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Last week we took a trip down to Florida and spent three days at Disney World. I was hesitant to visit during the pandemic, but when your husband offers to take a trip to Walt’s Place, you don’t turn him down!

Several people I know are going to Disney World in the next few weeks and months so I thought it would be helpful to write a post answering the question “What is Disney World like during COVID-19?”.

Whether you’re going to Disney World without kids, or you’ve got your little ones in tow, this post is for you!

There were several things that would’ve been helpful to know that were kind of a surprise to me when we got there. And of course, there were obvious things that I expected, like temperature screenings before entering the park.

Here’s a helpful list of everything I could think of that made Disney World different during the pandemic.

What is Disney World like during COVID-19?

You have to choose what park you’re visiting each day through the app or website. They call it the Disney Park Pass System. All the parks were open on all three days, so I didn’t really have a problem with this.

Temperature screenings before entering security at each park.

Park Hoppers are only available after 2pm. For the first part of the day, you have to stay at the park you reserved.

No Fast Passes. This was a huge bummer, because we always use it for the big rides and it saves us a lot of time waiting in line. Because there are currently no Fast Passes in use, we had to wait in lines up to an hour long. Boo.

There’s extra spacing in lines, which means markers on the ground every six feet that tell you where to stand. In places where the lines curve too close to be six-feet-apart, there markers are spaced even further apart.

This makes the lines extra long, even with the reduced capacity. Lots of the lines wrap around outside of their regular queues, and there are cast members out holding signs for the ends of these long lines.

You have to wear masks at all times, except when eating or drinking while stationary. And yes, even during pictures. This actually wasn’t a big deal for me, except for when I got hot. Also, I started breaking out along my mask line.

Some dining locations require you to order on the mobile app before coming inside or up to the counter.

Some also require you to make a reservation. If it’s a sit-down place, I highly recommend making reservations far in advance. We booked our trip three days before we left and weren’t able to get reservations for any restaurants inside the park.

There are no character meetings or character dining right now. If meeting characters is a big part of Disney for you and your kids, this is going to be a bummer. Especially if there’s one character in particular that your child wants to meet. We were only able to see a fraction of the characters we normally do in the parks.

There are however, random parades/drive-bys with one-four characters. Unfortunately, they aren’t listed on an schedule, so you just sort of have to stumble upon them. We were able to catch the end of a three-car drive-by with Donald, Minnie, and Mickey at the front. Seeing Mickey for those ten seconds he drove by was my three-year-old’s favorite part of the trip.

Most shows are cancelled. I think the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration was the only one still happening.

The parks also close a little earlier (it ranges between 5pm and 8pm), and there aren’t any fireworks shows. There is one nighttime water parade, but it’s only viewable from a few resorts, so we didn’t get to see it.

No Extra Magic Hours. They suspended it when they opened Disney World last summer, say it’s not going to return.

A lot of dining places are closed. So if you have your heart set on a particular treat, you may not be able to get it.

Queues have plastic dividers between rows that are close together. This happens a lot on the loading zones for rides.

On that note, some rides have plastic dividers between rows on the actual cars/boats/space ships you ride. Most of the dividers are fine and didn’t bother me, but the did make it hard to see on the Frozen Ever After ride and the Kilimanjaro Safari.

Most rides don’t fill completely to allow for social distancing. For example, Splash Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise all had open seats in the rides.

There are lots of hand sanitizer stations and audio reminders to wash your hands. I appreciated all the hand sanitizer stations, especially in lines and at the end of rides. My kids love touching those queue barriers that like a million other people also touch.

Disney World still felt busy to me, even with reduced capacity, and I’m mostly basing that on how packed the stroller parking spots were. They were packed. We also went at the end of January, which I feel like should be a pretty non-busy time.

Our trip to Disney World was still a lot of fun and I definitely don’t regret going during the pandemic. My kids had a great trip and enjoyed going to Disney World for the first time. My husband, not so much, but then again he never really enjoys theme parks that much.

If you do want to go to Disney World right now, make sure you check out Get Away Today for their great deals on travel packages! You can even get $10 off with code LITTLES!

The post What is Disney World Like During COVID-19? appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Save big on Disneyland vacation packages from Get Away Today! Check out all the current deals here (including their layaway plans where you can hold a future vacation for just $175 down)! And don’t forget to use promo code LITTLES to save an extra $10 off your already discounted package! Check it out HERE!

I received complimentary Disneyland tickets in exchange for this post. This post also contains affiliate links.

Guys, it’s true what they say. Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth, and it’s even better as a parent.

Last month we got to go to Disneyland as a family of five, and it was so much fun. Last year we went to Disneyland with two toddlers and had a blast, and it was fun to go back again with a baby in tow. We visited both Disneyland and California Adventure, and I loved seeing the Christmas decorations they had all over the parks! The attention to detail is amazing!

Our oldest is now four and is even more Cars-obsessed than he was last year, so it was the best taking him to Cars Land and getting to experience Radiator Springs and ride all of the Cars rides. He was even brave enough to ride The Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout ride not once, but twice!

Our daughter’s favorite part of our trip was getting to meet her favorite Disney princess, Moana. It was the cutest thing to see her next to Moana in their matching Moana costumes. I think she was a little starstruck because she only said a few words to her the whole time! Our daughter was also tall enough to ride the big rides, so that was a lot of fun, too!

Our youngest was nine-months-old, and seriously, he was a champ while we were there. Since it was our first time going to Disneyland with a baby, I made sure to prepare so that we would be ready for anything! Traveling with a baby can be hard, especially to somewhere like Disneyland! You need to be prepared!

I wrote down a bunch of tips for going to Disneyland with a baby before we went, and added a bunch more when we were there! It made all the difference!

And don’t forget to check out Get Away Today! They have great discounts on Disneyland tickets and packages (like adult tickets for kid prices!), and you can get $10 off any 2-night or longer Southern California package with code “LITTLES” (hotel and 2 ticket minimum purchase to qualify for the discount).

Tips for Going to Disneyland with a Baby

Bring a good stroller that can recline and has shade covers

Bringing a stroller that can recline is important because your baby will probably be taking naps while you’re in the park, and having one with shade covers is important because California is sunny and you aren’t going to keep your baby in the sun all day.

We love our ZOE XL2 BEST v2 double stroller because it reclines almost all the way down, and the shade covers expand and almost completely cover your baby (it’s also AMAZING for travel because it’s only 16 lbs and you can get a special travel bag for it). ZOE also makes a single stroller if you don’t need a double yet. And having a stroller that’s a bright color is a plus, too, because it helps your stroller stand out when you’re looking for it!

Utilize the Baby Care Centers

If you’re bringing a baby to Disneyland, this is a must. The Baby Care Centers in Disneyland and California Adventure both have quiet, private rooms for nursing and pumping, several nice changing pads, tiny potties for kids learning how to potty train, feeding areas with high chairs, kitchens, and a main room for any other guests to wait in. They’re super nice and very comfortable.

I nursed baby boy in both the Disneyland Baby Care Center and the California Adventure Baby Care Center, and they were exactly what I needed. This is definitely one tip that you have to know when you go to Disneyland with a baby!

Stay close to the park

There are a lot of great hotels at and around Disneyland. The Disneyland Resort Hotels are great because they are super close so you don’t have to commute to the park (which is no fun with a stroller in tow), you can enter the parks an hour early with the Extra Magic Hour, and the hotels are themed, which is super fun!

You can also stay at one of the Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels that are Disney-approved. You don’t want to stay too far away from the park because if your baby has a meltdown, you run out of backup outfits, or you just need to go back to the hotel and rest, you want to be close enough that you actually can. (In the past, I’ve recommended Airbnb, but we had a horrible experience this time and ended up staying at one of the Good Neighbor Hotels instead.)

Don’t plan on regular naps

No matter how good of a sleeper your baby is, you shouldn’t plan on having them stick to their regular nap schedule when you’re at Disneyland. They’re probably not going to sleep as long, and they might have more short naps throughout the day.

Don’t stress about getting them “down for their nap,” and try to go with whatever they want. Our little guy regularly naps twice a day for about an hour or two at a time, but at Disneyland he had three or four thirty minute naps both days.

Check to see what rides your baby can come on

Some of the rides don’t have a height requirement, so your baby can actually come with you! Some of the rides your baby can do at Disneyland are Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, The Haunted Mansion, and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Some of them at California Adventure are Toy Story Midway Mania, Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue, Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train, and The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. There are a few more, and you can see all of them on the Disneyland website if you use the search filter for “any height.” Your baby can have a good time, too!

Bring a baby carrier

Since we were there two days in a row, baby boy got tired of being in the stroller and sometimes he just wanted to look around and have a little more freedom.

He loves his líllébaby 6-in-1 COMPLETE baby carrier because he can ride in facing forward or facing backward. My mom and I both wore him for a while, and it was a nice change from having him in the stroller when he started getting restless.

Bring two bags

The first bag should be a lightweight backpack/fanny pack that you can keep your valuables in so that when you go on rides and leave your stroller, you don’t have to bring a big bulky bag packed with all your stuff.

The second bag should have things like snacks, jackets, backup outfits, diapers, and wipes, and it can be as big as you want because it’s basically a stroller-only bag.

This tip will save you when you’re going on rides and don’t want to bring a giant bag with you every time you get in line. (Here’s a helpful list of things to pack in your diaper bag for a day at Disneyland)

Bring baby food and snacks to entertain your baby

If your baby is old enough for solid food, bringing some squeeze pouches and snacks to feed him while you’re in line or waiting for people to do rides is a good idea. Making sure you have stuff to keep your baby entertained while you’re waiting (because you do a lot of that at Disneyland) is important. Plus a full baby is a happy baby in our house, and snacks definitely helped keep our little Pua happy!!

Get the MaxPass

This tip is one I would give someone even if they weren’t bringing a baby along, but it is also helpful if you’re bringing a baby.

MaxPass is a really cool new feature that you can add to your ticket for only $10 per day, and not only does it gives you the ability to get FastPasses through the Disneyland app while you’re in the park (which I will talk about next), but it also gives unlimited PhotoPass downloads for the whole day. This is huge!

Last time we went to Disneyland, my husband was running all around the park collecting FastPasses for us so that we could shorten our ride time. It was exhausting and made his feet super sore by the end of the day. And I, on the other hand, was always trying to get the perfect picture and finding someone to take our picture in front of the classic Disney landmarks like the castle and and with the princesses and other characters.

The MaxPass changes all of that because you can get FastPasses from your phone wherever you are in the park, and then you can download all of your ride photos and photos taken by Disney PhotoPass Photographers.

In terms of why this is great when you have a baby in tow, it helps shorten line time, makes it so you’re not splitting up or running around to get FastPasses, and you can download all of the pictures taken by the photographers of your baby’s first visit to Disneyland! We got some really cute pictures with baby boy in Cars Land, and they were all included with our MaxPass purchase. Seriously guys, it’s worth the extra $10.

Use FastPasses

Another quick note about FastPasses. I still think it’s crazy that some people don’t use them. Even if you don’t get the MaxPass, FastPasses from the kiosks are included with the price of your ticket. And if your’e going to Disneyland with a baby who can’t ride the big rides, you’re going to want to use the FastPass feature so you can shorten your wait time and shorten the time your baby (and baby’s chaperone) has to just sit there and wait.

Use the Disneyland app

This is sort of a general Disneyland tip, but I have to include it in this post because it’s so helpful for anyone going to Disneyland.

The Disneyland app is really well done. It has a map with all the attractions and wait times, it tells you height requirements, it tells you where the characters are, it tells you show times, it tells you where bathrooms and restaurants and Baby Care Centers are, and it even shows park hours and which rides are closed for the day. It’s a great resource, and way more helpful than a plain paper map in the park.

Bring water in a sippy cup if your baby needs it

If your baby doesn’t use a sippy cup yet, obviously disregard this tip, but if your baby can use a sippy cup, bring them one! California is usually pretty warm, and if your baby drinks water, having a sippy cup on hand will help keep them cool!

Don’t worry about souvenirs

You really don’t need to worry about souvenirs because babies don’t care. Unlike a toddler who will cry when you say no to something they want, your baby isn’t going to care if he has a cute mouse ear hat or a new stuffed animal (although we did buy our son a stuffed Pua because we call him that!). If you’re trying to find a way not to spend a ton of money in the park, this is something you can cut out.

Check the weather and bring ponchos

We were lucky and had sunny skies the days we went, but when we went to Disneyland last year, it rained two of the three days we were there. I wish we had brought ponchos for us and one for the stroller, too, because we had to buy them in the park and they were more expensive.

And yes, bring one for your stroller, especially if your baby will be in it or you’re going to be leaving it outside while you go on rides. Babies don’t like wet strollers.

Bring someone to stay with your baby so you can do big rides

Your baby can come on some rides, but a lot of rides have a height requirement and your baby won’t be able to come. My mom was able to come with us and she was a lifesaver because she stayed with our youngest while my husband and I went on the big rides with our two older kids. It was perfect because we were able to all ride the big rides like Space Mountain and Radiator Springs Racers together instead of having to split up.

If you can’t bring someone with you, utilize Rider Switch Service for rides with a height requirement

Of course you aren’t always going to be able to bring a chaperone for your baby. And for those instances, make sure you utilize the Rider Switch.

Basically, your whole group goes up to the ride entrance, you tell the cast member at the ride entrance that you want to do the Rider Switch, and then you split up into who is riding the first time, and who is waiting with the person who can’t ride (in our case, this was my husband, my two older kids and me, and then my mom and baby). The cast member then scans your tickets (if you have the app, they scan them on your phone), and then the first group goes and rides the ride. When they are done, they come back and you switch who waits with the person who can’t ride. They go back up to the cast member, who scans their tickets, and then they get in the Fast Pass lane and go ride the ride. The person who waits gets to bring up to two other people, so my mom was able to ride with my two older kids while my husband and I waited with Little R.

Hopefully that makes sense, because I tried reading the Rider Switch instructions on the website a few times and didn’t really figure it out until we actually went to the park and tried it out. It’s a great service if, like I said, you don’t have someone to wait with your baby but you all want to ride the rides.

Bring a strap for toys/pacifiers

Another great way to keep your baby entertained is to bring a few toys! Even better if they’re new because they’ll probably keep his attention longer. But you don’t want to be constantly bending over and picking them up, so bring a pacifier clip with a strap and hook it onto the toys so they won’t fall!

This worked wonders for our son because his toys stayed within reach. And if your baby takes a pacifier, bring a pacifier clip for that, too!

Bring several outfits and lots of diapers and wipes

The second day we were there, our son had a poopout before we even stopped for lunch (that kid). Luckily, I had packed an extra outfit for him, as well as lots of diapers and wipes. You can purchase Huggies diapers and wipes at the Baby Care Centers in the parks, but it’s always better to come prepared.

And seriously, bring more than you think you might need. Babies have a way of pooping at the most inconvenient times, in the most inconvenient ways (please say that’s not just my baby?).

Bring hand sanitizer and/or sanitizing wipes

I’m not a huge germaphobe, but babies ALWAYS put their hands in their mouths, and if your baby is going to be going on rides and touching handlebars that one million other people have touched, you might want to sanitize their hands after. We did this with our older kids before they ate meals, too.

Put sunscreen on your baby (if they’re older than six months)

Again, California is sunny, and you want to make sure you protect your precious baby’s skin, especially on their little feet or legs if they are going to be in the sun. Put sunscreen on them (a few times throughout the day) so they won’t get burned and so you protect them from UV rays. We love Coppertone WaterBABIES sunscreen!

Use the shows as breaks throughout the day for napping or nursing

If your baby takes a long time to nurse, or if you just don’t want to use the Baby Care Center, feed him during one of the many Disneyland shows! There’s usually seating for the shows, and sometimes they are indoor, dark, and air-conditioned, which can provide a great place to nurse or let your baby nap!

Take lots of pictures

If this is your baby’s first trip to Disneyland, make sure you get some of the classic pictures with him! Get a picture with Mickey, a picture in front of the castle, and a picture anywhere else you want. Your baby only goes to Disneyland for the first time once, so make it special (the PhotoPass is helpful for this tip, too!).

Going to Disneyland with a baby is a lot of fun, and it doesn’t have to be stressful or even exhausting. Just follow these tips, be flexible, and remember that you’re going to Disneyland!!! Have a great time!!!

The post Tips for Going to Disneyland with a Baby appeared first on Life With My Littles.

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If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have seen sneak peeks of our family’s Moana Halloween costumes. Little A is Moana (of course), Little J is Maui, and Little R is Pua. I love Halloween, and I frequently spend a lot of time working on Halloween costumes (like this Lightning McQueen costume I made last year). I put a lot of time and effort into these costumes, and I am SO HAPPY with how they turned out. I know Halloween is less than two weeks away, but I couldn’t not share these!

Let’s start with Moana.

Little A’s costume is the only one I didn’t completely make.

She was gifted the Moana costume from one of her grandmas for her birthday, and Little J got her the singing Moana necklace for her birthday.

I decided to make her a little flower crown that she could wear like Moana wears in the movie.

I used flowers from Michael’s and a tutorial I found similar to this one.

It was super easy and while it’s not a total DIY, I still love it!

Now we’ll go to sweet baby Pua.

We call Little R Pua almost more than his actual name, so it was easy to decide what character he would be from the movie! I searched for a baby Pua costume tutorial, and couldn’t find one, so I improvised!

And the best part is that if you don’t want to do any sewing, you don’t have to!

All you need are white baby pajamas (I used this one from Amazon), a white baby hat, gray felt, white felt, pink felt, and hot glue. First cut out some gray spots and hot glue them all over the pajamas.

Then cut out some pink triangles and some slightly bigger white triangles (for the ears) and glue them together, then glue them to the hat.

I recommend putting your hat on your baby to make sure you put them in the right place. Of course take the hat off before gluing them so you don’t burn your baby. Then glue a few more smaller gray spots onto the hat, and voila!

You have a super easy no-sew baby Pua costume! If you’re wondering why I said you don’t have to sew it, I actually made the baby hat because I didn’t want one with a little fold on it. You can find the tutorial I used for that here. I love how Pua’s costume turned out, and it was so easy!

Maui’s costume took me the longest, and it’s definitely the most detailed.

I got the skin-colored shirt and pants from Amazon (shirt here, pants here), and drew the tattoos on (yes, I know) with Tulip black fabric markers.

It took several hours, I only did the front of the shirt and the ankles, and if you decide not to draw them on, your costume will still look awesome.

For Maui’s fishhook, I mostly followed this pin. It’s made from several layers of cardboard, masking tape, white felt, a rope, and hot glue.

I’ve seen a few different tutorials on Pinterest, and you can also just buy a fishhook if making one intimidates you. I used white felt instead of cardboard (because it was what I had and seemed easier) and just stitched it on using embroidery thread.

Then I hot glued some rope around the bottom of it.

For Maui’s necklace, I cut teeth out of a white foam sheet from Michael’s (like this), hot glued some thin hemp rope around the tops, and then hot glued them in between some white and brown beads on a thin hemp rope. It was super easy, and I just tie it on my son using a bow when he wears it.

The skirt was also super easy, even if it took a while. I used different colors of green felt, purple felt, and red felt, and cut leaves out of it.

Some of them were simple leaves, and then some of them I cut into to make them look more like palm leaves. To attach them to the rope, I used thread and sewed them on in a big long line along the rope. I also drilled some holes through some seashells and tied them onto the rope. To put it on, I just use safety pins on each end and pin them so it doesn’t fall off. There’s probably a better way to do it, but that’s how I did it!

So there you have it! DIY Moana Halloween costumes. They are great family Halloween costumes, great sibling Halloween costumes, or they are even great on their own! My kids ask me to wear them every day, and I can hardly wait to show them off and wear my Te Fiti costume with them! Happy Halloween!

The post DIY Moana Family Halloween Costumes appeared first on Life With My Littles.

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In December 2015 my son watched Cars for the first time. He was hooked (and still is). About a week after he watched it, he started telling me he wanted to be Lightning McQueen for Halloween. For the next ten months he was insistent that he be Lightning McQueen. So last year for Halloween, I made him a DIY Lightning McQueen costume. Guys, it was AMAZING. I was super proud of that thing. Even more importantly, he was super proud of that thing. Seeing how excited he was to wear his Lightning costume was my favorite part of Halloween last year. He ran around shouting “Kachow!” and wore the costume all trick-or-treating and the whole time we were at our church Halloween party.

I couldn’t find a good tutorial online for how to make a costume, so I sort of just did it myself looking at my son’s Lightning McQueen diecast car. I made sure to take tons of pictures, and today, I’m going to share how I did it! If there are any mamas out there trying to figure out how the heck they’re going to build their child a Lightning McQueen costume for Halloween this year (especially with the release of the AMAZING Cars 3!), this one’s for you!

First, let’s talk about the body. The first step is to cut out the body of the car from sturdy cardboard. I used the box that my husband’s lawnmower came in. Unfortunately I don’t have pictures of that process, but I looked at pictures of Lightning and used a pencil to draw the sides first, and then once I cut those out, I was able to cut out pieces that fit in between the sides. You’ll need a front (for the mouth), a thin front (for the headlights), a front top (for the circular Rusteze logo), a front windshield, a piece for the very back, a piece for the back hood behind the opening, and then two thin pieces for the spoiler.

Next, I taped them all together using thick masking tape and duct tape. I did a nice job on the outside taping them, being careful to make the joints flat, and then on the inside I reinforced it with lots of smaller pieces.

After the body is all taped up, it’s time for red spray paint!! I had to do a few coats to get the red I wanted, but it turned out great. (Also, this is the only in-process picture I have!)

Now it’s time to add the tires I used styrofoam circles and spray-painted them black. I wish I would have used a little bigger circles because if you look at Lightning, his tires take up a little more of the body, but it was still okay. I used gorilla glue to glue them on because it’s durable!

The next thing I did was to paint on the windows, back windshield, mouth, headlights and taillights, the lines on the back of the spoiler, lightning bolts on the sides (the small silver and large yellow ones), and his eyes. I drew what I wanted in pencil first and then painted. Look at a picture of Lightning when you’re doing it so you can get the right shapes.

Next comes the logos! I found all my logos and stuff online, and I conveniently saved them all so I can share them with you! You can download them all here. Print them out, cut them out, and use mod podge with a matte finish to glue them on. That way you can do a layer under the pictures to adhere them and a layer on top to seal them on. I used my son’s diecast Lightning McQueen to figure out where all the pictures went. There are logos on the sides, the top, the spoiler, the back, and the headlights and taillights.

The last part is to put on straps so your child can wear his costume! I used thick red straps that were in the ribbon section of the fabric store, but they were more like flat, rope (just look at the pictures). To attach them, I first glued them onto the underside of the front opening (using gorilla glue again). Once they were completely dry, I had my son get in the car and then I tried to see how long I wanted them to be. Once I figured that out, I cut them to length and glued them to the underside of the back. And a quick tip, the straps kept falling off my son’s shoulders because I didn’t glue them close enough together in the back. So lesson learned (and passed on to you!).

That’s the last step! Now take a step back and admire your work! If your son is anything like mine, he’ll be thanking you for days. It was seriously the best Halloween costume I’ve ever made, and I’m sure I’ll be proud of it for years to come! Good luck making yours, mamas!

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Today is a big day in our house. In fact, we’ve been counting down to today for months.

What is so special about today? Well today Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 comes out in theaters!

It has been so much fun watching my son get excited about the new movie. I’m so glad Disney•Pixar decided to release it now while my son is in the middle of his obsession. One great place to get new Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 toys is Amazon. Amazon is the Ultimate Pit Stop for Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3, and they have all the newest, coolest toys, apparel, and even bedding!

Little J recently got the new LEGO Juniors Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 Race Building Kit and we’ve been playing with it pretty much non-stop in our house. My son loves his Cars LEGO Duplo set he got for Christmas, but the LEGO Juniors are even better for him because they are specifically for kids 4-7. They are more challenging to build and give him more of a chance to follow the instructions. And since they have more pieces, he can also be a little more creative with what he builds!

He’s been OBSESSED with Lightning McQueen for almost 2 years. His bedroom is Cars-themed, he has a Cars quilt I made him (along with sheets), he has Cars clothes and pajamas, he’s had Cars cakes the last two years for his birthdays, he was Lightning McQueen for Halloween last year, and he has an insane amount of Cars toys. We even went to go see Lightning, Cruz, and Jackson when they came to our city in the Road to the Races Tour! I’m definitely not complaining, because I love Disney•Pixar’s Cars, too. The characters are so endearing and I still tear up every time I watch the first movie (which is pretty often around here!). Guys, I know so much about the characters and plot of the new movie and it’s just coming out today. Mom life, am I right?!

Anyway, it is so much fun building and playing with him. One of the themes of Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 is mentorship and how helping others makes you feel good. Helping him build with his new LEGO Juniors set has been a blast because it’s new for him and I get to guide him a little bit as he learns how to build everything. It’s incredible watching your kids learn something new and grow through playtime! And Little J loves making Miss Fritter chase Cruz and Lightning!

My husband loves building and playing with him, too. I love watching them play together as he guides and mentors our son. They have such a special bond, and it’s amazing to see their relationship get stronger as he gets older.

Little J LOVES his new LEGO set and of course all of his new Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 toys. But he shares a room with his sister and since Little R was born, we don’t have a playroom, so having a good system for toy organization is a must in our home, especially when the toys have lots of little pieces and losing any of them would cause a meltdown. And also because we need something easy that my kids can get out and clean up quickly.

Luckily, we have a few simple solutions that we use in our home for simple toy organization for kids.

The most helpful thing we do is to keep all their toys in the closet. They have a few bigger things (like Little A’s kitchen and Little J’s basketball hoop) that stay in their room, but everything else goes in the closet. Unfortunately, it was looking a little bit messy and unorganized. There were a few things that didn’t have a place so they were just put in there wherever the fit.

Today I’m going to share with you how I cleaned it up and how you can organize your kids’ toys in a way that is easy for them and for you!

All you need are a few fabric storage bins and a cube shelf (you can find them on Amazon!). Take everything out, get rid of things your kids don’t play with, and decide what should go in what bin. We have bins for cars, tools, dress-up, blocks, you get the idea.

It looked SO MUCH BETTER after I went through and cleaned it all up. I got rid of random boxes and things that didn’t fit or that were better somewhere else (like baseball bats in the garage!). The best part is, it’s easy for my kids to find what they need and get out what they want to play with. And it’s easy to clean up, too!

I also got a few clear storage bins, and I put his LEGO Juniors Thunder Hollow Crazy 8 Race Building Kit in one of them. It’s the perfect size, and since it’s clear he knows where it is. I opted for a lid for these since there are so many little pieces.

I know we’re going to be playing with Little J’s LEGO set for a long time, and I’m definitely not complaining because I love helping him and seeing his creativity as he builds new things. And if you’re looking for new Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 toys (like this LEGO Juniors set, Disney•Pixar Cars 3 Crazy 8 Crashers Smash & Crash Derby Playset, or the Just Play Cars 3 Mack Mobile Tool) or any Disney•Pixar’s Cars 3 apparel or bedding, make sure you check out Amazon first!

And don’t forget to head to my Instagram because  because I’ll be sharing some more about the new movie!!!

© 2017 Disney/Pixar

The post Simple Toy Organization for Kids appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I can hardly believe it’s already May! April was such a fun month for us. My husband had every weekend off, which after March’s schedule, was so nice! Little J started t-ball, we got to go to the Cars 3 Road to the Races Tour (which made us even more excited for the movie, if that’s possible), we had our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate, Little A and I went to Disney on Ice, and my husband had his third week off of intern year so we got to visit my parents in Colorado and bless Little R while we were there. We also got to celebrate Easter and our seventh wedding anniversary, and I cut and colored my hair! Little R also laughed for the first time in April, and of course my husband was the one who got him to do it. We also planted a peach tree and an orange tree, and got to harvest some strawberries and red potatoes from the garden! Like I said, it was such a fun month!

Here’s what’s going on this month:

Starting the potty training journey with Little A. It has been a long time coming and I have kept putting it off because of Little R’s birth and then colic and then we traveled. But now we have several months with nothing ahead but staying home so we are going to start. She can definitely do it, we just need to put in the effort. I’m making her a potty training sticker chart today and we have Sofia the First pull-ups and undies, lots of M&Ms, and the promise of a trip to Disney so she can meet Sofia, Elena, and Moana when she is successful. So we’ll see how it goes!

Planning on figuring out a schedule for the next few months. Now that Little R is three months, I want to try and get on more of a schedule with his naps. All three of our kids go to bed at 7pm and wake up in the morning around 6:30 or 7am (with Little R waking up 2-3 times a night), but during the day I want to figure out a nap schedule. I think it will help us be able to do things at home and with friends easier. And it will be a little easier for everyone!

Heading to the gym! We got gym passes last month but I couldn’t go until Little R was three months (childcare rules), so now that he is three months, we can go! I plan on going MWF in the mornings and maybe I can finally get rid of that extra weight I never lost after Little A was born almost three years ago. I was in the best shape of my life after Little J was born because I worked out consistently, so I want to get back into that. Also, I would LOVE to do a Disney run if we can match my husband’s time off to one of them, so if I do I need to get in shape!

Hoping to learn more about my camera. One of my goals for last/this year was/is to learn more about how to use my camera. I have a nice DSLR but I haven’t really put in the time to learn how to use it. I want to, but finding time to do everything is hard. So I am hoping that this month I can finally get on that.

Getting serious about quiet time. I don’t ever have time to do anything for myself these days because any free time I have I spend working on the blog or with my husband after the kids are in bed. And now that we are going to try getting on more of a schedule and Little R is the only one who naps, I need to get serious and figure out how to do quiet time with Little J and Little A. He is 4 and she is 2 1/2 and I just some time every day for me. So I’m going to be searching my favorite blogs for tips and plans and if anyone has any ideas, send them my way! Because I need to figure this out!

That’s what’s going on for us this wonderful month of May! Make sure you follow me on Instagram to see more of what we do each day!

The post Currently: May 2017 appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I received free product in exchange for hosting a #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate. All opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links.

On Monday I shared all the details from our amazing #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate. All the details except for how to make these adorable Mickey Mouse cupcakes, that is!

They were a hit at our party two weeks ago, even if they did start to get a little melty sitting in the hot Texas weather for a few hours. They looked great in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cupcake liners that came in our playdate kit, and I loved showing them off on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cupcake stand I found.

And I know these look super cute and fancy, but they were actually way easy. All I used was a box of cupcake mix, chocolate frosting, OREO Thins, and Baker’s Dipping Chocolate.

First, bake a box of chocolate cupcakes according to package directions.

While your cupcakes are cooling, dip OREO Thins in Baker’s Dipping Chocolate and let dry in the fridge on a sheet of wax paper.

When the cupcakes are completely cooled (I’m serious on this one!), frost with chocolate frosting. I like to use Wilton disposable decorating bags and tips like these to frost my cupcakes.

Then, take two “Mickey ears” and stick them with the chocolate side up into the frosting. I did mine a little behind the middle point of the cupcake. I also did a quick little line of reinforcement frosting behind the ears to make them extra sturdy.

And guess what! All done! I told you they were easy! Now you have some adorable cupcakes for your Mickey Mouse party. Or just for fun, because who needs a party to make cupcakes??

If you need more fun ideas on how to throw a Mickey Mouse party, check out my post all about our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate here!

The post Mickey Mouse Cupcakes appeared first on Life With My Littles.

I received free product in exchange for hosting a #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate. All opinions are my own.

My family loves all things Disney. We love Disneyland, we love Disney shows and movies, and we love Disney characters. So when I got asked to host a #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate, I about flipped. My kids were both super excited to host a party and invite all of their friends, and right up to the day of our party they were asking how many days until our “Mickey party.”

Guys, it was so much fun! I haven’t put together a good party since Little A turned one, but I had such a good time getting everything ready. And I am 100% sure that all our little guests had a great time, too!

To announce our party, we used the HP Card and Invitation Kit that we got in our playdate kit. It was super easy to pick a cute Disney design, fill in the text, add a picture, and print them out. My kids both loved delivering their invitations, and their friends were all excited when they opened them!

I sort of go crazy when it comes to food for parties, and this one was no different. We had lots of food, but with eleven kids over the age of two and their mamas, I’m glad I made a lot! We had Mickey-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit salad, and carrots and celery with ranch to start out. Then there were the desserts! Oh, how I love making desserts! We served rice krispie treats, Mickey sugar cookies, Mickey’s “magic wands” (pretzel rods with vanilla candy melts and sprinkles), and delicious chocolate Mickey cupcakes (full tutorial here). I also decided to serve water, which was a good decision because it ended up all over our patio and my daughter! And of course, our playdate kit had Mickey Mouse napkins, cups, plates, and a tablecloth to serve it all on! We also “decorated” our patio using some fun Mickey Mouse swirl decorations. They kids were really bummed when I took those down at the end of the day!

I decided to let my 4-year-old decide what games to play and when since it was sort of his party, so as his friends were arriving we had them decorate Mickey sorcerer hats! They were just some simple blue party hats and different star stickers that were in our kit. It was easy and the kids loved making them! My kids even wore their hats for a few days after!

After everyone was done with their hats they made some fortune tellers that were in our kit. Remember cootie catchers? Well that’s how you folded them, and it was fun trying to help all those cute littles make their own! And they loved the characters on the inside!

Then Little J decided he was ready to eat, so everyone took a break and had lunch. Everything was a huge hit, and despite me making 16 Mickey PB&J sandwiches, I only had 1 left at the end! The pretzels were a big hit, too! I guess I know what kids like!

After everyone was full and had spent some time playing on the playground, Little J decided he was ready for another game. I don’t have pictures of this one because I was the one doing it, but we had all the kids play Disney character charades! Even though they may have not all gotten the concept of charades, it was so cute how excited they would get when they figured out a character. My daughter’s favorite was of course, Sofia the First, and my son guessed Mickey first!

Our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate kit also had some fun reversible hats for each kid, so after charades each kid got to pick whether they wanted a Sofia the First crown or a Jake and the Neverland Pirates pirate hat. They were so cute running around the yard in all of their hats, and at one point, almost all the kids were on top of the playground playing pirates! We mamas loved watching them use their imagination!

At the end of the party, Little J and his friend handed out Mickey goodie bags filled with Mickey trail mix that we had made the day before. We used Pop Secret popcorn, raisins, red, yellow, and brown chocolate candies, marshmallows, pretzel sticks, and tiny graham crackers. We also handed out a pack of HP Social Media Snapshots to each mama so they could make print out pictures from their social albums on 4×5 prints with sticky backs.

We had such a fun time at our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate, and it made us want to go to Disneyland or Disney World even more! Last year was our first time going as a family and we had so much fun. We told Little A that if she gets potty trained we can go again, but to be honest we’re planning on going either way!

Thanks to the Disney Parks team for letting us throw such a magical party! We had so much fun!

The post Our #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate appeared first on Life With My Littles.

This post is sponsored by Disney Baby at Walmart.

The day we found out we were having a daughter was a day I’ll never forget. It was our fourth anniversary and we went in to the doctor to see if we were going to be adding another boy to our family, or a little girl. When the ultrasound tech told us we were having a girl, I immediately started crying because I was so excited.

Don’t get me wrong–I love having a boy. My son is the best. But there’s something special about the bond between mother and daughter. For a lot of girls, their mom is their best friend, and that’s something I want with my daughter.

With Mother’s Day a few weeks ago, I’ve been thinking a lot about the relationship I have with my daughter. It can be hard to find moments to bond with her when she’s so little and when I have another child to take care of, too. But spending some one-on-one time with her (as well as with my son) is super important to me. Being a girl is super hard, and I want her to always know that she can trust me and talk to me about anything. So enjoying some mommy daughter time with her while she’s little is important!

In honor of Mother’s Day, I thought it would be fun to share some ideas for mommy daughter activities to do with girls 0-2 years-old!

1. Watch a favorite movie together. I grew up with Disney, and that’s something I want for my daughter, too. We went to Disneyland for the first time with our kids last month, and it was incredible. It was so much fun to share the magic of Disney with our kids. Anyway, our daughter loves watching movies, and it’s even better when we get to sit down and watch one together. Especially ones that I loved when I was little!

2.Have a tea party. Real or pretend, having a little tea party is a lot of fun! Even if it doesn’t last very long, it’s a fun mother daughter activity. So break out the tea pot, cups, and tiny treats! Your daughter will love getting all your attention while you sit and pretend to drink from teacups together!

3. Manicures. I don’t know if it’s just my daughter, but she rarely sits still. It was easier when she was smaller because she would nap and I could do it, but that doesn’t work anymore! But now she will usually sit still is when I clean and trim her nails. And then for days after she shows them to me and is just so excited. I love sitting and talking to her while I do it. It’s a great mommy and me activity!

4. Dance. My kids both love music, and my daughter especially loves dancing. We love putting on music and spinning around the room while we hold hands and giggle. And it’s easy to hold your baby girl and dance if she can’t walk yet!

5. Cuddle! My son isn’t big into cuddling but my daughter will if you’re lucky! And I love getting the chance to snuggle up with her, even if we’re just sitting and I’m telling her a story or reading a book.

6. Dress-up. What little girl doesn’t love dress-up? I remember when I was little I loved dressing up in my mom’s old dresses, and even my grandma’s old clothes and jewelry! And ever since she was big enough to walk, Little A has loved dressing up. She has a few princess dresses, some princess aprons my mom made her, little felt crowns, and even some cute bracelets! So let her dress up in some of your old clothes and jewelry. It’s a great way to have special mommy daughter time!

7. Read books. I kind of already mentioned this, but reading books together is another great activity. I’ve been reading books to my daughter since she was a newborn. Now, we go to the library every week and I let each of my kids pick out a few new books to try. Little A usually gets a Disney book (she knows where they are!). We love reading new stories and ones from our own little bookshelf, too!

8. Go shoe shopping. Okay so that might sound silly, but letting your daughter try on high heels or sparkly flats is a lot of fun! My daughter is obsessed with shoes (we can’t let her near them or she holds on to them with a death grip!). If your little girl is the same way, shoe shopping might be a fun activity for you two!

9. Do a craft or color. Crafts with babies don’t have to be complicated, and since you have to help a lot and give a lot of attention when you’re crafting with kids 0-2 years-old, it’s a great activity for bonding. Coloring is the same way! We have a few Disney coloring books and I love sharing a page and coloring with my daughter!

10. Cook. When my daughter was smaller, I would put her in the high chair next to me while I cooked. She was interested in what I was doing, even if she couldn’t help. Now that she is big enough to stand on a chair at the counter, I love having her help me bake. It usually is a lot slower and messier with her help, but it is fun to get her involved!

11. Go to a petting zoo. If your daughter loves animals, a petting zoo is a really fun way to get out of the house and have some 1-on-1 time together. Little A loves anything that looks soft, so she is a huge fan of animals. And I love watching her joy when she is around them!

I love having a daughter. I love bonding with her and sharing special moments with her, and I hope that because of the time I’m spending with her now, she’ll think of me as one of her best friends! I know having a daughter won’t always be easy, but it’s even more fun than I thought it would be!

The post Mommy Daughter Activities to do with 0-2 Year-Olds appeared first on Life With My Littles.

Three weeks ago we went to Disneyland with our kids for the first time, and it was the best family vacation we have ever had.

Up until we went, I didn’t understand those families who were obsessed with Disneyland and went religiously every year. I thought it was weird that people made matching shirts for their group and wore them all when they went. I didn’t get why people would choose to go to Disneyland over a cruise or a trip to the beach. I was confused why football players take their families to Disneyland when they win the Superbowl.

But I get it now.

Going to Disneyland is amazing. Yes, it’s fun when you go without kids, but it’s seriously amazing when you get to take your kids.

The whole time we were there it was so much fun to watch my son’s face as he experienced the places from his favorite movies. He is obsessed with the Disney movie Cars, so getting to take him to Radiator Springs after watching it on TV a hundred times was so much fun. He pointed at everything and told me how it was just like in the movie. His eyes lit up and he ran to hug Lightning McQueen and Mater when he met them. It was like he was in shock that he was actually meeting the characters he watches in the movie so often.

Getting to give that to your kids, getting to see them enjoy something so wholeheartedly, is why Disneyland is even better as a parent.

Then you go on the rides and feel like you’re in the movie, and the life-size characters talk to you as you drive through the story. You watch your child in awe again, thrilled that they are living the movie. I’ll be honest and tell you that when we went on the Radiator Springs Racers ride and they played the music just like in the movie, I teared up a little bit because even I felt like I was in the movie.

And the parades. Oh man, the parades. Music can really help set the tone, and when everyone is joined together smiling and cheering and waving, I just can’t handle it. You get to see every character and all the bright floats and your child just waves and waves and waves. And if you’re lucky, one of the characters will wave back and your child’s smile will explode across their face as they exclaim that “Aladdin waved to me!!”

There’s nothing quite like a Disneyland vacation. And I am definitely not just saying that. I know it sounds cheesy, but it really is magical. Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth, and as soon as we get another chance to go back, I know my husband and I will both jump on board.

Because taking your child to Disneyland is one of the most amazing experiences, and I think every parent should be able to have that experience at least once in their lives.

And don’t forget to check out Get Away Today! They have great discounts on Disneyland tickets and packages (like adult tickets for kid prices!), and you can get $10 off any 2-night or longer Southern California package with code “LITTLES” (hotel and 2 ticket minimum purchase to qualify for the discount).

The post Why Going to Disneyland is Even Better as a Parent appeared first on Life With My Littles.