Happy 4th Brithday, our sweet little man, Liam Michael!
Honestly, I cannot believe how fast this last year has flown by. My mom jokes that we will be sending him off to college before we know it….I’m afraid to blink because she’s probably right.
Here’s the latest teddy bear pic ❤
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 here.
Last year, we also started a new tradition of a BIRTHDAY INTERVIEW. Let me tell you, this was hilarious to do with him again 🙂 …definitely recommend to do with your kiddos! I found this free printable here via Pinterest that we’ve been using.
Other notable things these days…
He frequently refers to me & Stephen as “guys” …as in “hey guys….” 😉
He is a master at the iPad — absolutely LOVES to watch amateur videos on YouTube of product demos of toys & role play….there is an enormous amount of videos of Imaginext, which he has grown quite the collection.
Super heroes are everything — most days you catch him in a superhero shirt. I am hard-pressed to dress him in anything else, actually. He won’t have it. His room is superhero. His birthday party theme was requested to be that, as well.
While he didn’t mention it in his birthday interview, he is also quite fond of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.
He loves going to “school” and next month he is starting Pre-K!! He knows this and he already says he is in VPK 😉 …he also will tell you that next year he is going to “hildegard” (kindergarten …lol!!)
Dancing and music are also his favs! This little dude has some awesome moves of his own AND he knows most Top 40 songs by heart ❤
Always smiling & always happy — BEST disposition ever!!
*However, I will add a side note & keep things real that I am predicting the asserting of independence, attempts of attitude, & pushing the boundaries to see what he can possibly get away with to be quite the test for us this next year…..all normal but we have definitely seen our fair share. He is a GREAT kid but he is kid and is learning….also, we are 1st time parents, and we, too, are learning along with him.
Words cannot express how much love fills our hearts for this little man. It is such a blessing to have him in our lives. He is truly a gift.
Hi friends! I can hardly believe I am saying this, but September will here before we know it….the exciting part about THAT is it brings us the spectacular Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic at the Amway Center here in Orlando! I am partnering with Feld Entertainment to be able to take my family to the show, and I am thrilled 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 😉
The celebration of the century comes alive in Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt. This monumental ice skating spectacular is coming to the Amway Center in Orlando from September 4-6, 2015 for six performances. Tickets are now on sale!
Audiences will be a part of the magic of Disney as Mouse-ter of Ceremonies Mickey Mouse leads a parade of more than 50 beloved characters starring Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and featuring an ensemble of Disney Princesses including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Ariel, Snow White and Tiana. The wintry wonderland of Disney’s Frozen also comes to life with Anna, Elsa, and the hilarious Olaf, as they discover that true love is the greatest magic of all. Exciting moments from Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo, Disney’s Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast will leave the whole family with memories to last a lifetime.
The legacy of Disney is displayed through 14 classic and modern stories in this epic production that features an international team of award-winning figure skaters, high-energy choreography and a breathtaking set. With over 30 melodious masterpieces such as “Let It Go!,” “You’ve Got A Friend in Me” and “Hakuna Matata,” Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic is the ultimate Disney fan experience.
Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment
Where: Amway Center, 400 West Church Street – Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32801
Dates and Times of Performances:
Friday, September 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 5 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 6 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Ticket Prices and Purchase:
Tickets start at $25. Also available at $30, $40, $60, $75 (VIP) and $100 (Rink side). (Ticketmaster service charges and facility fees not included.) All seats are reserved, and tickets are now on sale to the public. 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.
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:
Ok, peeps. I promised you a giveaway and here are the deets…
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. 4th @ 7:30 pm OR Saturday, Sept. 5th @ 11:00 am. Contest runs today, July 27th through Monday, August 17th 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 20th 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 show!
3. One entry per subscribed email address, please.
That’s it! Pretty easy, right?!?! 🙂
Photo Credit: Feld Entertainment
Everything about Disney is magical & I know this Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic Presented by Stonyfield YoKids Organic Yogurt without a doubt will bring a lasting smile to my family’s face 🙂 ….hope to see you there — September 4-6, 2015! Remember, tickets are on sale now, and you can use code MOM5 to save $5 off per ticket! Get ’em before they are gone.
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.
There have been some exciting updates that have happened around the house here in Casa de Murphy this summer! One of the most exciting that I want to share with you today is that we upgraded Mr. Liam’s room from his nursery decor to a full-on big boy room.
With the exception of converting his crib to a toddler bed back in June 2013, his room has been the same Disney Lion King theme since we 1st were getting ready for his arrival. I have to tell you that I had mixed emotions for this experience — sad to see the last of his baby things go out of his room but yet excited to watch & help him pick out his own furnishings.
Here’s a peak at what his room looked like before we began the update…….
Since Stephen & I had obviously picked the Lion King theme, we let Liam pick out what he wanted for his new room. Without hesitation, he wanted an Avengers / Super Heroes room. He also helped Stephen pick out the new colors for his walls:
He was a great helper, as well, with the paint 😉
Liam’s room is much smaller that we originally thought while 1st shopping for new beds. The placement of the door, window & closet also proved to make things a bit challenging. There were several beds we chose that ended up being too big or awkward of a fit when we measured to fit. We knew that we didn’t want to go through re-doing his room all over anytime soon, so we wanted a good, solid bed that would last awhile. We decided to go with bunk beds & opted for a twin over full. This particular one is a definite space-saver, as the left-hand side also have a set of SIX FULL drawers and FOUR cubbies to store toys, books, etc.! No need to buy an extra dresser for us. LOVE IT!
If you’re in need of kids furniture & you’re in Florida, we highly recommend Kids Furniture Warehouse— great quality & awesome prices!
As soon as Liam declared he wanted the Avengers for his room, I started scouting online for bargain deals and of course, cute bedding. I found this set on 50% clearance with JCPenney!! What an awesome deal!! 🙂
Grammy & Papa Rock gave us these awesome pictures above of Hulk & Captain America (hung above the top bunk), as well as a signed poster from the Incredible Hulk movie 🙂 …all GREAT additions to the room!! Best of all, it was re-purposing items they already had. Gotta love that!
The bookshelf is from Target, but was in his room previously …we just kept & reused it.
Stephen found these art deco posters at Target and we framed them. I really love how the Marvel & DC one turned out on the blue wall.
The striped bin, lamp & end table were also Target finds! I used the bin to store some of his stuffed animals that were previously ALL over the floor (we condensed down). Other stuffed animals were tossed up on the top bunk. The end table looks like a locker and is dark blue (I love it!) ….The drawer is perfect for holding super hero figures 😉
I’ve seen many people post about these 3D wall art nightlights. We got one for Liam’s Avenger’s room. Target carries quite a few different variety’s, so little man got to pick out which one he wanted. Despite the Hulk being his fav, he actually chose the Iron Man hand. It really does look cool!!
My “big” project for the room was painting letters for his name and adding Mod Podge to comic book pages to put on the letters. I picked up the letters at Target (can you tell yet I LOVE me some Target 😉 ) and some red craft paint — all of it came from their new DIY section …if you’re crafty or even a wanna-a-be, like me, it’s a pretty cool section.
Overall, I am pretty pleased with how the letters turned out!
Liam’s room makeover was a lot of work (mostly for Daddy who did a FAB job), but it was SO MUCH FUN! The best part is that Liam is totally in love with it — total win!!
If you follow us on Instagram, then you already know how much fun we had for Liam’s 1st Healthy Kids Running Series. Admittedly, it took me embarrassingly long to get these pics together, as the spring series ended in May, but I couldn’t let the experience go by without a mention.
This series is an age appropriate group run that spans 5 weeks. Ours extended out a bit due to rain delays, but we rolled with it. Liam fell within the Pre-K division, so each week, he ran a 50-yard dash. With the exception of running around the yard or the park, this was his very 1st experience with any kind of distance (for his age) or organized running. We have to say that he did a FABULOUS job & honestly LOVED ❤ it!
Ready to Go…Week 1
Giving it his all in Week 3….
All the boys were very focused on the finish line….super cute to see them all running together. Liam turned out to be quite the little competitor 😉
Action shot from the last race in Week 5….
We asked Liam if he wanted to do this series just to give him the experience and a chance to try out running, and we are SO PROUD of how hard he worked and that he enjoyed himself so much. He actually consistently placed 2nd in each of the 5 races, so overall, he finished 2nd in the boys Pre-K division! WAY TO GO, LITTLE DUDE!!!
Every runner was awarded a medal of participation. Liam thought that was pretty cool!
If you have a Healthy Kids Running Series in your area, I would definitely recommend it. Such a positive experience for the kiddos and fun for the entire family.
Summer is here and it is HOT peeps! What better way to cool off on a scorching summer afternoon than to enjoy a yummy frozen treat, right?!?!
I stopped by Publix the other day & picked up some of these lovelies to bring home to the boys.
Fruttare is a refreshing, feel-good summer choice because each frozen treat is:
Low in calories and offers a good source of Vitamin C
Made with real fruit
Sourced from sustainably farmed fruit like strawberries, bananas, coconuts and limes
Best of all….all of us mommas don’t have to feel bad about giving them to our kiddos (or stealing one for ourselves), as the Fruttare Fruit & Milk Bars are just 110-140 calories/bar & the Fruit & Juice bars are just 60-70 calories/bar. 🙂
Liam’s current FAV is the Black Cherry!
I, personally, am not going to feel ashamed to say that I might have consumed an entire box of the Coconut over this last week…..it is SOOO good 😉
Fruttare is a line of delicious frozen fruit bars made with real fruit you can taste – a great treat for the fruit obsessed!
All Fruttare varieties are available at local retailers including Walmart, Publix, Winn-Dixxie and Target for a suggested retail price of $4.29. Fruttare Fruit & Juice Bars come in 6-count multipacks, and the Fruttare® Fruit & Milk bars come in 4-count packs for this price.
For more information on Fruttare Fruit Bars, please visit FruttareFruitBars.com or visit the Fruttare Facebook fan page at Facebook.com/FruttareUS and follow Fruttare® on Twitter at Twitter.com/Fruttare and Instagram Instagram.com/FruttareFruitBars.
Have you tried Fruttare Fruit Bars yet? What is your favorite flavor?
Until next time, friends!
*I received product as a thank you for reviewing this item & post. However, all of my opinions expressed in this post are my own.
We had so much fun for our holiday weekend! For a look back on the last few year’s be sure to check out here and here.
On Friday, Stephen had to work so it was just little man & me hanging out. We are huge fans of the PBS series, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, so we caught a few episodes on Netflix while playing & cleaning up. I walked by Liam’s marker board at one point in the afternoon & he told me he drew O the Owl from the show…so cute!
I couldn’t help snapping a pic of this one practicing brushing his teeth solo…we do it for him but we’re also trying to teach him how to do it by himself after we do it. This was cuteness overload for me.
After we got ready for bed on Friday, we went out front to do a few small fireworks. Someone LOVES him some sparklers! If you didn’t see my latest post last week for OMB, be sure to check it out — HERE.
All decked out in their RED, WHITE & BLUE ❤
Before fireworks & fun-time on Saturday, we grilled up some deliciousness 🙂
Little dude had to grill up something of his own too….just.like.Daddy 😉
only one word for this —> YUM ….all about balance, right?!?!
After dinner, we headed over to Lake Eola to hang out & catch some fireworks.
This one gave us an awesome dance show while we waited for it to get dark…..note the shoes 😉 ….I had taken mine off while we lounged on our blanket. He also took his off but then put mine on & paraded around. Hilarious!
For a while, it looked like it might storm, but we got this awesome sunset just before nightfall.
Fantastic show, as always, City of Orlando!!
We had a great holiday weekend celebrating our great nation’s birthday! Hope you did as well!
Today, I’m over at Orlando Mom’s Blog sharing my tips for keeping your Independence Day safe & fun! Be sure to check it out before you head out for your holiday weekend festivities.
Casa de Murphy 