Thursday, November 22, 2012

I Wish

In my Dare to Dream giveaway post I asked what everyone's wish was.  I thought it was only fair that I should share what my wish is.

For my children I wish for them to have a happy and healthy childhood.  I wish for them to grow into happy, productive adults.  Adults who find joy in doing what they love.  Who find that person with whom they want to spend the rest of their lives with and raise children with.

For our family I wish for us to be happy together.  To be able to continue to work through any silly little problems that come up.  For us to continue to laugh together and enjoy our time together.  For us to be able to have financial stability.  For us to be able to make it to Disneyland while the kids are still young.

For my husband and I, I wish for our love to continue to grow.  For him to continue to make me roll my eyes at the silly things he does.  For him to laugh at my sarcastic responses.  For us to grow old together.

I also wish that I will someday be able to visit Aberdeen, Scotland.  To be able to visit Forbes Castle and do some family history research.  I wish for my migraines to go away or at least become treatable.  I wish that my upcoming foot surgery will go well and help my issue, not make it worse.  I wish for more books to read.  For less stress and more smiles and laughter. 

And the Winner is........

Thank you to everyone for telling me your wishes!  I know you all just want to know who the winner is, so with no further blabbering by me.......

The winner of the family 4 pack of tickets to Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream on December 6, 2012 at 7 pm is....Nicole (nleone)!  Congratulations Nicole!  Please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize.
For those of you who did not win, you can still use the discount code 4MOM to save $4 off tickets (excludes VIP and Front Row) to ALL shows!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream Giveaway

The time is here!  Do you want to win tickets to see Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream?  If the answer is YES, then here is what you do:

To be entered into this contest you need to answer the following question as a comment to this post.
  • If you cannot get it to post, please email me and I will post a comment for you. Email me your name and your answer. (mtgringo@gmail.com)
Question - In Disney’s Tangled, Rapunzel wants nothing more than to go see what the lights in the sky on her birthday are about. What is your biggest wish?
 
Contest Rules:
  1. You must be 18 years or older to enter.
  2. You must be a resident of the Denver Metro area or able to be in the Denver Metro area on the night of Thursday, December 6, 2012.
  3. Contest will run from November 21 at1:40 pm - November 22 at 1:40 pm.
  4. Contest winner will be chosen using Random.org based off of your comment number.
  5. Winner will be announced on my blog November 22, 2012 after 2:00 pm.  This is Thanksgiving, so I hope you enjoy your time with your family while you wait for the news of the winner.
  6. Winner must contact me within 48 hours or they will forfeit the prize.
  7. Alternate winner will be selected through Random.org if the winner is unable to attend or fails to claim prize.
  8. Prize tickets will be available for pick up at the Will Call window on the night of the show.
Prize Package Includes: Family Four Pack of Tickets to see Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream at the Pepsi Center on December 6, 2012 at 7pm.

Feld Entertainment is neither a sponsor nor endorser of this promotion. Feld Entertainment will be providing the prize, however the contest is my own.

Good luck!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Count Your Blessings

About this time last night, 1 am or thereabouts, I was cleaning the litter box.  Oh the joys!  I know it is not a normal time for these such things, but the litter box is in the laundry room, which is connected to our bedroom.  While I was leaving the laundry room I noticed a little bit of water on the ground around the water heater.  That did not look right at all, so I got my sweet husband to ask him if it should be that way.  Nope, it should not!  UGH!  My poor, sweet husband spent the next couple hours getting the water/gas lines shut off and draining all the water out of the heater.  Turns out the top of the water heater was corroded.  New water heater is in order.

Cue the next morning.  I spent a few hours on the internet and phone calling around to everywhere and anywhere trying to find the best price possible on a water heater.  Our budget for one is almost non-existent.  While I was frantically calling around a friend was also making a call.  Her parents flip houses and they have a water heater that they just replaced with a larger capacity one.  Nothing at all wrong with it, they just don't need it.  They are graciously donating the water heater to us!  Talk about a blessing!  It is a slightly smaller capacity one than our current heater, but that's okay it should still work.  We'll make it work for as long as necessary.  Not having to come up with extra money right before the holidays is huge.  So thank you SO much to our wonderful friend and her amazing parents.  You have no idea how much this means to us.
At those times of life where things aren't looking great, just hold on as you don't know what is just around the corner. 

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream Contest

Just a heads up that I will be hosting a ticket giveaway on this coming Wednesday, November 21st!  Make sure to check back in.  This is going to be a great show and a wonderful way to spend an evening with your family. 

The tickets will be to the opening night show on December 6, 2012.  Make sure your calendar is open that night!  Entering will be easy and the winner will be announced on Thanksgiving day.

Until then here is a coloring page for your cute kiddos to do!  And don't forget about the discount code: 4MOM to save $4 on tickets to ALL shows (excludes VIP and Front Row).

Leonid Meteor Shower

Photograph by Tony Hallas, Science Faction/Corbis
www.nationalgeographic.com
I just have to say I really love how much my kids love astronomy.  Last night Archer set the alarm on his watch for 3am.  I honestly thought he would roll over and go back to sleep when his alarm went off, but he didn't.  He got up and got everything ready, his sleeping bag and sleeping pads.  Then Archer woke up his dad, as he wasn't allowed to hang out in the front yard in the middle of the night alone, and his little brother.  Picasso was so excited to be included!  They set the sleeping pads up on the front lawn, laid back and watched the meteor shower.  From what I hear it was pretty spectacular!  Next year I'll have to join them.  The girls want to join in next time too.  Star gazing with your kids?  Definitely a should do!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream

It is coming back to Denver!  Happy, contented sigh.  For those of you who have read my blog before you know I LOVE Disney on Ice.  Figure skating + Disney.  Seriously what is not to love?  The show coming to Denver is Dare to Dream.  What makes it even better is that it is featuring Tangled!  I do think that Tangled is one of the best Disney shows made in recent years, so having it be featured in Disney on Ice is fantastic.  It will also include Princess Tiana (Princess and the Frog) and Cinderella. 
Get tangled up in Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream! Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss. And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime! Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to your hometown!

Dare to Dream will be in Denver from December 6 - December 9 at the Pepsi Center.  Parking is not free at Pepsi Center (like it is at Denver Coliseum). Know that you will need to pay for your own parking if you attend the show.  It is normally around $10, I'll find out and post an exact price.  The Sunday, Dec. 9 show at 7 pm will be performed in Spanish. Opening night tickets for the Thurs., Dec. 6th, 7 pm show are just $15! ($15 for 200 and 300 level seats. $20 for 100 level seats. Front Row and VIP seats are full price. Additional fees apply)  Looking for a discount code?  I've got one!  $4 off all performances Click “Buy Tickets” on the performance of your choice. Enter the savings code 4MOM in the “Promotion Code” box. Choose the quantity of tickets in the bottom right hand corner and hit “Select Price Range” On the next page the “Price level” box shows $4 off each non-VIP price level – choose the price you prefer.   Discount does not apply to Front Row, or VIP seats. No double discounts.  You can purchase tickets HERE.

I always get asked if it is worth taking kids to see the Disney on Ice shows.  I have to say wholeheartedly YES it is worth it.  The shows are always amazing, they are not overly long, the time flies by while you are there, even though they do skew more towards little girls and princesses boys will enjoy it too (mine do!).  This is a really fun family event and a great way to introduce kids to live performances. 
 
As always I am not being paid for my opinion.  Feld Entertainment is providing my family with tickets to Disney on Ice in exchange for my honest review.  Any opinions posted here will be my own.  And honestly, I do LOVE Disney on Ice. 
 
 


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Bad Habits

Picasso has been showing some signs of Trichotillomania.  We first noticed him twisting and pulling at his hair a month or so ago.  We'd ask him to stop, but didn't think much of it.  Then I cut his hair.  He had a visible spot of thinning hair.  We were shocked, as was he.  Turned out he had been pulling his hair out.  He said his head was itching and so he would pull at it, which made it feel better, so he started pulling it out.  Finding out your child is pulling out his hair is a bit distressing!  It was late so we sent him to bed and I started researching hair pulling.  I was able to find some really good information on this website. 

I made sure to tell Picasso that there was nothing wrong with him, he just has a bad habit and everyone has bad habits.  My bad habit is chewing my fingernails.  I have a really hard time keeping my fingers out of my mouth!  Picasso and I decided that we were going to work on our bad habits together.  He would work on not pulling his hair and I would work on not chewing my nails.  For the first couple days Picasso was still rubbing at his head a lot.  We'd decided if it was itching badly that he could rub, but not pull.  Next step was getting some anti-itch shampoo.  We decided to start with Head and Shoulders (T-Gel is our backup should we need it).  So far the H&S shampoo is helping the itchiness a lot.  He says it still itches some, but near as much.  We'll continue using it and see how it goes.

We also got Picasso these pencil toppers.  The soft rubber of it is nice and stretchy.  Picasso has one of these that he can keep on his pencil or in his desk at school.  When the urge gets strong to pull at school he pulls on his topper instead and that has helped a lot.  For at home we got Picasso a Monstaz from Ty.  He LOVES his monster.  When he is home he keeps him with him and can play with it's hair instead of his own.  He's also taken to wearing hats more often and has asked that I keep his hair short.  

Picasso has had a couple moments of fingering his hair, but has not pulled it at all in a week!  SO PROUD OF HIM!!!! 

I on the other hand have not been doing so well.  :(  I've chewed on my nails twice in the same week.  I've been chewing my nails since I was a kid, so it is very ingrained.  I told Picasso today that he is my hero when it comes to breaking habits.  He is being so amazing with it.  He checks in with me every night to see how I am doing and to let me know how he did.  Today when I told him I had chewed my pinkie nail he just gave me a HUGE hug and told me that it was okay, everyone makes mistakes.  That's for sure!  He is a wise boy. 

For now we will continue to take it one day at a time.  We'll both keep working together to break our bad habits.  It really is easier doing it together. 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Getting Back to It

Wowzers!  It's been almost a month since I have posted anything.  :(  I ended up with a yucky virus on my computer and it put me out of commission for a bit.  Finally up and mostly running now, so time to get back to being better about rambling on her.  I do still need to reload most everything on my computer, so really not much of anything on here for now. 

Let's see though.....Happy (late) Halloween!  We had a lot of fun getting our nerd on for Halloween.  Archer was a Ring Wraith from Lord of the Rings, Angel was a Weeping Angel from Doctor Who, Picasso was Captain America, and Princess was the Hulk.  They all looked great and Angel even scared a few kids.  They made out like bandits in the candy department and had lots of fun trick or treating.  We always go to see the grandparents afterwards, which is always a treat.  So grateful we live close to them!
 

We also have been working on science fair projects.  Angel and Picasso already had their fair and did well.  Princess has to turn her board in on Friday, so we'll be doing her project tonight.  Picasso did "Why does Mentos make Soda explode?", while Angel did "Do white candles burn at a different rate than colored candles?".  Princess will be doing her project on "How does the heart pump blood to the body.  It is such a cool project!  We found the expirment for that one here.  If you have a child that is interested in how the heart works I highly recommend doing this.