Lakeway Resort and Spa | Perfect Spring Break Getaway

The wait is almost over and one of the most exciting films of the year, Marvel’s ANT-MAN, opens in theatres everywhere this Friday!!! ANT-MAN is a lot of fun for the whole family and connects perfectly into the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
And because this is too adorable not to share, check out the “Little Ant-Man” video that’s currently becoming a viral sensation!
Like ANT-MAN on Facebook | Twitter | Web
ANT-MAN opens in theaters everywhere this Friday, July 17th!

Every year we do the same old egg decorating and egg hunts…let try a few new ideas…
ART – is always a fun way to get keepsakes of your children growing, and let them get creative…if you need ideas Pinterest has tons…The best ones are using hand-prints or finer-prints to create…that way you can see their hands grow over the years, and it’s very personal!
BUNNIES – are always fun – I remember taking a picture with the Easter bunny every year. Now the hip trend is pictures with a real bunny, these are adorable keepsakes that you would be proud to hang up around the house, or share with friends, ask your photographer about Easter sessions, chances are they have a bunny waiting for you!
CUPCAKES – need i say more! except let’s get creative, not just with icing and sprinkles…let the kids get creative and have fun!
DECORATIONS – Decorations don’t have to be store-bought – try making your own decorations, they’re fun to make, cheep [free] and personalized!
EGGS – Yes we all die eggs, and most of us have experiences we want to forget..lol..but lets face it, kids love dyeing eggs!! Lets try something new this year, get creative, and have fun doing it!
FLOWERS – Let your kids help you make an Easter arrangement for the table!
GARDENS – Plant an “Easter Garden”
HISTORY It’s time we talk to are kids and let them know what Easter is really about…sure bunnies are cute, and eggs are fun, but the History is important!
IDEAS – Let your kids throw in some ideas on how they would like to spend Easter…they will enjoy the gesture!
JELLY BEANS! – I don’t know how, and i don’t care..lol..but Jelly Beans have become a tradition at Easter…
Place 3 packs gelatin, 16 oz. sugar and 12 oz. water in a pan. Bring the ingredients to a boil over medium heat, stirring as you mix them. Continue to stir for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and add 1/4 tsp. salt, 4 oz. orange juice and 2 oz. lemon juice. After the mixture has cooled a bit, stir in 4 tsp. orange zest and 4 tsp. lemon zest. Chill a medium-size baking pan, then fill it with the mixture and let it harden for 4 to 5 hours. Loosen the jelly from the pan with a knife, and dump it onto a cutting surface. Cut the jelly into small pieces, dusting them with cornstarch. Put them on a wire rack to dry. Pour the jelly pieces into the coating bowl attachment on your mixer, and add 2 oz. water and 6 oz. sugar. Turn the mixer on high for the suggested time according to the manufacturer’s directions, or until the shells have achieved the thickness and appearance you want.
KITE FLYING – With Easter being in spring it’s a perfect time to fly a kite, great addition to the Easter basket as well.
LUNCH – Have fun with lunch – try sending your kids on an Easter egg hunt for their lunch items!!
MONEY – Not much…try just adding a dollar or two to their baskets, and see how excited they get!
NOTE – Leave a note from the “Easter Bunny” in an egg…
ORNAMENTS – Get some fishing twine and cut different lengths…snap Easter eggs on it in different patterns, and hang them from a tree, porch, or even the ceiling in your child’s room!
PEEPS – Try some new ways to enjoy peeps!!
QUIET READING TIME – Take this time to read some cute Easter stories
RICE KRISPIE TREATS – There are so many ideas now…and these are always fun to make with the kiddos…
SCIENCE – Believe it or not…you can squeak in some science! Try these ideas out…
Naked Egg
Growing Peeps
TOYS – You don’t always have to put candy in the baskets…try some little toys they’ve been asking for…like hot wheels or spring time barbie…they’ll be just as happy
UMBRELLA – As a little girl I loved my sun umbrella…it’s super fun!
VIOLETS – For a fresh spin on an Easter bouquet try adding Violets!
WATER – Get some Mio, or just some old-fashioned food coloring and die your kids water…it’s fun and inexpensive!
XYLOPHONE FUN – Try this little fun – use your leftover egg die, still in the glasses, and make a fun colorful xylophone!
YELLOW – Wear yellow to brighten up the day … it will look Fab in you pictures!
Zzzzz – Get enough rest for all the fun that Easter brings!
Head on over to my Easter Pinterest page for more fun ideas to do this Easter!

LeapFrog has been a part of our house for years, toys, tablets and video games all help my kiddos get school readiness skills for preschool and beyond. LeapFrog’s new Number Lovin’ Oven and Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Set teach math and measurement through interactive pretend play, while Word Whammer develops spelling and phonics skills in a fun and active way.
These exciting new toys add to their growing collection of early childhood toy experiences that encourage skill-building, exploration and pretend play. By encouraging children to learn through exploration and imagination, Number Lovin’ Oven and Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Set offer pretend play experiences that teach math and measurement. To round out the new introductions, Word Whammer, an action-packed new phonics game, helps prepare children for kindergarten in a fun and active way.
“We developed Number Lovin’ Oven and Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Set to encourage toddlers to learn while having fun with characters and environments they can relate to. Word Whammer lets pre-kindergarteners develop important spelling skills with an exciting game that will keep them entertained as they are learning phonics skills and building words,” said Dr. Jody Sherman LeVos, director of LeapFrog’s Learning Team.
The Perfect Recipe for Number Learning Fun
Number Lovin’ Oven is the first preschool toy to bake early math into fun and engaging play focused on cooking and sharing—giving toddlers a first glimpse into how numbers and early math skills are a part of everyday life.
This one was definitely a hit in our house…even with my 5 & 9-year-olds. First and foremost it is a small oven with plenty of fun accessories, but it also does other really cool stuff depending on what setting it’s on. There are 30+ songs & phrases…it sings about washing your hands, you can never start too early on hygiene, and songs about pizza, bread, and cupcakes. The songs teach counting (how many slices of pizza, how many pieces of bread, etc.) which is great, because my 2-year-old loves to count things with me. The number settings tell them the higher the number, the higher the temperature and tells them what bakes best at that temperature. When you put something in the oven it tells you what setting to put it on (numbers 1-5) and counts until it’s done. I love the early learning skills, and he loves cooking mommy some food. He’s learning without knowing it, or it being a “chore” or battle.
Discovery and Skill-Building with LeapFrog’s Playful Pup Scout
Scout’s Build & Discover Tool Set lets toddlers interact with one of children’s favorite LeapFrog characters, playful pup Scout, as he introduces them to their first step-by-step building project through counting, measuring, and color matching.
I usually absolutely LOVE LeapFrog products, but I just like this one. Let me just say, it is developmentally appropriate for a 2-year-old, even a 1-year-old. But my son is the youngest of 4 and has played with other tool products and was a little frustrated that the screws, nails and bolts didn’t come out like “they normally do”. The product description says you can build a doghouse, but it’s really just a few walls that come up and down, and just snap into place..not “tools” needed to “build” it. I also don’t see the speaking feature to be necessary. It’s not connected to any of the bolts, screws etc. So I’m not seeing the point. Aside from my pickiness, this a fine toy tool set and completely age appropriate. I like that it’s got nails, screws, and bolts with which to practice motor skills with, and because they are all permanently attached to the toolbox so they don’t end up all over the house. I also like that the tools and corresponding fasteners are color-coordinated so that it’s easy for kids to make that cognitive connection between the hammer and the nail, etc.
Twist for Letter Sounds and Blast to Build Words
Word Whammer gets kids jamming on phonics skills as they spin, push and twist the handles to identify letters and build words in three action-packed games and five learning levels that adapt as children play.
I gave this to my 5 year old who just started Kindergarten, and he was excited to play it at first. It has three games to choose from which you can scroll through to see games by tilting the right handle up or down and then push in to select that game. the same motions are needed for game play. While I see the value in the games, he seemed to get a little bored after a while and moved on to another toy, but tends to always come back and ask to play with it again. With only three games, I don’t see it being a toy that will last long, although game adapts as children play, keeping them challenged, motivated and engaged as they progress, so maybe it will last longer than I think. I do love that there are letter matching and spelling games which is something he really needs to work on. The design is a nice change from the tablets and traditional mobile gaming toys.
Overall the boys were very excited about the new LeapFrog School Readiness Toys!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

While at the #D23Expo in Anaheim, myself along with 7500 excited Disney, Marvel & LucasFilm fans ready to hear exciting new, see never before seen clips and perhaps some surprise guests. Let me tell you, we were not disappointed!! This was by far one of my favorite panels that we attended. Many fans slept over and were walking into the panel with their pillows and blankets…You could just feel the excitement in the air as we got underway…
Growing up in a sci-fi household, I’ve always loved Star Wars and Disney movies were always a favorite…I still collect them. Now, being a mom of 4 boys I have also grown to love Marvel. Even though I wasn’t introduced young, Marvel films have become part of my life just like LucasFilm & Dinsey…I just can’t get enough.
Okay, on to what you are actually here for! The Disney, Marvel & LucasFilm line up for the next couple years…You might want to sit down for this, there is a lot of information and surprises!!
MARVEL
DOCTOR STRANGE (#DoctorStrange)
Kevin Feige led off with a glimpse into the world of Marvel’s DOCTOR STRANGE, featuring a video greeting by Benedict Cumberbatch, who stars as the title character, followed by a pre-production piece that offered fans a taste of the look and feel of the upcoming film.
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under his wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
I have to say this looks quite exciting! I think the other fans in the audience would agree with me.
Marvel’s Doctor Strange is opening in U.S. theaters on October 26, 2016
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (#Captain America #CivilWar)
Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR marched into D23 EXPO with an introduction by its producer, Kevin Feige. The audience went crazy when Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie showed up on stage to help Feige show never-seen-before footage from the movie.
Trailer footage reveals Scott Lang as a giddy Captain America fan as he shakes his hand. “What an honor…I’m shaking your hand too long. Thanks for thinking of me.”
Feige revealed that there was a special “Easter egg” for fans to find: it was aptly a nod to D23 EXPO.
Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR picks up where “Avengers: Age of Ultron” left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.
Marvel’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR opens in the U.S. on May 6, 2016.
DISNEY
THE FINEST HOURS (#TheFinestHours)
Sean Bailey took the stage to introduce the first film in the Disney live–action lineup, THE FINEST HOURS, which is based on the remarkable true story of the most daring rescue mission in the history of the Coast Guard. Chris Pine, who plays Bernie Webber, the captain of the rescue boat, joined Bailey on stage to give fans a peak at the heroic action-thriller.
Presented in Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D, the film, which is directed by Craig Gillespie and also stars Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz and Eric Bana, transports audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale.
I will say, I didn’t think I was going to want to see this, but just from the trailer that we saw, It looks quite exciting! This will definatly be added to our movie list!
THE FINEST HOURS storms into U.S. theaters on January 29, 2016.
THE JUNGLE BOOK (#TheJungleBook)
After an introduction by Sean Bailey, Jon Favreau, director of Disney’s upcoming THE JUNGLE BOOK, welcomed to the stage newcomer Neel Sethi, who was selected from thousands of candidates to play man-cub Mowgli; plus Oscar® winners Ben Kingsley, who helps bring panther-turned-mentor Bagheera to life, and Lupita Nyong’o, who lends her voice to the protective mother wolf Raksha.
Favreau treated fans to a sneak peek of footage from the film, and each guest received a copy of the dramatic teaser poster following the presentation. The all-new, live–action epic adventure showcases Mowgli’s journey of self-discovery when he’s forced to abandon the only home he’s ever known.
Based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s 1967 animated classic, the film features state-of the-art technology that immerses audiences in the lush world like never before. THE JUNGLE BOOK also features the voices of Bill Murray (Baloo), Idris Elba (Shere Khan), Scarlett Johansson (Kaa), Giancarlo Esposito and Christopher Walken (King Louie).
I know you are probebly thinking the same thing we thought when we heard of ANOTHER “The Jungle Book”, but I’m really excited for this one! The CG imagery for The Jungle Book was a huge winner, the effects were just unbelievable. And just look at that cast! Neel Sethi is such a little cutie and obviously a little taken back by the crowd.
THE JUNGLE BOOK hits theaters in stunning 3D and IMAX 3D on April 15, 2016.
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (#DisneyAlice)
Bailey welcomed Mia Wasikowska to the stage, where she thrilled fans with a preview of the all-new spectacular adventure, ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, featuring the unforgettable characters from Lewis Carroll’s beloved stories. Director James Bobin brings his own unique vision to the spectacular world Tim Burton created on screen in 2010 with “Alice in Wonderland,” in which Alice (Wasikowska) returns to the whimsical world of Underland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter.
The film, which once again features Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter and the voices of Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall, introduces several new characters as well: Zanik Hightopp (Rhys Ifans), the Mad Hatter’s father, and Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen), a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock.
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS opens in U.S. theaters on May 27, 2016.
PETE’S DRAGON (#PetesDragon)
Bryce Dallas Howard joined Bailey on stage to talk about her starring role in PETE’S DRAGON, a reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film. The heartwarming adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon.
PETE’S DRAGON opens in U.S. theaters on August 12, 2016.
QUEEN OF KATWE (#QueenOfKatwe)
Bailey, with the help of Lupita Nyong’o, introduced the crowd to the upcoming film QUEEN OF KATWE, which is based on the inspirational true story of a girl from the poverty-stricken slums of rural Uganda who dreams of becoming a champion chess player.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (#BeautyAndTheBeast)
Bailey next presented BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, including a musical greeting from stars Emma Watson, Josh Gad and Luke Evans—sent from the London set where they are currently filming. The live-actionmusical, a retelling of the studio’s animated classic, stars Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald and newcomer Nathan Mack.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (#PiratesOfTheCaribbean)
A surprise visit by Johnny Depp, who showed up on stage completely decked out as Captain Jack Sparrow, brought down the house and thrilled fans at Sean Bailey’s presentation of the next exciting film in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN franchise, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES.
Seriously THE. COOLEST. THING. EVER! Especially when he proceeded to throw grapes at the fans! I can’t tell you how much I wanted a grape! lol
Will Turner, played by Orlando Bloom, set to return in Dead Men Tell No Tales!!
Johnny Depp, dressed as Jack Sparrow, visits children’s hospitals to bring cheer
Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas.
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES releases in U.S. theaters on July 7, 2017.
LUCASFILM
Moving on to the new Star Wars stories series, Horn touched on the “Untitled Han Solo” stand-alone film, slated for release on May 25, 2018 by reminding everyone that it will be directed by Christopher Miller & Phil Lord, with Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jon Kasdan writing the screenplay.
ROGUE ONE (#RogueOne)
Horn then took the audience by surprise, announcing the cast for ROGUE ONE, the first of the standalone Star Wars stories to hit the big screen, which has commenced principal photography. Gareth Edwards(“Godzilla,” “Monsters”) is directing ROGUE ONE, which tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star.
The filmmakers have assembled a stellar cast, including Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, and Riz Ahmed.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is slated for a December 16, 2016 release.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (#StarWars #TheForceAwakens)
Alan Horn took the stage again to present the Lucasfilm slate and timeline to the D23 EXPO fans. Horn told the audience that there were only 124 days to the release of Episode VII, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, on December 18, 2015 and added that there have been record-breaking trailer views and fantastic fan response.
Touching on STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII, Horn reminded the audience that Rian Johnson will be directing the film slated for release on May 26, 2017. Then in a surprise announcement, Horn informed everyone that Colin Trevorrow (“Jurassic World”) has signed on to direct STAR WARS: EPISODE IX, which is scheduled for release in 2019.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS ended the live–action presentation with a bang as J.J. Abrams introduced stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and Lupita Nyong’o. The crowd cheered when John Boyega announced that everyone there would get a Drew Struzan D23 EXPO commemorative poster to take home (seen above). Then, in a bringing-down-the house surprise moment, Harrison Ford, who is reprising his role as Han Solo, joined Abrams on stage to wild applause.
Let me just say we were already hyperventilating from Johnny Depp, then to have Harrison Ford come out!!! OMG we were done…put me on a stretcher and wheel me out!! While we didn’t see any new trailers, it was still quite an exhilarating moment!
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS out on December 18, 2015
This was such an exciting panel and we were so blessed to have been a part of it!
Did you catch all of that! I know so much to take in! Here is a 3 min recap video ????
If you loved this panel check out a few of the others we attended & other adventures while we were there!
Animation Film Slate | Parks & Resorts | Silly Symphony | Playmation | The Legacy Collection | Disneyland 60 | Disney Shorts |
Here is my favorite photo!! I couldn’t let you leave without sharing…although you might have already seen it if you follow my Instagram!
Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney
This event was part of an all expenses paid press trip to Anaheim for the #D23Expo, all experiences and opinions are 100% my own.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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