I admit I was a bit nervous about seeing another big, live show with my kids. The last time my eldest son was at Eagle Bank Arena, he was two. His fussiness and squirminess watching Elmo had me swearing I wouldn’t be back. Three years later, we returned to the arena to see Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie's Doorway to Magic and it was a completely different experience.

In addition to toting my five year old, I had my other son; a four year old preschooler. After walking in to the building, we were immediately greeted with Disney toys, cotton candy, pretzels, Dippin Dots, and other treats. Kids were smiling from ear to ear with their Mickey Mouse headband ears and princess dresses.

Shortly after we sat down with our corn dogs and burgers, the show began. My sons were immediately captivated. My youngest child was one bite into his corn dog, and didn’t take another one until 20 minutes later. The kids around us were cheering, and equally engaged. The Disney characters danced on the colorful stage, taking you through a magical adventure through various Disney stories. We saw Snow White, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Woody, and more. To my surprise there was no Elsa, which was a bit of a relief, to be honest. The choreography was simple. It included dancing, jump roping, and a little tumbling. As an adult, I wanted more, but then I remembered it was for little ones. My kids, of course, didn’t notice.

The show lasted 90 minutes with a short intermission. I found this amount of time perfect for kids. They thoroughly enjoyed every minute, including their cotton candy. An added bonus? My husband and I found it entertaining too.

When most people think of Massage Envy, they think of a reputable spa chain that offers affordable and relaxing massages. But did you know that Massage Envy also offers a variety of high quality facials?  

Having a facial at Massage Envy is a great experience. Whether you want to treat yourself or make regular facials part of your self care routine, you can expect a custom, personalized experience.  Here is what to expect:

• Meet and Greet: Check in at the front desk (Tip...arrive early!) and fill out an Esthetic Wellness Chart and a quick survey about your skincare history and needs.
• Personalized Skincare Diagnostic:  You will look into a skin scanner machine that uses black lights to analyze your skin.  I admit this part made me nervous, but it is not as scary as it sounds. The esthetician is a professional and will work with you to determine problem areas and the best solutions.
• Relaxing for the Start of the Facial Session:  The esthetician will leave the room as you disrobe from the waist up and lie on the comfortable, warm table under the top sheet.
• Facial Session: During the session, you can relax as the esthetician gets to work. Soothing music plays in the background, and it's your choice to be silent or chat.  I had a lot of questions about different products, and my esthetician was excellent at explaining each product, its ingredients and how it was helping my skin. 
• Continuing Skincare Wellness:  When the session was complete, my esthetician made some recommendations for future sessions and home care products. Then she left the room as I redressed and took me back to the lobby. 
• Typical facial sessions are about one hour in length, with about 50 minutes of hands-on time. 
• For more information on what to expect at a Massage Envy Facial, check out this video:

Massage Envy offers a variety of facials such as the Environmental Shield Vitamin C, Clarifying Enzyme Acne, Anti-Aging, and the Sensitive Skin facial.  Each facial features Murad® skincare products, which according the the Massage Envy website are  high performance clinical skincare formulas."

 I received the Environmental Shield Vitamin C, which is their most popular. I have some sunspots, and this facial is known to reduce the appearance of pigmentation.  It also restores elasticity and firmness.  After the facial my skin immediately felt radiant, and I noticed an immediate improvement in its clarity.

To learn more about Massage Envy facials and other spa services, and to find a location near you, please visit: ​​www.massageenvy.com




I received a complimentary facial for my honest review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 

READY JET GO!  the newest series  by PBS Kids premieres nation wide Monday, February 15, on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings). Created by Craig Bartlett ( of DINOSAUR TRAIN fame), READY JET GO! is geared towards kids ages 3-8 and focuses science, technology and astronomy.  In the show, the lovable characters use the scientific method to find answers to their questions.  

The title character of the show is Jet Propulsion, a new kid in town who happen to be an alien from outer space. With his earth friends Sean, a kid who loves science facts and Sydney, an imaginative girl who is obsessed with science fiction, the kids go on adventures and learn about the universe.

Besides the animated stories, READY JET GO! features live-action interstitials with a real Jet Propulsion Laboratory astrophysicist, Dr. Amy Mainzer, who is also a science curriculum consultant for the series.

“When I was a little kid, as soon as I learned just a little bit about the universe, I was hooked for life,” said Dr. Mainzer. “Kids are born as little scientists, so reaching them early is key to igniting a lifelong love for science and appreciation for the planet we live on.” (Official PBS KIDS press release.) 

We love how Dr. Mainzer is a great role model for young girls and shows them that it's cool to be excited about science, work hard and follow your dreams. We especially love this interview with Dr. Mainzer done by a fellow PBS Kids VIP on the That's it LA blog.  It's a great read! 

Even though the show is officially premiering on Monday, February 15, 2015, PBS KIDS has already debuted full-length streaming video content and  the digital games "Mindy's Constellation Exploration" and "Sean's Rescue Quest" for Ready Jet Go! online. The videos are available for free on pbskids.org, the PBS KIDS Video App and PBS KIDS Video on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. In addition, two mobile-friendly web games, hands-on activities for children and families and a live stream of the International Space Station channel are available at pbskids.org/readyjetgo.
 

Ready Jet Go! is definitely going to be a kids' favorite.  Besides being produced and created by an award winning team with a great track record for children's television, the show covers universal themes of friendship, teamwork, and problem solving that appeal to all kids.  Plus, there are fun musical interludes that teach concepts and a lot of humor.  Kids will laugh at Jet's alien family as they get used to things on earth but seem to still do things very differently.  For example, his parents name themselves "Celery" and "Carrot," and Jet's pet Sunspot looks like a mix between a bunny, dog, cat and raccoon.  Sunspot doesn't talk, but sometimes knows the answer to the problems before the kids figure it out. The show is geared towards kids 3-8, and little ones may relate to Jet's 4 year old neighbor, Mindy, who always seems to to ask the "why" questions and loves to hang out with the "big kids."

Don't miss the premiere of Ready Jet Go! on your local PBS station on February, 15, 2015 and be sure to check out http://pbskids.org/readyjetgo for fun games, digital content, and videos.  

Natural Beauty, Great Skiing  

For a real life "Frozen" experience, its hard to beat a winter trip to Tremblant in Quebec.  From the 2,871 foot summit, as far as the eye can see the landscape glitters magically in ice and snow. With on-and-off gentle snowfall throughout our stay, the skiing conditions were perfect.   Our two beginner skiers enjoyed the long green trails that meandered down from the summit, while our daredevil teenager found a variety of black diamond trails and snowparks to challenge him. Ranked year-after-year as the #1 eastern ski resort by SKI Magazine, this European-styled resort in the Laurentian Mountains more than lives up to its reputation as world-class ski destination.

Après-ski
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In addition to the mountain, what makes Tremblant truly special are its Quebec hosts.  Everyone we met was helpful, cheerful and more than willing to help make our stay special, even if that meant speaking only English to our linguistically-challenged family.   After a day full of winter sports, the pedestrian village at the base of the mountain welcomes weary skiers to the warmth of its outdoor fireplace, charming restaurants, cozy cafes, and colorful shops.  Decorated with holiday lights and snow sculptures, the village is as picturesque as the pages of storybook.  But however tired you are from skiing be sure to save some energy to explore the village -- the uphill walk from the parking lot through the village is "invigorating."  Fortunately, there is a lift (Le Cabriolet) to carry passengers to the top, but it runs mostly during the day, not so much at night.

Super fun activities for families include iceskating by Saint-Bernard's Chapel, nighttime snow tubing at the base of the mountain, indoor water play at AquaClub Source, movies at the cinema, paint-your-own pottery at Le Studio Creatif, building your own teddy bear at Universe Toutou, and  an irresistible little toy shop, Bangles et Bobinette. The kids also especially enjoyed the local treats of maple taffy on snow and poutine -- one of the greatest comfort foods on earth (french fries smothered in gravy and melted cheese).  To experience fine Quebec cuisine, our family favorite is La Forge Bistro Bar & Grille, where you can enjoy fine wine, steaks cooked over a fire, and a great view of the mountain.

​Family Lodging Options 
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Whether you want the full service of a hotel or the added space of a condo, there are plenty of options for families to choose from.  To ease the burden of lugging our kids' gear, we recommend a hotel in the pedestrian village  (such as Sommet des Neiges, pictured below) or any of the ski-on, ski-off condos.  

​Tremblant Snow School 
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The excellent Learn to Ski or Ride Programs offer half- or full-day ski or snowboard lessons for beginners of all ages.  Mother Nature Camp for 3 and 4 year olds includes 1/2 day of skiing, lunch, and 1/2 day of daycare so that mom and dad can enjoy the mountain.  Parents will also appreciate that the Snow School provides kids under 12 a free Flaik GPS so that they can be tracked anywhere on the mountain.   

School Holiday Breaks

During the month of February Tremblant welcomes kids with special activities including toasting marshmallows, street hockey, and Saturday Night Fever dance parties. This year Washington Week (Feb. 13-20, 2016) is timed to coincide with New England's school breaks and special activities for Quebec's School Break are scheduled Feb. 27- Mar. 6, 2016.

Finding Deals

At press time, Tremblant was offering discounts on lodging up to 30%.  Combined with a favorable exchange rate (currently 1 USD=1.37 CAD), the savings for American visitors can be HUGE: we booked our trip in the fall of 2015 during a 35% lodging discount promotion and with the exchange rate ended up saving around 65% on our trip.  If you have any questions about booking your trip, take advantage of the friendly booking agents to find lodging that best suits your family's needs.   All in all we couldn't be happier with the value, convenience and absolute fun of our stay at Tremblant.  If you're up for an adventure, Tremblant is certainly worth the extra drive or flight.

More Tips:  

• If possible, avoid crowd by doing most of your skiing in the mornings and during the week.  We skied during the week and never had a lift line longer than 5 minutes.  
• Purchase your lift tickets at the time you book your lodging.  That way, your tickets will be ready for you on arrival, you can avoid lines at the ticket window, and take advantage of First Tracks early access to the slopes.
• Kids will especially enjoy the TAM-TAM trail, which is lined with wooden sculptures of local woodland animals.
• Plan your last route home carefully, preferably by consulting the guest desk at the summit. Occasionally a closed trail will require a new descent plan.  Always allow plenty of time  to make the journey before the lifts close (which is usually mid-afternoon).  
• When heading out for dinner at night, bundle up the kids to be prepared for snowtubing and a late night stroll through the pedestrian village.  
• If you have toddlers, a sled on a rope is preferable to a stroller on the steep snowy paths of the pedestrian village. 
• Find grocery items at the convenient mini-mart, Marche du Village, in the pedestrian village or at the full service Metro Mont-Tremblant, a short drive from the resort.
• You'll get the best exchange rate by using your credit card as much as possible and your ATM to withdraw cash.  Avoid local exchange services.  

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

• Calling All Adventurous Families to Tremblant's Mountain Resort
• Making the Most of a Strong U.S. Dollar by Spring Skiing in Canada
• Lazy Mom's Guide to Skiing With Kids

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For one day only, on March 5, 2016, Disney Jr.'s Choo Choo Soul will be giving three performances at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. Follow the musical adventures of the hip-hop singer, train station manager, Genevieve Goings, and her dancing, beatboxing engineer, DC, as they entertain kids while performing soulful and current renditions of the ABC’s and 1-2-3’s. To learn more about this educational entertainment show and to get tickets, please visit: http://www.borail.org/Choo-Choo-Soul.aspx


We are giving away Family Four Pack of Tickets to the 12:30pm show time on Saturday, March 5, 2016 to TWO LUCKY WINNERS. (That is four tickets for two winners.)  Please comment below to win.  Winner will be chosen at random on Monday, February 8th.  Good luck!