Holy Smokes…..One Month til Disney!

It seems like forever ago that I booked our trip for Disney, and now it’s only 27 days away! I’ve yet to become excited for the trip…it’s not really  a vacation for me, but I wasn’t thinking about me when I booked the trip, but of my darling daughter. I’ve got to give it up to the folks over at Disney – they haven’t let me forget about my trip and at least every couple weeks they are sending me something in the mail about our trip – they really deserve a pat on the back!!

So with a month until our trip, I’m now trying to figure out what the heck I need to prepare! A month or so ago I started reading blogs of other families that were planning Disney trips – and got overwhelmed, I must give it to the super planners, but I want a sense of freedom when I’m away, and don’t want to be tied down! Their prep was months in advance, which had me down because I have done ZERO prep, other than booking our flight and hotel! For me, preparation for this trip can be broken up into two categories: mental and physical.

Mental Prep:

-          Mental preparing to fly (me no likey)

-          Preparing to be around a whole bunch of people and kids! (I’m kinda a hermit)

-          Being prepared for lil mama to want everything & needed to set limits with her

-          Being OK with being out the office for an entire week (causes me anxiety)

I’ve been working on this mental prep for awhile now. I’ve always been one to avoid super crowded events – you should see me in NYC with lil mama – I’m a mess! There is going to be so much stimulation there and I know she is going to want EVERYTHING, so I need to have a budget in mind and really try to stick with it.

Physical Prep:

-     What to pack? And how?

I generally tend to be an overpacker – I like to pack for any circumstance which always means my suitcase is busting at the seams lol – and let’s not talk about my accessories…I have a lot of skincare products that must travel with me. I need to figure out how I can best pack these without being stopped at the airport! I’ve also decided NOT to bring my laptop, which will be a nice break – I’ll have my Galaxy so I’ll still be connected. I also don’t know the limits on how heavy our bags can be…I don’t fly, and really need to educate myself ASAP so I don’t break no rules!

-   What to wear?

I’m all about comfort – and my standard outfit when I’m not at work is leggings, converse, and a tshirt. Best outfit ever. But I obviously know we’re going to be doing a lot of walking, so I need to be comfortable all the time. So I’ve decided to bring my workout gear, running pants, dri-fit tops, sports bra, and sneakers. I’ll be comfortable and ready to run at any moment! I also had to think about the dreaded topic of a bathing suit. I’ve just begun my fitness journey so I’m not yet seeing the results I want in my body, so I needed a suit that was not only cute and flattering but that sucked in what needed to be sucked and gave an overall slimming look – I recently teamed with Albion Fit and got sent the cutest bathing suit I’ll happily be rocking in Disney!

As you can see there is much prep to be done for our upcoming trip. But the biggest pieces are all done. We have our flights. We know where we’ll be staying. We have our dining plan. We have access to the parks. I’m happy with that and hope that everything else just falls smoothly into place…(a girl can dream!). But, it is important to really start thinking about what I still need to get, what exactly I’m packing, and start organizing! I’m not going overboard, so hopefully it’s not too much work!

 

Have you been to Disney? What kind of prep did you do beforehand? What advice would you give me?

Doesn’t look like Winter is over yet for us here in Boston! Still looking for some spectacular last minute spring skiing?  Look no further with over 225” of snowfall this season and more on its way we can help you with lodging in the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Save 50% on your Spring Break stay of 4 nights or more through April 30, 2013 (35% off 2 and 3 night stays) when you book with Colorado Rocky Mountain Resorts with Breckenridge, Frisco, Copper Mountain, and Keystone vacation rentals!  http://www.coloradormr.com/Promo3.htm  Call them at800 -635-3434 to plan your Spring Break and mention Promo Code DCO!

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I often remark on how I wish my daughter and I lived in New York because there seem to be countless fun family friendly activities and events happening in The Big Apple…that I always seem to miss out on! But then I remember that I live just outside of Boston and there are so many great activities for my daughter and I to get involved with!

If you live in Massachusetts, I want to share with you the opening of Kidville Wellesley . It can be difficult to find activities to do with your kids that you haven’t already been too…and sometimes you want something new and exciting! Kidville, a play and learning space for families with young children, offers a wide range of developmental enrichment classes in art, music, dance, and gym for babies, toddlers and kids newborn through 6-years old. With a preschool alternative program (Kidville University – KVU) and summer camps it promises to be a great solution for families looking for new activities to enjoy with their little ones.

SPECIAL GRAND OPENING OFFER

Free trial classes will be offered the week of March 25! During this week, families can take advantage of Kidville’s Grand Opening Special where they will receive $100 off when signing up for the 6-week Introductory Winter ’13 semester and a Spring/Summer ’13 class or Summer Camp. This offer is valid now through March 31.

For more local information, you can also check out Kidville Wellesley on Facebook.

More about Kidville Wellesley

* The location will feature classrooms, an indoor playspace, a retail Boutique, Kidville Salon (where haircuts can finally be fun) and a place for parents to celebrate birthday parties for children up to age nine.

* Some of the most popular classes include Rockin’ Railroad, Run Wiggle Paint & Giggle, My Big Messy Art Class, Big Muscle Builders, Big Muscle Builders, Ballet Tea Party, Savvy Scientists and Awesome Engineers, among others.

* The inaugural Winter 2013 semester begins the week of March 25 and will last for 6 weeks. Silver membership is free with enrollment in any Kidville class and comes with many member benefits including playspace passes, discounts on retail and salon purchase, and $50 off your birthday parties. Upgrades to Gold, Platinum and Diamond are also available.

* The full list of classes include: Rockin’ Railroad, Run Wiggle Paint & Giggle, My Big Messy Art Class, Big Muscles for Little Babies, Kidville Gymnasts, KidvilleSports and Kidville University (Kidville’s Pre-School Alternative Program). Silver Membership is free with enrollment in any Kidville class, while upgrades to Gold, Platinum and Diamond levels are also available.

Be sure to check out all Kidville Wellesley has to offer you and your family!

 

Many thanks to Kidville Wellesley for providing this great information!

My daughter is my right hand. Where I am, she’ll be. Working fulltime and being a single mom is no joke, and I always feel like I never spend as much time with the little one during the week as I would like too. So we LIVE for the weekend adventures together. Whether it’s visiting a museum, catching a new movie, painting pottery, or making a yummy meal in the kitchen – the weekend is when she and I get to tighten out bond as mother and daughter and go out and have a great time!

We seem to find fun and laughter in anything we do even if it’s a walk along the beautiful bike path near our home. If you were to ask my daughter what her IDEAL playdate would be I’m sure it would include three things: music, water, and food! The girl LOVES to eat, swim, and dance! My ideal playdate would actually probably include the same. I live for Summer weekends where we pack up and head to the beach for the day. Basking in the warm summer rays, we bury each other in sand and big waves, and I get to disconnect from all forms of technology for a day…it’s heaven!

So what’s your ideal playdate with your kid(s)? Hyundai’s Epic Playdate Weekend (http://clvr.li/YYVZKY) is on April 27 from 9am – 5pm in Santa Barbara, CA. Bloggers (e.g., Dooce, Mighty Girl, Oh Happy Day, Oh Joy, Say Yes To Hoboken, Girls Gone Child, BoingBoing, and How To Be A Dad) are camping on the beach and hosting epic workshops for kids, e.g., ice cream sundae bar, paint fight, kids’ photography class, hula-hooping workshop, and more! Umm, sounds amazing, I wish we could go, I’m sure my daughter would have a blast!!

Wanna win a trip for four to Hyundai’s Epic Playdate Weekend? Entering is easy (Pinterest account needed), so head over to http://clvr.li/X4rpgE and get all the details to this amazing opportunity! Mandatory for entry: be sure to mention ‘Clever Girls Collective” when the forms asks How did you hear about us? I love easy to enter sweepstakes!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

This post is brought to you by The New Santa Fe from Hyundai. Think your family rocks? Show us by uploading a photo of your family rocking out. Enter now for a chance to win great prizes.
I am convinced that in another life I was a hip-hop singer/dancer. HA! No, I’m serious! Anyone who spends any time with my daughter and I know we have larger than life personalities, and are constantly singing or dancing. A friend of mine recently asked me….aren’t you ever stressed? To which I laughed and replied, yes of course I am, but there is a time for that. When I’m around my friends and people I care about I want them to feel joy and happiness. Sadness can be spread, as can happiness. So I try to exude a brightness that it’s impossible to ignore!

Daughter won’t wake up for school? Here comes Mom in her room singing a song to get her up. Stressed at work? You’ll find me singing Christmas tunes at my desk! Friday night at home with lil mama? You’ll walk into our self-made ‘club’ complete with 2 amazing dancers hehe. There is no limit to the fun we have. Not only are we releasing tension, we are enjoying each other’s company as mother and daughter.

Music is such a huge part of my life, it helps me express myself, it expresses through its composed lyrics and beat what I am unable to put into words. Music heals.

I know my family rocks! Does yours? Hyundai Santa Fe & Rolling Stone are looking for other families who ROCK too! Do your values include kindness, loud singing, or practical jokes? Then this contest is for you! Click HERE to enter the contest by uploading a photo of your family demonstrating for you rock along with 500 words or less about your family.
The sweeeet winners will get a photo shoot with Rolling Stone featuring the winning image shot by an industry photographer, airfare, hotel and transportation to the 55th Grammy Awards, and a fully tricked-out Hyundai Santa Fe custom rock ‘n’ roller. Be sure to enter soon, the contest ends December 14, 2012!!

Here is our family’s photo to show how much we rock! Our motto: Just Dance!

Oh and keep rocking

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.