I’ve been waiting for this ride to open for a long time and the wait is finally over!

I was invited by SeaWorld Orlando to experience this one of a kind attraction before any SeaWorld guests in a media preview and let me tell you, it was spectacular. SeaWorld Orlando takes guests on an epic voyage to the bottom of the world, combining innovative ride technology and up-close encounters with a huge colony of penguins in their 30-degree world. All-new adventure allows guests to experience the sights, sounds, thrills, chills and penguins of Antarctica, through the eyes of a special penguin hero named Puck^TM.

On board a first-of-its-kind trackless, sorta like you are gliding along the slippery ice. Each mobile simulator ride car allows guests to choose one of two levels of exploration – Wild Expedition or Mild Expedition – for various degrees of ride intensity. Designers say each version has multiple variations for a feeling of unpredictability, just like the continent of Antarctica. I went on the Mild Expedition and while you still experience quick spins It’s still a very safe and calm experience and as long as the child can sit up on their own they can ride. The Wild Expedition on the other hand does have a minimum height requirement of 42″. The ride is literally about 3 minutes long (as you can see below) but it does feel shorter when you are actually there on the ride.

A video of my experience on the Mild Expedition. The turns and jolts are not me moving the camera, that’s the ride itself:

The ride is just the beginning though! Usually after a ride you are dumped off in a gift shop but not on this ride. Puck’s adventure ends in a very chilly 33°F room where you literally come face to face with the penguins of Antarctica (Picture below: No glass blocking my view and my camera wasn’t zoomed in!). If you’ve been to SeaWorld Orlando in the past and visited the Penguin Exhibit you may remember that before the room was a moving track and penguins behind thick glass. Well not now. There is a small wall that is in between you and these amazing (and adorable) creatures. If you watch my video you will see just how up close and personal you get with them. Of course you are not allowed to touch the water or touch the penguins but you may get splashed by them like I did. It is very cold and SeaWorld doesn’t provide jackets because of course they want to keep you moving.

Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin is the single largest attraction expansion ever at SeaWorld Orlando and the coldest theme park attraction in Orlando. A combination of innovative technology and up-close encounters with penguins in their 30-degree world makes Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin an all-new realm and a thrilling, chilling adventure of a lifetime.

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“When our little hero penguin learns to waddle and slide, we’ll feel what it’s like as the car moves and reacts to the storyline. When he takes his first swim or barely escapes danger, our guests will feel as if they’re right there with him,” explains Brian Morrow, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment® creative director. “On this adventure, we learn that we’re a lot like penguins. We’ll find we need each other and our families to survive,” said Morrow.

Culinary delights can be found at Expedition Café, where American, Asian and Italian – the three major signatories of the Antarctic Treaty – cuisines are featured in a mess hall setting. A hydroponic garden produces fresh herbs that chefs incorporate into the menu. Outside seating available under canvas type sails, and two Quonset-type huts provide seating for guests dining on a mix of cooked-to-order food and quick-serve delights.

With every penguin gift imaginable, Glacial Collections gift shop is the place to shop for all penguin lovers. The retail shop’s color scheme of black, bright yellows, oranges and whites, and the penguin-shaped displays welcome guests to browse the cache of splendid penguin-related items. Hero Puck is anticipated to be the popular take home treasure. His journey, his love of family, and his connection, especially to children, make him a very desirable keepsake.

Also new at Antarctica are souvenir cups created by SeaWorld and Coca-Cola®. The Cup That CaresTM is a novel reusable cup program with a twist of technology: A RFID (radio frequency identification) chip embedded in each cup interacts with software at Antarctica’s Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers to calculate CO2 and tell guests how they are being more environmentally responsible by choosing to refill and reuse. And there’s more: SeaWorld will donate $1 from each Cup That Cares purchase to the SeaWorld and Busch Gardens® Conservation Fund, a not-for-profit foundation that helps protect wildlife around the world.

Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin was definitely worth the wait and as of yesterday it’s open to the public so book your SeaWorld Orlando trip now!

Visit: SeaWorldOrlando.com
Follow on Twitter: @Seaworld
Like on Facebook: /Facebook

Disclosure: I was invited to SeaWorld Orlando has a member of the media for this coverage. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this review. All opinions and pictures are my own.

When I was pregnant with Kendall I saw this bath and just could not live without one. I never ended up getting one until recently when Blooming Bath offered to send me one. Kendall is far too big for it now so I am storing it just in case baby number 3 happens in the future.

If you’ve never seen this gorgeous product you’ll be surprised when I tell you it’s a baby bath! Yep, gone are the days of the bulky ol’ plastic tubs and say hello to the brightly colored plush bath that surrounds your baby in cuddles.

Blooming Bath is a soft insert that fits perfectly into any sink for a safe, comfortable and adorable bath-time experience. No more straining yourself and wishing you had 5 arms so you can cradle your baby in the hard sink and wash them. There are many baby bathtubs out there that claim to be perfect for baby but one look at the Blooming Bath and you just have no choice but to fall in love with it.

There are seven (7) ultra-plush petals is made with safe and soft fabrics, durable Tricot mesh back and antimicrobial foam so it dries quickly and easily. When bath time is over, just throw it in the dryer (for 10-15 min) or hang it by the hangtag so it is dry in no time.

The Blooming Bath isn’t just a girly bathtub because it’s a flower. As you can see it comes in blue which is perfect for boys or girls. There is also a bright yellow, ivory, and pink flower to choose from.

You can shop Blooming Bath here and you can also enter to win one below (in your choice color)! Perfect for baby showers at just $39.99!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was sent a the above product(s) for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm EST, June 8, 2013. No purchase necessary. Open USA residents, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.

Discovery, learning, growing. In Caillou’s world, these things are paramount. Being 4 years old means life is full of little challenges – and sometimes BIG ones too! Caillou meets these challenges eagerly; exploring his world, discovering new things, and often learning from his mistakes. With a focus on healthy nutrition, exercise, safety, and the environment, each “Caillou” episode is grounded in an everyday experience – one that inspires children to grow emotionally as they explore the world around them. As Caillou overcomes life’s obstacles and makes healthy choices, children are inspired to do the same – making him an everyday hero!

If you haven’t heard of Caillou you need to tune into PBS or Sprout and check it out. Caillou (pronounced Kai-you) is a 4-year-old boy who delights in the small wonders of the world around him, embellishing everything he sees with his rich imagination. Each episode of the series is a slice of Caillou’s life. Thanks to his vivid imagination, ordinary, everyday events quickly become exciting adventures where Caillou can play “make-believe”. But Caillou can tell the difference between real life and pretending. When he is done playing make-believe, Caillou happily returns to the familiar daily routine of a 4-year-old. Indeed, each episode begins and ends firmly anchored in the real world.

We were sent the Caillou Bathtime With You playset for review and Kendall cannot stop playing with it. It’s suggested for kids 12months-4years which I think is a great age since it doesn’t really have small parts. The toy comes in the package as shown so there are just a few pieces to put together before you can set your kids loose in the bathtub for playtime until the water is cold, or at least that’s what happens in my house.

The toy has a small suction cup on the back so you can attach it to the wall. Each piece snaps into the base when it’s not in play. But when it’s play time Caillou can slide down the slide and then you can fish him out of the water using the net!

For even more fun you can remove Caillou’s hat, fill it with water and dump it into his head. The water then comes out of a hole in his mouth to spin the green wheel.

For more information on Caillou, visit the following links!
Like Caillou on Facebook
Check out the Caillou toy line available at ToysRUs.com

You can win a playset for your kid(s) right now!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was sent a the above product(s) for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.
RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm EST, June 2, 2013. No purchase necessary. Open USA residents, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.

Each year, we as parents, send our kids to school knowing there are countless germs that they will be in contact with. But are you aware of how Kleenex brand tissues can help keep your kids’ hands clean – or how by using Kleenex tissues, you can also help support healthy schools? That’s right! Kleenex brand, the only facial tissue with Sneeze Shield in all of its tissues, is giving three schools a chance to win 250,000 eBoxTops for the 2013-2014 school year through the Kleenex brand in the Classroom sweepstakes.

Tell me: What would your school do with an extra $25,000?

Kleenex Everyday Tissue with Sneeze Shield is now thicker and more absorbent to help keep the wet stuff off kids’ hands. Plus they come in a variety of portable and convenient package sizes for use on-the-go.

How To Win!

To enter, teachers, school administrators and parent volunteers should visit TeacherLists.com and create a school list that includes Kleenex brand tissue with Box Tops, and then choose a school to be eligible for the prize. Three winning schools will be chosen at random on or about August 1, 2013, to receive 250,000 eBoxTops each, the equivalent of $25,000. I created my own list and it’s easy to share since a direct link is then emailed to you.

Also, don’t forget to collect Box Toys for your child’s school. You can find them on popular Kleenex brand facial tissue, including 160-count and 210-count everyday tissue and Kleenex brand 112-count Anti-Viral Tissues.

All entries are due on July 17th, 2013. Just think what $25,000 would do for your child school so please make a list and encourage those around you to do so as well.

What would your school do with an extra $25,000?

Disclosure: I am a Kleenex Brand Ambassador and have been compensated for my time, not my opinions. Compensation did not influence me to produce a positive post.

I wanted to let you in on a great from a company called Rainbow Light. Never heard of them? Well let me tell you – they are great!

As a pioneer of the natural industry’s number one-selling women’s multivitamin, the supplement company understands that women are the CEOs of their families’ health. Its customized wellness solutions give every woman the edge to nurture herself and those within her circle of influence. Whether you are looking for a multi-vitamin, prenatal, oral care, gummies, children’s vitamins, omegas, and so many more, they have it!

Now let’s get back to this giveaway, shall we?

Do you know someone who’s a daily inspiration? Well every month, Rainbow Light hosts its Leading Lady contest on the Rainbow Light Facebook, which is designed to highlight deserving women across the U.S. who demonstrates qualities of an empowered and inspirational woman. You can nominate yourself or or a woman who inspires you on the page by sharing why they’re a ‘Leading Lady’. Each entrant will receive a free Rainbow Light sample, and a monthly winner will be awarded a $1,000 American Express gift card, one year’s supply of Rainbow Light supplements and an eco-swag bag full of healthy-lifestyle products (valued at more than $130)! How does that sound? Amazing right!

There isn’t much time let so I encourage you to head over to the Rainbow Light Facebook page and cast your nomination now. I’ll wait.

You’re back? Okay good! Now I have my own giveaway I’d love for you to enter!

Rainbow Light has put together a healthy prize pack for one DDM winner that I know you’ll just love!

Valued over $150 and includes:

• Branded yoga mat
• Branded messenger bag
• Branded water bottle
• Branded shaker cup
• Sample tablets of Rainbow Light multivitamins

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I partnered with Rainbow Light to bring you this post and giveaway. Compensation was received for my time, not my opinions. All statements are my own unless noted otherwise.
RULES: Giveaway ends 11:59 pm EST, May 28, 2013. No purchase necessary. Open USA residents, Eighteen (18) years of age or older. Void where prohibited by law. One lucky winner will be chosen using random.org. One entry per household and IP address. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Cheating will not be tolerated, and entries will be verified for accuracy. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email, or a new winner will be chosen. Entering this giveaway means you are in agreement with this blog’s Terms of Use policy.