Home Blog Page 511

Cinderella & Frozen Fever in Theaters Now!

Cinderella               Frozen Fever

Do you plan to see Cinderella this weekend? I know I want to go! OK, mainly because of Frozen Fever (huge fan here!) but I do want to see Cinderella as well. If my daughters were a little older, we would definitely be going to see it in the theater. I am hoping to convince my husband that a date night for this is in order! Below are some fun activity sheets that you can download to help you celebrate the long awaited release of Cinderella this weekend – just click the link to download them.

Cinderella Connect the Dots

Cinderella Spot the Difference 1

Cinderella Spot the Difference 2

Cinderella Spot the Difference 3

Cinderella Spot the Difference 4

Cinderella Word Search

Cinderella Maze

Cinderella Clock Craft

Cinderella Shoe Craft

 Olaf

Connect on Social Media:

Visit the official CINDERELLA Website: http://disney.com/Cinderella

Like CINDERELLA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cinderella

Follow CINDERELLA on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CinderellaMovie

Follow CINDERELLA on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/DisneyCinderella

Follow CINDERELLA on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/disneystudios/cinderella

Follow CINDERELLA on Google +: https://plus.google.com/+disneycinderella

Have you seen Cinderella yet?

Easter DIY with Duck Tape

1

Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received this item in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

Duck tape

I love making DIY projects with my girls. They are a little young to fully understand sometimes, but we still have fun. I always have them help me out when making decorations for holidays. Since I am Greek, I always host a special Orthodox Easter for my in-laws at my house. This year I thought it would be fun to have the girls help make some DIY Duck Tape projects that I found!

Ducktivities

Duck Tape Spring Party Masks

Ducktivities

Duck Prism Egg Wreath

Duck Tape has hundreds of Easter-inspired looks to choose from (like Gummy Bears, Baby Pink, and, my favorite, Rubber Duckies!) when working on these fun DIY projects. Ducklings™ Mini Rolls are also a great size for Easter baskets and come in a variety of prints and colors as well. I know my girls and I will have a lot of fun with Duck Tape DIY this year, you should too! Find more Duck Tape DIY and purchase your Duck Tape here.

As Featured in Easter Gift Guide

#TwoBlogsFunGuides

Back at it with Nutrisystem

0

Disclosure: I received three months of Nutrisystem in exchange for my unbiased, honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Nutrisystem-640x140

I feel a lot better at the end of this week in regards to Nutrisystem than I did last week, that is for sure. I did gain a little bit last week due to a really bad weekend. But getting back in to Nutrisystem brought me right back down this past week. I did not get to workout much as I would have liked because I pulled a muscle in my neck on Tuesday and have been nursing it all week. However, I ate pretty well. Over the weekend, we did meet some friends for dinner and I splurged with a milkshake – but I skipped my Nutrisystem dessert that night to make up for it. I have confidence that I will hit my goal of 135 by the end of my 3 months – I still have a few weeks left!

cereal

I know I mentioned that I did not love the NutriFlakes before. They were OK but lacking a little flavor. Well, I have been eating them with Vanilla Almond Milk and that has solved my issue with them. It is so tasty! It brings the perfect amount of flavor to them. I have also really been enjoying the buttermilk waffles for breakfast. The Nutrisystem food really is mostly delicious. My main issue with sticking to eating it all is when my husband orders out. It is hard to have that food in my face and not eat it. But once I do, I feel like, “Oh man, I totally could have had a Nutrisystem meal and been find with it.” I think that I can really stick better to the food and exercise plan these last few weeks and hit my goal.

#NSNation Week #9 Stats:

Weight: 141.5 lbs (down 14.5 lbs from Week #1, down 1.3 lbs from Week #8)
Waist Inches: 29.5 (down 3.5 inches from Week #1, down 0 inches from Week #8)
Hip Inches: 35.5 (down 3 inches from Week #1, down 0 inch from Week #8)
Photo: Day 55

Week 8

Find out more about the Nutrisystem program here.
#NSNation #Ad

Monster Jam 2015

3

Monster Jam 2015 brought to you by McDonald’s

Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received tickets to Monster Jam 2015 from Feld Motor Sports in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

Monster Jam

I remember going to see Monster Jam with my father when I was younger. We had so much fun and I was really excited to be able to take my daughters. To be honest, my husband was really skeptical. He thought that they might be too young and it would be too loud for them. I assured him that we could always leave early if they were not having a good time, and so he agreed. Well, I think he has said he was wrong at least a dozen times since last night. We all had a blast! My daughters were practically crying when we told them it was time to leave. Whenever a truck went over a jump, my oldest would stand-up, point to it, and then turn around and ask us if we saw it. My youngest was bouncing around the whole time and clapping at the trucks. She told her grandmother all about it today, saying that some of the trucks fell over, but that they were OK.

Monster Jam Earmuffs      Monster Jam    Monster Jam

Unfortunately, we did arrive a little bit late due to unforeseen circumstances. But we did pull in at about 7:30 (a half hour after it started) and the girls were super excited! Our first stop was at the souvenir stand so we could grab the girls some cool Monster Jam tire earmuffs/headphones. I knew that they had little ear drums and that these would help protect them from the loud noises. They were only $20 each, which I thought was really reasonable, and they loved them! They even wanted to keep wearing them on the drive home, so I knew they were comfortable for little ones. By the time we got to our (awesome) seats, the last race was about to start. I was so happy to see that it was Zombie because that is my 3.5 year old’s favorite truck (I have said before she loves all things creepy, it is so true) – and Zombie won! She was jumping up and down screaming and cheering, it was so cute. Then it was time for intermission, which was fine, so we got settled in to our seats and just talked to the girls about how they were doing. They kept asking to see more of the trucks. I explained to them that next was freestyle so the trucks would be doing cool tricks and jumps.

Titan        Zombie    Bad News

The freestyle portion was amazing! They girls were so excited about every round. Madusa lost a tire and then her truck caught on fire (but she was OK). A couple of other trucks lost wheels and flipped over. My daughters always asked if the drivers were OK when this happened, which was so sweet of them. They were in awe of the trucks jumping really high and getting good air (and my husband and I thought it was pretty darn cool too). Some of the trucks even did blackflips, which was really amazing to see! My older daughter keeps talking about how Zombie got to do a backflip. Grave Digger did a really cool wheelie and then turned over right in front of us. At the end, Avenger came out and ran another freestyle even though the winner had already been announced (he had done really bad on his run) and he did a backflip and some donuts! Then fireworks ended the show. It was such a good time!

Grave Digger & Monster Mutt         Grave Digger

Overall, we had way more fun than I thought we would – and I knew it would be a blast! My daughters keep asking if we can go back today. They were bummed to hear they have to wait a whole year. Last night, the racing winner was Zombie and the freestyle winner was Grave Digger. We will be back next year, that is for sure! Watch for tickets to come available in your area for next year, you do not want to miss out on this – it really is fun for all ages! The World Finals are in Vegas March 26-28 and if you can make it, I highly suggest you go. Grab your tickets here.

Below are a few videos I got, check out my YouTube Channel and Instagram account for more!

#MyMonsterJam #MonsterJam #MonsterJam2015

 

Sanitize Your Life with Purell

5

Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received this item in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

Purell

When you have kids your life immediately becomes about trying to keep things clean, am I right moms? Sometimes it is just, well, impossible to do. I am always worrying about my girls getting sick because they touch “dirty things with germs on them” as my oldest would say. When children are young, they don’t understand that they should not be putting their fingers in their mouth all the time. And once they go to school, forget it, we live in a constant state of sick in our home. But Purell has come to the rescue!

 Purell Jelly Wraps                          Purell Jelly Wraps

Purell is a hand sanitizer that really does the job! It kills 99.99% of germs that may cause illness while maintaining your hand moisture (I am talking clinically proven to maintain skin health). That is a big deal for me because other sanitizers I have used would dry out my family’s skin and then we have a whole new problem to deal with. These Purell Jelly Wraps are so super cute and my girls love them! They like to carry them around and hang them from their backpacks – and I have one on my purse. I also carry around the Purell wipes to use on shopping cart handles because who knows what germs are hanging out on there. I love that they are resealable and also kill 99.99% of germs! I keep the large bottle of sanitizer on the counter for easy access. It is hard to get my girls to wash their hands without me doing it for them, but they do love their Purell! These fun spring colors and scents make the perfect addition to any Easter Basket – I know I plan to put one in each of my daughters’ baskets. Learn more about Purell and where you can purchase their products on their website here.

As Featured in Easter Gift Guide

#TwoBlogsFunGuides

Getting Back on the Nutrisystem Wagon

3

Disclosure: I received three months of Nutrisystem in exchange for my unbiased, honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Nutrisystem-640x140

This last week of Nutrisystem was great – right up until the weekend. I fell hard this weekend, I won’t lie. This weekend I did not have one Nutrisystem dinner. I have no clue how I didn’t gain back 5 pounds with the way I was eating. My family and I were out and about all weekend. We went to a birthday party on Saturday night and I had (a lot) of buffalo chicken dip and a piece of cake. We went out for breakfast one morning, and to lunch, and ordered pizza for dinner. I feel so guilty. I know it happens sometimes, but I am excited to really get moving again this upcoming week.

Nutrisystem Freezer Food

My shipment of freezer meals came in and my pantry meals should be coming in tomorrow. I think part of the problem is I ate all the meals that I really love first, and ended up with meals I thought were “just OK” this last week while waiting on my replacement shipments. I highly suggest spacing out your favorites so you don’t end up as tempted as I did this weekend. That is definitely my plan for this upcoming week. While I know I still look great, and have accomplished a lot over the last month and a half – I also know I really need to put my best foot forward this last month+. Wish me luck! I know I can do it!

#NSNation Week #8 Stats:

Weight: 142.8 lbs (down 13.2 lbs from Week #1, up 1.6 lbs from Week #7)
Waist Inches: 29.5 (down 3.5 inches from Week #1, down 0 inches from Week #7)
Hip Inches: 35.5 (down 3 inches from Week #1, down 0 inch from Week #7)
Photo: Day 49

Nutrisystem day 49

Find out more about the Nutrisystem program here.
#NSNation #Ad

Must See Family Attractions in Boston When You Vacation There

Disclosure: Mama’s Geeky received some of these experiences in exchange for her honest review. All opinions expressed are 100% hers.

Childrens Museum Boston

My family and I recently took a trip to Boston, MA. It is about a 6 hour drive for us. I grew up outside of Boston so it was great coming “home” and getting to see the city again. We stayed at the Onyx Hotel – and let me tell you – it is amazing there! When we got to our room, there were snacks and even Frozen coloring books left out for the girls!

All of their rooms also have live fish to keep you company. They are also pet friendly, so we totally could have taken Khaleesi with us (we know now for next time). The Onyx has a “Wicked Smaht” pillow that I fell in love with immediately. I love the Boston accent and hate that I have lost it. I had to bring one home and display it on the couch. Whenever we go to Boston again, you can bet we will be staying at the Onyx!

Onyx Hotel Boston          Onyx Hotel Boston

TD Garden

The main reason for the trip was to go see Disney on Ice: Frozen (we chose the Onyx Hotel because it is literally a two minute walk to the venue). We really enjoyed the Disney on Ice show we went to here in New York and knew our girls would flip over seeing Elsa and Anna. We decided to splurge on tickets and ended up with some amazing seats. The girls had so much fun! My youngest was screaming the words to Let It Go and both of the girls were dancing almost the whole show.

My husband and I really enjoyed it as well. We both thought that the guy that played Kristoff was perfect for the part. I love that Rapunzel and Eugene (my favorites) made an appearance at the beginning and end – along with some other great Disney couples! If Frozen on Ice is coming to a town near you, I highly suggest you go! It is worth every penny and then some!

This performance was at the TD Garden (or as I know it, the Fleet Center) where I saw *NSYNC perform when I was 13 or 14. I remember crying because I was “breathing the same air as them” (don’t judge). There is not a bad seat in the house.

 Frozen on Ice       Frozen on Ice

Boston Children’s Museum

While we were in Boston, I had to take the girls to some places I had been when I was a kid. First on the list was the Children’s Museum. I had not been there in a long time – probably 20+ years. My daughters immediately loved it. They wanted to explore the whole place. We spent almost four hours there, and could have easily stayed there another two or three but we were tired from the drive.

There are many different themed rooms – like bubbles and marbles – and even a stage where they put on free shows throughout the day! Upstairs there is an Arthur room and a Peep’s World room. These are two of the girls’ favorite shows so they were thrilled to explore them.

There is even an area for children three and under – complete with a separate lunchroom and nursing area (woohoo!!). When it came to lunchtime, we were so excited to find out that an Au Bon Pain was attached to the lunchroom! This meant we did not have to venture out in to the cold to eat lunch.

Childrens Museum Boston  Childrens Museum Boston  Childrens Museum Boston  Childrens Museum Boston

Boston Museum of Science

When we decided to go to Boston, I knew that the Boston Museum of Science had to be on our list of things to do. Even though we only planned on being there for three days, it was a must see. I remember going there on a few school trips as well as girl scout outings. It was just as amazing as I remembered – even better! The big T-Rex was a huge hit with my girls. They really loved the dinosaur area – and seeing a real Triceratops skeleton, “Cliff”, was pretty cool!

We got to take the girls to the Planetarium and we saw a show about the universe (and I learned why Pluto is no longer a planet). My three year old is still talking about it and how she wants to go to Mars someday. Made me a proud mama. Of course, you cannot visit the Museum of Science without seeing the electricity show. That was a lot of fun. I thought my girls would be afraid of the lightening, but they found it very interesting.

Museum of Science Boston  Museum of Science Boston  Museum of Science Boston  Museum of Science Boston

Walk to in the City

These are all great things to do in Boston – I just wish the weather was a little bit better so we could have walked around the city more. I would have loved to take the family to Fanuel Hall. My husband, having been in the U.S. Navy, was hoping to see the USS Constitution. Oh well, I guess that just means we will have to take another trip soon.

Keep the beds warm for us Onyx!

Peep's World

The Walking Dead *Spoiler Alert*

7
FanGirl%2BFriday

I hope that enough time has passed that I can chat about The Walking Dead for a little bit. When The Walking Dead came out, my husband and I did not have cable. About a month before Season 3 aired we purchased Seasons 1 and 2 on bluray. We binge watched them over the course of a couple weeks. Of course, we had to wait until the girls were in bed so there were a lot of late weekend nights. We were both instantly addicted (no surprise there). After finishing up Season 4, we decided to buy the Compendiums and catch up on the comics. Neither of us are caught up yet, but we are getting there. They are so different than the show! Daryl doesn’t even exist (how sad)!?! The Walking Dead is one of our favorite shows and in honor of it’s return this past week, I want to talk a little bit about what we saw happen for Fangirl Friday.

gangs%2Ball%2Bhere

This episode was totally different, as promised. On The Talking Dead, Chris Hardwick said someone called it an acid trip for Tyreese and that is pretty much what it was. They were tricky making you think that they were burying Beth at the beginning (don’t even get me started on how devastating that was) and I really enjoyed all the mini flashbacks. I am sad to see Tyreese go, but am I alone here saying if it had to be a main character, he was it? I mean, he did all he could do, just like he said in the episode. I do like him as a character, but he was starting to wimp out in dangerous situations – would he have become a liability? Hmm…maybe. I did love how they had everyone come back and welcome him to the other side. It was good to see Beth again and Lizzy was way less creepy than she used to be, so that was good. Did you like how they ended Tyreese’s story?

Now I am not up to this point in the comics, so I don’t know if they encounter these chopped in half bodies in the series. I know that Terminus was in the comics, although I have not read about it yet. But back to the bodies. What the heck is going on?! There were legs just hanging out in the grass..and then at the crash, the van is full of the zombified torsos – and did you notice the “W”s carved in their foreheads?! And I saw graffiti in the town that said “Wolves Not Far” – and we saw some wolves in the preview for the next episode. I have so many questions. Is someone feeding wolves? And why?!? I want to know what is going on and I cannot wait to learn more. I am excited for next week’s episode, let’s just hope the whole cast lives this time. Too many deaths lately, am I right?

R.I.P. Tyreese
the walking dead season 5 chad l coleman
What are your theories on the torsos? 
Did you enjoy this week’s episode?
 
#TheWalkingDead #FangirlFriday #TWD

 

Whip It Up Wednesday: Sweet Potato Waffles Plus a Recipe Linkup!

1
Whip%2BIt%2BUp%2BWednesday

Chef Huda’s Sweet Potato Waffles with Warm Grand Marnier Berry Compote

Waffles
Photo and Recipe By: Chef Huda
I love cooking breakfast for my husband and daughters. One thing that we all love is waffles – I mean, who doesn’t? I found an easy recipe for some amazing sweet potato waffles with warm grand marnier berry compote. It sounds complicated, I know, but I promise, it really is fairly simple. This would make a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day Breakfast/Brunch!
What You Need

Madagascar Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar
Grand Marnier Warm Berries Compote
2 cups strawberries-sliced
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Sweet Potato Waffle
1 1/2 cups sweet potato-cooked and mashed without the skin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 eggs – separated
1 cup milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or oil
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of vanilla
Now, let’s make something Pretty and Delicious!
For the Whipped cream: In a chilled medium bowl whisk together the heavy cream, sugar and Grand Marnier liqueur. Whisk until the mixture becomes firm and forms soft peaks. When finished, place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
For the Berries compote: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add all ingredients into the pan and simmer. Stir gently and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Once sauce starts to thicken, remove from heat.
For the Sweet potato waffles: In two medium bowls, combine and separate your dry ingredients from your wet ingredients. Combine the sweet potatoes with your wet ingredients and then mix everything together in one bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold egg whites into mixture. This batter should be thick. Grease and preheat waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
Serve the sweet potato waffles topped with a spoonful of Grand Marnier, warm berries compote and a dollop of whipped cream. Now, all you have to do is Enjoy!
– See more at: http://chefhuda.com/recipes/chef-hudas-sweet-potato-waffles-with-warm-grand-marnier-berry-compote/#sthash.9Z6Vo0HQ.dpuf

What You Need

Madagascar Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar
Grand Marnier Warm Berries Compote
2 cups strawberries-sliced
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Sweet Potato Waffle
1 1/2 cups sweet potato-cooked and mashed without the skin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 eggs – separated
1 cup milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or oil
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of vanilla
Now, let’s make something Pretty and Delicious!
For the Whipped cream: In a chilled medium bowl whisk together the heavy cream, sugar and Grand Marnier liqueur. Whisk until the mixture becomes firm and forms soft peaks. When finished, place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
For the Berries compote: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add all ingredients into the pan and simmer. Stir gently and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Once sauce starts to thicken, remove from heat.
For the Sweet potato waffles: In two medium bowls, combine and separate your dry ingredients from your wet ingredients. Combine the sweet potatoes with your wet ingredients and then mix everything together in one bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold egg whites into mixture. This batter should be thick. Grease and preheat waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
Serve the sweet potato waffles topped with a spoonful of Grand Marnier, warm berries compote and a dollop of whipped cream. Now, all you have to do is Enjoy!
– See more at: http://chefhuda.com/recipes/chef-hudas-sweet-potato-waffles-with-warm-grand-marnier-berry-compote/#sthash.9Z6Vo0HQ.dpuf

What You Need
Madagascar Vanilla Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar
Grand Marnier Warm Berries Compote
2 cups strawberries-sliced
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Sweet Potato Waffle
1 1/2 cups sweet potato-cooked and mashed without the skin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 eggs – separated
1 cup milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or oil
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 tablespoon of vanilla
For the Whipped cream: In a chilled medium bowl whisk together the heavy cream, sugar and Grand Marnier liqueur. Whisk until the mixture becomes firm and forms soft peaks. When finished, place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
For the Berries compote: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add all ingredients into the pan and simmer. Stir gently and let cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Once sauce starts to thicken, remove from heat.
For the Sweet potato waffles: In two medium bowls, combine and separate your dry ingredients from your wet ingredients. Combine the sweet potatoes with your wet ingredients and then mix everything together in one bowl. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold egg whites into mixture. This batter should be thick. Grease and preheat waffle iron and cook until golden brown.
Serve the sweet potato waffles topped with a spoonful of Grand Marnier, warm berries compote and a dollop of whipped cream. Now, all you have to do is Enjoy! See more here.

Showing our Disney Side!

1
Untitled

I was lucky enough to be picked for a #DisneySide party by MomSelect. I was so excited when I found out. They sent me a box full of goodies to help me and my daughters show our Disney Side! As soon as we were chosen, we were told we were going to receive a princess themed party perfect for preschoolers. I immediately started planning and when the box finally arrived my girls and I could not wait to dig through it.

unnamed

The hostess package was neatly placed on top and filled with information about the items in the box, as well as invitations. We filled them out and my daughter brought them to school with her. She decided she wanted to have a Princess Sofia tea party – and that is just what we did. In the box there were paper tiaras, plastic magic wands, stickers, a table cloth, placemats, centerpieces, snack bowls and trays, Doc McStuffins “goodie bags”, a Mickey Mouse cake pan, cake mix, sprinkles, a lip gloss set, chore charts, paper cups, paper plates, napkins, a coloring book, crayons, Palace Pets, a barrette maker, sandwich bags, All detergent pods, Wisk detergent, Twinning Tea Bags,Snuggle Fabric Softner, pin the mouth on Mickey game, Disney Attractions matching game, and so much more! My girls were THRILLED!

decorating              cake
tea%2Bparty%2Bsnacks%2B2tea%2Bparty%2Bsnackstea%2Bparty%2B4

The morning of our tea party, we baked a Mickey Mouse cake and made some finger sandwiches. We had a blast decorating the table with all the fun goodies we had received. We also put together our goodie bags for our guests. My daughter took her jobs so seriously. She really enjoyed splitting up the items we had received for her friends. When her friends arrived, we let them all choose from her large supply of princess dresses. We had our tea party and then played some Disney games. For most of the girls, this was the first non-family party that they attended. Everyone had so much fun! Us moms are already talking about doing it again.

pin%2Bthe%2Bmouth%2Bon%2BMickey
tea%2Bparty%2B2       tea%2Bparty
tea%2Bparty%2B3
Thank you to all of the sponsors! We had so much fun showing our #DisneySide. We are already planning our next trip to Disney World – 1 year and counting! Cannot wait!
20150129 182229