Danielle - Busy Moms Helper

100+ DIY Harry Potter Ideas

March 22, 2019 by Danielle 2 Comments

I’m a HUGE Harry Potter fan, love reading (and re-reading) the books, delight in the movies and have had plenty of dreams where I could cast a nifty spell. Imagine my delight about visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter during Family Forward this month! I can’t wait to tell you all about it – in the meantime, enjoy these 100+ DIY Harry Potter Ideas for crafts, recipes, printables and much more!

Golden Snitch Cake Pops by Tonya Staab

Party ideas with Free Printables by Creekside Learning

Winged Key, Quill, Sorting Hat & More Ornaments by Easy as DIY

Chocolate Frog Box Printables by The Brilliant Crafty Type

DIY Harry Potter Wands & List of Spells by Bambinis

Jewelry, Recipes, Kids Crafts & More Round up by Raegun Ramblings

Harry Potter Inspired Tree Skirt from Sowdering About

Places I’d Like to go from Harry Potter: Sign found on Craftster

Dementor Relief Chocolate Bar Wrapper Printables by Pieces by Polly

Time Turner Inspired Necklace from 30 Minute Crafts

Pocket Pygmy Puffs Necklace found on Crafster

30+ Harry Potter Knitting Patterns from In The Loop Knitting

Cheese and Pretzel Broomsticks by One Little Project

School Supplies that will make you a Total Hermione found on Buzzfeed

Little Monster Books by Instructables

Platform 9 3/4 Ticket Printable from I Do on a Dime

Professor Snape’s Potion Labels by Over the Big Moon

Mirror of Erised by Delicious Reads

Ministry of Magic Identification Card found on The RPF

10 Harry Potter Costumes by Andrea’s Notebook

Pin the Scar on Harry from Crafting in the Rain

Corner Bookmark on Instructables

Harry Potter Gifts for the Whole Family by Raegan Ramblings

Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean Box by Naphtali’s Melody

7 Harry Potter Craft Ideas & Printables by Everything Etsy

Ollivander’s Apprentice Wand Tutorial from Give Peas a Chance

Harry Potter Snitch Cake by Ashlee Marie

Harry Potter Clothespins by Tried and True Blog

Luna Lovegood Paper Doll Printables by Me and My Inklings

I Solemnly Swear Onesie by Tried and True Blog

Preparing for Star Wars Land

March 20, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Disney travel has been a hot topic since opening dates for their new Star Wars Land were announced. With Disneyland’s opening May 31st and Walt Disney World’s opening August 29th, it’s earlier than most had anticipated (especially Disney World, which was originally ‘late fall’!). This means many who had planned to travel around the openings to avoid the chaos and crowds are having to rethink their trip dates. Whether you’re switching things around to avoid anytime near the opening, hitting up opening week or aren’t quite sure – here’s some tips on Preparing for Star Wars Land!

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(some photos courtesy of Disney, used with permission)

While nobody REALLY knows what to expect from these huge openings – since there’s nothing really to compare it to except perhaps the Harry Potter lands at Universal – we can make some assumptions and plan as best as possible. What we do know is that for Disneyland’s opening, it will be on a ‘reservation basis’. The details are still a bit fuzzy, but it seems that instead of getting to the park hours ahead of time with the hopes of getting in, people will reserve what ‘time’ they can return to enter into Star Wars Land. Disney World’s version – located in the Hollywood Studios park – won’t be doing a reservation system, and neither park will be doing FastPass/FastPass+. While some are upset at this, I read an article that explains some of the math behind this, which makes sense and actually benefits pretty much everyone.

After several conversations with others, looking at similar times such as Universal’s Harry Potter openings and Pandora over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there’s some tips we’ve all agreed upon that can help us prepare for Star Wars Land the best we can, given the overall uncertainty of how things will be.

1 – It WILL be crowded

There’s no sugar-coating it, the park WILL be insanely crowded – and not just opening week, but for quite a long time after. If you look at when Pandora opened, there were still long waits for Flights of Passage more than a year later, and this is STAR WARS (so a much more crazy fan base – I can say that because I’m included!). Yes, the few weeks or months after opening will be the absolute worst, but it won’t die down significantly until much later. Also, only the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run will open at first – their second attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, won’t open until a bit later (still no open date for it). That means you’ll have the crowds coming first for the whole area (food, sites, shops, etc.) and one ride, then a big surge AGAIN when they open the second attraction. Some people will wait until both are open, so it’s likely that the second surge will be as busy – if not more so – than the first.

As you plan, just accept that there will be crowds (and if you’re not okay with that, perhaps plan for a year or two out when it may start to mellow) and go in with that as your expectation. Plan to be more patient, wait around longer, be more crowded, and certainly not able to fit in as much into your day. Decide if that’s worth it to you when picking your travel dates.

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2 – Arrive early

Since Disneyland is doing a reservation basis for awhile, this applies mostly to Walt Disney World – get to the gates early. If you’re staying on-site, try to catch the first or second shuttle to the parks to help you be some of the first there. Note: This is for a bit AFTER opening day, as they’re anticipating people may even camp out for that part! But after that initial time, just try your best to get there early enough that you should be in the first few groups allowed into Star Wars Land. As they did with Pandora’s opening, it may be that a certain amount of people get in first, then they have a time limit inside the ‘land’. Once that’s up, another group or number of people get in, and so forth. Not sure if that’s how they’ll handle crowds this time, but given the amount of people and limited room inside the area, they’ll have to limit it somehow. Being early helps ensure you’ll be able to get in at least some point.

3 – Plan a whole day

Since there’s no guarantee how long it’ll take to get INTO the area, or how long you’ll be allowed once in there, it’s probably best to just plan a whole day for that park. Arrive early so you can get in sooner than the later arrivals, be prepared for lines and waits – then after you enjoy what we’re expecting to be an INCREDIBLE experience in Star Wars Land – you can decide where to go from there based on how long all of that took in the day. Perhaps schedule FastPass/FastPass+ for later in the day, just in case – but you’d hate to have a reservation around 11am only to arrive and find out you will barely be entering that land around then. Don’t rush yourself, as that will add stress and pressure – which isn’t helpful on vacation!

4 – Set priorities

If you’re a huge Star Wars fan (like us!) then you’ll likely put attendance here at the top of your list for your vacation must-dos. If crowds and long lines aren’t your style, and you aren’t too disappointed about waiting longer to see it all, then perhaps waiting a year or so until the crowds die down is the best choice for you. Decide what YOU really want for your vacation. Maybe you’ll still go and have a blast at the other parks, and just avoid this one for now because it isn’t as important to you. For us, we arranged our entire trip schedule so we can attend two days at Hollywood Studios, hoping that will be enough to see and do it all at Star Wars Land – but that’s because it’s high on our priorities.

Also decide if just dealing with lines for the RIDE is what matters, then you choose to hurry out of there to less crowded areas – or perhaps you can’t wait to try the FOOD at the various locations, so those lines are a better use of your time. Also, even if you WANT to see everything, still list out your priorities for once you’re in Star Wars Land in case it takes more time than you planned. For example, if you really want to do the ride AND try the foods, but the waits were too long and time will be out after you do the ride and only one quick service place, know beforehand which one will take that spot out of your schedule.

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5 – Be ready

Overall, you need to not only have your expectations set realistically and have a good plan – because who knows how timing or crowds or lines will work out – but also make sure YOU are ready. Do you have something to keep yourself (or your kids) entertained in a several-hours-long ride line? Do you have the proper bag and supplies to last you through a very crowded, long day? Be sure you have things like water bottles, great shoes (because all the walking and standing), sunscreen and maybe a hat, plus snacks. After all, if the line wait is 7 hours long, you’re gonna get hungry! Be sure to take care of yourself while tackling Star Wars Land, for your sake AND for the sake of those around you – nobody wants to be in a crowd full of cranky, miserable people when they’re in the happiest place in the galaxy!

Are you going to Star Wars Land this year?

Over 100 Staycation Ideas

March 18, 2019 by Danielle 2 Comments

Don’t have the budget to swing an expensive vacation this summer? Even though Disneyland, cruises, and road trips are super fun, for the normal person it’s just not practical to splurge on one every single year. It’s still nice to have some type of family vacation, though, right? Well, here’s the list to save your vacation woes…Over 100 Budget-Saving Staycation Ideas!

Yesterday was Wonder Woman’s last day of 2nd grade, so our house is on ‘official’ summer break mode. Seriously, WHY do kids go crazy the DAY it’s summer break? Do they have a switch? Whatever it is, I do find it slightly annoying. Anywho…since we’re trying our hardest to get out of debt, we’re putting the big N-O to any big vacation plans this year. I don’t want to do NOTHING, though, so went on the search for some awesome Staycation Ideas. This list of over 100 ideas will have us spending plenty of staycation time together, and I’m sure there’s something perfect for your family, too!

Here’s 25 Awesome Staycation Ideas over at Living Well Spending Less

The Extreme Coupon Professors have 100 Staycation Ideas for Your Summer Fun

Six Sisters’ Stuff shared these 30 Cheap Staycation Ideas, and they’re fabulous!

Forbes has a list of 16 Things To Do On a Staycation that’ll help get your brainstorming going

My family (and sometimes just Hubby and I) will surely enjoy some of these 123 Amazing Staycation Ideas from the lovely Dating Divas

What better way to relax and enjoy yourself than with these 22 Ways to Turn Your Home Into a Staycation Resort from This Old House?!

Have you done any Staycations in the past that you absolutely loved? Please share in the comments below!

20 Weather Activities Kids Will Love

March 15, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

With the weather changing from winter to Spring (and back again, depending on where you are!) it’s a perfect time to cover a weather unit at preschool, Kindergarten or just for some fun learning activities for kids! We put together a list of 20 Weather Activities Kids Will Love, from experiments to printables and more.

Contains affiliate links for your convenience. See our disclosure.

There’s some super fun weather crafts and activities here, from umbrella sorting, to I Spy, to homemade weather vanes and much more.

20 Weather Activities Kids Will Love

Pre-K Pages – ‘What’s the Weather?’ Dramatic Play Dress Up

Artsy Craftsy Mom – Umbrella Counting and Color Sorting Activity

Two Daloo – Felt Weather Board

Life Over C’s – Weather I Spy

Weather Stickers

Buggy and Buddy – Thunderstorm Art Project

Mom Inspired Life – Explore Clouds Fine Motor Practice

The Home School Scientist – Using Clouds to Predict the Weather

Things to Share and Remember – ‘What’s the Weather?’ Movement Activity

McCormick Food Colors

Lemon Lime Adventures – DIY Thermometer Kids Activity

Preschool Powol Packets – Weather Science Experiment – Warm & Cold

Sunny Day Family – One Windy Day: Leaves & Weather Activity

123 Homeschool 4 Me – Homemade Weather Vane

A Little Pinch of Perfect – Printable Weather Chart

Gift of Curiosity – Make a Hurricane Weather Sciene

Housing a Forest – How to Make a Barometer

Life Over C’s – Printable Weather Pre-K Pack

Mom Inspired Life – Rain Cloud Jar Science Experiment

In The Playroom – Seasons Weather Sorting Activity

Pre-K Pages – Weather Theme Movement Game

Buggy and Buddy – Weather Mobile Craft

Which idea is your favorite?

5 Worst Disney World Quick Service Restaurants

March 13, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

There are plenty of great places to eat at Walt Disney World. Food has become a focus of the company ever since the massive success of the Epcot Festivals and the rise of food blogging and instagram. In order to get you to hashtag your hashbrowns, Disney comes up with some incredible stuff! While the many unique food items to come out seasonally are ‘hit and miss’ several permanent menus at counter service locations have shown improvement. Since there are so many counter service locations that will enhance your vacation experience on a budget, here are 5 Worst Disney World Quick Service Restaurants so you can limit the list.

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Electric Umbrella

This is easily one of the worst counter service restaurants in Epcot. It’s a little unfair, because Epcot has so many quick service locations to choose from. However, that’s precisely the problem. Electric Umbrella is standard theme park fast food in a park that celebrates world cultures and cuisine and even grows its own produce. Electric Umbrella is the first dining location you come to in Epcot and it’s best to keep moving.

Cosmic Rays

Cosmic Rays is not a terrible place to eat, but it serves very basic food that just does not taste very impressive. Pecos Bill Tall Tale Cafe, Columbia Harbor House and Casey’s Corner are all far better places to spend your time and money in Magic Kingdom. Best yet, try the lunch at Be Our Guest restaurant because it’s still quick service!

Yak and Yeti Local Foods Cafe

Please note this is different than the Yak and Yeti table service place, which we really enjoy.This food stand on the pathway from Asia to Africa in the Animal Kingdom park is a bit of a let down. While it has the right mix of food to satisfy a family with different tastes, the quality of the food is a mixed bag as well. Depending on what you order, this can be an acceptable stop or a disappointment.

With so many snack carts and Flame Tree Barbecue (which can also give you the most bang for your buck) so close, don’t take the risk here. Or head over to Satu’li Canteen because holy cow it’s tasty (and unique)!

Refreshment Outpost

Back to Epcot – this is the second worst counter service restaurant in Disney World. In the African Outpost, you have to be starving and somehow unable to move another hundred feet. If you like basic hotdogs but hate bratwurst, then you’re the target audience at Refreshment outpost. The food stand literally only serves a basic hot dog, along with soft serve, slushes and beverages. I can only see stopping here for a quick snack for your child if you have to (and we all know those instances do happen). Otherwise, you should ignore it and move on. NOTE: The exception to this is during festivals when it has special offerings!

PizzeRizzo

The absolute worst counter service in Disney World has got to be PizzeRizzo. No one liked it the first time when it was Pizza Planet. The pizza is the same and it’s the worst pizza on Disney Property. Even worse, the restaurant themed to the zany and nonsensical Muppets completely misses the mark on decor. There is a fair amount of seating because nobody likes it. At this point, it’s only open seasonally as a way to prevent overcrowding. Backlot Express and ABC Commissary are much better alternatives, but you really shouldn’t go to Hollywood Studios without dining at the many themed table service restaurants they have there (we’re trying the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater on our next visit!)

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What’s your favorite quick service Disney World restaurant?

21+ Ways to Make Box Brownies Seem Gourmet!

March 11, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Let’s face it, sometimes we just want a delicious dessert recipe that’s special – but we don’t always have time for homemade. Or you just HAVE boxed brownies, but want to spruce them up a bit instead of let them collect dust in your pantry. While brownies from a box may seem boring, here are 21+ Ways to Make Box Brownies Seem Gourmet! A few small tweaks or additions here and there can take a simple treat and turn it into the most popular brownie recipe at the party!

All of these recipes use a boxed brownie mix as the base, but then through either additions or swaps make them seem like a unique, fancy – and definitely delicious – brownie that’s perfect for any party, get-together, or just a night in!

Slow Cooker Brownie Pudding – Crazy for Crust

Cookies ‘N Cream Oreo Fudge Brownies – Kevin and Amanda

(also see their Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie Bars)

Chocolate Coconut Brownies – Celebrating Sweets

Fully Loaded Reese’s Brownies – Buns in My Oven

French Silk Brownies – Crazy for Crust

Samoa Brownies – Southern Plate

Chocolate Mint Pudding Brownies – Busy Mom’s Helper

Buckeye Brownies – Shugary Sweets

Ultimate S’mores Brownies – A Latte Food

OMGEEEE! Brownies – Southern Bite

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Pizza – Mostly Homemade Mom

S’mores Brownies – Pip and Ebby

Mounds Brownies – In Katrina’s Kitchen

German Chocolate Brownies – Julies Eats & Treats

Brownie Marshmallow Crunch Bars – From Valerie’s Kitchen

Brownie Gooey Bars – Crazy for Crust

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Bars – A Savory Feast

Crockpot Turtle Brownies – Passion for Savings

Neopolitan Cheesecake Brownies – Frugal Coupon Living

Red, White & Blue Brownie Pizza – Jo Cooks

Dreamy Oreo Brownies – Cookies and Cups

Salted Caramel Pretzel Crust Brownies – Living Well Spending Less

And if you’re feeling really ambitious….

Snickers Peanut Butter Brownie Ice Cream Cake – Life, Love and Sugar

Brownie Recipes from Busy Mom’s Helper

50+ Slow Cooker Desserts

March 8, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

As a super busy mom, I really dread spending too much time cooking. I love cooking, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so many days where it’s just not going to fit into the time I have. That’s why I absolutely LOVE my slow cooker! But did you know that you can make more than just dinner with it? That’s right, you can make delicious desserts, as well! To help get you started, here’s 52+ Slow Cooker Desserts!

That’s right, fabulous desserts with very little effort! You just may be wishing you had a larger slow cooker so you could make even MORE! I can’t help with the size of your cooker, but now you’ve now got 52+ Slow Cooker Desserts….that’s one every week for a year! You’re welcome 😉

Apple Cake

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

Apple Crisp

Ginger Orange Cheesecake

Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

Pina Colada Lava

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

Apple Spiked Monkey Bread

Peppermint Coated Pretzels

Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter Balls

Cinnamon Almonds

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Turtle Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Copy Cat Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies

Molten Chocolate Lava Mud Cake

Reese’s Spoon Cake

Lazy Lemon Delight

White Chocolate Candy Corn Fudge

S’mores Cake

Mexican Custard Flan

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Dulce de Leche

Paleo Almond Bark

Peanut Clusters

Angel Cake with Cherry Sauce

Hot Cocoa Cake

Sour Cream Cheesecake

Pumpkin Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Custard, Sugar Free

Applesauce

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Caramel Apple Cider

Chocolate Cherry Cola Cake

Pumpkin Bread

Nutella Crunch Cheesecakes

Tiramisu Bread Pudding

Simple Homemade Peach Cobbler

Melted Chocolate

Mini Salted Caramel Mocha Cheesecakes

Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

Quite the selection of Slow Cooker Desserts, right?! I love using my slow cooker, and now with cold weather hitting will be pulling it out even more often! My kitchen is sure gonna smell delicious!

7 Things to NEVER Bring to Disney World, plus 10 You MUST!

March 6, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

We’re definitely not Disney newbies anymore – that ship sailed long ago, and we consider ourselves veterans at this point. With our many visits to the parks, we’ve learned well what items are truly useful to bother bringing, but also items that should be left at home or in the hotel. There’s many times when I’ve been going through security and saw a frazzled family being stopped because what they thought would be a wise packing choice ended up being a big regret. Save yourself the hassle, and avoid these 7 Things to NEVER Bring to Disney World, plus 10 You MUST!

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I previously shared about what you should pack for Disney trips, and even one that’s specific to Disney World packing ideas, but after so many people loved our 7 things to never bring on a cruise plus 10 you must – and asked us to do a Disney park version, we couldn’t resist! You don’t want to get to security – excited for all the rides, foods, parades, characters and fireworks – just to be told you have to either throw something away or even take it back to your hotel room.

Keep in mind, Disney has an extensive list HERE that tells more specifically what isn’t allowed in the parks. Security is thorough, so don’t try to be sneaky and dishonest – this causes risks for everyone, and you don’t want to be responsible for ruining anyones magical vacation, especially yours!

Things to NEVER Bring to Disney World:

Selfie Stick – not only can this be annoying to others on a ride or trying to walk through the already-crowded streets, but it can be a hazard on rides
Glass – bottles, containers, even glass make-up things can be declined. One year they almost emptied my bag because I had a square lip balm in there, and the clear plastic looked like glass. They ended up letting it through once they realize it wasn’t glass, but wow
Hard-Sided Coolers – you can bring in smaller soft-sided ones, but leave the hard outsides either at your hotel, rent a locker, or just leave them home. This is probably to avoid theft, or the risk of someone bringing in items they shouldn’t
Drones – while it’s fun to get cool aerial shots, I’m sure you can see the chaos and danger with bringing these, so just leave them home
Shoes with built-in wheels – while this may seem a good idea for the kiddos to ‘roll’ along instead of walk, they’re not allowed at Disney because it could cause too many bumps, bruises, falls or plain chaos. Imagine everyone running around – that’s about the crazy of kids rolling around
Bags with Wheels – I’ve seen people trying to bring in their rolly-bags, only to be stopped and given a firm NO. Totally understand not wanting to carry a bag on your back all day, but it’s such a tripping hazard in the crowds
Folding Chairs – I know, long lines make you want to rest, but then you’re a bit SOL on the ride, huh? Also may seem smart for parades, but just bring a blanket (that you don’t mind getting dirty) and planning ahead

BONUS: Wrapped Presents – a birthday party or other celebration at a Disney park sounds amazing, but they have to be able to inspect everything you bring in, so sadly if you bring a wrapped present, they’ll have to open it up. Just do a cute gift bag instead!

FUNNY BONUS: Cremated Remains – yes, I’m serious. Plenty of people have been caught trying to bring in vases or other vessels holding remains of their loved ones (either to ‘enjoy the park with us’ or to try and spread them around, especially at the Haunted Mansion). They’ll catch you, you’ll get in trouble – so just don’t

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Things you MUST Bring to Disney World (or at least really should):

Lip Balm – between the sun, lots of food (and hopefully plenty of hydrating) and rides, your lips are definitely going to be needing it
Sunscreen – I understand some people burn easier than others, but wouldn’t you rather be extra safe just in case, instead of risking all the pain of a sunburn for the rest of your trip?
Blister Prevention – If you haven’t been to a Disney park before, you may not understand when people say a LOT of walking – it’s a whole new level of LOT! Your toes, heels and pads of your feet will be screaming by the end of the day, so be sure to have moleskin and blister bandaids in case
Flexible Bag – you know you need a bag to carry things (tickets, phone, etc) but make sure it’s not TOO big or TOO rigid, or you’ll have a hard time stowing it on the rides
Ziploc Baggies – several sizes; you’ll need them for putting things in you don’t want wet (on water rides or in the rain), store leftover snacks, or even if someone gets sick and you just can’t get to a garbage or bathroom in time (yes, I’ve seen this happen at the parks plenty)
Battery Backup – we all love our phones, especially for those awesome photos of the kiddos, but make sure you have enough spare juice to last you the entire day
Sanitizer/Wipes – with that many people, I don’t even want to think about how many germs are there. Wash your hands often, and bring sanitizer for those random moments (a sticky handrail isn’t a nice surprise) and nab a pack of wet wipes like this one for the many messes!
Sunglasses – it’s bright, the wind blows in your face (even on fast indoor rides), so give your peeps some protection
Tissues – the last thing you need is getting a runny nose, watery eyes (totally happens to me on the fast indoor rides!) or whatever that you need a tissue fast, but aren’t close to a bathroom
Collapsible Water Bottle – it’s super important to stay hydrated, but you can’t (and don’t want to) take a full water bottle on the rides. These water bottles have been amazing for all of our trips, hold enough water for awhile, then we just finish it off and fold them up for the rides. Love it!

BONUS: Rubber Bands/Hair Bands – if you get a caricature like us, or the kiddos make a drawing at one of the kid stations in Epcot, you need to be able to roll it up to safely transport it home, so secure it with a rubber band or hair tie!

What packing mishaps have you seen or done?

Captain Marvel: The Hero We All Need

March 5, 2019 by Danielle 1 Comment

You’d think that after more than a decade of Marvel films, we’d start to get bored or things would become monotonous and repetitive – but that’s certainly not the case! Captain Marvel is a super fresh film that keeps you on the edge of your seat in suspense, while trying not to spit out your soda from laughter at the same time! She not only comes with plenty of humor, strength (inside and out), confidence (mixed with uncertainty, making her totally relatable), determination and plenty of spunk – but she’s the hero we all need. (no spoilers, I promise!)

I admit that I didn’t know tons about Captain Marvel before the film – just bits and pieces from various comics or the cartoon shows my kids watch. I thought she was tough and cool, but no idea just how amazing she actually is! Seriously, I can honestly say she’s my new FAVORITE superhero – which is saying something, because there’s some incredible ones to pick from. My favorite thing about her is that she’s full of sass – but has a very kind, honest heart. Veers, as she’s known by her Kree ‘noble warrior hero’ companions, certainly isn’t perfect, which makes her that much more likable because we’ve all been through doubts or insecurities.

Like Veers, we often find ourselves fighting with ‘one hand tied behind our backs’, so to speak. Letting others put limitations on us, holding us back from our full potential. Or maybe it’s ourselves that simply don’t allow ourselves to be as truly remarkable as we can be, as we’re meant to be. Either way, it’s time we take a cue from this new superhero and find out what are abilities REALLY are!

Along for the ride, Veers brings on the infamous Nick Fury to help solve the puzzle – and since this is back in the 90’s, he’s quite a bit younger with much better vision (if you know what I mean) than the regular Avengers-era Fury we know. We also get to see the ‘newbie’ Coulson, who I already loved but now adore even more so – you’ll see why! There’s plenty of friends – old and new – joining her mission. My favorite may be ‘Lieutenant Trouble’ who is the cutest little girl full of personality. Seriously, she may even save the world herself someday!

Since I don’t want to share an spoilers, here’s a few reasons you need to nab tickets to this movie (in theaters THIS WEEK) fast!

Probably the best music list of any Marvel movie yet (in my opinion)
Plenty of laughs
Mystery, suspense and adventure galore
A spunky superhero who is hard not to want to be friends with
During the credits, a sneak peak to get you more excited for the upcoming Avengers: Endgame next month! Woot woot!

You may also find some clues or answers to:

What really IS Captain Marvel?
How did Nick come about the eye patch?
Why are the Skrull so afraid of Goose, the cat?

Hurry & see why Captain Marvel is my new favorite hero – she’s in theaters now!

How to Get the Smell Out of Shoes

March 4, 2019 by Danielle 8 Comments

I was getting so sick of the stinky shoe problem in our house – I mean, with an active girl and three VERY active boys (plus hubby and me, yes) there were a lot! I tried a few different things, but this one trick is the best way I found to Get the Smell Out of Shoes – and I’m sharing it with you.

Our dogs have gotten into this nasty habit of chewing on shoes (and everything else, for that matter) and because of that we now have to keep all of our shoes behind closed doors. We put a shoe rack in our under stairs closet for those we use regularly. The bad thing about that is the stinky shoe smell really fills up that closet. It’s pretty spacious – but it’s also a lot of shoes!

Like I said, we tried several things – but only one made enough difference to make it worth it. The great thing about it is that it doesn’t take much stuff, or money!

Supplies

Cat Litter
Baking Soda
Cheap Knee-length stockings (or extra/spare/unmatched socks)

Get the Smell Out of Shoes Directions

In a bowl, mix a few cups of kitty litter with a few tbsp. of baking soda. There’s no ‘exact’ measurement, so just roughly. Mix it up well.
Scoop some into each stocking/sock. Tie the end off so it doesn’t spill.
Place one inside each shoe when not being worn. Throw away when done!

Note: for the stockings, some baking soda dust may come through the fabric – but just shake the shoes. I found they kept the kitty litter in just fine, though.

Be sure to wash your hands after handling kitty litter, please. I didn’t want my kids playing with these, so I put them in at night, then removed them in the morning before they got their shoes. I repeated this 2 nights, then replaced with NEW filled stockings because the old ones eventually were getting the smell out of the shoes, but then THEY smell. So replace occasionally. After two rounds, our shoes were smelling fine and our closet was back to a normal closet smell – which is basically nothing 🙂

This isn’t a solution that’ll last forever, of course, because we continue to wear our shoes. I’ll probably do a 2-night round every couple of weeks, as needed. I’m just so glad I don’t open that door and have to plug my nose!

Other Useful Cleaning Tips…

Fly with Toothless at iFly

March 2, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

We received a complimentary visit to try this flying adventure. All opinions are mine alone.

We’ve all dreamed of flying with dragons – and now you can really experience the adventure and Fly with Toothless at iFly! Dreamworks and iFly have teamed up for the release of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World to offer you an unforgettable experience that the whole family will be talking about for a long time to come. Our family had the opportunity to try out this unbelieve Virtual Reality experience, and we’re still on cloud 9!

Our family was a mix of excitement and nervousness, as we had no clue what to expect from our exciting evening. Despite a few fears, even the littles couldn’t wait to try it out and were talking about it for many days leading up to our appointment! We went to the Dallas location, but the How to Train Your Dragon virtual reality experience is available nationwide (there’s over 30 locations in the U.S.) exclusively at iFly.

First of all, the basics: While you can enjoy iFly indoor skydiving as young as 3 years old, the Virtual Reality (VR) experiences are for ages 6 and up and for weights up to 260 pounds. As first time flyers (but now definite repeats!), our package included a short training to start – so they could explain how it works and the various hand signals used in the wind tunnel – as well as two 1-minute flights each before the VR.

They provide the jumpsuits (can fit over regular clothes, just don’t wear something bulky), helmets, goggles and foam ear plugs. You do need to wear closed-toe shoes that won’t slip off.

I knew they worked with younger kids, but was still nervous if they’d have something that fit my littles – but they had quite the variety and had the right thing for all 7 of us! Don’t we look adorable in our gear? 😉

I’m so glad we got to try out the regular flight before, because you can really get a feel for the wind blowing and the instructor guiding your body around as you fly. Especially for the kiddos, I don’t know how they would’ve done having a VR set on without knowing their ‘real’ surroundings first. Plus we could experience the VR better as we weren’t as ‘flingy’ as the first flight!

If your kiddos are a bit unsure like some of mine were, don’t worry – the instructors are incredible, preparing us with all the information beforehand and guiding us every step of the way. Ashley was with our crew, and I can’t speak highly enough of her. She kept it extremely fun, safe and was super patient with some of my littles that were more CLINGY….

If you’re wondering – after this first flight of his, he had his arms fully out for the second, so we were thrilled at his progress and feeling more at ease! Just from the flights, the kiddos were begging to come back again soon – and we hadn’t even done the awesome VR, yet!

Now it was time for the BIG event – flying like a dragon! We raced Toothless and Astrid, but you can also pick Hiccup if you’d rather him. They get you all equipped with the VR headset outside of the tunnel, making sure it’s working and you can see. Then you begin your race in a fully-immersive and exhilarating adventure through the world of Berk from the new film How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World!

The instructor has you the entire time, moving you around so your flight is totally life-like. They have a screen so the instructor can see exactly what you see, so they can move you perfectly around the mountains, hills or other obstacles you may encounter.

Feel free to look around as much as you’d like, because there’s stuff to see ALL AROUND YOU, not just in front! It was so incredible to soar right along our beloved dragon Toothless, and really feel what it’s like to fly. This breathtaking journey is unforgettable, and it’s truly a family experience I recommend for everyone that’s able. My kids are STILL talking about it, and can’t to go back as soon as we can. Be sure to ask them about return pass deals when you’re there, because that’s when you can get the best prices!

Of all the exciting things I’ve had the privilege of doing for this site, I can honestly say that this was definitely in my top 10 favorites! Hurry and schedule your time to try out this incredible VR experience to feel and see for yourself what it really is like to fly like a dragon!

Who’s YOUR favorite from How to Train Your Dragon?

Meet Michael’s VIPs

February 27, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

I was provided tour guide services to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are mine alone and I will only promote services I truly enjoy and recommend.

Since I don’t want to overwhelm y’all with a zillion posts from my incredible trip to Florida, I’ll be spreading them out over the next couple months because there’s SO MUCH to share with you! For now, I’m thrilled to let you Meet Michael’s VIPs, the amazing private tour guide company that I had the privilege of working with and trying out their services. Guys, they were PHENOMENAL, and made the trip a million times less stressful – plus we got to experience a lot more – than if we’d tackled the parks by ourselves.

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So what exactly is Michael’s VIPs? They’re a private tour guide company in Central Florida you can hire for your trip to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World – or even other locations in the area! They’ve learned the ins and outs of all these parks, and I was astonished all the knowledge they have of the history, operations and happenings. So why choose Michael’s VIPs?

Michael’s was founded by a former Walt Disney World VIP Tour Guide in 1999, and they’ve grown like crazy from the amazing recommendations they receive from happy clients. Once people experience the parks with such a valuable guide, they learn that it’s the best way to vacation! Now, normally they try to put you with the same guide for the duration of your trip, but since we wanted to get to know a few of their guides and see what each of them had to offer, we were joined by a new guide each day for a different park. Without further ado, let me introduce you to the great staff we got to enjoy for our trip!

Renee – Magic Kingdom

You know those people that are so sweet, full of sunshine and energy, and you can’t help but absolutely adore? That would be Renee! She was so much fun, and her bubbly personality made the Magic Kingdom that much more magical – it was almost contagious. We loved hearing about her previous jobs at Disney, and got to ride everything we wanted that day. When our Jungle Cruise fast passes were going to make us late for our reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table for lunch, she worked some magic and fit it in afterwards without much of a wait. She knew where all the fun play areas for kids were around the park, as well as some entertaining cue lines.

She talked about the families she’s worked with before (many repeats, because you can’t help but love Renee!) with such fondness, you could tell she really loves her job. We called her our ‘walking, talking guide map‘ because she knew exactly where to go, including some shortcuts, so we didn’t waste time wandering lost. Since she’d worked for Disney before, she was able to tell us a lot about the changes made in the past, how certain things are done, how the shows and entertainment has evolved, and much more. Oh, and we had a great time chatting everything Star Wars!!!

With her excitement for all the magic of Disney, plus how much she got into the spirit of it and totally adored the kids all around, I highly recommend her for families with kids. Or just a girls day – since it was just my mom and I, it was a great start to the trip! She even checked in on us later in the week to make sure we were having a great time. Thank you Renee!

Jason – Universal Studios

While there’s rules in Disney that their employees can’t also do an outside guide service, Universal doesn’t – so Jason does Michael’s VIPS AND works in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Needless to say, this made him super knowledgeable and perfect for these parks. I lost count of how many people working said ‘hi’ to him as we were there. Like all the guides, Jason knew exactly where to go, the best order/ways to do rides, and when shows were happening. He was also full of information so we could learn more about the history and operations of Universal.

Jason was sure to show us all the kid areas, too, since Universal does lean more towards older kids. I hadn’t realized there were some really fun places for the younger group, too! He was great to not tell us if a ride was ‘good’ or not beforehand, letting us judge for ourselves. And since my mom was worried about getting sick on Forbidden Journey – the ride he actually works as Lead on – he had tips to help keep the motion sickness at bay. When Hogwarts Express was down for the day for repairs, he smoothly adjusted our plans and schedule without missing a beat. Amazing!

It was such a fun day, and we had a blast talking with Jason! It’s one thing to look around the parks and ride the rides, but it was even better because we were learning about it all, as well. I think Jason’s the perfect guide for Universal & the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and think he’d do great with a family with teens – they’d love chatting with him and going on the bigger rides! Oh, and he was such a gentleman, helping us carry our ridiculous amount of bags 😀 Thank you Jason!

Chris – Animal Kingdom

Chris is a former entertainer/stuntman for Disney, and you can tell he has the entertainer personality! Just super friendly, easy to chat with, and as with all of Michael’s VIPs he knows all the ins and outs of the parks. He joined us for breakfast to start off the day, and helped us take photos with characters and throughout the park (the Tree of Life was incredible, y’all!). He talked with us throughout the day on how WE wanted to spend out time, when we were ready to call it a day, and what we thought of the rides and shows we did. He even knew the best spots for each of the shows, so we had a great view.

He was even prepared with ponchos for Kali River Rapids – check out how ‘cute’ my mom and I are in this picture he snapped for us from the bridge…

Chris is the perfect private tour guide for a high-energy group looking for an exciting, stress-free, fun-filled time with lots of entertainment and stories! Thanks Chris!

Rob – Hollywood Studios

You know those people who can spout out amazing facts about pretty much everything? Yup, that’s Rob when it comes to Disney World things, including Walt Disney himself! We learned so much, and had a great time touring Hollywood Studios. When we went longer than expected at lunch, Rob took care of switching fast passes (during lunch, without anyone noticing – these guys have such a knowledge of the My Disney Experience App and can fix things on the go!) so our afternoon wasn’t thrown completely off. We got to try every ride and show we wanted, and even though the layout of this particular park is wacky, he knew right where to go.

He knew I was a Star Wars fan, just like him, so he made sure to wear his Millennium Falcon shirt for our day together! Kylo Ren wasn’t too fond of it though – haha! Rob would be especially great for those groups looking to not only have a super fun time in the parks, but also learn more about their history AND future plans (Toy Story Land & Star Wars Land – can’t wait!). Oh, and he takes GREAT ride photos 😉 Thanks Rob!

Adam – Manager of Michael’s VIPs

For the past 7-8 months of planning (remember, you have to do dining 180 days prior, and fast passes 30-60 days), I’ve been in contact with Adam, the head guy now over at Michael’s VIPs. He was super helpful when we were deciding plans, recommending things and answering my million and one questions with ease. Once we agreed on a plan, he took care of the fast passes and meal reservations for me so I didn’t have to figure out the system or wake up super early for those hard-to-get dining times!

He stopped in a couple of times during our visit to check on things, and was ‘That Guy’ in the Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor show, which was hilarious for us. Not only was Adam professional and helpful with all the planning – and patiently dealt with any changes I needed – but also is just a downright friendly and easy to talk to guy. The guides had nothing but amazing things to say about him – and you know someone’s a great person if their employees think that highly of them! You rock, Adam!