Surprise Twins Game

Woke up my little leaguer this morning and asked him if he wanted to go to his first Twins game at the Target Field.  Of course he did!

Last week my boss handed out a few sets of tickets.  I didn’t realize until after I received them that we would get to hang out in the Sky360 Legends Club and have some great comfy seats.  The Twins haven’t done too well….okay, they’ve been pretty bad but I still knew we’d have a great time.  Turned out to be a winning game and fun to watch.

The Legends Club was a lot bigger than I expected.  It goes from one club to another, filled with a variety of bars, stores and places to eat.  We enjoyed walking through and looking around.

Then we got a decent cheeseburger with fries, a bottle of tea, and a souvenir cup. All for a small amount of $44.00. Crazy!!! But don’t worry! We got a “free” refill with the cup. Once we had our hands full we went to check out our seats and watch the game.

Twins won 17-5 against the Texas Rangers and Andrew had a great time at his first game! Plus, on our way to our car we got a quick photo with Prince’s Gold Star at First Ave.

Tomorrow I think we’ll head out to spend some time in the water at Valleyfair.

Back at it!

It’s been long overdue, but I am back.  After taking on a manager position at Target, my days and nights were all over the place.  I always had the best intentions of sitting down and blogging about all our adventures but never found the time.  As much as I loved working at Target and miss my wonderful co-workers, I have settled into a new job and have been working there for about 8 months now.  The hours have made our lives so much easier! Please continue to stop in often and check out the blogs that will be coming….

1. ROME 
2. Valleyfair 
3. Disney Cruise (Royal Suite!)
4. Cruise followed by Disney World
5. Nashville 
6. and many other small adventures around MN

I am so excited to get back to connecting with everyone again, answering questions, helping you on your next vacation and just sharing our stories!

Lazy Days

Spring break has given me a beautiful lazy day!  Maybe not too lazy, I did clean my room and do 2 loads of laundry so far. Plus, I am about to go cart all the boys around and back home.  It is now 40 degrees out and 54 by Saturday!

I just thought I’d share that I have switch to a self hosted blog and you can find the new one at:   allaboutvacationsmn.com

Hope your day is as lazy as mine!

Pump It Up Birthday Party

When I asked my youngest, Andrew what he wanted to do for his 7th birthday he almost didn’t let me finish the question! PUMP IT UP! I called the Plymouth, Mn location the next day. They helped me find a date and time. I was worried about not having enough time in the end so she had me schedule the last one of the day. This way you have a few minutes extra in the party room without feeling the need to rush out.  Just don’t forget the employees are probably ready to go home by then!  I sent out invites and the RSVP’s came in very slowly. When I asked Andrew who he wanted to invite he looked at me so confused and said, “My whole class. I don’t want anyone left behind.” My sweet boy! So, 24 invites went out. We had 14 friends RSVP, which I knew would happen as it was the start of spring break. I booked the Classic 15 Go Glow Party with pizza, cake and ice cream.

A week before the party one of the staff calls and finishes up the details. What kind of pizza, cake, color of frosting, soda and so on. They were so helpful and I hung up the phone knowing I didn’t have to do a thing but show up! There’s something new! I might have been more excited than my son!

We arrived 15 minute early. Small snacks and cake or cupcakes are allowed to be brought in by almost all locations. The cost is no different then if I had went and purchased one myself. I went with the Pump It Up Goodie bags, also. At Andrews last party, I ran around trying to find cheap but cool items to put in it. It cost me $5 a goodie after I bought everything. At Pump It Up, you can add goodie bags for each child for as little as $3.50 and save yourself the time of putting them together.

As every parent drops off their child they must fill out a waiver. The waiver is basically to acknowledge the risk of injury and not hold PIP responsible. Once that’s done, move over to a side seating room and the kids watch a quick video on safety and rules. The staff have them walk silly to the first bounce arena after giving them all glow necklaces. We had the Glow party which create much more of a party atmosphere. After 40 minutes in the first arena, we moved to the second one which is just as fun but different bouncers. Even the adults we invited were having fun and loved it! I was pulled aside and brought into the party room to go over what would happen in the remaining time and make sure everything was right.

Into the party room to sing happy birthday, the staff helper served the pizza, soda and then the cake and ice cream. Once everyone was finished Andrew got to sit in a giant inflatable chair and open his presents. He had a blast! The wonderful helper wrote every present and who it was from down for us. Packed it all up and had it in a cart to bring out to the car!

Picture above is with flash.

Each kid received their goodie bag and balloon as they left. A very successful party, a happy boy and a mom that had to do nothing but take pictures!

A few notes Pizzas and cakes are usually brought in from other companies. For instance, our pizza was from Domino’s and cake from Dairy Queen. What we had was a hit. Also, although I loved the glow party a lot,  it was much harder to take pictures. If the flash wasn’t just right it was fuzzy or just too dark. I am sure if you know your photography you’d be fine but most of us don’t. Here’s what several of my friends pictures turned out like….

If you ask the staff to turn on the lights 5-10 minutes before the end to get some better pictures they will. I got several great pictures but you would never know that it was a glow party from them.

We had an amazing staff. Very attentive, fun and on top of it.  They don’t expect it but you can tip them and the split it between the 4 of them.  We had such great service and it will be a party my son won’t forget so we made sure to tip well.

**some links are for a specific location. Enter your zip code and see what your location offers**

Disney’s Art of Animation

For a year our youngest had been asking about Disney World. All of our kids but him had been there. The oldest boy was about to begin his 2nd year in college and had no desire to come along. My choice of resorts is The Port Orleans but our family is too big. I didn’t like the idea of having two adjoining rooms either. I could see it in the future but not until the younger ones were a bit older.  I had heard about the Art of Animation Family suites just opening and decided this is what we’d try. I booked a Cars room and this time we decided to drive there. Probably the first and last time we will ever drive there!

We have always went in early spring, either before or after the spring break rush. It is better prices and smaller lines. This time we were so busy we couldn’t book until the end of August. Prices were still great and we saved a lot on not flying a family of 6!

My plan was to stop one night at a hotel , rest, and get right back on the road. My husbands idea was to drive straight through! I gave in. That was a huge mistake and a horribly long drive.

30 hours of driving (and stopping) and we finally made it.

We made it!!! It was a quick registration and the young one, Andrew (6 yrs. old at the time) loved the sketches on the walls. If you can, be sure to register online before you arrive. It will speed up the registration process. While I was finishing the check-in and getting our Keys to the World cards, Andrew made it over to a little area in the corner to watch a movie. The parking lot is huge but we were able to get a spot close to our hotel entrance.

It took us a while to get into the entrance of our hotel. Not because it was a long walk but because we stopped at every Disney’s Car friend to take a picture! It really was cool and felt like we’d stepped into Radiator Springs!

I’ll spare you the other hundred pictures we took! Every step, “Mom, take a picture of me again!”

Right outside our room was the Cozy Cone Pool. It was small and…well….cozy! For the most part this was very quiet and I mainly saw adults or adults with babies.

The Finding Nemo Big Blue Pool was HUGE! We all had a blast in it. It’s so big that even when it was crowded it didn’t feel like it. Scheduled movies and activities at the pool all throughout our visit. We played a few trivia games and watch a movie. Late August was not is not a good fit for this midwest family!  It was so hot and it rained a lot.  We still had a good time and never let it stop us but I don’t think I would book again during that time. There are now two other pools open but they were still under construction while we were there.

The rooms were a good size. The 3 boys took the living room area at night, our girl had the convertible table bed and we took the main bedroom. Having two bathrooms was so nice! Many other reviews I read mentioned the beds were not comfortable. We had no problem with the beds. My husband loves a firm bed and I love the opposite! We both slept well. Had I known one day I’d wake up and start blogging, I would have taken detailed pictures of the room. Next time I guess! You can see more at Disney’s Art of Animation.

There are a few things I recommend making sure you do while at Disney. A character buffet or dinner should be done at least once. The smile on my sons face was worth every penny.  We went to Pooh and his pals at The Crystal Palace. The food was pretty good and while you ate all the Pooh gang went to each and every table. They were silly and took a few minutes with each child. Eeyore was the coolest! A lot of character interaction and time for photos.

Another must do is eat at Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney. I am sure there are many other places that are fabulous food you’ll hear about but I have yet to see someone mention Earl. It is seriously the best sandwich I think I’ve ever had. I wish they had them here in MN. The day we had to leave we had a bit too many meals left on our plan so we drove to Earl and loaded up for the car ride home!

The food court in the Art of Animation, Landscape of Flavors,  has a wide range to choice from.  I was very pleased with the variety and the snacks. The kids loved the “create your own burger” and “create your own pasta”.   The biggest hit, especially for our older teens was the create your own smoothie. We all had a mango smoothie every day and then went to the pool! Good sized portions, too.  Andrew had to be on the kid plan but when they would look at him and he’d say how hungry he was they’d give him larger portions. It was a great staff always. (Andrew is a 4ft 5in 6 year old!)

Here a  couple photos from one of the days we were waiting for the parade.  The second picture was minutes later after it started to rain hard. It looked like we were the only ones there!

Have any of you stayed at Disney’s Art of Animation? Do you have a favorite place to eat at WDW? Be sure to comment and I can always answer further questions about the resort.

Spring Break

I honestly have a love- hate relationship with spring break but now I really don’t even care for it. First, it doesn’t feel like spring. Second, all my kids have spring break on a different week so, if we went anywhere a couple of them would still miss school anyway. I also don’t like the crowds. Most of my friends have arranged some spring break vacation. It has become our week for spring cleaning!

With that said, my youngest is now on spring break and I think this week I will bring him to the St. Paul Children’s Museum. As I have said, I work at his school, which means I am on Spring Break! The Children’s Museum extends their hours for March 25 – March 30, adding an additional 4 hours in the evening. 9am to 8pm. I am hoping the crowds won’t be too bad but I’ll let you know! The current exhibit is Dora and Diego. I think we are on the edge of it being a little to young for our 7 year old but he still seems excited. The bubbles has remained a favorite for our whole family, though.

In case you didn’t know, they have whats called Target Free 3rd Sundays. Every third Sunday of each month admission is free for everyone! The hours are 9am – 5pm and you will end up waiting in line for about 10 minutes to get in. I am told that it is easier to not bring a stroller on these days.

Tonight I think I will sit down and try to plan a few other adventures. I have plenty places to go once summer is here. We have season tickets to Valleyfair, a weekend at the St. Croix state Park, a weekend at Mille Lacs, the zoo and so on but I am in search of those places that we don’t always think of! Like the Oliver H Kelley farm, is it worth it? Or maybe one of those dinner cruises? How about horseback riding or Raceway park? Anything to keep us busy, maybe a little learning and keep in budget. Most of all keep my mind off Disney!

Just me and the Boys

I had two boys 13 months apart from each other. We even call them ‘the boys’. When we went to Disney for our first trip, our time got split up trying to do what everyone wanted. The older ones wanted to do other things from what the younger ones wanted to do and vice versa. Our kids are pretty cool with trying to make sure it works for everyone but with 7 people it can’t always be perfect. So, after our youngest was born we decided ‘the boys’ needed a WDW vacation all about them. The 2 older ones completely understood. My biggest concern about the trip was going alone with two little boys and in a strange city. I just kept thinking about how lost we got last time. This is why I booked the next one all through Disney. I knew if I stayed completely on Disney property I would feel safe and comfortable.

I did some research and then even more research. I called and discussed different options on the reservations line and asked many questions on the blogs.  I picked the Port Orleans- French Quarters. It was fun yet cozy and smaller then the rest. Part of my reasoning for choosing this resort was because I read the bus waits were shorter. I also loved the idea of going to Downtown Disney on the boat. Another perk I found out once we were there was that both Port Orleans resorts can use either pools. The staff was great and always helpful!

Every time we left the resort in the morning there was a staff handing out magic coins to throw in the fountain and make a wish. The boys loved this. The rooms were nothing special in size but perfect for the three of us. Had it been our whole family we could not have stayed here. I like how quiet it seemed and the whole place had a feel of relaxation but yet the it kept the Disney excitement.

I went there with no plans. I love to plan out details of the day and this time I decided we would do what the boys wanted to do. I did learn there are a few things you have to plan. For one, make sure you make reservations for any dining. Another thing is I found the boys wanted to use the extended hours so that had to be on certain days. They also wanted to hit the pool everyday before it shut down. It never really closes but once the lifeguards leave the running waters stop and the slide is closed.

We spent time at Lego Land in Downtown Disney. The boys really enjoyed building a car and racing them down a track.

We ate at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. Great food and it was nice to sit inside and relax. The boys thought sitting in a car was fun but they really didn’t care about what was on the big screen.

I can honestly say this is the only food I have eaten in Hollywood Studios that was good. I try to not eat there if possible because I have yet to find anything we thought stood out. We made sure to head back to The French Quarters to eat. I know there’s a lot of different opinions on the dining plan but I personally love the Quick serve plan.  Plus, the food at French Quarters was really good! When I gave the boys options they always wanted to go back to the resort.

If you have kids you are taking, consider picking a spot and taking a picture there each time you visit WDW! This one is ours and each time we have come we take the same photo.

I can safely say after this trip that we will always stay in one of the Disney World Resorts. Every moment of this trip was magical.  I am so grateful I was able to have this trip with my boys.  This visit was when I truly fell in love with Disney vacations!

Disney World – Our first visits

Over the last 8 years or so we have tried off site and on site for Walt Disney World (WDW).

The first 2 times we were off site.  This is ideal if you don’t care about the Disney perks (we’ll get to those).  If you plan on renting a car and visiting other area attractions it’s well worth it to stay at an off site condo.  These can usually be found very cheap and are more like town homes   We stayed at the Oak Plantation Resort.  The kids loved it and the landscaping was beautiful.  We had a full kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a washer & dryer.  If you chose to spend time at these types of resorts know that they will call you, offer you a free breakfast and tickets to a show if you come talk with them about buying into their timeshare.  The first time we did it.  We were somewhat interested and liked the idea of free tickets to the Medieval Times Dinner and Show.  The breakfast was only coffee and a donut,  it lasted forever and they are SUPER pushy.  The second time my husband and I went alone. We ignored the calls.  One more thing about not being on Disney resort;  the driving!  If you don’t know the area it’s not so fun.  We got lost several times and then were told that the most recent hurricane had taken many road signs down!

Oak Plantation Resort

Kid Pool at Oak Plantation resort. Kissimmee, Florida

That’s my family! We let the oldest and our only girl bring a close family friend and our youngest was not thought of yet. That’s me in the pink and with red hair.  Overall we had a blast and were comfortable.  We stayed 10 days the first time and enjoyed one day just lounging around the resort.

Do you have a favorite off site resort?  Do you prefer staying on site or off?

Minnesota Didn’t get the Memo

Yesterday was the start of spring! Yesterday was -15 degrees. I guess Minnesota and surrounding states didn’t get the memo. When I hopped onto Facebook this morning almost every status was about wanting Spring. I couldn’t agree more. I hate the hard winters and the short hot summers. In Minnesota we get a total of 10-15 perfect days a year. I stay here because I can’t convince my entire family to move.

Where would I go? Disney World! I would sing as the Little Mermaid in the play. I had it all worked out but our 4 boys and 1 girl just laugh at me. 😦

When days like today happen I dream of Disney. I have been to Disneyland 2 times when I was in my teens and Disney World 5 times in the last 9 years! Two of those were just me and my hubby. One thing I love about booking with Disney is you can make payments. This year I convinced him it needed to be a Disney Cruise. As I was searching online to book that cruise I found an amazing deal for Disney’s The Wonder! The cheapest one was in October 2014. Oh! So far away! Can I handle it? Not sure but in the meantime I am thinking to keep me in check I better plan some MN adventures. After all I did just find myself searching online at booking a Disneyland vacation this summer. Simply can’t afford it. Minnesota adventures it is. Over the next few days I will be posting which places and adventures we are planning AND adding all of our previous vacation pictures.