TIPS FOR DISNEY TRAVEL

Happy Tuesday, friends! Today, I wanted to share some photos and tips that you might find helpful if you are planning a Disney trip anytime soon. We returned home almost a week ago, but we are just NOW feeling like things are getting back to normal. We are the type of family that needs a vacation after vacation. There are two types of vacations in my opinion: one where you truly relax and get away and one where you just simply in a place other than your own home. Disney is so much fun, but so much work! So, I hope this little list of mine helps and informs in some little way.

I bought Amara a new little, lightweight backpack for traveling. I filled it with an activity book, candies, some new Doc McStuffin headphones ( which I don't recommend, as they are made for little ears so they have limited volume control. It makes them hard to hear on a loud airplane), and some crayons/markers and stickers. It was a short flight, so we didn't need much!!

Take a stroller fan - I purchased this fan two years ago, and it has served us well for two trips. For as inexpensive as it is, I would recommend just buying a new one each year. This last trip, the fan blades seemed a little worn out. Anyway, the fan is great for littles since it has foam blades (no ouchies) and it clips right on to your stroller. It is a lifesaver for stroller naps or just a plain ole breeze in the Florida sticky mess that they call "Summer".

Stroller it if possible - There is so much room for stroller parking around the parks! My husband and I just kept saying how happy we were to not be carrying around a backpack or diaper bag. Obviously, if you have a baby that still needs diaper changing, or you just feel more comfortable having your stuff on you, then a backpack is the way to go. Our daughter is potty training, and we simply carried one wallet ( my husband's) and carried our phones in our pockets. Everything else ( sunscreen, wipes, water bottles, ponchos etc.) we left in the stroller while we rode rides. It just freed us up to not have to carry everything.

Take ponchos - Even if it seems perfectly sunny and not cloudy outside, it is still good to have ponchos on hand. It is Florida.... it rains.... everyday. We went the first week of September and got rained on every. single. day. I don't mean a light sprinkle either. I am talking let your shoes dry out overnight kind of rain. I bought ours at Target or something I think. They are pretty expensive at the park! 

 

 Grocery shop - Just for two breakfast sandwiches, a kids' milk and two black coffees, our breakfast ran us close to 35 bucks a day! Think of doing that for every meal. It gets so pricey!! Especially since we are snackers, we thought it would be a good idea to go to a nearby grocery store and load up on bread, pb &j, yogurt, milk, fruit, bottled water, chips, and whatever else so that we always had something when we came back to the hotel room. We came back for lunch several days since our little one needed to nap. It really helped save money!! Then, you don't feel as bad splurging on all of the fun sweet stuff.

Buy Disney goods BEFORE you go to Disney - I know this sounds extremely cheap of me. However, let me explain..... When you go Disney with a toddler, they want EVERYTHING! We still bought Amara a princess dress ( compliments of Grandma), princess flip-flops, a Mickey T-shirt, a wand, and a doll. I think its a great idea to leave with some goodies in your suitcase to "gift" to your child throughout the Disney trip! There are Disney items to be found everywhere. Purchase them for a much lower price, and still be your kids' hero without breaking the bank. 

Stay on the Disney property - This is big for us just because we love the Disney experience! Two perks of doing this is FREE transportation to and from the airport via Magical Express. They even handle your bags for you!! It is a lifesaver! Also, you get to partake in "Extra Magic hours" at the parks. Certain parks stay open several hours later JUST for those that stay at a Disney resort. It cuts the lines down immensely, and its just an awesome experience!

Consider purchasing tickets in bulk - There are always deals on the Disney site (deal and special offers page)!My husband and I had a driver pick us up to drive us from our Disney hotel to Universal Studios ( where my husband had a show that day), and the driver told us that if you buy tickets in bulk, you can get park hoppers for as low as $30 dollars a day! WHOA!!!! When he said "in bulk", he was talking like 10 days worth of tickets. He said that you can get the ones that never expire, unlike the normal ones that expire 14 days after its issued, and save them for your next trip even. I can't find the EXACT deal he was talking about online, but I did find this page to be quite helpful as it talks about a very similar deal. Read under "Will you likely be returning to Disney?". We are definitely planning on bulk buying next year.

Side note: if you are a super safe kind of person, be sure and write down the serial numbers on the back of your tickets just incase you lose them. That is the only chance you have of replacing them.

Eat a Croissant Donut (Cronut) - Found at Epcot right before you get to the first "country"! You will thank me!

And Butter Beer (frozen) - Harry Potter.... I have no words. Our day at Universal exploring Diagon Alley was a highlight for me.

We also customized our magic bands online before we left for Disney! You can do this on their website as well.

Enjoy the Magic!!

HOMEMADE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FOR LITTLES

UPDATE: MORE COSTUMES HERE and HERE!

Well it's not even mid-September... so naturally it's time to post about Halloween. I was in Hobby Lobby today and was like...crap! Already? I wanted to share Ari's past Halloween costumes with you if you're into DIY'ing it. I totally got away with my choices when he was too little to come up with something himself, but this year it's his choice. Whomp whomp. Wild Kratts it is!

DIY HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

1. HARRY POTTER

This one is my absolute favorite! You know what a Harry Potter nerd I am. We tell Ari Harry Potter stories (the non-scary ones) now, so he loves looking at this picture of himself!

Outfit: khaki or black pants, white button down shirt, black or gray vest or v-neck sweater

Scarf: I knit this using this pattern

Glasses: here. I popped the plastic lenses out

I used an eye liner pencil for the lightening shaped scar :)

2. MARTY MCFLY

I still giggle at this one. Ari still doesn't really get who he was but people loved it! The Back to the Future Trilogy is one of Jeffrey and my favorite movies (next to HP obvs). 

Outfit: jean jacket, white button down with blue/red plaid, maroon t-shirt, red suspenders, red puffy vest, tight light wash jeans, white Nike high tops

"Look at them moccasins!"

3. THE ORKIN MAN

Ari is obsessed with our Orkin man, George. I think he thinks of George as a grandpa?? George retired last year, so it was only fitting to pay homage to him.

Outfit: white button down, pleated khakis, red hat

Details: I made the epaulets out of red felt with a white button sewed on. I just winged it whip stitched them on the shoulders BUT I did it backwards. The button side is supposed to point towards the neck of the shirt.

You can download the Orkin logo I made here.

Stick on eyebrows/mustache found at a costume shop.

I covered Max in little plastic spiders to make it more Halloween-y!

Tutorial for the spray can is below. There was probably a way easier way like using a silver coffee can, but I used what I had!

Punch a hole through the oatmeal can top for the rubber tube (bought at a hardware store)

Tape the tube inside and on the top of the can

Punch holes for the string before you tape the top on

Wrap can and hose with duct tape

4. CARDINAL

I made this for Ari's preschool costume, but count it anyway as a great Halloween DIY.

Outfit: red turtleneck, yellow leggings

Tack/sew red boa around the turtleneck. I used yellow felt for the feet and attached it to Ari's crocs. For the hat, I glued felt on top of a foam visor from the craft store. You could always just stick feathers on a red hat and call it a day!

5. BABY NERD

This was my laziest costume but effective. Max already had the white onesie, cardi, and bowtie. I just put masking tape on Ari's Harry Potter glasses (above)!

Even though Ari is almost four and picking out his own costume this year... there's always hope for Max!

-L

30 SECOND RICE KRISPIE TREAT IN A MUG

Jenni and I were recently at a dinner with some of our favorite women telling each other our "real life" secrets. We like to keep it real here on the ol' blog, so I'll let you in on some of mine: 

* The first thing I do when I get home is unbutton my jeans. Duh. 

* If you're over at my house, know that I hastily hid and cleaned everything the 5 minutes before you came. I'm probably sweating and now you know why.

* Sometimes Daniel Tiger or Wild Kratts babysit my kids. 

* And lastly, I have nightly grownup secret eating time. 

The ladies were particularly excited about this recipe of mine: the 30 second Rice Krispie Treat in a mug. This was my j-a-m in college when all I had was a microwave and a mini fridge. And if you compare it to other snacks you could have, it's sort of healthy, right?

Ingredients:

Marshmallows

Rice Krispie Cereal

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray

1. Spray a large coffee mug with Butter Spray (about 5 sprays) just to coat the mug

2. Fill your mug about half full of marshmallows and spray the top with butter spray (about 3 sprays)

3. Put mug in microwave for 30 seconds (watch so the marshmallows don't overflow!)

4. Immediately pour cereal in to about the top of the mug and stir, stir, stir

5. Consume in secret from your children and husband

6. extra points for sprinkles, chocolate chips, peanut butter, whatever your heart desires.

Here is another easy and crazy fast grownup secret eating time recipe I'm pretty obsessed with. It's SO good. It's literally like the inside of a Reeses cup. But please, eat these warm!!

(source)

Any other recipes I need to know about??

-L