Magical Disneyland

 Disneyland is the most amazing theme parks in the world. Arriving at Disneyland you can feel the magic. The park is beautifully landscaped, and immaculately kept. Disney is great for everyone, young and old. It is the perfect place to make amazing family memories.

Here are a few tips and tricks to make your Disney vacation more fun!

• Take a light weight backpack. Fill it with food, sunscreen, and ponchos or jackets.

• Take an umbrella. Sometimes it can get very hot, and it is so nice to have an umbrella to shade yourself during those long line waits.

• Give each child a set amount of money. Let them buy what snacks or toys they want. When the money runs out, it’s gone.

• Early entrance to the park can save you hours of waiting in line for rides. Your Magic Morning will give you a full hour before the park opens to the public. Get to bed early the night before or take a nap. You will save so much time by going early.

• Pack a lunch, take snacks, and water bottles for drinks. The food in the park is expensive and honestly not very good.

• One thing that Disney is best at is crowd control. They will put many things on your way to the rides to distract you and your family. Disney charters, toys, balloons, food, and photo opportunities. DON’T GET DISTRACTED!! Bypass all the fun, and get to the rides. The lines are the shortest at the beginning of the day. Promise your kids you WILL go back and visit all those fun things later in the day!

• Use Disney’s Park app to keep track of FAST PASS time and wait time in lines. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/08/disney-parks-mobile-magic-app-is-now-free/

• Use your FASTPASS first! Get a FASTPASS for a bigger ride like Splash Mountain, or Indiana Jones. Then go to Pirates, or Buzz.

• Splash Mountain: if you have big kids who want to ride on Splash mountain, but you also have little kids. Let one person take the big kids on splash. Right next to splash there is a Winnie the pooh ride that is perfect for little kids!

• ToonTown usually opens at around 10am. It is the best place to go as the park gets busier. In ToonTown there is a ride called the Goofy rollercoaster, my two boys LOVE riding it over and over! They get to ride it and I get to sit and relax!

• The monorail is really fun even if you are not staying at one of Disney’s properties. Ask to ride in the front. Take a loop with the conductor around Disney’s property!

• Take a full loop on the train ride. You might be surprised at what you get to see.

• Fantasmic: unless you have someone sit and reserve a spot for two-three hours, you will not get to see a great view of it! It was an excellent show, but won’t go again. Best spot is front and center, right by the entrance of Pirates.

Disney California:

• Color of Wonder is amazing I highly recommend it. With little kids it is best to try to get the early time, normally 7pm. Get to Disney California right when the park opens. Go directly to the FASTPASS area by Grizzle Gulch, that is where they distribute the passes. Use your Disney tickets to get the Color of Wonder tickets. It will not effect your ability to get other FASS PASS tickets.

• Unless you want to get soaked, buy a few dollar store rain poncho’s for Grizzly gulch. Most people get off the rides completely soaked.

Brighten Your Boys Outfit!

Boys don't have the wide selection of fun clothing that girls do.  Shoe laces can really brighten and make boys outfits really cute!  My two boys have loved to match the color of their shoe laces to the color of their shirts.  The cute of color from boys shirts matching to their shoes mades a huge fashion statement.   They have both loved dressing with their fashion shoe laces.

These shoe laces were purchased at all a dollar.  They had so many colors to pick from; blue, green, yellow, pink, red and purple. 

Why I love Target Pharmacy...

There isn't a mom out there that likes to give medication to their kids.  If you have ever spilled a bottle of antibiotic and WISHED there was a better way, I can tell you THERE IS!  Most pharmacy's give you a wide mouth medication bottle.  It can be a very difficult sticking your syringe down into the pink medication and trying to fill it. 

At your local Target pharmacy they have the best solution, and it is FREE with your prescription.   All of their liquid medications come with a stopper with a dosing hole for the syringe.  It looks just like the stopper you have in Italian dressing bottles.  You can easily fill the correct medication dose with a syringe.  It makes dosing is so much easier.  An added bonus at your Target pharmacy is that you can request flavors to be put into your medication.  They have all kinds of flavors, but I have heard from a pharmacist that the grape flavor hides the nasty taste of medications the best.   If you are going to have sick kids, and have to give them medication for 10 days, why not make it easier on yourself! 

You can also purchase a kit with the dosing stopper caps at this link.
http://www.dogehouses.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=41&products_id=203
It does come from a dog website, but as long as you boil sterilize the product before use, you will not have any problems. 

As an added bonus, I want to tell you about limiting the drowning of your salads.  It is in regards to the same looking stopper.  "Wish Bone" salad dressing is my favorite dressing.  Usually my children try to pour their own dressing on their salads, and they get a GUSH of dressing. Their plates can be completely covered with dressing.  I have found that pulling you can pull out your stoppers from your Italian dressing bottles, and put them on your thicker dressings.  This helps my children to pour their OWN dressing on their salads.  The stopper saves the day every time!  Just use a butter knife to pull the stopper off.  Getting the stopper off might be a little tricky the first time, so use a cutting board.  Make sure you WASH the stopper so you don't cross contaminate.  You will be amazed at how much less salad dressing is wasted with just a little tiny stopper cap! 

Enjoy!

2011 Summer Camp Breakdown!

How often have you wondered what would be the best camp for the right cost for my kids this summer? Looking and deciding can take hours!
Here is a list of summer camps for this 2011 summer season along with times, days and cost of the program. 
Hopefully it will make deciding which camp is the best for you and your family easier!

Summer Arts in the Parks

Bicentennial: M W 10:30-12
Storm Mountain: M W 12:45-2:15
Flat Iron Mesa: T TH 10:30-12
Buttercup: T TH 12:45-2:15
June 13-Aug 4, 2011 (Aprox14 days )
Camp is every week unless noted below.
All parks have Fun filled activities will include arts & crafts, games, storytelling and much more! Limited number of participants at each location. Instructor /child ratio is 1:10. Program will not be held July 4-5 and July 25-26, 2011.
Cost: $32 For ages 5 - 9 year olds.

*My children have attended the arts in the park program for the past 2 years. They have loved the chance to get away and do something different.  Everyday has something different, and they always come home with something fun or an interesting to show me.  I love this program and would highly recommend it!

Wheeler Farm Summer Camp
6351 S 900 E
Ages: 5-12
$60 per AM or PM session
Weekly sessions June 6-Aug 19

http://www.wheelerfarm.com/wfPDF/2011_Summer_Camp.pdf

*This has been a great program that both my children have gone to.  They really like the morning session because of all the farm activities.  I would recommend it.
YMCA
Community Family Center
4223 South Atherton Dr.
Taylorsville UT 84123
ymcacfc.org
801.839.3388
June 13-August 12, 2011
9am-4pm
Weekly: $130 Daily: $35 Half Day: $20 9-12:30 and 12:30-4pm
http://ymcasaltlake.org/documents/SummerCampBrochure2011WEB.pdf

Bricks 4 Kids
http://www.bricks4kidz.com/utah-saltlakecity-sandy/program-events/camps/
Dimple Dell Rec-Center
10670 S 100 E
801-495-1480
*Lego Robotics/ Space Camp
June 13-17, M-F , 1-4PM
*Stop Motion Animation Camp
June 27- July M-F, 1-4 PM
*Lego Robotics/ Transportation Camp
July 11-15, M-F, 1-4P
*Lego Robotics/ Construction Camp
Aug 1-5, M-F, 1-4 PM
Cost: $100 Ages 6-1
http://www.recreation.slco.org/

Copper View Rec-Center
8446 Harrison St
Midvale, UT 84047
561-0075
http://www.activityreg.com/
*Lego Robotics/ Inventions Camp
June 20-24 M-F 9-12PM
*Lego Robotics/ Amazing Animals Camp
July 11-15 M-F 9-12 PM
*Stop Motion Animation/ Free Style Camp
July 26-30 M-F 9-12PM
Cost: $100 Ages 6-12

Theatre School for Youth
*University of Utah offers an excellent summer acting program.  My youthful alma mater, I attended four years of school here and loved it!!!  Would highly recommend it to anyone who would like their child to learn any aspects of acting or film.

http://www.youththeatre.utah.edu/summer2011.html

Kids 5-8  Aug 8-19
9 am- 12 noon
$195

Kids 8-12  June 13-July 1
9 am- 3:30pm
$540

Kids 12-18 July 11-Aug 5
9 am-3:30 pm
$715

All final performances take place at Kingsbury Hall.  The program offers life changing activities and friends to last a life time!

Challenger Summer Camp
http://challengerschool.com/summerSchool.php
10685 South 1000 East
Sandy UT 84094
(801) 572-1910
(801) 572-6686

Living Planet Aquarium
http://thelivingplanet.com/education/summercamps.html
Camps are two days, usually 8-11am. Only one date during the summer for select age group.
$50-$55

Mad Scientist Summer Camps
http://madscience.org/locations/greatersaltlake/pdf/SLCCamp2011wlogos1fixed.pdf
For more information: 801-292-8646
Half-day Camp (5 days per week, 3 hours daily) $140 per camper ($10 extra materials fee for Rockets & Robots)
Discount: $10 discount for multiple camps and multiple siblings.
www.madscience.org/greatersaltlake

Momentum Summer Climbing Camp
10600 South 220 West 801-990-6890
http://momentumclimbing.com/kidsSummer2011ad.html
June 13-August 22
$175 for a 5 day week
Ages: 6-14 9-11AM

Red Butte Gardens
Camps are offered June 13th through August 19th and accommodate students in Kindergarten through 6th grade. 801-581-8454.
HALF-DAY CAMP PRICES PER WEEK
Member Price $105
Non-Member Price $120
FULL-DAY PARTNER CAMP PRICES PER WEEK
Member Price $210
Non-Member Price $235

SnowBird Summer Camp
June 6, 2011 – August 19, 2011
Mon – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Closed July 4 and July 25, 2011
Registration:$25 Registration Fee
To request a registration*, call us at (801) 933-2256 or
email campsnowbird@snowbird.com.
Open to children 4-12 years. .
Rates
Individual and First Child Rates
Full Day $60
3 Days $162
5 Days $255
10 Days $430
Same Family, Second Child Rates
Full Day $50
3 Days $140
5 Days $217
10 Days $395
Transportation
UTA bus transportation available from the Park & Ride at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon
Drop-off: 7:30 a.m.
Pick-up: 5:25 p.m.

SwimKids Summer Camp
location 4679 S. 2225 E.
http://swimkids.biz/documents/scamp.pdf
June 6-Aug 11 Sessions run M-Th
$90 per week or $80 when purchasing 2 or more weeks
Class Time: 9:00am - 11:45am or 2:30pm - 5:15pm
This is the place Summer Camp
PIONEER ADVENTURES DAY CAMP
Call 801-924-7507 for more details.
2011 Information
June 13-16, June 20-23, June 27-30, July 11-14, & August 1-4
Ages 6 - 11
Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 12 pm
$80 TITP Annual Pass holders / $90 TITP Non Annual Pass holders

UTAH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CAMPS
Partner Camp with This is the Place Heritage Park
2nd-3rd grade
July 26-29
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Partner Camp with This is the Place Heritage Park
4th-5th grade
July 26-29
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Full-day M-F: $240 - $260 per participant / $220 - $240 for UMNH Members

University of Utah Summer Camps
http://continue.utah.edu/youth/clubucamps/index.php

U Can Learn Summer Classes
Murray at 1231 E. 6600 South
801-281-5546
June thru August
Half Day - Monday-Thursday 9:00-11:30
$450 for a month

Wasatch Kids Camps
*830 East 9400 South
*1700 East 840 South
*495 East 5300 South Entrance
(*Three different locations)
Drop off 7:45-9 a.m.
Pick up 4:30-5:45
$190 a week + $45 registration fee
June 6-Aug 19
http://www.wasatchkidscamps.com/

Write On Day Camp
JUNE 13TH-17TH, 2011
Morning Session:
Upcoming grades 2nd, 3rd and 4th
9:00-12:00 p.m.
Afternoon session:
Upcoming grades 5th, 6th and 7th
1:00-4:00 p.m.
Located on:
Westminster College Campus
1840 South 1300 East
Salt Lake City, Utah
For additional information contact:
Emily 801.558.0300 or Carrie 801.915.0889
writeonworkshops@gmail.com

National Ability Center
http://www.discovernac.org/index.htm
Camp Giddy Up novice:
June 20th-23rd
Cost: $400
4 days
Camp Giddy Up intermediate:
June 27th-30th
Cost: $400
4 days
Overnight camp:
July 5th-7th
Cost: $475

For more information on any of the camps listed go to the link provided or enjoyutah.org :
http://www.enjoyutah.org/2011/03/utah-summer-camps-2011.html

New Deal Sites!!!

Here is a few new deal sites...
http://www.sugardaddydeals.com/r/165

Don't forget to check the other offers on the page.  The offers are usually on the right hand side of the page, and might interest you.  Each deal site has all different kinds of deals, so I check them everyday. 

This site is my new favorite...
Zulily!!!  It is the best brand name children's and clothing site!  They offer some cute items for children and baby, and mom!  They offered some sun clothing at about 50% off the normal price.  My sister has Lupus and needs clothing that has an SPF, and the deal they offered was great! 

http://www.zulily.com/invite/hdavenport830

Remember:  As I said in an earlier post "Don't buy deals unless you think you are going use them soon!  The deals need to be close to you home!  If they are online, purchase the items you want right away so you don't forget.  If you buy a service, mark a calendar to make sure you use it in the allotted time!"

ENJOY!!!

Time for Baby Entertainment!

These are my BEST ideas for entertaining babies and toddlers! 

1.  Music: With my boys, once I established a bedtime routine my life got a lot easier.  One on our favorite nightly bedtime additions to our routine was listening to "Martha Stewart Baby: Sleepytime."  This tradition started when they were infants and sometimes we still play the music to help our kids wind down after a crazy day.  We start playing the music as we give bottles or eat snacks.  It continues to play while brushing teeth, reading a  book, saying prayers and hugs and kisses.  Sleep always seemed to come quickly as the music lightly played.


http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Stewart-Baby-Various-Artists/dp/B00005NQK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1302833940&sr=8-1

Amazon has it for sale new and used.  Our local library has it, but several of the copies have scratches.  You might want to rent it before you buy it.

2.  Computer Games:  Kids see adults on computers and think they should be using one too.  Giggles Baby is a favorite.  Sit baby down at the table or in a high chair and let them play on the computer.

You can find all different software on amazon.com

3.  Busy Balls for Baby.  Both my boys LOVED these balls.  They keep little ones entertained for hours.  My only suggestion is when they get older the balls disappear.  The balls are hard and when they can be thrown hard, they can be a problem. 



4.  Switch Toys Out!  Although toys are great kids can get board of them quickly.  The best solution to this is to have a series of boxes you switch toys out with.  You can have as many boxes as your home can handle, but really two boxes is great! When the kids are board of the toys,  just pull out one of the new boxes.  Put all the toys that have been played with in the box, and hide them away.  Just make sure to divide similar toys into each box, so you don't have too many of the same item in the same box.  Every few weeks switch out the old toys for the hidden toys.  It will be like the toys are brand new!!! (this works with older children's toys too!)

5.  My kids LOVED "Sesame Street."  I like it because it is educational and keeps the kids entertained for an hour! Who can pass up Elmo and friends!!!

6.  Take em for a walk.  Planning a daily outing makes for a great division to the day.  If you plan it around the same time each day, your child will know what to expect.  You don't have to be gone long, even a 10 minute walk with brighten your child's day.   If its raining take a rain coat and umbrella, and show them how to jump into puddles, and watch the worms crawling. (take your camera or video camera! First time worm introductions are so funny!)  Even on snowy days you can take a quick walk.  Point out and count snowflake shapes on a dark colored towel.  Remember just have fun!

7.  Painting!  Painting and drawing can be so much fun! Dress them in old clothing or just a diaper. This is a much better activity to do outside, but can be done in a high chair during colder days.  Pull out tempura paint and paper.  Put blobs of paint at the top of the paper, and let them smear it all over.  If you are thinking you want to frame your child's work, you will want to do it a little differently.  Give your child one color and allow them to smear and play.  When it looks good take it away to dry.  When you take away the paper, you might want to give them another piece to play with.  Then allow the paint to dry.  Use another color after each color has dried completely.  Use a blow dryer for quicker results. 
I have used acrylics, and haven't had a problem other than it drys and can permanently stain.  

8.  Treasure Hunt.  Kids are always walking around and searching for things.  When they are not looking hide their favorite treat around the house.  Smaller toddlers or babies might need your assistance when you first start, but they will quickly catch on.  At first put the treats out in plain sight, then as they get better use more difficult spots. Use anything from raisins to fruit snacks.(small baby treats)   Have them count the snacks out loud.   They will love this game!!!

ENJOY!!!

Hare Kirshna Holi Color Festival

Who knew throwing colored powder on people would be so much fun.  The day started out in white shirts and jeans, and children who didn't have a clue what to expect.   When I gave the colored cornstarch to my kids they were unsure what to do.  Their concern was that they would get into trouble.  Ethan had yellow and Ryan pink, and I told them to chuck some color on me.  They looked at me funny and them with some concern started throwing the color on me.  As they saw my smile, and realized that I was filling their clothing with color they quickly lightened up.   Ethan got really into it and I found myself with a mouthful of yellow, and an ear full of pink!  Huge smiles shined on their faces!  Covering mom in a colored powder was a good thing!  The two of them ran around and colored everyone they could!  Their giggles and laughter filled the air with each new color they threw!  It made my heart very happy! 
We ate a yummy Indian meal and watched the show of people and fun!  The countdown was amazing as the colors flew into the air and the music played! 

Things to know!

Krishna Temple
8628 S State Road.
Spanish Fork, Utah
http://www.utahkrishnas.com/

Highlights!
Throwing color! 
Laughing at people getting blasted with color!
Awesome very loud, rock music!
Lots of chanting of Hara Krishna!
Beautiful Temple, and view!
Yummy food and yummy mango lassie drinks!
Pictures of my family having a great time!
The people!
The count down and spray of color in the air!
Lamas....and they do spit!

Colors go on sale the first of the month.  They are $2.50 a package, or you can buy a set of 6 for $10.
Don't show up thinking you are going to buy some, they sell out every year.  There were many a sad child who didn't have color! 

Saturdays are much more crowded than the Sunday event. 

There is parking behind the temple or you can pay $2 a person to ride a shuttle from one of many areas.  You will have to check back to see where the shuttles will be running from next time.   There is parking along the side of the road.  People were walking MILES, when there was actually parking pretty close to the temple.  I would highly suggest driving by the temple and seeing if there is close parking.  We parked in the back of the temple, and didn't need to walk or pay for the shuttle bus.

The food is AMAZING!  I would highly suggest it!  My kids were starving and at about 1/2 of my food.  It is $6 and could feed 2 people! It is ONLY vegetarian, so don't expect BBQ chicken!

The color will go through layers of clothing.  I had three layers and I still had color under my clothing. 

It snowed the night before we went, and it was a little muddy, not bad, but still slippery.  It was a little cold and wet.  Plan on it being cold and windy.

You will get colored!!!  Don't think you can avoid it!  Plan on being covered with color!  Curt thought he would avoid it, but in less than 5 minutes he was hit! Green covered his whole back!  Someone hit him, they got him GOOD!
Don't wear anything you like! I wore white so I could see the color, but after washing it everything was pink.  then the second wash it turned purple.  I even bleached it and about 90% went back white, but it will never be the same!  Even jeans will still have a light pink hue for a few washes.

If your hair is light, your hair will take whatever color you get hit with.  My hair is still pink, purple and green!  I washed it four times last night and it is still colored.  Very slight, but I am no longer a blond!

Take a water bottle or extra water of some kind.  If you get a mouthful of color it can be a little icky.  Just have the water on hand just in case your mouth gets filled.  It doesn't taste bad, it's just dry.  I got a mouth full of yellow, and was amazed that after 1/2 hour I could still spit dry yellow out!  I had a MOUTHFUL!

We brought extra clothing to change into and sheets covering the cars seats.  Even with the change of clothing the sheets still had color on them.  I would highly recommend taking towels and sheets to protect your car. 

Above all HAVE FUN!  This can be such a fun and crazy experience!  RELAX and Just let go and enjoy! This isn't a time to keep clean, it's time to have fun! The whole point of the color festival is that everyone that has fun, and begins to look the same.  The color of your hair and skin doesn't matter anymore, you will all blend in! 

Hope to see you all there next year!!!

 

If you have questions PLEASE ask!