When asked if I wanted to go on a trip to Kissimmee, Florida, I said yes, of course. I was expecting Disney World, I’ve never been there before. Next thing I know, I’ve signed myself up for ICE, bi-plane riding, and zip-lining. UHHH, the nerves kicked in at the words ziplining and bi-plane riding. Hmmm. Ok, here we go, I wasn’t going to back out. I put on the gear and felt quite adventurous.

Then we climbed the stairs, the rickety stairs up to our first line. Now we’re talking rules and don’t touch this and don’t’ do that, my hearing glosses over as I’m noticing how high we are and that we have to be unhooked for a brief time as we get ready to jump/fall/sit into our glide across the trees. My nerves kicked into high gear and I wasn’t sure what to do.

As I watched everyone go before me I was wondering if I could really do this? The thrill seeker in me won out. I did it, I flew through the trees like a bird and loved it. It wasn’t until about four lines into it that I was actually able to really enjoy it. I’m pretty sure I’m afraid of heights but I have a closet thrill seeker in me that rides mechanical bulls, runs through the streets of New York in a ball gown, and fly down zip lines over Alligators.

Florida Eco Safaris take care of everything you need. They provide tour guides who help you along the way. They are quite prepared for any and all occasions and ours even provided some quick witted much needed humor to lighten the tension of something so adventurous. They of course provide the gear and keep up with all ziplining standards. I had an amazing time and can’t wait for round two. At Florida’s Eco Safaris you can choose from four amazing ways to explore Forever Florida: Coach Safari, Horseback Safari, soar over it all on Florida’s biggest and All New Zipline Safari™, or pedal through the treetops on the New Cypress Canopy Cycle. We also did the Cypress Canopy Cycle, it’s a lot of work and I was a little too close to really large spiders for my taste but I did really enjoy the workout.

Travel Expenses were covered by Kissimmee CVB, Global Resort Homes and Florida Eco Safaris. Special thanks to Kas pictured above for helping to organize the event.

We eat pasta a lot … okay, like once a week (which is a lot to me). My sons love pasta, and they have just reached the stage where they slurping up their spaghetti noodles. What could be more fun?!? And my 5YO doesn’t like sauces, so it’s not too messy. I can’t help but think of Lady and the Tramp whenever I watch my children suck spaghetti through their puckered lips. I wonder if they think of this memorable scene too?

Your children haven’t seen Lady and the Tramp? Well, Disney is releasing Lady and the Tramp from their vault today, Tuesday, February 7! This release is Disney’s “Diamond Edition” which is a Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy release. You’ll want to get it as soon as you can, since the best deals on DVDs can be found on the Tuesday of their release and the remaining part of the week (through the following Saturday), but also because once these Diamond Editions are sold out Disney will again lock-up the Lady and the Tramp vault until its next release!

IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T SEEN LADY AND THE TRAMP: The story centers around a Cocker Spaniel dog named Lady. She is a privileged pup who is owned by a young couple; she is their first “baby”. The owners – “Darling” and “Jim Dear”, as they call each other – baby Lady providing her with all the luxuries a dog can have such as sleeping at the food of the bed, fireside preferences, treats, a collar with license, and daily walks. Lady’s world changes a bit as Jim Dear and Darling are expecting their first child, but nothing changes Lady’s world more than when her owners leave her and the baby with Aunt Sara for a weekend away. Aunt Sara isn’t a dog person and her two curious Siamese cats wreck the house blaming it on Lady, and then Lady’s barking earns her a muzzle and new sleeping quarters in her dog house. Luckily, she runs off and is rescued by an acquaintance and stray dog known as Tramp. SPOILER ALERT: Tramp is stricken by Lady and changes his ways as a tramp to become a family dog; not just collared and licensed with Jim Dear, Darling and baby, but with pups of his own with Lady!

My sons love Lady and the Tramp. My 2YO likes it because he’s really into animals, so a full movie about dogs is right up his alley. My 5YO likes the story, but his favorite parts are the beaver at the zoo (which is why I think Disney added a beaver to the their Winnie the Pooh cartoons) and the “Song of the Siamese Cats”.

In the Diamond Edition DVD combo packs you get the movie plus bonus features including never-before seen deleted scenes, a never-before-heard deleted song, a look inside Walt’s story meetings, Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad mini documentary, the making of Lady and the Tramp, The Siamese Cat Song: Finding A Voice for the Cats, and more. Purchasing the Diamond Edition also scores you and your family access to the Disney’s Second Screen feature where you can get more information about the movie and even play games using your family’s computer. (You may remember Mom Start’s experience with Second Screen from The Lion King Diamond Edition release.)

Though Lady and the Tramp isn’t my FAVORITE Disney movie, it is a classic. My whole family enjoyed watching Lady and the Tramp; even my Jack Russell Terriers go a little coo-coo for the movie with their real dog barks like when the rat is coming into the house near the end of the movie.

My Mom Start Review Grade for Disney’s Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition DVD Combo Pack: A

Lady and the Tramp is a great addition to any person’s Disney collection. Lady and the Tramp is also one of the few popular classics without a Princess (and is pure Disney magic). Just a reminder, be sure you score a copy before Lady and the Tramp is no longer available again!

About Summer:

Summer is very active in our Local MOMS Club chapter, she is the mother of two adorable active boys, and is always thinking of ways to help others. She is a friend, a wife, and always busy as all mommies are. She is very active on Facebook, addicted to Geocaching and very interested in organic and green living while cooking up a storm

After buying the tickets we were able to catch the end of the diver feeding the fish and her interview. My kids were fascinated and amazed, it reminded me of how much my kids loved going to the aquarium in the first place. Of course Finding Nemo brought out a love of aquariums in all kids (which by the way Finding Nemo comes out in 3D September 14, 2012), but my kids loved looking at fish way before they saw the movie..

The aquarium used the familiarity that children have and created an activity where the kids had to find different fish from the movie. Not all the fish we had to find were prominent in the movie but Nemo and Dori were both on the list. My kids had a blast searching through the fish and different tanks to find Nemo and the other fish on the list. What a great educational opportunity taking your kids to the aquarium was. 

After our fish hunt we went to see the baby otter. To get to the otter l we had to go through the puffin house. Wow!! there was a puffin in there that was going a little crazy I think. Quoting Finding Nemo, “Fish don’t belong in a tank, it does something to them”….I was thinking that actually applied to this crazy puffin. The kids loved it though, they thought he was just putting on a show for them. Seriously, I’m happy the aquarium does what they do, the educate the kids and myself in so many different ways.Look at this seahorse it’s amazing!

Through stories, hands on exhibits and information we had a very fun and educational day. I learned that the Great Pacific Octopus can get up to 400 lbs, at least that’s the largest recorded weight. And they can get into as small as a quarter size hole as long as their beak isn’t that big. It’s their only limitation.

We ended our day with fish hats and I leave you with this trailer of Finding Nemo in 3D.

Travel and Expenses were covered by 2daysinseattle, the Seattle CVB. And yes I do have an ongoing relationship with Disney and DreamWorks. I have permission to use their artwork.

Dan Laycock took us in depth with peripherals. Dan is the device guy for the Microsoft Ecosystem team You may be asking what does that mean, it means he makes sure your devices work with a Windows computer. You know printers cameras and TVs. We’re happy he does this because our TV has been hooked up to our computer for five years I think, maybe even longer. Dan’s job is to make sure the Microsoft partners create devices that enhance the Windows 7 experience. And he’s already looking forward to Windows 8.

Key Points to Consider:

Microsoft spends a lot of time working with partners to figure out how to make the PC experience great. By Finding the Windows logo on a product ensures you that it’s a legitimate MS product for hardware. The companies that put products in markets with the compatible with Windows 7 have been tested to ensure a great integrated experience for users. This ensures that the device you are buying will do all the things that it’s supposed to do.

It’s important to note that many products don’t have the Windows logo on their box even though they’ve earned it (companies are able to decide whether they want to include the logo or not). This is important for things like TVs because you don’t always see the box or think about it as something you will connect to a PC

You should also remember to use the Windows 7 Compatibility Center: The Windows 7 Compatibility site stores information on products that have earned the compatibility logo.

Now the exciting part, with Windows 8, there you will see more gadgets compatible with your PC. And I can’t wait for Windows 8 to come out.

The partners and Ecosystems will store apps in the market for easy access to users and to make installing easier. No need to add a CD.

There will be very little work on the your part as the consumer and I’ve noticed over the years that Windows has gotten a lot easier for us anyways. They are always making improvements.

And if you keep up with the Windows Champions during the #Win7Tech chat you will see new devices and more sneak peeks into Windows 8.

Dan’s favorite device: Logitech harmony remote. Dan tweets at: @DanielLaycock find him on #Win7Tech Tuesdays at noon PST.

I’m a member of the Windows Champion Program with Microsoft, this information was provided to me.

Offer good for one set of twelve cards per dozen purchased. While supplies last.

This is Krispy Kreme’s biggest day of the year since 2009 and their fans can send an e-card and watch a Valentine’s Day video during this promotion. Did you know that they have the best Facebook Fanpage I’ve ever seen by a brand. With over 3,000,000 fans they constantly have interaction with them. Get connected today at www.krispykreme.com, www.KrispyKreme.com/HotLightApp , www.KrispyKreme.com, Facebook, foursquare and Twitter, and KrispyKremeDoughnuts on YouTube.

Pair the best Valentine’s Day Doughnuts with any Krispy Kreme Signature Coffee Blend and it’s a recipe for love.

· Drizzled Heart: Nothing says ‘Be Mine’ like a decadent chocolate iced doughnut drizzled with red icing.

· Heart with Sprinkles: Treat your sweetheart to a heart-shaped treat topped with white icing and romantic red and white sprinkles.

· Chocolate Iced Glazed with Sprinkles: A classic chocolate iced doughnut showered in red and white sprinkles for your true love.

My favorite of the three. Nom nom nom

Travel and Expenses to Krispy Kreme were provided by Krispy Kreme.

This is a photo of the I Heart FedEx Office Gift Pack:
included in the FedEx Office Gift Pack is

Weekly/Monthly Calendar – Insert a special photo into the stylish calendar to remember your loved ones all day long and stay on track with your schedule. Calendar is lightweight and ideal to stick in your purse at 5.5 x 8 inches.

Glitter Flower Add-On Accessories – Spruce up a card or scrapbooking project with these sparkle, glitter add-on accessories.  (12 count)

Note Cards with Stripes Envelopes – Whether you’re writing a Valentine’s Day or a special note, these solid note cards with coordinating stripes envelopes are versatile and classy. (12 count)

Who Loves You Sticky Notes – A precious owl says, Who Loves You. Leave a note or a reminder with these cute stickies. (50 count)

Valued up to $25

I’m excited to say that FedEx Office is partnering with me to offer a giveaway to you guys so you can see what their photo quality is like.

Enter to Win:

The I Heart FedEx Office Gift Pack.

To Enter:

Leave a comment telling me what you would want a photo canvas of, your dog, landscape or kids? Me I want my kids on a full size canvas.

Extra Entries:

tweet:

Win great #FedEx Prizes @MomStart $25 #Giveaway http://bit.ly/xID3pH

Subscribe to Momtart
Comment on any non-giveaway post
List this giveaway on any giveaway site, like or share on Facebook (or use any of the share options listed below)
Blog About this Giveaway (5 extra entries, linking to the giveaway, leave the link in the comments)
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This giveaway ends February 20th I received a $100 gift card from FedEx Office to make this Canvas Art Print. I am solely responsible for selecting the winners for the giveaway (not FedEx Office). Also, the ideas in this blog post are entirely mine and I have not received ideas or advice from FedEx Office, All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Have you made a commitment to eat healthier this year? My guess is that you are among most families who try to take steps toward putting nutritious and great tasting dishes on the table daily. I grew up in a culture where eating meat IS what you do and I have not met a single vegetarian until I entered high school. Our mother went through many health kicks (funny, now that I think about it) and one of them was cutting some meat out of our diet. I am proud to say that she was quite successful with it and up to this day, she still prepares certain foods with soy and vegetable based products. That small little step she took still has lasing affects on my life. If it were up to me, we would eat meat only a few times a week and I do not think my children would mind it … except for the little carnivore I have for a youngest son.

Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Veggie Meatballs and Veggie dogs are just the thing to start you off on that small commitment that may change your family’s healthy eating habits on the long term, not to mention that it is truly a small step toward the health of our planet as well. MorningStar has just joined the Meatless Monday Campaign to give families a great start to every week by offering amazing meatless choices. Meatless Monday is a movement embraced by hundreds of thousands of people, seeking to change their health by going meatless just one day a week. Small commitment, don’t you think?

I have received samples from both the Veggie Dogs and the Meal Starters Veggie Meatballs for this review. My older son loves MorningStar Corndogs and he was super excited to get into the Veggie Dog box. To his great enjoyment, it was just as what he expected. My children usually just dunk their dog in mustard and ketchup and simply skip the bun so these ‘naked’ dogs were a nice snack one afternoon. They cooked up in a matter of minutes. If you are used to regular hotdogs, you might find them a bit firmer but just as defined in taste as the meaty competitors. With 50 calories, 7g of protein, only 0.5g of fat, and flavor not compromised, they just cannot pick a fight with real hotdogs when it comes to health.

As for the MealStarters Veggie Meatballs … well, they turned into this:

I tossed those little babies into a cast iron skillet with some olive oil and browned them to perfection. They were crispy and delicious on the outside and tender on the inside. In a whole wheat pita with tasty cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, feta cheese and some home made tzadziki they made quite the ‘hmm’s’ and ‘yumms’ around the dinner table. Each serving (5 meatballs – and that’s a lot of meatballs) has only 130 calories, 15g of protein and 0.5g of fat (dare I compare that to Leading Frozen Fully Cooked Meatballs with 28g of fat?).

Meatless Monday’s are a great way to kick start healthy eating habits. “Most diets don’t last long-term because they’re not realistic”, argued by Kathy Kaehler, celebrity fitness trainer. Kathy offers simple steps to make small changes that will be lasting:

• Sunday SetUp: Create a list of what to buy. Include grain, lean protein, fresh fruits and veggies (preferably seasonal to a given area).
• Share the Health: Include family, friends, children in your commitment as supporters.
• Make the Unfamiliar, Familiar: Start incorporating familiar meatless products into your routine (for example make Veggie Meatballs with spaghetti).
• The rest of the week counts too: Try to exercise 3 times a week.

Join the movement and go Meatless on Mondays with MorningStar products! You can learn more about the Meatless Monday campaign from www.MeatlessMonday.com .

Both MorningStar Farms Veggie dogs and Meal Starters Veggie Meatballs are available at retail stores nationwide for $4.49 a carton.They are products from the Kellog Company and you can purchase them, along with all MorningStar products online as well at www.morningstarfarms.com .

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

I tried all the flavors and my favorite flavor is the Cafe Escapes Chai Latte K-Cups for Keurig Coffee Machines – 16 Pack. Café Escapes also come in Mocha, dark hot chocolate and milk hot chocolate. I’m usually quite the chocolate fan but mocha or coffee flavored chocolate has never really worked for me.

With this K-Cup® Portion Packs campaign we’re teaming up with Birchbox. Birchbox is an innovative and new way to try beauty products before you buy them. You get to sample them because Birchbox provides its subscribers with monthly deliveries of samples from well-known beauty brands. And I received a sampling of the Café Escapes inspired beauty products.

But Birchbox is so much more than a subscription of free beauty samples! Your also enjoy:

-An online mini-mag filled with how-to videos, articles, and tips from the pros

-An online Shop filled with the best skincare, hair care, makeup, and more – we’ve done the editing for you!

-Birchbox Points, a super generous rewards program – so easy to earn, track, and redeem points

-Great shipping offers on full-size orders, including free shipping on monthly product picks, and all orders $50+

Be sure to Visit Café Escapes on Facebook and Twitter (@cafeescapes)

SAVE Money, use this Keurig Green Mountian Discount Code :

AM0016-3602. This code offers 15% off the entire store and free standard shipping (within the U.S. with no minimum order) at www.GreenMountainCoffee.com, and is valid through February 29^th.

Last but not least we’re hosting a giveaway!

Enter to Win:

A free subscription to Birchbox for one year! That means you get 4-5 hand-picked beauty samples form the best brands around – from the luxe lines you covet to the new and niche companies you’ve yet to discover.

Your samples will be different from mine!

To Enter:

Leave a comment telling me what flavor of coffee is your favorite.

Extra Entries:

Use the rafflecopter form below. I will delete empty entries in the form so leave a way for me to check your entry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway ends February 20th we received samples for administrative hosting purposes, All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

"5 Terrific T. Rex Teeth Tips" from your buddies at Dinosaur Train!

Just like Buddy loses his teeth on Dinosaur Train, kids lose primary teeth to make way for permanent teeth. Tyrannosaurus Rex replaced their teeth throughout their lives but you only get two sets so it is especially important to practice good dental care. Follow these helpful tips for strong teeth and a healthy smile!

1. Twice a day: Brush your teeth when you wake up and before you go to bed.

2. Take your time: Brush your teeth for 2 minutes and be sure to include your tongue!

3. Be kind to your gums: Brush with a soft bristle toothbrush.

4. Get the hard to reach places: Floss your teeth every day.

5. See your dentist twice a year!

And if you want to see Buddy learning about his teeth, please tune into Dinosaur Train on March 1 on PBS KIDS to watch the “T-Rex Teeth” episode (check your local listings) and visit LINK TO INTERSTITIAL to watch Dr. Scott, the host of Dinosaur Train, tell us all about the teeth of the Tyrannosaurus and other carnivores, like sharks.  Both sharks and Tyrannosaurus’ lose their teeth, but those teeth are always replaced by new teeth.  Humans only get two sets of teeth, so it’s important to take good care of them!

For more tips on how to “Rock Your Smile,” you might enjoy the FREE activity sheets for kids at the American Dental Association’s website, www.ada.org.

And now you have super clean teeth, you can “Rock Your Smile” as you hand out FREE Valentine’s Day Cards from Dinosaur Train.

Enter to Win:

Two Sets of Dinosaur Train toothbrushes

To Enter:

Leave a comment on this post.

Extra Entries:

Use the rafflecopter and make sure you leave a way for me to verify your entries or I will delete them.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway ends February 20th, All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

So when Krispy Kreme asked us to try the coffee straight up with the doughnuts I was skeptical and apprehensive. Even though they were giving me such wonderful doughnuts all I could think of was I have to have my sugar. I never thought the doughnut would actually provide the sweetness itself.

House Blend pairs with the blueberry cake doughnut

Dark Roast pairs with the Raspberry filled doughnut. The coffee really did enhance the flavor of the doughnut.

House Decaf pairs with the original doughnut. It’s strange but the house blend and the house blend decaf taste different and it’s meant to be that way. Of course, I drink coffee for the caffeine kick not for the taste, but I do prefer to drink coffee that I enjoy. Did you know that we add sugar to bad coffee, so if you start out with good coffee you don’t need sugar or in my case you don’t need as much.

My favorite coffee is the Krispy Kreme Dark Roast coffee blend out of the three we tasted. I liked the dark flavors and enjoyed it just a tiny bit black, which for me says a lot about the coffee. Now I’m off to the store to find myself some more Krispy Kreme coffee grinds to use in my Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter. They only sent me home with the House Blend.

Travel and expenses were covered by Krispy Kreme.