My daughter really wanted a Mermaid Pillow for Christmas but I dropped the ball and didn't order one in time. Happily, I was redeemed by the arrival of the Love pillow this week. Since she opened it up she can't keep her hands off it. The removable cover has a  velvety side that is huggably soft.  On the other side, sequins flip with the brush of a finger or a hand to reveal whatever shimmery pink and silver design you want to create. 

Being familiar with kids with sensory issues, I am especially impressed by this pillow's ability to engage kids in calming, tactile play. This special purpose hasn't been lost on the company...in fact they have donated pillows to children in hospitals and have designed a special pillow to benefit Autism Speaks (see pick #5 below). Whether used as a calming comfort pillow, inspiring decorative pillow, teaching tool, or an entertaining travel pillow, the reversible sequins beg to be played with.  

Now that its close to Valentine's Day, this pillow would be a perfect gift, especially if you are trying to downplay candy and screens.  In addition to the Love design there are gift sets in a variety of themes like mermaids, fairies, sharks, and more.  Our top gift picks are: 

Watch Mickey and Minnie and 25 of your favorite Disney stars live on stage at Disney Live! Mickey and Minnie’s Doorway to Magic, at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, VA on Sunday. February 25, 2018. The show will be filled with all the unforgettable moments and magic that you expect from Disney. See the Fairy Godmother transform Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown; the Toy Story gang defy the dimensions of Andy’s toy box; and the dazzling stage debut of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider as they rise amidst the floating lanterns. With special appearances by Snow White, Tinker Bell and Aladdin’s Genie, you never know who might join in the fun.
 
SHOW TIMES:
Sunday, Feb. 25, 2018
1:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
 
TICKET INFORMATION:
Ticket Prices:  $60 VIP, $35, and $25
Additional fees may apply. Ticket prices based on market demand and subject to change.
 
3 Easy Ways to Purchase Tickets:
1. At the Eagle Bank Arena box office
2. Visit www.ticketmaster.com
3. Call 800-745-3000 

This summer we planned an epic road trip in a rented minivan that circled through Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado,  Wyoming, and Idaho. The inspiration for our trip was the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks-- well that and the free domestic flights we'd earned with credit card miles!  I knew the 2-week 2,000+ miles itinerary was ambitious, but I struggled to cross anything off our list. With the kids getting older I wasn't sure we'd have another chance to travel to these places together. 

My addiction to antique shows and yard sales came to an abrupt end once I had kids.  Driving around back roads and browsing through aisles of fragile nick-nacks is pretty difficult with kids in car seats and strollers.  Online person-to-person  sales were appealing for a while, but my interest wore off pretty quickly after coming across some sketchy sellers.  

So I was super excited by the launch of a new online auction site, Everything But The House (EBTH) that allows you to browse online, bid, and complete the entire transaction with a trusted professional service.  Items can either be shipped or picked-up from a number of EBTH warehouses across the country. [Tip: If I'm shopping for furniture, I specifically look for sales in my city so that I can pick it up and avoid shipping costs.]

For deal hunters, the best part is that with no reserve prices, some items go for as little as a DOLLAR! If you love a deal and are on the hunt for mid-century pieces, original artwork, sterling silver, vintage holiday decorations or estate jewelry, EBTH is definitely worth checking out.  
​

​We attended the opening night of Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream  at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA.  Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream features an incredible display of special effects, great set design and breathtaking choreography on the ice. This was the world premiere of this particular Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream featuring Moana. 

The show opens up with an upbeat cast number encouraging the audience to get moving and exercise. Then, it moves onto one of my favorite movies, Beauty and the Beast. The colorful "Be Our Guest" number with the elaborate food costumes was an audience favorite. Next, up was Cinderella, and we enjoyed the whimsical "horse" drawn pumpkin carriage and dancing choreography on ice.  Finally, act one closed with Tangled. The performers used a golden drop scarf, representative of Rapunzel's hair, to perform amazing acrobatics on top of the ice. We were definitely on the edge of our seats during this number.  
​

Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream  is coming to the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA from September 29-October 8th. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream features an incredible display of special effects, stunning set design and breathtaking choreography on the ice. Plus, this year's performance features the popular, Moana. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets via charge, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, via www.ticketmaster.com, and at the EagleBank Arena box office. Parking is free at the EagleBank Arena. 
 
Show Times for Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream: 

• Friday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, September 30 at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, October 1 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, October 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 7 at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, October 8 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

ENTER TO WIN A FAMILY FOUR PACK OF TICKETS TO OPENING NIGHT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH BY COMMENTING BELOW WITH YOUR FAVORITE DISNEY CHARACTER.
​
Also, check out the promotional video for some highlights from the show:

Disclaimer: I am a Feld Family Ambassador. I receive free tickets for my own family for sharing this information. All opinions are my own. The Walt Disney Company is neither a sponsor nor endorser of this sweepstakes

Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream  is coming to the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA from September 29-October 8th. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream features an incredible display of special effects, stunning set design and breathtaking choreography on the ice. Tickets start at only $20 and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets via charge, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, via www.ticketmaster.com, and at the EagleBank Arena box office.
 
Show Times: 

• Friday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, September 30 at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, October 1 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, October 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 7 at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, October 8 at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

SAVE $5 BY ATTENDING ON OPENING NIGHT. OPENING NIGHT TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR $15 EACH BY VISITING www.ticketmaster.com.

Check back on our website later this week for a giveaway for a family four pack of tickets to the show. 

For a family that has seen a lot of live performances, Cirque Du Soleil's OVO was our first Cirque Du Soleil experience. I found the show to be visually aesthetic, high energy, and my children, ages 8 and 10, were entertained the entire time. The performance was approximately 2 hours with a 20 minute intermission. 

​Some highlights of the show included: 

• Amazing Ants that juggle giant kiwis with their feet and then juggle each other
• An extremely flexible spider that performed incredible formations while balancing on one hand
• The scarabs in the flying act were my absolute favorite! I was on the edge of my seat. The group soared high above the stage being tossed and flipped while landing on a platform. It took incredible strength and grace for both the performers that were being tossed as well as the ones who did the catching. I was fearful that someone was going to fall, but the act was absolutely flawless and amazing to watch. 
• A rock wall of insects including crickets and ants that bounced off trampolines, flipped off the wall and  jumped to incredible heights all without any artificial support. My kids loved this act, and it was probably the most high energy of the show. 

We'd always wanted to bring our kids to London, so when we had the chance to spend a long weekend there we jumped on it. Although we were there only three full days, we managed to fit in some neat experiences that captured a lot of London's character. Instead of waiting in line at some of the bigger attractions like Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, we experimented a little and were often surprised by what the kids enjoyed (and didn't). 

Our 24-hour journey to London started with an overnight flight from the U.S. into Paris, a transfer to Gare du Nord, and a high speed train through the Chunnel to London. Not surprisingly, this is what the kids looked like about 15 minutes into what I thought would be an exciting train ride.