Business Owner · Family Cruise Director

Great Wolf Lodge: 8 Ways To Create Lasting Memories

Our family recently stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge and I swear that place is perfect for families!  So here are my tips on 8 ways to create lasting memories as a family at the Great Wolf Lodge!

**Be sure to check out my money saving tips at the end of this post as well as a video I put together to show you first hand what an amazing memories your family will create together.

8.  A family that bunks together stays together. {snicker}  You have got to check out all of the amazing themed rooms at the Great Wolf Lodge.  Ours had a kids cabin inside our room!  The boys absolutely loved having a room to themselves and Jason and I really appreciated how quiet it was and of course the privacy.

Tip:  Check-in starts at 4 p.m., but you can come as early as 1 p.m. to enjoy the water park. Also, check-out is at 11 a.m., but you can stay until 9 p.m. when the indoor water park closes. There are locker rooms in the water park  where you can rinse off, dry your swimsuit and change before the ride home.

7.  It’s Sweet!  The lodge has plenty of places to eat or grab a sweet treat, five to be exact.  Don’t forget the darling photo ops that come along with cute food. {wink}

Tip:  Bring a few snacks or treats to keep in your room. All the rooms come with a mini-fridge but your room is the only place in the hotel where they allow outside food and drinks to be consumed.

Great Wolf Lodge 26.  Scooops Kid Spa – A darling spa specifically for kids!  It’s perfect for birthdays or a special little treat. Your daughter will love the ice cream-themed manicures and pedicures where you can choose your favorite flavor.

{Image Credit}

5.  Cub Club® – If you’re kiddo is ready for a little break from the water park, then head on over to the Cub Club where they’ll enjoy activities and crafts designed to entertain your younger ones for hours.

Northern Lights™ Arcade

4.  Northern Lights™ Arcade – You’ll find just about everything here at the arcade like exciting games of skill for the older kids, as well as fun games of chance for the little ones, and everyone can redeem tickets for prizes.  It boasts hundreds of games for even kids-at-heart.

3.  gr8_space™ -This space is for teenagers only!  This hang out is pimped out with teen-appropriate internet access, mp3 docking stations, and multiple gaming systems including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii.  It even has it’s own tech jockey who not only plays the latest tunes but hosts Rock Star Karaoke in the evenings.

Great Wolf Lodge Howlin Interior 
Great Wolf Lodge Howlin’ Tornado ~ Photos courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge

2.  Indoor and Outdoor water parks – This theme park is an adventure with Fort Mackenzie, a 4-story interactive tree house, a lazy river, toddler play area, and wave pool.  You’ll also love Coyote cannon with a trilling ride and a 40′ drop!  If that’s not enough, the most thrilling adventure is Howlin Tornado where you drop into the 6-story funnel with 3 friends.  There is also outside water fun to boot!

Great Wolf Lodge Magi Quest

1.  MagiQuest Adventure and Compass Quest™ Games –  Because we have all techy boys, our favorite part of the hotel was the MagiQuest game!  With a magic wand in-hand, you explore an enchanted kingdom and join in the ultimate adventure as you enchant objects, befriend a pixie, learn from an ancient wizard, battle a goblin and outwit a dragon. It’s a live-action adventure game is unlike any other you’ve ever played.

Tip:  Take the stairs!  Once you have your wand activated and you take the elevator ~ points are deducted from your score. This is a great perk for parents as your kiddo’s expend a lot of energy running up and down those stair wells. {snicker}

great_wolf_lodge_water_parkTips for First Timers

Money Saving Tip:  Most guests invest in a Paw Pass to experience all the different activities at Great Wolf Lodge. This offers an over 20% savings over buying each of the activities separately. Activities included on the Paw Pass: MagiQuest Wand and Game, Paw Prints, an animal at Great wolf Stuffing Station with outfit, ice cream in Bear Paw,  a small Glitter Tattoo, one “Color Your Own” item in Cub Club, and 20 tokens for the Northern Lights Arcade.

Time Saving Tip:  For other ideas before you arrive, be sure to visit their website and select the “Explore” tab at the top of the page. These will take you to pages with more information about all the family fun activities at Great Wolf Lodge.

Adult Activities:  There is a lot for grown ups to do as well.  Check out the various dining options, places to shop, make a reservation at the Elements Spa Salon  and work out in the Iron Horse Fitness Center.

 We Heart Great Wolf Lodge!

Upcoming Fall Events:

  • Howl-O-Ween – Enjoy thrills and chills as you celebrate Howl-O-Ween. This spooktacular event is fun, safe, and just a boo-bit scary.
  • Novembrrr Savings – It is getting cold outside, but our water park is always 84 degrees inside. Check out the deals and savings.
  • Snowland

Video: A Magical Time At The Great Wolf Lodge and inside MagiQuest Game

About Laurie · Business Owner

EVO ’11 ~ Cuz I’m a Conference Goer

For my business I travel every so often and usually it’s for a social media conference so that I can meet fabulous people and stay up-to-date on an industry that seriously changes every 6 months.  {no joke}  This year my most favorite conference was the EVO Conference.

My roommates and yes we all “LIKE”  EVO and each other! {snicker}  

I’ve already blogged extensively about what I learned at EVO and you can check it out on the links below.  This post is more to showcase  how warm and collaborative bloggers really are!

What you don’t see from those wrap up conference posts with all the tips, is that we all really ADORE each other!  I’m not exaggerating.  For me, my favorite part about going to a conference is being able to see some of my favorite people on the planet!

Sure we tweet, Facebook, blog, stumble, +1, and see each other on YouTube all the time – but there’s just something so sweet about hugging a person you only get to see 4 times a year who totally gets you!

I might have asked this young man if I could hold his staff.  {d’oh}

You see, I get so bummed out when I see  negativity and snarky comments coming from other bloggers.  And it’s really been weighing on my mind lately.  I’ve been wondering:

  • What is the worlds perception of “mom bloggers”?
  • Does the public understand how much we respect and support one another?
  • Or is the loudest voice the only one that gets heard?  {I assure you she does not represent the rest of us.}

Another one of my concerns is the approach of newer bloggers.  You would seriously be appalled at some of the emails I receive in my inbox.  I have begun to worry that mutual respect for hard work and a job well done ~ has been replaced by entitlement and aggressive behaviors that could easily be construed as intrusive and flat out rude.

I’ve been contemplating my part in all of this.  Do I have a responsibility to speak up and share my experience?  Can I help in some small way to showcase the true nature of our friendships and business dealings?  Quite frankly, I don’t know.  But I’ve decided to share more about how I collaborate with fellow bloggers.  Not to be braggy or name-drop ~ cuz I think those qualities are unbecoming ~ but in an effort to give you an insiders look of how supportive and positive this world really is!

Therefore, I want to bring you inside my world of blogging. 

  • We seriously have SO much fun together!
  • We share strategies and ideas openly.
  • We call each other on the phone and text each other regularly.

  • Ego’s aren’t tolerated – so leave them in front of your computer. But honestly most of my friends don’t have one to begin with!

  • We actually scream when we see each other and give each other huge hugs.  It’s genuine.  It’s not cliquey, fake, or attention-seeking.  We miss each other that much!
  • We celebrate each others successes both in business and in life.  Jealousy and competition also isn’t tolerated.  {again, most of my friends live their life this way, so it’s rarely an issue.}
  • We welcome new bloggers into our world openly and help them all the time!
  • We do not require anything of each other.  We don’t expect our friends to promote us.  Sometimes it happens naturally ~ but it’s not implied, required, or asked for.

  • We expect each other to only be themselves, nothing more.  We can let our hair down with each other, vent, chill, share our successes, and just be us.  It’s a very safe place.

These are the kinds of people who I surround myself with in this fast-paced, highly talented, and demanding business.  They are the people who make it so much fun and lift me up.

{Thanks Justin for the photo!}

And girl ~ you should see us on the dance floor.  We tear it up!!  I love these women so much and I know that we’ll stay friends for the rest of our lives.  So if there’s anything that I want the world to know ~ it’s that professional bloggers are warm, collaborative, genuine and so accepting.  Not to mention a flippin’ good time!  {snicker}

I’m completely honored to be associated with these extraordinary women.  And my hope is that these are the type of women who’s behaviors will be emulated.  These are the characteristics that make a successful blogger a professional. One who:

  • Who becomes a spokes person for a national brand.
  • Who writes her own best-selling book
  • Who gets her own HGTV show
  • Who is featured in a New York Times article

In an industry that is becoming saturated with talented and brilliant women ~ these are the characteristics that will help you lead the pack and really make a difference in your niche.  Anything less is just a bunch of hoopla that will eventually be yesterdays hype, not tomorrows successful business woman.


Mine and Jenny’s Xbox Dance Off! {video}

To prove how much fun we really have together.  Here’s a silly video of Jenny and I  playing Xbox Dance Central in the Xbox Suite at EVO.  I didn’t do any editing like Jenny does – it just showcases how fun the game is and what an un-sexy dancer I am.  Who picked Riannah?!?  We should have known better.  {bwaahaa!}

Business Owner

I Just Adore A Luncheon

I’m a gal who just loves a luncheon.  Yep, quality time is my love language and therefore an intimate lunch fits the bill perfectly.  I love decorating a table and laughing with friends.  It’s most definitely one of my favorite things.

So when Tide asked me if I would host an event and chat about laundry woe’s, I was “in like Flin”!  Naturally, the first thing that popped into my head was, “how am I going to decorate?!?”  {snicker}

I knew that I wanted to use the Tide orange, but I wanted to keep it sophisticated and fun.  So when I found these ruffled orange place mats at Pier 1 Imports I was completely giddy.  Those were the starting  point for the look.

I already had the white plates {TJ Maxx} and picked up the spring napkins at World Market in the clearance section.  The big orange gerber daisy’s were at Bed Bath and Beyond of all places.  I simply cut and twisted the stems into a napkin ring.

I already had these 3 tall vases {from Walmart} and I knew that I wanted to caputure the essense of the blue Tide liquid ~ but having laundry detergent at the table just didn’t sit well with me.  I mean, who wants to eat with soap right in front of you.  {bwaahaa!}

So you can imagine my delight when I came across these blue, teal, and white glass pebbles.  They were perfect for the vases. The not only do they remind me of the Tide liquid but they also were heavy enough to hold my lolipops in place!

Tip:  I actually have a smaller vase inside the larger vases so that it takes up the majority of the room and I only had to purchase 1 bag of pebbles per vase.  This also works great when you’re decorating with candy!

Yep, you guessed it!  I printed off the Tide logos and taped them onto 3 large lollipop sticks.  To finish off the look I simply tied a bow at the stem in blue and white polka dot ribbon.

As happy as I was with the final look, one little guy was not as impressed.  {snort}  He’s a tough critic.

So here it is, the final video that I created for Tide to showcase our fun discussion as well as help get the word out about the In-Wash Booster.  Man, it was such a fun afternoon!
Jen wins with the worst thing that she has washed and dried ~ a poopy diaper!  You’ll have to watch the video to see what other crazy things we have washed.

btw:  Thanks to this assignment, I’m completely addicted to the In-Wash booster.  My 5 year old still has #2 accidents in his pants. {I know TMI – yuck!}   But now I just wash all of his laundry together and toss in the little packet.  Now everything comes out clean!  I was pre-washing those baby’s by hand and it was making me an angry mama.  Now I don’t even think about it anymore.  Talk about a huge relief and one less thing I need to stress about.  Thanks Tide!

Thanks to all the amazing information Tide sent over, I learned a lot as well about the Tide Stain Release In-Wash Booster!

  • It removes stains better than the leading powered in-wash booster.
  • It comes in these easy to use duo packs – check out my Laundry Basketball Video.  {I’m such a dork!}
  • It contains technology designed to help stop stains from reattaching to other items of clothing during the wash cycle.

Our stained clothes came out clean and we had the most delightful luncheon.  Not a bad day a the office.

Want more info?  Her are Tide Tools and Tips and Coupons:

Business Owner

Bosch Kitchen Re-Engineered event

There are a few perks to my day job and one of them is that on occasion I get invited to blogger outreach events from brands.  I had the coolest opportunity to fly out to Scottsdale, Arizona to attend Bosch Kitchen Re-Engineered event.

This isn’t the Arizona I lived in as a kid. Holy Smokes!  The hotel was an oasis in the dessert and I felt like I was at a tropical destination the entire weekend.

To be honest, I didn’t know much about Bosch before I attended the event.  The first time I heard the brand name was at my friend Diana’s house.  So you can imagine how blown away I was at the technology and attention to detail in each of their products.

Convection Cooking

With convection cooking ~ you can cook salmon, asparagus, and cookies in 12 minutes at the same time!

Those of you who know me well, know that I hate to cook.  However, when I do rest assured that it’s the most efficient way possible.  So my absolute favorite appliace is their convection oven.  Wondering what Convection cooking is?  Well, I hooked you up with a video and more info over on Tip Junkie. {of course}

Refrigeration

Manfred, one of their engineers, showed us the ins and outs of their kitchen appliances.  We totally bonded over how fresh their refrigerator keeps their produce and herbs. {snicker}  We tried 7 day old fruit from a Bosch fridge and saw 7 day old fruit from their competitors fridge.  Let’s just say… there wasn’t any comparison.  The Bosch refrigerator clearly kept all the produce edible and the other did not.

I absolutely LOVE this refrigerator.  It’s a bute!  Bosch has taken great care in designing specific heating and cooling elements so that the front door doesn’t accumulate condensation, so that your produce lasts for 7 days {or more}, and that it’s uber quiet and energy efficient.

Induction Stovetop

I was amazed at their stove top induction ranges and how nothing else gets hot on the stove but the actual circle plate.  Not only for efficiency but also for safety.  What is an induction stovetop?
An induction cooker is faster and more energy-efficient than a traditional electric hob. It allows instant control of cooking energy similar to gas burners. Because induction heats the cooking vessel itself, the possibility of burn injury is significantly less than with other methods…  via Wikipedia

Bosch uses magnets baby!  So you can even put down a paper towel in between the pan and the induction stove top and the paper towel won’t burn.  {dude}  Here’s the video of it because you truly have to see to believe.  Well, at least I did.  HA!

They also have  nifty gadgets like a pop out ventilation to clean the air and protect your kitchen. I swear they’ve thought of everything.

Thanks Bosch!  I feel like I’m armed with knowledge that’s so important as a busy mom always on the go.  When you know better – you do better!  Of course now I have Bosch Envy… {sigh}

Wondering What Else We Learned?

Here are other great recaps of the event that will give you better insight to the amazing hands on experiments that we did as well as yummy recipes with this fabulous Germain engineering.

I still have the Bosch Engineer e-mail address {evil laugh} so if you have any additional questions feel free leave them in the comments or on the Tip Junkie Facebook page. I’ll be happy to get your questions answered for ya!

Business Owner · Family Cruise Director

Sea World San Antonio of Texas: 7 Insider Secrets To Plan Your Trip

Visiting Sea World San Antonio of Texas this summer?  Then  you’re going to need these insider secrets To Plan Your Trip!  Sure you can just show up to Sea World San Antonio in Texas and wait in an hour line for a hamburger… or you can be armed with an easy game plan and really enjoy your trip to Sea World.  {wink}


Tip #1 ~ Plan Your Day Before You Arrive at the Park
Did you know that SeaWorld San Antonio has an iPhone and Droid app?  Yep, first things first and download the app to your phone.  You’ll love it!  It has the show schedule {which changes frequently}, a map to the park, and you can even take pictures of your day ad upload them.  It’s seriously cool.  You’ll be able to find a restroom and pick a place to eat right at your finger tips.
Create a Food, Show, and Ride plan.  
So use the rest of these insider tips to really plan out what you are going to be doing every hour of the day to maximize your experience, money, and family fun!  Please don’t just show up unprepared – you’ll get frustrated and stuck in line after line.
Also, buy your tickets, quick queue passes, dine-in passess, and dining experiences all online so you don’t have to wait at the park.  Believe me when I tell you the lines can run up to an hour long.  So this is key.
When To Visit the Park
It’s good to know that April, May, August and September are not as busy so it’s a great time to come and visit the park.  On the flip side, the busiest time of the year is Spring Break and the 4th of July.
Tip #2 ~ When to Arrive?
The parking lot opens at 8am, cashier opens at 9am, the front gate opens at 9:30 in the morning.  The front of the park opens at 9:30 and others at 10am.  While the entire park opens up at 11am.
My advice is to find out what time you can feed the dolphins and get there at 9:15 to do that first!  Otherwise you can wait up to 3 hours trying to feed those friendly creatures since they’re only fed a few times throughout the day.  It’s a Sea World tradition and an amazing photo-op for your kiddos.
Tip #3 ~ When to Ride the Roller Coasters

If you have older kids and want to ride the Steel Eel and the Great White go back to the park first thing in the morning {11am}.  My boys were able to ride each ride twice with zero wait! 

In the summer hit the water rides in the Lost Lagoon before the dry rides between 1-2pm to avoid the lines and long wait times.  If you have a two-day pass for Sea World Texas, go early into the Lost Lagoon and stay the day.  There is so much to do and your family will absolutely love it.

RIO at Sea World San Antonio

Tip #4 ~ Best Time To Eat

Hands down the best time to eat is near a stadium during a show, especially at Rio during the Shamu show at noon.  You’ll see that the majority of the people are either inside the stadium or in a different side of the park – leaving Rio empty without a line and perfect for a quiet family lunch.

Tip #5 ~ Where To Sit at the Shows

If the park is really crowded, then you are going to want to get to the shows 45-60 minutes before it starts!  Um, yes.  I know that sounds a little excessive but if you have come with another family then this is really easy.  You tag team it!  Have one adult sit and wait at the show with the small kiddos while the other is having fun with the older ones.  My husband and I take turns waiting and it actually ends up being a really nice break.  Buy some popcorn, cotton candy, or lunch and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I was wondering where are the best places to sit and watch the shows at the park so I asked Brian, their PR director and this is the inside scoop!

  • Azule – Sit left center.  Away from the funny guy that splashes people during the warm up show.   If the seats are wet around you – you will get wet!  So pick a dry spot.
  • Sea Lions – At the front left you will get wet – so sit in the front on the right side to stay dry and get a great view.
  • Shamu – You’ll want to site right behind the side out {the white landing place where the whale shows off}  Or when facing the stadium from outside – sit on the left bleachers, middle.  You’ll get a great view and stay dry.

Tip #6 ~ Re-create Family Traditions

Don’t forget your family traditions while at the park.  For instance, I always take a family picture of us eating cotton candy when we visit.  Also, if you match your families clothing it not only makes darling pictures but it also helps with safety as you’ll be able to find your family at a quick glance.  Another thing I love to do is take a picture of my kids at the same place every visit.  This way as they get older I have fun collage of growing up pictures.

In order to get a picture of the big Sea World sign at the front of the entrance {like the 1st picture in this article}, you’re going to want to take a U-turn at the entrance at around 9:00am.  This way no one else will be in your picture, there won’t be a wait, and you won’t back up traffic. {wink}

Tip #7 ~ Don’t Forget to Bring:
  • Make sure your camera is fully charged.  You’re going to love all of the photo ops!
  • Sunscreen – Especially if it’s a little overcast you’re going to want protection from the sun.
  • 8 Quarters for the Lockers – There are lockers in several different places to keep your personal items secure.  You’ll need more if you’re at the Lost Lagoon to hold your camera and wallet while you’re on the wet rides.
  • A small bag or light backpack that you can wear on your back to carry small items.  I would not bring a purse ~ you’ll be walking all day long and the extra weight will just get cumbersome. 
  • Portable iGo Charger for your iPhone.  You’ll be taking pictures, using the Sea World app, and texting each other to stay in touch.  You’ll need a lot of extra juice to get through the day without a hitch.
  • Stroller for young kiddos.  Just make sure that it has a basket to hold a diaper bag, water bottles, and individually packaged snacks.  {that’s the only type of food allowed to be brought into the park}

That’s it.  Even though we live 5 hours away, my family and I have been to Sea World San Antonio of Texas over 6 times and I we still can’t get enough of it.  It’s a wonderful family vacation and there’s so much to do for families with kids of all ages! 

Enjoy your trip, you’re going to love it!

Blogger · Business Owner

CHA: Craft & Hobby Association ROCKS!

I had the coolest experience at CHA {The Craft and Hobby Association Expo} and even though it was months ago, I just couldn’t resist telling you all about it. It’s so beautiful and there are craft supplies everywhere you look.  It’s a crafters dream!

* I must apologize for my terrible pictures.  I just got a new camera so I am so excited to learn how to use it and take amazing photos for you fab gals. {wink}

I flew directly from Blissdom {a blogging conference} to CHA in LA with Jen, Marie, Beckie, and Kami.  It was awesome to get to know these amazing women so much better. I’m always amazed when I find other women who have the same passions and insterests that I do.  {snicker}
 
CindyJenKami HeatherMarieMeBeckieAmy

We weren’t the only bloggers there!  We met up with so many others who also share our addiction to paper,  products, and things that glitter.

CHA is an expo where stores buy their products direct from the maunfaturer and some serious business goes down.  You’re talking major transactions where all of the newest inventions and products are demonstrated and purchased.

And then there was me…  I had the best time taking photo ops, meeting cool and important people, and simply doing my thing.

All of the booths were seriously so impressive and beautiful!

My favorite was the DCWV booth as they made a runway of paper dresses that were to die for!  
DCWV had several parties all set up and paper flowers everywhere.  I just loved it.

Everywhere you looked people where getting their craft on.  Seriously, you could have spent the entire weekend just making projects using the latest and greatest gadgets.  {amazing!}

I learned so much about the craft industry and met business owners, PR directors, and other seriously cool people that I hope to work with in the near future.  It’s an expo that I’ll attend every year for sure!

  Comfort Joshua – me – Twitch



Hands down the most fun we had at CHA the Provo Craft party. They had the stars of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ (Season 4) as the entertainment. We danced, sang, took some crazy pictures, made a flip book, and really enjoyed the night.



Kami made this fabulous recap video of the Provo Craft Party as they were celebrating their 5th year of the Cricut.  It was seriously so much fun.  They know how to par-tay!

Business Owner · Family Cruise Director

Holi Powder War ~ aka Billy’s Mystery Baseball Party

{Our Before Picture}
Over the weekend Lisa {my sister} threw her man a mystery baseball birthday party.  When we were brainstorming themes I quickly remembered the Holi Powder party  I featured from Jordan’s blog in 2007.  I’ve been dying to do it since the day I read about her outrageous party!
{We warned each guest in the invite to wear grubby clothes and old shoes.}
After discovering that we wouldn’t be able to buy the Holi Powder in bulk, we decided to use it to play baseball.  This way it would last a little longer and we would all be engaged in a fun game.
Where did we get the holi powder? 
Lisa purchased twenty four 7oz packages from Bombay Bazzaar in Arlington. She negotiated the price of $2 a package. In your area, Google “india store” and then call around asking if they sell “holi powder”.
 
It was perfect since all our men have been on the same softball team for years and the season just started. 
 
How did we play? 
Lisa pored small amounts of the holi powder in a square of fabric and then tied it together with yarn the morning of the game.  During the game she grabbed a fabric pouch and then inserted it into a wiffle ball and untied the yarn, so it would explode the powder on impact.
Where did we play?
Um…. we found a flat spot in my green belt and set up the game.  {my poor neighbors, HA!}
How Did We Make the Shirts?
We made ‘Team Billy’ t-shirts using iron on printable transfer paper from Michaels. {$10 for 10 sheets}  It came with software instructions, so the design was easy to make.  
In the middle of the bullseye is Billy’s face!  {snicker}  We wanted everyone in white so the pictures would be uber fab!  Also, we didn’t want to ruin anyone’s clothes.
Tip:  The holi powder goes through at least 3 layers of clothing.  Do not wear your favorite bra!  {just sayin’}
It was such an easy party to plan.  Lisa hired a professional photographer to take pictures of the game so we could all sit back and just have fun.  It was worth every penny!   The photographer did such an amazing job and edited the pictures so beautifully.  Now we’ll remember this day forever!

How To Tag People Out?
 To get a player OUT at each base, the baseman had to have the wiffle ball in their hand AND tag the other team member in the bullseye with their bottle of holi powder.  
We bought the clear empty ketchup bottles from Walmart.  One package filled the bottle to the top.  I made little fabric holsters for each base.  However, it didn’t end up being necessary.  It was better to have the bottle in your hand ready to go. {wink}
Instead of being graceful and a productive team member, I missed the ball and it beamed me right in the forehead.  {“L” on forehead with a big red dot!} I suck.
When it was time for our giant color fight, Jason took me aside to give me some pointers.  Yep, my man had my back!  {he knows I need it. snicker}
Then it was on!  Every man/woman for themselves.
 With bags of powder in hand we just went to town throwing handfuls of powder at each other!
 Lisa and the Birthday Boy
Billy got the brunt of it.  {bwaahaa!}
This is my favorite picture of the day.  Happy Birthday Billy!
{Our After Picture}
Party Favors ~ Big League Chew
I didn’t get a picture of the party favor.  But I cut out blue paper the length of the big league chew.  Then printed the “team billy” image small {from the tshirt graphic} onto white paper.  Fold the blue paper in half (1/2 on front and 1/2 on back of gum) and put the “team billy” on top of the blue paper and I stapled it onto Big League chew on the black line of the graphic {under team billy}.  It was so simple. Jason actually made them all. 
Thanks Lisa!  It was the most amazing day and one I’ll never forget.  I swear I have the best sister on the planet.
About Laurie · Business Owner

Mom Casting Video Submission ~ Laurie {Tip Junkie}

Boy do I have a silly treat for you today. {{snicker}} A fabulous friend of mine {and someone who I greatly admire) guilt-tweated me into posting a Mom Casting video submission for the new blogger reality show that’s in the works.  {{bwaahaa!}}

I’m only doing this for YOU my dear Ciaran. Only for you! and Yes “guilt-tweeted” is a word.

In all honesty, there’s no way that I’ll be chosen so I’m not worried about it. The blogosphere is filled to the brim with successful mormon-mommy-bloggers to be the resident LDS reality show contestant.  Most of whom are way more talented than little ol’ me.

Why did I finally cave and do the video?  Well… a while ago, I realized that I was sabotaging myself and not accepting offers because I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to pull it off, or that I would be so nervious I’d be a sweaty mess.

So I decided to stop that behavior immediately and just take what comes my way.  You never know where it will lead.  So with my new attidude, I’m considering all offers that I get no matter what.  {{snicker}}

Carpe diem.

Business Owner · Mother of Boys

All The Ways I Love You ~ Drake’s Reaction


As a speaker at BlissDom, you get mailed a box of fabulous swag from the sponsors. This year Hallmark sent a recordable book with a note saying that they know how hard it is to leave your little ones and so here is something to help make the time apart a little easier.

Isn’t that so thoughtful!  I know, I know.  The guys over at Hallmark are marketing geniuses.  But it really meant a lot to me since it is really hard getting away.

Here is Drake {and the boys} reactions to the book when I gave it to him.  {{giggle}}  <– that’s a link to our YouTube video. 

xoxo,

Laurie