Friday, March 30, 2018

Peeps Easter Coupons


Last year, I took an alternate route and decided to stop filling eggs with plastic junk and 
candy! I designed my own coupons, that fit the dynamics of our family, and inserted them into our plastic eggs, along with all of the other traditional surprises: gift cards, cash, lottery and tickets. My kids are old enough now to "need" cash for things and they enjoy gift certificates.  Lottery tickets are always FUN to receive.  There's such a "thrill" factor.  The most we've ever won was $10.00.  One day, we may hit it big.  LOL! Here are last year's coupons. 

This year, I decided to use cute and colorful PEEP images.  I LOVE the idea of the peeps hatching out of the eggs.  I guess, really, I should have used the chicks, but the peeps are so much cuter.  

For the most part, I used the same coupon ideas as last year. I did add a few NEW coupons though.... such as "A Trip To Starbucks!", "A Date Alone With Mom & Dad!", and "Good For 1-Free iTunes App!"
As you can see, each sheet of coupons contains a "Rotten Egg".  Basically, if they get that egg, they it's a dud. Essentially, "Good For Nothing!"

I also denied to add a sheet of coupons for the parents to use.  These will either be hidden in their eggs, to be given back to us OR I will let them hide 10 eggs for US to find! And we, the parents, get to use these coupons W-H-E-N-E-V-E-R we desire. I love this new addition.  I know the kids will hate it.  Like what you see?  See attached links below for PRINTING. ENJOY!  AND... if you do wind up using these... please share my blog or Instagram account with others @ BollingWith5.  Thank you!
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Coupons 1
Coupons 2
Coupons 3

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Musical!

Lilah was BEYOND blessed to be a part of her FIRST musical at the Attic Productions.  It was the BIGGEST and most exciting thing she has done to date. Click here to see her audition day! I LOVED watching Lilah both practice and perform. I am super excited and hopeful that this was NOT her LAST performance.   
I knew it would be time consuming to do a post on the musical, so I had to wait to until I had a significant mount of time to write about it.  I apologize for the delay!  I hope, through this post, I can do to recapture it for those who could not attend or for anyone who wishes to relive it.  Side note: I was NOT allowed to photograph or videograph the ACTUAL performances, so the photos and videos you see were taken during practice.  
Lilah's costume, made by Ms. Georgia.  
A little overview of what the play was about:
It is a marvelous musical adaptation.  We meet the captivating Princess Snow White, the prince, the evil queen, and, of course, the seven mischievous dwarfs — Sarge, Gabby, Gloomy Gus, Ticklish, Spritely, Snore, and Slowpoke.  There’s also a hilarious palace cat and an enchanted vixen — a fox, you could say!  Following the traditional storyline, the fairy tale is brought to life with an eclectic score of toe-tapping tunes.
(I'm singing this) "Snow White and the sevens dwarfs a fairytale retold.  Snow and the Seven Dwarfs let the tale unfold ..... A queen, a cat, a walking talking mirror, a huntsman, a young girl, a crone. A queen, a cat, a walking talking mirror, a huntsman, a young girl, a crone. Snow White and the sevens dwarfs a fairytale retold.  Snow and the Seven Dwarfs let the tale unfold... A king, a princess, so beautiful and pure, a vixon enchantingly magical.  A king, a princess, so beautiful and pure, a vixon enchantingly magical."  Of course...don't forget the Seven Dwarfs too.  They are a messy, motley crew. They don't do housework, they don't cook, but mining is what they love to do. AND they are constantly looking out for Snow White, protecting her from harm and offering her a place to live, of course as long as she cooks and cleans for them.  LOL!  

There are so many wonderful photos that I captured, but I cannot possibly post them all.  After viewing this post, feel free to click on this link (Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs MUSCIAL.... photos) if you wish to see ALL of them.  If you are reading this post through a cell phone, I do not believe the link/online photo album will be visible.  But, feel free to still try.

It will be hard to caption each photo, so please ask questions if you wish to know more details about the photos.  Darren and I agreed that this experience will be etched into Lilah's memory for the rest of her life. I know it will be etched into mine as well. We are ALL still singing the songs in our home and rehearsing lines.  I absolutely LOVE theatre for her.  It's definitely HER THING!
The queen speaks to the "walking talking mirror" about who is the most beautiful. Once the mirror announces it's Snow White....
 She orders the "huntsman" to kill her.
But the huntsman just can't bring himself to do it.  So... he leaves her deep into the forest, to fend for herself.  She gives him the Prince's medallion, which she promised to never remove off of her, to help PROVE to the Queen that he did indeed kill her.  
 
Deep into the forest, the woodland creatures come out to be with Snow White. Lilah was chosen to be the adorable bunny. There was also a monkey, an owl, a fairy, a deer, and a bear.  Snow White is lonely and scared, not sure what will happen next and sings a beautiful song called, "Oh My Prince." 
A enchanted fox greets her in the forest and warns her about the queen and all of her plots to destroy/kill her.  She also shows her a cottage, where the Seven Dwarfs live.  
The Seven Dwarfs arrive home to things picked up and dinner brewing.  They are a little freaked out. As they enter their cottage... they squeal with fear, not knowing if Snow White is a monster or if she's going to hurt them.  They have a conversation, agree to have her stay, and then... the dwarfs introduce themselves.  All of these songs I link are just quick blips of each song.  
Since the QUEEN was unsuccessful in killing Snow White through the huntsman, she casts a magic spell and drinks a potion and turns into a young girl, who plans to locate Snow White, near the Seven Dwarf's cottage. Another song the Dwarfs sang several times was called "Work, Work, Work."
While waiting for the young girl to get to the cottage, the Dwarfs and Woodland creatures have a little dance off.
AND Snow White sang "It's A Wonderful Day" with the Woodland Creatures.  Lilah and two other woodland creatures were chosen to personally dance with Snow White, while the other Woodland Creatures enjoyed the forest.  
The young girl attempts to sell Snow White all kinds of goodies, that would harm her, but Snow White doesn't have any money to buy anything. The young girl gifts to her a comb. Nice right?  Wrong.  The comb... well... it's poisonous. 
As you can imagine, when the dwarfs found her... they were so terrified she was gone.  But "Sarge" pulled the poisonous comb out of her hair, JUST. IN. TIME.
Back to the drawing board... the queen learns AGAIN, that Snow White surpassed her sneaky, poisonous comb fiasco.  
This time, the queen turns into a Crone.  A old lady, with a WART on the end of her nose. She tempts Snow White to eat this delicious apple.  One side of the apple was not poisonous, but the other side was. Even though Snow White had been warned multiple times, she felt like the apple appeared safe, since the Crone took a bite. The Crone even sang a really enticing song to Snow White, in hopes that it would convince Snow White to take a bite. It was called, "I've Got This Apple!"  Just another side note: THESE links to the songs are NOT of our performers singing  Believe it or not, our youth sounded 100 times better than these blips.
Still contemplating it...
Well... the apple... it killed her! Or did it?
The dwarfs arrived home again and were devastated. They cried and prepared for her "funeral".  The Dwarfs' crying was so good, I even cried through a few of the performances.  I know! Strange.  LOL! But... they really brought me INTO the moment. 
The Prince arrives, ready to greet the Princess, and learns that she ate a poisonous apple  He leans down to kiss her and...
She wakes up!  YAY!!!!
Everyone rejoices with the Prince and Snow White as they "wed".  
Ms. Georgia was the director of this musical. I since learned ALL of her work for this production was VOLUNTARY! I could NOT believe it. Ms. Georgia is such a HARD-WORKER, who is so talented both on stage and as a director. She has so much patience and love for her students. Not to mention, is so gifted with make-up application, creating a costume in a jiffy, and even taking care of casting parties and backstage needs. WE LOVE HER! AND SHE is the biggest reason this experience was so pleasurable.  
What a cute bunny!
 "Opening Night" arrived... Lilah was anxious, nervous, and READY!!!! 
I will be posting video footage next.  I hope you have enjoyed this post.  If you were a little confused... this musical was clearly NOT the original Snow White you were probably expecting to see... from Disney.  This play was adapted by Tim Kelly. It was a little different, but equally as good. 

Snow White Video Footage!

If you are NOT familiar with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" adapted by Tim Kelly, then please read this post to familiarize yourself with the story! It will make viewing these videos much more enjoyable. These videos were captured during ONE of the rehearsals because we were NOT allowed to use cameras or video cameras during the actual performances due to copyright infringement rules. I tried to post these videos in ORDER of the story line. I think ONE video is out of chronological order.  I apologize!  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the "show".  

Monday, March 19, 2018

Virginia Warriors - AAU Basketball - Charlotte Bound

Well... we are those parents... the ones that travel with their kids, all over the place, so they can grow both their personal playing skills and team building skills. I once said, "NEVER!" and now I am hiding my face because my nevers became a reality. We officially signed up BOTH of our boys for travel basketball.  They are on an AAU team, at the Virginia Warriors Complex.  In less than a month, Jax has traveled to Winston Salem, NC and Charlotte, NC.  
This weekend, we traveled to Charlotte and spent the entire weekend there.  
 Jax's team competed against teams from Charlotte, North Carolina and Miami, Florida. Can you imagine?
Our boys played HARD.
But it was really hard to compete against teams that were SOLELY fourth graders.
Our team consists of ONE second grader, mostly third graders, and several fourth graders.
 I LOVE watching Jax play.  HE is DEFINITELY a hustler.
Being on this team is growing him personally and "professionally", as an athlete.  
We actually arrived into Charlotte hours and hours before the rest of the team arrived.  We wanted to have a little family fun before hand.  In between games and after the tournament was over, we were able to shop our little hearts out.  
We also ate REALLY well.  We ate at the Cheesecake Factory the first night.  
We visited a ton of our favorite stores.  And we also experienced Trader Joe's for the first time.  My thoughts... "Meh!".  It didn't excite me.  
Then, the entire team went to Dave & Buster's.  
Lilah won some chocolate ice cream poop emoji slippers.
On Sunday, we made sure to stop by IKEA and the "AT HOME" stores.  I was in shopping Heaven.  
I could get used to being a travel sports mom.  I love getting to visit all of these big cities.  I did miss our dogs a ton, but nothing replaces fun, memorable family time.  Next up, we are off to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Shew! Life with boys is pretty BUSY!