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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Go Ninja at LEGO® NinJago Training Camp {Giveaway}

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Spring Break begins next week for many kids in Dallas-Fort Worth, but unfortunately for parents not all of us have come up with a plan to make the five-day span full of fun activities. Just in time, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth is going to kick Spring Break into gear with the new LEGO® Ninjago Training Camp.

Ninjago_2014_Kai_effects

Put your creativity, agility and ninja skills to the test in this limited-time attraction. Included in the price of admission, the training camp brings the popular line of LEGO® Ninjago toys to life and gives visitors the chance to show off their ninja skills with interactive features. Enhance your coordination and test your reactions with ninja missions, grow your creativity by building Ninjago out of LEGO® bricks, then demonstrate your agility and skill by taking on the laser maze.


LegoLand-Logo

The 35,000 sq. ft. center features millions of LEGO® bricks and offers a fun, highly interactive and educational experience. Interactive features include hands-on play areas; a 4D cinema; LEGO® rides and outdoor water playground; special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations; and signature MINILAND exhibit, featuring replicas of North Texas landmarks made out of LEGO® bricks.

LegoLand2014_204 (Photo credit - Alice Park Photography)

LEGOLAND-Logo

 

 

 

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth
$21 for guests 3 years old and older, free for kids 2 and under.
Advance booking recommended
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
Grapevine, Texas 76051
www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grapevine Mills Mall Just Got Real with New Updates

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I distinctly remember walking into Grapevine Mills, the mega mall in Grapevine,  for the first time when I was in college.

From that moment forward, at least for the next two years, I was like a frequent flier and even got points for it by how often I went to the movies and then got points for free food at the Dick Clark’s restaurant inside (next to where the SEA LIFE Aquarium is now and Gameworks which has also long left the place.)

Like me and college, I outgrew it. What stores I once frequented I no longer did because my style had changed. The way I spent my evenings changed. The feel of the really cool “space age” mall had changed.


Unfortunately, the mall really hadn’t changed so I moved on.

Grapevine-Mills-Mall-Kids

However, recently I found myself back at Grapevine Mills. I was surprised that I no longer could visit the stores I wanted in around a 30 minute visit. And hitting up the mall wasn’t just something to do with the kids with a stop at the Lego Land Discovery Center, SEA LIFE Aquarium, Rainforest Cafe, the Disney Store Outlet and my favorite The Children’s Place (it’s huge!)…AND a run by Great American Cookies (there are no shortage of cookie stops at this mall!)

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This is the most popular print at Vera Bradley in Grapevine. I bet you have at least one piece of VB, right?

Coach-Cape-Grapevine-Mills

I LOVE capes and one at Coach Outlet had my name all over it. SO CUTE!

This time I actually found myself wanting to check out a new list of my favorite stores like Banana Republic Outlet, J Crew, Coach Factory, Vera Bradley and a run through Steve Madden. And no doubt I had to hit up the Janie and Jack Outlet. That was for this time. Next time includes a trip to Lunar Golf, Bed Bath and Beyond…I mean just look at the map. Why wouldn’t you go?

Grapevine-Mills-Shoes

I want a pair of these Steve Madden pumps in every color. I do not have anywhere to wear them, but I will make one up.

And that’s just a few of the new ones. There’s a lot more happening at “The Mills” than changing stores. Just take a look at the blueprint for the interior of the mall.

grapevine-mills-makover Until Fall 2015 when you will see these changes, you should definitely take a RElook at The Mills today.

About Grapevine Mills
Grapevine Mills is a wonderful climate controlled indoor mall featuring 180 stores of shopping, entertainment, and restaurants. Among the 180 stores at Grapevine Mills features Neiman Marcus Last Call, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, H&M, Forever 21, NIKEFactoryStore, Coach Factory, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Under Armour, Disney Outlet, J Crew and much more! Also at Grapevine Mills, we have fun for the entire family at the AMC Grapevine Mills 30 with Dine-In Theatres, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, SEA LIFE Aquarium and Rainforest Cafe! Grapevine Mills is conveniently located off HWY 121 and Grapevine Mills Parkway, just two miles north of DFW International Airport.

Grapevine-Mills-Map

What’s your favorite Grapevine Mills location? If you’ve never been, what store really peaks your attention? 

 

Drink Your Way Through Italy, Washington and Texas at Grapefest 2014

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If the title alone isn’t enough reason for you to get excited, perhaps you should stop reading now.

With an event called Grapefest in a town called Grapevine, you should get the notion these people are serious about their wine and their fun.

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Considered the largest wine festival in the Southwest,  GrapeFest, held along Grapevine’s Historic Main Street, Sept. 11 – 14, is a four-day fest actually for the whole family. This year’s features some of the world’s best wine regions with Washington, Italy and of course, Texas.

Some of the favorite festival events include:

    • The Champagne Terrace (my favorite)
    • People’s Choice Wine Tasting Classic, the largest consumer-judged wine competition in the nation with more than 140 Texas varietals from 44 Texas wineries
    • GrapeStomp
    • KidsWorld
    • Palette Pleasers at the Palace
    • ItalianCarFest
    • Five stages offering live entertainment
    • The Texas Wine Tribute and much more!

Last month I enjoyed grapestomping at Messina Hof (which comes to Grapevine in November) so next week I’ll take my turn at at the GrapeStomp at Grapefest. Teams of two take turns to stomp approximately 18 pounds of grapes for two minutes. If your team stomps the most juice, you just might qualify to stomp some more at the Grand Champion StompOff on Sunday, with the winners being awarded the coveted “Purple Foot” award, a beautiful glass foot from Grapevine’s Vetro Glassblowing Studio. Entry fee is $5 per person. Special GrapeStomp events include the Senior GrapeStomp at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 12 and the Mayoral GrapeStomp on Saturday, September 13 at 11 a.m. A free special stomping area is also available for kids 13 and under.

And you’ll totally find me at the Champagne Cork-Off on Saturday. (This isn’t a photo of me, but I plan to be as motivated to win! ) I am serious about bubbly!

Photo courtesy of Grapevine CVB.

Photo courtesy of Grapevine CVB.

So are you ready to go? Great! I’m giving away FOUR PASSES TO Grapefest on MAMACHALLENGE’s Facebook.

So head on over to make sure you get your tickets to Texas “winecountry” at Grapefest!

28th Annual GrapeFest
Thursday, September 11 at 10 a.m. Admission is free to everyone all day Thursday and until 5 p.m. on Friday.
Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
$8 for adults, $5 for seniors (62+) and children (6-12).
Weekend passes are available for $18 and souvenir weekend passes are $23.
Admission is free for children five and under.
www.GrapevineTexasUSA.com/GrapeFest

Uncle Julio’s Sizzles with 7 New Fajita Entrees + Perfect Peach Margarita

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I received a complimentary dining experience at Uncle Julio’s for purposes of this review, however, the comments here are all my own.

UncleJulios

When you live in Texas, your opportunity to eat Mexican food – or better yet, Tex-Mex are almost on every corner. However, to find GOOD Mexican and Tex-Mex the whole family can enjoy that not’s not just another version of meat, cheese and tortilla, but something delicious and unique is few and very far between. I’ve have a short list of the places we frequent as a family and the probable entrees we will order. Fajitas for my hubs, tacos for the kids and I’m normally the wild card, but I lean towards seafood almost always.  However, for tonight’s dinner plan, we wanted to mix it up, but know we would have a good dinner – which means we all ate our food, no one cried and we would want to come back the next time.


Peachmargarita

Always known for good food, good service and a good atmosphere, we were excited to try out Uncle Julio’s and their new menu featuring fajitas with several seafood options! Since the idea hit all the buzz words to make mom AND dad happy, we sat to peruse the menu to make some choices. Considering it was July, a cold margarita was definitely at the top of the list, but not just your normal lime, agave & tequila type. Our server made a recommendation that since this Uncle Julio’s Grapevine location was the site for trying out new items, we would really enjoy a fresh peach margarita. Quickly two were put in front of us as we took to our first sip and learned exactly what summer would taste like if it had a flavor. Just as quickly, we ordered another round, however, it wasn’t just because the cool refreshment was just what the doctor ordered, but because my mouth was flaming hot from the Three-Pepper Guacamole.

Shrimpfajitas

As the kids continued to play with their tortilla dough (a great way for kids to pass the time – just ask your waiter), mom and dad caught up on their day as we narrowed down our options.

I’m not good with choices, so it was hard to pick just one from these:

  • Shrimp al Pastor, seared shrimp with pineapple and a mango habanero sauce;
  • Grilled Red Snapper with chipotle crema and sweet sautéed peppers; and
  • Spicy Seared Rare Ahi Tuna, which is pan-seared and served with soy ginger sauce.

All seafood fajitas are served on a bed of julienned zucchini and yellow squash with mango-jicama slaw and a choice of homemade flour tortillas, crisp Bibb lettuce wraps or corn tortillas.

shrimp

For my hubs, he had a lot more to consider:

  • Three new fajita combinations — one even includes grilled King Crab! — give you a variety of options on one plate.
  • The Plato Vallarta features grilled King Crab legs, served alongside Uncle Julio’s signature chicken and beef fajitas.
  • The Coronado combines two Mexican food loves: crispy beef tacos with Uncle Julio’s chicken and beef fajitas.
  • The Laredo takes a Mexican food favorite and turns it on its side, with two stacked beef enchiladas, presented in mouth-watering layers of high-quality tortillas, beef and cheese, served with fresh chicken and beef fajitas.

All combination fajitas come complemented by fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, Mexican rice, frijoles a la charra, sautéed peppers and onions, and fresh-from-the-oven homemade tortillas.

And then there was the Filet Mignon Fajitas. Served with homemade creamy sunrise sauce along with handpicked peppers, and onions chopped by hand and sautéed to bring out their delicious flavor, these fajitas are served with guacamole prepared to order with fresh, hand-picked Haas avocados, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, Mexican rice, frijoles a la charra and homemade flour tortillas.

Filetmignon

While both dishes had lots of food; there wasn’t so much that we didn’t both enjoy most of our dishes – thankfully without buttoning our pants. And with the best server, we were so happy with everything. I was still sipping my margarita and nibbling on the peach bits in the bottom of  the glass. We were both just blissfully happy (which doesn’t happen normally when you have two little people at the table, too!)

Sopapilla

And while we could have gotten up from the table and been completely happy with the fajitas, the margaritas and the guacamole, the server’s recommendation for sopapillas seemed like the icing on the cake – especially when they were perfectly bite sized for the kids. Warm, cinnamon, sugar and honey was too hard to resist and mom and dad dove in as soon as the plate hit the table.

UJOutdoor

Since are experience at Uncle Julio’s in Grapevine, I’m almost positive we’ve told everyone around us about how good our dinner was and that we were planning to go back very soon. With so many other fajita options to try as well as the other dishes we couldn’t help to ogle like Bacon Guacamole and a weekend brunch, we plan to be back very soon. And as for our Mexican food shortlist, you’ll find Uncle Julio’s at the top of ours.

Uncle Julio’s
1301 William D Tate Ave, Grapevine, TX 76051
682.223.9965
Website

 

Messina Hof Grows to Grapevine with New Urban Winery in Fall 2014

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Feet

My French manicure may still have a purple hue, but a return to the salon is completely worth the trade for my incredible evening trek to Messina Hof for the Moonlight Harvest kickoff 2014 on Friday, Aug. 1.

Wineglass


While I have enjoyed sipping wine in Napa Valley, Tuscany, and recently around Grapevine, I had never been to Messina Hof. Unfortunately I also had never had the privilege of stomping grapes, part of the evening’s agenda, as well as several other surprises in store for the media and special guests from Austin, Houston and DFW that met at the Bryan winery.

MessinaHofGrapes

I was in for more than a memorable evening, but actually history in the making for the winery that released its first vintage in 1983.

MHGrapevine

The Harvest Festival celebrated its 37th year with its traditional picking, blessing and stomping of the grapes, but this year with a very big announcement made by the family and Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate (seen below): Messina Hof is set to open its third location with an urban winery at the Wallis Hotel in historic Grapevine, Texas.

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The idea of unity flowed throughout the evening just like the relationship between the award-winning winery and a community dedicated to the future of Texas wines. With the rich wine heritage of Winemaker Paul Bonarrigo (see the adorable gentlemen with the undeniable style below) dating back six generations to Messina, Sicily and Merrill Bonarrigo’s family originating from Hof, Germany, together the couple has pioneered the Texas wine industry in creating premium wines of distinction and a landmark wine country destination.

PaulB

Enjoying a wine tasting on the way to the winery, upon arrival, we learned a little about the history of the vineyard and how to properly eye the “Big Kahuna” and select the right grapes for cutting from the vine.  Then all the guests took their turn stomping the cold, juicy fruit between their toes before being “breaking bread” for a delicious feast featuring wine, cheese, and some of the best mushroom soup rich with Messina Hof wine.

MessinaHof Vines

While we all have to wait for Messina Hof to come to town, you still have the rest of August to experience the Annual Harvest Festival at the Bryan winery each weekend in August and followed by the 2nd Annual Harvest Festival at the Fredericksburg winery the last weekend of August.

Grapes

The annual event celebrates the bounty of the vineyard, in a public harvest setting similar to European harvesting practices of centuries past. Patrons, friends and family near and far congregate in the pursuit of grape picking, stomping and wine tasting/dining. Eight specialty dinners punctuate these four weeks on the grounds of the winery and the only Four-Diamond resort in the Brazos Valley, the Villa Bed and Breakfast.

MHof

Get your tickets now for the Harvest Festival at Messina Hof and view the schedule here.

 

Perfect Pairing: Girls’ Night Out with Grapevine Wine Tours

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When a trip to Napa isn’t in the schedule or the budget, but you really need to get away to do something fun with the girls, I highly recommend Grapevine Wine Tours. I experienced the fun of the Grapevine Wine Tour complimentary for purposes of this review. I enjoyed every moment of it and I had no idea it was just a few minutes from home! 

 
Only a few short miles from the DFW Airport, many people are astonished at all the fun things to do inn Grapevine, Texas. One of my favorite places, there’s lots to do for visitors to Dallas-Fort Worth as well as the locals who live here. I’ve been here for more than a decade and had never heard of the Grapevine Wine Tours. With a name like Grapevine, you know that wine is part of the recipe for fun, so I was eager to hop aboard the GWT bus and see how the experience stacked up – especially next to my own Napa Valley experience. 
 
 
The wine tour bus was clean, comfortable and full of hospitality as we met with our lovely tour guide, a cold bottle of water and a little bit of history before we came to our first destination for the evening: Homestead Winery. 
 
 

Close to the Main Street downtown area, you’ll find Homestead. I’ve been to this area a million times (no lie) and had never seen this adorable restored home that housed our first tasting. 


 Raising our first glass of the evening, we were able to enjoy pours of several varieties from Homestead’s own wines produced and bottled in Ivanhoe, Texas. While I enjoyed several samples, the one I love the most was actually our first glass, the Bois’ d Arc, a medium-bodied red table wine. 

 
I liked it so much I purchased a bottle as well to take home to enjoy. However, the crowd pleaser was definitely a chocolate wine that had several of the girls making purchases before boarding the bus for our next destination: Delaney Vineyards. 
 
 
I had actually been to Delaney Vineyards before as it’s a landmark for several beautiful Grapevine events like the Vineyard 5K Run in September, but I had never had a chance to tour the facility and the grounds. 
 
 
Delaney has been in production since 1996 and the Grapevine winery, along with its main vineyard in Lamesa, Texas, have been producing several award-winning Texas wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. 
 
Honestly, after going through my photos from the evening, I had a hard time distinguishing my vineyard photos from Napa and the ones I took in Grapevine. As we walked the grounds we learned more about the wine-making process, from the vine, to the barrel and to my wine glass as well as the history of Delaney Vineyards. 
 
 
Of course, no vineyard tour would be complete without a tasting! So we sat down to enjoy a few samples and catch up for a little while before boarding the bus for our last stop. 
 
 
As part of our tour, we selected two wineries and dinner . However, depending on your needs and time of day preference, you choose to do a lunch tour; either four hour tour includes three wine tastings in Grapevine. However, if you find yourself in Dallas, they actually have a Dallas wine tour there as well! 
 
Our last stop before heading back after was the main course of the evening; a three-course private dinner at Winewood Grill and another tasting opportunity. After such a great evening of hanging out with the girls, experiencing such beautiful scenery, and of course, savoring the wine, I knew I’d be doing this again the next time the girls were looking for something fun to do! 
 
 
Ranging from $79.50 for lunch – $89.50 for dinner, the Grapevine Wine Tours operate twice daily. Perfect for girls’ night out, date night or just a great way to experience Grapevine, the GWT are an excellent options for any itinerary for the adults and can be experienced again and again. 
 
Book your Grapevine Wine Tours online or by calling 817.259.WINE! 
 

Summer Camps for All Your LEGO Builders + Pilots-in-the-Making

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What I wouldn’t give to be a kid and go to summer camp! My son is already signed up for some of the coolest camps including outdoor adventure camp, cooking camp, karate camp and even golf camp. 

Then I found two more that sounded like so much fun, but he’s just not old enough. However, yours might be just be the right age, so I highly suggest getting registered ASAP! 

Kids who love LEGO will love summer camp at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth. Along with Sunny Delight, kids ages 6-11 will have a chance to further their love of LEGO bricks through interactive team builds where they get to work hand-in-hand with the model building team.  Additional activities include free play and team games in the attraction as well as a Sunny Delight snack break.  All kids will receive one FREE Annual Pass and special goody bag with t-shirt.

Sessions: 
Session 1:  Monday, June 23 – Thursday, June 26
Session 2:  Monday, July 14 – Thursday, July 17
Session 3:  Monday, July 21– Thursday, July 24
Session 4: Monday, August 4 – Thursday, August 7
Sunny D Summer Camp LEGO Camps
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, Texas 76051
Sessions run 8 a.m. to 11 a.m
Cost: $125 per camper
Take off This Summer at 2014 Eagle Aviation Camp
I still wish I could have gone to Space Camp growing up, but I’ve found the next best thing. Eagle Aviation Camp is a great opportunity for children to experience a one-of-a-kind adventure into the world of aviation. Fifth through 8th graders can experience the world of aviation through a week of tours of aviation facilities along with fun and educational activities. Kids will meet aviation professionals while sharing their perspectives and stories as they explore aviation. Did I mention flight simulators, too? 
One-week camp includes:
  • Transportation for field trips for flight themed attractions like birds at the Zoo.
  • Lunches (unless you have dietary issues)
  • Snacks (including Go Go squeeze!)
Just make sure to sign up now – registration deadline is MAY 24! 
Eagle Aviation Camp 2014

American Airlines C.R. Smith Flight Museum
4601 Highway 360, Fort Worth, TX 76155
June 9-13, June 16-20 & June 23-27/8 am – 4:30 p.m.
Students entering 5th – 8th grade)
$250 for CR Smith Museum Members/$300 for CR Smith Museum Non-Members
To register, visit http://crsmithmuseum.org/pdf/EagleCamp2014.pdf




7 Places to Go with the Kids Before Jan. 6

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* In some cases, I was provided complimentary admission to enjoy some of these attractions with my family for purposes of this review.* 

 Oh, Christmas. 

 It’s been fun. And short. And Mother Nature’s little ice fit didn’t help us any either. This was a quick holiday season. As quick as a clean baby’s diaper, it’s time to clean up and get ready for the next year; making it impossible to try to get out there and enjoy all the fun that DFW had to offer. 

And unfortunately, while the gifts area already opened and the new toys have made their home on the living room floor, most parents still have another week to keep the kids happy while they are at home from winter break. 

 Lucky us, right? 

 While I enjoy seeing their little faces and not rushing to get in the drop-off lane at school, I will admit trying to continue with all the excitement and energy of the holiday hoopla is hard. That’s why it’s good to schedule a few outings to keep the kiddos happy and mom to keep her sanity. So here are a few events in the Dallas-Fort Worth-area that still have a little holiday cheer that are worth fitting in before the school bell rings for the 2014.

Just make sure to check each website for schedules and pricing before heading out! 

 1. Six Flags Over Texas Holiday in the Park
There’s nothing like sipping hot chocolate in your official Six Flags refillable mug in front of the campfire before you get on the Shockwave to get turned upside down. While the teens may find that fun, you can find plenty of other fun activities for the little ones like The Frosty the Snowhill (with real snow sledding) or Looney Tunes Land. 

While many of the big holiday activities end Dec. 31 with the big finale, you can still plan to take the fam for a fun time sans water rides until Jan. 5. Just make sure to check the hours and the temperature.  While we bundled up, the kids in layers, mittens and hats, the kids were popsicles in a matter of a few hours so we had to go home. And when you are talking more than $50 a person for admission, you want to make sure you get your fun out of it! 


WEBSITE

 2. Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway 
We had a chance to enjoy this light display earlier this holiday and the kids really enjoyed it. While the lights were a nice way to get into the holiday mood while listening to Christmas music, the fun really kicked in after seeing the lights and getting to play in the snow. For my littlest it was her first time to feel snow so she loved walking around, putting it in her hands and throwing that first snow ball. For my five-year-old, he couldn’t get enough of the snowtubing! 


WEBSITE

 3. DALLAS CITYSCAPE at Galleria Dallas 
Looking to show the kids some Dallas landmarks without getting stuck in Dallas traffic? Then let them LEGO at DALLAS CITYSCAPE! The kids can take a look at some of the best Dallas landmarks scaled to size in the building block attraction that raises money ($5 for ages 2 and older) for the East Dallas Community Schools. While they are there they can also create their own creations at the building block station, which is a great incentive to get the kids to be good while you make a gift return! 

WEBSITE

5. The Trains at NorthPark 
For more than 25 years, The Trains at NorthPark have delighted kids and parents alike with more than 1,600 feet of track while taking a trip across the U.S. to see some of the best of America’s landmarks. Make sure to find all the buttons that allow you to create your own bit of magic as parts will move, figurines dance and more. While the White House is impressive, of course the best is the ode to the Texas State Fair and Big Tex. 

WEBSITE

 6. ICE! at the Gaylord Texan
While we didn’t have a chance to make it to this one this year, we heard we missed some great fun and are already planning our Santa Staycation for 2014. You can still come out and see the Nutcracker-themed ICE exhibit as well as get another opportunity to do a little indoor snowtubing (it’s still very cold, so don’t think you are getting away that easy!) If you’ve never been to ICE, I’d suggest you take a look at my tips for the best ICE experience!


WEBSITE

 7.  Snowland! at Great Wolf Lodge
Grapevine is known as the “Christmas Capital of the World,” so if you are looking for something different than the Gaylord, consider going across the street at Great Wolf Lodge. Besides the fact that you have a HEATED. WATER. PARK. that will keep the kids happy for hours, they have water-less games like MagiQuest and the new ShadowQuest interactive live action adventure game to keep them (and you) on your toes for hours!  

Chicken nuggets and pizza not up your alley for a vacation meal? Don’t worry, the LODGE Wood-Fired Grill gives you upscale options that are convenient for the whole family. From steaks, mini-desserts and signature sangria (my favorite), you too can feel you are having a break and not just escorting the kids on their vacation.  

 Plus right now you can get 20% off your stay until Jan. 5, so you still have a whole week to enjoy the fun or make a weekend of it even after school starts! 

 WEBSITE

 Now off to get that tree finally back into it’s box – we’ll maybe later…




Now What? Unique Family Fun Activities for After-Thanksgiving Dinner in DFW

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After you’ve hit Pumpkin Pie coma, dad has OD’d game and the kids have caught cabin fever, it’s time to get out of the house for a little post-Turkey Day time. 

 Here are a few unique ideas for family fun in Dallas that doesn’t take too much time or planning to get the holiday happiness flowing! 

Get to the Ice to Meet Missile Toes, the back-flipping, pyrotechnic ice-skating Santa at Galleria Dallas
Burn off those mashed potatoes by taking to the ice at the Galleria Dallas Ice Rink from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Galleria! And if you try real hard, you probably can even get a little shopping checked off your list, too! If you just can’t get out of the house on Thanksgiving then venture out on Friday at noon when Galleria Dallas debuts the first Macy’s Grand Tree Lighting Celebration of the season. World Champion and Olympic skater Kurt Browning joins cute local skaters and the legendary pyrotechnic Missile Toes countdown to the tree lighting on the ice for a 20-minute holiday extravaganza around the 95-foot-tall Christmas tree. Best of all this show is free!

Galleria Dallas has several holiday experiences for you to enjoy, so visit the full schedule at galleriadallas.com. (Disclaimer: #Client)
See the World’s Longest Light Tunnel at the Prairie Lights in Grand Prairie
We are super excited to load up the car, grab our hot chocolate and turn on Michael Buble for Christmas memories you’ll enjoy for years to come.  Read more about the Prairie Lights here…
Go Nuts at the Gaylord Texan ICE display of The Nutcracker
Our family loves the Gaylord Texan at the holidays because it’s like going to a little bit of Disney – but I can be home in just 20 minutes!  Last year we really enjoyed our experience (if you’ve never been to ICE check out my 7 tips to the Perfect Ice Experience here), but we are really excited to check out the new theme, The Nutcracker! Of course, little man is all about the tubing action and some mama fun making a gingerbread house with Gingy! 


Even if you aren’t a guest, you can enjoy the ICE exhibit! Hours vary for this experience, so make sure you check out the website for the specific schedule and price.
Nothing Says the Holidays than Snow with the Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway doesn’t do anything small and that definitely describes their holiday event, the Gift of Lights. The Snow Village at TMS features a tubing hill, snow ball gallery, and a snow play area – and finish the fun by making s’mores! Read more about the Gift of Lights…
And don’t forget to SAVE THE DATE for these upcoming holiday events later in December!

Holly Jolly Holidays Start Dec. 11 at the Grapevine LEGO MINILAND
Search for Santa in a scavenger hunt through MINILAND. You’re bound to find an old St. Nick, as there are 11 LEGO Santa’s hidden throughout the 1.5 million LEGO bricks in MINILAND. (Dec.  11 – 25)


Write and mail your letter to Santa while enjoying complimentary milk and cookies in the Café. (Wednesday, Dec.  11 and 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Milk and cookies served on Dec. 25 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.)

Build a LEGO ornament to hang on the LEGOLAND Discovery Center tree (with a minimum $1 donation to Merlin’s Magic Wand.) Plus, meet Bertie the mascot! (Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

Admission is $19 for adults, $15 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for kids 2 and under. Also note, special holiday hours: Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Christmas noon to 6 p.m., New Years Eve 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and New Year’s Day 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To purchase special discounted tickets visit www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw.

Scuba Diving Santa takes the plunge at Sea Life Aquarium

While you are at MINILAND at Grapevine Mills, walk across the hall to the Sea Life Aquarium! This Santa doesn’t have fire coming out of his skates, but he does have an oxygen tank on his back. The Scuba Diving Santa takes the plunge to entertain you amongst the fish and sharks in SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine’s 145,000-gallon tank.  Scheduled dives occur at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec.  11 and 18 and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 21.


The kids will also be able write and mail a letter to Santa.  Letters can be written from noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11 and 18 and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 21.

Admission is $19 for adults, $15 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for kids 2 and under.  To purchase special discounted tickets visit www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.  Please note the special holiday hours: Holiday Hours: Christmas Eve 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Christmas noon to 6 p.m., New Years Eve 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and New Years Day 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Gobble, Gobble!





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