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Legoland Discovery Center Dallas- Grapevine, Texas Review

Posted on July 16, 2012January 10, 2016 by Mandy

We had a couple of reasons for choosing to go to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area for our family getaway this year, and one of the main ones was to visit the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, Texas. Our son is a HUGE Lego fanatic and we wanted to give him the ultimate Lego experience. I am so glad we did because I think I can safely say our whole family had a blast.

Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, Texas is located inside the Grapevine Mills mall. We went on a Friday afternoon, so we did have to stand in line for about 20 minutes to be admitted. Once we were in, Professor Brick-a-Brack gave us a short introduction to how Legos are made from plastic.

Once this demonstration was over, we headed into the heart of Legoland Discovery Center and spent almost three hours watching our son play his heart out. I think he spent the most time inside the Lego City Fire Academy.

We all agreed that the 4D Cinema short movie was the best! I had never experienced a 3D movie, much less one in 4D, so this was so much fun! If you go, be prepared…it involves a little wind and water (think sprinkles like rain), but it is SO worth it!

My husband and I were enthralled with MINILAND, a city on a miniature scale made completely of Legos.

(Mini Southfork Ranch- When you walk past it, the display starts playing the “Dallas” theme song!)

(Mini Texas Rangers baseball stadium)

We had a snack in the café. They had the usual foods that all kids love (pizza, hot dogs, etc.), but they also had some healthier food choices. As with buying food at any attraction, you will pay for convenience, so I would recommend taking along some extra cash if you plan to purchase snacks.

When we finally succumbed to exhaustion and decided it was time to leave, we knew there was only one thing left to do. Shop for Legos! The only way out of Legoland is through the gift shop, so of course we spent a good thirty minutes in there. There was so much color and all the Lego sets you could imagine.

E.B. had saved up quite a bit of money in his piggy bank before the trip, so we matched it and he ended up leaving with quite a haul!

We went back to the mall the next day and we bumped into the Lego man himself!

This was the most fun we have had as a family in a long time, and the look on my son’s face as he played, discovered, and built at Legoland Discovery Center was absolutely priceless. The facility was clean and the staff was helpful and friendly. I am so glad we decided to go because we made a ton of great memories!

My family and I were graciously provided with three complimentary tickets to Legoland. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Celebrate National Tequila Day (July 24) Chevys Fresh Mex Giveaway

Posted on July 16, 2012July 24, 2012 by Mandy

Raise your hand if you love margaritas! Yep, me too! There’s no better beverage to pair with a great Mexican dish. This month, you don’t have to look hard for the perfect excuse to go and enjoy a margarita with your friends. National Tequila Day is on July 24, and Chevys Fresh Mex, a national border cantina-style Mexican restaurant chain, shares their top five ways to celebrate!

1. Throw a Tequila Olympics party complete with a flaming margarita torch and games like bobbing for limes in a tub of margarita mix, a tequila worm dance contest, “margarita pong” with tequila and limes, and shimmying under a limbo stick while holding a frosty margarita.

2. Stop by for your favorite tequila drink specials at Chevys Fresh Mex participating locations on July 24 including the 1800 Margarita (House or Fresh Fruit); Cazadores Blanco, Herradura Silver, El Jimador Reposado shots; and Paloma, Red Paloma or any flavor Tequini.

3. Mix up a batch of Chevys luscious fresh fruit margaritas to celebrate with America’s favorite cocktail (see recipe below for the 1800 Watermelon Margarita!)

4. Sample seasonal tequila-themed menu items like Chef Carlos’ Flaming Tequila Chicken Fajitas or new fresh, summer-inspired flavors like Habanero Grilled Steak Tacos, mesquite-grilled Carne Asada and Shrimp Skewers and citrus-infused Ceviche Mixto at Chevys Fresh Mex participating locations.

5. Choose five different types of tequila and host a blind-folded tequila taste test in classic shot glasses. Don’t forget a palate cleanser of chips and salsa!

Chevys 1800 Watermelon Margarita Recipe (courtesy of Chevys Fresh Mex)

· Ingredients: 1 1/4 oz. 1800 Silver Tequila, 3/4 oz. Agavero Orange, 1 oz. Sweet & Sour, 2 oz. Fresh Watermelon Puree

· Build: Fill a shaker glass half way with cubed ice. Add all ingredients as listed. Hand shake vigorously 5 times. Pour entire contents into a 12 oz. old fashion glass. Garnish with a watermelon sugar rim and lime wheel, then serve cold!

Celebrate At Chevys Fresh Mex

This month Chevys is kicking off the celebration on July 20 by inviting guests to sample fresh, seasonal tequila-themed menu items paired with free-flowing margaritas, America’s most popular cocktail. Chef Carlos’ Flaming Tequila Chicken Fajitas, which is served tableside and set ablaze, may be paired with premium 1800 Watermelon Margarita for $17.99. On July 24, the national restaurant chain honors National Tequila Day by offering guests’ favorite tequila drink specials including:

1800 Margarita (House or Fresh Fruit) for $5
Cazadores Blanco, Herradura Silver, El Jimador Reposado shots for $6
Paloma or Red Paloma, or any flavor Tequini for $7

Chevys will also bring back the popular $5 Watermelon Margarita, the latest libation in the Fresh Fruit Margaritas of Month series, as the “fresh” border cantina chain celebrates its monthly Cinco party on July 5. In honor of National Watermelon Month, the chain launches its special 1800 premium Watermelon Margarita and the Hangar One Watermelon Martini, and refreshing drinks which will be available through the end of summer.

GIVEAWAY:

Enter the Rafflecopter form below to be entered to win 2 Chevys Fresh Mex Be Our Guest cards, each good for an entree’ and non-alcoholic beverage. Giveaway ends July 23, 2012 at 12:01 AM Central. Void where prohibited. U.S. only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was provided with 2 gift cards to give away to a reader. No other form of compensation was recieved.

Our Totally Sick Summer Vacation

Posted on July 15, 2012January 10, 2016 by Mandy

I will be sharing some posts about our family vacation this week, but I thought I’d start out by sharing this:

My sweet baby got sick the night before we were to leave for Texas. Picture it: fresh clean sheets on the bed, all bags packed, everyone getting their rest before getting up early for traveling the next morning, and then…E.B. wakes up puking around midnight. It seemed as if he couldn’t stop getting sick, so we decided to take him in to the ER to get checked out. His blood work came back ok and it was assumed he probably had a little stomach bug or ate something that didn’t agree with him. However, he had to get stuck and it literally broke my heart having to help restrain him so they could insert the needle to take his blood. He also cried to us, apologizing for getting sick before the trip. Our poor baby thought he had ruined our vacation, which made me only more teary-eyed. We assured him that the trip could wait until he felt much better and praised him for being such a brave boy. After we got the all clear and some Zofran, we headed home. I stayed up all night doing laundry (yay! Puke sheets!) and this is what made my heart smile:

Our sweet cat Pearl kept watch over E.B. as he rested from his ER trip. She’s such a sweet kitty, and her constant devotion to E.B. only proves that.

I’m proud to report E.B. woke up later the next morning and felt good enough to make the trip. He slept a lot of the way, but that was ok. By the time we got to Texas he was ready for some “real food” and in a great mood, feeling much better.

So, naturally as we made our way back home from Texas on Monday, who gets sick? ME! however, it’s nothing but a nasty sinus infection in which I finally, after enduring for 6 days, gave up and went to the clinic to get some relief. As we prepared to drive over, E.B. gave me a tight hug before we got in the car and said, “Well, Mom….be brave!”. I was brave and got my shot and am starting to feel a little better. Except, there was Decadron in the shot, and now all I want to do is eat the whole house.