Be sure to scroll all the way down to enter to win two tickets to Legoland Discovery Center!

We recently visited Legoland Discovery Center in Dallas for the first time. It’s like heaven for Lego loving kids (which my son most definitely is). The highlights of our Legoland adventure…

Learning how bricks are made by the very animated Professor Brick A Brack. 

The children’s play area. Note to parents: be sure to bring socks if you want your kids to enjoy this feature. Mine spent the most amount of time here.

4D movies! We got wet watching Bob the Builder!

A mini Dallas / Ft. Worth made entirely out of Lego bricks. Stay there long enough and you can see it by day and by night.

Saving the princess on the Castle ride!

Legoland Discovery Center has a new ride opening this summer! Check out the details of their new LEGO City: Forest Ranger Pursuit, the first new interactive ride since opening in April 2011!

Children will be able to take part in their own driving adventure as they are let loose upon forest pathways in their own off-road LEGO vehicles to chase robbers who have escaped with gold bars from the City. There will be nine different scenes in which kids free drive around a purpose built LEGO course. Don’t worry if you don’t have a drivers license, you can pick up your very own LEGO License after your adventure! Age and height restrictions apply. This exciting new attraction will be located in a newly constructed space near the LEGOLAND Discovery Café. It is set to open June 1st and annual pass holders will have the opportunity to ride it before anyone else. Details here. There is no additional fee to participate in the driving experience. Entry is included in the overall price of admission.

May 18-20: Main Street Days in Grapevine!

Visit the Legoland Discovery Center tent at Main Street Days in Grapevine May 18-20th to play with LEGO bricks and meet their staff!  If you think you’re a talented LEGO builder, enter the Junior Model Builder contest, where the Grand Prize includes the title of “Junior Master Model Builder!” Click here for more details and to sign up!

Special Price on Annual Passes!

Throughout the month of May, Legoland Discovery Center is offering annual passes for $45 for new buyers and $40 for renewals. (Prices are per person.)

FREE Legoland City Poster!

There’s a special offer going on right now at Legoland. Visit City.LEGO.com and click on Code Breaker. Crack the code by entering LDC1. Click on the bars of gold to see which one is a FREE Lego city poster! Print the coupon and bring it to Legoland Discovery Center to receive a FREE poster with admission.

Want a chance to visit Legoland Discovery Center? Check out how to win 2 tickets to Legoland Discovery Center Dallas!

1st Entry:  Answer this question…

What is your child’s all-time favorite LEGO set?

2nd Entry: Tweet and / or post on Facebook the following…

Enter to #win 2 tickets to @LDCdfw to check out their new summer ride! @TodaysMama http://bit.ly/KmJ7rl

Giveaway is for two tickets to Legoland Discovery Center and is open to U.S. addresses only. Giveaway ends May 21st at 12pm CST when random number generator will choose one winner. Tickets are valid for one time use before July 12, 2012 at the Legoland Discovery Center DFW location ONLY. Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry and be sure I have a way to contact you.

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love.

Legoland Discovery Center on Twitter

Legoland Discovery Center on Facebook

Legoland Discovery Center on the web

Celebrating spectacular visual, performing, cultural and culinary arts over Memorial Day weekend, CityArts Festival presented by Big City Crushed Concrete will return to historic Fair Park May 25 – May 27. Free and open to the public, the three-day event will feature a multitude of festivities for families and art aficionados alike to enjoy against the backdrop of beautiful Fair Park, a national landmark featuring the world’s largest collection of 1930s art deco exposition buildings.

What

Friends of Fair Park and Big City Crushed Concrete present the ninth annual CITYARTS FESTIVAL, Dallas’ premier weekend arts celebration at historic Fair Park returns Memorial Day weekend!

Free festival to feature ARTFEST juried art show, culinary showcase, outdoor films Friday and Saturday night, children’s area, reduced admission to museums, entertainment on multiple stages, art classes, “dancing water” shows, ArtCars and more.

Where

Fair Park

1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd., Dallas, TX 75210

When

Friday, May 25 – Sunday, May 27, 2012

Friday               6 – 10 p.m.

Saturday           11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Sunday             11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Cost

Admission is free. The City of Dallas charges $10 to park within the gates of Fair Park, or ride DART’s Green Line Rail to the Fair Park or MLK stations. CityArts Festival will run from 6 -10 p.m. Friday (May 25); 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday (May 26); and 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday (May 27). Outdoor activities will take place along the Leonhardt Lagoon, Cotton Bowl Plaza, Promenade, and First and Grand avenues.

ARTFEST, the long-held outdoor juried art show coordinated by The 500, Inc., will showcase fine art and original pieces by renowned Texas and national artists, all while raising funds for cultural arts organizations in the Dallas area. Other weekend highlights will include a culinary showcase; two outdoor film screenings; a children’s area; reduced admission to Fair Park’s museums at select times; entertainment on multiple stages; art classes; antique cars and ArtCars by “cartists” from across the nation; unique gifts, clothing, collectibles and more at the CityArts Marketplace; Bellagio-style “dancing water” shows choreographed to music at the Esplanade Fountain; and more.

Back by popular demand, the Dallas Film Society will host two FREE outdoor film nights at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday on the lawn next to the WRR 101.1 building. Fair Park’s museums will offer reduced admission at select times including the African American Museum, Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, Dallas Historical Society/Hall of State, Museum of Nature & Science, Texas Museum of Automotive History, and Texas Discovery Gardens. Go to cityartsfestival.com for museum schedules and pricing to be announced.

Spotlighting some of the area’s most famed chefs, the culinary showcase will be the hot spot for foodies and wine enthusiasts complete with cooking demos, samplings, wine pairings, mixing sessions, and wine, craft beer and spirit tastings for of-age guests. Note: Guests must be 21 with valid ID to enter culinary showcase.

The children’s area sponsored by Prudential will feature local prominent arts organizations and nonprofits offering arts and crafts, hands-on activities and family-fun entertainment. Musical entertainment, dance and other performing arts shows will be held throughout the festival on multiple stages, including the main stage sponsored by MetroPCS. At the Magnolia Art Lounge, the Creative Arts Center of Dallas, Artcycletx and other groups will offer art classes appropriate for adults and older children (ages 12+) with hands-on fun including recycled craft projects and other take-home creations. Please note: Space is limited.

For more information, please call 214-421-9600 or go to cityartsfestival.com. For real-time updates, LIKE CityArts Festival on Facebook and follow @CityArtsDallas on Twitter.

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love.

Mother’s Day is May 13th! The best Mother’s Day gifts I’ve ever received are the sweet handmades from my kids. I love how they put their heart, their love, and their creative expression into it. Here’s some great Mother’s Day ideas to show mom you love her.

Not only does Our Best Bites have an easy lemonade pie recipe, but there’s also a cute printable to attach to it. If Mom likes pie, then Frozen Lemonade Pie in a Jar would be a perfect Mother’s Day gift!

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Also from Best Bites, these Tin Can Treats are the cutest. I love the free printables that you can attach to these!

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I don’t know about you, but I love plants. Grab a thrift store spoon and you can make this very cute Mom Tattoo Plant Marker from Oh Hello Friend. Pair it with a heartfelt tag, and you have a simple but perfect Mother’s Day gift.

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This Butterfly Hand craft coupled with the sweet poem from Our Daily Obsession is sure to make a Mama’s heart melt.

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Sometimes heartfelt words are the best Mother’s Day gift a Mama could get. Pair those with these beautiful free Mother’s Day printables from Pumpkins & Posies and you have a great gift!

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This is such a great idea for the smaller kids to make for their Mom. Print out this free printable from Bitsy Creations and let your kids create!

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Combine chalkboard paint and your child’s silhouette and it creates the perfect masterpiece, a Silhouette Chalkboard. Such a great idea from Ruffles and Stuff.

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Flowers are one of those timeless gifts. Better Homes & Gardens has lots of ideas for creative ways to put those flowers in vases.

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You have to click on the post to appreciate the awesomeness of this Mother’s Day Cookie Jar from I Am Baker. Each cookie has a word describing Mom…love it.

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Eat? What? What does that have to do with Mother’s Day? I love these Zinc Inspired Letters over at Sugar and Charm from Kristin. An Anthropologie knock off, these cardboard letters would be a great way to paint a word describing Mom.

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What’s your favorite Mother’s Day gift you’ve ever given or received?

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love. For more Mother’s Day posts, visit…

Send A Mother’s Day E-Card and Help Orphans At The Same Time

Mother’s Day Photography Special

Mother’s Day Crafting

Earth Day kind of snuck up on me this year. Seems the entire month of April quickly snuck by me. However, if you’re like me, you strive to be eco friendly and preserve our environment throughout the year. It’s for that reason that, though Earth Day 2012 is passed, it’s totally appropriate to highlight B.toys and their eco friendly stance and commitment to choosing the most recycled and recyclable materials.

Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to think about the ozone and ways we’ve harmed our environment. What can one person really do to help? Yes, that’s exactly the question. Think of it this way. If hundreds of people make a choice to do several things to protect our ozone, then that adds up. Our one decision can be a part of hundreds, making it a very vital part of protecting Earth.

Did you know even the toys you buy your kids can be a part of that one choice to make a difference? It’s true, and B.toys understands that all too well. They’ve made Reduce Reuse Recycle a way of life with each toy they sell. Whenever possible, they’ve eliminated the need for extra packaging. Part of the toy doubles as gift wrap. Looks cool, spend less money on wrapping, and give a fun gift, um, yes, I’ll take that.

It’s minimizing.

It’s eco friendly.

It’s cool.

It’s a way of life for B.toys. 

Although all of B.toys products are excellent, I want to highlight their A-Maze Rain Rush (it’s the earthy sound to it that jives with me). Although it says it’s intended for ages 18 months to 3 years, my 7 year old daughter was totally enamored with it (as you can see). I think it was the amazing sound those wooden marbles make as they fall through the holes. Personally I thought it a bit loud, like rain pouring down on a metal roof loud. I asked both of my kids if they thought it was too loud to which they (not surprisingly) responded, “No, not at all.” By the way, even my 10 year old couldn’t resist rolling it around as it sat on the table while he was supposed to be doing homework.

The A-Maze Rain Rush contains 42 colorful wooden marbles. It’s 8 inches X 5 inches and is totally made of wood. It’s beautiful enough to leave out for little (or big) hands to play with. It’s a fun addition to your musical instruments. I was quite impressed with the durability and quality of this toy, especially at only $12.99 at Target.

Read more about B.toys commitment to recycling and how they’re being nice to the planet.

The B. line of toys can be found at Target and select specialty stores.

B. Toys on Facebook

Disclosure: I received the Rain Rush from B. Toys to facilitate this review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love.  For more B.toy product reviews, visit…

Pop-Arty! Beads

Mother’s Day is coming quick! May 13th will be here before you know it! As a mother myself, there’s nothing that touches my heart quite like kids who have no mother or father to care for them, to love them, and to simply hold them. Ten Thousand Homes, a non-profit who seeks to provide HOPE and HOME to orphans and vulnerable children in Africa, is offering Mother’s Day e-cards.

For only $20 each, not only can you send your Mom a Mother’s Day greeting, but your purchase will help build HOPE and HOME for Africa’s orphans. What a meaningful way to say Happy Mother’s Day! There’s a choice of three options to choose from…

To purchase an e-card, visit the Ten Thousand Homes store. After checkout, you will be directed to a form to fill in your personalized information for the recipient of your e-card. E-cards will be sent out the date of your choice and can even include a personalized greeting! Feel free to email with questions.

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love.

Teacher Appreciation Week is right around the corner. May 7-11, to be exact. I absolutely love Teacher Appreciation Week. Our kid’s teachers work hard to teach our kids, so I think they deserve a little something that says, “Thank You.” Check out these ideas that are a great way to do just that.

Love the note on these Spiffy Scissors from Crap I’ve Made, “You’re a cut above the rest!”

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What a cute way to package a Starbuck’s gift card for the coffee loving teacher! Thanks a latte from Eighteen 25.

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Also from Eighteen 25, these Treat Jar Toppers are a perfect way to show your teacher appreciation.

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This Candy Gram Pail from Simply Savvy is sure to satisfy your kid’s teacher’s sweet tooth. However, I think the note is the sweeter side to this gift.

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Such a cute play on words with this For A Very Popular Teacher idea from Bake at 350.

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This Candy Bar Box from Domesticated Lady proves you don’t have to spend a ton of money to make a teacher feel appreciated.

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Thank You For Helping Me Grow from Giggles Galore, perfect message to say thanks and great gift to remember your child for a while!

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Love all the practical goodness in this Teacher DIY Survival Kit from Modern Parents Messy Kids.

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Although I’m not a teacher, I can imagine that being around kids all day, you can’t have enough soap. What a great way to transform a bottle of soap by adding a You Are An Awesome Teacher label to it! Great idea from Jill Means via Design Mom.

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Love these Teacher Appreciation Bags from Did Someone Say Party? They’re so cute, you could probably fill them with anything and it would be a bonus.

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What’s your favorite way to show your child’s teacher appreciation?

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love. For more Teacher Appreciation ideas, visit…

Teacher Appreciation Week

10 Best Gifts For Teachers

Teacher Appreciation DIY Idea

]]> http://dallas.todaysmama.com/2012/04/teacher-appreciation-crafts/feed/ 2 http://dallas.todaysmama.com/2012/04/make-your-move-sweepstakes-win-up-to-5000-from-txu-energy/ http://dallas.todaysmama.com/2012/04/make-your-move-sweepstakes-win-up-to-5000-from-txu-energy/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:00:45 +0000 Jen Price http://dallas.todaysmama.com/?p=17409

Be a good neighbor, and you can win big. Thanks to TXU Energy, Texans now have a new social space to share tips on their local favorites with others who may be moving into new homes or communities across the state. The TXU Energy Make Your Move $5,000 Sweepstakes offers Texas electricity customers a chance to win a $5,000 grand prize just for sharing their local must-haves — everything from favorite grocery stores, restaurants and movie theaters to favorite outdoor destinations and the best handymen. A new weekly sweepstakes also offers chances to win $50 per week for sharing the same information.

“Our new sweepstakes are fun activities that reflect our sincere commitment to the people and communities we serve,” said Michael Grasso, chief marketing officer, TXU Energy. “We have a long history of helping Texans. You can see it through programs like TXU Energy Aid^SM and our support for the TXU Energy Urban Tree Farm, as well as our partnerships with a number of family entertainment destinations across the state. And we’re building community online, too, by sharing tips and ideas through social media initiatives like this one. It’s one more way we’re working to connect with our customers to help add value to their daily lives.”

The sweepstakes are open through June 16 to people who are 18 years or older and living in a competitive electricity market in Texas. They’re available via txu.com/moving and on the TXU Energy Facebook page. The company will pose one question per week in both locations. Electricity customers can enter the $5,000 sweepstakes in three ways: They can share their responses via Facebook. New TXU Energy customers are automatically entered. And, the company will accept entries by mail. To enter the weekly $50 sweepstakes, electricity customers simply share their responses via Facebook. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

 “Whether you’re new to Texas, moving to a new neighborhood or staying right where you live, our new social media initiative gives you two distinct benefits,” said Grasso. “It offers you a way to pick up or share great local insights —and chances to win some extra cash just for connecting. If you’re new to the area or have been there for years, our mission here is to support Texans who are looking to get to know their neighborhoods or local communities better and those who already know them well.”

In addition to the chance to win cash prizes, Texas electricity customers can also receive extra cash just for making the switch to TXU Energy. They can save half off their Energy Charges for the first two months if they switch to the company’s new plan, TXU Energy Simple Rate 24^SM. Or, they can earn a $200 move-in bonus when they sign on with TXU Energy SecureSaver 24^SM.

Adding to the opportunity to help support summer electricity savings, TXU Energy also offers smartphone-enabled solutions like the Brighten ^SM iThermostat, energy saving solutions like the TXU Energy MyEnergy Dashboard SM, the Brighten ^SM Personal Energy Advisor and the company’s exclusive app for iPhone®and iPad®, TXU Energy also offers tips on energy efficiency at txu.com/energytips.

TXU Energy on the web

TXU Energy on Twitter

TXU Energy on Facebook

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love. For more posts on TXU Energy visit…

Conserving Electricity : Timely After School Tips

Pumpkin Carving 101

Identify Energy Thieves In Your Home

It’s nearing the end of the school year, and to show that terrific teacher how much they truly are loved, the people at Hallmark (or Congress or somewhere) have nominated the week of May 7-11 as Teacher Appreciation week.  In that week, May 8th has been dubbed the official National Teacher Day.

So many things go through my head as far as what to do for the teachers.  I am a teacher, so I know all the “fun” stuff they get to put up with on any given day.   I also know my children.  I know that by the end of the week with my own kids, I am ready to pull my hair out, so I am all about showing as much appreciation to the people who want to take on molding minds of my kids and giving them the ability to come home asking 101 questions about something they may have learned.   I also want to show how much I appreciate them putting up with my child for all these months.

I had come up with a project specifically for Teacher Appreciation, but I changed my mind and decided to use the project for my son’s teacher’s birthday instead.  I was so excited about getting started on it, and her birthday is on Tuesday, so it only made sense.

I had gone to Walmart and bought a flower pot, pens, chalk board and other paint.  Then, I had gone to Michael’s and bought some discounted plastic flowers and flower tape.  I probably could have bought everything at the same place, but what’s the fun in that?

Preparing to paint my pot

I painted the flower pot in pink and put green poke-a-dots all over it, then painted a black square in the center.  The square was made using chalk board paint, so after it is ready, I can write a message on it.

Pink with green poke-a-dots

The flowers were cut with leaves and some stem still intact.  Using flower tape, I taped the stem to a pen by wrapping the tape all around the pen and the stem of the flower.

This is what the pen looks like after it is wrapped with the tape.

When all is done, I have a cute flower pot with flowers.  I will fill the pot with colorful pebbles, just to give it that extra “something”.

The middle will say, "Happy Birthday" or will have her name... or both! It's a chalk board.

This was a super quick, fun, and inexpensive gift for a teacher, or anyone.  Happy crafting!

***The part that took the most time and money was making the flower pens.  When shopping for flowers, take a stroll by the clearance section of flowers.  They usually put the flowers on sale that are not in season as far as color goes.

For more DIY gift ideas, check out my other posts:  DIY Kitchen Chalkboard and DIY Christmas Gifts For Teachers

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching! May 13th to be exact. As a mother myself, I can’t think of a better gift than photos of me with my family. As the one who is usually behind the camera, hiring a photographer to take family portraits is priceless. Dallas area photographer, Alisha, from Alisha Ippolito Photography is offering a fabulous Mother’s Day special.

For only $125 you get a 30 minute photo session and 15 images on disc. I love Alisha’s creativity. She’s also great with kids which is always an added bonus. She got mine to smile even though they were a little grumpy.

For more information or to book a photo session, visit Alisha’s website.

Alisha Ippolito on the web

Alisha Ippolito on Facebook

Alisha Ippolito on Twitter

For more posts written by me, visit my personal blog, I Believe In Love. For more Mother’s Day posts, visit…

Mother’s Day Crafting

Mother’s Day Gifts To Ask For Now

We are a map family, probably because we travel. A lot. I’m also a Pinterest addict user. Those two things combined make this contest from Maps.Com super exciting! Here’s how you could win $200 worth of maps from Maps.Com…

How to enter to win the Pinterest Contest:

1.)     Log into your Pinterest account and follow Maps.com on Pinterest.
2.)     Create a theme board called “Favorite items from Maps.com.”
3.)     Pin items from Maps.com that are your favorite items (MUST HAVE @ LEAST 9 ITEMS Pinned to your board).
4.)     Copy and paste your ‘Favorite items from Maps.com’ board link to our Facebook page (Facebook.com/Mapsdotcom) or Tweet us (@mapsdotcom) the link of your board with hashtag #mapspinterest so that we can find your board.

Rules:

1)  Pinterest Contest ends April 30, 2012 at Midnight PDT.
2)  You must have 9 pins on your board.
3)  One winner will be chosen.