 |
| {click to print} |
 |
| {click to print} |
Sharing at:
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Tatertots & Jello
Skip to My Lou
Apr 8, 2013
Singin' in the Rain Printables
I noticed quite a bit of rain when I checked the forecast last week, and do you know what? After all the snow we got this winter, it's kind of a relief. Here is a fun, free printable that just might give you a lift on a rainy day.
And here's another one, because you can never have too many matching printables!
Let's just hope all this rain brings May flowers...
Sharing at:
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Tatertots & Jello
Skip to My Lou
Sharing at:
I Should be Mopping the Floor
Tatertots & Jello
Skip to My Lou
Apr 5, 2013
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Four: Dining
This is the last part of our series, How to Plan the Perfect trip to Disney World. We've busted common Disney myths, talked about money, and shared resort options. Now it's time to talk about food!
In part three, we discussed the resort dining options. One thing we didn't mention is that there is no such thing as free continental breakfast at Disney resorts. They offer breakfast foods in the food courts, but you have to pay for it. Since so many breakfast items travel well, we just take our own. This year, I'm taking homemade granola and banana bread. The rooms have mini-fridges in them, so we'll probably buy some milk at the food court and keep it in our room. You might also find muffins, cinnamon rolls, coffee, etc. at some of the parks. Which brings us to park dining options.
Theme Park Dining Options
Each of the parks has a variety of dining options including snacks, fast food type meals (Disney calls it "quick service"), and fine dining (which Disney calls "table service"). You'll want to make reservations for table service restaurants, and than can be done 180 days prior to your arrival either by phone or at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/#/reservations-accepted. Also on their website, you'll find detailed menus and price lists for almost every restaurant. I don't eat meat, so I like to look at the menus ahead of time and make a list of restaurants with vegetarian options. Rest assured, there are plenty of meatless options available! There are also a lot of healthy options, such as fruit instead of fries or bottled water instead of pop. Whatever your tastes are, I recommend checking out the menus ahead of time.
 |
| Cupcake from EPCOT |
Dining Plans
The first three trips I took to Disney World, I paid cash for my meals and spent approximately $30 per day, not including breakfast items I purchased ahead of time. Keep in mind that I don't eat meat, and meat entrees are usually a little pricier. That figure doesn't factor in snacks, extra drinks, or any table service meals. If you want to know how much you would spend per day, you can look up some price lists and figure out what your average meal would cost you.
Our resort reservation for the fourth trip came with either a discounted room or a free dining plan (a deal Disney usually offers in the autumn value season). We chose the dining plan, and now I can't imagine traveling without it. If you purchase a dining plan, they will load your dining credits onto your room key, which is also your park ticket. It's so much easier to swipe your room key, and you don't have to worry about cash getting lost or stolen or try to keep track of how much you've spent on a debit or credit card.
 |
| Ice cream brownie sundae from The Plaza at Magic Kingdom |
Quick Service Dining Plan
In a value or regular season, the Quick Service Dining Plan is $37.58/night ages 10+. You receive two quick service meals (with a dessert and a drink), a snack (bottled drinks, ice cream, fruit, pastries, etc.), and a refillable mug (which can be filled with any drink of your choice at your resort for free) for each night of your stay. This is slightly more food than I was buying at $30/day. I don't think they've overcharged for the dining plan, and if you eat more expensive entrees, you may even be saving quite a bit of money. For example, if you spent one day in Magic Kingdom and bought food with cash, this is what you might expect to spend.
Lunch at Be Our Guest: Grilled Steak Sandwich (with a side), strawberry cream cheese cupcake, and iced tea: $17.77
Snack at Aloha Isle: Dole Whip Float (a must-have!): $4.99
Dinner at The Diamond Horseshoe: BBQ Turkey Sandwich (with a side), carrot cake, and smartwater: $16.28
Total: $39.04 (saved $1.46)
Magic Your Way Plus Dining
This is the plan we had for the last trip, and this is the plan we purchased for our upcoming stay. In a value or regular season, the Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan costs $55.59/night ages 10+. You receive one quick service meal (with a dessert and a drink), one table service meal (with a dessert and a drink), and one snack per person per night. We like this plan for its table service meals. It's like going on a date 6 nights in a row, and that is something we'd never get to do at home! Some of our favorite table service restaurants are Boma- Flavors of Africa (at Animal Kingdom Lodge), Tutto Italia Ristorante (at EPCOT), and The Plaza (at Magic Kingdom).
Lunch at Electric Umbrella: Angus Mushroom and Swiss Cheeseburger (with a side), strawberry cheesecake, and pop: $17.07
Snack at Sunshine Seasons: fruit cup: $3.59
Dinner at Tutto Italia Ristorante: Bistecca del Macellaio, Torta di Nocciole "Cortemilia," and tea: $46.00
Total: $66.66 (saved $11.07)
 |
| Tutto Italia Ristorante at EPCOT |
That wraps up our series, How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World. I really hope you've enjoyed it, and we can't wait to share pictures with you after our next trip! Below is a list of sites that that have a lot of helpful information as well.
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part One: Myths Busted
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Two: Money Talk
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Three: Where to Stay
More resources:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/
http://www.wdwinfo.com/
http://allears.net/index.html
http://www.mousesavers.com/
Sharing at:
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Apr 3, 2013
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Three: Where to Stay
For those who have been following our series, welcome back! If you're new here, we hope you'll have time to catch up on parts one and two.
Monday, we established our opinion on staying on Disney property, so today we'll take a look at Disney World Resort options. They have three categories of resorts: deluxe, moderate, and value. What's the difference?
 |
| {via} |
The value resorts are very large and have hundreds of rooms. The rooms are split up into different buildings, each with its own themed decor. The Art of Animation Resort is the newest of the value resorts, and it offers many family suites (Disney does not allow more than four people per standard room). Art of Animation and Pop Century have their own bus lines, while the other three value resorts share a bus. Each resort has several shaped pools but no water slides. They also each have a food court, a pizza delivery service, and onsite childcare.
 |
| {via} |
The moderate resorts are a little bit smaller than the value resorts, so you may not have to walk as far to get from the lobby to your room. They also share buses, but the buses run more frequently to these resorts. Some also have water transportation available. They all have hot tubs as well as pools with smaller water slides.Of the moderate resorts, Port Orleans French Quarter is the only one that does not have a full-service restaurant. All have a food court, pizza delivery service, onsite childcare, and limited room service.
 |
| {via} |
The value resorts are incredible. They have interesting architecture and beautifully themed lobbies and landscaping. These resorts are close enough to the theme parks that you may be able to enjoy fireworks from the pool or the resort's beach. They offer a variety of transportation options. Depending on the resort, you can travel by bus, boat, or monorail, and many of the resorts are within walking distance of one of the parks. They have great hot tubs and pools with big water slides, and most have beach access and a marina with water sport options. They have food courts as well as full-service restaurants and room service. The deluxe resorts have childcare service available as well as valet parking and a concierge.
Our Pick
For us, our resort room is just a place to rest our head at night. We rarely eat at the resort, and since we go to the water parks, we don't often use the resort pools. Regardless of where you are staying, you can make reservations and dine in the other resorts' full-service restaurants. You can also visit their beaches and marinas. When I go to Disney, I go to see the parks. Your resort choice will depend on where you spend the majority of your time and what your priorities and preferences are.
In my opinion, the extra amenities at the fancier resorts are not worth the extra cost. I could go to Disney World one time and stay at a deluxe resort, or I could take the same money and take THREE trips if I stayed at a value resort. If you have the money to do it, go for it. Maybe someday we'll splurge and spend a week at the Polynesian, but for now, a value resort is our top pick.
Of the value resorts, Pop Century is our favorite. It is a little closer to the parks, and it has its own bus line. If you go with a moderate resort, I highly recommend Port Orleans French Quarter. It's very compact, so you don't have to walk very far to get from the lobby or bus stop to your room. There is no way I could pick a favorite deluxe resort; they all look incredible!
We hope this series is answering some questions you may have had about planning a Disney trip. We'll be back Friday with our final part of the series!
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part One: Myths Busted
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Two: Money Talk
Sharing at:
The Life of Jennifer Dawn
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Apr 1, 2013
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Two: Money Talk
We're back with part two of our series, and today we're discussing finances. It's a subject many people don't feel comfortable talking about, but we hope you'll find some ideas here for ways to save on a Disney vacation.
No matter how many times I've been to Disney World, I always do research to see if there are new ways to save money on an upcoming trip. The advice I see most often is that you should stay at a hotel off-site and bring your own food and pack lunches.
Let me show you a realistic price comparison.
Off-site hotel (very basic): $350
Car rental: $100
Fuel: $60
Parking fees: $85
Groceries and eating out (lunch and dinner for 2 adults over 7 days): $300
TOTAL: $895
Keep in mind that if you stay at a hotel in Orlando and the surrounding communities, you'll have a 20-mile drive each day to get to the parks. Fuel isn't cheap, and time is money.
When I went to Disney in 2008, I tried to spend as little as possible. I packed boxes of Cheerios and granola bars to eat for breakfast and lunch and only purchased dinner in the parks. I was miserable. I walked around with my ziploc bag of Cheerios while everyone else was enjoying burgers, burritos, fresh fruit, and ice cream sundaes. Towards the end of the trip, I tossed the Cheerios and bought park food.
Disney Value Resort: $595
Transportation: FREE
Quick Service Dining Plan: $490
TOTAL: $1,085.00
Disney resort guests have access to programs and amenities that off-site hotels can't offer. For example, if you fly into Orlando International Airport on select airlines, Disney will pick up your checked bags and deliver them to your room. You simply hop on the Disney bus when your plane lands and don't have to worry about a thing! When your trip is over, Disney will take care of checking you in for your flight, picking up your checked bags, and dropping you off at the airport.
In addition, you'll receive complimentary Disney luggage tags, a miniature golf voucher for each guest, arcade points for DisneyQuest, a water sport voucher, and discounts for spa treatments, childcare, and Planet Hollywood. If you buy the dining plan, each guest will also receive a refillable mug that you can fill at your resort's food court for free for the duration of your stay.
If that isn't enough to convince you, one park each day has Extra Magic Hours and either opens early or closes late. Only resort guests are invited to take advantage of those extra hours.
I think it's worth the $190.
I believe that the biggest factors that will affect the overall price of your trip are what you spend on airfare, the time of year you travel, how long you stay, and the type of park tickets you purchase.
Airfare
I've flown to Orlando three times, and the average I paid for airfare was $220. Not terrible, but not great. This time, I plugged our home airport and destination airport into airfare-compair.com and airfarewatchdog.com. Both sites sent me daily e-mails with price updates and deals. We scored roundtrip tickets for $107 each plus taxes! There may be a big difference in what kind of price you find depending on where you live and which airport you fly out of. I'd say our airport is small-ish with a slim selection of airlines, so we were delighted to find inexpensive tickets.
When to Go
Disney, like many other travel destinations, has some seasons when prices are low and some when prices are high. If you have the flexibility to travel anytime during the year, I highly recommend going when school is in session. Not only are the prices lower, but the crowds are much lighter. It's a win-win! Don't forget about school vacations, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and Spring Break. Even though they occur during the school year, they are busy times for Disney World. I like to refer to this site when checking for value seasons.
How Long to Stay
As I mentioned in part one of the series, it could take you two weeks or more to see everything at Disney World. Unfortunately, a lot of people, ourselves included, can't afford to be gone that long. The length of your trip will vary greatly by the ages and interests of the guests in your group.
For example, Marshall and I are fairly young and both love roller coasters. We'll save time by skipping the more child-friendly rides like Dumbo and The Teacups. We are both physically able to walk long distances without needing breaks and will be fine even on hotter days. I like to plan a minimum of one day per park. We are planning on spending some time at one of the water parks, golfing, and DisneyQuest, so we've added a couple days to allow for those activities.
Keep in mind that elderly people and children may walk slowly and need more breaks. They also may not be able or want to go on the more thrilling rides with the teens and adults. If there will be anyone in your group who fits that description, you may want to stay longer.
Ticket Prices
I have always built our package and made our reservations online at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com and have been very pleased with it. The packages I put together include our resort room, park tickets, and dining plan.
The cheapest ticket option is to just buy basic park tickets. Beware that if you choose the basic tickets, you'll need to carefully plan out your days. If you don't add the Park Hopper option to your tickets, you will be limited to one park per day. But it's cheaper. We like having the extra flexibility and have done plenty of "hopping," so the Park Hopper option is a must for us.
This time, we also added the Water Park Fun & More option for $47. This option will give each guest one pass per day to use at one of the two water parks, one of the two miniature golf courses, ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course, or DisneyQuest. We were primarily interested in going to the water parks, and it would have cost $52 each at the gate. For less than the price of one water park ticket, we are getting access to a whole lot more! Sometimes buying everything as a package gives you better deals. Do your research before you buy!
If you book your vacation and a better offer is made available, don't despair! Simply call Disney, and they will apply the new offer to your existing reservation. The customer service representatives are super friendly and helpful.
We hope you're enjoying our series on How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World. Come back Wednesday for part three in this series!
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part One: Myths Busted
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Three: Where to Stay
Sharing at:
Tatertots & Jello
I Should be Mopping the Floor
The Life of Jennifer Dawn
House of Hepworths
Mar 29, 2013
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part One: Myths Busted
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we are planning on taking a trip to Disney World. We are SO excited about it! As our friends and co-workers find out about our upcoming trip, we are discovering that a lot of people would like to go but have no clue how to plan for it. If you fall into that category, this post is for YOU!
First of all, you may be wondering what qualifies us to be writing this series in the first place. I have been to Disney World four times, all under different circumstances.
March 2003: I went as part of our high school music department trip over spring break. We rode in charter buses the whole way down and stayed in a hotel in Orlando. As this was a school trip, we stayed pretty busy with workshops, parades, etc., and we didn't have much time in the parks.
May 2008: I flew down with three girlfriends, and we stayed in the Pop Century Resort on Disney property. We stayed for five days. We did not purchase a dining plan, and we primarily ate food that we took with us (granola bars, Cheerios, etc.).
April 2009: Two of my cousins, our grandmother, and I flew down and stayed in the Pop Century Resort. We stayed for six days. We did not purchase a dining plan, but other than breakfast, we bought most of our food in the parks.
September 2010: My dad, sister, younger brother, and I flew down and stayed in the Port Orleans-French Quarter Resort. We stayed for four days, and the Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan came free with our resort reservation.
This year, we will be staying in the Pop Century Resort for six days. We received a great discount on our resort reservation, and we used the savings to purchase the Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan.
Even if none of those scenarios are fitting for your family trip, I think you'll still find some helpful tips in our series.
Without further adieu....
PART ONE: Myths Busted
Myth #1: "You're going to Disney World? I thought Disney was just for kids."
Wrong! I have never been to Disney World with children, and I've had a blast each time. Disney has made a huge effort to make their parks just as much fun for adults as they do for kids. What do they have that teens and adults will enjoy? For starters, each of the four theme parks has thrill rides (my favorites are Expedition Everest and Rock'n'Roller Coaster). Disney also has two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. At Typhoon Lagoon, you'll find a wave pool, water roller-coaster type ride, lazy river, snorkeling with sharks and tropical fish, and water slides. You can take in a round of golf at Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course. Marshall's a golfer, but I'm not, so we're looking forward to trying out both of the miniature golf courses instead. If you're looking for a more relaxing vacation, Disney has spa packages available. There are many fancy and upscale restaurants for the romantics to pick from, and I highly recommend an evening at The Boardwalk. The sports lover will find a lot to do at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, and gamers will enjoy DisneyQuest, an indoor virtual reality theme park. Last, but not least, is Downtown Disney. Here you'll find lots of shopping and great places to eat. You don't have to have to pay to get in, so we like to visit Downtown Disney on the day we arrive in Florida rather than spending money on a park ticket for just a few hours.
Myth #2: "We'd love to go to Disney World, but we just can't afford it."
If we can afford it, you can afford it. We are a one income family, and like many of you, we live on a pretty tight budget. We decided about two years ago that we wanted to go, so we started saving all of the gift money we received and income from extra projects or overtime for our Disney fund. We are blessed with generous families and were given lots of overtime and extra little projects, and it really didn't take too long to save. In the grand scheme of things, two years is such a small amount of time to wait and save.
There are certain times of the year when Disney prices are lower, and if you have a flexible schedule, you can save a lot of money that way. We'll discuss that more in part two of the series.
Myth #3: Disney World = Magic Kingdom
Disney World is made up of four theme parks, and Magic Kingdom is just one of them. Magic Kingdom was the first park built and is the home of Cinderella's castle, but there is a lot more to Disney than that!
Magic Kingdom itself is a whole lot more than the castle. The park is broken up into different sections: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tommorowland, Liberty Square, and Main Street, U.S.A. Each section has different rides, activities, and restaurants that are theme-based.
EPCOT is almost like two parks put together. The World Showcase Lagoon is half of the park. There are eleven countries represented: Canada, United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, U.S.A., Italy, Germany, China, Norway, and Mexico. In each country's pavilion, you will find native food, educational displays/shows/rides, and shops with authentic souvenirs. One of my favorite parts is that the employees who work at the pavilions are actually from those countries.
The other half of EPCOT is called Future World. There are several fun rides and a lot of really cool displays here. If you enjoy science, I think you would love Future World!
Animal Kingdom is the largest of the parks and, like Magic Kingdom, is divided into sections: Oasis, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Discovery Island, Dinoland U.S.A., Africa, and Asia. It's kind of like a zoo on steroids that also happens to have some thrill rides. The animals aren't caged, so to speak, but there are a lot of natural barriers. It feels like you're walking through the jungle with these creatures, but you're fully protected.
Disney World also has the attractions mentioned under Myth #1: water parks, golf, miniature golf, spas, a sports complex, a virtual reality park, and a huge shopping area.
Myth #4: "If there are four parks, then I can just go for four days and see it all."
These parks are huge, and even if there weren't any lines or other people to wait on, I doubt you could see everything in just four days. I've been there four times and still haven't seen everything! I heard somewhere that it would take fourteen days to see everything at Disney World. We can't afford to be gone for fourteen days, but we hope we'll be able to return in the future to see and do more.
It's a lot of information, but I could have written so much more! If there is a specific question you have that I didn't answer, please feel free to ask in the comment section below. Come back Monday for part two!
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Two: Money Talk
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Three: Where to Stay
Sharing at:
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
I Should Be Mopping the Floor
The Life of Jennifer Dawn
We will have several parts to this series: common myths busted, how to plan financially, where to stay, and dining options. If you are planning a trip and would like to have another topic covered, please let us know. We want this series to make life a little easier for you, and we are very open to suggestions. We also realize that what is perfect for us may not be perfect for you.
First of all, you may be wondering what qualifies us to be writing this series in the first place. I have been to Disney World four times, all under different circumstances.
March 2003: I went as part of our high school music department trip over spring break. We rode in charter buses the whole way down and stayed in a hotel in Orlando. As this was a school trip, we stayed pretty busy with workshops, parades, etc., and we didn't have much time in the parks.
May 2008: I flew down with three girlfriends, and we stayed in the Pop Century Resort on Disney property. We stayed for five days. We did not purchase a dining plan, and we primarily ate food that we took with us (granola bars, Cheerios, etc.).
April 2009: Two of my cousins, our grandmother, and I flew down and stayed in the Pop Century Resort. We stayed for six days. We did not purchase a dining plan, but other than breakfast, we bought most of our food in the parks.
September 2010: My dad, sister, younger brother, and I flew down and stayed in the Port Orleans-French Quarter Resort. We stayed for four days, and the Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan came free with our resort reservation.
This year, we will be staying in the Pop Century Resort for six days. We received a great discount on our resort reservation, and we used the savings to purchase the Magic Your Way Plus Dining Plan.
Even if none of those scenarios are fitting for your family trip, I think you'll still find some helpful tips in our series.
Without further adieu....
PART ONE: Myths Busted
Myth #1: "You're going to Disney World? I thought Disney was just for kids."
Wrong! I have never been to Disney World with children, and I've had a blast each time. Disney has made a huge effort to make their parks just as much fun for adults as they do for kids. What do they have that teens and adults will enjoy? For starters, each of the four theme parks has thrill rides (my favorites are Expedition Everest and Rock'n'Roller Coaster). Disney also has two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. At Typhoon Lagoon, you'll find a wave pool, water roller-coaster type ride, lazy river, snorkeling with sharks and tropical fish, and water slides. You can take in a round of golf at Disney's Oak Trail Golf Course. Marshall's a golfer, but I'm not, so we're looking forward to trying out both of the miniature golf courses instead. If you're looking for a more relaxing vacation, Disney has spa packages available. There are many fancy and upscale restaurants for the romantics to pick from, and I highly recommend an evening at The Boardwalk. The sports lover will find a lot to do at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex, and gamers will enjoy DisneyQuest, an indoor virtual reality theme park. Last, but not least, is Downtown Disney. Here you'll find lots of shopping and great places to eat. You don't have to have to pay to get in, so we like to visit Downtown Disney on the day we arrive in Florida rather than spending money on a park ticket for just a few hours.
Myth #2: "We'd love to go to Disney World, but we just can't afford it."
If we can afford it, you can afford it. We are a one income family, and like many of you, we live on a pretty tight budget. We decided about two years ago that we wanted to go, so we started saving all of the gift money we received and income from extra projects or overtime for our Disney fund. We are blessed with generous families and were given lots of overtime and extra little projects, and it really didn't take too long to save. In the grand scheme of things, two years is such a small amount of time to wait and save.
There are certain times of the year when Disney prices are lower, and if you have a flexible schedule, you can save a lot of money that way. We'll discuss that more in part two of the series.
Myth #3: Disney World = Magic Kingdom
Disney World is made up of four theme parks, and Magic Kingdom is just one of them. Magic Kingdom was the first park built and is the home of Cinderella's castle, but there is a lot more to Disney than that!
Magic Kingdom itself is a whole lot more than the castle. The park is broken up into different sections: Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tommorowland, Liberty Square, and Main Street, U.S.A. Each section has different rides, activities, and restaurants that are theme-based.
EPCOT is almost like two parks put together. The World Showcase Lagoon is half of the park. There are eleven countries represented: Canada, United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, U.S.A., Italy, Germany, China, Norway, and Mexico. In each country's pavilion, you will find native food, educational displays/shows/rides, and shops with authentic souvenirs. One of my favorite parts is that the employees who work at the pavilions are actually from those countries.
The other half of EPCOT is called Future World. There are several fun rides and a lot of really cool displays here. If you enjoy science, I think you would love Future World!
Epcot also has an epic fireworks show every evening. It's a must see!
 |
| EPCOT during the Flower and Garden Show |
Hollywood Studios is SO much fun! It is home to the famed Tower of Terror, Rock'n'Roller Coaster, and many other exciting rides. There are several behind-the-scenes ride/tours you can go on and even a stunt show with real stunt drivers on motorcycles and in cars.
Animal Kingdom is the largest of the parks and, like Magic Kingdom, is divided into sections: Oasis, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Discovery Island, Dinoland U.S.A., Africa, and Asia. It's kind of like a zoo on steroids that also happens to have some thrill rides. The animals aren't caged, so to speak, but there are a lot of natural barriers. It feels like you're walking through the jungle with these creatures, but you're fully protected.
Disney World also has the attractions mentioned under Myth #1: water parks, golf, miniature golf, spas, a sports complex, a virtual reality park, and a huge shopping area.
Myth #4: "If there are four parks, then I can just go for four days and see it all."
These parks are huge, and even if there weren't any lines or other people to wait on, I doubt you could see everything in just four days. I've been there four times and still haven't seen everything! I heard somewhere that it would take fourteen days to see everything at Disney World. We can't afford to be gone for fourteen days, but we hope we'll be able to return in the future to see and do more.
It's a lot of information, but I could have written so much more! If there is a specific question you have that I didn't answer, please feel free to ask in the comment section below. Come back Monday for part two!
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Two: Money Talk
How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Disney World, Part Three: Where to Stay
Sharing at:
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
I Should Be Mopping the Floor
The Life of Jennifer Dawn
Mar 27, 2013
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Cream Sauce and Feta
As I've mentioned before, Marshall and I have made a lot of changes to our diets over the past year. We eat "real" food about 95% of the time and cheat on the other 5%. We are by no means experts in nutrition but are constantly doing research and tweaking our diets as we learn what's best for our bodies.
One of the new foods we've been enjoying lately is quinoa. I love this infographic showing quinoa's health benefits.
One of the new foods we've been enjoying lately is quinoa. I love this infographic showing quinoa's health benefits.
 |
| {via} |
Like rice, quinoa pretty much tastes like whatever you cook it with. If you've been putting off trying quinoa, find a rice dish you already enjoy, and substitute the rice for quinoa. One of our favorites is Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Cream Sauce and Feta.
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers with Avocado Cream Sauce and Feta
1 C uncooked quinoa
2 C water
4 bell peppers, sliced in half with seeds and membranes removed
1 onion, chopped
1 T minced garlic
1 C black beans
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
4 T crumbled feta cheese
For the avocado cream sauce:
1 avocado, pitted and skin removed
1 T lime juice
1 T garlic powder
1 t sea salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay peppers, cut side down, on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Cover, and let sit for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
In a large pan, saute chopped onion until translucent. Add garlic, and cook for one minute longer. Turn off heat and add beans, tomatoes, and cooked quinoa. Mix well.
Mash or puree the avocado with the lime juice, garlic powder, and sea salt.
Spoon the quinoa mixture into the cooked peppers, and top with the avocado cream sauce and feta. These stuffed peppers are just as good leftover!
The avocado cream sauce is also wonderful over spaghetti with some chopped romas and a little parmesan! Who said healthy food couldn't taste good?!
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Mar 25, 2013
Small Entryway Reveal and a Free Printable
Hello, everyone! I've been writing less than usual as I'm determined to finish my spring cleaning this week. One project that needed to be tackled in the midst of my cleaning efforts was the small entryway to the house. Our house has three outside entrances. The front door opens into the living room, there is a door on the driveway side of the house that opens into the small entryway (and then a door from that into a big entryway), and then there is a door to the back porch that we never use. I'd say we get a pretty even amount of people who come to the front and side doors. Marshall and I almost exclusively use the side door.
The small entryway was pretty drab, and I thought it would be nice to spruce up the area we first see when we walk in the door. Here it is before:
 |
| We forgot to take a real "before" picture. This is after Marshall took down a couple of boards. You can see where the walls had been painted around them (definitely a pet peeve!). |
And here is the entryway today:
This makeover was completely FREE as we used leftover paint (True Value's Encompass) and a shelf that had been previously destined for our garage sale.
I pulled a few things from around the house for the shelf. It will probably look completely different tomorrow. You know me.
I brought in the Christ is Risen printable and made a new printable for the other frame. I thought Micah 6:8 would be a great verse to see each time we leave the house.
 |
| {click to download} |
A side-by-side for you:
It's a warmer welcome, for sure!
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
House of Hepworths
Thrifty Decor Chic
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
House of Hepworths
Thrifty Decor Chic
Mar 20, 2013
Key Lime Cream Cupcakes with Vanilla Lime Buttercream
Stop whatever you're doing and make these cupcakes.
Seriously.
They are that amazing.
I adapted a recipe from Bakerella for the cupcakes and made up my own frosting to top them off.
Key Lime Cream Cupcakes
{click to print}
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup bottled lime juice
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
Add the eggs, oil, lime juice, and yogurt. Mix until well blended.
Pour into cupcake tins.
After putting the tins in the oven, turn the oven down to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
Vanilla Lime Buttercream Frosting
1 C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla extract
2 t bottled lime juice
green food coloring, optional
Cream the butter until smooth.
Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix well.
Mix in vanilla, lime juice, and food coloring.
Add remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Refrigerate leftovers... if you have any!
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Seriously.
They are that amazing.
I adapted a recipe from Bakerella for the cupcakes and made up my own frosting to top them off.
Key Lime Cream Cupcakes
{click to print}
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup bottled lime juice
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
Add the eggs, oil, lime juice, and yogurt. Mix until well blended.
Pour into cupcake tins.
After putting the tins in the oven, turn the oven down to 325 degrees, and bake for 25 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
Vanilla Lime Buttercream Frosting
1 C butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 t vanilla extract
2 t bottled lime juice
green food coloring, optional
Cream the butter until smooth.
Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix well.
Mix in vanilla, lime juice, and food coloring.
Add remaining powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
Refrigerate leftovers... if you have any!
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Mar 16, 2013
Dining Room Update
We shared our newly painted dining room not long after we moved in, but we've made a lot of changes since then. At the time, we weren't sure what to do with some of our furniture, and it ended up in the dining room. Since then, we've finished all of the main rooms of the house, and those extra pieces that were being shuffled around have finally found a permanent spot. Well, as permanent as anything in our house ever is.
Marshall and I also agree that our spring decor is the best "look" for the dining room with the wood tones and paint color. It seemed like the perfect time to share some pictures!
The biggest change is that we moved the mirrored dresser out of the corner by the window and moved the piano in.
We finally hung some plates and bowls on the other side of the window. I love the bowl with the birds; it belonged to my great grandmother.
We hung the mirror-turned-chalkboard and have been writing Bible verses or quotes on it.
We'll be able to move the floor lamp to the office after we replace the fluorescent light above the table. We've been checking ReStore every time we go by, but nothing has caught our eye yet. Someday...
I had big plans for making curtains, but I think I'm going to just leave the windows alone. This room gets so much sunlight, and after living in a basement, we love how bright this room is!
Sharing at:
Tatertots & Jello
Thrifty Decor Chic
Marshall and I also agree that our spring decor is the best "look" for the dining room with the wood tones and paint color. It seemed like the perfect time to share some pictures!
 |
| {burlap table runner} |
The biggest change is that we moved the mirrored dresser out of the corner by the window and moved the piano in.
 |
| {Goodwill Gallery Wall} |
We hung the mirror-turned-chalkboard and have been writing Bible verses or quotes on it.
We'll be able to move the floor lamp to the office after we replace the fluorescent light above the table. We've been checking ReStore every time we go by, but nothing has caught our eye yet. Someday...
I had big plans for making curtains, but I think I'm going to just leave the windows alone. This room gets so much sunlight, and after living in a basement, we love how bright this room is!
Sharing at:
Tatertots & Jello
Thrifty Decor Chic
Mar 14, 2013
Backyard Plans
This is what our backyard looks like right now.
Sad.
But I have big plans for it! The first things to go will be the satellite dish and clothesline. We'll put up a "real" clothesline in a spot that won't take up the middle of the yard.
The small window on the left side of the picture is where the dining room is located. We want to make a pergola to stand on either side of the little concrete patio and just over the top of the window. We'd like to plant some wisteria to vine up the side and over the top of the pergola. We'll be able to enjoy it not just from the yard, but also from the dining room window.
The bank of windows to the right is where the kitchen porch is located. I'd like to put a lilac bush somewhere along the back of the house where it can be seen from those windows. I adore boxwood, so I'll add a few bushes in there somewhere. I'm still working on picking out some flowers to plant in the spaces.
We're also trying to think of some ways to create privacy between our house and the neighbor's house. There isn't much distance between the two. Marshall and I love eating outside when the weather is nice, and dinner with the neighbors, no matter how wonderful they may be, just isn't romantic.
My inspiration board:
Dreaming up a garden is whole lot more fun than planting one! Are you dreaming, too?
Sharing at:
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Sad.
But I have big plans for it! The first things to go will be the satellite dish and clothesline. We'll put up a "real" clothesline in a spot that won't take up the middle of the yard.
The small window on the left side of the picture is where the dining room is located. We want to make a pergola to stand on either side of the little concrete patio and just over the top of the window. We'd like to plant some wisteria to vine up the side and over the top of the pergola. We'll be able to enjoy it not just from the yard, but also from the dining room window.
The bank of windows to the right is where the kitchen porch is located. I'd like to put a lilac bush somewhere along the back of the house where it can be seen from those windows. I adore boxwood, so I'll add a few bushes in there somewhere. I'm still working on picking out some flowers to plant in the spaces.
We're also trying to think of some ways to create privacy between our house and the neighbor's house. There isn't much distance between the two. Marshall and I love eating outside when the weather is nice, and dinner with the neighbors, no matter how wonderful they may be, just isn't romantic.
My inspiration board:
Dreaming up a garden is whole lot more fun than planting one! Are you dreaming, too?
Sharing at:
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Mar 13, 2013
Waterproof Drawstring Backpack
We are planning a trip to Disney World (more on that later), and something that I always take when I go is a drawstring backpack. They're lightweight enough to wear all day, and they can hold quite a bit. The only problem is that I haven't found any that are waterproof. I usually end up taking a whole bunch of ziploc bags to keep my camera, phone, etc. safe on water rides, but it can be a bit of hassle having everything stuffed in ziploc bags and then stuffed into a larger bag.
I thought I'd look online for some kind of a wet bag that could be worn as a backpack but didn't find anything that was quite right. So, I decided to make my own!
You know how some people cook a fabulous meal and when asked for the recipe, their response is that they just threw a bunch of stuff together? I not only do that when I cook, but I also do it when I sew. I'm kind of a "cut and paste" kind of girl, and that's probably partially because I just taught myself to sew over time. It doesn't lend itself to very thorough tutorials, so consider this as more of an if-I-can-do-it-you-can-too post.
Here is my sketch of bag measurements that I used while I was planning and constructing.
I bought this napkin at Target almost a year ago and had no idea what I would do with it. It was on clearance for about a dollar, and it was just too cute to pass up. It's 18 inches square, and I thought it would be the perfect size for a backpack. I ripped out the top seam (and tag) and opened the napkin so it could be used as the outer part of the bag.
I ordered some PLU (waterproof fabric) online for the inner lining. PLU can be a little tricky to work with. The fabric side is slippery, the shiny side is sticky, it can't be ironed or put in the dryer, and you aren't supposed to pin it (pin holes allow water in). Since I hadn't used PLU before, I practiced sewing on a small piece before tackling the bag.
A drawstring enclosure isn't very water tight by itself, so I added a zipper at the top of the bag. The bag wouldn't cinch up very well if the zipper was right at the top, so I placed the zipper about five inches below the top of the bag.
Since there isn't any point in waterproofing the bag above the zipper, I just used cotton for the top part.
I added a waterproof interior pocket to the bag for things like cell phones and room keys.
Nylon parachute cord worked well for the drawstrings. You'll need about 60 inches of cord for each side, and you can see in my sketch how I strung the cord through the casing. If you string it through the casing and loop it around each side, you will create "straps" when you pull the string to close the bag. Does that make sense?
I opened about an inch of the side seams at the bottom of the napkin to insert the cord. I sewed over the cord, backtracking several times to secure it well.
I should have tried on my bag before I sewed the cord in; the straps are perfect for Marshall but a little bit long for me. I tied the excess into a bow at the bottom, and I think it's actually kind of cute!
The bag is just the right size for an adult, and I think it will make life much easier if we can just toss things into the bag and go. I can't wait to test it out!
Functional and CUTE!
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
Gingersnap Crafts
Skip to My Lous
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
I thought I'd look online for some kind of a wet bag that could be worn as a backpack but didn't find anything that was quite right. So, I decided to make my own!
You know how some people cook a fabulous meal and when asked for the recipe, their response is that they just threw a bunch of stuff together? I not only do that when I cook, but I also do it when I sew. I'm kind of a "cut and paste" kind of girl, and that's probably partially because I just taught myself to sew over time. It doesn't lend itself to very thorough tutorials, so consider this as more of an if-I-can-do-it-you-can-too post.
Here is my sketch of bag measurements that I used while I was planning and constructing.
I bought this napkin at Target almost a year ago and had no idea what I would do with it. It was on clearance for about a dollar, and it was just too cute to pass up. It's 18 inches square, and I thought it would be the perfect size for a backpack. I ripped out the top seam (and tag) and opened the napkin so it could be used as the outer part of the bag.
I ordered some PLU (waterproof fabric) online for the inner lining. PLU can be a little tricky to work with. The fabric side is slippery, the shiny side is sticky, it can't be ironed or put in the dryer, and you aren't supposed to pin it (pin holes allow water in). Since I hadn't used PLU before, I practiced sewing on a small piece before tackling the bag.
A drawstring enclosure isn't very water tight by itself, so I added a zipper at the top of the bag. The bag wouldn't cinch up very well if the zipper was right at the top, so I placed the zipper about five inches below the top of the bag.
Since there isn't any point in waterproofing the bag above the zipper, I just used cotton for the top part.
I added a waterproof interior pocket to the bag for things like cell phones and room keys.
Nylon parachute cord worked well for the drawstrings. You'll need about 60 inches of cord for each side, and you can see in my sketch how I strung the cord through the casing. If you string it through the casing and loop it around each side, you will create "straps" when you pull the string to close the bag. Does that make sense?
I opened about an inch of the side seams at the bottom of the napkin to insert the cord. I sewed over the cord, backtracking several times to secure it well.
I should have tried on my bag before I sewed the cord in; the straps are perfect for Marshall but a little bit long for me. I tied the excess into a bow at the bottom, and I think it's actually kind of cute!
The bag is just the right size for an adult, and I think it will make life much easier if we can just toss things into the bag and go. I can't wait to test it out!
Functional and CUTE!
Sharing at:
Savvy Southern Style
Gingersnap Crafts
Skip to My Lous
House of Hepworths
Tatertots & Jello
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)