen

Are you looking to get in better shape for the summer? If you are, you will want to look at this new DVD.  It really works you out, and you will feel it for sure the next day(s!)

There are 5 DVDs in the workout series, and you had better start with 1, let me tell you. I did 5 first (not because I’m insane, just because that is how they arrived) and I was burnt out within 10 minutes.  Of course, I should have known- there was a verbal warning from Suzanne Bowen at the beginning, saying that it was going to be tough and to warm up to it.  I should have listened!  You live, you learn.

The workouts do put you through the paces, and I have to admit that I’m still not ready to move on to DVD 2.  They are not simple, but they are effective.  I’ve been doing them for nearly 3 weeks, and I am gaining stamina, which is a great thing.  I’m hoping in a few weeks to move up to #2, but the main thing is to move at the pace that is healthy and right for you.

Here is more about the DVDs and Suzanne Bowen;

Fitness and lifestyle expert Suzanne Bowen, creator of Suzanne Bowen Fitness (#SBF) www.suzannebowenfitness, a top streaming website for workout videos and nutrition advice, has just released her newest DVD in the BarreAmped franchise. BarreAmped Fire Extreme Sculpt (www.barreamped.com 84 minutes $19.99) presales have already exceeded expectations and is well on its way to being the most popular BarreAmped DVD to date. Suzanne’s signature BarreAmped is a proven, results oriented, body shaping barre program that is a combination of dance, Pilates, yoga, and Bowen’s classical Lotte Berk training. It is Classic Barre meets Extreme Results.

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BarreAmped Fire Extreme Sculpt (84 minutes, $19.99) takes participants to new fitness levels with advanced muscle torching routines that challenge viewers with a fast paced collection of classic barre workouts to #ShakeToChange. The BarreAmped Fire Extreme Sculpt DVD is divided into sections so viewers can do the entire full workout or mix and match the segments to change it up. The DVD has a two minute introduction; 28 minute Total Body Sculpt Section; 17 minute Thigh and Seat; 13 minute AB blast; 11 minute Sleek & Toned Shoulders; and, a 12 minute Relaxation Stretch section. Needed for the workout is something to hold onto, a set of hand weights, and a mat. The purchase of the DVD includes a free 1 month membership to Suzanne’s streaming barre workouts and other tips and workouts at www.suzannebowenfitness.com .

About Suzanne Bowen

Suzanne Bowen is the founder of Suzanne Bowen Fitness (SBF) and the creator of BarreAmped, the revolutionary barre program based on classic technique, a neutral spine, and a solid foundation of alignment. Suzanne began her fitness career over fifteen years ago at the original barre studio, New York City’s legendary Lotte Berk Method studio. It was there that she was classically trained as a top instructor. She moved from New York to Nashville where she opened a BarreAmped studio and expanded her clientele to include top Nashville celebrities; Naomi Judd and the ladies of the band Little Big Town, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman to name a few. Suzanne Bowen fitness, (SBF) embodies the best of combining mind, body and spirit to live a healthy lifestyle. Suzanne helps people build a foundation for life and encourages them to be their best form of excellence. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children, and maintains her home and studio in Nashville. BarreAmped is taught in over 50 studios worldwide with over 350 instructors certified to teach the program around the world. Her BarreAmped Boot Camp DVD was just awarded Best Barre DVD by Fitness Magazine, as well as Good Housekeeping, Pilates Style and Natural Health Magazine.

Find out more by visiting the website-

www.suzannebowenfitness.com, www.barreamped.com

and following on social media-

Facebook: Suzanne Bowen Fitness

Twitter @suzannecbowen

Instagram @suzannebowenfitness

The Daily Jigsaw Puzzle

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In the morning, to get their brains to wake up, many people grab a cup of coffee or tea.  But this really just stimulates your body and revs up your brain with caffeine or hot liquids.  What if instead you could really rev up your mind with a new puzzle every day?  One such place to get your daily puzzle fix is JSPuzzles.com where you can work on a brand new jigsaw puzzle everyday, in addition to a plethora of other puzzles as well.

One of the coolest aspects of this site is the competitive puzzle solving, where if you get one of the top ten quickest times in solving the puzzle, your name will show up for all to see.  Each puzzle is available in 9 pieces, 16 pieces, and up to 144 pieces and 225 pieces as well.

Users can also upload their own pictures into the gallery for all to try.  Here is one made special for us here at Have Sippy.  Feel free to try and beat the times posted.  We also like how the gallery is family friendly and is moderated so nothing risque will show up be accident and kids can join in on the fun as well.

The best part of the daily puzzles is that it is free.  Every single day there is a new puzzle giving you another chance to hit the top ten.  Be ready- there are some very fast solvers out there, and the whole world can play.

You can also turn off the competitive portion of the puzzle and just enjoy your puzzle at a leisurely pace, even sipping your cup of coffee if you like.  I enjoy a nice puzzle in the morning as well, and the ability to do so while checking the news online and chatting on messenger is a multitaskers dream come true.

Beachbikes – Perfect for Summer (and all year)

Getting into riding bikes as an adult can be a mine field of options, mountain bike or road, 3m 10 or 21 speed, tire type, frame type, etc.  Beach Bikes makes this mine field a whole lot easier to navigate.  A Beach bike combines the all around functionality of a bicycle with the ease of going to the beach.  It’s like going back in time, but with all the modern comforts. Just pick a bike that looks good for you, choose   a color and design and you are ready to start your new experience.  This bike gives an easy, smooth ride- even for those of us who are not quite so smooth.

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Bike riding is both a fun exercise and great way to get around town with ease.  Bikes are fuel efficient, no emissions, and fun to ride to boot.  There are a few basic components to a bike which beach bike have perfected, these components are: handlebars, the seat, the frame, tires and the mechanics of the bike.  The handlebars are long and sturdy so the rider can sit in an upright position (the most comfortable way a person can ride on two wheels).  The seat is made of some of the softest foam on the planet, so it’s more of a small cushion then concrete-feeling block like most bike seats. This keeps you comfortable no matter the terrain.  The frame is tough and specially designed for maximum comfort and maneuverability.  The tires are soft and wide for maximum road grip and cushioning.  The mechanics of the bike were built with you in mind, for an easy ride and minimal frustration.

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What we really like about Beach Bikes is their commitment to the customer. With each bike comes your own personal mechanic, (ours was Marco). You can email or call him with any of your biking questions from repairs to assembly.  Each bike also has a forever warranty, so if something does happen, your are covered, no worries or hassles.  If you do find that the beach bike isn’t for you, they even have a test ride program where if you don’t love the bike, they will pay the return shipping and give you a refund.

I’ve really enjoyed my bike. It’s fun to ride, smooth, comfortable- and I know this sounds silly, but I love how pretty it is.  I know- ridiculous.  But it’s true, so.

Bikes range from $150 to over $250 each depending on what you are looking for and are available for men, women, and children.  So be sure to check them out- You are sure to find one you will fall in love with.

Disclosure- I received this item in order to provide the review.  All opinions are my own and honest.  For more information, please see “I Disclose”.

WIN Shrek for the New Generation #Swampathon #Shrek15Insiders

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Are you ready for to feel old?  I hope so, because the original Shrek movie is celebrating its 15th anniversary.  That means there is an entire generation that may not have seen the original green onion, I mean ogre, in all is glory.  The first Shrek movie came out from Dreamworks Animation in 2001.  The first Shrek movie follows the adventures of Shrek and his not so helpful friend Donkey where they meet Princess Fiona and Dragon to name a few of the familiar faces.  Shrek goes on to make 3 more movies and even a few holiday specials and shorts.

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My son loves all the Shrek movies.  He is a big fan of Shrek and has been since he first saw the movie.  We also ate green popcorn and wore green-Shrek ear/ head bands which made the viewing experience a ton more fun for him.  The beauty of a movie like Shrek is that there is humor aimed toward adults which flies right over kids heads, and also a simple easy to follow story with lovable main characters and clear cut good guys/ bad guys throughout the movie.  It is a movie that is actually fun for everyone to watch.

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Shrek is a definitely watch for any age but is especially fun for families.

One of you can win a movie of your own- please feel free to enter using the RC form below.  Contest ends July 8, 2016. Good luck!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Miles from Tomorrowland Season 2 Space Adventures

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”.
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Miles From Tomorrowland has always been a favorite in our household! My girls have been anxiously looking forward to the premiere of Season 2 starting. With Season 2 starting comes a new great line of toys that every Miles fan is going to love.

About the Miles From Tomorrowland Season 2 Toys:

TOMY brings storytelling and space adventure to life with its innovative toy line that captures the sense of wonder and exploration from the Disney Junior TV series “Miles from Tomorrowland.” The product line encourages STEAM learning, and features evergreen play patterns that kids can use to recreate adventures from the TV episodes or to discover new stories for Miles and his family and friends.

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About the Toys:

Photon FlyerThis great toy was built by Miles Callisto for a space race derby. It has now become Miles’ go-to mode of transportation. Miles can get anywhere in the galaxy in a flash with the super speed of the Photon Flyer. All you need to do to activate hyper speed mode is pull forward on the nose of the ship and race off after your target. You can turn on the hard light wings with the push of a button. If your race or mission requires surface exploration push back the hard light wings to drive around in surface mode.

This great toy transforms into 3 modes: surface mode, space mode, and hyperspeed mode.

Miles From Tomorrowland, HarunaHaruna is Miles Calisto’s best friend from Earth. Haruna and Miles go way back and even learned to skateboard together when they were in kindergarten. Haruna still loves riding his skateboard, even in outer space. The Haruna action figure, with poseable arms and legs, can practice awesome moves on his skateboard accessory with rolling wheels.

Gadfly’s Scourge Vehicle: On his quest to steal the Rift Drive, galactic space theif Gadfly needs his ship, the Scourge, to make his get away from the Space Guard Police Force. The Scourge ship makes it easy to steal the rift drive with a grappling claw that extends from the bottom of the ship to pick up the included rift drive. Launch flash beams at any enemies coming your way as Gadfly zooms off.

Miles From Tomorrowland, Prince Rygan: Prince Rygan is the sole heir to the throne of the empire of the Dethalian Race. But Prince Rygan likes nothing better than hanging out with Miles Callisto playing a game of Kalok. Even though his mother, Queen Gemma, is very strict, Rygan has a way of charming her to get his way. He’s adventurous like Miles and is always ready to get into and out of trouble with Miles. The Prince Rygan action figure, with articulated arms and legs, can keep up with Miles on any adventure on his super cool Dethalian Blast Board accessory.

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My Thoughts:

My daughters have had a blast playing with these awesome toys. They love shooting from Gadfly’s Scourge Vehicle, and they absolutely love lighting up the Photon Flyer. The toys are a great way to ring in the new season. I know that they are a great way to pump up any Miles Lover and prepare them for the wonderful Season 2 that is in store.