I am one lucky mom! I got to spend the past two days treating my son to some Disney magic, and I didn't even have to pay for a flight!!!
Wednesday night was opening night for Toy Story 3 on Ice. When I first heard about it I knew we would have to go. I managed to get really good seats, though the tickets do not come cheap! It wouldn't be so bad if Ticketmaster didn't tack on all those extra fees, but there really is no other choice. So we had seats about 12 rows back, "center" ice. The awesome thing about a Disney presentation is about half of the audience is kids, so you don't have to worry as much about not being able to see over the person in front of you! (I am only five feet tall, so this is a serious concern...)
As soon as we walked into the building, I was like a little kid. I ended up buying a program (which came with an "ear hat" for $15 before we made it 100 steps past the turnstiles. We were running a bit late so we went to find our seats. I was very pleased with the view, but we were on the interior of the row, so there was no way we were getting up again. The show started a few minutes late, but when Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy came out, it was like being in the heart of the magic! Kids all around us were yelling and laughing, clearly excited to see their favorite people! Jack had the biggest grin on his face, it was definitely a magical moment!
The show itself was very entertaining, it didn't follow the actual storyline of Toy Story 3, but I was glad because it was so much more interesting! Even Barbie had a pretty decent act, with a workout routine and everything. Everytime a new character came out all the kids went wild!! Kids were yelling hello to Buzz and Woody and cheering them on. One of Jack's favorite characters is Mr. Potato Head, and he was jumping out of his seat when he and the Mrs. made it on stage.
About halfway through there was an intermission, which was great because the vendors came back around, so we managed to get Jack the popcorn we had promised him ($7, and delicious), as well as the Buzz Lightyear slushie mug I was DYING to get him (also $15, these events are NOT cheap). AS it turned out, no one really wanted the slushie part, but we had to eat it so it wouldn't melt all over us. Jack was really excited about the souvenir mug. One of the coolest things to me was the Little Green Alien slushie mug... when I was a kid I had one of those! It was so neat to see how this film franchise has actually managed to span a generation...
The second half of the show was far less dark than the movie, which was nice since this was a light-hearted ice show. I think everyone enjoyed it, and the show itself was right around two hours, which is longer than I expected, but appreciated given the money that was spent! After the show we hit up the souvenir stands, but all Jack wanted was a Little Green Alien stuffed animal ($15, again!) so we got him that as an early birthday present (his birthday is in two weeks). So while the show was cheaper than a trip to a Disney park, it wasn't what I would consider cheap, especially if you get carried away with souvenirs, which is pretty easy when you get caught up in the fun...
Another great event we had the opportunity to experience was a State Farm exhibit/show put on for free at a downtown shopping center. They brought three life sized replicas of vehicles from Disney Pixar's Cars 2, Lightning McQueen, Mater, and a new character Finn McMissle-British super spy, and kids had the chance to get their picture taken with each one. The lines were pretty long, but the pictures will be available online for free, and it meant I got to be in the picture with him, instead of trying to get him to pose and smile for me! Jack was excited because he got to wear his Cars shirt for the event. They had some cool "missions" youcould take part in as well, including an obstacle course, and if you completed all three missions you got some prizes, but they were a little old for Jack, and we were short on time so we didn't take advantage of those.
All in all it was a fantastic couple days. Sometimes when you can't get away for your dream Disney vacation, at least you can take advantage of events like these for your quick Disney fix!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A little perspective...
Monday morning I woke up to find that MORE snow had fallen. I knew it wouldn't last with temps getting into the mid 40's, but I was irritated none the less... after all it is March! Then I thought about what the people in Japan are waking up to.
The people of Japan have had a horrifying weekend. Friday afternoon, they are struck by a 9.0 earthquake. Evidently there had been some "foreshocks" that reached a magnitude as high as 7.2. This is the biggest earthquake Japan has ever experienced, and the 5th most devastating in the "modern era". There have been since been dozens of aftershocks, many of which were in the 6 point range. The earthquake's epicenter was more than 80 miles offshore, but effects were felt hundreds of mile away in Tokyo, where buildings swayed.
Follow that with a tsunami that wreaked havoc along the coast. People living and working in coastal towns had a 30 minute warning before the tsunami hit. I, for one, cannot even begin to imagine what would be going through my head if I was told I had 30 minutes to get as far away and as high up as possible... along with thousands of other people. The images from the tsunami and it's aftermath are incredible to say the least. Trees, cars, houses, boats, all just tossed around like children's toys. People were just swept away with no hope of survival, parent's swept away from their children, and there is nothing anyone could do. The feeling of helplessness must have been overwhelming.
As if that wasn't enough, the people of Japan are now contending with a severely damaged economy, coupled with the possibility of the spread of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Over 350,000 people are homeless, and probably will be for the foreseeable future. 3,676 people are confirmed dead, 1,990 injured and tens of thousands are still missing.
The TEPC, Japan's electric company has begun rolling blackouts and electricity rationing that will affect 45 million customers and are projected to last up to 6 weeks.
Rescue workers from 13 different countries are in country trying to help. The US military has gone so far as to block 13 different websites from it's DOD.mil accounts in Japan to free up bandwidth for use in recovery efforts. Cell phone usage is almost impossible.
After reading about the tragedy of this situation and seeing photographs of the destruction, all I can say id if all I have to complain about is 3 inches of snow that melted within 12 hours, I am pretty darn lucky.
The people of Japan have had a horrifying weekend. Friday afternoon, they are struck by a 9.0 earthquake. Evidently there had been some "foreshocks" that reached a magnitude as high as 7.2. This is the biggest earthquake Japan has ever experienced, and the 5th most devastating in the "modern era". There have been since been dozens of aftershocks, many of which were in the 6 point range. The earthquake's epicenter was more than 80 miles offshore, but effects were felt hundreds of mile away in Tokyo, where buildings swayed.
Follow that with a tsunami that wreaked havoc along the coast. People living and working in coastal towns had a 30 minute warning before the tsunami hit. I, for one, cannot even begin to imagine what would be going through my head if I was told I had 30 minutes to get as far away and as high up as possible... along with thousands of other people. The images from the tsunami and it's aftermath are incredible to say the least. Trees, cars, houses, boats, all just tossed around like children's toys. People were just swept away with no hope of survival, parent's swept away from their children, and there is nothing anyone could do. The feeling of helplessness must have been overwhelming.
As if that wasn't enough, the people of Japan are now contending with a severely damaged economy, coupled with the possibility of the spread of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
Over 350,000 people are homeless, and probably will be for the foreseeable future. 3,676 people are confirmed dead, 1,990 injured and tens of thousands are still missing.
The TEPC, Japan's electric company has begun rolling blackouts and electricity rationing that will affect 45 million customers and are projected to last up to 6 weeks.
Rescue workers from 13 different countries are in country trying to help. The US military has gone so far as to block 13 different websites from it's DOD.mil accounts in Japan to free up bandwidth for use in recovery efforts. Cell phone usage is almost impossible.
After reading about the tragedy of this situation and seeing photographs of the destruction, all I can say id if all I have to complain about is 3 inches of snow that melted within 12 hours, I am pretty darn lucky.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
How could a Disney movie be SO BAD!!??
Recently Jack has developed some alarmingly bad habits ever since watching Lilo and Stitch. I suppose I am to blame for letting him watch it, but it NEVER crossed my mind that a Disney animated movie could be *gasp* bad!
For those of you not familiar with the movie, it's about an apparently "evil" alien (Stitch) being banished from his planet or wherever and ends up on Earth. His "creator", an "evil" scientist and another alien are sent to find him and bring him back. Stitch is smart enough to know that his best protection is to stick close to a human (the aliens won't come near them) so he pretends to be a dog and is adopted by Lilo who is having a hard time adjusting to life without her parents (who were evidently killed in a car crash) and being raised by her sister. Lilo is a little "different" but she is a sweet little girl who loves Stitch, her new "puppy". So obviously there is eventually a confrontation between the aliens and the humans etc, but in the end, everyone ends up happy and fairly well adjustted.
So Jack has picked up 3 bad habits from this movie, which he as only seen twice (we rented it on Netflix).
1. He has started "shooting" people. It took me a few times before I placed the origin of his new "move". Basically he fumbles around trying to pull his "gun" (his finger) out of the "holster" (the waistband of his pants) and then raises it up to shoot me. In the movie this occurs when Lilo is taunting the alien scientist, knowing he won't hurt him in front of humans, and the scientist almost loses it and shoots Stitch with his ray gun. If you recognized the move, it might not be as bad, but for people who don't, all they see is my almost 3 year old trying to shoot me... most recently in church!
2. He has started telling people he is going to kill them. This comes from a fight scene when Lilo gets into a fight with another little (very mean) girl. Of course in the movie, Lilo is told that she can't just start fights with everyone (even though that girl deserved it!) but try getting that message accross to a 3 year old.
3. He has told people he hates them. There is a scene where Lilo and her big sister are fighting about Stitch having to go back to the pound and Lilo tells her sister she hates her. This movie is mainly about the relationship between the sisters and the adjustment they are going through, so this seems natural, but seriously, a 3 year old doesn't understand underlying themes etc.
Jack always quotes/re-enacts scenes from movies. He has a pretty good memory for it really, and usually it's cute. But this is NOT CUTE. And he doesn't understand why it makes me so mad. And I can't figure out how to get him to stop!!! Obviously we will not be watching Lilo and Stitch again for a while, until he is older and can understand more. And if I thought it would just stop on it's own, that would be fine. But it's been at least a month since he saw the movie! And if he were to do any of these things at school, I am willing to bet there would be trouble.
So now I am trying everything in my power to make my usually adorable 3 year old stop acting like a violent alien troublemaker. And wondering what other "kid's" movies should be avoided!!
For those of you not familiar with the movie, it's about an apparently "evil" alien (Stitch) being banished from his planet or wherever and ends up on Earth. His "creator", an "evil" scientist and another alien are sent to find him and bring him back. Stitch is smart enough to know that his best protection is to stick close to a human (the aliens won't come near them) so he pretends to be a dog and is adopted by Lilo who is having a hard time adjusting to life without her parents (who were evidently killed in a car crash) and being raised by her sister. Lilo is a little "different" but she is a sweet little girl who loves Stitch, her new "puppy". So obviously there is eventually a confrontation between the aliens and the humans etc, but in the end, everyone ends up happy and fairly well adjustted.
So Jack has picked up 3 bad habits from this movie, which he as only seen twice (we rented it on Netflix).
1. He has started "shooting" people. It took me a few times before I placed the origin of his new "move". Basically he fumbles around trying to pull his "gun" (his finger) out of the "holster" (the waistband of his pants) and then raises it up to shoot me. In the movie this occurs when Lilo is taunting the alien scientist, knowing he won't hurt him in front of humans, and the scientist almost loses it and shoots Stitch with his ray gun. If you recognized the move, it might not be as bad, but for people who don't, all they see is my almost 3 year old trying to shoot me... most recently in church!
2. He has started telling people he is going to kill them. This comes from a fight scene when Lilo gets into a fight with another little (very mean) girl. Of course in the movie, Lilo is told that she can't just start fights with everyone (even though that girl deserved it!) but try getting that message accross to a 3 year old.
3. He has told people he hates them. There is a scene where Lilo and her big sister are fighting about Stitch having to go back to the pound and Lilo tells her sister she hates her. This movie is mainly about the relationship between the sisters and the adjustment they are going through, so this seems natural, but seriously, a 3 year old doesn't understand underlying themes etc.
Jack always quotes/re-enacts scenes from movies. He has a pretty good memory for it really, and usually it's cute. But this is NOT CUTE. And he doesn't understand why it makes me so mad. And I can't figure out how to get him to stop!!! Obviously we will not be watching Lilo and Stitch again for a while, until he is older and can understand more. And if I thought it would just stop on it's own, that would be fine. But it's been at least a month since he saw the movie! And if he were to do any of these things at school, I am willing to bet there would be trouble.
So now I am trying everything in my power to make my usually adorable 3 year old stop acting like a violent alien troublemaker. And wondering what other "kid's" movies should be avoided!!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Spring is in the... hair!!
March is FINALLY here, and whether the weather supports my claims or not, spring is here!!! March 1 was a pleasant sunny day. Flip flops were worn, and I even painted my nails a springlike shade of pink. I drove with the windows down. Yes, it was that nice.
People are continually trying to rain on my parade, claiming snow is in the forecast, but I choose to disregard these neigh sayers and believe that our long winter has come to an end. I am so optimistic in fact, I am returning my hair to it's traditional spring and summer fun blond. I routinely go darker in the fall, for some reason it just seems like the "natural" thing to do, so when the weather starts to get nicer, I make an appointment for my "summer hair". I was lucky enough to score one on Friday before work, so my new spring good mood can rub off on my coworkers and customers!
I have also begun the time and money intensive process of tanning. Yes, I have heard it causes cancer. No, I am not crazy. I just want to be tan for the wedding I am going to be in at the end of April. And because I don't have endless amounts of time on my hands, I have to start early. Four minutes doesn't go very far in tanning the albino shade of white my legs become in winter.
My poor and extraordinarily furry pup, Zsa Zsa, will also be reaping the benefits of the new season. Not only am I much more inclined to take her on long walks when the sun is out and the air is warm, she can finally get a haircut herself! Throughout the fall and winter her hair gets super long and fuzzy, and since I don't want her to freeze to death in the snow that is taller than her, I let it stay that way. It's gotten so bad the poor girl can barely see! But every spring, I take her in and she gets pretty much shaved, which allows a newer, healthier coat to grow, and also means she loses half her body weight. She goes from looking like a giant cotton ball to a rat in the time she spends at the groomers.
So while some people thing I may be unrealistic in my interpretation of the changing months, I am being optimistic, and hopeful, all good attributes, in my thinking that the worst is behind us. It's time to move on and start stressing about bathing suit season people! And in a few months, we will be begging for the snow and ice to replace the heat and humidity. Such is life in the Midwest after all!
People are continually trying to rain on my parade, claiming snow is in the forecast, but I choose to disregard these neigh sayers and believe that our long winter has come to an end. I am so optimistic in fact, I am returning my hair to it's traditional spring and summer fun blond. I routinely go darker in the fall, for some reason it just seems like the "natural" thing to do, so when the weather starts to get nicer, I make an appointment for my "summer hair". I was lucky enough to score one on Friday before work, so my new spring good mood can rub off on my coworkers and customers!
I have also begun the time and money intensive process of tanning. Yes, I have heard it causes cancer. No, I am not crazy. I just want to be tan for the wedding I am going to be in at the end of April. And because I don't have endless amounts of time on my hands, I have to start early. Four minutes doesn't go very far in tanning the albino shade of white my legs become in winter.
My poor and extraordinarily furry pup, Zsa Zsa, will also be reaping the benefits of the new season. Not only am I much more inclined to take her on long walks when the sun is out and the air is warm, she can finally get a haircut herself! Throughout the fall and winter her hair gets super long and fuzzy, and since I don't want her to freeze to death in the snow that is taller than her, I let it stay that way. It's gotten so bad the poor girl can barely see! But every spring, I take her in and she gets pretty much shaved, which allows a newer, healthier coat to grow, and also means she loses half her body weight. She goes from looking like a giant cotton ball to a rat in the time she spends at the groomers.
So while some people thing I may be unrealistic in my interpretation of the changing months, I am being optimistic, and hopeful, all good attributes, in my thinking that the worst is behind us. It's time to move on and start stressing about bathing suit season people! And in a few months, we will be begging for the snow and ice to replace the heat and humidity. Such is life in the Midwest after all!
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