How I Wine Down, While My Family Golfs! Learn how to enjoy a $25 credit on a round of golf at major golf courses nationwide & enter to win a year of FREE GOLF courtesy of Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Wines. #GranReservaGolf #ad

Most of you that have been reading my blog (and thank you so much for your support) know that hubs is an avid golfer. It is his way to wine down after the long hours that he puts in at the restaurant. Now lil man has gotten old enough that he can enjoy going to the golf course with his dad. I fully support this time together so they can have some special father/son bonding time. I used to go with hubs to the golf course on occasion and drive the golf cart (and maybe hit a few) but now with baby girl, I can’t really go between naps, feedings and playtime with an infant. So now I just send the boys on their way and I head next door to my parent’s house to wine down for the afternoon on their back porch Luckily my parents have turned one of their spare bedrooms into a nursery for their grandkids, so baby girl can nap there with ease while Grammy and I are within earshot on the porch.

This particular afternoon just happened to also be Mother’s Day so I picked myself up the perfect present to celebrate my first Mother’s Day, a lovely bottle of Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

Mom is more of a white wine gal, so I picked her up a bottle of Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc It was part of her Mother’s Day present and she was very appreciative Now that I am a full time mom and know just how much hard work goes into each and every day, I wanted to show her just how grateful I am for everything that she has and continues to do for my sisters and I!

My mom and I enjoyed some much needed wine down time on the porch with a glass of Gran Reserva wine! Baby girl took a nice long nap for me in their nursery (HELLO…I think it was her Mother’s Day present to me and it was perfect! I LOVED IT…just what I needed!) We kicked up our feet, watched a little HGTV and Food Network (our favs to zone out to) and Dad grilled up some surf and turf for us It was an absolutely perfect way to wine down!!

We both thoroughly enjoyed our Gran Reserva wines! Since our dinner was surf and turf, both the red and white paired nicely I also wanted to share with y’all that Gran Reserva is giving you two more reasons to enjoy their fine wines right now!!

1. Enjoy a $25 credit on a round of golf at major golf courses nationwide courtesy of Concha y Toro Gran Reserva. Find a specially marked bottle necker where you buy wine.

2. And you can also enter a great sweepstakes to win – one year of free golf. Check it out: http://clvr.li/2nLqvdg 

Be sure to check it out ASAP!! I’ll have my fingers crossed for you that you win  So tell me, what are your favorite ways to wine down?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Well…it is hard to believe that it is time, but I am “officially” going on maternity leave from the blog Our lil girl is due next week and she could make her appearance at anytime now so I think that it is time. I am not sure exactly how long I will be away from the blog, but I promise to keep y’all updated. I would guess that it will be at least a few weeks. If all goes well, then I don’t think it will be too long until I am back but maybe just on a little bit of more relaxed status. I do promise to share pictures of our little beauty just as soon as possible on social media so make sure that you are following me

• Find me on Facebook!
• Hit me up on Twitter!
• Pin with me on Pinterest!
• Join me on Instagram!
• Or, you can always email me at becky (at) beckysbestbites (dot) com or use the contact form or comments below.

The pictures in this maternity leave post are the pictures from our last scan, which was completed at 36 weeks (two weeks ago). As you can tell, she is pretty squished in there, the pictures aren’t the best but you can still get a pretty good look at her They estimated that she was 5 lbs. 11 oz. and in the 30th percentile at that time and my doctor believes that she will be 6-7 lbs. at birth. I have also been told by my doctor that she isn’t going to let me go past due because this is a high risk pregnancy and this is another reason that I am starting my maternity leave now. Don’t worry though…all looks very good and she and I are going very well

It is going to be weird for me not to be blogging and to be out on maternity leave. I want to take this time to soak in each and every precious moment with our bundle of joy I absolutely cannot wait for her arrival!! Thank you for all the love that y’all have shown us and continue to do Much love and talk to you soon!!

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Sunrise Green Smoothie + ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars are the perfect pair to give an energizing power punch to fuel any morning routine! Together they are a healthy breakfast full of protein, vitamins and minerals to give you the energy you need to “do it all” during your day!

It is hard to believe, but 2016 has come to a close… We have embarked on a brand new year and all the possibilities that come with it!! For me, this new year is especially exciting because our lil girl will be born in this new year She is due to make her grand entrance in late February, so that puts me in my third trimester of pregnancy.

I am quickly learning that while the third trimester is thrilling because I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel  – MY PRECIOUS BABY GIRL – I will still have to power through the exhaustion and other uncomfortable aspects of the last few weeks of pregnancy before I get to hold her in my arms. It was perfect timing, that I was also asked recently to give ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars a try!!

ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars offer unmatched great taste and indulgent flavors without the guilt! They have even been satisfying my pregnancy sweet tooth I love that I can feel good about enjoying them because each full-size bar has between 10 – 15 grams of protein, 170 – 210 calories and a unique blend of 17-19 vitamins and minerals to keep me and baby girl satisfied and fueled throughout our day! ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars contain an ideal balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat and are available in 14 flavors so everyone will find varieties that they love!!

I have been keeping ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars in my bag for when I need a yummy and healthy snack during the day. But my favorite way to enjoy them is paired with my Sunrise Green Smoothie as a wholesome breakfast duo to kick-start my day the healthy way!!

My Sunrise Green Smoothie combines the nutritional powerhouse kale with sweet gala apples, fresh ripe strawberries, a fresh squeezed orange and the anti-inflammatory effects of fresh ginger!

It tastes like a sunrise in a glass!! Refreshing, energizing and with just the right amount of sweetness, this sunrise green smoothie will quickly become your favorite too Once you pair it with a ZonePerfect Bar, you have the nutrition to help you win the day – all day long!!

ZonePerfect Bars can be purchased at your local Target, Amazon.com and most large grocery retailers. (Link back to offer of either Amazon.com or Target TBD once given by Ahalogy)

Learn more about ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars!!

• Visit the ZonePerfect website
• Follow along with ZonePerfect on Facebook
• Connect with ZonePerfect on Twitter
• Join ZonePerfect on Instagram

Here is your recipe for Sunrise Green Smoothie:

Sunrise Green Smoothie

 

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 bag (9 oz.) frozen chopped kale
• 1 large Gala Apple, cored and chopped
• 6-7 strawberries, tops removed and sliced in half
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• Zest and juice of 1 large naval orange
• 2 cups vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 4-6 ice cubes (optional)
• 1 tsp. local honey, more or less to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a large, high speed blender.
2. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
3. Enjoy immediately!

3.5.3226

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Poverty is real, but together, we can make progress towards breaking the cycle by helping to graduate healthy, educated, empowered & employed young adults with Children International!

As many of you know, my “day job” is working for our local community non-profit art center. There we serve the underprivileged children of our community. One of my favorite parts of the job is to teach these children art and other skills that they can use to improve their lives! In many cases, these skills can result in career paths and we are actively working toward establishing new programs that focus more on this!! I love being able to use my voice on my blog and social media as my second job to continue to help the less fortunate in our world. I know that I am truly blessed and thank God each and every day that the children in my life do not have to worry about hunger and poverty!!

I know that many children around the world do have to worry on a daily basis about poverty and I want to help! So when I was approached to help spread the word about incredible organization that does amazing work for our world, Children International, I felt compelled to act

Too often we only hear about and see impactful pictures of the young children who are in poverty. While this is so important and powerful, I wanted to focus on some of the success stories of Children International – graduates of their programs who have beaten the odds and now have big plans for the future!!

Let’s meet some of the many success stories of Children International!

Paul, 20, Quito, Ecuador

He believes that education can help improve people’s living conditions and that is just what Children International did for him by helping him with the cost of his learning at the Ecuadorian Red Cross Institute. Now he will become an excellent professional in prehospital care,and be able to pay it forward to others.

Lesly, 18, Guatemala

Lesly is in her final year of high school and plans to continue her education in college thanks to the aid that she received to do so from Children International Mariscal. She is an animal lover and is looking forward to a career in veterinary medicine, zoology or something related. She has developed leadership skills that helped her to become president of her class last year and now she is a shining example for her brothers! She once thought that she these dreams where unattainable because of her family’s lack of financial means.

Fanny, 18, Barranquilla, Colombia

Fanny has a dream that she wants to make come true, and it is to work in occupational health. Since she was a child, she has dreamed about being a doctor to save lives!! She credits Children International opening the door for her to make this long-awaited dream come true despite her family’s lack of means. Now her family can be proud of her and she will have a different future compared to the youth around her in her community.

Gherald, 17, Legazpi, Philippines

Gherald is working toward his Bachelor of Arts degree in peace studies so he can hopefully be a fireman someday! He has always wanted to help his community, and this is what he sees himself doing after graduation. He believes that education will help him succeed and improve his way of life. According to a Tibetan proverb, “A child without education is like a bird without wings.”

Jeymi, 16, San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Jeymi is the daughter of a single mother who never thought she would have the opportunity to fulfill her dreams and goals because in her country, as in the whole world, the economy is driving the wrong way. But thanks to Children International she is studying the career of business administration at the José Trinidad Cabañas Institute, IHER. Her dreams and goals are within reach and she is working toward them on a daily basis.

Richard, 19, Manila, Philippines

Richard believes that education has been his instrument in achieving his goals in life. While working toward his goals and studying public administration in college through Children International – Manila, he has found the time to give back!  He helps different kids in the community centers, where he was able to share accurate and comprehensive information with regards to reproductive health and substance abuse, which are big issues that people of his age are facing. This gave him the opportunity to help others — and himself too. These community centers, of which there are 70 around the world, are amazingly unique facilities that provide a safe haven to kids from dangerous environments and deliver life changing programs and services. Many include medical clinics, dental clinics, libraries, computer centers and labs, pharmacies, staff offices, activity spaces & multipurpose rooms and sports & play centers.

Together, we can make progress towards breaking the cycle of poverty. Children International is the beacon of hope in that progress.

Did you know that for $54 billion, every child in poverty could receive a basic education? Now that sounds like a lot of money, but if you think about it that is actually less than Americans spend each year on soda!!

• Kids who participated in preschool achieve higher education, and make more money as adults.
• If kids in low-income countries could all read, it could lift 171 million people from poverty.

So now you might be asking, “How can I help?” You can connect with one child, like one of the ones that I shared about, and help them become a success story too by sponsoring them which will support and empower that child to change their life thus breaking the cycle of poverty and creating a ripple effect for generations to come. Learn more about sponsorship here.

You can request a free information kit to learn the details of one special kid and learn how YOU can create real, meaningful change in his or her life >> HERE << 

Any gift makes a real impact toward helping Children International achieve their goal of breaking the cycle of poverty!! You can feel confident in your contribution because Children International is a top-rated, BBB-accredited charity and named one of the top humanitarian organizations in the U.S. by Consumers Digest AND 84% of their total expenses in 2015 went directly to the programs and activities that help children. Please consider joining the fight by giving today!! Be a part of the Children International community by connecting on social media too!!

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• YouTube

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Simply Said…It Is Time to CARE!  Let’s break the barriers of poverty and education around the world with CARE! I invite you to join me by sending letters of hope to inspire students to follow their dreams! #simplysaid #ad

I simply cannot imagine the children in my life growing up in this world! They are blessed to be growing up in a place where they don’t have to worry about if they have enough fresh water, where their next meal will come from or where they will lay their heads to sleep that night. They certainly don’t have to worry about having access to a quality education so they can achieve their goals and dreams I am humbled and thankful that they don’t have these worries!!  Sadly there are millions of children around the world that do have these worries and challenges on a daily basis and that is why I am honored to be able to share the message of a wonderful organization called CARE  and their simply said campaign with you today!!

CARE’s mission (as stated on their website) is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, they promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility.

They facilitate lasting change by:

• Strengthening capacity for self-help
• Delivering relief in emergencies
• Addressing discrimination in all its forms
• Providing economic opportunity
• Influencing policy decisions at all levels

I would like to take a moment and share Mary’s Story. It is just one of many that could be shared, but it touched my heart and so I wanted to share it with you. Mary is 15 years old and lives with her grandmother in Mukuru Kwa Reuben slums of Nairobi, Kenya. She does not know where her parents are, so she and her three siblings rely solely on their grandmother for support. She wakes up every day excited to attend school and when she isn’t in class she’s helping with household chores like washing dishes, cooking and fetching water. For this first picture, she was asked, “Why do you like school?” She responds,”I like school because…It will make me reach my goal.”

“Education inspires me to work hard to achieve my dream of becoming a journalist,” she says. Can we help her to achieve her goals? YES!! Send a message of hope and inspiration to girls like Mary!! It is super simple and just took me a moment and a couple of clicks to add my name to the card

Click << HERE >> or click on the picture below to add your name to the #SimplySaid eCard!!

Simply said, what is your “why?” Why would you take less than a minute out of your day to send a message of hope students in developing countries as they pursue their dreams of an education? I now have five little whys

My stepson, lil man; my nephew, Z man; my two brand new nephews, H & B and then my little girl will all grow up without the many worries that the children of developing countries deal with every single day.  They all will be well fed, clothed, sheltered and loved!! Each one will have a quality education and encouragement to reach or even exceed their goals!! And for that, I am extremely thankful and I know we are blessed beyond measure!

Please click here to sign the eCard and send your message of hope and encouragement to students like Mary!! Simply Said…It Is Time to CARE!  Let’s break the barriers of poverty and education around the world with CARE! #simplysaid #ad
Win Free Stuff

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Hear A Better Day Despite Hearing Loss! Exploring our family’s story of the impacts of hearing loss and how hearing aids could help you or a loved one enhance life! #ad #HearABetterDay #hearingloss #hearingaids #MiracleEar #MiracleEarExperience

Today I am NOT going to share a recipe with you, however I am going to get personal and share about a subject that is near and dear to our family’s heart…hearing loss. I don’t know that I have ever mentioned this on the blog before, but the hubs wears a hearing aid and without it he would pretty much not be able to hear a thing.

The reason for the hearing aid is that he was born with hearing loss. It is believed that ear infections as a young child may have made it worse, but we aren’t sure exactly. He is 75% deaf in his left ear and 25% deaf in the right. His hearing in his left ear is not correctable and he was not a candidate for a cochlear implant, so wearing a hearing aid in his right ear allows him to live life to the fullest and communicate with all of us.

As far as we can tell, his hearing loss is not genetic, and we are thankful that lil man’s hearing is perfect!! One of the first tests he received after birth was  a newborn hearing screening. The screening showed that he did not have any hearing loss. For the hubs, hearing loss is simply a challenge that he faces and overcomes on a daily basis. He doesn’t let it define him or limit him from living life to the fullest!

Thanks to his hearing aid, he will always hear a better day! Are you or a loved one missing out on the joys of life because of hearing loss? From being able to communicate, form connections, being heard and understood to enjoying music, conversations and the sound of children playing…the isolation of hearing loss can be real, but there is an easy solution!

Click HERE to schedule a FREE hearing test at a Miracle-Ear location near you!

One of the newest hearing aid options available at Miracle-Ear is their GENIUS™ 2.0 with Speech Isolation. It combines three key technologies – digital noise reduction, directionality and amplification into the next level of hearing aid with this brand new cutting-edge technology!

GENIUS 2.0 has 4 unique features that can really be helpful for anyone struggling with hearing loss:

• Music Master is designed to enrich the quality of music and provide maximum enjoyment for listening to music. With three music settings – Concert, Playback and Performer – wearers will enjoy a variety of music. GENIUS 2.0 is designed to deliver excellent music fidelity whether listening to music or performing.
• Echo Guard stops sound from reflecting off of surfaces such as ceilings and walls in reverberant environments. GENIUS 2.0 Echo Guard provides a comfortable setting for wearers by softening the reflected sound for better sound quality. Wearers no longer need to avoid difficult-to-hear places where sounds bounce off of the walls.
• Phone Surround transmits the phone signal from one ear to both ears when using a handheld phone. The signal is automatically detected by a magnet and wirelessly sends the signal, surrounding the wearer, and provides better understanding without the need for an additional accessory. GENIUS 2.0 provides an improved listening experience for telephone calls.
• The wireless CROS/BiCROS solution is designed for those with unilateral hearing loss. Available in our most popular style, the CROS RIC transmitter is worn on the unaidable ear and wirelessly sends the signal to any GENIUS 2.0 wireless hearing aid on the other ear, allowing the wearer to hear sounds from both sides.

I hope that this little glimpse at our family and opening up with our experience with hearing loss shows how hearing aids can enhance the lives of those with hearing loss and their families. We are truly blessed and thank God for that each and every day!! We may have had to learn to watch TV with the closed captioning on, but to tell you the truth…I don’t even notice it anymore

Are you or someone you love affected by hearing loss? I would love to hear how you #HearABetter Day and your stories in the comments

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Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage is an easy kid-friendly recipe makes the perfect healthy on-the-go breakfast on crazy back to school days! You can customize these tasty bites with any vegetables and proteins that your family loves and freeze in large batches to make mornings a breeze!

Yum

Hey y’all!! I mentioned that last week we were on our annual lake vacation up at Lake Oconee and that it was a much needed recharge I pretty much disconnected…I didn’t publish any blog posts and only checked Facebook and my blog stats occasionally, instead of the nearly constant inspection that happens most days It felt liberating to be free of the pressure and I am actually finding it somewhat difficult to get back into the swing of things…I guess it is the post-vacation “hang-over” or just plain laziness, but I am embracing it as a brief departure from my typical Type-A personality ways

I have mentioned to y’all several times in the past our “tradition” for each family to take a day to be responsible for the food for the day. This works out great because: A) We all save a lot of money versus having to eat out each day of our vacation. B) It is healthier than eating out everyday…well for the most part  and C) It take the burden off any one person or family to have to feed everyone for all 7-8 days that we are on the trip.

We usually throw in a day that we do take the boat to a restaurant on the water, maybe a day trip to Atlanta for some TopGolf and a Brave’s Game and then there is a leftover day because we all have that southern mentality of making WAYYYYYY tooooo much food because we are sure that we never have enough…can anyone relate? But it all works out quite beautifully and we <3 it!!

In the past, I have shared these recipes that I made for our lake adventures:

• Protein Packed Blueberry Muffins
• Santa Fe Chicken Salad Wraps
• Smoky Indoor Ribs
• Raw Zucchini Salad and Simple Summer Corn

This year, on our day, I decided to make these Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage for our breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised that they were such a hit!! Even the kids loved these portable little nuggets of yumminess…I was impressed!! My sister asked if I thought that they could be made in a large quantity and frozen for easy on-the-go breakfasts for craziness school mornings and I eagerly said, YES!! What a good idea!! She said that I really needed to put them on the blog and so here they are

The beauty of these Mini Egg Muffin Bites is that you could really customize them to your liking (or whatever you happen to have on-hand). I went with frozen spinach, turkey sausage and just a sprinkling of cheddar cheese, but you could mix that up!! I love buying frozen spinach and always have some in the freezer (yes, even on vacation). I think it is one of thes best bangs for your buck veggie-wise at the grocery store. It is like a $1-$1.50 (depending on the week and sometimes even cheaper…HELLO PUBLIX BOGOS! I LOVE YOU!!) And you get so much spinach that is already chopped and just a quick defrost away from being ready to use! 

I wasn’t even planning on photographing any food during our vacation, but after the overwhelming response to my Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage, I decided a quick photoshoot was in order. So I put these shots together rather quickly (sorry they are aren’t super styled and all) to get these babies on the blog. Z man couldn’t quite figure out why I was taking pictures of the food that he had just eaten for breakfast…That was hilarious!! He had such a puzzled look on his face This particular shot happened because lil man come over to sneak one more of the mini egg muffin bites, when he thought I wasn’t looking… I quickly recruited him to be my “hand model” if he wanted another one He thought that was really cool!! And on a side note…LOOK AT ALL THAT SPINACH!! And he happily gobbled it right up…

I originally found this Egg Muffins Recipe from Two Peas and their Pod and then decided to modify it just a bit so it would work for us! I love anything “mini” so that was the biggest change! PS…Check out this mini muffin pan if you need one for this recipe, I have a couple that are very similar. The ones pictured are a 12 cup mini muffin pan (which is what they had at the lake), but I needed 3 of them for all the muffins that this recipe makes.

Here is your recipe for Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage:

Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage

 

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Becky's Best Bites

Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. lean ground turkey sausage
• 12 large eggs
• ½ cup skim milk
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flake, optional or more/less depending on taste
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Spray either (2) 24-cup mini muffin pans or (3) 12 cup mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
4. Once hot, add ground turkey sausage and crumble as it begins to brown.
5. Cook until evenly browned and no pink remains, continue to crumble the sausage into little pieces. Drain if needed, return to skillet and set aside to cool slightly.
6. In a large mixing bowl, crack eggs and then add milk. Whisk to combine and scramble the eggs. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flake (if using) and whisk again to combine. Set aside.
7. Add thawed and thoroughly drained spinach to the pan with the browned turkey sausage crumbles and stir to combine.
8. Fill each muffin cup about half-way full with the sausage/spinach mixture (evenly distributing the mixture among all the cups).
9. Pour eggs into each muffin cup to fill almost to the top.
10. Top each egg muffin with just a little bit of cheese.
11. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the egg has set and the muffin is firm in the middle (the edges should be browning as well).
12. Remove from the oven and let set for a couple of minutes.
13. Using a spoon, pop each egg muffin out of the pan and serve warm.
14. Can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen 2-3 months. Reheat in the microwave.

Notes

I liked to dip my egg muffins in a little bit of sriracha to up the spice factor
Feel free to substitute any vegetables, protein or cheese you like

3.5.3208

If you are lovin’ these Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage, then you might want to check out some of my other kid-friendly bites:

• Sneaky Veggie Breakfast Scramble Bites

• Chicken Quinoa Toddler and Kid-Friendly Bites

• Quinoa Meatballs Baby Finger Food

The post Mini Egg Muffin Bites with Spinach and Turkey Sausage appeared first on Becky's Best Bites.

10 Tips for Surviving Disney with a 6 Year Old – Make it a magical vacation with these easy tips and planning tools for taking your children to theme parks.

As I mentioned in my last post, we were able to take lil man to Disney World this past weekend!! It was a last minute trip (mostly paid for by husband’s company, Darden Restaurants…THANKS SO MUCH DARDEN!!) and so once I found out about it, I was in full planner mode! I did tons of research to get the most out of our 3 days down there. I also wanted to make sure that we had everything that we needed to make it enjoyable too with a 6 year old.

I lived in the Orlando area for many years growing up and then moved back there for a while after college, so I had visited the theme parks a lot. However, it has been over 10 years since I had been to one and obviously NEVER with with a small child so I was pretty nervous about making sure that we made it through the trip without a major fight or problems. I can report that we did come through with flying colors!! We had an amazing time and created memories that will last a lifetime!! We also are exhausted and let’s just say that I owe my parent’s a HUGE THANK YOU for taking us there as children!! And they had not just one child but 3. It can be quite a challenge to take a small child to Disney, so I thought I would share what I have learned (and I am certainly no expert) with my 10 Tips for Surviving Disney with a 6 Year Old.

My Disney Experience Account

As soon as we received confirmation of the reservations and park tickets, I headed over to My Disney Experience and created an account for us. I linked our reservation so that I could view it and our vacation packages. The main account is in Chris’s name (since the reservation was made in his name) and I then I added myself and lil man.  You will want to do this for each member of your family or group that you will be traveling with so that you can plan and view your daily itineraries.  You will be able to make Fastpass+ reservations (we will discuss those further later in the post), Dining Reservation and see Entertainment Times. You will also be able see any Disney PhotoPass pictures that are taken at any of the parks. These are the pictures that Disney photographers take of you or the pictures that are taken on rides and attractions.

My Disney Experience App

Next you will want to download the My Disney Experience App. It is available for download on the App Store (Apple) or you can get it on Google Play (android). This app is so helpful when you are in any of the parks! It has interactive, GPS enabled maps of all of the parks! Never get lost and find your way to anything that you are looking for! You can also get live wait times for attractions and the show times for parades and fireworks. If your little one want to do a character greeting, then all you have to do it pull it up on your app to find the location and time. You can even browse restaurant’s menus and make dining reservations. It is a planner’s dream! It allows you to keep your reservations and activities organized and in one place. You can manage them all within the app.

Stay at a Disney Resort Hotel

I also suggest that you stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. They have resorts in categories from value to moderate to deluxe price points, so there is resort for just about any budget. The prices are really comparable to most hotels that you will find in the Orlando area, especially if you factor in that you don’t have to pay the $20 parking fee per park, per day. They even have a campground resort, if your family likes camping, that is really affordable! We used to stay there when I was a child in our pop-up camper and we loved it!! It is also pet-friendly

The travel ease was really what I enjoyed most. They get you where you want to go without having to hassle with driving, parking or traffic. Each resort has transportation to any of the parks via either bus, boat or monorail. You just sit back and relax and they do the driving for you, taking you right to the front of the park!! We stayed at the Coronado Springs Resort and really enjoyed it!! Lil man loved their pool, well more specifically the 123 ft. water slide That boy could just live in the pool!!

You can also take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the parks. These times that they are open for Disney Resort Guests before or after the times that they are open to the general public. This means less crowded parks with much shorter lines!!

Another BIG PERK is if you also have a reservation at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, you can start making your FastPass+ selections as early as 60 days―plus the number of days of your stay―prior to your check-in date. If you don’t have a reservation at one of their resorts, then you only can start making selections at 30 days out. Again, we will talk more about FastPass+ later on in the post. Also, you will receive a MagicBand with any Disney Resort Reservation for FREE! We will talk in detail about MagicBands later on but they are critical to surviving Disney with a 6 year old

Park Hopper Passes

It is just my opinion, but I think that the Park Hopper Passes are a must! I think it is well worth the relatively small additional cost to have the convenience of being able to visit multiple parks on one day, especially with small children. We all know that their attention span is limited and it is so convenient to be able to “hop” over to another park to get more out of the day or if one park isn’t working for whatever reason. An example from our trip is that we went to Animal Kingdom early Saturday morning to do the Kilimanjaro Safari ride. I had read that you usually see more animals in the early morning before it gets hot. Lil man was really excited about this experience, but I couldn’t get a FastPass for the ride. Animal Kingdom had “Extra Magic Hours” (times that they are open for Disney Resort Guests before or after the times that they are open to the general public) on Saturday morning from 8-9am. We got there right after they opened and went straight to Kilimanjaro Safari and walked right on It was perfect!! Then we hung out in Animal Kingdom for the rest of the morning and then went to Magic Kingdom in the afternoon.

MagicBands are a Must

MagicBands are wristbands that are actually an all-in-one device that connects you to all the reservations that you have made in the My Disney Experience. So all your park tickets, resort reservations, FastPass+ selections, dining reservations, PhotoPass pictures and other itineraries are there! Once you have linked your MagicBand to your My Disney Experience account you can use it to enter the parks and unlock your Disney Resort room. If you link a credit card to it, you can use it to purchase food, drinks, merchandise and other items in the parks or at the resorts. I liked that I didn’t have to worry about bringing credit cards or money into the parks, just an ID.

To use the MagicBands, just touch “Mickey to Mickey.” There is a mickey symbol on the front of the MagicBand and at the touch points (entrance to parks, hotel room door, checkout locations, FastPass+ queue entrances, etc.). If you are making a purchase, then a PIN number (you set this up at hotel check-in) is required. Oh and BTW…the children’s MagicBands do not allow for purchases, so you don’t have to worry about your little one buying every toy that they see in the gift shops

Lil man thought that the MagicBands were the coolest thing ever!! He loved touching “Mickey to Mickey” and seeing the touch point’s Mickey turn green! He even took his MagicBand to school on Monday after we got home to show to his class It was a souvenir that we didn’t have to pay for!! SCORE!!

Reserve FastPass+ Selections

Ok, we are finally to FastPasses…and they are probably the biggest tips that I can give you!! I had no idea that Disney had implemented these, but they are GENIUS!! FastPasses are like reservations for the rides and attractions at Disney.  You skip the long lines and wait times and breeze right to the front of the line You get three of these per day and they all have to be at the same park. Once you have used your 3 for the day, you can add additional ones, one at a time, until park closing (if they are available). You can make your FastPass selections at My Disney Experience online or with the app. The parks also have kiosks for selecting or modifying FastPasses, but I found that using my phone was the easiest.

You will want to make these selections as quickly as you can because they go fast, especially for the most popular ride and attractions. Remember that if you are staying at one of the Disney Resorts you can book FastPasses as early as 60 days―plus the number of days of your stay―prior to your check-in date. So you will want to go on early and grab the good ones!!

Bring Drinks and Snacks

Believe it or not, Disney allows you to bring food and drinks into the parks. You just cannot bring any alcohol or glass bottles. You could actually bring full meals, if you wanted to, as long as they didn’t require heating. They do have a size limit to the suitcases, coolers or backpacks with or without wheels that you bring in.  They cannot exceed 24″ (61 cm) long x 15″ (38 cm) wide x 18″ (46 cm) high.

We didn’t bring full meals, just drinks and snacks but it still saved us a bundle!! We brought water, juice boxes, crackers, granola bars and chips each day and it was great! I would have bought a refillable water bottle with a filter (like this one: http://amzn.to/1SMULC1) to fill up at water fountains in the parks, but we still have soooo much bottled water left over from the wedding that we need to use, so I brought a bunch of that. The refillable water bottle would have made our backpack much lighter though

Have a Necessities/Emergency Kit

In your bag that you bring into the park (and I suggest a backpack: http://amzn.to/1rxkaDR) beyond the drinks and snacks, you will want to have certain necessites/emergency items.

• IDs – with your MagicBands you don’t need to worry about carrying around resort room keys, credit cards or cash, but IDs are a must. For your children, write their names, resort name and your cell phone number on a tag in their clothing.
• Cell phone (make sure it is charged up)
• Phone chargers and External Battery Power Bank (this is the one that I got for our trip and it was awesome and affordable – only $13.99 and I found a discount coupon (sorry it has expired now) that made it under $10.00: http://amzn.to/233SyS7) You got 4 full charges off of it
• Sunscreen and bug repellant
• Adult and child pain reliever and tummy medicine
• Band Aids and triple antibiotic
• Blister cushions or blister block stick (like this one: http://amzn.to/1VUNTmg)
• Feminine Hygiene items
• Wet wipes
• Tissues
• Hand sanitizer
• Quart-size or snack size zipper storage bags (like Ziplocs) – These come in handy to put a cell phone or other electronic device in when riding a water ride and for organizing things.
• Ponchos: http://amzn.to/26rJZF7
• Towel  – I have to give the hubs credit on this one. He added one (from the hotel…don’t tell and we brought it back) to the backpack and it really came in handy! We used it dry off after a water ride and to sit on the hot concrete.
• Misting fans (I forgot this one but next time I will be getting these: http://amzn.to/1T2wlhL)
• Cooling Towel (I didn’t get these for this trip, but I should have. If you are visiting Disney during the warmer months, it is a must: http://amzn.to/1NPMKVh)
• Hats (okay these won’t be in your bag because they should be on your head keep that scorching Florida Sun off your face, but I am including it because they are necessities. Here is one similar to the one that I bought for the trip and I am in love with this hat!!  http://amzn.to/1MWAI1J
• Sunglasses
• Light sweater or jacket (if it is going to be cooler in the evening and I would only suggest it when you come to the parks later in the day or evening because you don’t want to be carrying ANYTHING more than you absolutely need)

Schedule Breaks

As I mentioned above about park hopper passes, I think it is critical to schedule breaks when taking children to Disney!! We came back to the resort mid-afternoon for a pool break during the hottest part of the day. It was a great way to cool off and relax for a little while before heading back. If you don’t want to leave the parks, then just find a nice shady spot to have a snack or some ice cream and take a load off. Lil man sure needed those breaks! He would get hot, crabby and tired then not want to walk anymore and he is too big to carry…

Be Flexible

I saved the best for last…BE FLEXIBLE If you are like me and a total type A personality and planner, you will want to there to be a perfect itinerary all planned out that you will follow to the T. Let me tell you that you are going to have to let it go…you will be OK (promise). You will have to be flexible and just enjoy making memories that will last for a lifetime. There are so many things to see and do at Disney and these are going to catch their attention and then they will want to go in that direction. Like these storm troopers  put on an impromptu show that we just had to see instead of getting to the FastPass that I had planned (ok that may or may not have been more the hubs getting distracted…but it about the same, right).

Or the pop-up thunderstorms that come out of nowhere in Florida that kept us from making our planned dinner plans and just eating at the little cafe that we took shelter in. (BTW…my ponchos were in my backpack, but it was lightening so stayed inside for safety). These things happen and you will just have go with the flow

There you have it. My 10 Tips for Surviving Disney with a 6 Year Old.

What do you think? Do you have any other tips that you have learned? I would love for you to share them in the comments! Now if you would like to see more of our vacation photos, keep scrolling!! Thanks for stopping by

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