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Family Fun at Blowing Rock Winterfest

January 29, 2012 By 1 Comment

Living in the mountains of NC allow so many festivities right in our backyard. This weekend was the Blowing Rock Winterfest. We have been attending this festival since M was a year old. It was bittersweet showing her the pictures of when she was a year old. Where does the time go?

The big hit each year of the Winterfest is the polar plunge. I am trying to talk my dad into jumping with me next year. We shall see? :)

Close to 100 people jumped for a cause this year. All money raised was going to Wine to Water to ensure people in Ethiopia have clean water. Such a remarkable cause to jump in freezing water for right?!

We headed over to Blowing Rock Park to partake in the kids activities. So many kids were filling the room from wall to wall. I loved seeing all the families come together for the kids and showcase so many smiles. The kids were enjoying designing their own snowflakes, making winter crafts and listening to a local artist do a group story-telling.

All of the designed snowflakes were used in an afternoon snowflake parade. After a quick bite of lunch, we headed over to watch the ice carving. I cannot wait to get back over to the park and take a sneak peek at all the finished carvings. The artists are so talented each year.

The fun doesn’t stop there. There is a chili cook-off, pet show, build your own snowman contest with real snow, bonfires, hayrides, shopping, game shows, concerts and more. Make sure to put it on your calendar next year and come visit beautiful Blowing Rock, NC.

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Filed Under: Family Travel, Travel Tagged With: blowing rock winterfest

Things to do in San Diego with kids | San Diego Seal Tour

August 1, 2011 By 7 Comments

We hopped on a jet this morning very early and made our way to the beautiful and sunny San Diego, California.

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Each day this week, we will be coming to you live with a family friend kids place to visit in San Diego. You will want to stay tuned as we have a fun week planned. Today, we went on a fun adventure that has you climbing the stairs to take your seat on a boat but you end up standing up on the boat in the water. That is right, this is a boat that has wheels and drives on the road and also goes into the water. We were not quite sure what kind of adventure we were in for, but it is one that we were really looking forward to.

Come along on the journey of the San Diego Seal Tour…

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Guess what is so great about this boat? No matter how many holes the boat happens to get, it will not sink. Now, if that doesn’t give you peace of mind, I am not quite sure what will :) .

The Seal was built in upstate NY at the cost of $250,000. It is powered by biodiesel fuel which helps the environment all around us. The Seal will only go 5mph in the water. We started our journey on pavement to the tune of Gilligan’s Island Music. Cue the radio…

We took a drive-by the ship that was in the Pirates of Caribbean.

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Then we pass through the historic district of Little Italy.

San Diego’s Little Italy is different. A stable ethnic business and residential community, since the 1920′s; Little Italy today represents Downtown San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district. At one time, more than 6,000 Italian families lived in Little Italy and toiled to build San Diego into the center of the world’s tuna industry.

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We are cruising down the streets of downtown San Diego with our hair blowing every direction. The beautiful California sun hitting our faces.

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It is time to kick up our wheels and head into the beautiful blue water.

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The views are so breathtaking and look like views from a post card. Pinch me, are we really experiencing this in real life?

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We are greeted by some curious visitors, sea animals. L was filled with all kinds of smiles and the whole family was on their feet. This was exciting!

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Then all of a sudden, all around us were dolphins diving in the water.

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Take a short peek:

We ended it all with this beautiful sunset as we walked back to our room.

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This is definitely on the must-do family list. The entire family had an amazing time!

Disclosure: We were provided tickets for our review. We were not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinion are of my own.

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Filed Under: Family, Family Travel, Featured, Travel

Grand Floridian Outdoor Fun

March 25, 2011 By 5 Comments

Here is the first of many posts over the next week to share highlights from our fun at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. It indeed was that, a fun celebration. We were so honored to have a room on the water at the Grand Floridian.

Grand Floridian Waterfront Room View

The first day was just full of awesomeness that started out with some splishing and splashing in the uber cool beach pool.

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The pool starts off on one side like an ocean. Then proceeds to get deeper the farther you go in. This allowed kids of all ages (including moms and dads) to have fun in the water. No tears were ever shed that the pool water was too deep. Now, to add to the already cool pool was a fun waterfall slide. M was really enjoying the slide over and over and did I mention over?

The slide is super fast in the words of M!

After playing so long in the water that our skin was so wrinkled it was time to go have fun on the Grand Floridian lawn and sandy beach.

Disney Princess Brides

M playing with her friends in the sand at Grand Floridian

The night was filled with great food, great music and the biggest surprise of the night Mickey and Minnie Mouse!

M so happy to be with Minnie and Mickey Mouse

Since our room was right on the water at the Grand Floridian, we had the most perfect view for the nightly electrical water parade and the fireworks over Magic Kingdom castle. Here is a short video recap of the fun we had in the great outdoors of Grand Floridian.

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Filed Under: Family, Family Travel, Featured, Life in Florida, Travel Tagged With: grand floridian disney world resort

Walt Disney World Weddings

March 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

After some fun in the Florida sun at Magic Kingdom today, the Social Media Moms were greeted with a wonderful surprise this evening. We were invited to a Walt Disney World Wedding!

This wedding was ever princess’s dream and now has me telling my husband that I really want to renew my vows here at Walt Disney World. They really do roll out the red carpet for the bride and groom.

Take and look inside this magical wedding:

What a dream right? The bride was so beautiful and the groom was smiling the entire time. It really was magical to see how the bride and groom were looking at each other. The wedding was happening during the 20th Anniversary of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons. More than 40,000 couples have married at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland and aboard Disney Cruise Line since Fairy Tale Weddings began in 1991.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary, a specially priced wedding package, the Memories Collection, has been created at Walt Disney World Resort. Priced at $1,991 in honor of the 1991 opening year of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, the Memories Collection includes up to six guests, including the couple, a floral bouquet for the bride, solo violinist, transportation (three-hour limousine charter) and a professional photographer for one hour. It is being offered for 20 months.

It is your Disney wedding when you get married at Disney World. You are able to customized the wedding in so many different ways all the way down to what type of cake that you want.

Today’s wedding was at the Grand Floridian wedding pavilion but nuptials at Walt Disney World Resort also take place in outdoor garden settings, gazebos and courtyards, as well as indoor resort locations. More than 1,000 couples tie the knot each year at the Walt Disney World Resort. After seeing today’s wedding, I can see why couples would want to get married here. I use to think, why would anyone want to get married at Disney World, but my thinking has totally changed after getting to see firsthand how they really cater to the groom and bride.

Would you like to have your wedding at Disney World? If so, follow long on the Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings Facebook page. Also, don’t forget that you can always renew your vows at Disney if you are already married :)

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Filed Under: Featured, Mom Reviews, Travel Tagged With: disney world wedding

SeaWorld Brings Out The Best In You For The Holidays

December 28, 2010 By 1 Comment

Raising a huge animal lover, means that SeaWorld is one of our favorite theme parks. We recently transferred our Busch Garden season tickets over to SeaWorld since we thought we were moving to Florida, but those plans changed and we stayed in NC. L could not be happier though with our decision to transfer the tickets. She absolutely would go to SeaWorld every single day. It truly is that much fun for her.

On our little Florida Christmas getaway last week, we visit SeaWorld two different days. The first time we went and enjoyed all the day activities and then went back to enjoy the Christmas activities at night. The shows are filled with amazement and joy for your soul. I have a feeling that we will be going back several times in 2011.

Check out the pictures and video that I have created!

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Also, my guest blog post is up over at Visit Kissimmee so you can read full detail about all the shows that we attended. If you are ever in or around the Orlando, FL area, most definitely put SeaWorld on your itinerary. You will not regret it!

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Filed Under: Family, Featured, Holidays, Travel Tagged With: seaworld

Looking For a Great Holiday Travel Spot

October 27, 2010 By 1 Comment

We have you covered for the upcoming Holidays thanks to Women on their Way by Wyndham Worldwide. They have just released their annual Top 10 Trips for True Holiday Spirit.

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I have always wanted to start a yearly tradition around the Holidays that we could carry on through to when my girls have kids as well. The United States has so many different climates around the Holidays so the choices are really wide open!

From fun in the sun to frosty winter wonderlands, here are some of America’s favorite destinations that are featured on this year’s Top 10 list:

Branson, Missouri
Book a vacation rental unit in Branson for just $342 for seven nights at the Escapes! to Stonebridge Village this season. Known as the “Live music show capital of the world,” Branson, Missouri, is the place to rock out this holiday season. Experience the magic in Branson’s historic downtown, shopping district, and many, many Ozark Mountain Christmas shows.

San Antonio, Texas
No one does the holidays bigger than Texas—and with San Antonio as the state’s most frequently visited city, it’s definitely a holiday hotspot. Take in a Broadway show at the enchanting Majestic Theater, visit the historic Spanish missions, or immerse yourself in dining and entertainment along the vibrant banks of the Riverwalk for only $46 a night at the Microtel Inns and Suites San Antonio Downtown for certain weeks this December!

Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada
Split down the middle by California and Nevada’s borders, scenic Lake Tahoe is the perfect perennial vacation spot. Starting at only $50 a night, the Super 8 Lake Tahoe South will provide all the comforts of home and more. Recognized for its naturally sunny days and inches of snow during the winter months, Lake Tahoe is a skier’s paradise (or any winter sport lover, for that matter).

Denver, Colorado
The Mile High City, famed for sunny days, city parks and sporting events, sparkles with excitement—even in winter. Book your stay today for the low price of about $73 a night at the Denver Days Inn this holiday season and you’ll be able to enjoy Denver from a perfect location.

Atlanta, Georgia
Make your reservations on-line now to find winter deals at the Hawthorn Suites Atlanta for just under $90 a night. The city is a blur with activities, parades, holiday festivities and attractions throughout the season. With moderate temperatures and plenty of excitement, you’re bound to find something unique for the whole family to enjoy.

Alexandria, Virginia / Washington, D.C.
Washington and Alexandria are bustling throughout the holidays with magnificent classic scenery and tons of things to do. Let the staff at the Howard Johnson Inn exceed your expectations during your holiday stay for just $79 a night! Plus, with all the history in these timeless cities, you’ll really score a traditional trip this season!

And it doesn’t stop there! To see the full list of Top 10 Trips for True Holiday Spirit and bonus overseas hot spots, check out the Women on Their Way by Wyndham Worldwide website.

To celebrate this great program Wyndham will be launching a promotion through the Women on Their Way by Wyndham Worldwide Facebook page today. For every 50 new fans the page receives, one fan, selected at random, will win 25,000 Wyndham Rewards points. (If you are already a fan, you can enter too – all you need to do is submit your email!) Good Luck!

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Filed Under: Family, Featured, Holidays, Travel Tagged With: holiday travel

Hotel of Choice for Mayo Clinic Patients in Jacksonville FL

September 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I have to sing praises for a certain hotel near the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Recently, my aunt had to make the trek down to Jacksonville, FL to be evaluated and receive treatment over a 2 week period at the Mayo Clinic. Ever since a surgery last year, she has just not been well. The doctors here were just baffled and did not know what to do for her anymore. My aunt decided she had enough and scheduled herself to be seen at the Clinic. It was the best decision she has made since the surgery.

Even though she was in appointments from morning to evening, she got results. That is the big positive. As you may know though, at her age, these appointments were exhausting. It broke my heart to hear the treatment she was receiving at the hotel on campus, so I stepped in and helped her receive nights at the Wingate by Wyndham in Jacksonville, FL. I did a short 3 minute interview with her to collect her thoughts about the Wingate. Please listen in:

As you can see, she was very well pleased with the service. Every evening she would make it back to the hotel after the full day of appointments, the hotel staff went out of their way to make her comfortable. They were so kind and courteous. Just what she needed after a stressful day. Thank you so much Wingate by Wyndham for your remarkable service. We look forward to using you again!

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Filed Under: Featured, Music Reviews, Travel, Video

I Am Off On A Jet Plane to NYC

August 4, 2010 By 1 Comment

The time has come for the yearly BlogHer conference. This year it is in NYC. I am very excited to connect with everyone once again and see my partner in crime at BabyCenter.

I will be proudly wearing my Santa Hat at the Hallmark Christmas in August party Friday night so just smile and wave if you see me ;) . I so love Christmas so to be able to celebrate a few months earlier is just an awesome treat.

I plan to take in lots of sights and sounds of NYC on Sunday since the conference will be officially over and I don’t fly out till Sunday night. I am hoping to stay busy the whole time because I know that I will be missing my girls and hubby like crazy. It was just the cutest tonight at dinner. We were saying our prayers and it was the girls turn to do their prayers. Both of the girls prayed for my safety to and from NYC and that they were going to miss mommy so much. Yes, tears were forming in my eyes as they were praying. I love those precious girls so much. I so can’t wait to see them at the airport when I touch down with all their goodies.

Here’s to all the fun times… I will definitely be reporting back with a full review of the conference with lots of pictures and stories. In the meantime, make sure to follow me on Twitter during my journey @OneMomsWorld.

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Filed Under: Featured, Life of a Mom, Travel

Animals and Animals and More Animals at Animal Kingdom

July 8, 2010 By 3 Comments

Part of our Road Trip included a couple days at Disney. Disney is actually not one of L’s favorite places but we assured her that she would get to go to her best place… Animal Kingdom. This girl is a huge animal lover and her face just lights up so big when she sees any type of animal.

This time was no different. As soon as we walked through the entrance door, we were on a race to find the first animals. It did not take long until we found beautiful surroundings.

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We all could have just stood there for hours and carried on conversations about nature’s beauty! L was just amazed at all the animals and how they would walk right up to the fence that we were standing behind. The animals are definitely such a highlight of Animal Kingdom for sure. L and M could care less about the rides there ;) .

Another must see highlight was the Lion King Festival there. We were not able to see this previously when we were there at Disney, so we thought we would check out the production. L was a bit nervous walking in because she just wasn’t quite sure what was going on in this particular building out in the wild! Once we were in though, she was all smiles and clapping hands. I even at one time in the show had tears well up in my eyes. The show as THAT awesome. If you are at Animal Kingdom, make sure to put this show on your schedule.

Each section in the building was part of a group and had to do certain sounds at the beginning of the show. We were all just laughing so hard listening to everyone.

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L was just amazed by all the sights and sounds the entire time. She never once complained and was so into the show.

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The acrobatics of the show were so artistic and was really putting a wow on for the crowd.

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Take a listen into the beautiful music that was sang throughout the whole show! You will definitely add this to your must see list. We can’t wait to go back! Notice towards the end of the video of L clapping her little heart out.

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Filed Under: Big Sis, Day in the Life, Featured, Life in Florida, Little Sis, Travel

Disney Social Media Moms Conference Day 1

March 3, 2010 By 5 Comments

For a week in February, we decided to leave all the snow behind and head for Sunny Florida. Over the next few days, I am going to do a daily recap of our time at the conference. Let me just say that Disney went way out of their way to make this such a grand time for everyone and including all our families in on the fun.

Day 1:

We checked into the super fabulous Polynesian Resort where we were greeted with such superb Customer Service. As soon as we dropped off all our luggage, we wasted no time in heading straight to the parks. I do have to say this was our first time staying on-site and it was nice to just park your car and take the Monorail or the Bus to all the parks.

Our first park we headed to was the Animal Kingdom. I will go ahead and tell you my youngest daughter L is not a fan of all the Disney characters. She is very afraid of people dressed up and wants no part in seeing them, so we made the decision to let her go see the Animals first!

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As soon as we walked in, we were immediately greeted with the animals. L was loving this Disney park. She is a huge animal lover and we just had to stop and see all the animals.

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Unfortunately, since we had never been to Animal Kingdom, we didn’t realize Safari was the place to see many more animals, so we made a trip back to Animal Kingdom on our last day. (More to come about the Safari on the last day recap)

As I was hanging out with L, hubby would make sure to make all the stops for the Greet and Meet Characters with M. Just a note of advice… Make sure to let your little one have an autograph book with them in the parks (you can even just purchase a small notebook for them) so they can have all the Characters autograph. M was loving all the autographs with each of the characters.

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L was over the moon happy with just having her Lil Tinkerbell Baby to carry in her arms throughout the park.

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After spending all day at Animal Kingdom, we headed back for a night of fun at ESPN Worldwide of Sports.

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This venue was huge and so awesome to be able to take in the sights while no one was there :) .

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As the moms were attending a Press Conference, all the families were out on the field having a great time partaking in all the sports events.

Back in the Press Conference, the Social Media Moms, were getting a look into all the awesome upcomings Disney is bringing forth for everyone. One of the new adventures is the Disney Dream Cruise that is coming in 2011. I knew I wanted to take a Disney Cruise before, but now I really WANT to make it happen for my family after seeing all they are going to offer for families.

Also, one of the key features of the Disney Cruise is the AquaDuck water coaster. Just watch and see how cool this new water coaster is:

And yet another great feature coming back is the Disney Electrical Parade in Magic Kingdom this Summer. We were able to experience the Electrical Parade when we were at Disney this past Christmas. It was so neat and the girls were just in awe during the whole parade seeing all the floats lit up and the people in the parade all lit up. Definitely a must see when you are at the parks. Here are some photos from our time at Christmas.

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After the Press Conference, we all headed to another venue at the ESPN Worldwide of Sports to have dinner and let the kids enjoy a dance party with all the beloved Characters. L was just fine sitting with her mommy the whole time, but M really got up on stage and had the time of her life dancing her little heart out. They even were entertained by the High School Musical Cast.

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It really was an awesome way to end the evening. Big KUDOS to ESPN Worldwide of Sports for hosting us and show what true family entertainment is all about!

PS: Keeping it real here at One Moms World. I was apart of the Disney Social Media Moms Conference in which we did get reduced hotel and was given tickets as well some dinners provided. They in no way had us post about our time during the Conference. I wanted to from my own mind and heart and will be expressing my opinions about Disney over the course of this week :) .

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Filed Under: Big Sis, Family, Family Travel, Featured, Life in Florida, Mom Reviews, Travel
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