Tuesday, August 25, 2015

8/25/15: Win 2 Tickets to Edaville USA to see Thomas Land

Recently I showed you how great Thomas Land is at Edaville USA and now I am giving you a chance to win 2 tickets to go and see for yourself any open date in September!
 There is so much to see at Edaville USA and now with the new Thomas Land there is even more!  You can read my full post here on Thomas Land.
 Here you can see the rides.  Any Thomas and Friends fan will love it.
You can see all the rides here.  An awesome spot to visit is Tidmouth Sheds.  There was a little show there and the Trains talk!
 
Make sure to see Sir Topham Hatt!
 Of course make sure to take a train ride with Thomas chugging along.
Now there is so much to do and see!  There are lots of rides, train ride, Dino Land, Thomas Land!
Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.edaville.com or at the park entrance.  Enter below to win 2 tickets to be used any date in September that Edaville USA is open.

Disclosure:  I was invited by Mattel to attend the Media Grand Opening of Thomas Land at Edaville USA.  I was also provided with tickets to giveaway.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
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Sunday, August 23, 2015

8/23/15: Back to School With Gymboree Play Proof Nanotex Clothing

Back to school shopping is in full swing.  Some kids have already started school, luckily we don't start until after Labor Day.  Clothing shopping can be tough for kids.  Gymboree has you covered though with Nanotex Play Proof Clothing that will always stay looking great.
Kids clothes take a beating.  Between playing outside, recess at school, gym class, lunch time spills and more kids are prone to messing up their clothes.  Nanotex® keeps apparel looking fresh as new, even after the wear and tear of a rambunctious kid and a tumble or two in the washer.  Nanotex® uses nanotechnology to transform the molecular structure of fibers, creating fabrics with remarkable performance and comfort.  It offers stain, soil and odor resistance, while preserving the natural breathability, comfort, hand and durability of apparel textiles. 

I know my kids always are coming home with stains or worn knees.  Especially my son's pants.  He goes through pants so quickly as he always seems to be sliding around on his knees and wearing them out.  I have had to throw away so many pairs of pants that still fit but have worn out knees.  Nanotex apparel is Play Proof and stays looking great.  Evan is very picky about his pants and said these pants were comfortable and they look nice on him.  Usually he will only wear a cargo pant with no zipper.
Evan my fashionista Lauren who is very picky about her clothes approved of her new Gymboree Nanotex outfit.  She said the shirt is super comfortable.  The skirt is super cute and has shorts underneath it with little pleats on the bottom and the shirt is a beautiful pink.  You can see the full Play Proof line here of Gymboree Nanotex Clothes.
 Nanotex clothing is available at more than 100 leading brands including Target, GAP, Gymboree, Land’s End, Kohl’s, JC Penney’s and more.  Learn more about Nanotex at www.nanotex.com
The kids can't wait to wear these clothes!  I can't wait to not worry they are ruining them.

Find them online:
Twitter: @Nanotex @Gymboree
Disclosure:  I received these Gymboree Nanotex clothes for review purposes.  No other compensation was received and as always all opinions are my own.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

8/21/15: TetraBrazil Soccer Camp Skills, Games and More

Last week Evan participated in Challenger Sports TetraBrazil Soccer Camp.  It is a week long camp with options of 9-12 or 9-3.  Evan did the 9-3 camp.  It was a great skill building camp for him as we approach the upcoming Fall Travel Soccer Season.
 Being on a team through the town for Travel Soccer we have coaches that are parents/volunteers.  It keeps costs down but you are also at the mercy of how well versed the Coach is in Soccer Skills.  I wanted to make sure Evan got to learn from some experts.  Each day Evan would come home with new skills that he had learned.  Plus he made a lot of friends while he was there.  He was excited to show us some of his new skills like cutting, heading and others.
The kids would start with some warm up.  Then players would practice and improve their ball control, foot skills and moves that Brazilian soccer is famous for.  Kids were grouped by age and ability.
Later in the day they would play games and circulate through different positions.
There was also a tent set up so that kids could gather there to cool off, re-hydrate and eat lunch.
Challenger Sports Camps has many options including British Soccer Camps, plus Fall and Spring Academies.  These Camps are for kids 3-18.
Sign up now for your kids to have some fun and learn some great skills!
Here is a Video Preview:
Plus he received a free T-Shirt, Soccer Ball, and a TetraBrazil Soccer Jersey.  Evan is now ready for the new Soccer Season!
Check out all of their programs here:  http://www.challengersports.com/
Disclosure:  I will receive a free week of Soccer Camp for my son thanks to the USFamilyGuide.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

8/20/15: Thomas Land Open at Edaville USA, First in the US!

I have been talking about Thomas Land at Edaville USA for a while now and giving you sneak peeks.  Well now it is a reality!  We were lucky enough to attend the Grand Opening of Thomas Land in Edaville USA Carver, MA.  It was a star studded event including the Owner of Edaville USA, Executives from Mattel and even actress Tamara, host of The Real and from the show Sister, Sister!
 The day started with a Welcome and then the kids got to film a short commercial with the Thomas and Friends General Manager from Mattel.  Here they are all yelling with excitement that Thomas Land is officially open!
Edaville USA has gone through quite a transformation in the last couple years.  The creation of the Island of Sodor with Thomas Land is amazing and a wonderful addition to the park.  Plus it is the only Thomas Land in the United States!  Here is the owner of Edaville USA speaking with Sir Topham Hatt in the background looking on.  Of course Sir Topham Hatt has to make sure that everything is running without confusion and delay.
 Here is the ribbon cutting and the official opening.  We are the first to get to enter Thomas Land!
Here is some video of all the excitement.

 Here is the lovely entrance.  It is just past Dino Land and some rides.
 It is just gorgeous!
 Here you can see the rides.  They are so much fun.
 There is a Troublesome Trucks runaway roller coaster that we loved.  It goes around the tracks twice.
Another favorite was Cranky's Crane Drop.  This randomly drops you several times and is a lot of fun.
There is Rockin' Bulstrode Tug Boat which rocks back and forth.
There is Sodor's Cranberry Carousel.
And even Harold's Lift Off.  You can see all the rides here.
There is more to come as this ride, Winston's Skyline Express was not open yet.
An awesome spot to visit is Tidmouth Sheds.  There was a little show there and the Trains talk!
 
Sir Topham Hatt was there too!
 Kids get to take pictures with their favorites.
 Visiting with Emily.
 You can even climb in to Percy.
 And of course Thomas chugs by to make sure everything is in order.  You can take a trip around the park with him at intervals during the day.
He seems pretty pleased with the way his Land has turned out.
 Here is Evan as we were on the train.  He loves trains.
In fact check him out from one of his first visits to Day Out With Thomas.
 
Now there is so much to do and see!
 You definitely need to check out Thomas Land!
And of course while you are there make sure to ride all the rides, enjoy Dino Land and ride the train.
Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.edaville.com or at the park entrance.

Disclosure:  I was invited by Mattel to attend the Media Grand Opening of Thomas Land at Edaville USA.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

8/18/15: Cirque Eloize iD and Family Fun at Foxwoods Resort Casino

I get some amazing opportunities and recently my kids and I got to have a once in a lifetime experience.  We were invited to Foxwoods Resort Casino to learn from entertainers from the Cirque Eloize iD show which runs until August 30th and experience the Resort!  The show was phenomenal, but more about that later.
Photo courtesy of Foxwoods Resort Casino
We got to meet several performers from the cast of the show, but the highlight for my kids was getting to learn some simplistic tricks from them.
Our first learning experience was juggling.  The kids did awesome. 
We started with one ball just tossing it from one hand to the other, than added two balls.  
Then tried dropping to a knee and catching a ball under the leg.
Then it was on to fun on the trampoline.  The kids were really good.  I just did a normal jump but they dropped to a sit and turned around.
They showed us some of their tricks too.  We didn't get to that advanced of moves.
We also got to take a backstage tour and see their costumes, props and behind the wall that they jump in and out from.
It was such an amazing experience and of course we got to see the show.
Here is some video from our experience:
Éloize Pronounced [EL-WAZ] Éloize is a word that comes from the Magdalen Islands and means “flashes of heat lightning seen on the horizon”.  The music is amazing in the show along with such upbeat dancing and unbelievable acts.  The show is truly amazing.  The hand balancing on a chair was awesome, bike work, jumping rope, acrobatics, silks work, juggling, and dance.  I think we had more of an appreciation for what they were doing after the short training session we had with very simplistic tricks.  Plus it is good for the whole family.  There is hip hop dancing that is so much fun to watch.
The set has projections on it throughout the show.  There was one portion with performers jumping up and down and in to little trap doors in the set.  It was awesome. 
Photo courtesy of Foxwoods Resort Casino
The iD show was enjoyed by our whole family.  Here are some pictures courtesy of Foxwoods Resort Casino of the cast at Mystic Aquarium which we happened to go to the day after the show.
Photos courtesy of Foxwoods Resort Casino
We also were able to stay over and spend some time at Foxwoods Resort Casino.  We stayed in the Fox Tower.  What a beautiful hotel.
Here is a picture in our room.  Note Evan won a jackpot at the Arcade only and not in the Casino.  Believe it or not there is a lot to do with the family.  They also just recently opened a Tanger Outlet mall.
Here is Evan with his jackpot of 150 tickets.  The arcade is very large with two floors of arcade games, skee ball, air hockey and more.
There was an awesome pool outside that we loved.
Here is our view from the 20th floor of the pool.
We ate dinner at the Red Lantern at Foxwoods Resort Casino.  The food was excellent.  They also have a three course meal option for the show that you can see here.
What a great time we had, the kids loved it meeting the cast members and seeing the awesome show!  If you get the chance make sure and go see it!
Disclosure:  I was provided with tickets to the Cirque Eloize show for my family along with a complimentary dinner at the Red Lantern and a media rate for the Fox Tower hotel.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.