@Disney #ArtofAnimation Resort Finding Nemo Suites Open May 31st! #DisneySMMoms

Last month at Disney's Social Media Moms Celebration, we were given a sneak peek at Disney's newest resort...

Art of Animation.  The first phase, Finding Nemo, opens tomorrow!

The Art of Animation Resort features all family suites with room for a family of six to live comfortably. We were given a chance to explore the rooms at the Art of Animation before they opened to the public on May 31st, 2012.

Children will love Finding Nemo suites at the Art of Animation; everything is built to scale to make you feel the size of Nemo.  From the sides of the buildings to the pools, you truly do feel as if you are sweet little Nemo in the ocean.  

Even Princess A said, "Oh no. I bet that was big for him." It was like she got to feel what Nemo felt.

  

From the moment you enter Disney's Art of Animation Resort, you will feel the energy and life of the films the resort is named after.

There are...get this...

1,120 suites designed after Finding Nemo, Cars and The Lion King, and 864 rooms inspired by The Little Mermaid. You and your children will feel as though you're staying in the middle of their favorite Disney story.

Cal and Ava really loved the bathrooms! :)

Each film features its own fun courtyard for the family to enjoy as well! The largest is located in Finding Nemo's courtyard with its own pool bar.

We also enjoyed an amazing arcade evening! It seemed children of every age...including some older children ;), found games they loved.

Rooms at Disney's Art of Animation offer space, comfort and fun in an environment that your children will not soon forget. Please check out the Art of Animation Resort map to help you get a better feel for where things are...

We had an amazing evening at Art of Animation as a family and celebrating with Becca and her family!  Be sure to stop on over and read her #DisneySMMoms posts, too!

So, I have to ask...if you stayed at Disney's Art of Animation, which themed suite would your kids want to stay in?

This is my sixth post in a series following our Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.  We were not asked to write about our experiences; we are simply Disney fans and Disney Vacation Club members.

Disclosure: I paid a fee to attend Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World. I received complimentary items, special discounts, and other benefits such as food and entertainments so my family could experience the magic of Disney.  I was not asked to write about any of our experiences.

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and @Claritin #ChildrensClaritinParty @MommyParties

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted opens in theaters June 8th.  Princess A and Mr. C are excited to see the movie and watch Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman find their way back to the Big Apple...with a little detour on a through a traveling circus.

Claritin helped us and our friends get excited about Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted by sending us a Madagascar themed party kit.

What better way to get everyone ready for Madagascar 3 than to watch Madagascar 1 and 2...

and have a popcorn party?

The kids loved having their own popcorn boxes and enjoying an afternoon together!

And I enjoyed having a chance to share Children's Claritin with their moms.

I know many children suffer from allergies and  we here in Arizona are no exception. The area we live acts like a dust trap as the dust settles in the valley of the mountains.  I knew the moms who attended our party would welcome some Claritin and Children's Claritin samples to bring their children relief.

I was able to help a few moms understand which Children's Claritin Products are best for certain ages, which are chewable or need to be swallowed, and most importantly, that if they find one does not work, it doesn't mean that nothing will work.

We found as Mr. C got to be 7, the chewables did not bring him as much relief.  Honestly, it doesn't make much logical sense as the dosage is the same. But after 30 years of asthma and allergies, I experienced this myself.  

We just moved Mr. C to the Claritin 24 hour tablet and the difference is incredible!  He sleeps longer because he does not wake from sneezing and is able to play a baseball game (in the dirt...in the desert) without hours of effects.  

This is a busy time of the year here as school finished yesterday so we had our party in two stages...

with the second one taking place at night.

The kids loved watching Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa with popcorn and some other treats.  The laughs were plentiful from a three-year-old to twelve-year-old.  

From the sounds of it, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, will be filled with fun and laughter just like the first two movies. 

Please be sure to read my other posts about allergies and how Claritin works for us. And stay up to date with Mommy Mentor on Facebook and Like the page to join the fun.

"As a member of the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience."

Day 3 #DisneySMMoms = Renegades, Pizza, and Weeds! Oh My!

Day 3 of the Disney Social Media Moms 2012 Celebration was full of laughs, empowerment, and learning.  A day of top notch speakers left me with so much focus and direction in my business...I truly could not have asked for anything more than that.

In case you need some catch up time, you can read my other #DisneySMMoms posts here.

Maryellen Hooper was our hostess for the fun-filled day and we stayed charged up with beautiful centerpieces from @Rayovac.  

I mean...really?  Aren't they perfect? 

Amy Jo Martin, Founder and CEO of Digital Royalty, shared her story with us, which completely refueled my energy tanks.  She is all about the balance in life.

Work. Family. Self.  Her boss told her to choose two and said she couldn't have all three.  

What did she do with that?  She wanted them all so she gave her notice.

Maybe listening to Amy was just what I needed with our impending relocation to Orange County? Her positive, yet almost addicting belief in change and personal growth made me feel...

okay.  Not just okay, but like a rock star for accepting this opportunity in life and being comfortable with how uncomfortable it feels.  

So, thank you for that, Amy!

Then Amy went on to WOW me with beliefs and values that resonated...with a slight vibration.  Just think about some of these and how following them can change your response to situations in life.

"Color outside the lines...without crossing the lines."  (It's almost like being a child again...pushing back a bit just to figure out your options. :))

"Be where your feet are." (I am SO guilty of being where my feet are heading...great reminder for me.)

"People don't buy what you do. They buy why you do it."  (Oh my! So incredibly true...it can be hard to lose our way in any facet of life.  But each of us in business has our "brand" and we need to find it and stay true to it.  The rest will all fall into place if we do that.

"Ready, Set, Pause." Amy Jo Martin practices this on Twitter too, so make sure you follow her and engage with it.  The premise is simple (but yet not as simple to follow)...Give yourself 8 minutes to do what you want for that time. Take a break to focus on you. 

Thank you, Amy Jo Martin for making me feel perfect in my place.  

We also had the EXTREME PLEASURE of hearing Ramon DeLeon speak. 

Do you know #RamonWOW? If not, you should. He is Chicago's 2011 Social Media Person of the Year and let me tell you...

he has it all figured out!

@Ramon_DeLeon is a veteran of Domino's Pizza for 25 years.  He started as a delivery driver and now directs marketing for six franchises in the Chicago area.  

Ramon shared his magic with us and lit up the room.  His zest for people, life, his family, and social media is truly contagious.  He had managed to make a name for himself through his unique people centered focus on social media marketing.

You know, the one where you tweet or post on Facebook that your pizza did not arrive or it had the wrong toppings?  And you are too hungry to deal with waiting for the correct version to show up.

(Insert Ramon DeLeon)

Ramon is like the 911 responder for Domino's customers in crisis or glee. He makes mistakes right and celebrates the love of the company like no other.  

After all of that energy in the room, we were hungry! :) Insert lunch break.  And amazing desserts...thankfully they were small so we could enjoy more than one. 

And look who was waiting for us at our chairs when we returned from lunch?  

Love me some Mickey.

After lunch, Peter Shankman joined us and for whatever reason, his words just resonated with me. 


His belief in pushing past your comfort zone and experimenting outside the box was perfect for me.  


Two of my favorite quotes from Peter Shankman, aside from the one shown above in the photo...

"Be a Weed...they have mastered everything else except how to be like everything else."

Really?  Think about that and how it applies to us as individuals. So much of life is spent matching a vision or a mold that others have for you.  Make sure you figure out how to still grow despite being sprayed and pulled on.  :)


And this...which I really need to hear as we pack our house into boxes.  This is EXACTLY why we chose to take the new job for my husband...it was a risk.  Hopefully it will be as we hope it will. But we don't take the risk...this opportunity is nothing.


"Nothing exciting ever happens in your comfort zone." via @PeterShankman

While Peter believes in pushing outside your comfort zone, he is smart enough to acknowledge how important it is to focus on doing what you do really well...and people will think you are amazing.

I highly recommend you read Peter Shankman's blog posts and subscribe to his RSS.  His style is all his own and I like it.  One of his latest just made me laugh, cringe, and reflect and was perfect over coffee in the morning.

I kinda felt bad for Chris Brogan as we fell into our carb coma after lunch.  We quieted down, fought off naps (cause really, WHO naps at Disney World?  Not even 2 year-olds do!), and earned a few jokes from Chris in the state that we were.  


But truly, Chris Brogan, his skill level and sense of humor were a perfect ending to our conference day. 


Did you know that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world?  


I did not.  Silly me.  Thank you Chris for helping me focus on next goals.

And an easy yet so often overused email marketing rule?


Make one call to action per email.

I also need to read "The Referral Engine" as recommended by Chris. Has anyone else read it?

Thank you to Leanne and Laura for this amazing day.  My tanks were filled, the engine was cleaned, and I am pretty sure turbo boost was added.  

I am inspired and humbled to have been part of such an amazing group of people.

Disclosure: I paid a fee to attend Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World. I received complimentary items, special discounts, and other benefits such as food and entertainments so my family could experience the magic of Disney.

"The Avengers" Superhero Party Theme Ideas #DisneySMMoms

Invitations: Start your party off right with the perfect invitation. You can make your own postcard invitations with cardboard cut-outs of bright blue painted stars, and include the details about your party in a thin black marker. Decorate the front of each with classic comic book words like POW!, ZAP! And WAM!

Décor: The Avengers bring together 6 epic superheroes. Create your own easy decorations with cardboard cutouts of spiders and paint them black, neon green head’s of The Hulk and classic American flags for Captain America and, throughout the party, use bold colored streamers, which will add some mystery to the room.

Centerpieces: Choose your favorite Avenger and decorate the table around that character. Use lots of primary colors, since comic strips are usually blue, yellow and red. Print outs of comic book pages covered in contact paper make great placemats. Blanket your tables with these to tie the décor together and include stars, spiders and Hawkeye cut-outs on wooden sticks around the table with silver confetti.

Music: Keep the music simple but fun. “Live to Rise,” the original song written for and appearing in the film is the first single from the Marvel Music/Hollywood Records release Avengers Assemble. The epic and cinematic video, featuring a searing live performance with film footage, was directed by Robert Hales (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Janet Jackson, Kings of Leon, Justin Timberlake). View “Live To Rise”: http://www.vevo.com/watch/soundgarden/live-to-rise-from-marvels-the-avengers/USH5V1221447 orhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3ZNtOcY_1A

Menu: Mini snacks such as cut-out tea-sandwiches make great finger food. Look for cookie cutters in shields, stars and spiders to create these treats. For Incredible Hulk themed beverages, create trays of green ice cubes by freezing water with green food color, and WOW! guests as their clear citrusy beverages transform color before their very eyes.

Party Favors: As a parting gift, place a few Avenger designed cookies in a cellophane bag and close with a gold twist-tie – your guests can enjoy the party for days to follow with these treats!”

RECIPE

1. Whip up a batch of your favorite sugar cookie recipe and use a cookie cutter to make character cookies. They make Superhero cookie cutters in the shape of many Avengers heroes. You can also use any oval shaped cookie cutter and instead fill in the details with your decorating. Once your cookies are baked and cooled, you are ready to begin decorating.



2. You can make your own royal icing (See: How to Make Your Own Royal Icing included below) or use store-bought. Color with food coloring to achieve the various colors you want for decorating. We recommend green (for the Hulk), yellow, blue, black, white, and brown. Place each color in a piping bag.



3. Begin by outlining the cookie in your base color. (If you were starting with The Hulk, outline the entire shape in green. Color in your outline with green icing and cover the entire cookie. (You can actually use a paintbrush to “paint” your cookie.) Give the base a few minutes to dry and choose your next color. For The Hulk’s hair, outline his hairline in black and proceed to fill in with black icing. You can continue to draw features in and watch your character come to life.




How to Make Your Own Royal Icing
3 egg whites, at room temperature. We prefer dehydrated egg whites, available at most supermarkets.
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
food coloring (optional)

Mix above ingredients with a little warm water until smooth. Add food coloring.

Guest Post: Preparing for a Big Move or Relocation

Moving your family is no easy task, particularly when it’s to unfamiliar territory. The stress of being transplanted into a foreign environment can be felt throughout your family with parents acclimating to new jobs and homes to the children entering a new school district.

But before you can even worry about adjusting to a new way of life, the task of getting ready to move is sure to occupy all your free time. There are school and medical records to transfer, bank accounts to close, moving work to schedule, utility companies to call and countless other forgettable tasks that pile up quickly.

With that in mind, here are some tips for managing your time during this stressful process and coming out on the other side in the best shape possible.

Involve Your Kids

It's important that parents remember the potential effects of a move on the children and the value of being mindful of your children's needs from the very get-go. The best way to help children adjust to an upcoming move is to involve them in the family's major decisions, including looking at houses and neighborhoods as well as other decisions that will affect them.

You don't need your children to make all the decisions for you, but by giving them an active role, you help them feel a part of the move, rather than a pawn that is being forced to uproot his or her life. Although your kids may ultimately feel sad and even angry about the move – normal reactions for children – they may be more likely to adjust to their new life quickly if they have been part of the decision all along.

Enlisting Help

Your choice of moving company can have a great impact on your experience throughout the moving process. Good movers will make sure to minimize the time and hassle you spend getting your home ready for the move. Cost is also a big consideration for many families, so getting price quotes from a variety of movers can help you choose a servicer at the best price point.

Before making your decision, you should meet with your top choices and go over the details of your move, including the services included and costs covered. Read online reviews of these companies to make sure others have had a good customer service experience.

Deciding What to Keep

Moving can be a great excuse to go through your closet and unload the things you don't want or need anymore. Garage or yard sales can earn you a little extra cash ahead of the move, but even donating items can simplify your move and lighten the load you carry into your new home. Old children's clothing and toys are also great possessions to consider getting rid of when you move.

Update Your Records

In most cases, particularly if you move to a different state, you will have to update your records and government forms to accurately reflect your change in residence. This includes getting a new driver's license, registering your car, forwarding your mail, transferring medical records and enrolling your children in school. All of these tasks may seem trivial and time-consuming, but they're a part of the moving process – and, thankfully, one of the last steps.

Though moving almost always causes stress, taking pro-active steps before, during and after the move will help make the process run smoothly. Making the adjustment to a new home will take time, so don’t waste time worrying about all of the moving logistics – plan ahead.

Holly Watson is a stay-at-home mom and former financial advisor. She blogs on behalf of Sears and other brands that help motivate her family to maintain a clean, happy home. She loves making cake pops and is training to run her third marathon this summer.

Mother's Day Gift Guide: @HTC One X Smartphone Rec from @MommyMentor

Still looking for that perfect Mother's Day gift?  This year, show mom how much she is loved by giving her a smartphone that can help her stay organized, enjoy her down time, and stay connected with friends and family.

The HTC One X smartphone became available from AT&T on May 6 for $199.99; the HTC One X runs the latest version of Android and HTC Sense and has amazing features mom is sure to love!

I am an Android fan but I have to admit the white iPhones make me lust after them just a bit.  They are just pretty and us women, well...we enjoy a phone that makes us feel good.  Thus, when I opened the HTC One X, I was immediately in love with the beautiful white color finish.  

This was just the first of many features I like on the HTC One X.  In fact, this is the first smartphone that I would sacrifice my HTC Thunderbolt for...in a heartbeat with no regrets at all.  And that says a lot because aside from poor battery life, I love my Thunderbolt. 

The One X is HTC's flagship model of the HTC One series of smartphones which are all newer to the market. They feature the largest screen, highest capacity battery, the most internal storage, and the fastest processor.

The display on the HTC One X is a 4.7 inch 1280x720 pixel HD display that exceeded all of my expectations.  It is covered by a single pane of Corning Gorilla Glass and is built to be thin, damage resistant, and light. I encourage you to read about how this Gorilla Glass is "toughened up" because it is very interesting. You can literally see the screen of the One X from the sides and the images, clarity, and resolution are crystal clear. The screen exceeds any smartphone I have seen or reviewed thus far.

Moving on...the battery life of the HTC One X is a clear positive of this phone and puts my Thunderbolt to shame. 

I work my phone hard.  So hard it...and my husband...beg for it's mercy.

With my career in social media and social media marketing, my phone is infiltrated with alerts and runs many applications at the same time.  The HTC One X handles all of it on its regular battery as opposed to the Thunderbolt that requires the extended battery in order to get me through a day.

Speaking of positive features...hands down...the HTC One X Camera rocks!  Its 8-mega pixel camera comes equipped with HTC ImageSense, improving every part of the camera including the lens, sensor and software. The HTC One X also offers 1080p HD video recording, with the ability to take photos while capturing video.  I use that feature daily and it is one feature that I will miss terribly when I send her back.  

Imagine taking a video of your children playing their soccer or baseball game with the ability to capture that single shot of their home run or goal.  Any parent or grandparent will find the HTC One X camera features to be priceless in their value add.

With Beats By Dr. Dre Audio integration, HTC One X customers will enjoy their music, videos and games (I mean really...what's Mother's Day without some dedicated "World of Goo" time?) with top of the line sound. 

And last but not least, the feature I will no longer be without on a phone...the Portable Hot Spot.  I use the wireless router feature on my Thunderbolt and the HTC One X feature all of the time. I simply go into my account settings and make it active before traveling so I can play and work on my laptop with a stable connection.  When I return home, I turn it off.  I only pay for the days I have it active and for about $1 a day, it is small price to pay for sanity and on the go access regardless of where you are.

HTC Sense adds a ton of applications to the phone, of which everyone will find some they need and enjoy having.  The ability to use the camera flash as a flashlight is a fun bonus and it has everything I need for my work in social media and marketing.  To make it even better, one can experience all of the fun with lightening fast processing; I was greatly impressed with the lack of lag in the processing and web browsing on the One X.

Make her day this Mother's Day (or any day for that fact :)) with the HTC One X.  Mom will stay in touch with everyone, relax with a glass of wine to her favorite tunes, and create a family photo and video album that will bring her happiness for years to come.  I know I would be thrilled to have the HTC One X in my handbag...(do you think my kids or husband will read this?)

And Dad's - be sure to stay tuned for the male review of this phone next month!

Disclosure: I was provided with an HTC One X to use before I sent it back so I could provide you with an honest review.  All opinions are my own as they always are. 

Main Street Transportation Company Show @WaltDisneyWorld Magic Kingdom #DisneySMMoms

Our family created so many magical memories at Disney World last week. It is always so fun when you stumble on a show...a special treat of joy in the middle of your day.

As we entered the Magic Kingdom on our first day in the park, we happened upon a great show on Main Street.  Shows like these are what truly transport you outside of your daily life into a fairy tale.

I hope you enjoy...and be sure to check out what Disney has in store for everyone in 2012!

Disclosure: I paid a fee to attend Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World. I received complimentary items, special discounts, and other benefits such as food and entertainments so my family could experience the magic of Disney.

What's Coming for @Disney Parks this Year? #DisneySMMoms

We returned last night from an amazing vacation at Walt Disney World for the Disney's Social Media Moms Celebration! It is always so fun to learn about the new things that Disney has in store for its visitors and fans each year!  And even more amazing to share those with you!

Meg Crofton, the President of Walt Disney World Resorts in Florida, met with us to give us some of the highlights! 

Aren't you thrilled to hear that there are more projects going on at Walt Disney World right now than at any other time in history? A resounding message today from Ms. Crofton is that Disney is in the "experience business". And for families, that means vacations with Disney will be more exciting than ever!

One very exciting expansion coming to Walt Disney World is the new Fantasyland, which is set to be finished in Fall 2012. By creating a "Double Dumbo", parents and children will no longer have to wait in as long of lines. For three-year-old's, "Dumbo" is "their ride". But to wait in long lines is so hard for them...and as Disney does best...they listen to feedback from their consumers. So Disney World's new Fantasyland will offer two Dumbo rides with shorter wait times ALL WHILE waiting INDOORS in AIR CONDITIONING.

How amazing is that?!? But wait, it gets better. While waiting, children will also feel as though they are right there with Dumbo as they enjoy an indoor circus preview. 

Prince Eric and Beast will also have castles...(can you hear the "Hallelujahs" coming from all girls in the world?) Seriously, I think our little Ava will want to have a family sleepover in their castles...like ASAP!  Ariel and Belle are her absolute favorite princesses. You can see some amazing photos of the new Fantasyland castles under construction here at disneycorner.com.

Some more amazing news for Disneyland fans...

The Happiest Place on Earth will get even happier June 15, 2012 with the grand opening of Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and the Carthay Circle Theatre at Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort. The exciting, new additions will complete the five year expansion of Disneyland Resort, a premier, multi-day vacation destination in Southern California with two theme parks, three hotels and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.

Cars Land adds 12 acres to Disney California Adventure and allows guests to feel as if they have stepped into the town of Radiator Springs!  There are three family attractions showcasing characters and settings from the movie, as well as “Cars”-themed dining and shopping locations such as Flo’s V8, Café, Ramone’s House of Body Art and Radiator Springs Curios. 

I mean really!?  How fun will that be for little ones?

They will surely love the newest and most elaborate attraction ever ever created for a Disney park...Radiator

Springs Racers.

This twisting, turning, high-speed adventure takes fans through Ornament Valley and the town of Radiator Springs. Luigi’s Flying Tires invites guests to glide on air aboard special tires while they whirl around with their pals. And at Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, guests will whip around behind a baby tractor and enjoy tunes from a giant jukebox built from Mater’s most prized possessions.

With so much fun on the horizon at Disney, be sure you stay up to date with me @MommyMentor on Twitter and on Facebook at MommyMentor!

Disclosure: I paid a fee to attend Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World.  I received complimentary items, special discounts, and other benefits such as food and entertainments so my family could experience the magic of Disney.

Day 2 Disney Social Media Moms 2012 @WaltDisneyWorld #DisneySMMoms

Disney parks really are the "Happiest Place on Earth".  On Day 2 of our trip to Walt Disney World for the 2012 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, we were greeted in the morning with...

Happy Ducks!  They just looked at the kids, didn't nip or get sassy, just hung out.

Even ducks are happy at Disney World! 

Before we left for the parks, I went and registered for the conference.  

Perfect snacks for the parks!

And then we were off to the Magic Kingdom.

Princess A has been dreaming of seeing Cinderella's Castle so it was a special moment for her.

We enjoyed rides and a full day together as a family. Princess A had a HUGE celebration when she realized she finally met the height requirements for Splash Mountain. 

No more sitting on the sidelines for her - she was all in!

After a day of fun with the family, it was time for our first official #DisneySMMoms event.

What better way to kick off the Disney Social Media Moms 2012 Celebration than with a happy hour?  The theme to the event was Hawaiian for their newest Aulani Resort and Spa on Oahu.  

And be sure you check out my 8 Tips for Traveling to Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa!

Leanne put together an amazing evening for all of us so a huge thank you to you, Leanne!  It was so wonderful to connect with everyone attending on our own before we met up with our families...

for a little pirate party! A Swashbuckler Soiree was the perfect kick off event for families!

And light up ice cubes?  Kids are using them daily in water at home. :)

We snacked...

and hung on the beach by the Yacht Club all night.  Fun times were had by all!

Disclosure: I paid a fee to attend Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World. I received complimentary items, special discounts, and other benefits such as food and entertainments so my family could experience the magic of Disney.