Happy 6th Birthday, Daniel!

D turned the big SIX on Sunday! We gave him the option of a party or a trip to Great Wolf Lodge and there was never any real doubt over which he would choose. We had such a fun trip. The last time we went was 2 years ago so Daniel was still pretty young and not able to swim yet. Now that the kids are 8, 7, and 6 they can all swim and were all big enough to go on all the slides. They had a BLAST on the slides - time of their lives!

Each year I ask the kids a list of questions on their birthdays since it's always fun to see how the answers change (or stay the same!). Here are D's answers this year:

Daniel's 6th Birthday - July 31, 2016

Favorite Color: Orange

Favorite Show: Sponge Bob

Favorite Thing To Do Inside: Play with the mini basketball hoop

Favorite Thing To Do Outside: Play football

Favorite Snack: Cat Cookies (from Trader Joe's)

Favorite Meal: Tacos

Favorite Song: Shut Up and Dance with Me

Favorite Thing To Do With Dadda: Go out for ice cream

Favorite Thing To Do With Mamma: Go bowling

Favorite Thing To Do As A Family: Go out for dinner

When I Grow Up I Want To Be: A baker

If I Had Lots Of Money: I'd buy a pool

Want more D? You can check out his answers from when he turned five HERE, four HERE, three HERE, his first year in pictures HERE, and his birth story HERE!

Hood: National Ice Cream Sandwich Day S'mores Campout Event

Hood® Takes Over City Hall Plaza 

for National Ice Cream Sandwich Day S’mores Campout Event 

This spring, Hood® Ice Cream announced the launch of its latest frozen novelty product: the Hood S’mores Ice Cream Sandwich. The newest addition to Hood’s popular line of ice cream sandwiches, the treats represent the brand’s cool twist on a campfire classic, one that’s sure to delight consumers all summer long. To celebrate, Hood is excited to invite the local community to participate in an exciting, campout themed event on National Ice Cream Sandwich Day.

WHO: Hood, the number-one dairy brand in New England

WHAT: Hood S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches: sweet marshmallow-flavored ice cream with chocolate chips between two graham cracker wafers. Hood Ice Cream Sandwiches were recently named the #1 brand of Ice Cream Sandwiches! *

This event is to celebrate the official public launch of the new flavor, and will feature great visuals like thousands of free S’mores Ice Cream Sandwich samples, a vintage 1983 Airstream trailer, faux campfires, camping tents, a variety of outdoor games and a guitar player to set the campfire mood.

WHERE: City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02108

WHEN: Tuesday, August 2, 2016 from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

WHY: Camping and summer go hand-in-hand, and Hood wanted to celebrate the season by creating Hood’s fresh take on a favorite campfire treat: the s’more. What better way to celebrate the launch than bringing the local community together for a camping experience – with free S’mores Ice Cream Sandwiches included –  right in the heart of the city?

SOCIAL: Planning on attending the event? Share your experience on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #HoodSmoresCampout hashtag!

Cross Sound Ferry's "Lights and Sights" Cruise

Yesterday, the kids and I had the opportunity to board Cross Sound Ferry's Sea Jet for the "Lights and Sights" Lighthouse Cruise. It was the perfect day for a boat ride!

We boarded in New London, CT and set sail to check out the lighthouses and attractions. The Sea Jet is a catamaran that cruises up to 35 mph that has both indoor and outdoor seating. The Jet has a small cafe that serves up everything from sandwiches, to bakery items, to snacks, to drinks, to cocktails! We enjoyed lunch inside at a booth by the window and then headed to the open roof level for maximum viewing. We loved being able to go in and out and up and down as we pleased.

Now, most people go on the tour to see the lighthouses but my family had an ulterior motive. We were really there to get a glimpse of Taylor Swift's ocean side mansion in Rhode Island. That was one of the highlights for us!

Not too shabby, Taylor!

I like to think she's waiving to us from her window ;)

So beyond being Taylor Swift groupies, we had an awesome time on the boat. On the two hour cruise, you see 8 lighthouses. We loved hearing the history of them and seeing how different they all looked.

New London Ledge Lighthouse

Latimer Reef Light

Race Rock Light

For us, in addition to the fun of the lighthouses, attractions, history, and food, really the appeal was a fun day out at sea. The kids loved being on the boat and it was fun to see the pure joy it brought for them.

It was definitely a day of family fun for us. Want to check it out for yourself? Cruises run from early April through late November. The cruise costs $28 adult, $14 child (ages 2-11), and children under 2 are free. Cruises depart at 12:30pm and last approx 2 hours. You can see the full tour schedule on their site HERE.

*We received complimentary tickets to the Lights and Sights tour. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Wizard of Oz: Review and Discount Code!

Last night, Isabelle and I, along with our friend Laurie, attended opening night of The Wizard of Oz at the Citi Wang Theatre in Boston. We arrived early to be a part of the opening night festivities which included Dorothy and Toto arriving in an antique pick up truck for a yellow brick road (like a red carpet!) arrival. The Lollipop Guild greeted Dorothy and they talked with fans and signed autographs.

Isabelle was SO excited to meet them and have them sign her playbill. She was beaming from ear to ear. The arrival was just the start of the fun though because then it was on to the performance. 

The show was AWESOME! I've had the pleasure of attending quite a few live performances over the past few years and this one really stood out for me. It was a rather small cast (full of all the beloved characters that you remember) and they did an amazing job. They were all true to what you would expect them to be - the Scarecrow was silly and clumsy, the Lion was funny and cowardly, and the Wizard was grand yet feeble. The set was wonderful and the singing was incredible. The show definitely entertained audiences of all ages.

Photo Credit: The Wizard of Oz, Daniel A. Swalec©

The Wizard of Oz is playing now through April 24, 2016 which is perfect for April vacation. I highly recommend you check it out if you can! Here are the full details...

The Wizard of Oz plays at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre Tuesday, April 12 through Sunday, April 24 for 16 performances: Tuesday through Friday evenings at 7:00 pm; Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm; matinees at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 20 at 2:00 pm and on Saturdays; and on Sundays at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. Tickets start at $35.00; all prices include a $3.75 facility fee per ticket. Tickets are on sale at the Citi Center box office, through www.citicenter.org or by calling 800-982-ARTS (2787), or through Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets now by contacting Citi Performing Arts Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@citicenter.org 

Discount Code:

Save 25% on tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the Citi Wang Theatre!  Visit http://citicenter.org/buy/show-listing/wizard-of-oz and enter code OZMOM to buy your discounted tickets. Discount applies to select performances (4/12 7 pm, 4/13 7 pm, 4/14 7 pm, 4/15 7 pm, 4/17 6:30pm ) while supplies last. Valid on all levels, excluding Orchestra Pit.

 

*I received complimentary tickets to the show. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Wizard of Oz Live: Ticket Giveaway and Discount Code (Boston)

The Wizard of Oz is coming to Boston!

The Wizard of Oz will play a 2-week engagement at Boston’s Citi Wang Theatre, running April 12-24, 2016. This new production is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic, totally reconceived for the stage. Developed from the ever popular MGM screenplay, this production contains the beloved songs from the Oscar®-winning movie score, all the favorite characters and iconic moments, plus a few surprises along the way, including new songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

The Wizard of Oz had its world premiere at The London Palladium Theatre in March of 2011. After a successful West End run, the production had its North American premiere in Toronto in December of 2012, and then embarked on a U.S. tour beginning September 2013.

The Wizard of Oz plays at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre Tuesday, April 12 through Sunday, April 24 for 16 performances: Tuesday through Friday evenings at 7:00 pm; Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm; matinees at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 20 at 2:00 pm and on Saturdays; and on Sundays at 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. Tickets start at $35.00; all prices include a $3.75 facility fee per ticket. Tickets are on sale at the Citi Center box office, through www.citicenter.org or by calling 800-982-ARTS (2787), or through Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets now by contacting Citi Performing Arts Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@citicenter.org 

Discount Code:

Save 25% on tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the Citi Wang Theatre!  Visit http://citicenter.org/buy/show-listing/wizard-of-oz and enter code OZMOM to buy your discounted tickets. Discount applies to select performances (4/12 7 pm, 4/13 7 pm, 4/14 7 pm, 4/15 7 pm, 4/17 6:30pm ) while supplies last. Valid on all levels, excluding Orchestra Pit.

Win It:
One lucky Dollops' reader will win a four pack of tickets to the opening night performance on April 13, 2016 at 7pm in Boston. This is a Wednesday night so please make sure you can attend before entering the contest. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 *I received complimentary tickets to the show. As always, all opinions are my own. All photos courtesy of The Wizard of Oz and Daniel A. Swalec©   

The Big Apple Circus: The Grand Tour Review

My family had the pleasure of going to see The Big Apple Circus this past weekend and it was AMAZING. Seriously, this show never disappoints and I swear it gets better each year. It definitely is captivating for audiences of all ages.

Whether you are looking for acrobats, animals, clowns, jugglers, or people straight up doing things you would never even DREAM of, The Big Apple Circus has what you're looking for. There also isn't a bad seat in the house (aka tent)!

We all just sat and marveled at the performers' skills. I loved looking over at the kids during the acts. The awe on their faces were priceless. We spent the entire ride home (and the days to come!) talking about the different performers and how funny, interesting, and amazing they were. The talent really is incredible.

I (clearly!) can't say enough good things about the show. Why not go check it out for yourself?

Playing under the Big Top at City Hall Plaza, Boston, the show runs from March 24-May 8, 2016 with tickets starting at $25. The Grand Tour transports audiences to the Roaring 1920s, the advent of the modern travel era, when the most adventuresome began touring the world in ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. With every seat less than 50 feet from the stage, audiences will be awed by the world-class entertainers as they perform breathtaking acts from the four corners of the globe. Clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America appear with ponies, puppies and more; the troupe sets off on a whirlwind adventure, accompanied by the live, seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band at each performance.

You can find tickets HERE and enter the discount code BIGAPPLE to save 20% on select performances!

*My family received complimentary tickets to the circus. As always, all opinions are my own.

The Big Apple Circus: Giveaway and Discount Code! (Boston)

The Big Apple Circus is coming back to Boston with their new show, The Grand Tour, and we couldn't be happier. My kids LOVE the circus! It's always a day filled with fun, laughter, and good times for the whole family. 

Playing under the Big Top at City Hall Plaza, Boston, the show runs from March 24-May 8, 2016. The Grand Tour transports audiences to the Roaring 1920s, the advent of the modern travel era, when the most adventuresome began touring the world in ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. With every seat less than 50 feet from the stage, audiences will be awed by the world-class entertainers as they perform breathtaking acts from the four corners of the globe. Clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America appear with ponies, puppies and more; the troupe sets off on a whirlwind adventure, accompanied by the live, seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band at each performance. It's sure to entertain everyone!

 In addition to regular shows, the company will also present these special performances:

Circus of the Senses will take place on Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 11am. Circus of the Senses performances are specially adapted to enable children and adults with vision or hearing impairments and other disabilities to experience the joy and wonder of the circus. Tickets for Circus of the Senses are $12.50 ($10 for groups of 10 or more). For tickets, please visit www.bigapplecircus.org/circus-of-the-senses to fill out a ticket application form. 

Big Apple Circus Embraces Autism will take place on Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 11am. Big Apple Circus has joined with world-renowned Autism Spectrum Disorders experts to adapt The Grand Tour for families with members on the spectrum and create a joyful experience for all. The adapted show includes the same world-class artistry as the full performance with a shorter running time, adjusted lights and sound, a calming center, pictorial social narratives, and specially trained staff and volunteers to assure a memorable event for everyone! All tickets to this special performance, a 75-minute abbreviated show, are half price.

The Grand Tour Family Fun Day will take place on Saturday, April 16, 2016. The fun starts at 3:30pm with interactive entertainment by our Clown Doctors, followed by a full performance of The Grand Tour, and then dessert in the Ring with the performers. Plus free popcorn for all and free goody bags for the kids! Tickets start at $30. All proceeds support Big Apple Circus Clown Care^® at Boston Children’s Hospital, as well as our adapted performances.

Regular tickets for The Grand Tour start at $25 and are available at www.bigapplecircus.org, by calling (888) 541-3750, or purchasing them at the box office.

Order online or at the box office using the code BIGAPPLE* to save 20% on select performances.

One lucky Dollops' reader will win a family 4 pack of tickets to the (Easter) Sunday performance on March 27th at 4:30pm. If you are able to attend this show and feeling lucky then enter via the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Limited availability. Offer good on select seats and shows. Other conditions apply. Children under 3 are free on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap.

**My family received complimentary tickets to the circus. As always, all opinions are my own. Photos courtesy of The Big Apple Circus.