Rice Krispie Treats are one of my favorite treats!  With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to share with you these two easy and cute Easter Rice Krispie Treat Recipes.  I love making fun festive treats for my boys. You can definitely modify these recipes to use what you already have in your pantry or to your tastes.  

I received an e-mail from Kelloggs Rice Krispie with this cute idea for Egg Nests you can see their recipe here. They also have a ton of ideas on their website for more Spring Treats. You can also find similar ideas on Pinterest, to turn these Nests into Easter baskets.
With their Egg Nest recipe it calls for coconut to use as the grass, I was planning on using green frosting instead, then I came across "Edible Grass" at Target when my hubby and I were on a date night (yes I always try and squeeze in a kid free trip to Target or Hobby Lobby on date night, lol) so I decided to use the Edible Grass.  I thought my boys would get a kick out of that. 

I also decided to use my mini muffin pan, bite size things always seem cute, I find the mini muffin size perfect for toddlers. 
MINI EGG NEST RICE KRISPIE TREATS
What you need:
Rice Krispie Cereal
Mini Marshmallows
Green Grass (Edible Grass, Dyed Coconut, or even Frosting)
Eggs (I used Whopper Mini Eggs, you can also use Jelly Beans)

Directions:
Make Rice Krispie Treat Recipe 
I made a smaller batch to fill my 24 mini muffins
Use 3 Tablespoons of Butter and 3 Cups of Mini Marshmallows melted in a pan then add in 3 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal, mix together.  

I used a mini ice cream scoop it was the perfect amount to place in my mini muffin tin. Pressed the mixture in each cup, I used the back of a measuring spoon (Teaspoon size) to help indent the Rice Krispie to form nest you can also use your thumb.

I used scissors to cut up the Edible Grass.  My boys placed the chopped grass in each nest and 2 Whopper Eggs on each nest, they had fun helping.

I love the ways these turned out and so did my boys.  The grass was a big hit with one child it is Apple Flavored, the other two said next time to use frosting.  The Edible Grass does not really add a great taste, but it sure does look cute.  At the bottom of this post I added pictures with nests with frosting per my sons request, lol.

Since I was in the Rice Krispie Easter mood, I also made Easter Egg shaped Rice Krispie Treats.  I used a plastic Easter Egg sprayed with non-stick spray to help mold my treat.  
I also made a smaller batch so I could make multiple colors.
EASTER EGG RICE KRISPIE TREATS
Directions:
Make Rice Krispie Mixture (The 2 Cup Recipe Below makes about 8 eggs in each color)
Use 2 Tablespoons of Butter and 2 Cups of Mini Marshmallows melted in a pan.  
Add in food coloring before the cereal.  
For the Pink I used 4 drops of McCormick Neon Pink Food Coloring
For the Green I used 2 drops of McCormick Neon Green Food Coloring (next time I would use 3-4 drops)
For the Purple I used 2 drops of McCormick Neon Purple Food Coloring
Once Food coloring is mixed in, stir in cereal, mix well.  

I let the mixture cool for about 5 to 10 minutes so the mixture would be easier to handle. You don't want to let it cool too much though or you won't be able to form the eggs.
I sprayed a plastic Easter Egg with non-stick cooking spray and then filled the egg to form the egg shape.  It was very easy and I love the way they turned out.

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 









Easter Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie Treats are one of my favorite treats!  With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to share with you these two easy and cute Easter Rice Krispie Treat Recipes.  I love making fun festive treats for my boys. You can definitely modify these recipes to use what you already have in your pantry or to your tastes.  

I received an e-mail from Kelloggs Rice Krispie with this cute idea for Egg Nests you can see their recipe here. They also have a ton of ideas on their website for more Spring Treats. You can also find similar ideas on Pinterest, to turn these Nests into Easter baskets.
With their Egg Nest recipe it calls for coconut to use as the grass, I was planning on using green frosting instead, then I came across "Edible Grass" at Target when my hubby and I were on a date night (yes I always try and squeeze in a kid free trip to Target or Hobby Lobby on date night, lol) so I decided to use the Edible Grass.  I thought my boys would get a kick out of that. 

I also decided to use my mini muffin pan, bite size things always seem cute, I find the mini muffin size perfect for toddlers. 
MINI EGG NEST RICE KRISPIE TREATS
What you need:
Rice Krispie Cereal
Mini Marshmallows
Green Grass (Edible Grass, Dyed Coconut, or even Frosting)
Eggs (I used Whopper Mini Eggs, you can also use Jelly Beans)

Directions:
Make Rice Krispie Treat Recipe 
I made a smaller batch to fill my 24 mini muffins
Use 3 Tablespoons of Butter and 3 Cups of Mini Marshmallows melted in a pan then add in 3 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal, mix together.  

I used a mini ice cream scoop it was the perfect amount to place in my mini muffin tin. Pressed the mixture in each cup, I used the back of a measuring spoon (Teaspoon size) to help indent the Rice Krispie to form nest you can also use your thumb.

I used scissors to cut up the Edible Grass.  My boys placed the chopped grass in each nest and 2 Whopper Eggs on each nest, they had fun helping.

I love the ways these turned out and so did my boys.  The grass was a big hit with one child it is Apple Flavored, the other two said next time to use frosting.  The Edible Grass does not really add a great taste, but it sure does look cute.  At the bottom of this post I added pictures with nests with frosting per my sons request, lol.

Since I was in the Rice Krispie Easter mood, I also made Easter Egg shaped Rice Krispie Treats.  I used a plastic Easter Egg sprayed with non-stick spray to help mold my treat.  
I also made a smaller batch so I could make multiple colors.
EASTER EGG RICE KRISPIE TREATS
Directions:
Make Rice Krispie Mixture (The 2 Cup Recipe Below makes about 8 eggs in each color)
Use 2 Tablespoons of Butter and 2 Cups of Mini Marshmallows melted in a pan.  
Add in food coloring before the cereal.  
For the Pink I used 4 drops of McCormick Neon Pink Food Coloring
For the Green I used 2 drops of McCormick Neon Green Food Coloring (next time I would use 3-4 drops)
For the Purple I used 2 drops of McCormick Neon Purple Food Coloring
Once Food coloring is mixed in, stir in cereal, mix well.  

I let the mixture cool for about 5 to 10 minutes so the mixture would be easier to handle. You don't want to let it cool too much though or you won't be able to form the eggs.
I sprayed a plastic Easter Egg with non-stick cooking spray and then filled the egg to form the egg shape.  It was very easy and I love the way they turned out.

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 









It is almost Easter!  I love everything about Easter, I love celebrating Jesus and His Resurrection.  I enjoy the special Easter service at our church.  I love that its spring the weather is nice and summer is near, we get to enjoy playing outside.  I love all the bright colors that spring and Easter decorations bring.  For me it’s almost like another “New Year” with spring cleaning, organizing and preparing for when the kids are home for spring break.  I feel like we get to push the reset button again like the New Year.    

My kids are very blessed, our church always does an amazing Easter Egg Hunt for them, last year they had an interactive experience where they took a passport to each room/station telling the Easter Story.  We have a family get-together with all the cousins for an Easter Egg Hunt, and I usually do an Easter Egg Hunt for them at home as well and their school has an Easter Celebration before they are off for Spring Break, so for us Easter lasts for a couple of weeks which I love. 

Last year I made these adorable Easter Peep Kabobs for my sons to take to school.  In volunteering in my son’s classes I know there is always a large amount of cookies, cupcakes and candy, so sending in fruit is always a nice healthy alternative to balance out all those yummy treats.  I found this idea on Pinterest, a mom’s best friend.  There are ton of cute Easter Treat Ideas on Pinterest to help you prepare for those class parties, and family Easter celebrations.  If you haven’t purchased one of those silicone Easter egg molds, definitely do, I have used those for jello eggs, last year I also made brownie eggs in the mold and drizzled them with chocolate, yum!

Back to the Easter Peep Fruit Kabobs if your kids are like mine they love to eat food off a stick.  I love that these are easy to make also very cute and easy to handle. 
What you need:
Skewers
Peeps
Fresh Fruit of your choice (I used grapes, pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe and watermelon).

Directions:
Chop your fruit and prepare to assemble on the skewer and top with a peep.  I found using a grape next to the peep was best, so you don’t have “wet” fruit next to the marshmallow peep. 

Check out last years post on Easter and one of my favorite tools in sharing the Easter Story with my children "Resurrection Eggs" link: Celebrating Easter.

If you love Peeps as much as I do, check out Love Vividly's recipe for Marshmallow Peeps Milkshakes, they sound delicious and are super cute!

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends. 

Below are pictures of the jello eggs and brownie eggs I made last year.
Jello Eggs
Brownie Eggs




Easter Peep Fruit Kabobs

It is almost Easter!  I love everything about Easter, I love celebrating Jesus and His Resurrection.  I enjoy the special Easter service at our church.  I love that its spring the weather is nice and summer is near, we get to enjoy playing outside.  I love all the bright colors that spring and Easter decorations bring.  For me it’s almost like another “New Year” with spring cleaning, organizing and preparing for when the kids are home for spring break.  I feel like we get to push the reset button again like the New Year.    

My kids are very blessed, our church always does an amazing Easter Egg Hunt for them, last year they had an interactive experience where they took a passport to each room/station telling the Easter Story.  We have a family get-together with all the cousins for an Easter Egg Hunt, and I usually do an Easter Egg Hunt for them at home as well and their school has an Easter Celebration before they are off for Spring Break, so for us Easter lasts for a couple of weeks which I love. 

Last year I made these adorable Easter Peep Kabobs for my sons to take to school.  In volunteering in my son’s classes I know there is always a large amount of cookies, cupcakes and candy, so sending in fruit is always a nice healthy alternative to balance out all those yummy treats.  I found this idea on Pinterest, a mom’s best friend.  There are ton of cute Easter Treat Ideas on Pinterest to help you prepare for those class parties, and family Easter celebrations.  If you haven’t purchased one of those silicone Easter egg molds, definitely do, I have used those for jello eggs, last year I also made brownie eggs in the mold and drizzled them with chocolate, yum!

Back to the Easter Peep Fruit Kabobs if your kids are like mine they love to eat food off a stick.  I love that these are easy to make also very cute and easy to handle. 
What you need:
Skewers
Peeps
Fresh Fruit of your choice (I used grapes, pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe and watermelon).

Directions:
Chop your fruit and prepare to assemble on the skewer and top with a peep.  I found using a grape next to the peep was best, so you don’t have “wet” fruit next to the marshmallow peep. 

Check out last years post on Easter and one of my favorite tools in sharing the Easter Story with my children "Resurrection Eggs" link: Celebrating Easter.

If you love Peeps as much as I do, check out Love Vividly's recipe for Marshmallow Peeps Milkshakes, they sound delicious and are super cute!

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends. 

Below are pictures of the jello eggs and brownie eggs I made last year.
Jello Eggs
Brownie Eggs




I recently visited the Sacramento Central Library with one of my sons on a school field trip.  We had a scheduled tour that I found to be so informative that I wanted to share with you about it here.  Living in Sacramento for over 25 years I have never visited that specific library. 
The Sacramento Central Library is beautiful and a great resource to be aware of.  It has 5 floors of books to check out.  There are computers available for use and so much more.  They have a “Sacramento Room” that is filled with books and things about Sacramento history.   You cannot check out the items in the Sacramento room, but you can visit and read/study in their beautiful room.  The Sacramento Room is the actual 1917 Sacramento Library.  It has the original windows; we viewed a prayer book from the 14th Century that was before Christopher Columbus.
On the tour I learned there are 28 libraries in the Sacramento County, I think I have visited less than 5.  Did you know there is a “Library of Things” where you can check out musical instruments, sewing machines, board games, go pro cameras and so much more!  At this current time during the Arcade Library Remodel, the Library of Things is available at two locations, for board games and video games you visit the Central Library, 828 I St., where we toured downtown.  For the other items you visit the Carmichael Library, 5605 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.

Here is a link for more information on the Library of Things:

At the Central Library Downtown you can get your passport, print your own books, and so much more.   You can trace your family tree!  Receive free, one-on-one help with a genealogist at the Central Library. Call (916) 264-2920 to book your 45-minute genealogy session.

In need of a Passport check out this link for details:

Did you know you can get FREE Homework Help!   Trained volunteers serve as Homework Coaches to students in grades 1-8, offering homework assistance in all subject areas.  For locations and times visit this link: http://www.saclibrary.org/Services/Homework-Coaches
You can check out 30 books at one time and return them to ANY of the Sacramento County Libraries, not just the one you checked the books out from.  You can check out 20 e-books at one time.  You can also rent out the Galleria room for weddings, proms, and special events.

If you have Teen’s they have a Teen Advisory Board they can join for ages 12-19, that help come up with different events that would interest teens.  They have a Teen book review club and so much more.

If you have never visited the Sacramento Central Library or if it’s been awhile I encourage you to plan a visit and avail yourself to all the FREE resources that are available to you. 

The Sacramento Central Library is located at: 828 I Street, Sacramento.  Nearest Cross Street: 9th St. (Parking Garage at 8th & J St) You can also find metered parking surrounding the library.

For Hours of Operation, Events Calendar and more information visit their website at:

Plan to have lunch at the Capitol Gardens after you visit the Library if you can, we enjoyed our lunch soaking up the sun and sights of spring.
Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 



The Sacramento Central Library

I recently visited the Sacramento Central Library with one of my sons on a school field trip.  We had a scheduled tour that I found to be so informative that I wanted to share with you about it here.  Living in Sacramento for over 25 years I have never visited that specific library. 
The Sacramento Central Library is beautiful and a great resource to be aware of.  It has 5 floors of books to check out.  There are computers available for use and so much more.  They have a “Sacramento Room” that is filled with books and things about Sacramento history.   You cannot check out the items in the Sacramento room, but you can visit and read/study in their beautiful room.  The Sacramento Room is the actual 1917 Sacramento Library.  It has the original windows; we viewed a prayer book from the 14th Century that was before Christopher Columbus.
On the tour I learned there are 28 libraries in the Sacramento County, I think I have visited less than 5.  Did you know there is a “Library of Things” where you can check out musical instruments, sewing machines, board games, go pro cameras and so much more!  At this current time during the Arcade Library Remodel, the Library of Things is available at two locations, for board games and video games you visit the Central Library, 828 I St., where we toured downtown.  For the other items you visit the Carmichael Library, 5605 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.

Here is a link for more information on the Library of Things:

At the Central Library Downtown you can get your passport, print your own books, and so much more.   You can trace your family tree!  Receive free, one-on-one help with a genealogist at the Central Library. Call (916) 264-2920 to book your 45-minute genealogy session.

In need of a Passport check out this link for details:

Did you know you can get FREE Homework Help!   Trained volunteers serve as Homework Coaches to students in grades 1-8, offering homework assistance in all subject areas.  For locations and times visit this link: http://www.saclibrary.org/Services/Homework-Coaches
You can check out 30 books at one time and return them to ANY of the Sacramento County Libraries, not just the one you checked the books out from.  You can check out 20 e-books at one time.  You can also rent out the Galleria room for weddings, proms, and special events.

If you have Teen’s they have a Teen Advisory Board they can join for ages 12-19, that help come up with different events that would interest teens.  They have a Teen book review club and so much more.

If you have never visited the Sacramento Central Library or if it’s been awhile I encourage you to plan a visit and avail yourself to all the FREE resources that are available to you. 

The Sacramento Central Library is located at: 828 I Street, Sacramento.  Nearest Cross Street: 9th St. (Parking Garage at 8th & J St) You can also find metered parking surrounding the library.

For Hours of Operation, Events Calendar and more information visit their website at:

Plan to have lunch at the Capitol Gardens after you visit the Library if you can, we enjoyed our lunch soaking up the sun and sights of spring.
Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 



I am so happy we participated in the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple experience at Disneyland.  My boys thoroughly enjoyed this and still talk about it months later.  I enjoyed seeing their face light up as they were able to have a light saber battle with Darth Vader and the Seventh Sister from the popular Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels. 

My boys are huge Star Wars fans, participating in this experience brought it to life for them in a unique interactive way.  I highly recommend you taking part in this FREE experience.  It’s available for children ages 4 through 12 years of age.  My boys were 9, 7 and 5 when they participated and they loved it.
If you want to be a Jedi Padawan you must register/sign up at Star Wars Launch Bay which is located in Tomorrowland.  Registration takes place on the side of Star Wars Launch Bay; there is a kiosk located outside the exit to Star Wars Launch Bay near the entrance to Autopia.  If you are unable to locate the registration kiosk, ask a Cast Member for help.
All participants must be present at the time of registration and must have a parent/adult with them.  So don’t send just a parent to sign them up, children must be present.

Registration begins when Disneyland Park opens for the day–including Extra Magic Hour or Magic Morning.  Availability is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis so you want to go straight there as soon as you enter the park.

Once you are signed up you will return to the same place you signed up 30 minutes before your training time.  Be sure to return at the time listed on your ticket/receipt they give you at sign up, do not be late or your spot may be given to kids on the waiting list. 

The kids stay with the Disney cast members and the parents go to the stage to find a spot to watch the show.  The kids are given a robe to get into character and the Jedi Trainers will walk the children over to the stage area where they will receive a light saber for the show.
The duration of the show is about 30 minutes and there are six shows every day they start at 10:30 in the morning with the last show at 4:35 PM.  The actual show takes place at the Tomorrowland Terrace stage adjacent to Galactic Grill.  There is a clearly marked area on the floor near the stage where you can sit on the floor.  You can also sit and eat at Galactic Grill if tables are available to watch the show.  We sat on the ground right in front to the left of the stage.  You will get better pictures if you sit to the left because the kids face that way during the battle.  If you sit on the right side of the stage you will mostly see your child’s back.   You will see the center isle that leads up to Galactic Grill with ropes that is where the kids enter, you want to sit towards that isle, left front, but not too left for the best pictures/video. 

The show is like a play; the main characters tell the story and involve the children.  The stage raises up there are sound effects and fog.  The children follow the instructions of the trainer and battle the villains.  You do not get to pick who you battle, they split the kids in half and some of the kids battle Darth Vader on the stage the other half battle the Seventh Sister on the floor.    The villains also sometimes switch places in the middle of the show.  Have your camera ready to take lots of pictures and video.  The Disney photographers also take lots of pictures which are available for purchase or if you purchase the photo pass package. 





After the show you will return your cloak and light saber and receive a free button/pin then join your parents in the audience.  
After the show we had lunch at Red Rockets Pizza Port.  Everyone loves pizza, it is affordable to feed the entire family in the park, it is one of the few places you can get free refills of soda.

If you have younger children 4 & 5 year olds or if your child is shy when it comes to costume characters it is a great idea to prepare them for this experience ahead of time.  Show them pictures and video from YouTube so they know what to expect.  I saw a few young children who did not want to continue and went to sit with their parents.

You can meet Darth Vader or Chewbacca in Star Wars Launch Bay, you have to wait in line to have your picture taken with them.  If you are a Disney Visa Card Holder they have a special meet and greet area to have your picture taken with either Darth Vader or Chewbacca, this is located in the Star Wars Launch Bay building on specific days and hours.  Check the Disney website or App for the times.    


You can visit the Disney website for information on the Star Wars Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple here: http://bit.ly/2cTba4x

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 

Jedi Training at Disneyland

I am so happy we participated in the Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple experience at Disneyland.  My boys thoroughly enjoyed this and still talk about it months later.  I enjoyed seeing their face light up as they were able to have a light saber battle with Darth Vader and the Seventh Sister from the popular Disney XD series Star Wars Rebels. 

My boys are huge Star Wars fans, participating in this experience brought it to life for them in a unique interactive way.  I highly recommend you taking part in this FREE experience.  It’s available for children ages 4 through 12 years of age.  My boys were 9, 7 and 5 when they participated and they loved it.
If you want to be a Jedi Padawan you must register/sign up at Star Wars Launch Bay which is located in Tomorrowland.  Registration takes place on the side of Star Wars Launch Bay; there is a kiosk located outside the exit to Star Wars Launch Bay near the entrance to Autopia.  If you are unable to locate the registration kiosk, ask a Cast Member for help.
All participants must be present at the time of registration and must have a parent/adult with them.  So don’t send just a parent to sign them up, children must be present.

Registration begins when Disneyland Park opens for the day–including Extra Magic Hour or Magic Morning.  Availability is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis so you want to go straight there as soon as you enter the park.

Once you are signed up you will return to the same place you signed up 30 minutes before your training time.  Be sure to return at the time listed on your ticket/receipt they give you at sign up, do not be late or your spot may be given to kids on the waiting list. 

The kids stay with the Disney cast members and the parents go to the stage to find a spot to watch the show.  The kids are given a robe to get into character and the Jedi Trainers will walk the children over to the stage area where they will receive a light saber for the show.
The duration of the show is about 30 minutes and there are six shows every day they start at 10:30 in the morning with the last show at 4:35 PM.  The actual show takes place at the Tomorrowland Terrace stage adjacent to Galactic Grill.  There is a clearly marked area on the floor near the stage where you can sit on the floor.  You can also sit and eat at Galactic Grill if tables are available to watch the show.  We sat on the ground right in front to the left of the stage.  You will get better pictures if you sit to the left because the kids face that way during the battle.  If you sit on the right side of the stage you will mostly see your child’s back.   You will see the center isle that leads up to Galactic Grill with ropes that is where the kids enter, you want to sit towards that isle, left front, but not too left for the best pictures/video. 

The show is like a play; the main characters tell the story and involve the children.  The stage raises up there are sound effects and fog.  The children follow the instructions of the trainer and battle the villains.  You do not get to pick who you battle, they split the kids in half and some of the kids battle Darth Vader on the stage the other half battle the Seventh Sister on the floor.    The villains also sometimes switch places in the middle of the show.  Have your camera ready to take lots of pictures and video.  The Disney photographers also take lots of pictures which are available for purchase or if you purchase the photo pass package. 





After the show you will return your cloak and light saber and receive a free button/pin then join your parents in the audience.  
After the show we had lunch at Red Rockets Pizza Port.  Everyone loves pizza, it is affordable to feed the entire family in the park, it is one of the few places you can get free refills of soda.

If you have younger children 4 & 5 year olds or if your child is shy when it comes to costume characters it is a great idea to prepare them for this experience ahead of time.  Show them pictures and video from YouTube so they know what to expect.  I saw a few young children who did not want to continue and went to sit with their parents.

You can meet Darth Vader or Chewbacca in Star Wars Launch Bay, you have to wait in line to have your picture taken with them.  If you are a Disney Visa Card Holder they have a special meet and greet area to have your picture taken with either Darth Vader or Chewbacca, this is located in the Star Wars Launch Bay building on specific days and hours.  Check the Disney website or App for the times.    


You can visit the Disney website for information on the Star Wars Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple here: http://bit.ly/2cTba4x

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 
Our family recently visited Disneyland and I thought I’d share some tips and things I found helpful. I am not being compensated in any way for the links that I share, I just want to share what worked for us.  Maybe you are planning a trip to Disneyland for Spring Break or Summer Vacation, I hope you find this post helpful.  

I am by no means a Disney expert and I find Disney frequently changes things up so I strongly encourage you to find a frequent Disney goer, a Disney blogger or website for the most current and updated information.  My sister-in-law and her family recently visited Disneyland in January and the security/bag check area was moved and completely different from when we visited in September.

My favorite site to follow on Social Media and go to for Disney information is Casey over at Disneyland Daily.  She visits Disneyland weekly and I found her site very helpful in planning and preparing for our trip.  You can also find a ton of tips on Pinterest.

My first tip is to go during a non-peak season if you can, I love to go in January and September; I have found those times to be great when it comes to crowds and weather. 

We purchased matching t-shirts ahead of time from ThePerfect Number on Etsy.  I loved our shirts; they were great quality and great price!  A lot of people commented on them and asked where I found them.  It also made it super easy to spot our group when they were getting off a ride and throughout the crowd.  We actually wore our matching shirts on day one in the parks, then everyone wore Mickey Mouse shirts that I purchased at Target on day two, on day three we all wore Star Wars themed t-shirts but they were not exactly the same and they were different colors, which was fun but I quickly realized the matching colored shirts worked so much better for spotting our group and keeping us together. 
Vacation Countdown – I made a paper chain countdown for our kids leading up to our vacation and it was a lot of fun counting down the days till our Disney vacation.  It also helped from them asking how many more days till our trip you know how kids are when they know about a future fun event. 
Packing – I packed each of my kids clothes in their own kid size backpack.  This makes it simple so you don’t have to sort through whose stuff is whose especially with multiple children.  I also packed their daily outfits in labeled Ziploc bags for each day.  This enabled each child to know exactly what they were wearing on any specific day and to get dressed on their own.  This is such a time saver for a mom with four little ones.
Road Trip – If you are driving to Disneyland one of my favorite things we did was use a fishing tackle box for snacks for each kid to have near them.  The kids loved these and made it easy so someone doesn’t have to dig in a bag for a snack or keep passing back snacks, each child had their own travel snacks.
Where to Stay – When I have visited Disneyland in the past we love to stay at an Embassy Suites whenever possible, we love their cooked to order breakfast and have always had an enjoyable stay.  This time we went in September we found a great Vacation Home Rental.  You can read more and see pictures about our stay on my Vacation Rentals blog post.   You can also check out Disneyland Daily’s great list of hotels and information on Choose Where to Stay.
Make a ride game plan. – There is a lot to do at Disneyland and California Adventure and especially if you are not a frequent goer than you want to get the best use of your time in the parks and see and do as much as you can.  As a family we talked about what rides were most important or the ones each person was most looking forward to riding.  Then we utilized Disneyland Daily’s Plan ParkTouring as a guide.  Of course you want to stay flexible and also visit the Disneyland website or download their App which I loved to find out which rides may be in refurbishment on the day you are visiting.  We actually ended up switching days we were attending one of the parks because closer to our trip we discovered the Indiana Jones Ride was going to be closed on one of the days we were visiting Disneyland and that was a ride some of our group was really looking forward too.  You will also find sometimes they close down rides unexpectedly, many times they re-open later in the day so you may have to adjust your plan but I loved having a list and checking off our favorite rides and getting those in first.  When we went in September we were able to ride our favorite rides 3-4 times in a day and get in extra things we had not planned on.  I think because we had a game plan and utilized the Fast Pass System and Ride Share System and were there during a non-peak time it worked out great for us.  You also want to know the height requirements; the Disney App comes in handy for this too, if you are traveling with little ones.  Nothing worse than getting a child excited about a ride, to only find out they are not tall enough to ride it. 

Research the Fast Pass System and Ride Swap System. – Also be aware of Single Rider lines. This will all help you spend less time waiting in lines and more time enjoying the parks.  Using the Fast Pass and Ride Swap System together worked out great for our kids they rode all the Ride Swap rides back to back without waiting in line.  My husband and I would ride the ride with our 3 older boys while my sister waited with our one year old, then with Ride Swap as soon as we got off the ride, my sister then got back on the ride with the 3 older boys again and we stayed with the baby, so she didn’t miss out on riding and the boys benefited.  Disneyland Daily has all the details you need on their Fast Pass Guide.

As a family with little kids these are some things I am so grateful we brought into the park. 

Snacks – Visit the Disneyland website for the most updated information.  On the site it talks about those with dietary restrictions and they also will tell you when going through security about their lockers outside the main entrance and designated picnic areas for outside food.  I have found though as long as you are not bringing in a rolling ice chest or something they pretty much let you bring in things like fruit snacks, small bags of chips, individually wrapped product, fruit, Capri suns/juice boxes and sealed water bottles from my personal experience.  We personally planned on eating breakfast before we entered the park and then eating lunch and dinner at the parks but I know food is pricey and I saw many people who took in sandwiches’ and even some people in line with us had purchased sandwiches’ at Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney to take in for lunch and they had no problems.  Again if I had older children I wouldn’t probably bring snack food in, but with little ones and my middle child who takes after me who needs to eat every 3-4 hours or we battle “hangry”, bringing in snacks was a huge help.  We also brought in a bag of Dum Dums, perfect small lollipop again for when you are waiting in line or for a show/parade to start.    We still purchased churros, and Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream sandwiches’ and plenty other Disney treats in the park, but it helps to have some of those smaller things to tie them over between meals.  That's another tip if you have a child who needs to eat frequently or nap, don't try to over push them, this is the one time we had a meltdown, we wanted to do a few more things until we had lunch and this did not do well with one of our children.  Thankfully we learned our lesson from the first day and then never had a problem the other days. Nobody wants to be that family with the kid in tears having a meltdown at the "happiest place on earth".  You know your family best, if they need a nap or need to eat, schedule that in, it will help you in the long run, you won't have a child with a major meltdown.  If you need to go back to the hotel for a break and then return at night, plan to do that.   

Bubbles – This is a great distraction if you have to wait in line, wait for a parade to start or even if you are waiting while some of your group is on the ride and you are staying with a little one.  You can purchase their $20 bubble wand if it’s in your budget and you want to do that.  I have four boys and appreciate saving money on certain things so I can splurge on other things.  Let’s be honest if you are going to Disneyland it’s not the most frugal, budget friendly atmosphere, everything costs and it’s not cheap.  I found Star Wars Bubbles at the Dollar Store and purchased one for each of my boys, we used it mainly to keep my one year old and four year old entertained and it worked great.  I even ended up blowing bubbles for other kids who were near us and they loved it, it even helped calm down someone else’s child that was sitting near us while we were waiting during part of our group was on a ride.

Glow sticks – Another thing you can purchase from the Dollar store and take in that come in handy at night.  They are great when your group is walking in the crowd to spot your kids with their glow in the dark necklace.  Again, there is a ton of light up toys and spinning things you can purchase but purchasing glow sticks ahead of time is an inexpensive way to go, and you don’t have an extra thing to carry around or travel home with.

Scarf or Ribbon for your stroller.  – I am so glad I took a bright orange scarf to tie around my stroller handle.  There are a lot of strollers and when you park them in stroller parking while on an attraction they often get moved not necessarily by other patrons but I often saw a Disney employee straightening, organizing and moving strollers, so when you get off your ride many times you will not find your stroller right where you parked it.  Having a Scarf or Ribbon on the handle will help it stand out in the sea of strollers so you can quickly spot yours.
See our orange scarf on our stroller.
Small blanket for parade watching. – This is another thing that has changed since we visited, they no longer let you save a spot for parade watching for a long period of time, I think I read somewhere that 30 minutes before a parade they will let you sit and save a spot.  Which is about the time I think we saved our spot, we did not camp out hours before for parade watching, we found a great spot near the restrooms by Matterhorn, the parade started at It’s a Small World and went right past us.  It was a win, win, because we were near the restrooms too, comes in handy with little ones.  Even with that new policy, a blanket to mark out your spot comes in handy.  I don’t think people mean to crowd you or take your spot, there just is a lot of people trying to find a spot to sit and watch the parade.  If you have a blanket it doesn’t have to be huge, even if you took a sheet which is another great idea because it’s thin and easy to fold up and take in, you can also fold it to sit on and not have it all the way spread out but it will help from someone parking a stroller right in front of your kid.  It also helps if say you and a little one are scoping out a spot while the bigger kids are on a ride, it’s not like you want to lay across a spot and say this is for my party of 6.  So the blanket helps non-verbally secure a spot for your group. 

If you have a stroller with a basket at the bottom, it makes it easy to bring this stuff in, but I realize some of you reading this might not be going in with a stroller, I would take a small back pack in that case.
We brought a crib sized blanket.
Ponchos for wet rides. – If you go during summer than it’s no problem to get wet on a ride, its actually fun, but if it’s a chilly day and you have little ones, it is no fun if they are soaking wet and cold.  I found we only used our Poncho which I purchased at the Dollar Store ahead of time on the Grizzly River Run Ride at California Adventure, which I was grateful we did, or we would have been soaked and the day we visited it was overcast and rained in the morning.  The great thing too, with getting it at the Dollar Store is we used it and then tossed them right in the trash.  Again if you frequent Disneyland often, then I think it is worth it to purchase Disney’s more durable and decorative ponchos’, but if you are visiting once a year or less, than I would rather purchase the Dollar Store ones.
Photo Pass System – This is a great Disneyland system so everyone in your group can be in the picture as well as a great quality photo by a professional photographer.  It also gives you access to all those ride photos taken on an attraction and photos taken with Characters.   I am so glad we purchased our Photo Pass package, I love the way our photos turned out.  I only wish I would have utilized more of the photo opportunity locations but again it takes more time.  Also keep in mind it takes time to get your picture taken with characters; it is another thing you have to wait in line for.  So plan as a family if that is something you want to spend your time on, or maybe save if you are at the park for multiple days.  Another tip use your cell phone to take a picture of the picture of a ride attraction as you exit the ride so you can later add that photo to your photo-pass; you need the reference number to link your photo.  Find out all the details you need on Disneyland Daily Photo Pass.

Plan a Day of Rest  If you can plan a day in-between parks to rest and swim either at the hotel or even visit the beach.  There is a lot of walking involved in visiting the parks, I found we needed our Beach Day to rest our feet and bodies before going back to the parks for more.  
A nap on the beach :)

The main reason I love Disneyland is it works for all ages; it enables parents and grandparents to have fun right alongside their children.  I am so grateful that there were so many rides my one year old could ride with all of us and partake too.  I love that it brings out the kid in those who have kids and don’t have kids.  I also love that everything they do, is done with great excellence.      

I recommend every family should visit Disneyland or Disney World if you can.  My husband visited Disney World as a teenager, I have never, I would love to go with my family.  I encourage you to save, budget, and plan to make a trip.  You will have memories that last a lifetime.  My husband did not want to visit Disneyland with our kids until our oldest was older, which I understand toddlers won’t remember other than pictures.  I get his perspective and it is easier to travel with older children, and there are many benefits to going with older kids.  Though now visiting with my one year old in tow, I would say do not let having little’s stop you from going to the park or wonder if you will get to enjoy the park.  I am so grateful my sister went with us to help with the kids it was such a blessing.  Even if you don’t have another adult with you to Ride Swap on the big rides, there is so much to do that a one year old can get on with you and the shows, parades, and character visits I think it’s well worth it.  To see their little eyes light up when they see their favorite character, those memories are priceless. 

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends.

Disneyland Planning & Tips

Our family recently visited Disneyland and I thought I’d share some tips and things I found helpful. I am not being compensated in any way for the links that I share, I just want to share what worked for us.  Maybe you are planning a trip to Disneyland for Spring Break or Summer Vacation, I hope you find this post helpful.  

I am by no means a Disney expert and I find Disney frequently changes things up so I strongly encourage you to find a frequent Disney goer, a Disney blogger or website for the most current and updated information.  My sister-in-law and her family recently visited Disneyland in January and the security/bag check area was moved and completely different from when we visited in September.

My favorite site to follow on Social Media and go to for Disney information is Casey over at Disneyland Daily.  She visits Disneyland weekly and I found her site very helpful in planning and preparing for our trip.  You can also find a ton of tips on Pinterest.

My first tip is to go during a non-peak season if you can, I love to go in January and September; I have found those times to be great when it comes to crowds and weather. 

We purchased matching t-shirts ahead of time from ThePerfect Number on Etsy.  I loved our shirts; they were great quality and great price!  A lot of people commented on them and asked where I found them.  It also made it super easy to spot our group when they were getting off a ride and throughout the crowd.  We actually wore our matching shirts on day one in the parks, then everyone wore Mickey Mouse shirts that I purchased at Target on day two, on day three we all wore Star Wars themed t-shirts but they were not exactly the same and they were different colors, which was fun but I quickly realized the matching colored shirts worked so much better for spotting our group and keeping us together. 
Vacation Countdown – I made a paper chain countdown for our kids leading up to our vacation and it was a lot of fun counting down the days till our Disney vacation.  It also helped from them asking how many more days till our trip you know how kids are when they know about a future fun event. 
Packing – I packed each of my kids clothes in their own kid size backpack.  This makes it simple so you don’t have to sort through whose stuff is whose especially with multiple children.  I also packed their daily outfits in labeled Ziploc bags for each day.  This enabled each child to know exactly what they were wearing on any specific day and to get dressed on their own.  This is such a time saver for a mom with four little ones.
Road Trip – If you are driving to Disneyland one of my favorite things we did was use a fishing tackle box for snacks for each kid to have near them.  The kids loved these and made it easy so someone doesn’t have to dig in a bag for a snack or keep passing back snacks, each child had their own travel snacks.
Where to Stay – When I have visited Disneyland in the past we love to stay at an Embassy Suites whenever possible, we love their cooked to order breakfast and have always had an enjoyable stay.  This time we went in September we found a great Vacation Home Rental.  You can read more and see pictures about our stay on my Vacation Rentals blog post.   You can also check out Disneyland Daily’s great list of hotels and information on Choose Where to Stay.
Make a ride game plan. – There is a lot to do at Disneyland and California Adventure and especially if you are not a frequent goer than you want to get the best use of your time in the parks and see and do as much as you can.  As a family we talked about what rides were most important or the ones each person was most looking forward to riding.  Then we utilized Disneyland Daily’s Plan ParkTouring as a guide.  Of course you want to stay flexible and also visit the Disneyland website or download their App which I loved to find out which rides may be in refurbishment on the day you are visiting.  We actually ended up switching days we were attending one of the parks because closer to our trip we discovered the Indiana Jones Ride was going to be closed on one of the days we were visiting Disneyland and that was a ride some of our group was really looking forward too.  You will also find sometimes they close down rides unexpectedly, many times they re-open later in the day so you may have to adjust your plan but I loved having a list and checking off our favorite rides and getting those in first.  When we went in September we were able to ride our favorite rides 3-4 times in a day and get in extra things we had not planned on.  I think because we had a game plan and utilized the Fast Pass System and Ride Share System and were there during a non-peak time it worked out great for us.  You also want to know the height requirements; the Disney App comes in handy for this too, if you are traveling with little ones.  Nothing worse than getting a child excited about a ride, to only find out they are not tall enough to ride it. 

Research the Fast Pass System and Ride Swap System. – Also be aware of Single Rider lines. This will all help you spend less time waiting in lines and more time enjoying the parks.  Using the Fast Pass and Ride Swap System together worked out great for our kids they rode all the Ride Swap rides back to back without waiting in line.  My husband and I would ride the ride with our 3 older boys while my sister waited with our one year old, then with Ride Swap as soon as we got off the ride, my sister then got back on the ride with the 3 older boys again and we stayed with the baby, so she didn’t miss out on riding and the boys benefited.  Disneyland Daily has all the details you need on their Fast Pass Guide.

As a family with little kids these are some things I am so grateful we brought into the park. 

Snacks – Visit the Disneyland website for the most updated information.  On the site it talks about those with dietary restrictions and they also will tell you when going through security about their lockers outside the main entrance and designated picnic areas for outside food.  I have found though as long as you are not bringing in a rolling ice chest or something they pretty much let you bring in things like fruit snacks, small bags of chips, individually wrapped product, fruit, Capri suns/juice boxes and sealed water bottles from my personal experience.  We personally planned on eating breakfast before we entered the park and then eating lunch and dinner at the parks but I know food is pricey and I saw many people who took in sandwiches’ and even some people in line with us had purchased sandwiches’ at Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney to take in for lunch and they had no problems.  Again if I had older children I wouldn’t probably bring snack food in, but with little ones and my middle child who takes after me who needs to eat every 3-4 hours or we battle “hangry”, bringing in snacks was a huge help.  We also brought in a bag of Dum Dums, perfect small lollipop again for when you are waiting in line or for a show/parade to start.    We still purchased churros, and Mickey Mouse shaped ice cream sandwiches’ and plenty other Disney treats in the park, but it helps to have some of those smaller things to tie them over between meals.  That's another tip if you have a child who needs to eat frequently or nap, don't try to over push them, this is the one time we had a meltdown, we wanted to do a few more things until we had lunch and this did not do well with one of our children.  Thankfully we learned our lesson from the first day and then never had a problem the other days. Nobody wants to be that family with the kid in tears having a meltdown at the "happiest place on earth".  You know your family best, if they need a nap or need to eat, schedule that in, it will help you in the long run, you won't have a child with a major meltdown.  If you need to go back to the hotel for a break and then return at night, plan to do that.   

Bubbles – This is a great distraction if you have to wait in line, wait for a parade to start or even if you are waiting while some of your group is on the ride and you are staying with a little one.  You can purchase their $20 bubble wand if it’s in your budget and you want to do that.  I have four boys and appreciate saving money on certain things so I can splurge on other things.  Let’s be honest if you are going to Disneyland it’s not the most frugal, budget friendly atmosphere, everything costs and it’s not cheap.  I found Star Wars Bubbles at the Dollar Store and purchased one for each of my boys, we used it mainly to keep my one year old and four year old entertained and it worked great.  I even ended up blowing bubbles for other kids who were near us and they loved it, it even helped calm down someone else’s child that was sitting near us while we were waiting during part of our group was on a ride.

Glow sticks – Another thing you can purchase from the Dollar store and take in that come in handy at night.  They are great when your group is walking in the crowd to spot your kids with their glow in the dark necklace.  Again, there is a ton of light up toys and spinning things you can purchase but purchasing glow sticks ahead of time is an inexpensive way to go, and you don’t have an extra thing to carry around or travel home with.

Scarf or Ribbon for your stroller.  – I am so glad I took a bright orange scarf to tie around my stroller handle.  There are a lot of strollers and when you park them in stroller parking while on an attraction they often get moved not necessarily by other patrons but I often saw a Disney employee straightening, organizing and moving strollers, so when you get off your ride many times you will not find your stroller right where you parked it.  Having a Scarf or Ribbon on the handle will help it stand out in the sea of strollers so you can quickly spot yours.
See our orange scarf on our stroller.
Small blanket for parade watching. – This is another thing that has changed since we visited, they no longer let you save a spot for parade watching for a long period of time, I think I read somewhere that 30 minutes before a parade they will let you sit and save a spot.  Which is about the time I think we saved our spot, we did not camp out hours before for parade watching, we found a great spot near the restrooms by Matterhorn, the parade started at It’s a Small World and went right past us.  It was a win, win, because we were near the restrooms too, comes in handy with little ones.  Even with that new policy, a blanket to mark out your spot comes in handy.  I don’t think people mean to crowd you or take your spot, there just is a lot of people trying to find a spot to sit and watch the parade.  If you have a blanket it doesn’t have to be huge, even if you took a sheet which is another great idea because it’s thin and easy to fold up and take in, you can also fold it to sit on and not have it all the way spread out but it will help from someone parking a stroller right in front of your kid.  It also helps if say you and a little one are scoping out a spot while the bigger kids are on a ride, it’s not like you want to lay across a spot and say this is for my party of 6.  So the blanket helps non-verbally secure a spot for your group. 

If you have a stroller with a basket at the bottom, it makes it easy to bring this stuff in, but I realize some of you reading this might not be going in with a stroller, I would take a small back pack in that case.
We brought a crib sized blanket.
Ponchos for wet rides. – If you go during summer than it’s no problem to get wet on a ride, its actually fun, but if it’s a chilly day and you have little ones, it is no fun if they are soaking wet and cold.  I found we only used our Poncho which I purchased at the Dollar Store ahead of time on the Grizzly River Run Ride at California Adventure, which I was grateful we did, or we would have been soaked and the day we visited it was overcast and rained in the morning.  The great thing too, with getting it at the Dollar Store is we used it and then tossed them right in the trash.  Again if you frequent Disneyland often, then I think it is worth it to purchase Disney’s more durable and decorative ponchos’, but if you are visiting once a year or less, than I would rather purchase the Dollar Store ones.
Photo Pass System – This is a great Disneyland system so everyone in your group can be in the picture as well as a great quality photo by a professional photographer.  It also gives you access to all those ride photos taken on an attraction and photos taken with Characters.   I am so glad we purchased our Photo Pass package, I love the way our photos turned out.  I only wish I would have utilized more of the photo opportunity locations but again it takes more time.  Also keep in mind it takes time to get your picture taken with characters; it is another thing you have to wait in line for.  So plan as a family if that is something you want to spend your time on, or maybe save if you are at the park for multiple days.  Another tip use your cell phone to take a picture of the picture of a ride attraction as you exit the ride so you can later add that photo to your photo-pass; you need the reference number to link your photo.  Find out all the details you need on Disneyland Daily Photo Pass.

Plan a Day of Rest  If you can plan a day in-between parks to rest and swim either at the hotel or even visit the beach.  There is a lot of walking involved in visiting the parks, I found we needed our Beach Day to rest our feet and bodies before going back to the parks for more.  
A nap on the beach :)

The main reason I love Disneyland is it works for all ages; it enables parents and grandparents to have fun right alongside their children.  I am so grateful that there were so many rides my one year old could ride with all of us and partake too.  I love that it brings out the kid in those who have kids and don’t have kids.  I also love that everything they do, is done with great excellence.      

I recommend every family should visit Disneyland or Disney World if you can.  My husband visited Disney World as a teenager, I have never, I would love to go with my family.  I encourage you to save, budget, and plan to make a trip.  You will have memories that last a lifetime.  My husband did not want to visit Disneyland with our kids until our oldest was older, which I understand toddlers won’t remember other than pictures.  I get his perspective and it is easier to travel with older children, and there are many benefits to going with older kids.  Though now visiting with my one year old in tow, I would say do not let having little’s stop you from going to the park or wonder if you will get to enjoy the park.  I am so grateful my sister went with us to help with the kids it was such a blessing.  Even if you don’t have another adult with you to Ride Swap on the big rides, there is so much to do that a one year old can get on with you and the shows, parades, and character visits I think it’s well worth it.  To see their little eyes light up when they see their favorite character, those memories are priceless. 

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends.

Latest Videos

@instagram