Pirates, Red Carpets & A Deer | I'm Headed To L.A. For The #PiratesLifeEvent

So when it comes to video games, I’m obsessed with the Lego games…I grew up playing Legos, and still like to buy a set here or there for myself and my boys. I was excited when they started rolling out the video games years ago. Then last fall we stopped by Game Stop and saw this advertisement for the newest Lego game, Lego Dimensions, that would be much like Disney Infinity or Skylanders in the fact that you have to collect characters & use a platform to play the game.
I finally bought it as a family gift for Christmas, and well…I think I’ve played it more than anyone. The Lego Dimensions starter pack comes with the Portal platform, Batman Lego Figure, Batmobile, Gandolf Lego Figure & Wildstyle Lego Figure. I was so excited about the game I went ahead a purchased a Back To The Future Level Pack & Scooby Doo Team Pack. Since playing the game, I get anxious to get other characters to be able to unlock gold bricks and other special things…so I’ve purchased the Wicked Witch Fun Pack & Jurrasic World Team Pack.
Okay…lets get into Lego Dimensions game play…
You start the game with your three starter pack characters. Each game hero’s “sidekick” has been stolen by the villainous Lord Vortech who is collecting heroes, villains, and the “Foundation Artifact” of each of the 14 worlds in an effort to rebuild the worlds into a single “perfect” dimension created in his image. You are aided by his former henchman robot, X-PO, who helps you retrieve the foundation elements & artifacts.
As in other Lego games, You go around each level busting up everything to collect studs, find gold bricks, use basic Lego combat, and figure out puzzles. Different Lego character’s are needed as they have different specific abilities, but where Dimensions differs is that some abilities are activated by placing the characters on different parts of the LEGO toy pad. ie. You may need to move Wildestyle to different sections of the board to activate her scanning or master builder ability.
Your characters start their adventure together by first traveling through the unstable portal to OZ where you battle the Wicked Witch to collect your first Keystone, which in the end when all collected will stabilize the portal (you have 5 keystones to collect). After you collect your keystones or finish that level you will be taken back to “home base” where you can enter the portal again and keep moving forward in the game, or you can head up and check out all the adventure worlds where there are extra tasks and plenty of stud collecting waiting. The DC, Lord Of The Rings & Lego Movie worlds are all unlocked and ready to play. You can unlock other worlds when you purchase the additional packs.
Speaking of additional packs…I’m excited about today’s release! The Ghostbusters pack has been released TODAY! This release adds “A Spook Central Adventure!” and themed characters to the action! This means you can now own Peter Venkman, Ecto-1 & the Ghost Trap! Stay Puft Fun Pack will be released March 31 & Slimer Fun Pack will be released May 31. There will be many more releases this year so be sure to check out the Lego Dimensions site and social media pages to keep up with all the releases.
Stay Puft Fun Pack will be released March 31
Slimer Fun Pack will be released May 31
Additional packs also released today include the DC Comics team pack, featuring The Joker and Harley Quinn with two new vehicles, and new fun packs from Doctor Who, Back to the Future and LEGO Ninjago. There will be many more releases this year so be sure to check out the Lego Dimensions site and social media pages to keep up with all the releases.
If you’ve played and enjoyed other Lego games, you’re sure to enjoy this one…And with all the expansion packs rolling out it will keep the adventure going and going. The LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack is currently available at a 30% discount on Amazon, with several expansion fun packs on sale at store locations including Toys “R” Us and Amazon.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to 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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One of our favorite channels to watch is Animal Planet! There’s nothing like the kids learning about new animals and getting excited about it. Just in time for Easter Animal Planet has these adorable series of eggs, Hatch ’ems, that will excite your kids just as the small pills excited us as kids…yes I’m talking the ones you put in water and watch the magic happen!
Each set comes with three eggs to hatch!
Once we stuck them in water it only took one night for the eggs to crack! Now we have slimy little creatures we’re waiting to watch grow!
Did you know?
African Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth.
African Elephants are fond of water and enjoy showering by sucking water into their trunks and spraying it all over themselves.
An African Elephant’s trunk contains about 100,000 different muscles and is used for smelling, breathing, trumpeting, drinking, and grabbing.
African Elephants can consume up to 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of food in a single day.
Animal Planet brings the animal kingdom to life every day-on screen, online and in products like this one. Let your instincts take over and your imagination go wild.
Your purchase of this product benefits the principal partners of R.O.A.R., Animal Planet’s project to help make the world a better place for animals. AnimalPlanet.com/ROAR
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.”

They’re back in an all new adventure! Yes, Alvin, Simon & Theodore are at it again in 20th Century Fox’s upcoming movie Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip. Growing up with the Chipmunks specials, it was so much fun to watch my boys enjoy the new generation of The Chipmunks! You should hear them cracking up at all the antics. I can’t wait to see what The Chipmunks get into in The Road Chip!
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami…and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.
Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Road Chip is in theaters December 18th
Visit the Official Website
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My friend Dina over at My UnEntitled Life put together a fun post that has 2 crafts and the perfect shamrock cookie without using a cookie cutter recipe. You have to bounce over there and check it out. You get to have fun crafting with your kids and making a yummy, simple cookie. What a great way to spend time with your kids. So head on over and enjoy some crafting of shamrocks, buttercups and yummy sugar cookies.
Don’t forget to check out all the great crafts and recipes from my friends.

Continuing with our healthy new year lets talk sugar! This is a post I found on MyFitnessPal & thought that it was a great article to share with you all.
If you’re looking to cut back on sugar, here are 15 simple hacks for slashing the sweet stuff from your diet:
Go natural. Eat natural sources of sugar over added sugars. Added sugars like honey, agave, and high fructose corn syrup contain empty calories meaning they have zero nutritional value. Fill up on fresh fruit and vegetables instead because they contain fiber that slows the rate of absorption of carbohydrates along with improving cholesterol levels, digestion, and satiety to help with weight loss.
Pick low sugar produce. If you’re aiming to eat less sugar overall, pick the fruits and veggies with the lowest sugar load like lemons, limes, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens, mushrooms, green beans, mushrooms, and zucchini. Essentially all veggies are low in sugar. To compare, 1 cup raspberries contains 5 grams of sugar, 1 cup black beans contains less than 1 gram of sugar, and a medium red potato contains less than 3 grams of sugar. Keep in mind, low sugar intake doesn’t necessarily mean low carbohydrate.
Know your portions. Following a low sugar diet requires some diligence in knowing how much you should be eating. In general, most people should consume 2 fruits (or 2 cups) and at least 3 cups of veggies per day. On average 1 serving of fruit contains 15 grams of sugar. Ideally, try to space out your servings so that you aren’t getting a big sugar rush all at once.
Eat whole and fresh. Limit fruit juices and dried fruit if you are watching the sugar intake. Generally speaking, just 4 fluid ounces (1/2 cup or 120mL) of 100% fruit juice and ¼ cup unsweetened dried fruit is equivalent to 1 piece or 1 cup of fresh, whole fruit.
Learn the label lingo. The food label doesn’t differentiate between added and natural sugars (though it may in the future), instead it lumps them all together. To get natural sugar sources check the ingredient list to know if there are any added sugars in the product. Sugar lurks behind these words in the ingredient list: molasses, organic cane sugar, fruit juice concentrate, malt sugar, corn syrup, honey, syrup, and words ending in “ose” dextrose, lactose, maltose, fructose, glucose, sucrose. Here’s a more thorough list of sugar’s most common nicknames.
Compare products. Looking for the lowest sugar foods? Check the nutrition label to see which product is lowest in sugar. Don’t be fooled by “low sugar” or “diet foods” as they are often packed with artificial sugars, which is another blog for another day. Bottom line: eat real “natural” convenience foods lowest in added sugar.
Track it! Logging your food in MyFitnessPal can help with staying on top of your sugar intake and goals so that you become aware of how much sugar you are really ingesting since they can sure add up fast.
Fill up on healthy fats. Eat more nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, and salmon. Not only are these foods heart healthy and help with blood sugar control, healthy fats will displace excess sugar from the diet and keep the body satisfied for longer so you are less likely to have energy dips between meals prompting a quick sugar fix.
Set boundaries on the sweet tooth. Do you have a mean sweet tooth? Set limits on when and how you’re going to enjoy your sweets. Maybe you have ice cream once per week or possibly you’ll include a dark chocolate square after dinner nightly? Setting boundaries around what sweet treats are worth the indulgence, when is appropriate to enjoy them and how much you can enjoy will keep you from reaching in the office candy jar out of habit.
Eat less packaged food. Foods in their whole form are going to be your best bet when it comes to lowering your sugar intake. According to the New York Times, 75% of packaged foods in the U.S. contain added sugar, so you can simplify your sugar doses by keeping these to a minimum.
Choose unsweetened dairy. Opt for plain milk and yogurt, and no, vanilla isn’t plain! While there are naturally occurring sugars in milk and yogurt (lactose), many are spiked with sweeteners. So read the labels to get dairy varieties without the sweet stuff, and keep in mind fat-free milk naturally contains more sugar than reduced-fat. Add your own flavor by topping yogurt with chia seeds, blueberries, and cinnamon.
Pump up the protein. Eating more protein will keep you amped. Protein takes longest to digest so you will be less likely to crash if you’re eating good quality proteins every three to four hours.
Beware of sugar bombs. Even healthy foods can have sneaky sources of added sugar. Foods like energy bars, lattes, smoothies, juices, enhanced waters, salad dressing, cereals, tomato sauce, and medications are common culprits.
Lower it gradually. Instead of cutting sugar cold turkey, lower your intakes slowly. If you usually eat sweets after lunch and dinner, start by taking it down to one meal a day.
Clean out the pantry. If you have tempting foods in the kitchen, you might need to do a little pantry detox. Go out for the ice cream sundae instead of bringing a carton it into the house.
Do you watch your sugar intake? How do you slash sugar from your diet?
Click HERE to read the full article!

Valentines Day is a day filled with love, and sweets…what do those of us do that are trying to eat healthier this year? Stoneridge Orchards & Lily’s Sweets are two healthier alternatives for you this year!
Stoneridge Orchards:
Our family of employees strives to grow and process the world’s finest all-natural and organic dried and frozen fruits for consumers, for retailers, and for manufacturers of value-added baked goods, cereals, granola bars, beverages, and other fruit-based consumables.
The fruits we received were covered in chocolate, what better gift for v-day?! Fruit & Chocolate…with the options they have you can create a gift basket that would wow your loved one.
My boys and husband got to them before I could…so I would say they were pretty good…to know that my boys like something that is all natural and healthier than the sugary chocolates they usually ask for.
Lily’s Sweets:
With flavors meticulously chosen to create the most mouthwatering chocolates, Lily’s Sweets’ products offer 20-25% fewer calories than conventional chocolates (it’s the Stevia), but 100% of the indulgence. Healthier chocolate from a company with a heartfelt mission – indulgence has never tasted this good.
These were really tasty, I thought they would have a funny “cheap chocolate” taste, and that wasn’t the case! They were just as good as a regular chocolate bar.
Just in time for Valentines Day…
Roses are red, violets are blue…sweets with no added sugar? Your honey sure will thank you!
Love is in the air with Lily’s fair trade heart-shaped chocolate pops, now available in 40% Chocolate & Milk and 55% Dark Chocolate. Be extra sweet this Valentine’s Day and gift velvety, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate with a lot less calories!
Lily’s stevia-sweetened Valentine’s Day Chocolate Pops are currently available at Whole Foods nationwide.
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.”