We’ve all paid the $5.00 or so for our kids to ride around on the new mall craze, the animals. It’s an awesome experience for the kids, and great picture opportunity for parents capturing their child in a pure joy moment. But what if it was possible to have this type of fun at home, affordably!
I am calling it now, this is sure to be a hot hot hotseller this holiday season. Get yours now while prices are still low on Amazon before they sell out!
Meet Pony Cycle, original inventor of the PonyCycle ride on toy—–world’s first simulated walking animal. Through 13 years of development, manufacturing improvement, riding test and safety test, it has arrived!
Adorable and comfortable to ride, it will fulfill your kids’ fantasy and also become their best childhood memory of their own Pony -or Unicorn…
It’s September. That means back to school for kids andparents if I can be completely honest..
I had someone ask me “why aren’t you happy about the kids going back to school? You’re weird, all other parents are ecstatic for school to start”.
Ummm.. honestly?
I think those parents who can’t wait to send their children back to school are sick in the head. Well that or definitely a stay at home parent(s). Of course if I was home all day I’d love free time all to myself all day while the kids are at school. But the face of the matter is I’m not. I’m a working parent, as is my husband so back to school for our kids means back to school for us. And I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a lover of school.
Wake up earlier, have half the time to get myself ready because I am now splitting that time chasing my kids around to,
eat breakfast.
brush their teeth.
get dressed.
All in the same amount of time I usually take to get just myself ready. Unless I set an earlier alarm… but again, how is that me jumping for joy?
Let’s not forget the projects. The dreaded, fucking school projects. I don’t care if the project is only an extra sentence on a paper.. I am going to have to hear about how much harder it is to do and guess what? I don’t want to hear it. I made this meme to encompass exactly how I feel about school projects…
After school its,
waiting for the bus.
did you do your homework?
eat dinner.
brush your teeth.
go to bed.
and repeat.
So we covered some of it, but can we talk about the money part of it? Back to school night is filled with teachers asking for class party month, followed by fundraisers. I get it, I really do, fundraisers are a great way to raise money for things for the school, but they’re also very stressful for the parents. Everyone knows if you do not hand it back in, and not only that, when you do hand it back in, it’s like a competition of who can sell the most. I am all for a good competition, and it is fun for maybe the first year in pre-school, but then it just becomes another annoyance.
Kids getting sick from germs, extra doctors appointments, extra food for snacks and special lunches.. The list goes on and on. Sure I get used to it as the months go on, but I am ECSTATIC for the end of school and count the days with my kids until they’re out.
So there. For anyone asking why I don’t like back-to-school time. That’s why.
Love Broadway shows but find it hard to get to NYC during these busy school months? Broadway HD is bringing you a streaming service to help you out.
Trading in those lazy summer days for the fast-paced, back-to-school routines can be rough. But when you add a little family time into those busy schedules, it doesn’t have to be! This September, BroadwayHD, the premiere streaming service for live theater, is helping to bring families together to experience the magic and thrill of theater with a family friendly playlist for everyone to enjoy. Classics like The Sound of Music and Peter Pan to spellbinding productions likeCirque du Soleil: Toruk – The First Flight will make for the most memorable family entertainment night. Below is a rundown of some of the performances included in the playlist. I wanted to see if you might be interested in learning more about BroadwayHD and covering the debut of this playlist as well as other family-friendly content in service.
Wind in the Willows – Join Ratty, Badger, Mole and the impulsive Toad as they embark on a series of riotous adventures spiraling from Toad’s insatiable need for speed! Featuring eye-poppingly beautiful design, exuberant choreography and a gloriously British score, The Wind in the Willows recently brought comedy, heart and thrills to the world-famous London Palladium for a strictly limited summer season.
The Sound of Music – In this exciting production of the universally beloved musical which made its broadcast debut in the UK on ITV, the enchanting Kara Tointon (Mr Selfridge, EastEnders) delivers a “mesmerizing performance and incredible vocal talents” (Daily Mail) as Maria, an apprentice nun who is tasked with caring for the children of a retired naval officer (Julian Ovenden, DowntonAbbey). With Maria’s love for music and unwavering confidence, she brings a new zest for life back into the household. The performance is supported by Katherine Kelly (Mr Selfridge, Coronation Street) as Baroness Elsa Schraeder and Alexander Armstrong (The Armstrong and Miller Show, Danger Mouse) as Max Detweiler, and also features two songs not in the original movie but part of the stage show since 1959, “How Can Love Survive,” and “No Way to Stop It.” THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE also features showtune favorites like “The Sound of Music,” “Edelweiss,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “My Favorite Things” and many others.
The Woodsman – Based on the beloved writings of L. Frank Baum, The Woodsman, an imaginative retelling of the origins of Oz’s Tin Woodsman, is the story of the Tin Man, the woman he loved, and the witch that would stop at nothing to keep them apart. Through spectacular life-size puppetry and original music, the ensemble of Strangemen & Co. presents an inventive take on one of America’s original fairy tales.
Railway Children – The Railway Children tells the story of Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis, three children whose lives change dramatically when their father is mysteriously taken away. They move from London to a cottage in rural Yorkshire with their mother, where they befriend the local railway porter, Perks, and embark on a magical journey of discovery, friendship and adventure. But the mystery remains – where is Father, and is he ever coming back?
Puffs – For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who just happened to be there too. A tale for anyone who has never been destined to save the world. The New York Times proclaims PUFFS, “A FAST-PACED ROMP through the ‘Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic.’
Prince and the Pauper – From BBC and based on the Mark Twain classic, Prince and the Pauper is a classic trope. The show captures a classic trope of two individuals switching places. You’ll feel the chill in the castle air and smell the foetid London streets in this richly atmospheric tale of Tudor England. Mark Twain’s story of mistaken identities stars Keith Michell, who re-creates the role that made him famous (King Henry in the classic BBC series The Six Wives of Henry VIII). Street urchin Tom Canty could be Prince Edward’s identical twin brother. When they get mixed up, no-one will believe their stories.
Peter Pan – A smash hit when it debuted in 1991, this production of Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby toured the globe and continues to be beloved by theater goers. The show was filmed in 2000 and features spectacular flying sequences as well as the tunes that everyone loves such as “I’m Flying” and “I Won’t Grow Up.”
Hetty Feather – A BroadwayHD original production debuting for the first time exclusively on BroadwayHD. From the best-selling author Jacqueline Wilson, the tale of plucky Hetty Feather is brought thrillingly to life on stage by award-winning scriptwriter Emma Reeves (CBBC’s The Story of Tracy Beaker) and by Olivier Award-nominated director Sally Cookson, whose many five star productions include Peter Pan, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, and Stick Man. With an original musical score by Benji Bower, circus skills and a huge heart, Hetty Feather is a terrific adventure story! Starring BAFTA-nominated actress Phoebe Thomas in the title role, this production of Hetty Feather was filmed from the 2015 Olivier nominated production on the West End in London.
Cirque du Soleil: Toruk – The First Flight – Toruk – The First Flight is a live immersive multimedia spectacle that brings to the stage the breathtaking world of James Cameron’s Avatar like you have never seen it before. Through a riveting fusion of cutting edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft buoyed by a soaring cinematic score, Cirque du Soleil applies its unique signature style to James Cameron’s imaginary world and “makes the bond” between two kindred artistic visions that capture the imagination. It is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things. Narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller” and populated by unforgettable characters, Toruk – The First Flight is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film Avatar, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora.
BroadwayHD introduces award-winning theater from all across the globe with both classic and modern productions. It’s a great way to introduce your family to live theater. In addition to the shows highlighted above, fans can expect to see the full works of Shakespeare, awe-inspiring performances from Cirque du Soleil and a selection of the world’s greatest musical including Kinky Boots, 42nd Street,The King and I, Sound of Music, An American in Paris, and Peter Pan. All performances are adapted specifically for streaming audiences to maximize the entertainment experience. To learn more, visit www.broadwayhd.com.
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In honor of Sesame Street‘s 50th anniversary, the City of New York officially named West 63rd Street and Broadway “Sesame Street” and declared May 1, 2019, “Sesame Street Day.”
The iconic Muppets from Sesame Street, including Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Grover and friends, joined the show’s longtime cast members Sonia Manzano, Bob McGrath, Emilio Delgado, Roscoe Orman, Loretta Long, Alison Bartlett, Alan Muraoka, Suki Lopez and Sesame Workshop President and CEO Jeffrey Dunn on stage for a special street naming ceremony in front of an enthusiastic crowd of fans of all ages.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Member Helen Rosenthal, who sponsored the street naming’s resolution, presented a proclamation declaring Wednesday May 1 to be “Sesame Street Day” and led the official reveal of W 63rd Street and Broadway as the newly named Sesame Street. The event concluded with a cheerful group singalong by all guests and Muppets of the show’s timeless theme song “Sunny Days.”
Since 1969, Sesame Street has been a quintessential part of New York’s identity, and Sesame Workshop’s headquarters, which has been located on this stretch of Broadway for five decades, will now also be a permanent part of the city’s landscape.
So when someone asks you how to get to Sesame Street, you can now tell them the address! It’s W 63rd Street and Broadway NYC!
1/2BoxJello Vanilla Instant PuddingAdd to cake mix for extra moisture and flavor
1BowlVanilla Pudding IcingSee recipe below
2 PacksGraham CrackersFor sides of cake
3BarsHershey's Chocolate BarsMelted for drizzles
3 MarshmallowsHowever you would like to use for decoration
1/4 bagVanilla Chocolate ChipsFor texture in cake batter
Instructions
Bake cake per box directions. If using the Vanilla Pudding Icing recipe, use 1/2 box left of the Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding in the mix to add extra moisture and flavor to the boxed cake. I also add vanilla chocolate chips to the batter in the pan for texture.
Ice with the Vanilla icing.
Pulse the graham crackers in a food chopper to get thin cracker crumbs. Add to the sides of the iced cake. The more the merrier! They add great flavor when mixed with the icing plus they're yummy!
Decorate with melted chocolate, marshmallows (heat for 10 seconds but be careful with young kids, they get REALLY sticky!), and some whole or broken graham crackers on top.
I recommend using my Vanilla Pudding Icing for this recipe. It holds perfectly. This cake would also be great with some chocolate fudge icing inside!
1Stick (1/2 Cup)Unsalted Butter SoftenedYou can use salted butter if it is all you have.
1/2BoxJello Vanilla Instant Pudding
1CupConfectioners Sugar
1TbspVanilla ExtractI prefer the premium flavor for my icings.
1/4CupWhole Milk
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
Add the cream cheese to the stand mixer and wisk on high for about 30 seconds until creamy.
Add in softened butter and mix with cream cheese until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Add in vanilla extract and vanilla pudding (1/2 box – the other half you can add to your cake mix, it helps moisten the cake) and beat on high 30 seconds.
Add remaining ingredients and mix on high for about 1-2 minuted until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through.
*Add more milk if you'd like a thinner consistency but be careful not to add too much at once!
1Stick (1/2 Cup)Unsalted Butter SoftenedYou can use salted butter if it is all you have.
1/2BoxJello Vanilla Instant Pudding
1CupConfectioners Sugar
1TbspVanilla ExtractI prefer the premium flavor for my icings.
1/4CupWhole Milk
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
Add the cream cheese to the stand mixer and wisk on high for about 30 seconds until creamy.
Add in softened butter and mix with cream cheese until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Add in vanilla extract and vanilla pudding (1/2 box – the other half you can add to your cake mix, it helps moisten the cake) and beat on high 30 seconds.
Add remaining ingredients and mix on high for about 1-2 minuted until fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through.
*Add more milk if you'd like a thinner consistency but be careful not to add too much at once!
This is a recipe I made up for my S’mores cake I made. I am a huge fan of cream cheese icing, but it was not the exact flavor I was looking for with the came I was making. I wanted a vanilla pudding icing, but everything I found left me unimpressed. They all had the same ingredients, cool whip and vanilla pudding mix.
Don’t get me wrong… I am a fan of simple. I’ll take simple any day, but I did not want a loose icing for this as I was using it as the filling and icing. This icing will be stiff enough to do some cool decorating, and still have stability to use as a filling as well.
The best part? It is literally amazing. Flavorful, not just pretty. You will want to lick the bowl because it tastes just like the Vanilla Pudding flavor!
Most weeknights I don’t mind cooking. In fact I love to cook probably more than anything else, but I have limited time since I don’t get home from work until around 6pm.
Tonight I had an idea of what ingredients I wanted to use as it’s food shopping day tomorrow and I make up whatever I can to use what’s left of the weeks in hone ingredients. That’s when I thought about making this shortcut chicken cordon bleu and it came out super yummy!
When I say this recipe is easy, I mean it took longer for me to write this recipe then to execute the entire dinner and eat it kind of easy…
I used 3 frozen Tyson grilled chicken breasts and started off by putting them in the oven per the back of the bag (375° for 20 minutes). Then started a pot of water to throw in some penne noodles so they’d be done at the same time as the chicken.
Next, I grabbed a pan and tossed in some butter so I can simmer some chunks of ham. You can’t make chicken cordon bleu without ham! So I used a prepackaged honey ham steak I had and chopped half of it into cubes. I simmered these in the butter and once browned and some nice ham grease was in the pan, I added a jar of classico creamy alfredo sauce. This added the ham flavor to the otherwise fairly bland canned alfredo sauce.
Next, I tossed in a half can of small peas and a cup of white cooking wine. All of this simmered together until the noodles and chicken were done. Leave the oven on.
Then I drained the noodles and the three chicken into cubes. I mixed everything into a pot and added some shredded Monterey jack cheese, about a handful (it’s what I had). After tossing it together, I sprayed my casserole dish with pam cooking spray, and added the mixture to it. I topped it with some Italian breadcrumbs (just a sprinkle), and layered some provolone slices across the top covering the entire thing. You should use swiss to be true to the original “cordon bleu” recipe, but again, I used what I had on hand and I actually prefer provolone to swiss.
Last step, cover loosely with tin foil so it doesn’t stick to the top layer of cheese and pop it in the oven just to bubble inside and heat the cheese on top, 375° still as previously set, for about 10 minutes.
That’s it! That’s the shortcut way, feel free to replace ther frozen with fresh chicken although I must say there is really no need to as this came out great! My only additional advise is get 2 jars of alfredo if you’re using an entire box of noodles. I used half a box and 1 jar and it was a tad but drier than I would’ve liked. Maybe 2 jars with 1/2 box of noodles would be best to keep it extra saucy!
Let me know what you think if you try this easy simple Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole recipe.
What is in a Daily Goodie Box anyway? Is it something you get daily?
No! This has everyday items you can use, and different items in each monthly box. I am not sure why it’s called Dailygoodiebox but I’m sure its awesome if you’re lucky enough to get one!
You can get one by signing up online at www.dailygoodiebox.com or joining their Facebook page and looking for the free giveaways which are daily.
It’s more than just free samples! It’s a plethora of new and unique items you may not find anywhere else (unless you’re looking for them which hopefully you do now).
Check below for the awesome free products in the August box. There were a total of 5 full size items and 3 sample sized.
Enter now to win a pack of Hona $10 Amazon gift card to get you started on back to school supplies this 2019/2020 school year
Honeysticks Crayons are handmade in New Zealand with 100% pure beeswax, so they are safer for children of all ages. This sustainable process causes minimal impact on the environment and gives the crayons a wonderful honey scent. Our unique chubby crayons are easy for small hands to hold, but much harder to break! Let your little ones express their inner artist with a stunning range of twelve eye catching, non-toxic crayon colours.
Welcome to the 4th Annual Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Giveaway Hop!
Please click each link below to visit a new site with a new giveaway!
Don’t forget to come back daily for bonus entries!
There is an ongoing debate if the express pass at Universal Studios Orlando is worth the money you’ll need to shell out for it.
My answer is yes, but not by itself.
If you’re traveling from far away and needing to stay at a hotel, you’re better off staying at one of the on-site resorts that include the Unlimited Express pass with your stay.
I had booked the Aventura hotel almost a year in advance of our trip and was happy with my choice. I had paid it off in 2 payments and was all set including the park tickets for us all.
About a month and a half before our trip, my husband mentioned to me that we should probably look into the express passes since we were going late July which is a busy time (I mean, is there any time that isn’t busy there?). I checked them out and noticed the site says $69.99 for the regular Express pass.
That is until I chose my specific dates. The prices jumped to $189 each for the unlimited Express passes! I couldn’t believe my eyes… I decided to wait and look around. I noticed that the top tier hotels on site, the Hard Rock Orlando and Lowes Pacifica both included free unlimited Express passes for all guests during your stay.
If I purchased the Express passes separately, it would’ve costed my just under $800.
I called to inquire about upgrading my hotel to the Hard Rock and to my surprise it was just $600 more than what I had already paid OR for an additional $800 we would get Rock Royalty Club level at the hotel.
I chose the latter and man am I happy I did. We had an AMAZING time, and the Hard Rock Club Level is definitely worth the extra money.
We took the path right from the hotel which is a 7 minute walk to City Walk and the entrance to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. We were able to take our time getting to the parks in the morning, and then leave around 12 to go back to the hotel, take a dip in the amazing pool and hot tub, eat, and head back to the parks.
It was so care free and leisurely. Getting to go in the Express lane, even during the peak July month, meant 5-10 minute waits MAX even on the newest rides (make sure the rides you want accept express passes).
Take note of the Express pass which allows one express ride per ride vs. The Express unlimited pass which allows you on the rides as many times as you’d like over and over if you chose.
Overall, YES it is so worth it, especially during the busiest Summer months. But I suggest you check the on site hotel rates that include them before shelling out the money for the passes themselves.
Did you already book a hotel or driving from local? No worries, you can always decide once you get to the parks If you want to add an Express pass. They’re the same price at the park and Express passes are sold all over in all 3 universal parks.
The following are the rides that accept express passes as of August 2019:
Participating rides and attractions subject to change without notice.
