VERY EXCITING GIVEAWAY!!!!! and Proof Santa Exists!!!!

It's almost Christmas and I have FIVE I caught Santa Codes to Give away!

What is I caught Santa?

You can "catch" Santa in your house by the tree, coming down the chimney, eating milk and cookies, sleeping on the couch, etc!! If you don't win a code, you're still a winner! Imagine the look of wonder and surprise when a child receives a photo of Santa caught in the act in his or her very own home. iCaughtSanta.com is a unique website that helps visitors create those memorable keepsake photos.

I have discount codes too!!

It's usually less than $10 anyone can bring back the wonder of Christmas and be a hero to children by catching Santa "in the act," but my blog readers can save 25% by typing in SAVE25!

In three simple steps anyone can upload a holiday photo, add Santa Claus and print it as proof… or share it via Facebook and Twitter. Last-minute shoppers can purchase Gift Cards and eGift Certificates for loved ones with children, making iCaughtSanta.com a great gift idea even if you don't have kids yourself.

So are you wondering how to win?

The first five people to like them on facebook and then leave a comment here win codes! HURRY Christmas is coming FAST!

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

New blog..New ideas...

Our family has been working on a project lately. Kindness. Acts of kindness, lots of them. So I've started a facebook page and corresponding blog. Check it out. Lots of ways to help others. Lots of ideas.

Don't worry, this blog still lives, mostly still in facebook world, but it also still lives.

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

That is one funky monkey!!

I was given the opportunity from http://www.tshirtprinting.net to review a funky monkey t shirt. I have to say, it's pretty much WYSIWYG. For those of you who struggle to figure out what that means (maybe it's just me, it took me FOREVER) it means, what you see is what you get! It's cute, mine was grey, and it had a funky monkey on it. It's soft, nice and big, comfy, and it's a great t shirt. It's a great t shirt.

Love it.

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Stanley Seagull

Stanley Seagull by Cathy Mazur is a very cute book! I originally got it to read to my daughter. But, I think it's a bit over her head. She's five and she likes a book with cadence, rhyme and rhythm. This book has more of a moral story to it. I would say this is more of a book for a child in elementary school. Stanley learns that there's no place like home. It would be a cute book paired with watching the Wizard of Oz in a thematic unit in a classroom in perhaps a 2nd or 3rd grade.

If you're looking for an enjoyable book for this age range, I highly recommend. It's cute, an easy read, and a sweet little moral at the end. There's even a Stanley Seagull Facebook!! Check it out, I promise, you'll enjoy.

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Weirder than Marshmallows, Indeed!!

Weirder than Marshmallows is a book of essays by Dan Fogg. It was really enjoyable and pokes a little bit of fun at everyone. It's an easy read, which I like, and each essay is short. This is nice with a little one to chase around the house.

I like Fogg because he tackles serious ideas with humor and fun. Great read, and I was happy to receive a copy!!

If you'd like to check it out yourself you can look at his facebook page and his publisher's page!

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Heelys!

We had the opportunity to review a pair of Heelys. I got a pair for my daughter, who is 5, since she is far more athletic than I am. We ordered a size larger just in case, and it's a GOOD thing we did because they barely fit her. She wears a size 13, we ordered a size 1.

They come in all kinds of cute colors and styles, and she loved loved loved the look of them. She wanted to wear them every day, but once the wheels are installed it becomes more difficult until they are able to skate on them. Claire tried practicing around the house, but it was very hard for her.

We recently took her out, and again, she had a very hard time with the Heelys. It took two of us to hold her up. She kept falling backwards, and it was good that there was one of us on either side to keep her upright.

She LOVED them. She had lots of fun. It just takes lots of practice and I would say it's probably harder for younger kids.

Also, this is what happens when you say, I'm too tired (as a parent) to drag you around anymore. I wish I had her energy.

Thanks to Heelys for providing these shoes for review. I was not financially compensated for this post. My opinions are my own, based on this experience.

The Peaceful Housewife Natural Products Ebook

Are you and your family green? Do you try to do things that are better for the Earth? Then I HIGHLY recommend this ebook!! From diaper pail cleaner, to oven cleaner, to granite cleaner, the Peaceful Housewife book has it all!

She uses easy to find, simple ingredients for cleaners that you probably already have in your house! With her ebook you can make over 30 cleaners and pest sprays to make them much safer for your household!!

Would you like to win a copy of this book? It's going to be SUPER EASY!

Leave a comment telling us why you want to make over your cleaners!

Winner will be picked by random.org on Wednesday 10/5 at 9:59 p.m.

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Party Planning? I am!

My BABY turns 5 today, so I have been seeking ways to assist me with party planning. I was given the opportunity to try party planning checklists made by Theme Party Queen. While I really appreciated the sheets that I reviewed - Recipes by category, recipes by preparation day, grocery list, and the party arrangement list - I felt there was a lot missing. I do agree that food is the star of the show, but there is so much more that goes into a party than the sheets that were provided.

I would say this is an excellent supplement to other party planning lists, but not a stand alone item. You can download your own free copy here to try it for yourself. And, who can beat free? :)

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Minute to Win it!

It is so hard to find affordable themed party supplies!!

We are planning a Minute to Win it Party, and we were given the opportunity to review incredible Minute to Win it Printables! Included in the party kit were invitations, cupcake toppers, candy bar wrappers, minute money, and contestant badges.

We are SO excited to have our party!! These printables are one of a kind, and really set the mood!!!

Check out this link to get your own set! I highly recommend partygamesplus.com!

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Blind as a bat...

Squinty eyes right here folks...

Wondering where I've been? Yeah, me too. I've been getting these intense headaches and I lose vision, so typing is a challenge at best.

I am seeing doctors and doctors...maybe some answers with that?

Thanks for sticking by....I do have some great giveaways coming up SOON.

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

Phineas and Ferbtastic Night!!

Thanks to Child's Play Party, we had a really fun Disney Channel, First Ever!, Phineas and Ferb

Across the 2nd Dimension Movie Screening.

We had so much fun! Tattoo Time, Great Food, Trivia with Prizes, Masks, Make your own Perry's and Lots of Swag!

We also had blue decor, blue chip bowls, and we even found Phineas and Ferb Fun Dip for Prizes!

My daughter is our very own little Agent P!

Who are those masked kids? ;)

INTENTLY watching the movie!

The kids LOVED the movie!

Make your own Perry Time!

Make your own Perry's (Our friend's BEAUTIFUL daughter!)

Perry's Body - Twinkie, Frosted by the kids (Using white frosting and green and blue tints from Wilton), Tails were Voortman chocolate cookies, beaks were golden Oreos, Eyes were marshmallows and chocolate chips!

Perry Face!

Claire had a happy day with our fun party!

Thanks again to Child's Play Party! We would have another party in a minute with them! I highly recommend it!!

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Amber! You are the winner of the BabyBond Nursing Accessory!!!!!!

Disney Dreaming and Enjoy!!!

Leslie

Pinterest Codes

Have you been to Pinterest? I just LOVE this new (addictive) site! Million Dream Mom showed me, and now I'm hooked. It's hard to get your OWN code, but I can send you the gift of a code! Just leave a comment here, and I'll be happy to email one over to you so you can join the fun!

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

BabyBond Nursing Accessories, Review and Giveaway

Sponsored by Tomoson.com I have a wonderful girlfriend who was kind enough to review this nursing product. While I am no longer nursing, I remember all too well the challenges. If you are someone who is a little leery of nursing in public, you could consider a nursing cover. But there's one problem with MOST nursing covers. In my experience, babies are not fans of them. They are hot, and annoying. My daughter would always flip it up so that the world saw her nursing. I wish we'd had this product when I was breastfeeding. Here's the review of the BabyBond Flex from my friend:

So here's what I thought...

Pros:

1. Great that your baby isn't covered - I have one of the kinds that hide the baby and H gets annoyed with it or plays with it, plus he gets hot. So with this there isn't any of that and you and the baby can see each other and still interact.

2. It's nice and small, rolls up in the handy fabric pouch that's included, easy to slip into diaper bag.

3. The burp cloth that's included is super soft, and detachable to make it easy to use and wash and lets you use other clothes instead.

4. Easy to put on and blends in - doesn't scream that you're using a cover to nurse

5. The packaging is nice. Sleek, modern and attractive. Has an upscale feeling to it. Plus it was very easy to open and reuse if wanted.

6. It's great that it's made in the USA

7. Easily machine washable

Happy nursing baby with perfect cover for Mommy. I love this picture.

Picture of the one Con she found with it - and her solution

Cons:

1. It's a little big. I got the size that's appropriate for my weight and height. Because of the extra room, it didn't hug my body enough to where I felt comfortable that I was going to stay covered. I had to keep moving the top panel to make sure everything was hidden. One thing that could easily solve this is if they added a band at the bottom that could slide up to your body, so the extra fabric was kinda tied up close to you to take away the extra slack. This is what the third pic is for - trying to show what I mean. After I did that then the top part didn't really move on me, so I felt covered. But I lost a hand doing this, so it would be nice if something was built in to solve this problems.

The kind people at BabyBond have offered to provide one of my readers with their OWN nursing cover. Here's all you need to do to enter:

Here’s how to enter: Go to BabyBond's website and tell me what product you like the best!!

You can earn Extra Entries too:

• FOLLOW BabyBond's twitter or facebook (1 entry each)
• LIKE One Year to Disney on facebook (1 entry)
• FOLLOW One Year to Disney (@angellam77) on twitter (1 entry)
• SHARE this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
• TWEET about this Giveaway: “I just entered to a beautiful nursing cover from BabyBond at http://oneyeartodisney.blogspot.com” (1 entry per day)
• BLOG about this Giveaway on your public blog (1 entry)
  
  

  Please leave one comment per entry so I can count them properly and choose a winner using random.org. Comment even if you already follow/subscribe/etc. so I know you are.

  This Giveaway will end Friday, August 12th at 11:59PM CST. Winner will be announced on this post, via a reply to the winning comment. Winner will then need to email me their mailing address to angellam77@yahoo.com. All items will be mailed from the Sponsor. US mailing addresses only.

  Disney Dreaming and wishing you lots of luck!!!!!!,
  
  
  Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Snikiddy snacks review and a special coupon for my readers!!!

Long road trips are brutal on everyone, one thing you can NOT forget is snacks. We do our best to provide healthy snacks for Claire. We brought fruit, cheese,

water and thanks to the wonderful people at Snikiddy Snacks we brought baked Cheddar Snikiddy Cheese fries and Original flavor Snikiddy Snacks.

They come in a variety of types including grilled cheese and mac and cheese

flavors, YUM! They are made from simple, wholesome, natural ingredients.

They are better for you, DELICIOUS, and you can get them at your local grocery store.

We got ours at our local Jewel-Osco.

Snikiddy Snacks are made from wholesome, natural ingredients.

It's SO hard to find yellow snack foods my daughter can eat because she's allergic to Yellow #5. She LOVED being able to eat the cheese fries!

And, Snikiddy Snacks is just a fun thing to say!

I bet all this talk about the WONDERFUL taste of Snikiddy Snacks has you jealous! Don't worry, they gave me a printable coupon for you, my awesome fans
for $1 off a bag! (Feel free to share as long as you give One Year to Disney and

Snikiddy credit.)

You can also like them on facebook and let them know you appreciate the

coupon they gave us here at One Year to Disney. So go enjoy your own bag at a

discount!

Thank you Snikiddy Snacks! :)

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Congratulations Liannas55!! You won the Melissa and Doug Toys! Contact me ASAP!

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

Banging my head against a wall...

Okay so I purchased a gift card from a company as a gift for my dad. As usual, he took a long time to use it. When we went to use it Saturday it wouldn't work, and the phone number on the back was disconnected. That was when we were informed that corporate was out of business and only the franchises were still in existence. So I emailed the company, in hopes that someone was still around to at least find a way to give us our money back somehow...

Now what I've been told in the past is that you tell the company what the problem is, what you'd like to see change, and what you will do if they won't assist you.

Here's what happened. What do YOU make of this? Company names have been changed to protect...well I don't think they're innocent but the franchise owners ARE.

My email to them:

"Several years ago I purchased a gift card on the *company* website for my father. I went to use it with him this weekend and it was not usable. The *company* staff said it shows up unusuable. When I called the number on the back there is a busy signal. I would like either a $35 credit for my local store - I go to *local town's company*, a usable gift card, or I would like my money back. I am a pretty frequent *company* user and I would hate for something like this to affect our business relationship.

Thank you very much

Leslie"

Their email back:

Leslie,

The gift "card" that you are referring to, which was purchased several years ago is no longer valid, usable nor refundable.

The *company* corporate office closed almost 3 years ago and with it went all corporate supported programs. The number on the back of the card does not work because the company that was managing that gift card program stopped when the corporate office closed. There is no way to verify the amount of the card or process it in any way.

The *local town*, nor any other location, for that matter, is obligated to honor the gift certificate as they cannot be reimbursed for it since the owners who closed the corporation did not leave a fund for that purpose. Most kitchens lost thousands of gift card dollar potential and therefore have to make a choice as to whether they want to honor them.

If the card was purchased from a now closed kitchen or through the corporate office, it is not likely to be honored by the kitchen you want to use it in. *company* was never subject to laws regarding expiration dates. If *local store* did not want to honor it, they are within their rights.

As for a $35.00 gift card that is several years old affecting your business relationship with the *local store* kitchen, that is entirely your choice. If they have not served you well over all these years then maybe it is a relationship not worth maintaining. Your business is certainly appreciated. The decisions of a now non-existent corporate office and original owner have affected many owners in devastating ways and have been forced to really tighten their belts and refuse to put money out that they cannot recoup.

Perhaps if you were to use the $35.00 towards a full package order, they would reconsider. Just a suggestion.

*company* Support

While I do feel sympathy, I would think there would be something they can do. I'm not saying the business owners it's not their fault, but the corporation can just walk away from their gift cards?

What do you think?

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

A just beachy GIVEAWAY!

I was so excited, Melissa and Doug was kind enough to send us some fun toys for our Disney trip. They came right in time for the trip, and they were IDEAL for our Florida getaway. Here's what they sent:

Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set

Clicker crab pail and shovel set

Seaside Sidekicks Sand Cupcake Set

Seaside Sidekicks Sand Molding Set

During most of our trip, we had a lovely private pool at Summer Bay Resort. My daughter LOVED using these toys in the pool. She used the buckets to "cook" and measure. She even told us to "keep down the racket" because she was too busy cooking. There were so many cute toys to choose from! As with all Melissa and Doug toys, they are of the highest quality, and so durable you know they're going to be around for years to come.

I can't wait to put these in the sandbox. My daughter has asked every day when she can play with them in a pool again! :) They make VERY good water toys also. Also, I think these make really wonderful gifts for kids with summer birthdays. Combining sandplay with pretend cooking? SO smart Melissa and Doug!

*Imagine a picture here. Our desktop is down. There will be a picture here before the giveaway is over, and it will be of Claire playing with her toys in the pool*

Caption for invisible picture: Quiet down our racket, Claire's cooking! :)

Melissa and Doug want to give one winner the opportunity to win ALL four of the amazing toys they sent me!!!!

Here’s how to enter: Go to Melissa and Doug's website and tell me what product you like the best!! (Hard to pick, I know!)

You can earn Extra Entries too:

• FOLLOW Melissa and Doug's twitter or facebook (1 entry each)
• LIKE One Year to Disney on facebook (1 entry)
• FOLLOW One Year to Disney (@angellam77) on twitter (1 entry)
• SHARE this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
• TWEET about this Giveaway: “I just entered to win the adorable beach toys #giveaway from Melissa and Doug at http://oneyeartodisney.blogspot.com” (1 entry per day)
• JOIN Melissa and Doug's Toy and Birthday Club!
• BLOG about this Giveaway on your public blog (1 entry)
  
  

  Please leave one comment per entry so I can count them properly and choose a winner using random.org. Comment even if you already follow/subscribe/etc. so I know you are.

  This Giveaway will end Friday, July 29th at 11:59PM CST. Winner will be announced on this post, via a reply to the winning comment. Winner will then need to email me their mailing address to angellam77@yahoo.com. All items will be mailed from the Sponsor. US mailing addresses only.

  Disney Dreaming and wishing you lots of luck!!!!!!,
  
  
  Leslie

Wow....

I don't know what it says about the economy, that the early birds at our garage sale asked to go through our trash.

Worried,

Leslie

Wordless Wednesday - Here's my post!

Le Cellier Pretzel Breadsticks are gone...here's why.

I am home, and I am back with many stories. This is the one I wanted to remember to blog about because it's such an immediate change for the diehard Le Cellier lovers.

This is what our waiter told us, as we were enjoying what he said would be the last set of pretzel breadsticks to be enjoyed by our family, as they would be finding a new supplier that week.

Basically, our waiter told us they had been summoned to a meeting that morning, and they were told that the pretzel breadstick supplier had demanded a ton more money. I guess that at one time, the Canadian company who made these breadsticks, had supplied a ton of other places. For one reason or another, all of the other companies discontinued their breadstick contracts. So in order to make these breadsticks lucrative, they asked Le Cellier to provide them with an ADDITIONAL $150,000 to make these breadsticks worth their efforts. I can imagine they laughed. I would have. Their bread is great, but that is highway robbery, IMHO.

So, at this morning staff meeting, our server was told that they will have some kind of replacement, but it might be loaves of bread or bread in another form. Will it be pretzel bread? He wasn't sure. He was just told they would be sampling something new soon to see what would take its place.

Will the lull in pretzel bread goodness change your ADR's at all? Do you have fond pretzel bread memories?

:)

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

Dirty hands? Clean them up!

Have you ever been out and gotten dirty hands? I think that's about the same question is, do you breathe? LOL. In the past our main options was alcohol based hand sanitizer which isn't safe for children. Not anymore!! Prefense provided me with their new foaming sanitizer to try! It is Alcohol free and its germ killing power lasts for 24 hours or 10 hand washings!!! And it will not hurt if it is swallowed! That is a relief with my curious little one!! Prefense protects against staph, strep, E.coli, drug resistant MRSA strains, and more. They fight germs that other hand sanitizers can’t!! And because it's not alcohol based, it actually softens your hands!

Prefense offers a variety of products, the sanitizer, refills, wet wipes, and even a wall unit.

We loved our Prefense, and look forward to taking it on our Disney trip. There's nothing grosser than going in a bathroom on the road, and realizing there's no soap, or no towels. This is such a great solution!! Prefense is also nice to keep in your purse or in your office.

And guess what?? Prefense is offering you the chance to win one yourself!

Here’s how to enter: Go to Prefense's website and tell me what you like best about it!

You can earn Extra Entries too:

• FOLLOW Prefense's twitter or facebook (1 entry each)
• LIKE One Year to Disney on facebook (1 entry)
• FOLLOW One Year to Disney (@angellam77) on twitter (1 entry)
• Share this giveaway on Facebook (1 entry)
• Tweet about this Giveaway: “I just entered to win the Prefense hand sanitizer #giveaway from Prefense at http://oneyeartodisney.blogspot.com” (1 entry per day)
• Blog about this Giveaway on your public blog (1 entry)
  
  

  Please leave one comment per entry so I can count them properly and choose a winner using random.org. Comment even if you already follow/subscribe/etc. so I know you are.

  This Giveaway will end Tuesday, July 5th at 11:59PM CST. Winner will be announced on this post, via a reply to the winning comment. Winner will then need to email me their mailing address to angellam77@yahoo.com. All items will be mailed from the Sponsor. US mailing addresses only.

  Disney Dreaming and wishing you lots of luck!!!!!!,
  
  
  Leslie

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Congratulations!!

Congratulations to Lynn B.! Random.org chose you as the winner of the surprise prize! Check your email for a message from me. Lots more prizes coming in the next few weeks! :)

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

Scary Rides at Disney...

How do you prepare a little one for a trip to Disney? My 4 (and a half) year old is very excited about our trip, but apprehensive about some of the rides. Rides she is presently scared of include: The Haunted Mansion (my FAVORITE ride, so much so that it's the ringtone on my phone!), Pirates of the Carribean, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Snow White's Scary Adventures.

We've started watching videos on youtube of all of the rides I think she'll be scared of to prepare her. This doesn't mean showing her all the rides, that wouldn't be fun, just the ones I think she needs to watch a few times to psych herself up to ride. I get the distinct impression she thinks she'll be fighting her way through pirates or running away from ghosts, no matter how many times I explain that she'll be carried through the ride on a car/boat/etc.

Our favorite place to watch rides is the Infomouse. Her tips, ride through rides, and information are a perfect starting place for anyone prepping for Disney. I also like SpokesMayne's Day at DisneyWorld, and how you can click the video to ride the rides.

Let me know what your tips for preparing little ones for the scarier parts of Disney are.

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie

Better late than never, post for Something about me Blog Hop!

Disneybird was kind enough to host a blog hop, and I just didn't get my post up. I'm a procrastinator sometimes. I'd love to give you excuses, there are some. But, this time it was mostly procrastination.

Now, for something about me that isn't procrastination.

A lot of you are new fans, so I'll tell you something you might not know about me you might or might not know. Let's see....I'll make it Disney related. My parents, both teachers, have always struggled but also wanted to make sure I had special experiences in life. So, when I started asking to go to DisneyWorld, they said I was too young. They told me we could go when I was 12. I assume this was to put me off asking, and possibly because they thought i'd forget. I didn't. :) So as I was approaching 12, I started reminding my parents of their promise. They did come through, and in 1991 they took me to DisneyWorld. It was one of my favorite vacations ever. It set the tone for my love affair with Disney, and my favorite park....

Epcot. I know, I'm one of the few that would choose Epcot if I only had one day. Can you believe it? I think part of it was that my dad got to go there because he had a conference before we did. He brought me home a tape of music, and it was all Epcot music, and I fell in love. That and Epcot made me feel like being smart was okay.

What something we might not know about you that is Disney related?

Disney Dreaming,

Leslie