I'VE MOVED!

I have switched over to Wordpress and will not be using this blog anymore - come check me out at: 

http://jenmarks93.wordpress.com/

Back in the Swing of Things

Hey Guys!
It's been a while since I blogged... and that makes me sad.  I said I was going to post a ton over the summer, and somehow... the summer is almost over :(  It has gone so fast and been so busy for me, and the rest of my family.

I am currently beginning a journey to a healthier all-around lifestyle.  This includes (but is not limited to) physical health, mental health, and spiritual health.

Please bear with me while I embark on this journey - I will be back at some point with blog posts for you!!

Much love,
Jen

Julie's Surprise Party!

Now that April 6th has come and gone, I can breathe again.  I was planning a Surprise Party for my sister's 18th Birthday for a good two months.

Now that it is finally over, I miss planning it.  Julie was so surprised and I was happy that she was surrounded by friends from the dance studio and friends from her school.

First, I planned everything using an Evite online and sending it through Facebook.

The party was Tangled themed, and yes, I mean the Disney princess movie about Rapunzel.  We had the party at our dance studio, so that she would be more surprised.  She was "on her way to dinner" when I asked her to stop by the studio and pick up a sweatshirt that I had left there that morning.

When she walked in, this is what she saw.

We were going for something like this, when Rapunzel gets her hair braided in the movie.  Now, we had yarn, and lots of it, and it was very hard to braid, so we just kinda threw it together, but you get the gist of it.

She followed the huge braid back to a room where we all were hiding with the lights off and when she opened the door, we yelled the traditional "SURPRISEEEE!"

From there, we went back out to the lobby and enjoyed some snacks and drinks, all of course on Tangled napkins, plates, and cups.

After this, we headed in the gym to play Minute to Win It games.  Julie LOVES Minute to Win It (as do I), and I needed something to fill the time.  This seemed like the perfect thing.  Almost all the supplies I found at the dollar store, so that was great too.

Julie playing a game where you had to stack six dice on a popsicle stick you held in your mouth.

Brooke playing a game where you had to get a cookie from your forehead to your mouth by wiggling your face.

After we played the games a few times through, it was time for cake.  We got Julie a darling Tangled cake from Kroger and it was delicious (along with 18 candles for her)!

The party was a huge success and I had a great time planning it and attending it!

Have you ever planned a surprise party?

Much love,

Jen

Public Pottering

For my Internet Culture class, we had to do a project on an Internet Meme.

And I chose Public Pottering.

What is that you might ask?  Well let me show you.

All you need is a broom, a person, and a camera.

Here are some of the best.

Hope that brightens you day!

Much love,

Jen

More blogging!

On this lovely Monday, I am beginning to plan out a list of blog entries that I will be writing soon.  I am excited to continue blogging and to grow in this community - but I still have about a month of a full college course-load and working two jobs - so this might not happen for a little while.

I plan on blogging at least once a week in the summer, but right now I don't have much time.

So keep checking back often and I will begin to post more coming up soon!

Thanks!

Much love, 
Jen

Walt Disney World: January 2013, Tips & Recap

A DISNEY POST.  It's Far Overdue.

I know it's been two months since I was at the most magical place on Earth, but Disney is on my mind and pumping through my veins constantly.

This most recent trip to Disney World was the most magical one to date.  Although I have been six times, I don't remember most of them since I was too young to realize where I was.  This trip brought my family closer (if that was even possible), and rekindled our love for anything and everything Disney related.  We now talk about Disney every single day, and are already planning our next trip.

List of Firsts (may include things I did when younger but didn't remember):

• Stay at Animal Kingdom: Kidani Village
• Stay at Saratoga Springs
• Pair of ears
• On the Disney Dining Plan
• Rider on Tower of Terror
• Visiting New Fantasyland
• Seeing Illuminations fireworks
• Seeing Wishes fireworks
• Seeing the Art of Animation resort and drooling/wanting to stay there sometime
• Rider on Test Track
• Rider on Kilimanjaro Safaris

So now I will basically do a short recap and give some recommendations! :)


ADD THE PARKHOPPER OPTION TO YOUR TICKETS.
This was my first time being on the Disney Dining Plan. We obviously have certain restaurants that we like to eat at, since we have been before and have favorites.  We wanted to be able to be in one park during the day, and go eat at a restaurant in a different park that same night.  This would not be possible if we did not have the Parkhopper option on our tickets though.  Now, do I really think that we wouldn't have gotten Parkhoppers if we weren't on the Dining Plan?  No.  I know we would have, because we like to be free to go where we want, when we want, and not worry about too much planning out what park each day.  Parkhopper gives you the ability to do exactly what you want.  If you want to eat breakfast with the characters in Epcot one morning, then go see some exotic animals in Animal Kingdom, and then finish with dinner at the new (beautiful) Be Our Guest restaurant in Magic Kingdom.... you can.  I highly recommend paying the extra money for the Parkhopper option.

DO THE DINING PLAN ONCE, THEN MAKE A DECISION.
Not going to lie, I LOVED the Dining Plan.  But would I do it again?  Probably not.  Unless someone paid for me to get it :P  While it was nice, I do not need dessert at every lunch and dinner and a snack everyday.  For me, it is just too much.  Too much money, and too much food that I could bring myself for a fraction of the cost.  My daily life consists of a small, easy breakfast, a light, easy lunch, and a bigger, more invested dinner with a few snacks throughout the day.  And at Disney, that doesn't really have to change. 
For our next visit to the most magical place on Earth, my family (Mom and sister) are planning our own dining plan.  The Marks Family Dining Plan (yep, we even named it).  We are allowing ourselves to have one snack and one quick service meal per day, with maybe 1 or 2 exceptions (Princess Character breakfast, etc.).  We love the snacks that Disney has to offer (especially the Create-Your-Own Chocolate covered Rice Krispy from Goofy's Candy Co. in Downtown Disney), and that's why we included them in our dining plan.  We also like more quick service restaurants than we do table-service restaurants.

DINE WITH CHARACTERS AT LEAST ONE TIME.

I know, I know, it's expensive.  But I swear it's worth it.  Even without having little children, it is so much fun to have the characters come around and take pictures with you while having some amazing food.  We like to go to the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom for a buffet-style dinner and dine with the characters there.

PLAN OUT YOUR DAY AND USE FASTPASSES.
Fastpasses can be an amazing tool if you know how to use them.  Plan your time wisely by checking out wait times for rides online or on an app on your phone, and decide when would be the best time to get fastpasses, and to use them.  Keep in mind that very popular rides (Toy Story Mania especially) will run out of fastpasses for the whole day by noon-time.  If you are as crazy as we were, and especially if you will only be there a few days, making a chart like this would help too!  (This was not our finished version, but you get the idea)

BRING & WEAR A SMALL BACKPACK THAT ZIPS SHUT.
I bought a small Minnie Mouse backpack and took it to all the parks, etc.  It was the best idea I have had in a while.  I was able to bring everything I wanted to to all the parks (DSLR camera, water bottle, wallet, first aid kit, etc.) and not worry about them falling out of a bag or being bothered by a purse on my shoulder.  My sister Julie and I got so good at using the backpack, we could just continue walking while Julie would get tickets, etc. out.

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Much love,

Jen

Reclaiming Candle Jars!

I have recently perfected the art of cleaning out candle jars that have been used to their fullest potential. I have always thought that when I was done using a candle, and it will not burn anymore, that I just have to throw it away.  But, the jars are so pretty and are basically something you are paying for without thinking about it.  

Candles at Bath & Body Works (my favorite candles) are $20 (three-wick).  Now, I never pay that whopping $20, I always get them on sale.  But these candles have the most beautiful jars.  I am going to share with you a few steps to clean them out and reuse them for whatever you wish!

Before VS. After

First, start by putting the candle in the freezer for at least an hour.  I normally leave them in for a few hours.

Take it out of the freezer and you will probably see that it has cracked - and it is now ready to be cleaned out.  The freezer makes the wax contract and pull away from the sides.

 Next, use a butter knife to crack the wax apart and remove all solid pieces from the jar.  You can either save these for a candle warmer or just throw them away.

Remove the label from the side by simply peeling it off.

Head to the sink and use some warm water and dish soap to clean the jar as best you can - removing any soot, wax on the sides, dirt, etc.  Use a paper towel so that you do not gunk up your sponge.

Use the butter knife, or your fingernails, to remove the bottom label and most (if not all) of the adhesive on the bottom.

There may be some glue left inside the jar from where the wicks were glued in, or adhesive on the bottom.  To get rid of this, simply use some cooking spray.

Spray it in generously and wipe clean with a paper towel. Repeat this step if necessary. (You may have to scrub to get rid of the glue)  Then rinse clean again with dish soap and warm water.

Dry with a paper towel.

And voila!  Beautiful clean jars! :)

Much love,

Jen