4 ways to beat the heat at #SeaWorld #SanAntonio

Early last month our family traveled down to meet with the other Wildside Bloggers and their families at our favorite San Antonio haunt....Sea World, San Antonio.

Even though we've visited SeaWorld, San Antonio several times over the past three years we've never ever done what we did this time....
we actually got into the Park when it just opened up at 9 am and only left at 9.45 pm!!
With 2 little ones (a 5 year old and a 1 year old mind you) that is some accomplishment especially if there were no meltdowns from start to finish!
How did we do it especially with the Texas summer heat blazing down on us?
Simple!
We remembered to follow the 4 Rs....


1. Re-fuel and Re-hydrate

If your little ones are like mine, they don't realize thirst and hunger hitting them bad till it triggers off a whining spree or a wailing scene. Considering this we generally carry into the Park a little bag filled with snacks, juice in flasks (juice boxes are allowed into the Park but straws are not as a safety precaution for the animals) and bottles of water.
This time round as a 'Wildside family' we were introduced to the All Day Dining Plan.

At first glance spending 29.95 US$ per adult and 15.95 US$ per child (aged 3-9) may seem a little pricey for one's likes but when you think of the privileges you enjoy you will think again.


With our All Day Dining bracelets we re-fueled the kids with fresh fruit (juicy strawberries and sweet watermelon slices-yum!), sugar boosts with chocolate pudding (not very healthy I admit but at home our food regiment is healthy all the way so a holiday allows for a little cheating!)



and re-hydrated ourselves with lots of cold water and chilled lemonade.



I'm also excited to let you in on some "smoking" news!
You don't have to grin and bear burgers and hotdogs for lunch if you aren't a junk food kind of person, you just have to take your feet over to Shamu's Smokehouse.



Why is this different from the other dining spots in the Park?
Lets just say this....
BBQ!!
(Slurp!)



I definitely recommend the BBQ chicken platter while Hubby says the BBQ Brisket hit the spot and for the kiddos, Bunny girl thought the mini corn dogs were yummy.
(Oh and don't forget to save those souvenir plates and re-live the SeaWorld fun back at home!)

But if the kids suddenly go on an "I want pizza and only pizza!" trip, you don't have to leave the Park and hunt for the next Pizza joint. Just hop, skip and jump over to Rosita's All You Can Eat Buffet and yes, the All Day Dining Bracelet works there too!


2. Re-energize

Sit down, kick off those shoes under the shelter of the various show stadiums and re-energize watching entertaining performances like the award winning Azul with talented acrobats and beluga whales, the rib tickling Cannery Row Caper with sea lions Clyde and Seymour and Uncle Max the walrus or the impressive water ski acts in Cool Vibrations.

Early last month two brand new shows were added to SeaWorld's repertoire. The one that created the biggest splash is the Shamu show that has replaced the much loved 'Believe'. One Ocean has it's own charm with a global conservation message centering the theme



and you will get to see all three killer whales performing together amidst water jet effects and more.



We were fortunate to be able to see one of the newest members to the family....baby Shamu! This is definitely worth the watch and yes, if you love to get a good ol' frigid soak from head to foot, the "Splash Zone" still holds good in this show!

Another new show that opened the day we visited is one all the furry little monster lovers in your family will adore....Elmo and the Bookaneers.



This cute pirate themed show throws in the importance of reading (Bunny girl loved the fact that this was a book themed adventure),



a challenge thrown out to Elmo and the gang to prove if they're worthy of being bestowed the honor of becoming 'Bookaneers'



and features a lot of the old Sesame Street classic songs.

I would say this is one of our favorite Elmo shows of all time.
Don't skip watching this one when you visit the Park!


3. Refresh

March 2011 brought along a fantastic new way to refresh ones self at the Park with the Bay Of Play.(Click on the link to read my detailed post on all that this fun area offers to Park visitors of all ages)



We had Bunny girl and Bunny Boo's swim-wear on hand so we'd pop in and out of the water play areas through the day.

To take a respite from the water, Hubby and Bunny girl would hop onto the rides in the Bay Of Play area and cool off again under the super-sized fans in the shade.


Needless to say that the Bay was packed with adults and tiny toddlers cooling off through the day and I love that the water was not hot or warm but had a nice cool temperature to the same....very refreshing!


4. Relax

That's right....Relax! I know you think it's practically impossible to ever think of doing the same at a Park with young ones but guess what? At SeaWorld it IS possible at the Dolphin Cove,


the Coral Reef (the Park's well spaced out Aquarium with benches placed strategically in front of the life sized shark and fish exhibits.)


and the Penguin Encounter.


On this trip the Wildside children had the opportunity to experience what the Penguin Up Close Tour is all about. While the Tour is originally designed to only include children aged 8 and older, our little ones were duly supervised by accompanying adults and SeaWorld staff. The Tour is very educative and the ONLY way you will get to see a real penguin, in the flesh, right here in sultry Texas!


Hubby's ultimate SeaWorld dream involves him getting into the Park when it just opens and parking himself in front of the penguin tank till the Park closes....no kids, no distractions, just him and the penguins!

Our family enjoyed our time at the Park and knowing that the 4 Rs actually did work for us, we're seriously making one more trip down just before Bunny girl starts Kinder next month.

Oh yeah, the summer heat is no longer a deterrent to a great family Park experience!





** EBMR Disclaimer: As a Wildside Blogger, my family was provided with passes and a fab dining plan to enjoy SeaWorld, San Antonio's park on our recent visit. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.**

Labels: E.B. Mommy Dines, E.B. Mommy Travels, Mommy Tips, San Antonio, SeaWorld, Wildside Bloggers

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 4:05 AM 1 Comments

A Yummy "Date and Walnut Squares" Recipe

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I love dates and have tried everything under the sun to get Bunny girl to share my love for them....Uhm, let me correct myself....I thought I'd tried everything till I found this incredibly easy Date Nut Loaf recipe by Rae.

I made a few modifications to the recipe (didn't make the sauce either) and the results were fantastic.



Here's the modified recipe...


Date and Walnut Squares

1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
a little more that 1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Grease and flour a 9x13 inch cake pan.
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring dates and water to a boil.
Stir in 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar until melted.
Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Place date mixture into a large bowl.
Blend in flour, eggs and vanilla.
Stir in chopped walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, cut into squares and then cool completely.


Bunny girl walloped three squares fresh out of the oven and even carried two to school in her little snack box.
The verdict...."Date and Walnut Squares are the best!"

Try it out and let me know what your kids (and Hubby) think!

Labels: date and walnut squares, Mommy Tips, recipes

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 11:06 AM 1 Comments

"Nut"-urally Nutella! (MommyParties Buzz)

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What do you get when you find a room decorated with pink balloons and streamers, goody bags lined neatly on a small table close to a larger table laden with chocolate looking goodies of every kind?


Why a Nutella party ofcourse?

If you've never heard of Nutella before then believe me this IS your day!!


Nutella is a creamy-dreamy (couldn't resist that!) spread made with skim milk, a hint of cocoa and over 50 hazelnuts in a 13 oz. jar. It's a great (AND HEALTHY!) way to get your kids to gobble up a substantial breakfast, especially when smeared upon two slices of multi-grain bread, bagels or even waffles.


Party Buzz:

With a mix of Nutella Mommy believers, non believers and kids itching for anything chocolate based, you can be assured of a Spring Break gathering nothing short of fun.... and that's exactly what we had!

Bunny girl and I are devout Nutella fans, so my Nutella menu was easy to whip up.
Our "yummies" included:

• Peanut Butter and Nutella sandwiches (a regular feature in Bunny girl's preschool snack box)
• Store bought Chocolate Chip and Multi-Grain Waffles smeared with Nutella spread and made into a sandwich (another frequent breakfast favorite)
• Nutella brownies (Easy peasy 4 ingredient recipe, thanks to Savory Sweet Life)
• Nutella cookies (Big hit with the kids, thank you Christina for this simple but delicious 4 ingredient recipe)
• Bowls of chopped up bananas and apples embracing a generous dip of Nutella in the center. (Bunny girl never liked apples, so this was how I first got to her to enjoy eating every crunchy slice up!) and
  
• Mugs filled with Hot Nutella! (Hit white milk swirled with a heaped tablespoon of Nutella)

I love that we could all laugh together and enjoy each others company while brainstorming ideas that including using Nutella as cake frosting, cookie dips, carrot stick dips, in puddings and on wheat tortillas with sliced bananas.

Need more inspiration? Check out these great recipe ideas too. (Isn't it awesome to know we actually have a designated Nutella Day?!)

Needless to say we were all on a Nutella high at the end of it all and thanks to MommyParties, my bunch of Nutella believers and new converts left with goody bags that included a Nutella spread sample pack, a 1$ off coupon, a 'On The Go' travel mug, spread tip card and spread spreader.






** EBMR Disclaimer: MommyParties sponsored this fun party with a Nutella Party Kit. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.**

Labels: Mommy Tips, MommyParties, Nutella, Reviews / Giveaways

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 5:38 AM 0 Comments

Chore Charts!...From a Mommy I Love and Respect

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If you've faced the predicament "To Chore Chart" or "Not To Chore Chart",


I know reading this wonderful post by my sweet friend Lana over at


will seal it for you....

" Organizing A Family : Chore Charts"

It has for me!


Thanks again Lana.

Labels: chore charts, Mommy Tips, organization.

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 5:14 PM 1 Comments

10 tips to grab the best family travel deals

Spring break is less than a week away and I'm sure some of you may be grumbling looking at the price of hotels, airfare and rocketing fuel prices. I know I can't help you save a big chunk of buckaroos this time round but lets look at planning frugally for the summer holidays ahead. The secret is to PLAN AHEAD!

Here are my 10 tips to grab the best family travel deals....
(You will need to thank Social Moms and Alamo for the prompt!)

1. Start researching on hotel/motel and airfare rates using price comparison sites like Kayak and Trip Mama or travel sites like Last Minute Travel.


2. If you need to rent a car while on holiday, hunt around for a rental car coupon code to slash those rental prices by a good margin. Suggested coupon sites include Retail Me Not, (I love this site!) Rental Codes and Rental Car Momma.


3. If you're traveling with little ones, keep in mind that the "lure of the Souvenir shops" can be very tempting for a child, so be prepared! Save yourself the pinch of an expensive prezzie by shopping for souvenirs before leaving from home. Ebay has some great offers if you take the time to scout them out.


4. Make sure you carry snacks, juice boxes and water to sustain the day outdoors, especially while visiting tourist attractions and theme parks. You can save yourself the pain of shelling out money on the same "munchies" but at an escalated cost at these tourist spots!

5. If you have children of preschool age or younger, the best time to travel is when all the other kids are at school....i.e. off season. You will be surprised at how inexpensive airfare and hotel rates can be!

6. If your child needs to use a car seat and you plan to travel out of state and intend to rent a car, make sure you carry along your own car seat. Renting one turns out to be quite pricey especially if your family plans to enjoy a nice long break away from home!

7. If you have older kids, consider looking into Timeshare programs when you visit certain places. Not only will you have the opportunity to stay at a property at a minimal price but this can also be a great investment option especially if you visit the area frequently. (I know several families that own timeshares in the Orlando, Florida area. They've found the investment to be a great price benefit.)

8. If you really want to take a vacation with the family but just can't afford to go too far or visit a theme park, why don't you subscribe to your local Tourist Guide Brochure and take day trips to local towns, cities, wildlife reserves, parks with historical significance? Not only will this allow you to travel to the spot and drive back the same day but it will also allow you to take several 'mini vacations' with the family over the summer and will help you orient you with other places around your locality.

9. Again, if you have older kids, you can take them camping to nearby camping spots, have family cook outs and teach them a few 'outdoor survival' musts.

10. Finally cash in on your credit card reward points. Credit Card companies like American Express allow Privilege members to cash in for gift cards to restaurants or rental car companies, once a certain spending limit is reached.

Remember it's not cheap to look for deals or coupons. It's being frugal and financially wise. A penny saved may not seem much in the beginning, but several months down the line all those pennies will amount to a substantial amount to send your family on the next vacation!



Buzz About Alamo

Founded in 1974, Alamo Rent A Car is a value-oriented, internationally recognized brand serving the rental needs of airport leisure travelers. Alamo offers low rental rates and a hassle-free customer experience at the most popular travel destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. In addition, Alamo customers in the U.S. are able to conveniently choose their own vehicles, based upon their advance reservation and requested car class, and then simply drive away from the airport.

The Alamo membership club, Alamo Insiders, offers its members numerous perks including exclusive, member-only deals, quick and simple reservations, and frequent traveler miles with each rental.





** EBMR Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Labels: Alamo, Mommy Tips, Social Moms

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 11:38 AM 0 Comments

Start 2011 Organized With Smead.

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In just a matter of less than three weeks we will be saying goodbye to 2010 and hello to 2011. The year ahead brings piles of new projects, opportunities and.....possibly organization worries. Thanks to Smead, you can join the Club Orgonomics program and find ways to make your work area more productive, receive solutions to those organization challenges, embrace new organization ideas and more! What a relief!!

Before you hop off to join Club Orgonomics, here are a few Smead "Office Clutter Be Gone" organization tips:

• Supplies and equipment: Only keep what you use on a regular basis at your desk - then store the “extras” in a cabinet or closet.
• Books and periodicals: Store journals in a magazine holder grouped by title or topic.
• Reference manuals: Keep loose brochures and sets of papers in expanding files or 3-ring binders with Index Dividers between topics. Try Smead’s durable TUFF™ Expanding File® for frequently accessed items.
• Multimedia: To save space, remove CDs and DVDs from their jewel cases and store them in file folders with self-adhesive CD/DVD pockets.
• Blank stationery items: Neatly stored in either stacking trays or a document sorter.
• To-do’s: Set up a desk file sorter or hanging files with categories for each type of action – “to call,” “to pay,” “to file,” “to read,” etc.
• Have an assigned storage space for everything to make it easier for you to maintain order after the first of the year. Just take a few minutes at the end of each day to put things away (not hard when you know where everything goes!)

And to end the year on the right note, make sure you heed some wise Smead advice...

If you’re ending 2010 wishing you had accomplished more, now is the time to take a look at what got in your way.
Endless interruptions throughout your work day?
Or did you just have a hard time getting started on those bigger, more important projects?

Decide now what you would like to accomplish in the next year, then plan some uninterrupted time in your calendar to work toward these goals.
Let your boss know that you would like one day (or a half a day) each week to work on capturing a big account, implementing a major marketing strategy, or completing a large research project for the company.
You might need to shut your door, turn off your phone, ignore your email, or even work from home on that day – but your boss will probably be so thrilled at your initiative that she’ll do whatever it takes to help you succeed!


For more Smead wisdom, aids to help you get organized and the chance to win some helpful organizational products, visit the Smead Facebook Page.





** EBMR Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post on behalf of Smead based on the information provided by the sponsor. I have not recvd a product but I will receive a gift card to thank me for publishing this post*

Labels: 2011, Mommy Tips, Organizational products, SMEAD

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 5:14 PM 1 Comments

5 helpful tips for holiday tech shopping

Black Friday has just whizzed by and quick at the heels to follow was Cyber Monday and honestly though we do need to shop for a new television (and I'd love to get a new camera), we weren't bold enough to rush our purchasing decisions over the weekend, brave the crowds and buy just because the prices were slashed. Hubby and I have kept a few things in mind for our future 'BIG BUYS' and here are 5 tips from our list that may help you with your holiday tech shopping ...

1. Do your homework: Don't just pick a sales flyer and decide to buy a product just because it falls into your budget. Make sure you research the pros and cons and see if the product really fits all that you want it to do. (Remember you don't have to buy the latest model or a particular brand just because everyone else is buying the same. Buy what suits YOUR need.)
2. Do a little research: Actually do a lot of research. The one setback with tech gadgets is that the return policies on the same are always very stringent. So even if you find that you have a problem with your product after slowly getting used to it a month later you will be stuck with the same for a good long while! Speak to friends who are 'in the know' and check reviews on sites like CNET (I love this site!)
3. Get store loyal: If you have narrowed down the store you plan to shop your tech gadgets from, it sometimes helps to get approved for a 'Store Loyalty Credit Card' as it will give you bigger discounts. Stores like Staples even have Staples Rewards Cards that help you accumulate points for rewards and even pull up rebate programs
4. Patience!: We've also discovered that you should wait for the big holidays or close to the end of the year when Stores are trying to clear out for the latest tech goodies. If you're looking for a gadget that serves your purpose but is not necessarily the latest hip set, then playing the waiting game will be worth your while
5. Coupons Rule: Sure you may not get a whopper coupon out there but I say every dollar saved, is a big deal. Scout around for coupons and keep your eyes open on sites like the Hot Coupon World and keep your 'Tweet' little eyes on Twitter. Believe me, there's a wealth of 'buckaroo saving' information out there that can save a pretty buck!

The golden rule in all this is not to rush while shopping and to NEVER (with a capital N) make any impulsive tech shopping trips!


Buzz About Staples

Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products and services. Our broad selection of office supplies, electronics, technology and office furniture as well as business services, including computer repair and copying and printing, helps our customers run their offices efficiently. With 2009 sales of $24 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples operates in 26 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia serving businesses of all sizes and consumers. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and today ranks second worldwide in e-commerce sales. The company is headquartered outside Boston.





** EBMR Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” **

Labels: Mommy Tips, Staples, Twitter Moms

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 8:47 PM 0 Comments

5 tips for editing digital photos for blog posts

Now since I author a review blog, there are many times I've had to take photographs involving my 2 little ones that feature there face profiles. Being the over-protective Mama Hen, I make sure my photographs feature the products being showcased but not my family.

I personally love working on my pictures on Picasa as it is, to put it simply, easy peasy! So here are 5 tips I have to help you edit your photographs (if you blog and are overprotective like me):

1. I think my favorite photo editing tool of all is the simple 'CROP' tool! I get to choose if I want to crop my photographs in a standard photograph size (in case I plan to print the photographs later) or a random size.



2. Now there are a few pictures that just look weird if I crop heads off, so the next best option is the 'Soft Focus' tool a.k.a. the 'Blur' tool.

Wow! I was huge with Bunny Boo at 38 weeks. So yes, my face just had to be there in this photograph to show you how big my baby bump was in proportion, thus the '"Blur, Blur, Blur away" need!


3. If you are the artistic sorts, like my sister is, play around with tools like 'Shadow', 'Color Temperature', 'Sharpen' and 'Film Grain' . You will be able to transform an ordinary photograph into a gorgeous piece like this.



4. If you're looking for something simple, just use the 'Focal Black and White' tool to highlight important parts in your photographs.


and if you are willing to get a little more adventurous, use the 'Focal Black and White' tool, with 'Soft Focus' and 'Film Grain' to get an effect like this....



5. Finally, do your little bit of protecting the beautiful photographs you take with a little help from Paint.Net.



I generally place my blog url on all my photographs. Now that doesn't guarantee that they won't be used on other sites/blogs but atleast I know my 'seal' is on the photograph.




Are you a pro with photo-editing? Do you have some simple tips to share with learning photo-editors like me? Draw up a blog post with your 5 tips for editing and creating beautiful digital photo projects and hop over to share them with other Twitter Moms.


Buzz About Adobe Photoshop

IGet a complete solution for photos. With Adobe Photoshop Elements 9, you can make your photos look extraordinary with easy-to-use editing options. Share your stories in beautiful, personalized print creations and Online Albums. And easily organize all your photos and video clips from one convenient place.
http://www.adobe.com/digitalimag/explore/





** EBMR Disclaimer: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Adobe Photoshop blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” **

Labels: Adobe Photoshop, Mommy Tips, Twitter Moms

posted by Marina@EBMR @ 3:05 PM 0 Comments