Bendy and the Ink Machine Birthday Party

Posted in Activities, Crafts, Kids and Moms by Cheryl

Anyone else have a child who picks the most odd themes that they want for their birthday party?

My son dropped on me that he really wants to have a Bendy and the Ink Machine birthday party in our yard this year for his birthday next month. And guess what, there aren’t any party supplies at all for it at retail stores.

I know that he loves it, and he watches the videos on you tube, so guess what? This mommy has to do what mommy has to do to make it happen! Make it!

I decided to do like I did last year when he wanted to have a Five Nights at Freddy’s themed party and the were limited decorations to choose from. Large cardboard cut outs! Very simple and the best part, the kids can do most of the work. It isn’t child labor if they request to do it right??!? LOL. Just kidding. He was so excited to get to work on it.

The first step we did was getting the images to print out in a larger then one paper format. We used a free site called blockposters.com which helps you convert the images easily to multiple pages to create a poster.

Then we cut each piece of paper out and organized them together.

Look how great my little boy was doing. Yes, he really did this all himself!

Then, we used anything we had around the house that can act as a sturdy back for the image. We had one piece of a gift box, and some previously used shipping boxes that we cut to lay flat.

Then you just glue each piece on order, let them dry, and cut them out on the box. We also cut eyes holes out so that the kids can use them as masks.

For the happy birthday banner, I used my cricut explore and downloaded the banner file I liked for .99 cents.

I already had some cool vintage looking card stock on hand so it worked perfectly for this theme.

Also, to make it more fit the theme, I printed some of the images I found online of the characters and cut them on sticker paper that you can get at any craft store.

It was a little time consuming, but fun to put together.

Here are some pictures of the FNAF them cutouts and party we did last year!

10Apr2018

Rain, Rain Go Away Hop with Medieval Times Giveaway!

Posted in Activities, Current Giveaways, Kids and Moms by Cheryl

Can you believe it is already April? Easter has come and gone, and most Spring breaks have already taken place, so I’m going to show you what we did with ours and offer you a chance to go with your family too! Hint Hint, we went back in time!

This Rain, Rain go away hop hosted by The Kids Did it and The Mommy Island.

Enter at the bottom of the post to win by clicking the “giveaway” logo! There are over 100 giveaways you can Enter in addition to mine, so check them all out below! *Event hosts & participating bloggers are not responsible for fulfilling prize obligations from sponsors or self-sponsoring bloggers.

Photo credit medievaltimes.com Lyndhurst, NJ.

I’ve lived in New Jersey my entire life and haven’t been to Medieval Times until now.

Word on the street is there is a new Queen in town! Queen Maria Isabella is the first Queen at the location and she holds it down!

Queen Maria Isabella welcomes you to dine with her and her royal court. Always a generous host, the Queen has commanded her royal chefs to cook her favorite meal just for you.

Medieval Times’ noble guests feast on garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potatoes, the pastry of the Castle, coffee and two rounds of select beverages.

Our show was the 5pm show, but we got there at 3:50 and I’m glad we did. Parking was scarce and pretty far away for a cold windy day like today, but we weren’t in a rush which was good.

Table sections (unless VIP) are chosen by first come first serve. We were given table 14 in the blue knight section which was good because my little one had me give him a blue sprayed Mohawk before we left the house. Maybe that’s why they gave us blue? Either way, it worked out😊

They give you colored paper crowns that coincide with your knight and seat color after you get your seat tickets, and then you walk into a room full of memorabilia and a small show with the queen recognizing special occasions like birthdays in which she “knights” The person in front of a crowd. It was really cool to see an 80 year old woman there being knighted on her 80th birthday.

Make sure to pay attention to where your entrance is based on your color. There seemed to be alot of confusion about that when it came time to line up to enter which is 15 minutes before show start time. Hint is to check the walls by the steps, they have the color shields that should be in the section, but it’s best to ask so you’re in the right spot initially.

We were ready to go in blue section, and here is a view from our seat at table 14, see how cool the lighting is?

Once seated you immediately get served with the first coarse, your tomato bisque soup which is awesome! They have vegetarian and vegan options, but check out the standard menu which is on the napkins at your seat:

Overall, it was a great time. Fun show, and great family atmosphere. The only thing is that I wished the actual show was a little longer. They spent about 20 minutes just calling out birthday shout outs which was making my kids fidgety and anxious. But once the actual show started, they were all eyes on the stage.

Rooting for the blue knight (he lost in this show but that’s ok)

The best part is you can Enter to win a family 4 pack of passes to go enjoy dinner and a show!

*Disclaimer: By entering this giveaway you agree to share your email with Medieval Times.

For an EXTRA entry, let me know what you think of the Toyota C-HR XLE by clicking the image below and commenting on the post!

Even if you aren’t THE winner, everyone is a winner!

With the code ‘NJBlog36,’ our readers can get tickets for $36.95 for adults and $30.95 for kids (plus tax and processing). This is about a 40% off discount on the regular general admission pricing. It is valid for shows through the end of 2018, with the exception of the late night NYE show.

Check out the other giveaways for this hop and make sure to enter them! Click below.

1.	The Kids Did It – Host	35.	JeanBookNerd	69.	It’s Free At Last
2.	The Mommy Island – Host	36.	Hollybee Tells	70.	Everyday Gizmos Sweeps & Views – US
3.	(VIP) Still Blonde after all these years	37.	Savings in Seconds	71.	The Jersey Momma
4.	(VIP) Coupons and Freebies Mom – $19 Amazon Gift Card – US	38.	icefairy’s Treasure Chest	72.	The Mama Knows – US
5.	(VIP) Way 2 Good Life – $40 UGears 3D Model – US	39.	Nanny to Mommy	73.	Author Sabrina A. Fish – US
6.	(VIP) Broken Teepee	40.	Tizzy Says	74.	Utterly Amazing – US
7.	(VIP) Comeback Momma	41.	Confessions of a Frugal Mind	75.	Win! Win! Win! – WW
8.	(VIP) Living Smart girl	42.	Erica Ever After	76.	Drop The Spotlight
9.	(VIP) Shopping Kim – $25 Target Gift Card – US	43.	MyStylespot – US	77.	Angie’s Angle – US
10.	(VIP) Aging Like A Fine Wine	44.	Parenting In Progress	78.	It’s A Jersey Thing – US
11.	(VIP) Beauty Info Zone – $25 Sephora Gift Card or PayPal Cash – US/CAN	45.	The Moody Blonde – US	79.	Christy’s Cozy Corners – WW
12.	(VIP) Lindsey Blogs at SEBG	46.	Busy Being Jennifer	80.	Stacy Tilton Reviews – US
13.	(VIP) On Honeysuckle Hill – $25 Jewelry Set – US	47.	Staci Mauney’s Echoes of Joy – US/CAN	81.	Mommy’s Block Pary
14.	(VIP) Beautiful Touches – $149 Peachskin Sheets – US	48.	Stacking My BookShelves – WW	82.	Agent 54
15.	(VIP) The Balanced Writer	49.	Mom To Grandma – WW	83.	More Than A Review- US
16.	(VIP) Sunshine and RollerCoasters	50.	A Modern Day Fairy Tale – US	84.	Andersons Angels – US
17.	Zombie Parenting	51.	Mommy’s Playbook	85.	Style Me Fantasy
18.	A LeiSure Moment	52.	Says Me Says Mom – US	86.	Hanna Lei
19.	FROG Reviews and Ramblings – US	53.	Here We Go Again Ready	87.	Candid Mama
20.	Celebrate Woman Today – US	54.	The Homespun Chics – US	88.	Reviewz & Newz – US
21.	Rockin’ Book Reviews	55.	Eclectic Evelyn – US	89.	Practical Frugality – US
22.	Sweet Southern Savings – US/CAN	56.	Java John Z’s	90.	This Ole Mom – US/CAN
23.	The Monarch Mommy	57.	Simply Sherryl – WW	91.	Live Well Be Fabulous
24.	Three Boys & An Old Lady – WW	58.	Tammie’s Reviews, Giveaways and More	92.	SaraLee’s Deals Steals & Giveaways
25.	Reading Reality	59.	Graceful Coffee	93.	Lisa-Queen of Random – US
26.	Finding Sanity In Our Crazy Life	60.	This N That with Olivia – US	94.	Literary Winner
27.	Box Roundup	61.	Silver Dagger Book Tours	95.	Heck Of A Bunch
28.	Mom Does Reviews	62.	Luv Saving Money – US	96.	My Life. One Story at a Time.- US
29.	Kerrific Online	63.	Rita Reviews	97.	Home jobs by mom
30.	My Silly Little Gang – US	64.	Something 2 Offer	98.	Laurali’s Blog – US
31.	Batch of Books	65.	Moss and Ink	99.	Freebies Deals & Steals
32.	Gypsy Road – US	66.	Diva’s News & Reviews – US/CAN	100.	Susie’s Reviews
33.	Bargnhtress	67.	Homeschool Insights – WW
34.	Miss Molly Says – US	68.	Easter Babe’s Theory – US

(Submissions close April 24, 2018)

If you’ve experienced a medieval times show, please comment below!

We were given a 2018 Toyota C-HR XLE to take to the show which was awesome! It kept our family safe and comfy on the 1 hour ride to Medieval Times, and was there to take us “back to the future” with its stylish look, so check it out!

For an EXTRA Entry, Remember to click on the photo above and leave a comment on the post about what you think of the vehicle!

8Apr2018

2018 Toyota C-HR XLE Review

Posted in Activities, DriveShop, Product Reviews, Vehicle Reviews by Cheryl

2018 Toyota C-HR XLE

Check out the all new C-HR by Toyota. What a cool looking car right? Immediately I felt like it was a car of the future, especially with the back door handles higher up then normal, made it feel like a “special” vehicle that I’d feel proud to ride around town in.

My kids, my husband, and I went to Medieval Times over the weekend in Lyndhurst NJ and took the 1 hour ride in style with this beauty.

It has everything you’d expect from a 2018 vehicle, blind spot monitoring, large LCD touch screen with bluetooth capability, heated seating, and more, although navigation does not come standard which is interesting.

One thing that I found unique that may be a Toyota brand thing (this is my first time with a Toyota) is the back up camera comes up on the rear view mirror as opposed to what I am used to which is on the large LCD screen.

See how small it is? Personally I am not a fan of this for a few reasons. The number one reason being the picture is very small and grainy and I don’t quite get the point of it being there instead of a much larger viewing screen. The second thing is, as a mom, while driving I have enough distractions with the kids fighting over things in the back seat, It’s defintely a distraction to have to look into the rear view mirror foot the back up camera, and in the right side is the actual mirror which you can see out of the back, yes, but you also see little heads bopping around and hands flailing about. I guess I don’t really see the point of it IN the rear view mirror. Anyone?

I found myself not even using it and struggling to see out of the accrual mirror instead along with the turn your head to see technique which the back windows make it very hard to see out of since they’re small due to design.

I guess that’s a price to pay for external beauty. The vehicle itself shines no matter where you go because it is so different in its design.

I thought my kids would have a hard time opening the back doors themselves but once I told them where the door handle was (I admit, I let them struggle for a bit trying to figure out where it was #badmom) they were able to open it pretty easily.

Can you find the back door handle? LOL!

The inside front is much smaller then my husband and I are used to with me having a full size explorer, but it is roomy enough to get comfortable in after. Also, surprisingly The back seat is much roomier than you would think.

My stepfather wanted to go for a ride in the back seat with my youngest and he raved about how comfortable he was back there even though it’s a small sized crossover.

From the back it looks like a small hatch back, but looks can be deceiving.

Check it all of this trunk space!

4Apr2018

Michael Grandinetti Magic Show at iplay America April 14, 2018

Posted in Activities, Current Giveaways by Cheryl

GIVEAWAY!!! See below to enter!

Saturday, April 14
Michael Grandinetti Magic – iPlay America’s Event Center
Doors: 6:00 PM – Starts: 7:00 PM

Michael Grandinetti is not your ordinary magician – he is better known for being a world class illusionist. Grandinetti became famous for levitating in the air for 4 hours, 15 feet above the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He makes the ancient art of magic modern, innovative and exciting while showing audiences that nothing is impossible. This is YOUR chance to have your mind blown by his incredible talents! Check out the ticket options starting at $20.00. Hurry, they’re selling fast! Get yours before they disappear!

Link to iPlay site for event: https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/michael-grandinetti-magic/

Master of Magic Michael Grandinetti to Amaze Audiences at iPlay America

Freehold, NJ – Michael Grandinetti possesses a true talent for connecting with LIVE audiences and on Saturday, April 14, Grandinetti will appear at iPlay America’s Event Center to dazzle the crowd with his mind-blowing mastery of magic and illusion. Grandinetti is no ordinary magician – he became famous for levitating in the air for four hours, 15 feet above the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Grandinetti has performed on national and international television, in stadiums, arenas, casinos, theaters, for Fortune 500 companies, with symphony orchestras, at The White House and now this talented entertainer will bring his unique style, compelling creative vision and engaging personality to iPlay America for one unforgettable evening of magic and illusion. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and the show will start at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale NOW, go to iPlayAmerica.com/event/Michael-Grandinetti-Magic.

“iPlay America is a magical place for families to spend quality time enjoying each other and having fun,” said Jessica Schwartz, vice president of sales and marketing for iPlay America. “Our magic shows are always a huge draw because they are great events for families. Michael Grandinetti is innovative, exciting and he dazzles audiences by proving that nothing is impossible.”

More – Over the past 20 years, Michael Grandinetti has been driven to make magic contemporary and to give it a vast mainstream appeal. He has had starring roles on NBC’s “The World’s Most Dangerous Magic II”, the CW’s “Masters of Illusion” and Pop TV’s “Don’t Blink”. His magic has also been featured on FOX series “Bones”, “The Today Show”, “Access Hollywood”, ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and “Entertainment Tonight.”

I am giving away a family 4 pack of passes to the Magic Show April 14th. Enter to win now through 4/9 only!

25Mar2018

New York Baby Show | May 19-20 | Pier 94 *GIVEAWAY!

Posted in Activities, Current Giveaways, Kids and Moms, Product Reviews by Cheryl

New York Baby Show | May 19-20 2018

Back again! Every year for the past 3 years I’ve brought you a chance to win FREE tickets for yourself or a friend to the highly anticipated NY Baby Show hosted by JPM and Family Media (8 years and going!).

I only have 10 tickets to give away for FREE and once they’re gone, they’re gone so get them now! Scroll to the “giveaway link” below or click the image above.

If you’ve never been and don’t know “what to expect”, well you’re in for a surprise. You do not need to be expecting you enjoy the show. Anyone with little ones would find this show to be an exciting adventure especially if you love shopping as much as I do!

Vendors from all over the place convene to bring you the best products of the new year, most at a show discounted price.

Not sure that you want to buy stuff and lug it back on the train or uber that day? No problem! You’ll get tons of informational materials from vendors and you’ll be able to order from home after the show with the same great discounts with year materials.

Check out aerial footage I took from the 2015 show #NYBSBloggerLounge @NewYorkBabyShow:

The 2018 New York Baby Show, on May 19 & 20 at Pier 94 will once again be the largest show for new and expectant parents in the country. Now in its 8th year, no other event provides a better experience for thousands of expectant and new families from New York and neighboring counties, seeking a family-friendly jamboree of top brands, great speakers and seminars, big giveaways, and lots of learning, support, bonding, and fun as you make your way into parenthood.

We are giving away tickets for you and your family to experience the show. See below for details… etc.

**Normal ticket price is $30 per family (for 2 adults and up to 4 children), and $20 per individual.

Are all of the 10 tickets already gone? No worries! I have a special code for my readers for you to get 50% off tickets:

11Mar2018

IPlay America Freehold NJ

Posted in Activities, Kids and Moms by Cheryl

Today we visited IPlay America, an indoor theme park in Freehold, NJ.

It’s definitely misleading from the outside as it sits in a strip mall and looks like any other storefront. Inside, it’s huge!

Inside it’s made to mimic an outdoor boardwalk with arcades, stands, and rides. It even has a boardwalk style floor.

The rides there aren’t for older kids, but my kids ages 5 and 9 had a good time and went on just about all of them although my 5 year old needed an adult to ride most of the rides with him so I had a ride wristband too. We had the iRide plus bands, which include the larger rides like go karts and coaster.

Some of the rides they enjoyed;

Bumper boats

Spinning Coaster

Go Karts

The skywalk was extra credits and not included with the ride passes. It’s 10 credits or $5 for kids under 42″ and they do the lower section. 20 credits or $10 for kids taller than 42″ and they go on the really high area. They get strapped in and follow the path with the bar for safety.

I wouldn’t recommend this for any child who may be scared of heights. My son got scared after the first beam and came right back down and they wouldn’t credit us back!

The bottom section is cute for very young kids, but there isn’t much to it.

The arcades are fun but unfortunately they do not let you win enough in my opinion. The grab claw games are almost pointless as they do not pick up the items at all.

The game selection is great and tons of things my kids enjoy. They won a little over 1,000 tickets and I like that they are loaded directly onto your point card. There isn’t much to choose from for prizes though, so we got a bunch of candy.

Overall, it’s a nice day out if you want to get out of the house and have that boardwalk feel when it’s not so nice weather out.

One of the best parts about iplay is yhe event area. There are many decent priced shows for all ages including concerts and dinners. I highly recommend visiting the event area if you have a chance!

Here are some upcoming shows;

Friday, March 23
Vic Latino’s 90’s Now – iPlay America’s Event Center                        Doors 7:00 PM – Start Time: 8:00 PM

Vic Latino, the triple threat of the radio industry, and iPlay America present the best 90’s show of 2018 with Vic Latino’s #90SNOW! Come see your favorite 90’s artists performing all of your favorite 90’s hits! Performances include La Bouche (Be My Lover, Sweet Dreams, Falling in Love), Rob Base (It Takes Two), Mad Stuntman (I Like to Move It), and Lucas Prata (And She Said, Ma Ya Hi-Numa Numa Song). General admission and VIP options available!

Learn More

Saturday, March 24
Sonny the Bunny’s Colossal Carrot Adventure
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sonny the Bunny is back for his Fifth Annual Colossal Carrot Adventure! There will be FREE pictures with Sonny the Bunny, a bunny trail you can hop along to collect eggs filled with treats and prizes, and raffle prizes that include a Grand Prize of an iPlay America Birthday Party for the kids and one-Carat Diamond for the adults! Register now for this FREE event!

Learn More

Saturday, March 24                                                                                  VIB Breakfast with Sonny the Bunny
Start Time: 9:00 AM
Join us for our Fourth Annual VIB (Very Important Bunny) Breakfast with Sonny the Bunny! Enjoy a delicious hot breakfast buffet that includes an omelet station, assorted breakfast breads, yogurt and granola, pancakes, fresh fruit and more! While you are eating, Sonny the Bunny will walk around and visit with guests at their tables. Then, gather the whole family together for a picture with him taken by our professional photographer with a free digital download! We will also have tons of entertainment including Miss Sherri from Honey Child Music Academy, Neverland Balloon Artists, face painting and a photo booth with The Selfie Social! Afterwards, enjoy our FREE Sonny the Bunny Colossal Carrot Adventure, taking place inside the park from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.

Learn More

YOU WILL LOVE IPLAY AMERICA’S DINNER SHOW SERIES

Sunday, March 11 – Sunday, April 8 – Sunday, May 20
Sunday, June 3 – Sunday, July 8 – Sunday, August 12     iPlay America’s Dinner Show Series – Event Center
Door Time: 4:00 PM – Start Time: 5:30 PM

iPlay America presents The 2018 Dinner Show Series! Enjoy great monthly live musical performances and a delicious dinner buffet! It’s a perfect night out!

6Jan2018

2018 Mazda 3 Vehicle Review

Posted in Activities, Kids and Moms, Vehicle Reviews by Cheryl

November 2018 was the 2017 NYC Play Fair and I had to ride in style so #Mazda hooked me up with this hotrod to take on the voyage across state lines. Ok, ok.. it’s only a 45 minute trip into NYC depending on traffic but I wanted that “dramatic” feel haha! And boy did they hook me up!

I feel like I need to start by introducing you to the safety features of this fine beauty called the 2018 Mazda3.

As a mother of 2 boys, I live and breathe what is best for them and my family, and being that we are in and out of it alot, my car isn’t a choice I take lightly.

2018 Mazda Mazda3 Safety Features

Driver Air Bag
Passenger Air Bag
Front Head Air Bag
Rear Head Air Bag
Front Side Air Bag
4-Wheel ABS
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
Brake Assist
Electronic Stability Control
Daytime Running Lights
Child Safety Locks
Integrated Turn Signal Mirrors
Traction Control
Blind Spot Monitor
Cross-Traffic Alert

In addition to all of the important features listed above, you can turn on the car length guide that shows you if you’re tailgating the car in front of you which I find extremely useful. You know us NJ drivers need to get where we’re going quickly and sometimes don’t notice we are tailgating until our husband’s yell at us (LOL!).

The interior of the 2018 Mazda3 is breathtaking. They hit the nail on the head with this ivory and black combination interior… I mean just look at how stunning this looks. Would you believe the 2018 starts at just under 20K??

This model came with a sunroof which i l love to keep the window closed but the screen open. Makes November seem like Spring time letting the sun in… when there is sun…

The heated seats, both driver and passenger are a huge bonus and to top it off, a heated steering wheel! ALWAYS GO WITH THE HEATED STEERING WHEEL! You can thank me later.

The interface leaves a little to be desired in my opinion as they artyl haven’t gotten it right. It’s 2018 and there isn’t a standard navigation package in this model which I found a bit odd with how luxurious everything else was.

Alao, getting used to the center console controls takes a little but, but once you get used to it, it’s fine.

Now onto the exterior. What more can I say, such a stylish, family friendly vehicle that works it in all the right places.

Check out this beauty in pearl white with aluminum alloy rims, halogen lights and sleek windows. Did I mention the grill is A-Maz-ingly intimidating yet beautiful? Zoom-Zoom!

See for yourself what the fus is about…

The trunk folds down into the 2nd row for sects space if needed, but even without doing that I wad amazed at how easily I fit my weekly HUGE grocery trip into it no problem.

Do you own a Mazda? Let me know what you think down below!

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