February 2015 – Rooting to Rise

Tips that can Help You Run the Glass Slipper Challenge!

Posted on February 25, 2015May 1, 2016 by twomomsadmin

I’m back! I can’t say I am happy to be back because I just had an amazing #runDisney weekend! I knew it would be a great weekend because I was spending it with my best friend and in Disney no less, but it exceeded my expectations. I made two new friends that I know I will be sharing many more races in the future with, I learned I can push limits I didn’t think I was ready to push and I fell in love with running all over again.

I ran with Nicole and two of her friends who use the Jeff Galloway run/walk method. This weekend I got to see this method in full effect because I too joined the girls in run/walking. I was very nervous to run these Disney races because I had not truly had the opportunity to run during these past winter months; I have been using other forms of exercise to keep my endurance strong. I ran the 5k with much ease and to my surprise the 10K was a breeze because I used Jeff’s run/ walk intervals. I felt I could go on for at least another 6 miles! It was at this time that I knew I had made a horrible decision in not registering for the half marathon; I would have to longingly watch Nicole and Julia from the sidelines. While I was more than happy to cheer on my fellow princesses, I would be in silent sadness to not run alongside them.

Here is some food for thought and a few training tips that I received from Jeff to pass along to you. I encourage you to look into these tips and apply them to your style of running. You can achieve amazing heights without stress or injury and enjoy your amazing run journey!

The training journey for a marathon or half marathon raises your body’s physical performance capability and your sense of what you can do in life.

Running helps to bring body, mind and spirit together in a unique and wonderful way

In researching my book MENTAL TRAINING I discovered that running turns on brain circuits for a better attitude more vitality and empowerment better than other activities studied.

In researching my book RUNNING UNTIL YOU’RE 100 I found numerous studies showing that runners have healthier orthopedic units than non runners even after decades of running.

Training:

When a runner takes walk breaks early and often enough for the individual the muscles are strong to the end. See RUN WALK RUN at www.jeffgalloway.com for recommendations by pace per mile.

The “exhaustion wall” can be avoided by running longer long runs up to or beyond race distance-using the appropriate run-walk-run strategy.

Marathoners tend to improve time by an average of more than 15 minutes when they increase their longest run from 20 miles to 26 miles.

To recover fast, run the long runs at least 2 min/mi slower than you could currently run in a marathon

The right run-walk-run strategy from the beginning of each run, gives any runner control over fatigue, injury-elimination, and recovery.

In numerous surveys, runners improved over 13 minutes when they shifted from running continuously to use of the right run-walk-run strategy.

A Little Spring in the Midst of Winter ~ and a Big Surprise at Check-In

Posted on February 16, 2015May 1, 2016 by twomomsadmin

There is always something special going on at Walt Disney World; each season bringing that extra magical touch. My favorite time to visit Walt Disney Resort has always been September. I love the carved Jack -O- Lanterns that line the top of Main Street’s buildings and the fall garlands and wreaths that adorn the lamp posts, with the added bonus of the park attendance being at a low capacity.

One year I decided to take an impromptu trip in May. I was really excited to see Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival, the online pictures were just breathtaking! Going in May was not the only change that was happening during that particular Walt Disney World vacation. This time Rebekah and I were traveling with my sister-in-law Jackie who had not been to the resort since she was sixteen, she was beyond eager for our travels to commence!

Before I share some of the gorgeous topiaries I reveled in, let me share with you a couple highlights of my Walt Disney World vacation with my sister in law.

We had the absolute pleasure of staying at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort; this happens to be one of my top three favorite resorts on WDW property.

Upon checking in we were informed that we had been upgraded from a standard view room to a Junior Suit with Concierge service. I guess at the time I was a bit uninformed because I had no idea what this entailed, but I quickly became informed and just couldn’t believe the extra Magic we were receiving! I asked the Cast Member why we were receiving these upgrades and he replied, “Just because we wanted to make your time extra special.”

After settling ourselves in the room, we made our way up, up, up to Old Faithful Club on the concierge level which was located on the 7th floor. Our Key to the World card gave us special access to this club level. When we loaded onto the elevator, in order to enter onto this floor we had to insert our card into the slot provided.

We enjoyed free continental breakfast in the morning and in the evening it was so wonderful to have a complimentary cocktail! During the day they also offer an afternoon tea that includes yummy treats and in the evening they have a small buffet of dinner foods. This was an amazing experience and one that I was completely grateful to have!

That evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner and dessert at T-Rex in Downtown Disney. I LOVE this restaurant for it’s prehistoric atmosphere. Even if you are not able to stop in for a bite, I suggest you pop in just to take a peek.

The following morning we bee-lined it to the Magic Kingdom. Our first stop was to get Jackie her first pair of Ears where we happened upon another wonderful surprise. She received her name embroidered on her Ears free of charge; they said because we were the first guests of the day! Next onto meet my favorite Mouse…. he needs no introduction!

The next day we visited Epcot and I was so excited to see the International Flower and Garden Festival! During our time there we enjoyed another delicious meal at the Coral Reef in the Living Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion. This is another restaurant I just LOVE because of it’s unique setting. It is as if you are dining under the sea with all the beautiful creatures of the ocean. The lower wall is an open view into the Living Sea tanks and it promises to be great view from any table!

NOW …. onto Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival!

Entering the walkway that leads to World Showcase we were greeted by Peter Pan, Captain Hook and tick tock – tick tock, hooks greatest fear!

Coming upon International Gateway we found my favorite fellow and his best girl along with Donald and Daisy.

Starting first with Canada and their beautiful Victoria Gardens~

I adored the tea cups in the United Kingdom where we also met Alice. Along the route we Pooh and friends and here we also found the infamous Captain Hook and both his nemesis’ Peter Pan and tick tock the Alligator!

Moving on toward France we saw gorgeous topiaries of Aurora and Cinderella dancing with their Princes~

Onto Italy we found the most adorable couple, Lady and Tramp. They look beautiful surrounded by all the colorful flowers and plants!

Germany was in great company with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!

Along our travels we came across the cutest Mickey Heads, I would so love to place these in my front yard so I could share my #Disneyside with all my neighbors!

A not to miss experience is the Butterfly Tent, this particular year it was themed with Bambi and his friends~

This event has become one of my favorite times to visit Epcot. If you are planning a vacation anytime from March to May please make sure to enhance your experience by taking time to meander around World Showcase.

Mickey and Minnie ~ My Favorite Valentine Couple

Posted on February 14, 2015May 1, 2016 by twomomsadmin

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today I got to thinking about who my favorite Valentine couple is. Having Disney on the brain, I immediately focused on Mickey and Minnie. After some consideration it is decided that they indeed are my favorite Valentine couple!

This year will mark their 87th Valentine’s Day together. The debut of Steamboat Willie was their first public appearance and marked the beginning of their endearing courtship.

Our Valentine couple in 1934 (left) and 1937 (right)

In a 1933 issue of Film Pictorial magazine, Walt Disney addressed the subject of Mickey and Minnie’s relationship, “In private life, Mickey is married to Minnie. A lot of people have written to him asking this question, because sometimes he appears to be married to her in his films and other times still courting her. What it really amounts to is that Minnie is, for screen purposes, his leading lady. If the story calls for a romantic courtship, then Minnie is the girl; but when the story requires a married couple, then they appear as man and wife. In the studio we have decided that they are married already.” -The Walt Disney Family Museum

In 1955 (left) and 1959 (right)

Over the years Mickey has made Minnie the pinnacle of his affection; her happiness is his ultimate prize. Minnie is as much devoted to her leading man so I will coin the term, behind every good mouse is a great Minnie!

(left to right) 1960 to 1970

They bring out the best in each other. Being the finest of friends they are always seen having fun with lots of laughs, spontaneous little kisses and big hugs. They have a keen sense of communication, they know how to gently encourage one another and balance it with just a bit of constructive criticism. They are my ultimate Valentine couple.

(from 1970 to today)

Quick Tip Tuesday ~ DIY Countdown Vacation Calendar

Posted on February 10, 2015April 24, 2016 by twomomsadmin

Counting down the days till the next planned Disney vacation is part of the great excitement that surrounds the whole Magical experience.

My sister inlaw sent me the cutest Pin this morning and I just have to share it with all of you! A Countdown to Disney Calendar for all you Crafty DIY Folks .

How do you countdown your Disney Vacation? Share with us and we will post your unique DIY Disney Vacation Countdown here on Two Moms and A Mouse!

You Can Teach an Old Dog New Tricks~ renewed inspiration from Jeff Galloway

Posted on February 7, 2015February 7, 2015 by twomomsadmin

If you have been following Two Moms and A Mouse, ‘WE HEART RUNDISNEY’ posts, you know that Nicole was bitten by the run bug last year and posted her first article on February 10^th, 2014 entitled, ‘My runDisney Journey’. Within this article she states, “I’m using the Jeff Galloway training program, and I’m in complete awe of what we can train our bodies to do. I’ve gone from barely being able to run a mile, to stretching my weekly long runs to 4.25 miles (12:12 mile pace, #tootsownhorn).” She goes on to list her run goals which include the 2015 Glass Slipper Challenge and she is indeed ready to rock it in just a short couple weeks!

I in return caught that “run bug” from Nicole and have literally run through a journey of determination and achievements in the past 6 months. My steady accomplishments were a revelation and left me wanting more. But for me more would mean running a longer distance and I did not know if I was up for that challenge. The thought of running a half marathon straight through was rather intimidating. It didn’t occur to me that I could use the Jeff Galloway run walk run method because I was dead set that the achievement was within the “running”. If I could full out run a 10K, why would I want to use walk breaks in between?

I am here to tell you that you certainly can “teach an old dog new tricks”. I don’t care much to refer to myself as an “old dog”, but in this case if the shoe fits – wear it! I am going to digress for a brief moment–

Recently Nicole sent me a message that Jeff Galloway was choosing a select number of people to participate in his new Jeff Galloway Blogger Program. Since I knew she was an avid fan I saw it fitting to apply as participants and I am excited and so proud to announce we were chosen to be a part of it! We received our first message with information that Jeff would like us to share with all of you, but if I am to participate in posting Jeff’s tips and information about his run walk run methods, I felt it necessary to read about his program and become more informed. In doing so I began to change my thought process.

Jeff talks about being “hard wired” from early on lessons embedded in our subconscious and how we can change these thought patterns. As I read on he listed the benefits of adapting to a run walk run method. To read the list in its entirety, see Principles Behind Run Walk Run.

After reading just this small portion of valuable information on his website, I am once again inspired and that “more” I was seeking is now in clear view once again.

If you have had a desire to join the ranks of runDisney or just want to get out there and experience the euphoric feeling of attaining a Run Goal that you never thought possible, Jeff Galloway’s methods and principles is your ticket onto that run train – HOP ABOARD!

So now I present to you~

Jeff Galloway Blogger Tips

Training and Motivation Tips

by Olympian Jeff Galloway
www.runinjuryfree.com

Olympian Jeff Galloway has coached over a million runners to their goals through his clinics, wonderful retreats, training programs, books and e-coaching. Sign up for his free newsletter at www.JeffGalloway.com

When paced correctly, running delivers the best attitude boost you can get. Sustain this by pacing yourself gently during the first mile or three.

A well-paced run enhances vitality for the rest of the day. Start each run at least 30 seconds a mile slower than you will run at the end.

If you have a Run Walk Run strategy that is right for you on that day, it’s possible to feel good after every run-even the marathon.

Running is the best stress reliever I’ve found. Research shows that running tends to activate the conscious brain which over-rides the emotional subconscious brain and manages the negative and anxiety hormones during and after the run.

Research shows that as runners get faster, their stride length shortens. A quicker cadence is the mechanical key to faster running.

The finishing of a run that is longer than you’ve run in the last 3 weeks can bestow a sense of achievement that is unique and empowering-due to positive brain circuits that are turned on.

You can’t run a long run too slowly or take too many walk breaks. You’ll get the same endurance based upon the distance covered.

My Wintry Day Valentine Challenge

Posted on February 2, 2015April 24, 2016 by twomomsadmin

Welcome to the next stop on Blogorail Yellow. Today we are discussing creating a #Disneyside Valentine’s party from odds and ends found around the house!

It is a blustery, wintry day here in the Empire State and I am trapped indoors. I have lots I could do to keep busy, but doing dishes and cleaning out closets doesn’t sound like much fun. I was thinking how my family and I could celebrate Valentine’s Day, when I received a phone call from my parents inviting us to their house for a small gathering. Now…. how can I sneak a little Disney flair into the party without completely taking it over, not everyone is as enthused with the Mouse as I am. Going out to the store to purchase party items is out of the question with this weather, so I started gathering craft items, scraps from previous projects and party supplies I had lying around the house. Here is my challenge, to create a #Disneyside Valentine’s party fit for adults and children with only the items I have available in my house……. and without completely annoying my family. One day they will all come around and enjoy the Magical Mouse as much as I do!

Onto the finished product~

Before we get to the decor first let me share a couple games I put together to enhance my family’s evening of fun. I Disneyfied the Left/Right game using Cinderella’s story and a small plastic shoe (glass slipper) as the item to be passed around. Here is my Cinderella Left/Right tale:

Cinderella LEFT for the ball…… the coachman knew the RIGHT directions and turned LEFT onto the RIGHT road. Prince Charming was RIGHT in the middle of the room and asked for Cinderella’s LEFT hand and led her RIGHT to the dance floor. She knew he was the RIGHT guy for her as he danced with her RIGHT around the room. The hands of the clock moved to the RIGHT and struck mid-night, so she LEFT the castle running down the stairs and LEFT her shoe behind. The carriage LEFT the castle in a hurry and went RIGHT down the path and into the woods. Prince Charming’s soldiers LEFT the castle and stormed RIGHT into the woods after the carriage. Midnight struck and the carriage turned RIGHT into a pumpkin and LEFT Cinderella behind. The Prince sent the Duke RIGHT out to find Cinderella. Cinderella had run RIGHT up to her room and her stepmother locked her door and LEFT the key in her pocket. The Duke knocked RIGHT on Lady Tremaine’s door. The stepsister’s sat RIGHT down and put their LEFT foot out for their shoe fitting. Their feet were too big and the shoe flew RIGHT across the room. The mice got the key RIGHT out of Lady Tremaine’s pocket and raced RIGHT up to Cinderella’s room. Cinderella LEFT down the stairs and called to the Duke. He slipped the shoe RIGHT on her foot then they raced her RIGHT back to the prince. They were married RIGHT in the castle and LEFT , RIGHT away to for their honeymoon.

Our next Valentine’s amusement will be Famous Disney Couples. I wrote questions regarding Disney Duos on slips of paper and placed them in a glass jar adorned with Mickey and Minnie. Here are some of the questions:

What couple enjoys eating spaghetti together?

What couple enjoys building snowmen?

What couple has a pair of ducks as their best friends?

Onto the Disneyfied Valentine Décor, I went for a Mickey Head theme. I sought out a pattern online and printed it out to trace on construction paper. I also found these adorable little Cuties, the template is found here: Mickey and Minnie Cutie Printouts

I had red Chinese take-out party boxes left over from another gathering; at first glance they reminded me of Mickey’s pants so I drew two black ovals on them for buttons. I will fill them with pink heart shaped marshmallows and Valentine’s chocolates I have in the pantry.

Next I took a bundle of tulle saved from Rebekah’s past Princess parties to use as a swag over the doorway. I placed Mickey heads at each tied knot. Then taking strips of red streamers I taped Mickey heads vertically along the length, they can be hung on the wall in varied heights. I had a pink Chinese lantern from a past Under-the-Sea party, I attached two black construction paper ovals, making it into a Minnie head. The Valentine’s banner is alternating red and pink Mickey heads with black punch out letters spelling Happy Valentine’s Day.

I was pretty surprised how easy and quickly it all came together. At first looking at the pile of mish-mosh I felt overwhelmed but I swiftly overcame that after my first Mickey head was printed, traced and cut. I encourage you to challenge yourself next time a celebration takes place, instead of purchasing all your decorations take a look around your house and get creative!

Thank you for joining Blogorail Yellow this month. We will be back in next month with all new loops and themes. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with newest posts, photos and stories. If you are looking for Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs, as well as all our previous loops.

1st Stop – Disney with Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers – Valentine’s Day Crafts for Toddlers

2nd Stop – For the Love of Disney – Our Favorite Classroom Valentines for Preschool and Early Elementary

3rd Stop – Capturing Magical Memories – Valentine Gift Bag Toppers

4th Stop – Two Moms and a Mouse – My Wintry Day Valentine Challenge ~ How do you think I did?

Super Bowl Sunday Snacks ~ Disneyfied

Posted on February 1, 2015April 24, 2016 by twomomsadmin

It’s Super Bowl Sunday – football, food, half time and commercials.

My husband asked me several times yesterday, “what are we going to eat tomorrow?” It was obvious this was very important for him to have the proper eats while he ” joined” the Seahawks on the field with determination for a Super Bowl victory!

We walked around our local supermarket gathering an assortment of foods ideal for gluttony gratification. First we found ourselves at the deli counter for a selection of meats and cheeses, for on this day my husband will become a brilliant Sandwich Artist. Next we hit up the chip aisle and fully stocked the cart with bags of the perfect dipping chips, then set out to gather the ingredients for his favorite cheesy dip. We must not forget the bag of frozen chicken wings, (I guess he did not have confidence in my ability to cook fresh wings); then last- but in my opinion- not least, the essentials for brownie making!

I began to wonder….. if we were to watch the Super Bowl in Walt Disney World, what would be on the snack menu? To somewhat appease my contemplation, I turned my attention to The Disney Chef, where recipes to all our favorite Disney Dining Delights can be found.

Starting with:

Chicken Wings

If we Disneyfied our wings they would become ‘Ohana’s Honey Coriander Chicken Wings! Nicole has made this delightfully delicious masterpiece and she raves about it!

Cheesy Dip

The recipe we are using has been passed down from my Auntie P. – 1 8oz. block of cream cheese, 1 can of Hormel Chili, 1 can of Rotel Tomatoes (any style), and 8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. Mix all ingredients together in microwave safe bowl and microwave until just melted. You can also add chopped olives (any style of your choice), cilantro, Adobo seasoning, garlic and onion powder . I don’t have exact measurements, this is my first time making it.

BUT if we were in WDW I think my husband would LOVE to try Queso Fundido from San Angel Inn; he is a huge Queso lover and this recipe looks like a touchdown!

Brownies

I read that Magic Cookie Bars, found at Wilderness Lodge and Port Orleans, are pretty popular. I have never seen one but that will change upon my next visit. After seeing this cookie bar, the thought of brownies is fleeting. I may have to take another trip back to the supermarket for some additional ingredients.

(photo credit to The Disney Chef)

I am sure that I could spend endless hours finding Disneyfied food to incorporate into this Super Bowl celebration. Disney Dining is like a sport in itself! What will you be noshing on during the big game today?