If you have not been to Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World, I highly recommend it! It is a TON of fun!
Popsicle Stick Wall
As you leave Toy Story Mania be on the lookout to pass through two walls. One of these is the Popsicle Stick Wall. Don’t miss it because the path is marked as “Exit Only” and you likely will not be able to enter through that way.
I suppose you could always go on Toy Story Mania again, which wouldn’t be a bad thing. It is one of my favorite rides! There are even some Popsicle stick benches scattered throughout Toy Story Land you can take a photo at.
My favorite thing about these is they look like used Popsicle sticks – complete with a darkened end where the Popsicle stick “used to be”.
Checkerboard Wall
Across from the Popsicle Wall, you can find the Checkerboard Wall! Sometimes you might even see an army man hanging out there. I was wearing black, which may not have been the smartest choice, but I didn’t blend in too bad. If you keep an eye out, you can’t miss these walls!
Andy’s Wall
Head straight to the back of this part of Hollywood Studios and you will find Andy’s Wall! There are several different drawings, but of course, you will need your photo with Andy’s name. This wall is in between the bathrooms and the entrance to Alien Swirling Saucers.
Block Wall
This is probably my favorite (and the most popular) Toy Story Land Instagram Wall – it even has it’s own Instagram account! You can find this wall between the men and women’s bathrooms toward the back of the land. I will be honest, it look me a little while to find it.
It may seem weird to pose outside a bathroom, but taking a photo here is so worth it. And I promise, you won’t be the only one!
As my daughter explains in the video above, this Sam I Am costume is super easy to put on! It took her only minutes. Fall in Upstate New York can be pretty cold, and we are known to have chilly Halloween nights. So as a mom, I was really happy to see that this costume can go on easily over her clothes – meaning it will keep her extra warm while trick or treating. But if you live in the South, no worries, this costume will be fine by itself, with no clothing underneath.
Super Comfortable
My daughter is not a fan of clothes. I am going to be honest here. If she could run around the house all day naked, she would. So I was shocked when she kept this costume on for hours and hours. She danced around and even took a nap in it. Trust me, that says something. A lot of times Halloween costumes are itchy and uncomfortable. Not this one.
Super Adorable
This costume is just perfect. As you can see, it even comes with the perfect accessories. Not just the iconic “Sam-I-Am, I-Am-Sam” sign, but also with a plate of green eggs and ham! If you don’t agree that this costume is just super adorable, than you should look again. My daughter looks exactly like Sam-I-Am in it, and is so excited to show it off to all of her friends on Halloween.
Welcome to my pull list for new comic book day September 12th, 2018 (9/12/18). You probably know that I am quite the comic book collector. I am really excited about a lot of the titles that will be out today – which ones will you be picking up?
Marvel
Champions #24: I jumped in this series at issue #22, after Infinity Countdown. SO GOOD! I wish I hard started reading it sooner!
Fantastic Four #2: Finally!! We should see the first family all back together in this issue. I cannot wait! I loved the first issue and have been counting the days for this one!
Iceman #1 (of 5)
Infinity Wars #3: This series is easily my favorite right now. I am eager to read this issue!
Journey Into Mystery: The Birth of Krakoa #1
Marvel Rising Omega #1
Ms. Marvel #34: I love getting to know the new Ms. Marvel before we see her on the big screen (hopefully really soon!!).
Runaways #13: I keep being told I need to watch this TV show. I enjoy the comics so, perhaps I will try it some time soon!
Venom #3
X-23 #4
X-Men Blue #35
DC
Catwoman #3: I adore Catwoman.
Flash #54
House of Whispers #1
Suicide Squad #46
Titans #25
Wonder Woman #54
Other
Doctor Who The Road To The Thirteenth Doctor #3: I plan to watch this TV series, and have been told this comic series might be a good way to prepare and catch up!
My daughters LOVE PJ Masks. In fact, my 5 year old picked all PJ Masks things for back to school – from her backpack, to lunch box, even her clothes! So when the latest PJ Masks DVD showed up on our doorstep, they both did a little dance. It went in to our DVD player immediately, and has now found a home in our minivan (so they can watch it wherever we go of course!). PJ Masks: Mighty Moon Problem includes six super fun episodes, that all fans of the show are sure to love!
From the first time we watched PJ Masks on Disney Junior, I knew it was going to be a hit with my kids. I admit, my husband and I enjoyed it too. There are not many kids shows that we do like, so we were happy about this. PJ Masks follows three normal kids who become superheroes at night. Their villains are kids too and, trust me, they are a lot of fun! The best part is that each episode teaches an important lesson!
About PJ Masks: Mighty Moon Problem
PJ Masks all shout hooray – a new DVD is on its way! In the latest release, Romeo creates a space laser to carve his face into the moon – and the PJ Masks and Luna Girl are ready to stop him. But can Gekko stop feeling too overwhelmed to help save the day? Then, Luna Girl creates a giant Moon-Ball and hides all the toys she’s stolen inside. But to get the toys back, Owlette has to play fair and learn not to “hog the ball.” Preschoolers are in store for SUPER fun as they join Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko on their epic adventures into the night to save the day!
Episodes Featured
PJ Masks: Mighty Moon Problem has six episodes for a running time of 76 minutes. Which is just enough time to enjoy a nice hot cup of coffee (or two) parents! You can pick it up on Amazon and in stores everywhere on September 11, 2018.
I have been reading Marvel comic books for many years now and most of my friends know it. If they ever have questions about something going on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they come to me. Carol Danvers has always been one of my favorite Marvel characters – ever since she was Ms. Marvel. With the Captain Marvel movie coming out early next year, I wanted to give you guys a quick rundown of the character. A Captain Marvel 101, if you will. Of course, things will likely be different in the MCU, as they often are, but here are some facts you should know about the comic book version of Carol Danvers (and what might be in store for us in the MCU!).
Photo Credit: Marvel Comics
Ms. Marvel
Carol Danvers used to be Ms. Marvel. Now there is a new Ms. Marvel town (and I love her and I hope we see her in the MCU soon). You might know this already, but Carol first got her powers after an explosion combined her DNA with that of the Kree superhero Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell). Before that, she was an officer in the United States Air Force. She became pretty badass and uses a few other codenames before becoming Captain Marvel when Mar-Vell dies.
Photo Credit: Marvel Comics
Chewie
Carol has a “cat” named Chewie. And I love her. She is orange and fat and adorable. Also, she isn’t a cat. Captain Marvel runs in to the Guardians of the Galaxy (so now you know why I love this story line so much) and Rocket tries to kill her cat. She isn’t too thrilled about it, of course, but he goes on to explain that Chewie is no cat. She is a Flerken. A deadly alien species. Rocket doesn’t kill Chewie and then Chewie lays a ton of eggs. Like over a hundred of them. Eventually they hatch and Carol drops the babies, and Chewie, off at an intergalactic rescue center. Later on, Chewie teleports back to her. Oh yea, she has teleportation powers. I told you she was an awesome “cat”.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk0ayZHnJ3n/
Samuel L. Jackson posted a photo on Instagram of him holding a hoodie that includes what looks like Chewie. So will we see her in the film? Man, I hope so!
This week’s Entertainment Weekly included an amazing first look at Captain Marvel. I admit, I got chills reading some of the things. I assumed most, and knew some, but it didn’t stop my reaction from being a big beaming smile (and a dance around the house). I have so many more theories now! It is going to be a long wait until March! Ugh!
Monica Rambeau
When I saw the name Maria Rambeau in the EW article, I stopped, and thought a moment. Wasn’t Maria Monica’s mother? Hmm… maybe. Then I read on and sure enough they mentioned her young daughter Monica. If you don’t read the comic books than you probably don’t know this – Monica was Captain Marvel at one point (before Carol so clearly the time line will be different in the MCU). Yup. Mind blowing right? Perhaps this is just a quick name drop. Perhaps we will see her come in to her powers? Perhaps she will be a part of something bigger in the future of the MCU (Young Avengers anyone? Please and thank you!).
So basically Monica can transform herself in to energy thanks to her exposure to extra-terrestrial energy (it is always something like that, isn’t it?) when she was a police officer. She eventually joins the Avengers, even becoming their leader at one point. She takes on a few different names: Photon, Pulsar, and most recently Spectrum. She is pretty amazing and I adore her. She fights alongside Carol a few times, and guys, at one point she battles Egghead. Remember who he is? Ghost’s (Ant-Man and The Wasp) father. I mean… what could this all mean? Is there going to be a connection here eventually? I just can’t. I am so excited.
I promise to have MUCH more on this in this future, but the Skrull-Kree War is looking to be a major part of Captain Marvel. When I saw the photos of the Skrulls for the first time, I got goosebumps, teared up, and flipped out. I knew that the Skrulls would be involved because they are the arch enemies of the Kree. And the Kree, well, as I explained above, they are a MAJOR part of Carol’s origin story. But to see them. Looking pretty damn near perfect. It made the comic book fan in me happy.
And then I thought about Secret Invasion and how it is hands down my favorite Marvel Comics story line (especially if you rope it in to Dark Reign which comes immediately after it). My brain is connecting all these things and telling me that it would not be far fetched for Secret Invasion to happen in the MCU. A bit of a spoiler, in Secret Invasion the Skrulls (who can shape shift to resemble anyone by the way) impersonate a crap ton of our favorite heroes in order to start taking a bunch of them out. Pretty soon no one knows who is who anymore, and no one can trust anyone. Even as the reader we don’t know who is a Skrull half the time. And it is amazing. AMAZING. Could the heroes we have gotten to know and love actually be Skrulls in the MCU? They sure could. Goosebumps.
Photo Credit: Marvel Comics
Minn-Erva
I was really, really, really excited to see that Minn-Erva is part of Captain Marvel. In the comic books, she is a Kree geneticist, and I imagine she plays a similar role in the MCU film. Here is the thing, we see her walking alongside Carol in one of the stills. In the comics, she indeed is a part of Starforce, during the Kree-Shi’ar War. But she is also an enemy of Mar-Vell. Basically she tried to make babies with him, claiming their offspring would be superior, but he really wasn’t having any of that. Mar-Vell does rescue her at once point, but they didn’t become good friends or anything.
Recently, in the Civil War II story line, we see her and Carol Danvers battle it out. She even plans to release a virus through Captain Marvel’s hometown of South Boston, but is thwarted. So I am curious how things will play out in the film. Will they become enemies quickly? Will their friendship fracture at the end of the film? Or is this something we will see in the future?
Jude Law is playing the Starforce commander. We don’t really have a name yet. Could he be Mar-Vell? The original Captain Marvel. Yup. He could. Will he be? That I am not sure of, but I remain hopeful. My friend Amy from As The Bunny Hops and I were chatting and she brought up a good point. It could be really confusing for those who don’t fully understand that Mar-Vell and Carol are both Captain Marvel. Should Mar-vell make an appearance in this movie? Yes. He is a major player in the world of Carol Danvers and deserves more than just a quick name drop. But I also understand if they leave him out. I will be bitter about it though.
There are so many more things for me to process right now, and I look forward to even more details being released! And of course, you know my butt will be in theaters opening night – March 8, 2019!
The other day my daughter asked for tacos for dinner. Normally, I make cheese cup “shells” for my husband and I to stay keto, but I did not have any shredded Parmesan and it was a holiday. So I decided to wing a keto taco skillet – and it came out amazing. I just threw together some ingredients that sounded like they would taste good together – and was blown away by the verdict! Honestly, this is something that we will have many times over, I already know it!
Ingredients
1.5 lbs ground beef (I prefer 80/20)
2 cups riced cauliflower
2 bell peppers (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
handful of spinach
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup mozarella cheese
1/2 cup water
1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
As always, I highly recommend purchasing a block of cheese and then shredding it yourself. The prepackaged cheese have a lot of hidden carbs because flours are used to stop the cheese from clumping over time.
Directions
Brown ground beef in medium size skillet or pan.
Drain grease.
Add water and spices. Mix well.
Add chopped onion and peppers.
Stir and let cook for 2 minutes.
Add riced cauliflower and stir to combine.
Add cherry tomatoes. Cook for about 30 seconds.
Add cheeses and let cook until melted.
Put spinach on the top as garnish.
Enjoy!
My husband decided to top his skillet with sour cream, jalapenos, and Franks’ Hot Sauce. I added some Frank’s hot sauce to mine as well.
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Servings: 6 servings Carbs Per Serving: 8 carbs per serving
Video Recipe
See just how easy this recipe is to make by watching the video I made below.
Low Carb & Keto Approved Mexican Taco Skillet
Super easy and delicious taco one pot skillet – keto approved. Can be modified to suit your own tastes!
Thank you to Walt Disney World for providing my family with tickets to attend the 2018 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! All opinions are 100% my own.
Something my family tries to do every year is attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. It is truly something we look forward to. Because we have been so often, I was really excited to discover several changes for the 2018 party! Of course we took part in them, as well as some of our favorite things that we do each year. Here are my tips and tricks to get the most out of your 2018 MNSSHP experience.
Ride Overlays (NEW!)
In 2018 some of our favorite rides got a Halloween overlay! I was lucky enough to visit Disneyland during Halloween once and The Haunted Mansion became one of my favorite rides due to the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. So when I heard that Walt Disney World’s Halloween Party was getting some overlays, I was thrilled! The three rides that changed for the Halloween party are Pirates of the Caribbean, Mad Tea Cups, and Space Mountain. The teacups received some cool lighting and a music change, Space Mountain had some spooky haunts inside, but Pirates of the Caribbean was the coolest change of all.
Not only were there some pirates hanging out in the queue, one of them was carrying around a wanted sign. She told us to keep an eye out for Gunpowder Pete and she would share her reward with us. My girls were thrilled to see him walking the bridge inside the ride. He yelled down to us asking him to say his name. When we did, he told us to forget it. But that didn’t scare my daughters. The second we walked off the ride they tattled on him and told the castmembers right where to find him! They played along and this really made our night more magical!
Disney Junior Jam (NEW!)
One of the funnest additions to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year was the Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam in Fantasyland. We spent a solid hour there dancing the night away and my girls had a BLAST! Doc McStuffins and Timon joined us as we did the ChaCha Slide, Fortnite dances, the YMCA, and more! The girls were happy to give up some trick or treating time to do this, and I must say, these memories will last a lot longer than the candy would have!
Magic Shots
Magic Shots are nothing new when it comes to Walt Disney World – but if you have not gotten magic shots at the Halloween Party, then you are truly missing out. They have some pretty amazing ones! Just ask a photopass photographer and they will be happy to let you know where they can all be found. They are even on the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party map! My personal favorite this year was the hitchhiking ghosts!
Parade, Show, Fireworks
If you have never been to a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party before, then the parade, show, and fireworks are a must see! The show right now is Hocus Pocus themed and it is amazing. And the parade? It is probably my most favorite parade ever! I do suggest catching the later parade and show so that you can get in line early for some of your must see meet and greets (like Jack & Sally!). If you have been before, remember you can see the fireworks from almost anywhere in the park. My favorite viewing area is Splash Mountain! So there is no need to fight the crowds for that one.
Trick or Treating
My daughters absolutely love trick or treating at MNSSHP! Keep in mind, each treat station will give you TONS of candy, so there is no need to hit them all. Especially if you are flying home soon (we flew with candy once, it was not a good idea!). The stations are all marked on the map, so be sure to pick one up when you enter. Don’t forget to bring your own trick or treat bag, like this DIY Oogie Boogie one, since the ones they give you are pretty small.
Exclusive Party Merchandise
If you are anything like me, you love exclusives! Well there are plenty to pick up at the 2018 MNSSHP. Disney knows how to do exclusives right. They have some for the party, and some for annual passholders attending the party. My husband got a T-shirt and the girls and I got pins – all of the pins! We just could not choose. This year there were also mugs and ornaments (which I REALLY regret not picking up!).
Special Desserts
One of the best things about parties at Disney World? The special desserts! Disney knows just how popular these are because they even list them in the MNSSHP map. My seven year old’s favorite was the Jack Skellington dessert push pop. She really wanted one last year but they were sold out when we went to pick them up (around 11 p.m.) – so there is another tip for you. If you want a special dessert, they start selling them at 7 p.m. Get one as close to that time as possible.
Rare Meet and Greets
I already shared my ultimate guide to the 2018 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party meet and greets, so be sure to check that out. However, I will repeat myself in saying if you want to meet Jack and Sally, get in line as soon as possible. They are VERY popular and I have personally waited in line over four hours to meet them before (which is actually totally worth it). Other popular meet and greets include Moana and the Seven Dwarfs. This is because they are rare meet and greets and can only be found during parties. You don’t want to miss them!
TIP: If you are a Disney Vacation Club member like me, you can enter the park even earlier! Get in to Magic Kingdom as early at 2 p.m! Simply present your valid Disney Vacation Club Membership Card and your event ticket at the main entrance touch points to take advantage of this benefit.
My family and I visit Walt Disney World a lot and one of the dinners we never miss out on is one at Be Our Guest. When we found out they were changing their menu and experience to be similar to Cinderella’s Royal Table, we were skeptical. Instead of a larger menu, guests now will choose an appetizer, entree, and dessert from a smaller menu. There is also a fixed price – $55 for adults, and $35 for children. We decided to check it out during our most recent visit. Was it worth it? Read on to find out.
Appetizers
We normally don’t order an appetizer at Disney because the cost can add up quickly, but since this was included in our meals, we all ordered one. I opted for the salad, which was really good, and my husband chose the octopus. He said it wasn’t what he was used to when it comes to that dish, but he did really like it.
The kids’ appetizer options were either a wedge salad or a fruit and cheese plate. My kids despise salads so they both opted for the cheese plate. It was like torture trying to get them to try the fancy cheeses they were given, and my husband and I ended up eating them. They did enjoy the grapes and strawberry however.
Entrees
My husband and I would both would always order the steak at Be Our Guest. I confess, the main reason was for the garlic dipping sauce that we used not only to dip the fries in, but also to put on the steak itself. They got rid of the sauce and we were both really upset by that.
It was our favorite meal at Disney World. The steak is still on the new, shortened menu, but we both decided to venture out of our comfort zones (mainly because there was no garlic sauce) and try something new.
I ordered the chicken and my husband ordered the tortellini. Admittedly, we were both pretty surprised when our meals showed up. They looked delicious, sure, but they were both pretty small portions considering the price tag that was coming along with the meal. Everything tasted great – amazing even – we just wish we had more.
The girls both chose the mac and cheese. It is REAL mac and cheese so my husband and I both thought it was really good. Our daughters however, prefer the fake cheese stuff and barely ate any of it. My husband and I both ended up finishing their plates because, well, we didn’t want to waste the money.
Desserts
The desserts were pre-chosen for all of us. We never ordered dessert but were all brought the trio. The macaron was delicious. Like, so good. I am still dreaming about the flavors. Yum! I was also happy to see the grey stuff included because it is one of my favorite desserts at Disney.
A really great touch was that we all received a white chocolate “Chip”. Yup, Chip, from the Beauty and the Beast movie. The girls were even given edible paint and a paint brush so that they could decorate their Chip. Neither of them will eat white chocolate, which just meant more for me! He tasted delicious!
Meet the Beast
I am really happy that this new Be Our Guest experience still includes meeting the Beast after dinner. It is the only place and time you can meet him, which is one of the reasons we are always going back. My daughters have danced with him on several occasions and once he even bent down (way down!) so that my youngest could kiss him on the nose. Disney has the BEST character experiences.
The Verdict
Is this dinner worth doing once? Sure. Is it worth doing multiple times? Unfortunately not. During our previous Walt Disney World trip we ate at Be Our Guest three times. This time? Just the once. Will we eat there again with this new menu? Maybe. But not for a while.
The portions are too small for the cost. And considering the amount my daughters ate, it wasn’t worth the $35 for them. The next time we visit will probably be when they are both old enough to order off the adult menu – and eat it all. It is a shame because meeting the Beast is almost worth the cost. But we just can’t justify it again.
This post is part of a sponsored campaign for Playing Forward. I received compensation for my participation, but my review and opinions are my own.
My girls and I love to game. OK, my husband does too. We are constantly checking out new games on all consoles – even mobile games. In fact, we love mobile games because we play them at restaurants or hotels when trying to pass the time. Each of my daughters have their own tablet and they get one hour of free play. Lately both of them have been choosing to play Stan Lee’s Kids Universe AR. They have so much fun exploring the world with Dex T-Rex!
Why We Love This App
I adore this app for the kids for several reasons. The first is that they become totally immersed in it and thoroughly enjoy playing it. This app teaches kids that some play is just too rough, and can have some serious side effects. My girls are guilty of acting that way sometimes and I think they genuinely learned a lot from Dex T-Rex and his story.
Something else that is really cool about Stan Lee’s Kids Universe is that kids can customize their experience. They can do this by paying a small fee to change the color and more of their Dex T-Rex. I love the AR platform because my daughters can literally explore the world of Dex just by moving the phone around. They find this super cool (and yea I totally do too!).
About Stan Lee’s Kids Universe
From Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee comes the first character in his Kids Universe: Dex T-Rex, a loveable, rambunctious little guy ready for any adventure. Dex may be small, but he IS a dinosaur – He smashes! He kicks! He shreds! – which means sometimes his version of play is a bit rough on the world around him. Kids following Dex T-Rex learn and grow critical social skills such as understanding how their actions affect others.
About Playing Forward
Playing Forward is a transformational technology studio that creates digital experiences that ignite children’s imaginations. Their apps are specifically designed to support kids’ social-emotional development through entertaining storytelling, movie-quality visual effects, and the use of Augmented Reality. According to studies, social emotional development is key to success in school and in life.
Playing Forward’s name comes from the fact that the company is “playing it forward” to give every child the very best shot at a happy childhood and a successful adulthood. App designs are based on extensive research in the field of social-emotional learning and beta-tested its apps with over 300 children in 18 classrooms across the United States and Canada.
More Playing Forward Apps
Playing Forward has now launched three character-driven apps based on books: a Penguin Publishing classic (“MAXI THE TAXI DOG”), a story from Stan Lee’s Kids Universe series (“DEX T-REX”), and Lizzy’s World featuring the STEAM-powered character from a new independent book series (“IT’S JUST SO…”). Each story can be experienced in two ways. First as a ‘bedtime story’ that can be read along with in 3D. And second, as a much more active ‘exploration’ in augmented reality. This second one encourages the reader to move around and experience the story from multiple perspectives. Super cool!
John Attard and Victor Talbot founded Playing Forward after years of entertainment industry successes – including an Academy Award for Visual Effects! They have worked on over 100 films, television & digital series, Broadway & Off-Broadway shows, and more. In addition to the VX Oscar for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, notable projects include work on Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Disney); The Jungle Book (Disney); Superman vs. Batman (Warner Bros.); Guardians of the Galaxy 2 (Marvel); and Avengers 3 (Marvel).
Welcome to my pull list for new comic book day – September 5th, 2018 (9/5/18). You probably know that I am quite the comic book collector. There is just something about cuddling up with a good comic that has given me comfort for years and years. This week there are some pretty awesome ones coming out – which ones will you be buying?
Marvel
Ant-Man and The Wasp #5 (of 5): Eek!! I am so excited for the wrap up of this one, but also super sad it is ending.
Asgardians of the Galaxy #1: If you didn’t know I would be getting this one, then clearly you know nothing about me.
Avengers #7: This series is EVERYTHING.
Quicksilver No Surrender #5 (of 5): Really looking forward to the ending of this series. I hope he finds his way home!
Death of the Inhumans #3: This series has made me feel things. I adore Black Bolt. ADORE!
Silver Surfer Annual #1
Thanos Legacy #1: YES!!!!!! Every since the first time I saw this advertised I was ready for it. Come to mama!
X-Men Gold #35
DC
Batman #54
Cover #1: It is written by Bendis so you know I need to check it out.
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