LEGOLAND Florida

Last weekend was the grand opening of LEGOLAND Florida in Winter Haven, FL. We have been counting down the days because the kiddies are huge fans of everything LEGO.  We were able to score some media passes for a special early park preview on Friday afternoon.

It was a three hour drive from Jacksonville.  The car ride wasn’t bad at all.  The best thing about living in Florida, with children, is the access to fun places like LEGOLAND.  The kiddies were very excited to finally arrive.  I was excited about my new double jogger stroller from Craigslist.  It’s perfect for their height and weight and for the inevitable “I’m tired of walking in this hot sun” moments. The first thing we did was grab a map and make a plan.

The first thing we noticed was that everything really was made out of LEGO!

The coolest area?  Miniland USA which featured every major Florida city as well as Las Vegas, Washington, DC and New York City (Daniel’s favorite!) all made out of hundreds and hundreds of LEGO!

Then, it was time for the rides.  The kiddies did not want to try any of the roller coasters, but there were plenty of other options. There were some strict age and height requirements for everything.  One bummer was that the “FORD Driving School” was for kids ages 6 to 13, so Daniel (who is 5) had to stick to the junior track.

My favorite was the Safari Trek because I loved the LEGO animals.

There was also a Boating School where we could captain our own LEGO boats. It was fun to steer around the water, but I really wanted to jump in because it was so hot that first afternoon.

We ended Day One by touring the Lego Factory (air conditioning, yay!). We got to see how the LEGO bricks are made and the kiddies left with a complimentary grand opening LEGO brick.

We  headed to our hotel for dinner and a good night’s sleep.  Then we were back bright and early Saturday morning.  LEGOLAND Florida was opening their doors for the very first time at 10 AM.   It was crowded and everyone was so excited.  (Oh, and the general manager was super cute!)

It was another day of rides and, look, even more LEGO!

We spent some time in the LEGO Imagination Zone where the kiddies could create skyscrapers and simulate earthquakes.  They also built LEGO cars and raced them on different tracks.

We had lunch at the Fun Town Pizza Pasta Buffet.  And, yes, they served REAL food.  And it was yummy!

Then it was off to buy LEGO!  The store was appropriately called The Big Shop.  We managed to leave with only two boxes of LEGO, which was a huge success.

I would definitely recommend a trip to LEGOLAND Florida, especially if your kids love any and everything LEGO. There is plenty to do between the rides, carnival games, and various “hands-on” attractions.  There is even a super cute Duplo Village for toddlers. We didn’t have time to see any of the shows, but that is definitely on the to-do list for next time. We’ve already promised our kiddies that we’ll go back again next year.   (I think this picture alone was worth the whole trip, don’t you?)

Giuliana Rancic: I Have Breast Cancer

E! correspondent Giuliana Rancic and her husband (Apprentice winner) Bill Rancic are an amazing power couple.  I’ve been watching their Style Network reality show, Giuliana and Bill,  for a couple of years now.

I love their chemistry.  They have openly shared their struggle to have a baby.  It’s been heartbreaking.  And now this.  Giuliana announced on NBC’s Today Show this morning that she has breast cancer.  She will undergo surgery this week followed by another six weeks of radiation therapy.

The amazing thing is she found out she has breast cancer from a mammogram test she was not planning to have until she was 40 years old.  Her doctor basically made her do it in now in order to go through another round of in-vitro fertilization.  She has no history of cancer in her immediate family and she is only 36 years old.  She said her unborn child has saved her life.

The message?  Even if you are scared of the doctor, like me, go and get your mammogram this month.  I’m scheduling mine today.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Real Housewives of NJ: Reunion Special Sneak Peek

I love my Real Housewives on Bravo TV. My favorite season used to be Orange County, but I gotta hand it to the ladies of New Jersey.  They have locked me in.  Each week they warm my heart and stress me out.  I’m most fascinated by Teresa Giudice and her princess castle home, four beautiful daughters, meatball husband, and leopard print EVERYTHING.

But now she’s becoming MEAN.  It might be the bankruptcy, her husband’s court battles, or maybe all that Italian cooking. (That would stress ME out.) Teresa has turned on everyone, including her sister-in-law and her one time confidant, Caroline Manzo.  And I’m definitely team Manzo.  She’s the Mama of the group and I love how she’s raised her kids to be “besties.”

Here’s a special sneak peek of part ONE of The Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion special which airs this Sunday 10 PM EST on Bravo.  It looks like lots of new gossip, screams, and tears are in store.

Roar!

I went to my very first Jacksonville Jaguars football game yesterday.  I’ve been in Jacksonville for five years now, so it was about time. Our awesome friends had extra tickets, GG was free to babysit, so away we went!  I was equally thrilled to watch football as I was to get some grownup play time!

That’s me and Touchdown, our Jacksonville Jaguar mascot.  He was in front of the entrance to the “Touchdown Club.”  Oh, I didn’t mention that our friends super spoiled us with club seats?  They rock.

I had to take a look at our seats before we grabbed some lunch.  It was thrilling to walk into the stadium.  It’s the same excitement I get when a concert is about to start.

We had lunch and Hubbie and I bought some cool hats.  It looked like it was going to rain or be really hot. That’s Florida.  So we had to be prepared with some head coverage.  I love my pink hat.

Special thanks to my girlfriend for letting me borrow her turquoise necklace.  We wore white because the game was declared a “white out.”  But a lot of fans still wore game jerseys and other “interesting” outfits.  I tried to get a photo of the dude wearing a full-on jaguar body suit, but I missed my chance.   But here’s a guy with a funny hat:

After a couple of beers, and a rum and coke, I even forgot we were losing!

But we lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 30-20.

I really wasn’t that sad.  We had such a great time.  So great that Hubbie and I were calculating how we could buy season tickets next year, and bring the kids to all the games!  And even get the seats in the club section! Um, maybe we’ll just keep schmoozing our friends.  Thanks again, guys!!

PS: I didn’t include the photos of all the food I ate or the shots Hubbie took of the cheerleaders.  For obvious reasons.

Usher’s Back!

Not that he really ever left, but after a string of number one hits, Usher has been taking a break. Then he popped up at Taylor Swift’s Atlanta concert over the weekend to sing “Yeah” with the country princess.  The crowd went bonkers.  And Taylor was too cute dancing around to the hip hop beat in her purple sundress.

Usher also has a new song out called “Without You.” It’s actually super DJ David Guetta’s song which features Usher on vocals. And what amazing vocals they are.  Turn it up!  Happy Friday.

Apple Founder Steve Jobs: 1955-2011

The man who people are calling our generation’s Edison (or Einstein or John Lennon) passed away in his sleep yesterday after a long battle with cancer.  He was only 56 years old.

I love this piece my husband wrote about the impact of Steve Jobs. My kids won’t know a world that wasn’t touched by his brilliance. Rest in peace, Steve Jobs, knowing you made a difference in all our lives.  You will be missed.

Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Stanford University commencement address, 1995.

Maybe It’s Because I Watch Too Much “Grey’s Anatomy”

Doctors scare me.  Not the doctor PERSON, really, but what a doctor stands for.  To me, they equal bad news. Or pain.  I know that sounds really immature but, hey, it’s true.  I have a real thing called “White Coat Syndrome.” It means I’m afraid of going to the doctor. If I have an appointment on the calendar, I will fret about it for days.  I will question whether I really need to go.  Maybe I’m too busy? Maybe I should reschedule? I drive my husband CRAZY with all the wondering and the worry.  And note: My doctors NEVER end up looking like McDreamy.  (Or McSteamy for that matter.)

I finally broke down and went to a primary care doctor last week.  I have not been to a primary care doctor since…I can’t even remember.  I’ve always been to specialists.  I’m pretty proud of myself for doing that.  The best thing I have going right now is my regular appointments with the dermatologist.  I had a melanoma scare almost 15 years ago so that’s a priority.  It wasn’t from the sun because I never tan and I hate laying out.  It was from a strange shaped mole.  I went to the dermatologist for a rash that wouldn’t leave my eye lid and she was the one who said we should do a full body exam.  They found the melanoma and I had skin graft surgery.  They got it all. I was lucky.  I know that.

I guess that might have started the doctor fear.  I think you can go one way or the other.  You either get a scare and are adamant about going to every kind of doctor, or you develop a fear of the doctor, like I did.  A fear that every time you go they will find something else.  Something scary.

It hasn’t helped that I’ve had some really crappy experiences too.  When I was pregnant with Daniel, I was sent to a specialist for my excessive amount of amniotic fluid.  This is probably a story for another day, but the terrible-bedside-manner-lady doctor said my son had numerous problems, including something wrong with his BRAIN.  She told me that I needed an MRI as soon as possible and when I leave her office don’t Google anything because it will just make me really scared.  And oh, by the way, come over here and talk to my in-house psychologist about some “options” you may still have in terms of terminating your pregnancy.  Yeah, this IS a story for another day, but the short version is she was WRONG.  All WRONG.  About all of it.

Then there was the time I went to a physical therapist for my back problems.  She told me one of my legs was longer than the other and how could I even buy regular pants?  This was news to me.  She gave me massage therapy for a month to try and extend the bones and muscles in my leg.  It never worked.  I still have a bad back.

And don’t even get me started on the dentist.  I’ve seen so many dentists because each visit had me leaving in tears and I swore I would never go back to THAT one.  One even told me I was being a baby as he was extracting a broken tooth.  He wouldn’t believe me when I said I wasn’t numb enough and I could feel EVERYTHING.  Why would I lie?  Well, I’ve finally settled on a nice dentist and it’s been over a year since I’ve even been back there.  Don’t worry. It’s on THE LIST.

Yes, the list.  The list I promised I would complete before the end of the year.  The list which includes that annual gynecologist appointment.  I made that for this week.  So if you see me on edge, now you know why. The list which now also includes finding another primary care doctor.  That one last week did not go so well. I swear it wasn’t me.  I was left waiting a really long time in the room.  The cold, antiseptic room with no music and no noise except for the voice in my head telling me there’s probably something wrong with me.  The doctor finally came in and examined me for five minutes and then ordered blood work and looked at me sideways when I asked about supplements for someone my age.  He said he took aspirin twice a day so that should be fine.  Umm…I was out of there.

I’m sure it also doesn’t help that I’m at the pediatrician’s office with my two little ones all the time.  It’s always a “well visit” or a bad cold or flu shot or something.  And honestly, I’ve had some issues.  I’ve been told my son had allergies and it ended up as a double ear infection.  My daughter’s cough that would “eventually go away on its own” morphed into an upper respiratory infection.  Doctors are human and everyone makes mistakes, but my perception is that it happens to me a lot.  But my kids?  They have no problem with their doctor.  They like going.  When Daniel had to go to the emergency room for a head trauma, he told me he LIKED it there. (Kids.) They also adore their pediatric dentist.  (They get TOYS, okay?) They have not inherited this “White Coat Syndrome.”  Not yet at least. I’m really good at hiding my beating heart with deep breaths and my sweaty palms with my purse.  I always smile and tell them how going to the doctor is super important and there is nothing to worry about.  I just wish I believed it too.

Now, excuse me while I fax some new patient forms to my next new doctor.  I tried to email them, but they bounced back.  TWICE. Wait, that’s probably a sign, right?

Kelly Clarkson: Mr. Know It All

I’ll admit it.  I voted for Justin Guarini.  I really thought he was going to win it all.  It was the very first season of American Idol and I fell in love with the show instantly.  And I fell in love with Justin Guarini.  I’m not ashamed. He was talented!  He was cute!  He had that…hair!  But halfway through the season, the real star emerged. Kelly Clarkson was the cute one from Texas with the amazing voice.  SHE went on to win it all.  She is still the face of American Idol.  The very first winner.

Kelly’s been away from the pop spotlight for awhile.  She had some serious mega hits including, my favorite, “Since You’ve Been Gone.” But then she left and did some country.  Her duet with Jason Aldeen, “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” topped the country charts.  But what is most exciting is that she’s back with a brand new pop song. “Mr. Know It All”  is a fun, tell-em-off anthem.  She’s mad at the boy.  She’s mad at the tabloids.  It’s time to sing about it!  You go, girl!

Here’s the brand new video.  Happy Friday.

Daniel’s First Ball Game ’11

I was going to write “T” Ball game, but it felt more like a big boy baseball game.  The kids can try and hit a pitched ball.  If they miss after two tries, they move to a tee.  Daniel played soccer last spring, but he was never this excited.  T-ball seems like his game.  He didn’t love all the running in soccer and baseball is much slower.  There is a lot of sitting and waiting and watching.  He was fine with that.  My boy’s an analytical thinker so he loves to figure out how to hit a moving target and how the rules of the game apply. Plus, he looks really cute in the outfit, doesn’t he?

Oh, and the highlight of Daniel’s first ever T-ball game?  He hit a PITCHED ball.  My husband’s reaction says it all.

John Mayer: Get Well Soon

I’m a big fan of John Mayer.

I know he’s had some trouble keeping his mouth shut about past personal relationships.  Yes, I know he’s a serial dater and a bit of a playboy.  Yes, he might even be arrogant and a little self absorbed sometimes.  I just like his music.  I think he’s an amazing artist and songwriter.  He’s also a quiet philanthropist.  So I was sad when he wrote this on his Tumblr blog a few weeks back. (I wish John would get back on Twitter but, again, he had some issues there as well.)

“Hi everyone,

After several months of going week to week monitoring and hoping to correct the condition, I am forced to cancel my upcoming singing engagements due to something next to my vocal cords called a granuloma. 

I’m bummed to have to bow out of both the iheartradio Music Festival in Las Vegas and an appearance with Tony Bennett in Los Angeles. I know there were people depending on me to be there and I’m sorry that I can’t be on those stages. 

‘Born and Raised’ is complete as far as music recording, song selection, and in some cases mixing, but because of this condition I couldn’t finish singing on several of the tracks. This means the record will be released next year instead of this fall or winter. 

This is a temporary setback, though I’m not sure how long or short a period of time it will be. I’ve got the best doctors in the country looking after me and I will be singing and touring again as soon as I get the all clear. Until then I’ll be spending time writing and composing more music and kicking an empty soup can around the West Village. 

I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon. Until then take good care.

John”

Get well soon, JM.  I can’t wait to hear “Born and Raised” and to see you in Jacksonville again soon.

 

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