Disney Pictures Updates: New Frankenweenie Poster & Lone Ranger Sneak Peek!

Two exciting images coming out from Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer today!  As you already know, I'm so excited for Frankenweenie. I can't stand it! And, really? Who isn't excited about Lone Ranger?

Check out the newest Frankenweenie poster, featuring the star of the show, Sparky (love that name, so fitting for this story!)

For more great Frankenweenie Fun, check out my other posts:
Frankenweenie Trailer Premiere
Fun on the Frankenweenie Set

Frankenweenie bolts into theaters on October 5th!

In more wild {west} news, Jerry Bruckheimer tweeted out this sneak peek of the Lone Ranger set today!
RT @BRUCKHEIMERJB Some extras on set waiting for the next scene. pic.twitter.com/Hfv7512G #LoneRanger

It's definitely a huge production in the desert today!  Can you imagine how hot those extras must be?  Yikes!

The Lone Ranger is set to premiere in May 2013.  {and once again, the theme song is stuck in my head}

Which of the two films are you most excited to see?

Uncovering Lost Passions

As I mentioned earlier, even though we have no idea when we'll be PCSing this summer, I'm still starting the decluttering and organization process.  I started with my loft closet (remember, the place crafts go to die?).

I decided it was time to be ruthless.  Everything in there got divided up into Keep/Donate/Toss piles.  I have a friend who's a Girl Scout and Rainbow Girls Leader and I'd give all of the donation stuff to her.  Today was trash day, so I could toss everything into the trash or recycle bins and get it out of the house.

I was blowing through most of the stuff: yarn, crochet hooks, fabric, t-shirt decorating stuff.  It was all easy to toss into the donation pile.  Random paper scraps went into the recycling bin.  I was feeling good.  I could get this project done.

And then I came across my Stampin'Up! supplies.

I started thinking about how much I missed being a Demonstrator.  How much I missed sitting down with fresh cardstock and a new stamp and creating {in my opinion} beautiful cards and paper crafts.  And then they went and created a digital software program that fed my addiction even more.

It was like therapy for me.  I could focus any nervous energy into creative energy.  I can't draw to save my life {my stick figures are even the subject of mocking around here}and stamping let me be artistic without being an artist.

I eventually gave up on being a Demonstrator.  While I'm great at creating cards, I'm not really great about selling the products.  I never met my quarterly minimums and TH was over my purchasing $100's worth of craft stuff to stay afloat.  I felt guilty asking friends and family to buy products from me, especially with the economy the way it is.  It was a luxury many people just couldn't afford.  It was also impossible to find the time to stamp {or sell} when I had a newborn and a very energetic toddler to take care of.

What I wouldn't give to be a Demonstrator again.  I keep opening the SU! website and longing to sign up again.  There are only a couple of Demonstrators in our new station area, which is a big change from the over-saturation of Demonstrators here in VA.  But, with moving {god knows when}, it probably isn't the best time.  I hope that time comes again soon.  It's something I'd really like to give a second chance and see if I can make it work.

Have you ever come across something that reminded you of a long-lost passion?  I'd love to hear about it and if you plan on giving it a second try!

Scenes from a 4th Birthday (or not)

This was supposed to be a post filled with photos from our awesome Memorial Day weekend, and more importantly, photos of Bunny's fourth birthday, including her first visit to Water Country, USA.

Photo taken by Disney Fine Art Photography and Video, edits are  by moi

And then I went and accidentally deleted an entire month's worth of photos from my phone.

And then I cried.  A lot.

Her first ride on the Barnstormer, that fateful first ride on Splash Mountain, dozens and dozens of photos of Bubba at Walt Disney World.  Gone.

And gone are Bunny blowing out the candles on her cake.  The excited expressions on her face as she opened her bag of Star Wars and Princess presents.

The only photo I have of her and her preschool teacher we adore.

Gone.

With the stupid click of a button.  I tried everything I could to recover them.  But, of course, I haven't backed up my phone in months.  Of course I don't use the Cloud.

While I know I'll always have these memories in my mind, Bunny probably won't.  Bubba definitely won't.  And it makes my heart hurt.

Guess who's going to be backing up her phone weekly now?  Yeah.

Red Lion Anaheim Military Discounts #MamaGoesCali

Time seems to be flying lately.  It's already Memorial Day and June 15th is going to be here before I know it.  My to-do list is growing by the day.  I'm pretty sure my mind is already on California time.

I've already introduced you to the Red Lion Hotel in Anaheim, my home during my trip to the West Coast next month.  (Next month!!!)

In honor of Memorial Day, I wanted to share an amazing offer Red Lion has for military members and their families!

From now until 30JULY2012, the Red Lion Anaheim is offering room rates at $104.00 per room, per night and includes free parking and free Roaring Start Breakfast for up to 2 adults per room daily. Children under 10 eat free.  

From 1AUG2012  to 21DEC2012, the rate goes down to $94.00 per room, per night and includes free parking and free Roaring Start Breakfast for up to 2 adults per room daily. Children under 10 eat free. 

These rates can be booked via phone at 800-328-4000, entering the Corporate Rate Code "MIL on the Red Lion Anaheim website, or clicking here (just change your dates of stay to your preferred dates).

And don't forget, Disneyland's US Military Special Offer tickets are available until 30SEPT2012.

My hotel accommodations are being provided by Red Lion Anaheim at no charge in exchange for my honest review. My trip is in no way affiliated with Disneyland Resort or any of the Walt Disney family of companies.  All opinions are my own and talking points were not suggested for this post.

Workout Wednesday: On the Run Again

It's the triumphant return of Workout Wednesday!  {insert happy dance here}

After a long few weeks of traveling, stress, some health-related stuff and general life craziness, I can finally get back into my routine.

And just in time, too.  The official Jeff Galloway Training Plan for the Tower of Terror 10-miler starts next week.

I decided to get a head start and jump into Week 1 this week.  Mainly because I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to die trying to run/walk for 30 straight minutes.  I haven't run since November, y'all.  Nov.em.ber.

I laid out all of my gear the night before and went to bed nice and early.  I even had my alarm clock yell at me when it was time to get up and RUN.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at how it went.  It hurt {bad}, but I didn't feel like I was going to drop over dead at the end and I'm actually looking forward to my next run tomorrow.

Yesterday I ran at a 15sec walk/45sec run pace.  I think I may bump that down to 30/30 for now and try to work my way back up again.  I managed to make it about 1.6 miles in the 30 minute time span, which is horribly slow, but I don't really care at the moment.  Right now I'm focused on not hating running and for that to happen I need to not try and kill myself right off the bat.  That's my biggest mistake when I run.  I start out shooting for a 10 minute mile on my first run and burn out.  Slow and steady, slow and steady, right?

Next week starts the official training plan.  I'm ready and excited.  I just have to remember to take it one week at a time because right now?  Right now I'm terrified of running 10 miles.

Slow and steady.

Why I Can't Get Work Done

Because this angry face is no longer amused by coloring or playing in the office while I work. He keeps yelling "Mama Up Now. Now!".  Apparently he's going through a new separation anxiety phase.  One where he thinks he can crawl back up inside of my womb and chill again.

With Bunny done with school this week, I foresee lots of late nights with me working while they sleep. Joy.

Beyond Coastal Sunscreen Review and Giveaway

We can't get enough of Summer.

BBQ's, trips to the beach or pool, hiking, or just playing in the yard until the fireflies emerge to light up the summer sky...there's never enough summer to soak it all in.  Lately, we've been all about bubbles.  I don't think I've traveled anywhere without a container of bubbles at the ready for weeks now.

And, of course, we always have the other essentials on-hand at all times as well.  You know, the usual stuff: hot dogs, watermelon, ice pops, sand toys, soccer balls, swim suits and beach towels.

One thing we definitely can't survive Summer without is sunscreen.  I'm a stickler for making sure the kids (and myself) are lathered up and protected when we're going to be in the sun.  I've blessed my children with my pale (more like paler than pale) skin.  Bubba definitely has the most sun-sensitive skin out of the family, though.

The problem with sunscreen/sunblock is it can be filled with nasty chemicals and additives which make me not want to slather it on my children.  I was very excited to have the chance to test out Beyond Coastal's line of sun protection.  They pride themselves on using as many natural ingredients as possible in their products:

Beyond Coastal Actives are fast absorbing, transparent, non-greasy formulas that won't sting your eyes. Developed with outdoor athletes in mind, they also contain natural anti-oxidants like Yerba Mate, Green Tea and Aloe. All Active formulas are Fragrance Free, Oil Free and Paraben Free.

We tried out several of their products, including the Kids Natural Sunscreen (30+SPF).  It was definitly not like the sunscreens we're used to.  It was thicker and harder to rub into the kids and the spots we didn't rub in well enough turned white on their skin.  However, it did seem to provide lasting protection and it didn't cause any issues with Bubba's sensitive skin.  We've had several sun protection products cause rashes on his arms, but this one didn't.  I'll put up with a more tedious application if I know his skin won't break out from the product.

TH has been using the Active Sunscreen (30+SPF) on his runs.  He's training for his first half marathon and is running for over an hour at a time most days, so he's definitely working up a sweat!  The Active Sunscreen has stayed put and he hasn't complained once of it running into his eyes, which has been an issue with past products he's tried.

Beyond Coastal wants to provide one of my readers with their very own prize pack!  All you need to do is leave a comment answering this question: “What is your family’s favorite fun in the sun activity?”


That's it!  Easy Peasy! 


Now for the yada yada:
Open to US residents only.  Ends June 1st on or around 12pm.  Winner drawn using random.org.  Winner has 24 hours to respond or prize will be forfeited.  One entry per person for the contest period.  Please leave your email or twitter ID for contact purposes.  I was provided with a sample pack of product in exchange for my review. 

Disneyland Countdown is On! {Red Lion Hotel Preview} #MamaGoesCali

The countdown to my Disneyland Resort trip is officially on!

I've passed the one-month mark, which means my excitement level has jumped from a 10 to a 15.

The last week has been spent reading, browsing, and soaking up every bit of information I could.  I also stalked followed along with the tweets and blog posts from the first Disney California Adventure media event last week.  The Disney Food Blog has some great articles up regarding the new food and beverage options for Cars Land. Warning: you will drool.

I've also been thinking a lot about how different this trip will be.  Disneyland is not my "Disney home"/territory.  I feel very much as if I'm going to someone else's home for the first time.  Unsure of where to go, what to do, and not wanting to step on toes.  It's a very odd feeling to have.  I won't know my way around the parks without a map.  LAX is a completely new airport for me.  There's no Magical Express and I'm staying "off-property".  It's like being the new kid on the first day of school.  It's exciting and terrifying all at the same time, just like new adventures in travel should be, right?

Speaking of my hotel, I'm very excited to be staying at the Red Lion Anaheim.  The Red Lion came highly recommended to me by a close friend and reviews I've found online have been very favorable.  The Red Lion is located within walking distance to both Disneyland Resort and the Anaheim Convention Center.  I'm excited about the close proximity as I will not be driving when I arrive in California.  It will be nice to be able to walk to the parks or to eat/shop and not have to worry about driving anywhere because, honestly? The thought of driving in CA scares me, y'all.  And this is from a girl who grew up driving in NYC.

Red Lion Anaheim is also one of the few hotels in the area who cater to the military traveler by offering a great military promotional rate and other discounts.  I like that the Red Lion is catering to not only the military member, but their families.  So many hotels only cater to the military traveler on orders and don't really offer great discounts, just per diem rates.

Combine the military discount at Red Lion with Disneyland's Three-Day Military Park Hopper at just $99 and you have an affordable Disneyland vacation in the works!

I am excited to stay at the Red Lion and share all of the details with you.  I'll be doing a live vlog from my room so you'll get to see exactly what they are like.

Speaking of sharing details about my trip, make sure you check out my trip hashtag #MamaGoesCali on twitter to follow along with every moment.  I'll be live tweeting, blogging, and vlogging my experience in Anaheim and I hope you'll follow along.  Make sure we're buddies on Instagram, too!

Disclosure: I am attending the opening weekend of Cars Land as an everyday park guest at my own expense.  My trip is in no way affiliated with Disneyland or any Disney entity.  Red Lion Hotels is providing a complimentary hotel stay in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are mine, mine, all mine! 

Frozen Planet DVD {Review, Giveaway, and Coupon Code}

Frozen Planet is a seven-part documentary series by BBC Earth and narrated by acclaimed naturalist Sir David Attenborough.  It is 350 minutes of the most beautiful and captivating television you will ever see.  If you were impressed with the series Planet Earth, you will be blown away by Frozen Planet.

Check out the official trailer. I guarentee you'll get chills (no pun intended).





It took me a while longer than planned to write this review simply because I could not stop watching the DVDs.  I typically browse through a DVD I'm reviewing and check out the Bonus Features and call it a day.  Not this time.

I watched every minute of the seven episodes as well as all of the Bonus Features.

It's that good, y'all.

Speaking of the Bonus Features, my favorite is the ability to watch the series as "Music-only".  It was the perfect thing to put on the television during playtime with the kids.  It provided a beautiful soundtrack in the background and the kids would look up every so often and be captivated by the stunning images of animals. Bunny asked all sorts of fantastic questions about what she saw and made for some awesome teaching moments.

If you're a teacher or homeschooler, Frozen Planet is a must-own for your science and nature units.  Frozen Planet is high-quality educational material presented in the most breathtakingly beautiful way.  The Frozen Planet hardcover book is a gorgeous companion to the DVDs.

I reviewed the standard DVD version of the series (there are a total of three disks).  The sound and picture quality were excellent.  I can't imagine how incredible it must look in Blu-ray.

BBC Earth is providing TWO of my readers with the chance to own Frozen Planet on DVD.  All you need to do is to leave a comment:  Check out the Episode Guide and tell me which episode you're most looking forward to watching (or which was your favorite if you've seen the series)  Be sure to leave me your email or twitter ID so I  can contact you if you win!

Can't wait to see if you've won? Use code FP312 for 10% off Frozen Planet DVD or Blu-ray purchase at http://www.bbcamericashop.com/boutiques/frozen-planet.html.

You can connect with Frozen Planet on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr.

US Entries only, please. One entry per person for the duration of the contest period.  Ends 5/30/2012 at or around 12:00pm.  Winner will be selected using random.org.  Winner must respond with shipping information within 24 hours or the prize will be awarded to another entrant.

Disclosure: BBC Earth provided me with the Frozen Planet DVD to review as well as a copy to giveaway.  No additional compensation was provided. 

New Cars Land Ad "Top Secret"

Ok, so I'm a little obsessed right now, I know.  I can't help it.  I'm just too excited about my trip.  I promise I will post about other stuff over the next 35 days.  I swear.  Pinky promise.

Heck, I wasn't even going to write about it again for a few days to give y'all a break.

And then this cute ad appears in my twitter feed today.

And all bets are off.






Love it!  It's going to be amazing to see Radiator Springs lit up in neon.  The neon scene in the Cars film is, by far, my favorite scene in the film. (cue having Sh Boom, Sh Boom stuck in my head)

Maybe it's the nostalgia-lover in me.  Maybe it was the music.  Maybe it was a combination of everything.  But, I loved it.  I get chills thinking about seeing it in person.  I can only hope they'll have some nostalgic tunes playing in the background.

Cars Land is going to be filled with incredible attractions, shops, and food.  What are you looking forward to the most?

Stay tuned for more posts as I prepare to head out West on my trip!  I have some really exciting things planned and I can't wait to share them with you!

Disclosure: Yeah, none needed.  I'm flying out to California to see Cars Land for myself as general public.  In other words, Disney isn't paying for any of this y'all.