Category: Events

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Events

Happy 4th of July! Summer in full swing!

I cannot believe the 4th of July has passed! Such nice weather and fun times at the beach and the pool. This is the first year we did not see fireworks. We were just too busy with heading to the beach, the pool and seeing friends. My older daughter now works but does not drive yet so we have to coordinate our schedules too. Such a fun time this season will be. I love seeing all the July 4th photos of people wearing red, white and blue too. I did not get too many photos this year as we were just relaxing and enjoying the moments. Here is to a restful, peaceful and happy summer season!

 

This 4 person raft is one of the best purchases this summer
This 4 person raft is one of the best purchases this summer
We anchored the raft into the sand so we would not float away. It sure made for a peaceful time in the ocean. It even had room for beverages and a cooler for food!
We anchored the raft into the sand so we would not float away. It sure made for a peaceful time in the ocean. It even had room for beverages and a cooler for food!
Some goodies at a party we attended. I love how cupcakes are creative these days.
Some goodies at a party we attended. I love how cupcakes are creative these days.
Happy 4th of July!
Happy 4th of July!
Categories
Events personal Travel

Summer is here! Enjoy the view, family and good times #traveltips

Anyone who has school age kids knows June is one busy month. Between sports ending, Father’s Day, final exams and vacation, getting it all done during this last month of school is challenging. I am a big fan of taking a night away if you can to relax and enjoy the view. Plus if you have older kids it provides a nice way for you to spend some family time together (the teen years tend to be the sulky, silent ones 🙁 ) We were lucky that our night away in beautiful #Ogunquit Maine was sunny and in the 90s. To make it feel like you are away for more than one night we arrive at the destination early, like by 9:00 am and leave late. If you cannot get into your hotel room that early, check out the facilities, visit the local beach or have breakfast. We were out and about all day, checked in a bit early, lounged by the pool, had dinner with friends and then got up early for breakfast. The first weekend in June is the perfect time for a get-a-way and to enjoy the beginning of the warm weather before the month’s activities pick up.  We were also able to use the pool the following day and did not head home until 5:00 pm! It truly felt like we were gone for five days.  So if you can only get a way for a night try the early in late out method if your hotel allows as that is a great way to recharge and refresh before the summer season kicks up. Take time to enjoy the view, spend time with your family without technology and the good times will follow.

 

travel tips for summer
Sit back and enjoy the view this summer #travel #traveltips

 

Categories
Events Travel

Love a Local Get-A-Way @TheDelamar @SeaCrestCapeCod #staycation #CapeCod #Greenwich #hosted

Crazy busy few weeks! Can you believe it is May?? I was so upset that I could not get to Florida for April school vacation week! What the heck did I have to complain about that for???? My younger daughter and I had a very nice couple of nights at two very special properties.

April is a great time to check out hotels in New England. The weather was pretty good for school vacation week too!  Our first venture was an overnight at the Sea Crest. This property in Falmouth is unlike any other place on Cape Cod. This beach resort is right on the water with a restaurant, pool and parking right there. The rooms have great water views – check out our ocean front room! The restaurant Red’s is just great. One night at this hotel is so relaxing that is will totally refresh and relax you. The front desk staff is always so nice!

Our second overnight was at The Delamar in Greenwich CT. This was a very nice property that was right near the rodeo drive of the east – lots of shopping right up the street so it was a great gals get-a-way. When you check in they give you champagne and they even had a wine and cheese reception. My 12 year old enjoyed the complementary tea and hot chocolate. The Delamar has a lovely spa right on the premises but we did not have time to experience it. (My daughter asked if it was complementary lol) Next time we will check it out and take a trip to NYC too. The train was close by the hotel and it was a 40 minute trip in to the city. The reception desk was quite helpful and suggested we come back in the summer when they offer local boat rides and a complementary ride to a local beach!

Both resorts are ideal for a girls trip too!

 

Disclosure: I received discounted hotel rooms at each location. As always all opinions are my own in this blog post.

Sea Crest has the best sunsets I have ever seen!
Sea Crest has the best sunsets I have ever seen!
A beautiful sunset at the Sea Crest
A beautiful sunset at the Sea Crest
The beach front view from the room at the Sea Crest
The beach front view from the room at the Sea Crest
The Delamar in Greenwich CT offers complementary wine and cheese!
The Delamar in Greenwich CT offers complementary wine and cheese!
A very nice welcome in your room at the Delamar
A very nice welcome in your room at the Delamar
Comfy beds at The Delamar Hotel
Comfy beds at The Delamar Hotel

 

 

Categories
Events

@RedSox Fun with Calling All Kids Program @Wally97

I love being a #RedSoxMom!  I also cannot wait to attend a Red Sox game. There are some fun events happening at Fenway and wanted to share this information:

Wally’s Opening Day – Wally has made it to TV! The Red Sox have debuted “Wally’s Opening Day” on  NESN. As part of the club’s “Calling All Kids” initiative, an ongoing effort to connect baseball to the next generation of fans, the Red Sox created this special 30-minute animated show, Wally’s Opening Day, featuring the loveable mascot and a star-studded cast.  April also marks the 20th anniversary of Wally’s introduction to Red Sox fans.  These voices may sound familiar to you as the characters have some big names! Wally’s voice is played by Tom Kenny aka Mr. SpongeBob SquarePants, Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, Two Broke Girls), H Jon Benjamin (Bob’s Burger, Archer), and Lenny Clarke (Rescue Me).

Kid Nation – The “Kid Nation” program has launched for the 2017 season which again is giving 25,000 free game tickets to kids! Check it out here for more details. There is free and paid options for Kid Nation – both of which get the free game ticket!

Red Sox Showcase – Finally, the Red Sox Showcase is back again this year! The Showcase, which is a traveling Fenway Park and includes a batting cage, pitching stations, and a virtual reality experience, will be traveling throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island this summer. The initial kick-off event for this season will be at Faneuil Hall on Saturday, May 6.

Disclosure: I am a #RedSoxMom and as part of the program I may receive goodies and a ticket to a game. As always all opinions are my own in this blog post.

 

Categories
Events Holidays

 A nice way to start the holiday season @bostonballet #BBNutcracker #hosted

I love our tradition of heading into Boston the day after Thanksgiving to see the performance of The Nutcracker. I was invited to the dress rehearsal and it was a fantastic show!

 Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker marks the five-year anniversary of Nissinen’s re-envisioned family-friendly tradition. The Nutcracker will run November 25-December 31, 2016 so there is plenty of time to get your tickets. All 43 performances of The Nutcracker will take place at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111) It is a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and a great way to start a tradition with your family. The Nutcracker performance length is approximately 2 hours including one intermission. If you have young children I would suggest attending a 1:00 pm matinee.

The Nutcracker includes the full company of 57 dancers, 13 Boston Ballet II dancers, and 224 Boston Ballet School students and they all dazzle. From young dancers to more experienced dancers they all do a fantastic job. The costumes and set design are magnificent and of course the music is classic. Each performance will be accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s renowned score performed by Boston Ballet Orchestra, led by five conductors: Music Director Emeritus Jonathan McPhee, Principal Guest Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron, and guest conductors Geneviève Leclair, Ming Luke, and Craig Edwards.

I really love all the scenes but my favorite is the dance of the sugar plum fairies. My husband had never seen the performance and really did not know the story! Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker is based on the libretto by Alexandre Dumas père titled The Tale of the Nutcracker, which is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The story follows the wondrous journey of young Clara, who receives a nutcracker as a gift at her family’s Christmas Eve party. Later that night, her nutcracker magically transforms into a handsome prince, who leads her through an enchanted forest and on to the Nutcracker Prince’s Kingdom.

Tickets start at $35. For more information, visit bostonballet.org

Disclosure: My family and I received tickets to the dress rehearsal. All opinions in this blog post are my own.

i-npw8hn5-mi-zckhnn4-si-25tsdmz-m

Categories
Events Holidays

 A nice way to start the holiday season @bostonballet #BBNutcracker #hosted

I love our tradition of heading into Boston the day after Thanksgiving to see the performance of The Nutcracker. I was invited to the dress rehearsal and it was a fantastic show!

 Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker marks the five-year anniversary of Nissinen’s re-envisioned family-friendly tradition. The Nutcracker will run November 25-December 31, 2016 so there is plenty of time to get your tickets. All 43 performances of The Nutcracker will take place at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111) It is a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and a great way to start a tradition with your family. The Nutcracker performance length is approximately 2 hours including one intermission. If you have young children I would suggest attending a 1:00 pm matinee.

The Nutcracker includes the full company of 57 dancers, 13 Boston Ballet II dancers, and 224 Boston Ballet School students and they all dazzle. From young dancers to more experienced dancers they all do a fantastic job. The costumes and set design are magnificent and of course the music is classic. Each performance will be accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s renowned score performed by Boston Ballet Orchestra, led by five conductors: Music Director Emeritus Jonathan McPhee, Principal Guest Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron, and guest conductors Geneviève Leclair, Ming Luke, and Craig Edwards.

I really love all the scenes but my favorite is the dance of the sugar plum fairies. My husband had never seen the performance and really did not know the story! Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker is based on the libretto by Alexandre Dumas père titled The Tale of the Nutcracker, which is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The story follows the wondrous journey of young Clara, who receives a nutcracker as a gift at her family’s Christmas Eve party. Later that night, her nutcracker magically transforms into a handsome prince, who leads her through an enchanted forest and on to the Nutcracker Prince’s Kingdom.

Tickets start at $35. For more information, visit bostonballet.org

Disclosure: My family and I received tickets to the dress rehearsal. All opinions in this blog post are my own.

i-npw8hn5-mi-zckhnn4-si-25tsdmz-m

Categories
Events Holidays

 A nice way to start the holiday season @bostonballet #BBNutcracker #hosted

I love our tradition of heading into Boston the day after Thanksgiving to see the performance of The Nutcracker. I was invited to the dress rehearsal and it was a fantastic show!

 Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker marks the five-year anniversary of Nissinen’s re-envisioned family-friendly tradition. The Nutcracker will run November 25-December 31, 2016 so there is plenty of time to get your tickets. All 43 performances of The Nutcracker will take place at the Boston Opera House (539 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111) It is a wonderful way to ring in the holiday season and a great way to start a tradition with your family. The Nutcracker performance length is approximately 2 hours including one intermission. If you have young children I would suggest attending a 1:00 pm matinee.

The Nutcracker includes the full company of 57 dancers, 13 Boston Ballet II dancers, and 224 Boston Ballet School students and they all dazzle. From young dancers to more experienced dancers they all do a fantastic job. The costumes and set design are magnificent and of course the music is classic. Each performance will be accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s renowned score performed by Boston Ballet Orchestra, led by five conductors: Music Director Emeritus Jonathan McPhee, Principal Guest Conductor Beatrice Jona Affron, and guest conductors Geneviève Leclair, Ming Luke, and Craig Edwards.

I really love all the scenes but my favorite is the dance of the sugar plum fairies. My husband had never seen the performance and really did not know the story! Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker is based on the libretto by Alexandre Dumas père titled The Tale of the Nutcracker, which is adapted from E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. The story follows the wondrous journey of young Clara, who receives a nutcracker as a gift at her family’s Christmas Eve party. Later that night, her nutcracker magically transforms into a handsome prince, who leads her through an enchanted forest and on to the Nutcracker Prince’s Kingdom.

Tickets start at $35. For more information, visit bostonballet.org

Disclosure: My family and I received tickets to the dress rehearsal. All opinions in this blog post are my own.

i-npw8hn5-mi-zckhnn4-si-25tsdmz-m

Categories
Birthday Parties Events Toys

Saving on Birthday Party Gifts – top 5 list

Each school year the girls are invited to a ton of birthday parties!  What do families with many children do? What are the cost effective ways to save on Birthday party gifts?  Annmarie sat down with New England Cable News to talk about this topic!

Here are the top 5 ways to save and gift ideas from trendymommies.com.

 

1.  Make a plan each September -  write down your birthday gift needs and start shopping – look for buy one get one free toys, stock up on board games – all ages love a good board or card game (hello apples to apples). Board games are also usually on sale around Christmas time so stock up on multiple games then. You can even buy a smaller card game and add a gift card to the gift bag.

2.  Think seasonal – buy fun summer items at the end of the season and gift them for winter birthdays. A nice tote bag filled with sunglasses, a towel and a t shirt is a nice way to remember summer.

3.  Use your retail reward cards for savings – we love CVS and their extra care program – collect and save your extra bucks – it’s money to buy gifts!  CVS is a one stop shop for kids gifts 10 dollars and 5 dollars and under and for small toys, hair accessories, candy, cards and art supplies.

4.  Buy art supplies in bulk – cute note books, personalized note cards and a nice pencil set coupled with a gift card makes a nice gift. Discount retailers have note books in multiples so divide up and package nicely. Use the tote bags at Michael’s crafts for the packaging of the gift!  Kids can decorate it themselves!

5.  Save on tissue paper and gift bags – you can reuse gift bags and buy tissue paper at the dollar store. Stock up and save on these items so you have them and are not running around at the last minute and spending 5 dollars on a gift bag and tissue!

Happy Shopping!

Birthday Party!
Birthday Party!

 

Categories
Birthday Parties Events Toys Uncategorized

Saving on Birthday Party Gifts – top 5 list

Each school year the girls are invited to a ton of birthday parties!  What do families with many children do? What are the cost effective ways to save on Birthday party gifts?  Annmarie sat down with New England Cable News to talk about this topic!

Here are the top 5 ways to save and gift ideas from trendymommies.com.

 

1.  Make a plan each September -  write down your birthday gift needs and start shopping – look for buy one get one free toys, stock up on board games – all ages love a good board or card game (hello apples to apples). Board games are also usually on sale around Christmas time so stock up on multiple games then. You can even buy a smaller card game and add a gift card to the gift bag.

2.  Think seasonal – buy fun summer items at the end of the season and gift them for winter birthdays. A nice tote bag filled with sunglasses, a towel and a t shirt is a nice way to remember summer.

3.  Use your retail reward cards for savings – we love CVS and their extra care program – collect and save your extra bucks – it’s money to buy gifts!  CVS is a one stop shop for kids gifts 10 dollars and 5 dollars and under and for small toys, hair accessories, candy, cards and art supplies.

4.  Buy art supplies in bulk – cute note books, personalized note cards and a nice pencil set coupled with a gift card makes a nice gift. Discount retailers have note books in multiples so divide up and package nicely. Use the tote bags at Michael’s crafts for the packaging of the gift!  Kids can decorate it themselves!

5.  Save on tissue paper and gift bags – you can reuse gift bags and buy tissue paper at the dollar store. Stock up and save on these items so you have them and are not running around at the last minute and spending 5 dollars on a gift bag and tissue!

Happy Shopping!

Birthday Party!
Birthday Party!

 

Categories
Events Red Sox

Get your @RedSox bobbleheads #Giveaway and Fun @fenwaypark events #LegoDay #RedSoxMoms

Looking for a nice summer night out? Check out the special events at Fenway Park. Also, if you can tell me what your favorite thing to do near Fenway (besides watching the game of course) you will be entered to win a Jason Varitek bobblehead or Wally & Tessie bobblehead!

Here are some fun things to do with the family this last week of August. On Monday, August 29 “Catch ‘em All” night is a fun event for kids and families to capture all the characters around Fenway and battle in the gym. Your ticket will include a custom map serving as a Poké -map of the park and a limited edition Fenway gym badge. Special Ticket Required and here is the link https://m.mlb.com/bos/tickets/info/pokemon

On Wednesday, August 31 It’s “Wally Piggy Bank” Promo Item where Fans age 14 and under will receive a Wally Piggy Bank. (Presented By Hood)

The Red Sox and LEGO Systems, Inc. are proud to announce the first LEGO® Day at Fenway Park on Wednesday, August 31 at 1:35 pm when the Red Sox face the Tampa Bay Rays. The purchase of a game ticket through this special offer also includes a limited edition Red Sox themed player build, made with LEGO bricks. Additionally, this ticket package will include access to the pre-game LEGO Build Experience in the Kids Concourse from 11:00am-1:35pm. A life-sized Red Sox player LEGO model for fans to see and take pictures with be a special site! Tickets are limited to the first 2,000 guests who order through this special offer. Special Ticket Required and here is the link: https://m.mlb.com/bos/tickets/info/lego-day

Disclosure: I am part of the Red Sox Moms initiative and as such I am treated to special events and a game or two as part of the campaign.