We're excited to share this week's Fab Find with you. Some of our very favorite bloggers have created an e-zine that will be published quarterly. It's full of amazing home photos, awesome ideas and lots of inspiration. This is the very first edition and we were thrilled to see that there were some great free downloads and direct links to the products and designers that were featured. I wasn't sure about an e-zine, but after my first issue, I'm hooked! You can read this month's House of Fifty {here}.
I have to mention that the cover of this issue is a photo of Janell's house and it inspired me with my own foyer. I love her style and am a faithful reader of her blog. So, let us know what you think of the e-zine and bookmark the page to check it out in the Fall as well! Happy Friday!
That's right. In honor of our trips to Disney this week, we are highlighting our favorite things about this magical place. We had two totally different experiences here- Monica had no kids which meant sleeping in and staying out late and taking in all the"adult" rides and activities. I was with my family and some extended family which included 5 kids, so we were up early, getting home early and hitting up all the kid-friendly attractions. So, don't be jealous- just take some notes on things you do NOT want to miss next time you're in Disney World.: ) Jessica's Top Picks
1. Disney Photo Pass. This pass is ingenious! There are the usual photographers posted strategically around the parks (you know, in front of Cinderella's castle, with the characters etc.), but instead of having to go to a booth to pay for a picture and take it home with you, they scan your pictures onto the photopass card. You'll want to keep that card and have it handy any time you get your picture taken. When you get home, you can input the information into the photopass website, and all your pictures can be found in an album. From there, you can order and buy prints, or share the photos on facebook or through email, at no cost! We were told that if there are 9 or more prints that you love and want to have to use as you wish, ordering a CD of the prints is the easiest and cheapest way to go (however buying the CD will set you back $150!)
2. Disney Live Shows. Honestly, these shows are Broadway quality, but cost nothing (after you pay to enter the parks). The talent is amazing, the costumes and backdrops are so colorful and amazing, and the music is phenomenal! Our favorites include The Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom, Beauty & the Beast at Hollywood Studios, and Finding Nemo-the Musical at Animal Kingdom. Plus, the kids love all the colors and lights and music. It really is a fun-for-the-whole-family event!
3. Camp Minnie-Mickey at Animal Kingdom. If your kids are into meeting all the characters, this is the best place to do it! The three older kids in our group had autograph books and nearly filled them at Camp Minnie-Mickey. We met Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Pluto, Chip & Dale, Pocahontas and a bunch more. Definitely get there as it opens at 9:00 AM to avoid the lines.
4. Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at Magic Kingdom. This interactive show is hilarious and incorporates real people from the audience into the show. The technology truly is amazing- the characters (ie: Mike Wazowski) are animated, but somehow they can interact with the audience. The kids (and my husband) thought this was hysterical.
5. We used the book Birnbaum Guides: Walt Disney World 2011 to help us navigate the parks successfully with kids. It has a suggested game plan of action if you have kids which didn't steer us wrong. I highly recommend this book! Monica's Top Picks
1. FastPass. Basically, the best thing at Disney since sliced bread! FastPass removes the one complaint people used to have about Disney… long lines. With this system, you can reserve a spot in line for a ride while you visit other areas of the park. You go to the ride, use the Fastpass ticketing area and are given a slip of paper which gives you a one hour window that you can return during to go on the ride with a very minimal wait (our longest was 10 mins max.) All of the most popular rides have FastPass, but if you're thinking of going early in the morning to get reserved spots for all of your favorites, think again. You're only allowed so many FastPasses within a certain amount of time, so you can get one and then your ticket will tell you when you can go and reserve another one elsewhere. It's just plain old awesomeness!
2. Test Track at Epcot is a high-speed vehicle-simulation ride that I loved! It's one of Disney's longest (5 mins) and fastest rides. It takes you through a series of driving simulations (heat, corrosion, anti-lock breaks, etc.) but, the fun starts when you head out onto the open road. The speed and smoothness of the ride is amazing. Definitely check out this ride and of course use a FastPass to avoid an eternal line.
3. IllumiNations at Epcot. Every night this show is done at 9pm and I think I just happened to catch it on the best night ever. It was a warm night with an almost full moon, and the music, lights, and fireworks made"Disney Magic" come to life. It's a 14 minute show and it's not overly loud if your little ones aren't huge fans of the crazy loud fireworks. I recommend dinner in China and then watching right outside of Japan for an amazing viewing spot.
4. Downtown Disney. I like this part of Disney for many reasons, but the top two are that 1. It's free and 2. It has great shops and restaurants and isn't grossly overpriced. Earl of Sandwich was perfect for a midday lunch and in my opinion rivaled Panera (which is impressive in my book.) The Lego store (and the amazing Lego displays outside), the huge Disney Store, and the specialized Disney Toy Store were my favorites.
I also had the pleasure of meeting Jess for dinner at Downtown Disney's Rainforest Cafe. We were laughing about the fact that we rarely get to go out for dinner just the two of us and had to go to Orlando to do it.
The famous hold the camera ourselves shot…
Do you see the size of that dessert?
Ahh…Vacation My favorites list is a little shorter, but that might be because one of my very favorite parts of this trip was just sitting poolside reading for hours! Being able to get through three books in five days was just a little bit of paradise for me. So, we hope you enjoyed hearing our Disney Fab Finds. Now, do tell… what are your Disney Favorites?
Have you heard about this? It all started with a few kids who saw that their parents were getting involved with the organization called Sixty Feet that helps orphaned children in Uganda. They decided they would sell cupcakes and lemonade on their street corner, and they ended up doing extremely well. Now they've grown and are having a national sale this Saturday, April 16th. It's really an amazing fundraiser that and ALL the proceeds go to Sixty Feet.
There is a local cupcake sale being held at Planet Smoothie and Holly Hill Boutique from 12-4 PM tomorrow. The Lucky Cupcake Company is donating Chocolate Elvis cupcakes, and your kiddos will be able to decorate their own cupcakes, if they so choose. Head on over there and help support an awesome cause that is helping to meet the most basic needs of children living in deplorable conditions. Happy Friday everyone! *And don't forget to come back next week to meet our awesome guest bloggers!
Chubby's Dairy Barn Chubby's is my favorite small-town icecream shop in Plumsteadville, Pa. Located in a cute little barn (well, duh) behind the Plumsteadville Inn, it is famous among locals for it's high quality icecream, and really friendly service. Jesse, the owner, is always full of smiles and quick to offer suggestions on good combinations of flavors. When my mom and I owned Dream Dinners, which was right across the street, we often stopped here for a treat to reward ourselves for all our hard work.
I know that Monica loves their icecream cookie sandwiches, and I once had a dulce de leche/coffee icecream milkshake per Jesse's suggestion,and it was fabulous. If you love icecream, you will not be disappointed! Win a $10 gift certificate to Chubby's!To enter the drawing: 1. Leave a comment telling us your favorite icecream flavor. 2. For a bonus entry,"Like" us on Facebook and then leave another comment telling us you did it. One winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Monday morning, April 11th. Happy Weekend, everyone!
Kye Kye What, you may ask, is Kye Kye? It's a very cool new band. I can't take any credit for discovering them. My husband is the one who enjoys finding unique and interesting music. I'm happy that now I have a platform, of sorts, to share the stuff he finds that I really enjoy. (Honestly, out of all the great music he comes across, I usually only love about 10% of it. We have different tastes in music. He wants me to add that it's because I like country and some mainstream music.: ) Anyway, the awesome thing about this band is that they're believers, but their music is not what you would normally associate with"Christian" music. And I don't mean to put down the Christian music genre at all- there are some really great Christian artists out there whose passion is sharing the good news of Christ with the world (and who can fault them for that), but you know what I mean about the"Christian music" sound, right? Kye Kye is really good, and a huge majority of their lyrics come straight from the Bible. Below is my favorite song, called"Broke". I've posted the lyrics below the video where they've broken down exactly where each line comes from in the Bible.
BROKE I broke in the silence to repeat what I’ve done in the past won’t change me (Phil.3:3-11) I broke when you told me I could try all the time but my ways won’t change me (Eph.2:8-9)(Gal.3:1-3)(Ro.3:20-22)
We tried this, but we failed we know this but we’re too blind to see (1Cor.2:14) (2Tim.3:7) that there is freedom within me (Col.1:27) (Ro.6:4). your life brought light for all to see (Jon.12:46) (Mrk.4:11)
When I was lost so I, so I thought that I was searching all alone like I was lost so I didn’t know (Gal.4:1) what I was keeping all along (Col.1:27) (Ro.8:11)
I knew from the moment my mistakes all stood out your light’s my only safety (Ro.10:3-13) oh all the times that I didn’t look your way (Mat.13:22) look what I was missing Lord you fill in every space that I replaced instead of you (Eze.36:26-27)
Revived us, we will sing (Eph.2:4-6) restored us, you are the source to breath (Jon.4:14) ignite us to a need to bury everything I never want to be (Ro.8:13-14)
And this is Kevin's favorite song, called"Trees and Trust"
Kye Kye just released their sophomore album called Young Love, which you can purchase here. Oh, the other thing that I really like about them is that three of the four band members are siblings. Love that.
During the years that I owned a homestaging business I became a master at hanging artwork quickly and getting it straight the first time. Since I'm no longer doing that as my job, I've gotten a little lazier with how I hang artwork and sometimes just take the one-nail, easy way out. Using one nail usually looks great at first, but eventually looks something like this…
Have No Fear… ZOTS will save the day! These little adhesive stickies were a homestager's dream come true and I still use them all the time! I've used them to hold curtains in place, keep pictures straight, put together little spa bathroom accessories, and more. Although they were originally created for crafting and scrapbooking, they are super-helpful around the house.
They come on a roll, and you just pull them off and stick them where you need something to stay put!
The end result is much better and I know these don't appear perfectly straight in this picture, but measurements and my level promises me they are. The shadows and colors on the edges make it seem off by a bit, but I'm trying not to obsess over them (I'm not as laid back about perfection as Jess is… I'm working on that! )
You can get ZOTS for about $3.00 at Michaels or JoAnn Fabrics. Add them to your home decorating supplies today! Have a Great Weekend!
Seeds Family Worship gets our Vote forFab Find Friday
We learned about this amazing ministry through a blog that both of us follow. Tonight I took some time to explore their website and watch some videos, and I love it even more now! I will admit that my 2 and 3 year old sing some Lady Gaga (Kids Bop Version) and that my 9 year old does know a good bit of current pop music (actually, more than Jess does perhaps! Hehe), but we are also always on the lookout for great, encouraging Christian music. Seeds has great music and it's all directly taken from Bible passages. I don't know about you, but I'd love to have another resource for helping my kiddos commit scripture to memory. They learn a lot through church and school, but for me, music is an amazing way to help retain important passages of scripture. I can still remember my 10th grade Math teacher Mr. Dyrli taking out a guitar one day and putting I Corinthians 10:12-13 to a tune. To this day, I still sing his version in my head and it's a passage that has been really important in my life. A few super-cool things about Seeds Family Worship: 1. When you purchase their CD, you actually receive 2 CDs… one for you, and one to give away- Planting Seeds in other people's lives! There's even an interractive map on their website where you can share where you"planted" your seed.
2. They have awesome resources on their website. A few cool resources are scripture memorization cards and checklists. 3. They've put lots of their songs on YouTube so you can check them out there too! We hope you'll take some time to check out and support this awesome ministry. I can't wait for my new CDs to arrive and I'm already thinking of where to"plant my seeds"! This is a FUN and COOL song- I think Kenzie will love it! Check out their websitehere and let us know if you too are going to"Plant some Seeds"!Happy Friday- Have a great weekend!
Ladies, if you've been looking for a quality spa to get a great manicure or pedicure, look no further! This place is simply the best! Located on 313 in Dublin, they give the most amazing, relaxing pedicures both Monica or I have experienced. The Oasis pedicure is wonderful and is only $30, but you can easily upgrade to the Spa pedicure for the full treatment for just $10 more. It's a non-descript, little place in a strip of shops, which includes Dunkin Donuts, which is a major bonus! They offer a whole bunch of other services, so if you're interested in waxing, massage, nail art, whatever!- check out their website for more information. Just recently, Monica and I celebrated our 29th birthdays with a party at Oasis. We booked the whole place for ourselves and some friends for 3 hours, which cost nothing but the prices of the services we chose. Here are a few pictures of us and our friends enjoying Oasis.
So many colors from which to choose!
Good friends relaxing together- there's nothing better!
Monica living the good life.
The manicures are awesome too. For my sister's wedding, the entire bridal party came here for manicures and it was a blast! It's the weekend. Go get yourself a mani/pedi!
I was turned on to Mrs Meyer's Clean Day household cleaners by The Nester, and am I ever grateful! These products are not only earth-friendly, but they have the most delicious scents. Mrs. Thelma Meyer's was tired of those harsh-smelling chemicals she always used for cleaning, so she developed her own line of products that provide an aromatherapeutic experience while you clean! Amazing!
My absolute favorite scent is Basil. I could honestly stand next to the candle and sniff it all day long. One sniff takes me to a happy place. I'm not kidding- I adore this scent. It actually edged out my old favorite candle: Sage & Citrus by Yankee Candle (This is a wonderful smell, as well, but does NOT do for me what Mrs.Meyer's Basil does for me.) I bought Monica a bunch of Mrs. Meyer's products for Christmas (I know, wierd gift, but I knew she'd love it!) and now she's hooked too!
The products come in a variety of garden scents like Lemon Verbena, Lavender, Geranium, Baby Blossom, Apple, Honeysuckle, and even includes a scent-free version for all you scent-haters out there. And their products will change your view of cleaning: from laundry, general household cleaning, and air fresheners to hand and body products and baby care.
Click here for a $1 OFF coupon! I found these products at Target, but I also recently saw them at Walmart. Or, order directly from Mrs. Meyer's herself!
Now for the Giveaway! The Real Housewives of BC are giving away a Basil Liquid Hand soap to one lucky reader!
Here's how you enter: 1. Become a follower. 2. Leave us a comment letting us know you follow us and why you want to win.
We will randomly select a winner and announce it on Monday, March 7th. Good luck! Go ahead, you can thank us later.
If you are a Bucks County native, chances are that you already visit Tabora Farm & Orchards regularly. However, I’ve met too many people who have never heard of this gem of a store. Located near Peace Valley park, Tabora is truly a Bucks County experience. Both Monica and I agree that this is a great place, but I’m not joking when I say that this is my FAVORITE little store in our area. As soon as you walk in, the delicious smells take over. They have a gourmet deli, an awesome bakery (they made my wedding cake!), a little gift store, and they recently opened their own wine cellar.
Every season offers a new reason to visit Tabora. In the fall, you can pick apples, taste and purchase their unbelievable apple cider, and get gourds, pumpkins and mums to decorate your porch.
In the Spring and Summer, they have tables and adirondack chairs placed next to their orchards where you can enjoy your lunch, and concerts in the evenings in the gardens out back. My must-have item from the deli is the egg salad sandwich on pumpernickel bread with horseradish mayonnaise. To die for! C1 and Hunky love the homemade cider donuts (if you can get them warm, you wont' regret it!) You don’t want to miss this great store.
Also, I had to include this adorable picture of Monica's son Kaden on a class field trip to Tabora Farm.
It’s Friday, so why not make a trip there this weekend and see what we're talking about!
This Fab Find is near and dear to my heart: Dream Dinners!
Why, you ask? Several years ago my mom and I decided to go into business together, owning and operating our very own Dream Dinners store. It was a fabulous experience that we'll never forget, but because of my growing family and the declining health of both of my grandmothers whom my mom cared for, we made the difficult decision to close our store. If you don't know about Dream Dinners- you are missing out! I know this company to be a good one, and the care that goes into creating delicious, excellent quality, healthy meals can't be outdone! Do you ever get home from a busy day and ask yourself,"what's for dinner?"At Dream Dinners, they answer that question for you. Their monthly menu includes over 14 different recipes each month, along with additional pre-assembled dinners, sides, breads and desserts ready for purchase while in one of their stores. A wide variety of options means there are plenty of meal preparation choices to satisfy everyone in the family.
1. Garlic & Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak 2. Raspberry Stuffed French Bread 3. Greek Island Shrimp 4. Fruit-Stuffed Pork Roast You know I LOVE food, and the meals, sides and desserts are mouth-watering! (My personal favorites are Chicken Mirabella, Herb-crusted Flank Steak and Arroz con Pollo and Monica can't get enough of their amazing biscuits with cinnamon-honey butter!)
The best part about this whole thing is when you take the meals home and realize you have 12 or more meals in your freezer ready to cook at a moment's notice. (Side note: do you see all that loose corn in my freezer? One of my hubs' biggest pet peeves is the fact that I tend to leave open containers everywhere or don't properly put the lids on things. Case in point.) Anyway, I have a regular size freezer and 12 meals fit perfectly, so don't worry about a lack of space! And now, the question I'm sure you are dying to ask: is it affordable? Well, take a look at this little video and see for yourself:
I know the owner of our local store, Kris, well since we worked closely with her for several years and she'll take good care of you! Plus, she's offering 10% off your first full order! Just use the code DDNC201110. I do hope you'll check Dream Dinners out! Happy Eating!
PS. Dream Dinners can save you LOADS of time when it comes to holiday meal planning. They have some really great entree items, and even offer delicious appetizers for your parties. I've used them several years in a row for my big Christmas party, and the stuff is amazing and always gets rave reviews!
