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How To Train Your Dragon 3: Hidden World Review – The Perfect Trilogy?

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This review is in no way sponsored. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

how to train your dragon 3 poster

The How To Train Your Dragon series holds a special place in the Smith family’s hearts. We love this series and watch the first two films often. Every month we have family movie night and How To Train Your Dragon 1 & 2 are often a top choice to watch. From the very moment Hiccup and Toothless found each other, we fell in love with them. Now the trilogy is ending so you know we had to go see How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World in theaters opening weekend. What did we think of the final film? Pretty close to perfection.

how to train your dragon 3 dragons

Action From The Start

How To Train Your Dragon 3: Hidden World starts right off with some action. We see Hiccup and the gang fighting dragon hunters alongside their dragons. It is obvious they rely heavily on the dragons, which becomes a theme throughout the movie. Once they arrive home, we realize through conversations that it has been a year since the last movie. Hiccup is now chief and has been spending a lot of his time hunting down dragon hunters and freeing the dragons they captured. The village is now seemingly overrun by dragons, and it is assumed something needs to done about it.

how to train your dragon 3

Lessons Learned

Throughout this film, Hiccup and his friends are running from a dragon killer. The one that killed all the Night Furies (besides Toothless of course). He uses a Light Fury as bait to separate Toothless and Hiccup, causes Hiccup to have to learn to fight on his own. He says that he feels he is nothing without Toothless, but Astrid helps him learn to embrace who he is. This is a really important lesson for children to learn, and something I was glad to see in this film.

how to train your dragon 3 hiccup and toothless

I won’t tell you how it ends, but I will tell you that I cried. A lot. No surprise there, I teared up at the trailer after all. It is a tear jerker for sure, but a great ending to the trilogy. At one point the entire theater I was in let out a collective gasp and awe. It was amazing. How To Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World is the perfect ending to a damn near perfect trilogy, and something the whole family will love.

Inside the Disney Vacation Club Resort: Old Key West 1 Bedroom Villa

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old key west disney

We joined the Disney Vacation Club two years ago after doing the math and realizing it would save us a TON of money. Our normal vacation spot is Walt Disney World, and we go several times a year. We own at the Polynesian and Copper Creek, but have decided to try every DVC resort out. One that we continuously heard we should check out is Old Key West, and after our 7 day Star Wars Disney Cruise, we spent 3 days in a one bedroom villa. Our only complaint? We wish we had more time to spend there!

okw-1br-standard-view

The first thing we noticed when we walked in was just how HUGE it was. There was tons of room! The bathroom was huge! I was so excited about the giant bathtub, which my girls totally took advantage of while we were there. And the kitchen – heaven! We ended up saving a lot of money on food because we cooked several meals in our room. Definitely one of perks of the Disney Vacation Club.

okw-1br-standard-view

Every morning my husband and I enjoyed our coffee out on the back patio with a view of the lake. It was so peaceful and a great way to start our day. Another thing I really enjoyed about this resort is all the bus stops. Not to mention the community room where my girls made crafts and watched movies after we had to check out while we were waiting for our magical express bus.

A Video Tour

I just had to take a video of the one bedroom villa that we stayed in. We were blown away by how much room we had and how big it was. My daughters keep asking to go back there now. I mean, see for yourself! We will for sure be back! This quickly climbed to the top of our list of resorts to stay at again.

The Highwaymen Netflix Movie Tells The Story of Bonnie & Clyde

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This is in no way sponsored. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

the highwaymen

I love a good gangster movie – and a good western – and it seems like Netflix’s The Highwaymen is about to combine those two. Telling the story of Bonnie and Clyde, and the lawmen that hunted them down, The Highwaymen now has its first trailer. Netflix has been stepping it up with their original movies, Bird Box was fantastic!

Check out my reaction to the trailer and you will see just how excited about this movie I am! I love the actors in it – from Woody Harrelson, to Kevin Costner, to Kathy Bates! They seem to really have some great chemistry. The Highwaymen looks like it will have humor as well as action and adventure and I cannot wait! Stay tuned for a review, because you know I will have to let you guys know what I think!

About The Highwaymen

The outlaws made headlines. The lawmen made history. From director John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), THE HIGHWAYMEN follows the untold true story of the legendary lawmen who brought down Bonnie and Clyde. When the full force of the FBI and the latest forensic technology aren’t enough to capture the nation’s most notorious criminals, two former Texas Rangers (Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson) must rely on their gut instincts and old school skills to get the job done. THE HIGHWAYMEN also stars Kathy Bates, John Carroll Lynch, and Kim Dickens.

The Highwaymen hits Netflix March 29th!

Captain Marvel First Impressions Are IN!

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Captain Marvel New Poster
Just look at this poster and try to tell me Captain Marvel is not a complete badass. You can’t.

Last night was the first press screenings of Captain Marvel. While I was on set last year, I am still uber jealous of those that have seen it already. I cannot wait to go higher, further, faster with Carol Danvers next month. You know I am going to bring my daughters with me so they can witness girl power at its finest. And those Skrulls man… cannot WAIT to see them kick some butt – and get their butts kicked!

The tweets are in, and while there are some mixed reviews, what I have seen has been mostly positive. Seems like the girl power was off the chain, the 90s references were everything, and Ben Mendelsohn stole the show as Talos. It was even compared to Guardians – so yea, I am in.

https://twitter.com/markeiamccarty/status/1098096144733822977

https://twitter.com/SassyMamainLA/status/1098129123782811650

https://twitter.com/SabinaHasNoR/status/1098103912547024896

About Captain Marvel

Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law. Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL is produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Patricia Whitcher and Stan Lee are the executive producers.

Higher. Further. Faster.

See Captain Marvel in theaters on March 8th, 2019!

Like CAPTAIN MARVEL on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaptainMarvelOfficial/
Follow CAPTAIN MARVEL on Twitter: https://twitter.com/captainmarvel
Follow Marvel Studios on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marvelstudios/
Visit the official CAPTAIN MARVEL site here: https://www.marvel.com/movies/captain-marvel

LEGO Movie 2 Review: Is Everything Still Awesome?

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This review is in no way sponsored. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

lego movie 2 poster

My family and I finally went to go see LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. We wanted to go opening weekend, but we got snowed in (gotta love upstate New York!). LEGO Movie is one of our favorite films, so we went in with high expectations. And I have to admit, they were fulfilled. Sure the first one is better, but this one certainly held it’s own. A bit predictable, yes, as are most kid’s movies, but a ton of fun for the whole family. And yes, I cried.

lego movie 2

The Songs

The songs were my favorite part about LEGO Movie 2. They were so fun! I admit, my girls and I have been dancing around the house singing “this song’s gonna get stuck inside your head” all day today. Even the song during the credits was hilarious (you cannot go wrong with Lonely Island Boys). The Gotham song that Batman sings was ON POINT! Personally, I am a huge fan of Batman and Superman bores me. So hearing him make fun of Superman was fantastic. Of course, you know what one made me cry – Everything’s Not Awesome. Yea. I teared up. A lot.

lego movie 2 still

The Humor

LEGO Movie 2 was so much fun! The humor was a solid hit for me. I loved all the references to other Batman movies – and they even brought up Marvel. The stepping on a LEGO joke – saying it was really close to the pain of childbirth KILLED ME. I was literally laughing so hard I couldn’t catch my breath in the theater. That was so funny. Also, how they made Will Ferrel’s credit in a speech bubble was fantastic. He totally phoned that performance in – literally.

lego movie 2 Queen Whatevra Wa'Nabi

The Plot

The plot overall was fantastic. I think it really taught my daughters a valuable lesson. Get along with each other while playing or I will put all your toys in storage forever. HA! No, but really, it was very touching and had some heartwarming moments. Where I cried. Of course. I want to keep this spoiler free but when you learn more about Queen Whatevra Wa’Nabi – it was so sweet.

Overall, I think LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is a great family film! Take the kids to go see it and you will not regret it! In theaters now!

NEW Star Wars Day At Sea 2019 Activities on the Disney Fantasy Cruise

han solo prop star wars day at sea 2019
YES! This is the actual prop from the movie. In 2017 it was Rey’s speeder that was on board for photo opps.

Two years ago my family went on an 7-day Disney Cruise which included the Star Wars Day at Sea. We had so much fun, that we decided to go again this year. We were pleasantly surprised at all of the changes that were made! Because of this, we had a whole new experience on board and we loved it. My daughters especially were really happy to see that there were new things to experience this time around.

star wars day at sea 2019

Changes To The Sign Up Process

On our last Star Wars Day at Sea cruise, the experience sign up process was totally different. There were a few meet and greets – C3PO/R2D2, Kyle Ren, & Chebacca, and then the Jedi Training. Guests were only allowed to choose two experiences to attend. Not only that, they could not pre-book them. Before Star Wars Day, a ballot was left in each stateroom. We had to rank what we wanted to attend in order of preference and turn it in ASAP. The next day we would be given tickets to the events we were chosen for. This time around, not only could you pre-book using the Disney Cruise website, you could attend all of the experiences if you wanted to. We totally did! And were really excited to see that instead of Kyle Ren, this cruise had Darth Vader!

Animation Classes

One of our favorite activities to attend on a Disney Cruise is the drawing classes. There were so many more Star Wars themed animation classes this time around! The last time we were on the ship, each class on Star Wars day was how to draw Yoda. This time there were classes that taught you how to draw BB-8, a Porg, and even a Stormtrooper!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtUSkPaHpah/

Guest Panels

Perhaps there were guest panels and discussions back in 2017 when I attended the Star Wars cruise, but I didn’t notice any on the one I was on. This time, there was a panel with Amy Ratcliffe. This was particularly exciting for me because I have been following her on social media and through her work at Nerdist for a while now. She is a total nerd, like me. I was excited to take my family to listen to her speak. Not gonna lie, after watching her I have a huge list of Star Wars novels and books I want to read!

star wars day at sea roaming characters 2019

New Characters Walking Around

There were many of the same Star Wars characters walking around during Star Wars Day at Sea 2019 as there were in 2017, but there were also some new ones. Keep in mind, there are no meet and greet lines for these characters, they are simply wandering the atrium and pool area throughout the day.

star wars day at sea 2019 stormtroopers

My favorite characters were still the Imperial Officers. Last time they threatened my daughter for dressing like Rey and this year was even better. My youngest was dressed as a Stormtrooper, but was wearing flip flops. Twice they stopped her to let he know her footwear was not regulation and she needed to get her boots back on ASAP. They really do make it a great experience!

summon the force star wars day at sea 2019

Summon The Force

While the nighttime spectacular show was still called Summon the Force, it of course had quite a bit of changes made to it. They updated it for the new movie, and we saw even more characters. My favorite change was that it included a pretty amazing Kylo Ren and Rey lightsaber battle! Don’t worry, the epic fireworks over the ocean were still a part of the show.

Kylo Ren Rey Lightsaber battle summon the force disney cruise

What is next for us? Perhaps a Marvel Day at Sea. I have heard from many people (including the crew on the Disney Fantasy) that is blows the Star Wars Day clean out of the water. I cannot WAIT!

star wars day at sea 2019 food
The food is even themed for Star Wars Day at Sea. They think of EVERYTHING!

Sugar Rush Popcorn Balls Recipe & Comfy Princess Movie Night!

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Ralph Breaks The Internet is finally available to watch at home. We came up with this super easy Sugar Rush Popcorn Balls recipe!

Sugar Rush popcorn ball recipe

One of my favorite scenes in Ralph Breaks The Internet is the comfy princess scene. There are so many things about it that make it perfect. From the clothing (those sayings y’all!), to the camaraderie of the princesses, to the fact that they are ALL TOGETHER – plus it had my daughters and I in tears we were laughing so hard. After watching the movie, myself and my girls decided that as soon as it was available for home release, we were going to plan the ultimate comfy princess night! Well, now that we have our copy of Ralph Breaks The Internet (thanks Disney!!), we kept our promise to each other.

comfy princess pjs couch photo

Dress The Part

No comfy party is complete without comfy clothing of course! Because of the huge success of the movie, did you know you can buy most of the comfy princess outfits from Shop Disney? If you know me, you know I love a good nap, so the Nap Queen set that Princess Aurora wears in the film was a top choice for me! Of course, being a mom of two kids, my naps are now few and far between, but I covet them when I do get them.

sugar rush popcorn balls

Sugar Rush Popcorn Balls

Some might argue that the most important part of a slumber party is the snacks. Having a wide variety of delicious items to munch on is top of my list too. When watching a movie in our house, we always make popcorn. We actually have a really cool mini popcorn maker in our media room and we decided to switch it up a little bit with something sweet! We channeled our inner Vanellope and made some Sugar Rush Popcorn Balls!

What you need:

  • 2 bags of popcorn (popped)
  • 1 bag of marshmallows
  • 1/2 stick of butter
  • 1 box of Mike and Ikes
  • 1 box of Dots
  • rainbow sprinkles

sugar rush popcorn balls recipe

I quickly found out that making popcorn balls is SUPER easy! Simply melt the butter and add marshmallows, stirring together until melted. While you are doing this pop the bags of popcorn and put in a large bowl. Be sure to take out all the unpopped seeds. Pour the melted marshmallow in to the bowl with the popcorn and mix thoroughly. Add in whatever candy you like, we chose Mike and Ikes and Dots! Take handfuls of the mixture and shape in to balls (TIP: Put Crisco on your hands and it will help them not to stick.), roll them in a bowl of rainbow sprinkles, and place on a tray covered in wax paper to dry. The best part about this treat? You can eat them within just a few minutes!

comfy princess pjs ralph breaks the internet

Cuddle Up and Enjoy!

The last thing to do is pop in your movie, in this case Ralph Breaks The Internet, cuddle up with each other and a soft blanket, and enjoy. The whole family really loves this sequel. Not only is it hilarious, it is filled with heart. You don’t even have to ask me, you know I cried. A lot. There are some great life lessons, especially about friendship, to learn from Ralph Breaks The Internet.

ralph breaks the internet bluray

Ralph Breaks The Internet Available on Digital NOW & Blu-ray 2/26!

The Little Mermaid DIY Bath Bombs + A Chat With Artist Mark Henn!

Thank you to Disney for giving me this amazing experience! All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

The Little Mermaid DIY Bath Bombs

One of my favorite things to do when I have free time is relax in a nice hot bath. They come too few and far between nowadays, but when I do take a bath, I make the most of it. That is why I want to share this easy DIY bath bomb inspired by my favorite mermaid – Ariel! The Little Mermaid Anniversary Edition is coming to digital TODAY, February 12th, and Blu-ray/DVD on February 26th. Dive under the sea with these bath bombs and bring a smile to your face as you watch The Little Mermaid!

DIY The Little Mermaid bath bombs

What You Need

  • ocean themed molds – such as star fish, sea turtles, mermaid tails
  • large bowl
  • small bowl
  • 2 Tablespoons Epsom salt
  • 11 Tablespoons baking soda
  • 5 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 5 Tablespoons of Citric Acid
  • 2 teaspoons almond oil
  • 6 teaspoons water
  • scented oil
  • food coloring (purple and green of course!)
  • glitter (optional)

A HUGE thank you to Amy from As The Bunny Hops for this bath bomb recipe!

the little mermaid inspired DIY bath bombs

Directions

  1. Mix the baking soda, cornstarch, Epsom salt, and lemon juice together in the large bowl. If you are adding glitter, do so in this step.
  2. Whisk to ensure the mixture is free of clumps. If you want to make multi-colored bath bombs, separate the mixture in to small bowls here and color each one with 3 to 4 drops of food coloring.
  3. Mix coconut oil, water, and essential oil in the small bowl. Add 4 to 5 drops of food coloring if you are making all the same color.
  4. Slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture, whisking as you go. I cannot stress enough how slowly this has to be added. You do not want any fizzing and foaming and you do not want an overly wet mixture. Trust me. I have had a few bad batches.
  5. Once mixture resembles clumpable sand, fill your silicone molds with it. Press down firmly to compact.
  6. Let them dry for 10 to 24 hours. Wait until they are completely dry before you try to take them out of the molds or you may break them.
  7. Use right away or wrap with saran wrap for safe storage.

Be sure to pin these directions so you can easily find them later!

Mark Henn Ariel

Meeting Mark Henn (Again)

As you might have realized, Ariel has ALWAYS been one of my favorite princesses. So when I found out that I was going to have an art lesson from animation legend Mark Henn, who drew her, well, I was thrilled. After he taught us how to draw Vanellope (for the record – mine was much better than you might guess), we got a surprise as he drew Ariel for us. Disney even sent me a copy of the drawing that I plan to frame and hang up.

mark henn art lesson

You can watch most of our chat and drawing class with Mark Henn below. We learned some pretty interesting things but honestly, my favorite part was just watching him work. It was very obvious this is something he has been doing for a long time – and it just comes naturally to him. We were in the presence of a legend guys. A LEGEND.

I interviewed Mark Henn back in 2015 for the release of the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection. In that interview he told us that he was an Easter Egg in The Little Mermaid – one of those poor unfortunate souls that had a run in with Ursula. So when I saw him again, I asked him what his character had asked the sea witch for. Mark said he had never thought about that, but needed to come up with an origin story for his character. I hope to run in to him again so I can see if he came up with anything!

mark henn ariel

In this chat, he did let us know that the hardest part to draw on Ariel was her hair. I can totally see that since she is floating around in the water a lot. One of my favorite things about her is her hair, so I will say he got it right!

Pick Up The Little Mermaid in stores Feb. 26 or today on digital!

DIY PJ Masks Inspired Valentine’s Day Holder + What To Fill It With!

DIY Catboy PJ Masks Valentines day Holder

My girls are big fans of PJ Masks. It is one of their favorite Disney Junior shows and I have to admit, I enjoy watching it too. My youngest loves it so much that her 2nd birthday party was themed PJ Masks. So of course, we work this show in to every holiday season around our house, and Valentine’s Day is no different. I remember making a holder for my valentines to take my class every year when I was a kid, so I wanted to help my daughters do the same. Check out this super easy DIY PJ Masks Inspired Valentine Holder PLUS some ideas on what to fill it with!

DIY PJ Masks Catboy valentine holder

PJ Masks Inspired Valentine Holder

What you need:

inside diy catboy valentine holder pj masks
Make sure the pocket is large enough to fit valentines.

Directions:

  1. Cut one of the dark blue felt squares in the shape of a cat head – but leave off  the ears. These will be a part of the back part of the head (the pocket).
  2. Cut stripes out of the light blue felt square – three for the top of his head, three for each cheek, and two eyebrows. Here are some photos for reference.
  3. Use fabric glue or thread and needle to attach the stripes and eyebrows.
  4. Cut out two large round circles for the eyes, and two small circles for the gleam in his eyes, if you wish. Use the light blue and dark blue for the colors of his eyes. (see my example)
  5. Using the peach felt, cut out a shape that will be the bottom half of Catboy’s face, as seen when he is wearing his mask. Also cut out an oval for the nose.
  6. Use your dark blue head to trace another rectangle of the same size, this time, add the ears. Kids can use the ears to hang up their valentine holder on their desks at school if they wish.
  7. Cut the black felt to make the inside of the ears, the pupils of the eyes, and the mouth.
  8. Attach edges of the two dark blue pieces of felt, leaving the top open for valentines to fit in, with fabric glue or needle and thread.
  9. Show off your super cute valentine holder to all your friends!

DIY Catboy from PJ Masks Valetine Holder

Be sure to pin these instructions so you can easily find them later!

Ivy looking in pj masks valentine holder

What To Fill It With

I don’t know about you, but I remember wanting to be the coolest kid in school by bringing in the best Valentine’s Day cards and candy. There are lots of PJ Masks themed items to choose from, but these are some of our favorites.

  • Frankford PJ Masks Hearts with Candy – Available at your local Walmart
  • Frankford PJ Masks Fan with Candy – Available at your local Walmart & Cracker Barrel.
  • PJ Masks Valentines (of course!) – there are several options out there. Valentines with masks, with stickers, with tattoos – get them all and mix and match!
  • Gertmenian PJ Masks Game Rug – Available at Target. Too big to fit in the box of course, but a great gift to give your little one at home!
pj masks game rug
Toys included with the game rug.

NEW The Incredibles Instagram Walls at Hollywood Studios Walt Disney World

NEW The Incredibles Instagram Walls at Hollywood Studios Walt Disney World

I travel to Walt Disney World at least twice a year because we are Disney Vacation Club members. One of my favorite things to do is search the parks for new things that have appeared since the last time I was there. So imagine how excited I was when I turned a corner in Hollywood Studios to see a whole The Incredibles themed area! Now, I am a HUGE Incredibles fan, and I even went to Pixar last year to get a behind the scenes look at the making of the latest film.

If you follow my Instagram account (MamasGeeky), then you know I am a fan of Disney Instagram walls. I have a similar post to this one up that tells you where to find them in Toy Story Land. This new Incredibles themed area is where the old entrance to Toy Story Mania was. If you are exiting Toy Story Land, just turn right and you will find it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtZbl3MnKER/

The Jack Jack Wall

This one has to be my absolute favorite wall! It is a little tricky to spot, if you don’t know where to look. It is on the inside of the merchandise shop area.

Incredibles Jack Jack Instagram Wall

If you look closely you will see baby Jack Jack’s footprints leading through the Incredibles area and right up to the wall. Here you will find a spot where he ran right through the wall! It is a great photo opp!

Incredibles Instagram Wall WDW

The Super Powers Wall

It might not be the official name for this wall (I mean, is there even one?), but I am calling it that because it is a great group Instagram wall. What do I mean by that? Well in the first part you can be strong like Mr. Incredible and lift up a car, and in the third spot you can channel your inner Violet to create a force field bubble. The middle is just a great place to show off your best superhero pose!

incredibles celebration wall
A HUGE thank you to Tania from LolaLambchops.com for snapping this pic for me! Follow her on Instagram for lots of Disney fun & more!

The Incredibles Celebration Wall

This wall comes with a photopass photographer and everything! Use fun signs and strike your favorite superhero pose! Be warned though, this line does close at 6pm, so we totally missed out on it when we were there.

Incredibles Instagram Wall logo

The Incredibles Logo

If you walk in to this area and head straight back, you will find an area that not only houses The Incredibles dance party where you can see Frozone and Mrs. Incredible, it also has large doors with a giant Incredibles logo painted on it.

Devtech Instagram Wall

Devtech

I am a big fan of Winston Devor (Bob Odinkirk) so I was thrilled to see a nod to his company from Incredibles 2 in this area. The Devtech Plaza Branch, a prefect place to pose a devious pose and channel your inner Evelyn Deavor.

Edna Mode Meet and Greet WDW

Edna Mode

OK, so she isn’t an Instagram wall, but she is a fun photo opportunity! Edna hangs out where you used to be able to meet Woody and Buzz. Remember, The Incredibles area is surrounding the old entrance to Toy Story Mania – a perfect place if you ask me! In the queue, you can see some of her super suit creations – we loved the area!