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« Previous EntriesDisney Junior Swashbuckler Soiree
Thursday, May 17th, 2012From the minute we received the more detailed schedule for events of Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, something caught the attention of my children. Yes, NHL and JSL immediately noted the Swashbucker Soiree, especially after I read them this:
Ahoy matey! Aye – now this is a family dinner you won’t want to miss! Brought to you by Disney Junior, join us for a buccaneer-themed evening along the beach with live music, a treasure hunt and plenty of fun for everyone.
The boys literally jumped up and down. They guessed that Jake from Jake and the Never Land Pirates would be there and possibly others. The boys, well, they are good at guessing.
After the Cocktail Reception – Passport to the World welcome, we went out to the beach by the Beach Club Resort to meet up with our families. With one quick look, you could see we were in for an amazing pirate party!
Disney Junior handed out pirate bandanas and pirates greeted us as we walked onto the beach where a pirate band was playing music for all of us to enjoy. Then, it was time not to walk the plank because there was an amazing buffet of pirate inspired goodies for all to devour.
While the boys and Nana and Papa were eating, TechyDad and I were able to chat with some of our friends on the beach. We also caught up with head GEM (Good Enough Mother) Rene Syler and stopped for a photo. TechyDad helped the kids eat while we gabbed and gabbed with Rene and every other person I bumped into.
Of course, my little mateys had a hard time staying by their seats soon after this. You see, once they saw someone enter the area, they did not want to stay at the table. Check out who joined the party below.
Yes, that is Jake from Disney Junior’s Jake and the Never Land Pirates. When Jake came out onto the Swashbuckler Soiree scene, many of the kids (including mine) were off to participate in the fun and games. Once NHL and JSL had their photo taken with Jake and the pirate slide behind them…
They had to beware of other pirates. This colorful crew of pirate misfits were teaching the kids how to perfect their pirate pose for the camera.
Looking back on it, I wonder if they were really just trying to help and protect the kids. Soon after this, two scallywags that you may recognize showed up to join the party.
Of course, when you party like a pirate, it is important to stop to enjoy a cool ice cream treat.
This break also means that it is the perfect time for the Pirate mother to send out an Instagram or two to share photos from the fun. And for those that finish their Mickey Ice Cream sandwich early, it’s always interesting to hide your feet in the sand!
Of course, little pirates that have been up since the wee hours of the morning get tired when the sun sets. We knew that we had many more adventures ahead on Friday and beyond. While others remained to dance in the dark, we went back to our room in the Yacht Club Resort to settle the boys in for some sweet pirate dreams.
More to share and lessons learned from our time at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration coming soon.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event.
Cocktail Reception – Passport to the World
Thursday, May 10th, 2012After arriving in Orlando for Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we checked into the Yacht Club, registered, and immediately took advantage to the close proximity of Epcot. NHL and I stayed at Epcot a little while longer to have some special time together. In just a few short hours, I noted over 8,000 new steps on my pedometer. Yes, there is a lot of walking all over Walt Disney World.
As NHL and I walked and then hitched a ride on a boat back to the Yacht Club, we chatted about the resorts and places we were passing by. I pointed out where TechyDad and I stayed for our honeymoon. NHL was fascinated with the Boardwalk. We also noticed more things unfolding on the beach where we would be gathering in a little while.
When we got back to the room, TechyDad and I quickly got ready to head out to the welcome reception in the convention center. Nana and Papa were in charge of getting the boys into their pirate party best and meeting us there later on.
TechyDad and I walked over with Shannan and a few other people. We were among the first to arrive as they opened the doors. We were immediately greeted by a ukulele player and room that transported us to Hawaii. It was like we were at Aulani – a Disney Resort and Spa in Hawaii. As people arrived we walked around and saw many old friends and finally got to meet some new ones. There are too many people to name. My one regret – I hardly took photos of any people. 
During this time another special event took place. Ellen presented Kelby with her new book – Pinterest For Dummies
Soon after this, Leanne took the stage to officially welcome everyone to the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. From here, we learned more about the Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii. In addition to this, they shared that with Disney you may need a passport for other reasons than going to their resort in Paris, cruising, and beyond. Thanks to Adventures by Disney, you can experience locations throughout the world with a special Disney touch.
Adventures by Disney Brings History to Life with New Privately Guided Itineraries in 2012 — Launched in 2005, Adventures by Disney provides immersive, hassle-free and exhilarating guided family vacation experiences in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia. In 2012 guests will journey through Greece, Egypt and Northern France in an award-winning lineup of family-friendly group adventures.
Yes, one day I would love to go on an adventure with Disney that would require a passport and take me beyond World Showcase in Epcot. It would also be nice to head back to Hawaii again, to go on the Menehune Adventure Trail.
Before we knew it , it was time to head out to the beach and meet our families for a night on the sand and under the stars with our pirate pals.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event. One Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for Pinterest for Dummies by Kelby Carr. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy any of the books through my links.
Tuesday Tales – Meeting Ridley Pearson in Walt Disney World
Tuesday, May 8th, 2012It’s time to jump around on my timeline from events at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration to share something related to literacy, reading, and books. Nothing could fit in more perfectly than meeting NY Times Bestselling author Ridley Pearson. Since I signed up for his session on Saturday, I knew that Ellen and I would be front and center for his presentation. What I didn’t know is something magical would happen before that.
After the conference session on Friday, TechyDad and I met back up with my parents and the boys. Once back in the room, we debated what to do before the party in DinoLand at Animal Kingdom. We were told that we could head to the Animal Kingdom and exit the park to wait for the group while they finished setting up the area. This seemed like a good plan. On the way out of the Yacht Club to catch a bus to the Animal Kingdom, a person caught my eye. I shrugged it off until I got to the bus area and happened to bump into Ellen and her daughter. I told her that I was pretty sure I had just seen Ridley Pearson in the lobby, but was doubting myself.
After wandering around Animal Kingdom for a few hours, we waited outside the gates, for the rest of the families to arrive. I nudged Ellen and told her Ridley Pearson was walking in with everyone. This is when I mentioned something to my son and reminded him I was going to Mr. Pearson’s session in the morning. 
NHL was busy going on ride after ride before eating dinner. Thanks to this, I had to force him to stop to get at least a little something. NHL and I were at one of the then empty buffet lines when I noticed someone come over on my left. I peeked and noted that it was Ridley Pearson. I said hello and wanted to make sure he was Mr. Pearson. He said he was and then I mentioned I was going to his session the next day. Then, I turned things over to NHL. I mentioned that NHL was a fan of the Kingdom Keepers. Without missing a beat, Mr. Pearson started to talk to NHL. He asked him about his favorite part of the book. NHL explained that he loved the scene in Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark 
The next morning before the session began, I thanked Mr. Pearson. Thanks to this encounter, NHL wants to get back to reading the Kingdom Keeper series. He was excited to let his teacher know that he had met the author and kept chatting all night about the Small World Ride chat. Yes, once again, Ridley Pearson showed how a little magic from him could inspire a reluctant reader to jump back into reading. While others were asking for autographs, I knew that I had to get one for my son (little did I know my almost five year old would be jealous of this – ooops). I even took photos to share with NHL later.
More about the session and tour of Epcot with Ridley Pearson coming soon. Have you ever met an author? Please feel free to share your experience below. What have you read recently? Please be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.
Disclosure: Although we paid for our own trip to Disney World to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given an incredible deal from Disney. Also note that Disney never asked us to blog about this event. As a long time Disney fan, it is my pleasure to share my experiences from the event. Meeting Ridley Pearson was just another BIG perk from the festivities. One Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the book mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy any of the books through my links.
Views from a Friend’s Birthday Party
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
A Goal Met – Evolution Fitness NY
Thursday, March 1st, 2012About eight years ago, I met a group of wonderful women in my Capital District Moms group. Together, we have shared stories, inspired each other, and been a shoulder to cry on when needed. The founder of the group was Debi Condon. Over the years, I have watched this amazing woman change her path in life and follow her dreams. She balances family life, being an entrepreneur, and healthy living all while showing others that it can be done. I hope to be one of these women that Debi kicks into gear because I know I need to do this for me. The following is a guest post from this phenomenal lady. Thank you Debi for sharing your story and helping others.
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Have you been wanting to fit into those special pair of jeans, but notice that they just not fitting right any longer? Or what about playing outside with the kids? Are you finding you are getting short of breath trying to keep up with them? Have you just been denying that you should make the time for yourself to get back in shape? Always coming up with an excuse, saying I’ll start tomorrow, or when the baby goes down for a nap?
That was me 6 years ago. I was a mom of 3 kids all under the age of 5. I had let the post pregnancy weight stay on me and then some and I made every excuse in the book. If there was an excuse I had it: laundry to be done, dishes to put away, the house to be cleaned, errands to be done or me to just have some “down” time. I found I was constantly putting everyone first and not making the time for myself! My eating habits were not all the greatest. I would pick at whatever my kids didn’t finish, or snack all day long. I did not have the words vegetables or portion control in my vocabulary!
In December 2006, a neighbor asked me if I would like to join Weight Watchers with her and I gave her a “sure I’ll check it out with you” response. I’m not sure why I decided to go and waste the money but I did. I kept going each week with her. Each week I learned a little bit about myself and a little bit about how to make the changes I needed to make to be healthier for my kids and myself. With each passing week, I saw the weight coming off! By July 2007, I had hit my lifetime goal weight and had lost 31lbs. At that time, I started exploring Sparkpeople more often and learning about strength training, eating clean and ways to maintain my weight loss. I started having friends and family members asking me for advice and steps they should take to change their lives around. Leading me to make the decision to pursue my certification as a Personal Trainer & Fitness Nutritionist.
In April 2009, I began the process of starting my own personal training business: Evolution Fitness. I first started teaching beginner boot camp classes and then began working with individual clients. Evolution Fitness offers 1-1 personal training sessions, nutritional guidance, small group training sessions, boot camp classes, TRX training, corporate classes, and seminars. Coming soon I will be offering Zumba classes and Wellness coaching.
You are probably wondering what boot camp class is – probably thinking I’m dressed in Army fatigues, have a whistle and yelling at each participant! That is FAR from the truth! Boot camp is a 1 hour class combining cardio and strength training in each class. We are in 1 big group setting, laughing, talking, and telling jokes: anything to help each participant get through the 1 hour class and away from the thinking of what they are doing. It is designed to push your body out of your comfort zone and take your fitness to the next level. The participants in these classes really form a camaraderie amongst each other: helping to hold each other accountable, offer the support needed to keep going, and help each other through any exercises.
Each of you has the potential of changing your life. Each of you has different goals and no matter what they are, Evolution Fitness can help!
Commit to making one change at a time. If you overwhelm yourself with too many changes, you are more likely to throw in the towel. Change won’t happen overnight, so be patient, be persistent & be consistent.
For more information about Evolution Fitness head to their Facebook page, Google+ page, catch them on Twitter, and feel free to e-mail Debi –> debi@evolutionfitnessny.com
Preoccupied with Pinterest
Friday, January 6th, 2012“‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, I was trying to avoid things and got distracted by all things Mickey Mouse”
What am I talking about? Just before Christmas, when I was busy with all things Chanukah and beyond, my friend Kelby Carr, aka @TypeAMom, mentioned something about Pinterest. This was far from the first time she had mentioned an addiction to it. I heard about it while in NYC during SheStreams. Of course, I tried to stay away. Why? Not because I didn’t think I would like it. I knew I would and didn’t want another item in my bag of tricks.
Well, Kelby brought me to the dark side that evening. When I said I was avoiding it, she sent me an invite. Within minutes, I was a sold. What’s not to love as a mother, geek, social media person, and crafter? Seriously, WAY too much to offer.
The beauty of Pinterest is you can personalize in any way you want. So far, I have organized my pins into 16 boards. My topics include:
Disney Life For Me – Recipes to Try – Sweet Goodness – Knitting Things – Crafts for Kids – Geek I am – Need to Read – For Those Eeyore Kind of Days – Chanukah Oh Chanukah – Recipes that we Enjoy – Bullying Be Gone – Books from Tuesday Tales – Just for Laughs – Around the House – <3 Day Items – Birthday Party Ideas
On Type-A Parent, Kelby has shared 5 Pinterest Tips for the Beginner. This post does a great job summarizing things for the newbie getting to know Pinterest. Now, let me share a few fun pins.
From “Disney Life For Me” – a favorite Dreamfinder and Figment post from Zannaland
Source: zannaland.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
A funny saying that several fellow Geeks shared and I loved for my “Geek I am” board:
Source: nerdquirks.tumblr.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
Of course, there are lots of sweet temptations in my “Sweet Goodness” board. Here is one with cookie dough that is taunting me to make it one day:
Source: recipegirl.com via TheAngelForever on Pinterest
There are SO many other goodies out there, but I will leave you with those three pin examples. If you are on Pinterest Type-A Parent also has a Pinterest Profile Linkup that they are running to locate more people. Oh one more thing, congratulations to Kelby. While I sit and type this, she just announced that she was signed on to write a Pinterest for Dummies book.
So my question to you this week:
Are you on Pinterest yet or not? If you are, what do you like using it for? If you are not, I would love to know what you are waiting for.
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #185
The Year that was 2011
Monday, January 2nd, 2012It is hard to believe that 2012 is here. Once again, the year went by with a lot of fun, photos, and memories. Here are just some of the highlights from the year that was 2011.
January:
- Mother Nature started her tricks with a lot of snow that came our way. We had fun making memories with the sled in our own yard.
- I started writing Education posts at The Disney Driven Life and introduced it to everyone. Thank you to J.L. for the amazing opportunity. I look forward to getting back on track in 2012.
- NHL lost three more teeth during the first three months of the year. Much relief as they came out without dental assistance.
February 2011:
- The Snowpacalypse welcomed the month of February threatening 18-30 inches of snow. It left lots of the white stuff and tons of ice damage. Our neighbors probably had a laugh with knee-highs on our roof.
- With all of the freezing cold, even the little guy was trying to ride Tony Pony to Disney World to escape. Of course, we were gearing up for Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2011 in March.
- We continued to take the boys to introduce them to hockey. They had a blast checking out all of the extras between the on ice action.
March 2011:
- Mother Nature teased us with warmth to melt snow mountains early in the month, only to knock us down with an ice storm to remember. Crackling trees and ice pelting the house is hard to listen to in the dark.
- A magical trip to Walt Disney World for the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration allowed me to see amazing friends, learn, and have fun with my family. Lots of items from that trip were shared throughout the months ahead.
- Of course, the reality world hit hard once we got back from our magical adventure. Tough decisions were ahead and left my head spinning. All of this made me remember the wise words of Rene Syler – The Good Enough Mother.
April 2011:
- Passover preparations were dominant this month. Making lists, shopping, and getting the house ready. Of course, we also captured memories of the holiday itself.
- Lots of moments where I wished I was not the adult who had to make decision. Thank goodness, JSL helped to keep me smiling along the way.
- A routine visit to the dentist for NHL revealed the need to see an orthodontist. We made the appointment for several months later in June, but knew the missing adult tooth was going to be something to contend with.
May 2011:
- Even moms need field trips. Yes, the weekend before Mother’s Day, Cutestkidever and I jumped into the car for a lunch date with Rene Syler.
- JSL’s 4th birthday and new love for Jake and the Never Land Pirates required working on a theme for his party. Supplies were bought and cupcakes were made.
- The sun coming back also provided an opportunity to test out our new grill, plant some veggies, and attempt to regrow our front lawn.
June 2011:
- After taking NHL out of a school he had been in since kindergarten, TechyDad and I watched as our second grader started to flourish in a new school. Once again, we started to believe in the education system. This entire drama made it SO hard to bite my tongue and keep a lot of things to myself.
- Father’s Day we spent a fun day together. We had lunch out, went mini-golfing, and had dinner with Nana and Papa. It reminded me of how special these moments together are.
- The end of June marked a major milestone for TechyDad and me. We celebrated out 10th wedding anniversary. Memories of our special day, honeymoon at Walt Disney World, and everything over the ten years together came flooding back. Of course, the day of our actual anniversary was a house nightmare. A plumbing fix resulted in us moving out for several days.
July 2011:
- The month started with a visit out to see my brother and his family for 4th of July. While there, we went cherry picking and beat our previous record. A day at Niagara Falls was also included in the fun adventures.
- Both of the boys were home with me for the entire summer. We looked for fun activities to do. We often ended up at the library for learning and crafting.
- We also spent a lot of time at Michaels crafting our way around the world. Yes, Michaels and Crayola teamed up to make a great passport of crafts for kids to do that were mostly free. The kids learned so much and we found some great new crafts to try later on.
August 2011:
- At the end of July, we started to think about a magical getaway to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Shortly after this, we booked a fantastic trip to relive our honeymoon at Walt Disney World. Everything was planned from the hotel, dining, and place for the kids to stay over Labor Day.
- NHL turned 8 in August and requested lion cupcakes. We documented the construction process and birthday celebration.
- The end of the month was heart breaking. We watched as Hurricane Irene wrecked havoc up and down the east coast. Thanks to the fear of the kids being stuck with no power and our flight getting canceled, we postponed our big trip to Disney. Being responsible adults was tough.
September 2011:
- The boys started back to school after Labor Day. NHL loved his new school and was settling into third grade. JSL thrived at his familiar nursery school and we had lots of fun going apple picking with his class.
- As a Type-A personality, I am a planner. So it was very rare for me to pack up in just a few days notice to head to New York City for the first ever SheStreams Conference. It was an amazing time seeing friends, learning, and getting away for a weekend. A huge thank you to all of those that made it a magical and empowering weekend.
October 2011:
- As a third grader, NHL started to take band in school. He picked percussion instruments and drum practice even got a Disney touch thanks to Nana and Papa.
- During the month of October, two large packages arrived to host parties. The boys loved learning and playing with LeapFrog items during the Learn, Create, and Share Party. The LeapPad had been an amazing addition to our family learning electronics. HexBugs also invaded our house for some glow-in-the-dark holiday fun.
- Halloween was a lot of fun thanks to everyone staying healthy. NHL was Darth Vader, JSL was Jedi Tigger, and even TechyDad dressed up. Of course, Snowtober threatened to make things more interesting just a day before heading out.
November 2011:
- The start of the month meant going to a fun event for bloggers at Price Chopper, headquarters. The Price Chopper Holiday Cheer afternoon showcased endless holiday entertaining ideas. Of course, I wanted to highlight the Decadent Desserts line.
- This was also the month that my entire family fell in love with Susan Egan. I had been lucky enough to see Susan at Disney Social Media Moms in March, but her new CD review was a hit in our house. My little guy even had a crush on her and certainly did care more than Nina.
- The boys learned about what an aufruf is and spent a lot of time with family in November during Thanksgiving weekend.
December 2011:
- The month began with full on Muppet madness in our house. The boys have always loved the Muppets, but the anticipation of the new movie brought it on even more. There was Muppets mania clothing style and lots of Muppet music playing in our house. Heck, I even tossed in some fun Muppets nail polish. Bringing things from our childhood back are so much fun.
- Chanukah was more quiet this year as we focused on time with each other, festive music, watching the menorah glow, and less attention on presents.
- A surprise trip to Build-A-Bear workshop introduced our family to Snowflake and Clumsy. Snowflake has been on a lot of adventures and even requested a beary special knitted scarf.
There were so many other things that made 2011 special and amazing. Thank goodness that is what archives are for. We can look back, laugh, cry, remember, and reflect.
What are some of your favorite part of the year that was 2011?
Merry Christmas 2011
Sunday, December 25th, 2011
The Importance of Pixie Dust Moments
Friday, October 28th, 2011There are days when everything just seems to blur together. Life as an adult can be overwhelming at best at times. There are so many things going on with everyone in the house. Add in other drama and it can make you wonder when the ride is going to stop for you to get off. These are the moments where I feel like I am the White Rabbit, constantly late for a very important date or something else in life.
Of course, there are also the times that I remember how much we have and are lucky not to have to deal with. When I get like this, I have my family, friends, and others in my world to toss a little Pixie Dust my way. 
They remind me that it is okay to vent, whine, and groan – however, I have to keep on moving and remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Some days, this may be harder to remember than others, but it has to be done. Something that helps me is to look back at our magical moments from trip to Walt Disney World. Recalling the laughter, smiles, fun times, and everything else makes these not so pleasant items vanish for at least a short time to let me wish upon a star.
So my question to you this week:
What do your “Pixie Dust Moments” looks like and how do they help you to push through.
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #175
Making Time For You
Friday, September 30th, 2011A week ago, I was heading to SheStreams in NYC for the adventure of my life.
I am still digesting all of the information that I learned during the two days in New York City. Maria Bailey and her team packed in an amazing weekend. Thanks to the amazing keynote speakers and panel members, my brain is still moving a mile a minute.
SheStreams was also the first time I have been away for a night without one of the boys since NHL was born eight years ago. Yes, I missed TechyDad, NHL, and JSL – but it was nice only to worry about ME and put ME first. The wise words of Rene Syler (aka Good Enough Mother) came flooding back to me Saturday morning when she reminded us that it is ok to move yourself to the top of your to-do list.
Late nights in NYC chatting, networking, and laughing with new and old friends reminds me of the importance of ME time.
On the flip side, I also know that TechyDad needs time away to do things he likes, and we need couple time as well. Mom and Dad need to keep their identities to be their best for the kids. As we begin 5772 this Rosh Hashanah – I hope that our family can work on this aspect of life.
So my question to you this week:
How do you make sure to get time for YOU and what do you like to do with these special moments?
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Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the linky there if you are participating.
Aloha #171
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