Our night with Shrek and Friends at Gaylord Palms Orlando

Things have been a bit crazy around here lately with both of the twins coming down with a cold, ear infections, and pink eye all at the same time. I recently posted that were going to have the opportunity to spend an all inclusive night at Gaylord Palms Orlando thanks to Klout. They were holding a special night with Shrek and Friends where you could spend an evening with your favorite characters from the Shrek movies, and enjoy other Shrek themed activities. We took the girls' and had a WONDERFUL time. I thought I would share some of the pictures from the event with you.

When we arrived at the hotel we checked into our amazing room on the 9th floor. All of the rooms in our section had recently been remodeled, and they are gorgeous! Willow wanted to make sure we got a picture of her bed to share with everyone. She was so excited about those flower pillows.

If you've never been to the Gaylord Palms, it's built to look like a city, but everything is indoors. This was the view from our window.

We got everything settled in and headed downstairs to have dinner at Villa de Flora, the Mediterranean Buffet in the St. Augustine section of the atrium. We could see it from our window above and you could actually smell the food. There we had some of the best food we've ever tasted. Willow fell in love with the pizza, even though it was topped in goat cheese, and she tried taramisu. So yummy! It was nice to be able to let her try different "fancy" foods that she normally wouldn't get a chance to try.

 

 After dinner we went back up to our room for diaper changes and to prepare for our night with Shrek! We we arrived we were greeted with a cart full of treats and drinks to welcome us to the hotel. Gaylord Palms really nows how to make a girl feel special! 

 

Shrek Fingers with green slime! These were the best tasting treats, no Ogre fingers don't look very appetizing, but trust me they were great. The green slime was chocolate syrup dyed with green food coloring. What's in an Ogre finger?

They're chocolate chip cookies with frosting, wrapped in green fondant icing!
Once we were able to pry Willow away from the cookies we went down to see Shrek. The entire day she kept saying how much she wanted to meet donkey, but unfortunately Donkey was busy taking care of his little half dragon babies so he wasn't able to make it. Shrek, Fiona, and Puss in Boots came instead. No pictures of any of them because Willow was all talk, she is not a brave girl. In fact when she saw Shrek in the exhibit hall she took off running screaming "No Willow's scared!" (He's a big guy, at least 6'4 so I don't really blame her!) We settled down and watch Shrek the 3rd on the law with the rest of the kids, while the daddy man went to the resort gym.

Shrek in the field

A not so lovely picture of us watching Shrek. 

The next morning Willow, the girls and I took some tie to explore all of the things the hotel had to offer while the Daddy Man went to work (he actually works at another resort down the street). Did I mention that Gaylord Palms normal check out time is 11am and Zach had to work until 3:30. I asked about a late checkout and they made it happen no questions asked! Of course your results may vary based on room availability.

Here are some of the cool things we found around the hotel. A waterfall in the St. Augustine atrium. Willow went to visit the waterfall at least 15 times.

  Koi fish, also in the St. Augustine atrium. These were Willow's favorite thing about our trip. (Notice "banky" had to come along for the adventure)

That yellow fish was her favorite. She even gave him a name - "lellow fish". I mean what else could you possibly name him?

Hanging out on that rock are alligators! At special times during the week a specialist comes to feed them and you can watch. The rest of the time they chill out in the middle of the hotel.

 How beautiful is the Key West Area?! There's actually a boat docked in the middle where you can eat dinner. Willow kept asking why we didn't eat on the boat. Next time we will!

We had such a great time at the Gaylord Palms, and even though we live in the area we'd defiantly consider taking the girls to stay again just for the gorgeous scenery and amazing customer service we received. If you're coming to Orlando anytime soon stay at Gaylord Palms, you won't be disappointed!

I received an all inclusive night at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando free of charge through Klout Perks. I was not required to post an review of our stay at all, but chose to share details of our stay with my readers. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. Please see our disclosure policy for details.

 

Even more savings on Amazon

I'm pretty sure that I've shared with you before how much I LOVE Amazon. It's so nice to be able to log on, click a button and have your purchase arrive in 2 days with their free Prime shipping through Amazon Mom. I order everything from Amazon from diapers and wipes, Shout for the girls' laundry, and molds for my Scentsy samples. We've even ordered Macaroni and Cheese from Amazon before! But did you know that on top of Amazon's already great prices you can use promo codes to increase your savings? Check out Dealio.com and visit their Amazon Promo Codes section to find out how you can save even more on your next purchase!

This is a sponsored post, please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Increase your buying power on Zuuzs

Being a stay at home mom I'm always looking for ways to save us money, and still be able to get my shopping in without the Daddy Man having a fit. One way that I'm able to really save is buy using cash back sites like Zuuzs. Zuuzs is simple, you log in, find the store you want to purchase from, and then you shop! Zuuzs then gives you a percentage of your purchase back!

Zuuzswants to help you earn even more cash back by Buying Power.  Users complete simple tasks to increase their buying power and are rewarded with an increased cash back rate. Just by doing easy things, like choosing your favorite retailers, getting friends to join and making purchases, you can watch your personal cash back rate increase!   Basically this is Zuuzs’ way of thanking you for being an active member! Here’s how to get the maximum benefits from Zuuzs:

• Join Zuuzs for FREE!

• Update your profile

• Choose your favorite stores and categories

• Invite friends to join your circle

• Shop through Zuuzs regularly

Watch your buying power and FUNdzs grow!

This is a sponsored post for Zuuzs.com please see our disclosure policy for more information.

Klout Perks - Night with Shrek and Friends at Gaylord Palms!

If you're a fellow blogger you already know that Klout.com measures your "online influence". They have a mathematical equations that will give you a score between 1 and 100. The higher your score, the higher your influence. Klout also offers some really cool perks sometimes depending on your score. I've received some movie tickets, granola bars, SlimFast shakes etc.

The coolest perk ever popped up a few weeks ago and we got accepted! We're going to an all inclusive Night with Shrek and Friends at Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando! The girls get to meet Shrek and friends, watch movies, have Shrek themed snacks, and spend the night at one of the nicest hotels in Orlando! I'm so excited to go tomorrow night and I'm sure we'll have lots of pictures to share when we get home Sunday afternoon.

Day 2 Day Printing: 1000 Custom Business Cards Giveaway. 2 Winners!

When you own your own company, large or small, you need to have high quality professional business cards to hand out to potential customers. Day 2 Day Printing offers custom printed business cards that will make an excellent first impression and stay in contact with valuable clients. You have the option to print your own design, or use their free and easy-to-use online design program to select from different backgrounds, pictures and text to create the perfect design for you in just minutes! You can find some helpful tips for creating your own, unique design at www.graphicdesigncollege.org. Their business cards are high quality, printed on 14-point card stock and they even use eco-friendly ink. Their business card printing turnaround time is fast, and best of all,their prices are really affordable!

Day 2 Day Printing also offers online printing services for many other products including calendars, catalogs, envelopes, postcards, trading cards and more! They are your one-stop-shop for all of your printing needs!

Stop by and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for giveaways and deals,
and be sure to check out their printing blog too!

TWO Life Unexpected: Adventures of a SAHM readers will win a set of 1000 Business Cards!
(Custom printed, standard size, full color business cards by Day 2 Day Printing)

Just enter using the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

JazzyWear Shoes

Like most mothers my kids are my main focus, but sometimes you have to switch gears a bit and start thinking about yourself. Zach and I are going to Mexico next month for 4 days and I realized that I have absolutely no clothing for myself! I've been wearing the same jeans, tank top and ballet flats since the twins were born and it's time for that to change!

Jazzma for JazzyWear contacted me about trying out a pair of heels from her online store and I was so excited to receive these super cute turquoise heels.Here's a bit of information on them from the website since I am pretty clueless when it comes to shoes.

"These two tone partially hidden platforms are sure to be a show stopper! Featuring criss cross leather detail in the back with a padded insole and easy slide style. They are made of Nubuck which is very soft to the touch!!"

 These shoes are so cute! The turquoise color is really in right now and the white heel gives them an extra little but of fun. I've been clomping around the house in them (give me a break guys it's been 4 years since I've worn anything more than ballet flats!) and Zach's sister is so jealous that we don't wear the same size shoe! She wants to "steal" them from me so badly but luckily there is more a 2 size difference between us so they're all mine! They run really true to size, I ordered a size 9 (my normal shoe size) and the fit perfectly with out any problems. The heel is a bit high if you're not used to wearing them but if you're a veteran heel wearer you really need to try these out!


JazzyWear offers cute and highly affordable shoes ranging in price from $9.99-$40! Check back often because she gets new, cute stock each month!  You can purchase the Turquoise Quipid Pumps that I received on the JazzyWear website for $40. 

You can follow JazzyWear on the following media outlets.

http://www.facebook.com/jazzywear

Twitter @JazzyWear 

This is a sponsored post on behalf of JazzyWear. I received one or more of the above mentioned products free of cost for review purposes. Your experience with Jazzma, JazzyWear and their products may be different than my own. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

I am not a perfect parent.

Alright guys, I'm going to break the #1 rule of being a "mommy blogger". I'm going to admit that I am not perfect! For the most part mommy bloggers are all "perfect" their kids are perfect, their homes are perfect, the make amazing meals and always have fresh cakes sitting on their perfectly decorated tables. I am not that parent. I'm ready to admit all of my faults, and maybe you will too! For some helpful information click here.

Our house is messy. I have three kids, there are toys on my floor, laundry on the couch and most likely crayon on my walls. Deal with it.

Our kids don't have a bedtime. When they become cranky and unbearable they go to sleep. Sometimes that's 8pm sometimes that's midnight. We enjoy our time with our kids and if that happens to be at midnight that's just fine with us.

We don't have a schedule. Some mornings we are all up by 7, sometimes one or more of the kids are still asleep at 11am! (Oh how I love those mornings!)

Our 3 year old still has a pacifier.She's attached to her "yum yum" and just isn't ready to let it go yet. Yes, it's  ruining her teeth, and yes we'll have to pay for braces because of it.

The same 3 year old isn't potty trained. She can use the potty she just won't. Occasionally she'll try but for the most part potty training consists of her peeing on my floor, or in yesterday's case pooping in the corner. It happens.

They eat what they like. Sometimes that's well balanced meals and sometimes that's Macaroni and Cheese 4 nights in a row (I'm looking at you twinnies)

1 or more of our kids come to bed with us every single night. Don't worry we haven't smooshed one yet.

Our 3 year old is addicted to Netflix. She knows how to use it on the TV, phone, and Kindle Fire. I'm pretty sure she's watched every single episode of Dora, Diego, Barney, Backyardagens and Wonder Pets they have at least 15 times. 

No, we're not perfect, but we're really happy! So quit judging other mothers and just do what works for you!

Share the Love Event 2/7-2/14 Grand Prize - Kindle Fire!

 

Welcome to the Share the Love Giveaway Hop hosted by ShePromotes. This event will take place from 9am EST on February 7th and end at approximately 11:59pm EST on February 14th. There are lots of great prizes offered to share the love with you. The prizes are not all love or Valentine's Day themed, we just are simply sharing our love for great products with you! After you are done entering our giveaway you'll want to check out everyone else's AND enter for a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE Kindle Fire sponsored by Tweetalicious! Each blog you stop and enter at will be another entry!

 

On Life Unexpected you can win a $15 credit for Azuli Skye with Amanda Ryder and I'm throwing in $10 in Amazon Gift cards OR Paypal cash, winners choice!

I took the Scentsy plunge!

This year I decided to do something smart with my tax return, so I took the plunge into becoming an Independent Scentsy Consultant! I've reviewed a few Scentsy products on here before and I absolutely fell in love! I found myself going back and ordering more on my own because the products were safe for the babies AND made our house smell great. Everyone knows I'm a stay at home mom and this is the perfect way for me to make a little extra money while selling a product that I love and completely stand behind.

February is the perfect month to try Scentsy if you haven't already! There's a sitewide promotion for 10% off your entire purchase. This deal is amazing, especially if you use it with one of the combine and save options! I hope you'll consider checking out my Scentsy page and bring great, safe, candle alternatives home for your family!

Win a Kindle Fire in the Share the Love Event Feb 7-14

 

The Share the Love Hop is set to go live on Tuesday February 7th! I'm so excited to be participating in this great Valentines event that not only brings you a chance to win over 100 prizes valued at $25 or more but one grand prize winner will receive a Kindle Fire!

On Life Unexpected one lucky winner will receive 2 great Prizes! Amanda Ryder, Independent Consultant for  Azuli Skye is offering a $15 credit towards their incredible selection of great and stylish jewelry. I addition I'll be throwing in $10 in Amazon Cards or Paypal cash, winners choice! Check back Tuesday for your chance to win!

Fit Mom's for Life 21 Day Weight Loss Challenge #1

 

I'm really excited to announce that I'm participating in the Dustin Maher Fit Mom's for Life Mommy Blogger 21 Day Weight Loss Challenge. Okay, so technically I was supposed to start on the 1st but some things came up. (Like a blow tire an hour from where we live that added about 3 hours to our trip yesterday, but that's an entirely different story) Better late than never right?

Who is Dustin Maher?

"Dustin Maher from dustinmaherfitness.com is a 28 year old personal trainer and fitness machine with 8 years experience, a degree in kinesology and has trained over 5300 moms. The author of the book Fit Moms For Life: How to Have Endless Energy To Outplay Your Kids, Dustin’s facebook community of more then 125,000 moms will attest to his programs." - http://mommybloggerweightlosschallenge.com/

Want to Join Us

You can find all of the information about joining the Weight Loss Challenge with us on the Mommy Blogger Weight Loss Program website BUT you don't have to be a Mommy Blogger to join! You can get the entire weight loss program including the Ebook of Fit Moms for Life, the online workout videos, and 21 day meal plan for only $27! 

(If you are a Mommy Blogger and want to join to program please contact me using the contact button on the right sidebar or on the Contact tab in the header for more information on special discounts)

So here we are, Day #1. I know it's going to be a bit rough because I have our Mimi's Cafe Wear Red For Women campaign to do tonight so we'll be eating out. Just trying to focus on eating healthy for all of my other meals and snacks today. I'll be logging all of my meals on MyFitnessPal, friend request me and we'll keep each other motivated!

My goal for today is to get my workout in, even with all 3 girls being in horrible moods! 

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Dustin Maher's Fit Mom's For Life Mommy Blogger 21 Day Weight Loss Challenge Campaign. I received one or more of the above mentioned products at no cost for review. Your experience with Dustin Maher and his products may be different than my own.