Casa de Murphy

Hello friends! I don’t know about you, but I am super excited for the fall season to be upon us now. In fact, I believe we actually may feel some slightly cooler temps here in Orlando this week! So nice! If you haven’t started planning for it (or actually started), the holidays will upon us before we know it, and that means holiday shopping, too. That’s why I am a big fan of trying to plan ahead and shop smart. One way I do so is by shopping the outlets. Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is an ideal place to shop for all of your fall weather needs, as well as your holiday shopping. In fact, they are about to celebrate their 20th anniversary in just a few weeks, and have some fun activities planned that are FREE AND FUN for your whole family ❤

Win a $50 gift card to Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores – Celebrating Two Decades of Great Deals

It’s time to celebrate! Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is hosting a free admission, family-oriented celebration to mark its 20^th anniversary as one of Central Florida’s first outlet centers and a favorite destination for the area’s best outlet deals. Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores’ Deals for Two Decades 20th Anniversary Celebration is on Saturday, October 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with fun activities for every age. Join the celebration featuring more than $8,000 in prize and gift card giveaways at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm (must be present to win), bounce house, DJ entertainer, strolling magician, face painters, balloon sculptor, stilt walker juggler, 20 cent hot dogs, drinks and more. Many stores are pulling out the stops with $20 gift card giveaways, 20% off deals and special store activities. Have your picture taken with Sunnie, the Sunshine Foundation’s mascot. All proceeds go toward the Sunshine Foundation, the original wish-granting organization, a charity founded in 1976 bringing unimaginable joy to children living with chronic life-long conditions.

Just over a week later, the center will host a frightfully fun and safe “trick or treating” event on Halloween, Monday, October 31, from 1-9 p.m. Participating stores will pass out treats to the children while families can shop. Prices are so low, it’s scary! Everyone is invited to join in the fun and children are welcome to dress in costume.

Shopping is hassle-free at the outlet center, where you can find factory-direct premium quality merchandise at savings up to 75% off (and sometimes more). Plus,there’s easy store front parking, so getting in and out quickly is a breeze!

Don’t miss your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the mall, where you can select merchandise at most of their outlet shops and get great deals at Express Factory Outlet, U.S. Polo Assn., Nike, OshKosh B’Gosh, Tommy Hilfiger Stores, plus other well-known outlets including G by GUESS, Justice, Carter’s, Crocs, Calvin Klein, Levi’s®, Aeropostale, Converse, Fossil, Rack Room Shoes, and many more. Don’t forget to stop by and treat yourself at Lindt Chocolate, too!

Even if you don’t win, you can get in on the savings by downloading a coupon from the Center’s website, then bringing it to Travelpro at the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores to receive a coupon booklet valued up to $400 in savings. Savvy discount shoppers can learn about these discounts, as well as specific stores and their hours by following the center on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, as well as visiting http://www.lbvfs.com. Many stores offer last-minute deals so it’s a great idea to follow the center and check online frequently! Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is located just one mile from Walt Disney World at 15657 S Apopka Vineland Road (State Road 535) Orlando, FL 32821-6316, two miles south of I-4, Exit 68. Open daily. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 10am-9pm, and 10am-7pm on Sunday.

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Ok, friends…I promised you a giveaway & here are the details:

Just in time for your fall & holiday shopping, Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores is providing an awesome $50 gift card to one lucky reader of this blog. Please note that this offer is only valid for one winner, one time, through 2016.

Winner must pick up gift certificate in the mall office any week day between 10am-5pm, OR at the mall’s Information Booth on Saturday, October 22nd during the 20th Anniversary Event. Please be prepared to show a photo ID. Please note that gift certificates MUST be picked up between October 17 – November 17, 2016. Gift certificates are unable to be mailed, sorry.

Contest runs today, October 9th through Friday, October 14th at 8:00 am, EST. Winner will be chosen at random and will notified by reply to comments in this post. Winner must respond back to me within 24 hours or prize will be forfeited & another winner will be chosen at random.

TO ENTER:

1. “Like” this post

2. If you do not already, please subscribe to follow this blog. Enter your email address on the “Follow Us” link on the left-hand side-bar of this page.

3. In the comments below, share your preferred holiday shopping strategy. For example, are you a plan ahead type, or do you like to do it all last minute? …Or, maybe a little of both? 🙂

NOTE: One entry per subscribed email address, please.

That’s it! Pretty easy, right?!?!

Good luck & Happy Fall Shopping!

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This is a sponsored post with Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores. All opinions posted are my own.

September 2016

Happy 3rd Birthday Orlando Moms Blog!

September 23, 2016 casademurphy

Last weekend, we gathered together to celebrate a very happy occasion….

The 3rd Birthday for Orlando Moms Blog!!

While the blog was created in May 2013 by our owner/founder, Ms. Kristi Corley, it officially launched & went LIVE in September 2013. So, for that, we celebrate this September as our 3rd birthday.

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We were also SO excited to celebrate this birthday because this year has been one of significant growth for OMB. We reached a milestone with our Facebook page following with 5k followers during the year, and now proudly have over 6k!!! We also have almost 2500 followers on Instagram and over 1k followers on Twitter. We love Orlando Mamas & look forward to all the new adventures this next year will bring ❤

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So fun to be able to hang out with some of our team…love these ladies!

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Also got to have my favorite boys along with me for the evening ❤ …so fun!!

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photo credit for above two pictures — Where You Went Photography

Liam enjoyed coloring these cupcakes 🙂

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HUGE thank you’s to all the sponsors for the fab swag bags we got to take home!

Sweet by Holly!

Mustache on a Stick

Orlando Just Between Friends

Aleva Naturals

The Fluff Factory

The Confetti Bar

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Also, thank you to the Paper Goat Post for hosting our soiree. Such a lovely venue!

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It’s been 2 years and 3 months since my 1st article when live with OMB. You can check out all my posts with them HERE.

It’s been a while since I’ve cranked out a post for OMB, but Kristi has been so supportive in allowing me to make family a priority these last few months so that’s why you haven’t seen me there…but my support for those mamas remains strong. I love that this group is a great parenting resource for our community, and I’m excited to see the ways we will grow in the future! Each contributor brings their unique background, story, and perspective to each post, and I really love that!

Orlando Moms Blog is part of the City Moms Blog Network, and if you’re not local to Orlando, please click HERE to find a sister site in your area 🙂

CHEERS TO YOU, ORLANDO MOMS BLOG!! …AND, HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY!

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September 2016, Sponsored Post

Disney On Ice Fun — Follow Your Heart!

September 19, 2016 casademurphy

We recently had an afternoon of family FUN as we enjoyed Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart at the Amway Center downtown.

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We are always pumped to take a trip down to the Amway Center. Being downtown is just fun, in general, as we don’t frequent it often, and we love to check out the venue that the Orlando Magic calls home 🙂

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As soon as we stepped off of the escalator, these yummy sights & smells surrounded us. Liam chose the cotton candy & crown combo 🙂

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The show started off with a skating rendition of a hockey game to incorporate elements of Inside Out and the theme of Following Your Heart and doing your best. Riley made her appearance throughout the game and all the skaters were awesome! Liam LOVED it!

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And, of course, Mickey & the gang were there, too ❤

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It was very cool to see our favorite friends from Inside Out. Liam’s eyes definitely lit up when they came out!

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I’m pretty sure I said it last year, but my personal fav is Beauty & the Beast. I loved this rendition of ‘Be Our Guest’! Super excited for the live action movie next spring!!

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The Sorcerer’s Apprentice…we are big fans of watching this on Fantasia so it was awesome to see this on the ice.

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I was beyond thrilled to see Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs as a part of this year’s show!! Liam hasn’t see this movie yet, so it’s definitely added to our list …LOVE this one ❤

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Finding Dory ….so fun & such a great movie. We can’t wait to add this to our home collection.

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Toy Story is one of our family’s all time favorites and the performance they did for the show was SO good!

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It was fantastic to see our favs Rex & Hamm come skating out….Liam jumped out of his seat for that!

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All the Disney Princesses came out throughout the show and did fantastic performances. Ariel from the Little Mermaid’s performance, though, was one that we couldn’t take our eyes off….

What a way to close out the show….Frozen!

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Let It Go!!! ❤

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FINALE!!

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Smiles All Around!!

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Such a great afternoon with my boys! Always wonderful memories made with Disney, and of course, little man did not take this crown off all day! Thank you to Feld Entertainment for this amazing opportunity for my family!

Until next time, friends!

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I am a Feld Entertainment Blogger Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and other exclusive opportunities.

August 2016, Latest & Greatest News

Summer Camp In a Nutshell

August 30, 2016 casademurphy

Before August wraps up, and we get too far away from memories of summer fun, I want to share what fun little man had during his very 1st experience with SUMMER CAMP!!

When Pre-K wrapped up in mid-June, the very next week, we had to continue care for him through the summer until Kindergarten started, as it’s no secret that we are a two-parent working family. This was the 1st time we actually had to stop and plan for what we were going to do. There wasn’t just a transition to another room at daycare. This was a family discussion about where he would go, cost, etc.

Since we knew starting Kindergarten would be a huge change & transition {for all of us…lol!}, we opted to do Junior Camp at the same school he attended Pre-K. It was an easy transition for him and us. Compared to other camps in our area, it was also cost effective. Side note — holy cow…..summer camps are expensive & can be overwhelming with different options, packages, etc! I know for next year, we will have to plan ahead, as some even book way in advance of summer starting.

Here he was on his 1st day of camp ~ 6/13/16

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The theme for camp all summer was fitting & perfect for the season …..the Olympics! Each week, the kids learned about a different country, as well as athletes from that country that participated in past Olympic games. We were definitely excited for the Summer Games in Rio!

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They also did crafts each week to coincide with the countries they were studying. He loved it & was so creative!

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Everyone was super excited the splash pad was back in business, too! They only get to go during the summer months, and it’s super fun times!

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Without question, Liam was MOST excited for the weekly field trips. The trips in Pre-K were sparse due to new DCF regulations that the daycare was trying to catch up with for their buses. So, when we reviewed the list of where they were headed, well….he was stoked, to say the least. This mama…well, she was nervous….they were some big trips for her little tyke! I tried my best to not be a helicopter mama but I did chaperone the bigger trips…that was my compromise 😉

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Crayola Experience!

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Sea World! ~ I played chaperone for the 1st time on this trip. Quite the experience with 24 littles but such great memories! 🙂

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It was SO hot that day….I think he was tired of hearing me say, ‘drink your water‘ by the time we left 🙂 …we also did a lot of activities that our family hadn’t done in previous visits to the park, so that was cool!

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Liam’s 1st time seeing the Shamu Show!

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Mad Science came back the school a few times throughout camp for ‘in-house’ field trips. Liam really enjoyed these days and had some interesting facts to report back to us. They did a great job with the kids!

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Build – A – Bear Workshop!! This trip was so much fun, and also was another one that I went on with the class. This was our 1st time going here, so Liam was very intrigued by the whole process. All of the kiddos loved each station where you helped put your bear together. Very creative and interactive!

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Washing him up & brushing him out after he got all his stuffing ❤

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Decisions, Decisions….everyone got to pick a shirt to dress their bear at the end.

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Meet “Cottonball” — Liam chose him, made him with love, dressed him and brought him home! He’s the latest addition to our family and little man has been holding him tight ❤

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“Cottonball” got his own Darthvader costume to match Liam’s 🙂

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Legoland! ~ This was one of the last trips he went on & again, I was fortunate to be able to hang out with him & the class. This was my & Liam’s very 1st time going to the waterpark side, and it was SO much fun!! Since it was a scorcher of a day, we did keep the kiddos over there in the water the majority of the afternoon. Loved all the waterslides, the play-structure in the water for the kiddos, and all fun foam Legos you could build with in the water. There was even more that we didn’t even check out yet, like a wave pool and a lazy river. We’ll, for sure, be back!

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What trip to Legoland is complete without pictures next to the life-size Lego figures?

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Quick selfie before the ride starts ….Merlin’s Challenge.

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Seriously love the Lego figures! ~ Heading into The Quest for CHI

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The kids had fun dueling each other on the separate boats! They were like big water guns 🙂

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Cool Lego mermaid at the entrance to the waterpark side!

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So.Much.Fun!

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Trying to get him to sit still for 5 seconds to snap this pic was nearly impossible…lol! This play structure was SUPER fun for everyone…kiddos & adults!

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Junior Camp wrapped up with Spirit Week …each day was something fun for the kids to dress up in or wear. Crazy Hat Day was a fav for our little man!

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Had to snag a pic with his AMAZING camp teacher, Ms. Mallory ❤ ….from a mama’s perspective, she was great at easing the transition from Pre-K / daycare life. This included dealing with a room full of littles who dropped nap!…YES!! THAT happened over the summer for us! …in preparation for Kindergarten, we officially gave up nap. OMGEE….really, though, it was a pretty smooth transition for Liam & we are so thankful we prepped for that before real school started. Junior Camp was filled with kids who were like Liam and prepping for Kindergarten and all the way up to 2nd grade. That was a pretty big gap, at times. Ms. Mallory handled this group beautifully and kept everyone in line and having a great summer! Liam adored her and that made our hearts happy!

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Lots of great memories were made this summer at Junior Camp for our little man! He’s already asking about what field trips he’ll go on NEXT summer, so I guess we better prepare ourselves 🙂

Until next time, friends!

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August 2016, Sponsored Post

DISNEY ON ICE FOLLOW YOUR HEART + TICKET GIVEAWAY!

August 12, 2016 casademurphy

Hi friends! While there may be sweltering temps outside still, you can dream of icy cool relief when you are enjoying the magic of Disney on Ice! That’s right, it’s that time of the year, and I’m SO EXCITED to be partnering with Feld Entertainment as a Blog Ambassador once again when Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart comes to the Amway Center here in the Orlando from September 2-4, 2016. Liam is beyond thrilled to see all his favorite Disney characters hit the ice. I must admit that I am too! It definitely brings out the kid in me, for sure! I am super excited to be able to offer you, my readers, the opportunity to also be able to take your family. More on that, in just a minute.

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Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart is bringing Disney•Pixar’s record-breaking animated feature Finding Dory to the ice for the first time in this live production produced by Feld Entertainment. The ice skating extravaganza featuring Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out, Disney’s Frozen and other beloved Disney stories visits Orlando from September 2-4, 2016 for six performances at Amway Center. Tickets are now on sale!

Just keep swimming with Dory, Nemo, Marlin and new pal Hank from Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory as they embark on a life-changing excursion to find her parents and discover the true meaning of family. Cheer with the Emotions from Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out –Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust– as they help Riley find the confidence to win the hockey championship and experience the emotional rollercoaster of growing up. Venture to wintery world of Arendelle where Olaf and Kristoff help reunite royal sisters Anna and Elsa from Disney’s Frozen and learn love is the most powerful magic of all. See Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana and the Disney Princesses make their dreams come true through their virtues of bravery, kindness and perseverance. And celebrate true friendship with Buzz Lightyear, Woody and The Toy Story gang. Make unforgettable memories with Mickey, Minnie and all your Disney friends when Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart skates into your hometown!

Where: Amway Center, 400 West Church Street – Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32801

Dates and Times of Performances:

Friday, September 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 3 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 4 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Ticket Prices and Purchase:

Tickets for Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart start from $18. Market pricing applies to all tickets. Rates can fluctuate based on factors that affect supply and demand. Lock in your price and location today!

All seats are reserved. Tickets are available at http://www.DisneyOnIce.com or http://www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amway Center box office (phone for information only: 407-440-7900). For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.

SAVE 20% OFF SELECT SEATS WITH CODE: SAVE20. NOT VALID ON PREMIUM VIP SEATING. HURRY FOR THE BEST AVAILABLE SEATS!! CODE EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 1, 2016.

For a complete list of tour dates, visit the Disney On Ice website (http://www.disneyonice.com) and stay current on the latest developments through social media:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce
• Twitter & Instagram: @DisneyOnIce // #FollowYourHeart #DisneyOnIce
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce

Ok, friends, I promised you a giveaway and here are the details….

Feld Entertainment is providing 4 tickets to one lucky reader of this blog!!

Please note that this is for the Orlando showing of Disney on Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic at the Amway Center and no substitutions can be made. Winner will be able to choose either the opening night show on Friday, Sept. 2nd @ 7:30 pm OR Saturday, Sept. 3rd @ 11:00 am. Contest runs today, August 12th through Friday, August 19th at 8:00 am. Winner will be chosen at random and will notified by reply to comments in this post. Winner must respond back to me with show choice no later than August 21st or prize will be forfeited & another winner will be chosen at random.

TO ENTER:

1. If you do not already, please subscribe to follow this blog (Enter your email address on the “Follow Us” link on the left-hand side-bar of this page).

2. In the comments below, share with us what Disney character your family is most looking forward to seeing at the Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart show!

3. Be sure to “like” Disney On Ice on their Facebook page or “follow” them on Twitter or Instagram to stay up-to-date on all the latest updates & offers for the show.

4. One entry per subscribed email address, please.

That’s it! Pretty easy, right?!?!

Everything about Disney is magical & I know this Disney On Ice presents Follow Your Heart without a doubt will bring a lasting smile to my family’s face ❤ ….hope to see you there! — September 2-4, 2016. Remember, tickets are on sale now, and you can use code SAVE20 to save 20% off select seats! Get ’em before they are gone.

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*I am a Feld Entertainment Blogger Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and other exclusive opportunities.

August 2016, Latest & Greatest News

BirthDAY Fun at the Jacksonville Zoo!

August 10, 2016 casademurphy

While we celebrated with Liam’s 5th birthday party the weekend before the BIG day, we still wanted to make his actual birthDAY special. So, we packed the boys up & headed to my dad & stepmom’s in Jacksonville for the weekend. We spent his 5th birthday at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens, and we all enjoyed it so much! I have to say that we’ve been to the zoos in our immediate area fairly recently, but this one takes the cake {total pun intended}.

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The whole park was absolutely beautiful — the grounds & all the scenery, as well as the animals, of course. I loved that the animals had enormous free areas to be in, and yet, we could still see them so up close. Also, given the extreme Florida temps, there was an abundance of shade to keep us cool, plus fabulous “cool spots” throughout. These were actually air conditioned viewing areas….can we say awesome?!?! There is also a super cute splash pad for the kiddos. We didn’t get a chance to do that on this trip, but we’ll definitely be back!

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They have a train that runs all along the perimeter of the park with a stop at the entrance of the park and another at the back. Once you buy your ticket, you can literally ride around all day. So fun! This was one of Liam’s favorite parts of the day. We rode it 3 times 🙂

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Sitting on the train with his Papa ❤

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Checking out the birds & duckies…

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There was bamboo all over the zoo & the guide on the train told us that it was used for both shade and a sound barrier to the animals from the main road that the zoo sits on. I thought that was pretty neat!

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Peek-a-Boo!

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There were so many interesting sights all throughout the zoo. This was the Tiger Skywalk. The tigers can actually walk across those bridges from their enclosures. So cool!

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This waterfall in the tigers area was so majestic to walk into & see, and they were awesome to sit & watch! They are such big cats & so beautiful.

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On our way out, we caught one of them dropping down from the skywalk & grabbing a snack. It was crazy to be so close to him & he totally didn’t care we were there 😉

A snapshot of some of the gardens area. It’s hard to see, but some of the trees in the distance are blue!

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Flamingos!

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More of the bamboo, and I loved this bridge…another example of how beautiful this zoo is!

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Hanging out in one of the aviaries & feeding these lovelies some sweet nectar ❤

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Squirrel Monkey….

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Chimpanzees ….the one over by the wall was totally lounging while snacking. There was a sweet baby in the mix, too, but it’s hard to see in this pic.

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Giraffes!! — These are my favorite ❤ …Liam giggled because he saw one of them pee & while we watched them eat, he couldn’t believe how big their tongues were 🙂

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The one on the far right of this pic below is one of the two babes they have there right now ❤

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Just hanging around! 🙂

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Lions! …they were napping.

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I spy a gator…..

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These two otters were hilarious! They wouldn’t stop rolling around & playing. So hard to grab a pic of them.

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Warthogs…

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For those of you who also watch ‘Jessie‘ on the Disney Channel, you will appreciate our excitement over seeing ‘Mrs. Kipling‘. hahaha!

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Family group pic …

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And, of course, what birthday would be complete without cake? He requested an ice cream cake…

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We had the best day with our little man at the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens to ring in his 5th birthday! Definitely made some great memories! ❤ ….and, I still cannot believe our little baby boy is FIVE!! Facebook keeps showing me flashback memories from 5 years ago of all of these pics from his 1st weeks home & it’s totally tugging at my heartstrings. Don’t ya love it?!?!

Until next time, friends,

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July 2016, Latest & Greatest News

Happy 5th Birthday, Liam!

July 31, 2016 casademurphy

Today, we celebrate our kiddo’s 5th birthday! It is definitely a magical time for all of us, as the excitement on his behalf can barely be contained. Stephen & I have just been watching him grow in astonishment…..1st, we seriously can’t believe we made such an amazing little man. 2nd, he is growing way too fast!

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Here is the latest teddy bear pic ❤

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If you follow our adventures, you know this teddy bear pic is a fun regular measure of growth for us. Check out all our past pics & updates HERE.

We continued our tradition of a BIRTHDAY INTERVIEW. The free printable of this can be found HERE.

As with last year’s interview, some of his answers were both quite surprising & hilarious!

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More from the previous year’s questionnaire that we used:

What is your name?: Liam

How old are you?: holds up 5 fingers

What is your favorite food?: (taps cheek as he’s thinking) pizza

What makes you laugh?: When Daddy makes funny faces

What are you afraid of?: bears

What is the best time of the day?: summer

Where do you like to go?: the beach

What do you like to do with your family?: the zoo

Other notable things these days …

He still refers to both me & Stephen as ‘guys’ , or as ‘hey guys’ …I pointed this out in last year’s update & that has not changed. It’s hilarious!

He is still a whiz with the iPad.

Dancing and Music are his passions. At any moment, he will break out with his latest moves or sing his heart out.

We have seen a tremendous amount of growth in the last 6 months. Both physically {as in we had to move him into size XS/S clothes after spending this last year in 4T/5T and we’re about to go shoe shoppi g again} and also emotionally/mentally. I know I have always said how easy going his personality is, and yes, that still holds true. However, in recent months, he has also began to assert himself more and test his boundaries. I think part of it is being in summer camp and being around older kids. He sees more now and is trying his limits at times.

He officially gave up naps in June.

We are officially not in daycare anymore as of last month. This summer, he has been enrolled in a Junior Summer Camp with kiddos Kindergarten age through 2nd grade.

He will start Kindergarten next month!!!

He has been taking a soccer class with camp this summer & really likes it.

He has also recently taken an interest in basketball.

He definitely has his own sense of style & is excellent at matching his outfits each day. Gone are the days when I can buy just about any cute clothes that I like. He is VERY picky about his shirts/tops & most days, they have to be character shirts {superheroes, star wars, disney, etc}.

Here is a look back at the last 5 year’s of birthday pics….

1st Birthday

smash cake

2nd Birthday

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Happy 5th Birthday, our sweet little man, Liam Michael!!

Words cannot express how much love fills our hearts for this kiddo. He is a blessing to us each & every day ❤

Script Signature

July 2016, Latest & Greatest News

Splashing Good Birthday Fun!

July 29, 2016 casademurphy

Last weekend, we had a splashing good time celebrating Liam’s 5th birthday with family & friends. While his actual birthDAY is not until this weekend, we opted to hold his party a week early due to venue scheduling. We had such a great time at the Oviedo Splash Zone last year for his party, that we held it it there again this year. It definitely did NOT disappoint!

Little Man selected STAR WARS for his theme this year. I found these clever invitations on Etsy:

The quiet before the storm of kiddos. The weather was already hot at 9:00 am, but we were thankful for gorgeous FL sunshine! Wee-man was ready to get his 5th birthday par-tay on 😉

This place is seriously amazing. It wasn’t even a question to not come here again this year. It’s literally a playground in the water ❤

Since we are surrounded by water and everyone is playing, we keep the decorations simple. We decided to go with cake pops this year in lieu of cupcakes, and they were THE BEST. Ms. Lauren from Little Boy Blue Bakery in Oviedo completely outdid herself with these fantastic Star Wars themed pops. Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram (@littleboybluebakery) and see all of her amazing creations!

What kiddos doesn’t love a good party favor? Keeping with the simple, yet fun, theme, I found THIS idea online and was thrilled with the result! The TAGS were another find from Etsy 🙂

One of my fav shots of the R2-D2 cake pop! // photo credit: Little Boy Blue Bakery

I really have to brag about these pops because all I told Lauren was the theme and she completely delivered. We had Darth Vader, the Death Star, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and Stormtroopers. And, of course they ALL were SO delish!!

Here’s a snap of 4 of the 5 masterpieces ….all of the Death Star pops were eaten by the time I thought to take this…lol!

Jase & Liam 🙂

Liam & James….

Trying to get these boys to stop playing for 5 seconds and say cheese was IMPOSSIBLE…hahaha! // Brandon, Bryce, Liam & Jase

Love these girls! They always have my back ❤

And this lady has had my back since birth 😛 …my momma! So happy she’s back in the sunshine state with us!

Sillies….

Liam & Matthias…

double trouble 🙂 ….Liam & Kenadie

My heartstrings….my boys ❤

We had ordered a Darth Vader cupcake from Sweet! here in town so we could put a candle in it & sing to him. As cute as they made this for him…..he loved Ms. Lauren’s pops so much that he never ate this 😛 …he later declared that he “loves loves loves cake pops” ….so, I believe we have a new fav around here!

Love this family of mine….

Munchin’ on a Darth Vader cake pop!

….and, back in the water to play some more! All the kiddos had a great time & played ’till the facility literally turned the water off on the playground equipment to signal the party was done. Then, all of us parents had to pry them out of the pool 🙂

One VERY happy & blessed boy!

{who shockingly did not fall asleep even on the drive home from the splash park}

Thanks to everyone who came out to splash around with us! It really was such a great day & a super fun time to celebrate this sweet boy turning 5.

Hugs!

July 2016, Latest & Greatest News

Milestones & Memories to FIVE

July 25, 2016 casademurphy

Our sweet boy is celebrating a milestone birthday in just about a week from now.

FIVE!!

I have said it every birthday, I know, but I really cannot believe how fast time goes by and how quickly these babes grow. We began the festivities this past weekend with his party, and it was the best day (more to come about that soon)! He had friends in Pre-K throughout the year turning five before him, so he has been anxious for his turn to come. I, on the other hand, would love to slow time down…hahaha! 😉

Since I love to reminisce, here are some memories and milestones of our pride & joy! Literally starting from the VERY beginning ❤

4D ultrasound pic

4D Ultrasound ~ 6.4.11 ~ 29 wks – this was our favorite image! Looks like he’s smiling at us.

hospital pic

7.31.11 ~ BIRTHDAY!! One of his very 1st pictures! …While mr. man was expected to arrive on 8/20, he was bound & determined to make his appearance before July closed out. God blessed us with a healthy baby….he just needed some extra oxygen to get things going. I remember looking at him in this pic & he was so small. I couldn’t believe he was outside my belly & I was so afraid I would break him. ❤

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8.1.11 ~ 1st morning …we were already in total love!!

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12.26.11 ~ 1st time tasting rice cereal ….wasn’t the biggest fan. We soon changed over to oatmeal.

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3.8.12 ~ 1st ride in a shopping cart like a big boy.

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3.08.12 ~ tasting his 1st meat …Turkey & Rice. Look at the excitement on that sweet face! 🙂

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3.11.12 ~ Beginning to sit up on his own! Seriously, he has the BEST smile ever.

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3.25.12 ~ 1st time riding like a big boy in his stroller without the infant carrier….1st time with shades, too.

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4.5.12 ~ Passed out while playing in his pack-n-play ….this was hilarious to look down & see!

We said BYE BYE to paci on 12.11.13. More about that milestone HERE

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6.30.12 ~ 1st pair of shoes {still have those cuties tucked away, too!}

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6.30.12 ~ Crawling machine. When he 1st started to try to crawl, he went backwards 🙂

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8.18.12 ~ 1st haircut!! ….bye-bye curls

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9.29.12 ~ Pulling himself up to stand ….one of the 1st times!

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10.21.12 ~ Walking with his lion …P.S. he <3’d this toy SO much!

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1.13.13 ~ 1st bath in the big tub!

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1.13.13 ~ 1st time on a horse….Kira {at Mimi’s stables}!

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3.30.13 ~ Dressed up all spiffy for a family beach wedding …such a little man!

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6.9.13 ~ 1st night in his toddler bed. He also used to always sleep in that position ❤

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10.29.13 ~ Halloween costume after his fav bedtime buddy…Dalmatian puppy. This pic was also featured on the Babycenter’s IG & FB!

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11.26.13 ~ New raincoat & Lightening McQueen Shoes. Cuteness Overload.

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2.23.14 ~ Potty Training began!

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5.19.14 ~ 1st swim lessons with Ms. Katie!

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5.23.14 ~ Haircut fun ….he ALWAYS makes this face on the left when Miss Desiree cuts his hair ❤

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9.03.14 ~ Being silly with Mommy

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9.10.14 ~ Gymnastics class

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10.28.14 ~ Hanging with his best buddy

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5.3.15 ~ Healthy Kids Running Series

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3.27.15 ~ Wasn’t it just yesterday that this little hand fit around my finger?

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5.16.15 ~ myGym class

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5.24.15 ~ Magic Kingdom …always a magical family fun day at Disney

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7.08.15 ~ 1st visit to the dentist

10.22.15

10.22.15 ~ Pre-Kindergarten picture day ….so grown up!

12.18.15

12.18.15 ~ The boys & Christmas pj’s …a family tradition

1.19.16

1.19.16 ~ 43 degrees in the sunshine state!

dedication

5.15.16 ~ Dedication service at Church

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6.11.16 ~ Pre-K Graduation!

So many wonderful memories!! It was hard to just select these few to share. I could have just kept posting & posting. Thankful & blessed for each & every moment we have had with this amazing kiddo these last five years. He truly is a gift to us. We know time is going to keep flying by, so we just want to focus on staying present in the moments and building upon these wonderful memories.

Parenting is the hardest job, but it is, by far, the most rewarding & THE BEST job.

Hugs,

Script Signature

July 2016, Latest & Greatest News

Star Spangled Fun ~ 2016

July 12, 2016 casademurphy

The 4th of July weekend has evolved into an important little family tradition for us. While it’s not a major holiday filled with all the hustle & bustle most of us are accustomed to, it’s one that we’ve definitely grown to look forward to with our little man. We usually have one or two low-key family hangouts over the long weekend, and of course, fireworks.

To link up to last year’s fun, click HERE

2014’s festivities — HERE

2013’s festivities — HERE

We kicked off our weekend with some birthday fun at Monkey Joe’s for one of Liam’s friends from Pre-K, Jase. There were several of his little buddies there from school, and some of them hadn’t see one another since graduation a few weeks back. Needlesstosay, these boys had a great afternoon!

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Sunday evening, we caught up with some friends for yummy dinner & dessert. Take a look at that smores dip! …it was delish! The kiddos had a grand ‘ole time with sparklers, too. I don’t think we could let a 4th go by without sparklers 😉

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All the holiday festivities didn’t start for us on Monday until later in the day, so I got a brilliant idea to go to the park & splash pad with little man…instead of the pool. I told him it would be fun to change things up. OMGEE….it’s been so hot…I think we both questioned my judgement later on 🙂 ….still had fun, though & was all smiles!

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We decided to give the fireworks at Avalon Park a try this year in an effort to stick closer to home since we had work & camp the next morning. We way underestimated the number of people that we thought would be there. Parking was crazy!!

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Despite the massive amount of people crowding the streets in Avalon, we managed to find awesome seats in the grass right on the lake. These two sweaty boys were still all smiles!

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