Two years ago, Disney Channel Original movie, Teen Beach Movie, became one of Amelia’s favorite movies, compounded by the fact that when she visited Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, there was a beach party inspired by the movie. Fast forward two years, and we now have Teen Beach Movie 2, and again, an upbeat party at Typhoon Lagoon. Amelia’s summer dreams have come true! Cast members with true Disney energy, games, beach music, prizes and lots of fun!
Amelia is pretty good at everything she tries. At least as good as any competent six year old at any rate. However, she has met her match: Spanish. She is taking an Elementary Spanish class online this summer. The class started on Tuesday, so it has been three days of “Hola” and “Come Esta?” around the house. She’s missing two front teeth, making her pronunciation all the more adorable. The class is great and breaks everything down, mixing in some background on Spanish culture and history. There are points in the lesson where she gets to record herself speaking, so she has a great time with that! I took German, so Spanish is new to me as well–Hasta Luego!
And in case you’re wondering: Yes, that is a dress with cats all colors of the rainbow she’s wearing in the video. 🙂 How do you say “rainbow cat” in Spanish?
Amelia loves Build-A-Bear Workshop, and truthfully, we’re in deep with a few of the collections. It started with the My Little Pony, Pinkie Pie. It became a necessity to then get Rainbow Dash. But then, how could we be so cruel to deny her the entire collection, so next came Twilight Sparkle. Around this same time, she became obsessed with the Disney Princess Palace pets. And, BAM! They showed up at Build-A-Bear too! So, Pumpkin, Beauty, and Berry were added to the wish list. A trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop has turned into a treat for Amelia. After her birthday dinner, we stopped in for a rainbow panda. A special day with Grandma ended with the new Elsa bear. We’re running out of space in her room, but she does treasure, cuddle and play with the stuffies, and I’m sure they will remain a fixture in this house!
Amelia loves Chili’s. I’m not sure if that love started because she enjoys the food (chips and salsa for an appetizer and children’s grilled chicken platter with corn for an entree), or because it is one of our go-to spots when we meet friends with a daughter two years older than Amelia. Either way, she now has many positive associations with the restaurant, made all the more positive with the addition of the Ziosk, a table-side device that allows you to order drinks and pay the bill. Oh, and it has games on it, which is probably what Amelia likes about it. 🙂
Strange Magic boasts an all-star cast, stunning visuals, and plenty of fun music. At least, that is what Amelia’s grandparents told me when they dropped her off after whisking her away for a fun-filled day. The grandparents suggested that we take Amelia to see the movie a second time, and Amelia happily chimed in that it would be “ok” with her. For now, though, I leave you with Amelia’s thoughts on the film!
There are a few restaurants where it is a toss up for who loves it more, Amelia or her dad. Chipotle is on that short list. Sure, there are lots of places to get burritos and tacos, but Chipotle Mexican Grill is the only one that is a solid half hour away from home, and when Amelia makes a request for a taco kit, we find ourselves trekking down the road. Fresh, organic ingredients, simple yet personalized options, and just plain delicious.
The Paddington countdown started when Amelia was with her grandparents, and she called us (at work!) to tell us that the film would be in theaters on January 19. We saw the movie this weekend, along with a virtually sold out theater of families. One of my favorite things about seeing a children’s movie is the sound of laughing kids–Paddington did not disappoint in providing this chorus of glee! Fans of all ages will fall in love with this new take on the classic character. If you remember this loveable character from story time in your past, you won’t be disappointed with his sweet, adorable personality.
We have an annual custom of going to Dave and Busters for bowling and gift exchange with good friends of ours. Custom may be too strong of a word, but we have done it two years in a row, so I’m declaring it a tradition. It’s not a sit-by-the-fireplace and drink hot chocolate with Christmas carols playing sweetly in the background type of get together. The experience is much more dynamic and the kids love it! Bowling, games, dinner, games, prizes. And, remember, we also do a gift exchange. What’s not to love for a couple of kids?! Amelia is already looking forward to this on-going tradition next winter break!
Five Guys® Burger and Fries has five big draws for Amelia. 1. Self-serve peanuts. She loves them. She loves getting them herself, and she loves peeling them open. 2. Self-serve drink machine. I used to share a drink with her, but the drink concoctions she creates became so “interesting,” I had to bow out. But, she drinks every last drop, telling me that it’s the most delicious thing that has ever quenched her thirst! 3. The burgers. She loves them. She will eat an entire burger here, leaving her dad missing the usual scraps. 4. The fries. The fries drenched in vinegar. If you’ve eaten at Five Guys, no more needs to be said here. 5. The extra fries. Not only do you get a big serving of fries, but after they put your cup of fries in the bag, they put an extra scoop on top, just for good measure. No complaints here!
The big gift from the grandparents this year was VTech’s Kidizoom Smartwatch, in pink of course! After the first commercial Amelia saw for this product, she knew she wanted it, and (you may have a similar situation in your family?) what Amelia wants, grandma and papa buy. We are impressed with this toy. Once it was charged, Amelia was able to figure it out immediately. There are plenty of unflattering photos that were taken while the family was not at their best, and Amelia even managed to video the terrified screams of the family when a toy helicopter flight went horribly awry. To say the least, she is having a blast with the Smartwatch! The watch comes pre-loaded with a handful of games, fun backgrounds for each season in the watch setting, a timer, and more. More games can be downloaded from VTech’s Learning Lodge, but Amelia has been kept plenty busy with the options pre-loaded, and we haven’t visited the site yet. This toy is full of enough features to keep Amelia playing for a long time to come.
Amelia Kate 