Life in the Green House

disney world: magic kingdom

Magic Kingdom was the day I had been most excited about, it was also a day that caused me a little anxiety. I knew we booked our trip during one of … [Continue Reading]

disney world: our day off and chef mickey’s

On Wednesday we took a day off from the parks. I knew we would need a mid-week break and I wanted to take advantage of the pools and water slides. … [Continue Reading]

disney world day 2: epcot

I had tons of people tell me that Epcot wouldn't be our favorite park. I kept hearing how it wasn't kid friendly and there wouldn't be a ton for BK to … [Continue Reading]

disney arrival and hollywood studios

I can hardly believe I'm staying up to recap today's fun. I'm not sure that I'll blog any other days while we're at Disney. I am wore out! When they … [Continue Reading]

disney bound

We've spent the past two days in Jacksonville Beach. I'm actually hanging out in the hotel room right now waiting on BK to wake up. We've had a nice, … [Continue Reading]

Magic Kingdom was the day I had been most excited about, it was also a day that caused me a little anxiety. I knew we booked our trip during one of the busiest times of the year, so I had mentally prepared myself for long lines and few rides. Magic Kingdom was completely different. It seemed as if we had managed to get ahead of the crowd, as we made our way through the rides in FantasyLand, the lines started to get longer and longer. We basically walked on the tea cups, Dumbo’s flying elephants, Goofy’s roller coaster and the train ride. It was fantastic, and my expectations for the day were exceeded in the first 90 minutes.

We went to grab a Fast Pass for Winnie The Pooh and ended up with a bonus Fast Pass for Mickey’s Philharmagic Orchestra. We also Fast Passed Ariel’s under the sea ride. Our times lined up perfectly, we went from Mickey’s to Winnie The Pooh, to Ariel’s. They were all indoors and nice and cool. While at Ariel’s our stroller was painted by some over-spray from the new Snow White ride that is under construction. We had to file a claim and ended up with more Fast Passes, these were good at anytime for any ride. Something truly magical happened on our way over to Tomorrow Land, BK took a nap in her stroller! Maybe the first stroller nap, ever.

We rode Space Mountain and grabbed some ice cream while BK was snoozing. Prior to the trip, I had tried and tried to get reservations for Be Our Guest, it was something that I had on my list to do at Magic Kingdom, and I was bummed that we couldn’t get a reservation. The line at lunch time was outrageous, and the kind people at the reservation booth told us we could come back around 4:00 to see if there were any cancellations. If you have a Disney trip in the future, go ahead and book this place now, it’s booked solid for the next 6 months.

Allen lined up about 3:40 and was one of the first people in line, the line for cancellations was incredibly long by the time they started seating. Somehow, we ended up with a table, but we had to go right then. It was everything I had anticipated, we dined in the West Wing and this dinner was a highlight of the trip.

After dinner, we used our Fast Pass for the Peter Pan ride and then hopped on the carousel before walking through the castle and heading over to Frontier Land.

We never left Magic Kingdom. We were there when they opened and left after the Wishes fire works show. The Electrical Parade and the Wishes show were another highlight of the trip. BK sat on Allen’s shoulders and waved excitedly as the characters passed. She was absolutely giddy, I think it was her favorite part of the entire trip.

Filed Under: disney world, Uncategorized

disney world: our day off and chef mickey’s

June 18, 2013 | 5 Comments

On Wednesday we took a day off from the parks. I knew we would need a mid-week break and I wanted to take advantage of the pools and water slides. Believe it or not, BK wanted to go down the biggest slide at the resort. It was not a monstrosity like you would see at a water park, but still it was big enough to wind and twist and go completely dark for part of the ride down. I just knew it would terrify her, but she came out laughing and went down the slide one time after another.

BK even wore her swimsuit to breakfast, she was excited for the pool day, too.

Allen volunteered to go back to the room during nap time, I think he was ready for a nap, too. I took my book and found a hammock, it was a fantastic two hours.

After nap time, it was almost time to get ready for dinner. We stayed around the room until it was time to head to Chef Mickey’s.

We met Pluto first, he made us all laugh. At this point, BK fully understood the autograph book and she would ask the characters to sign her book before she would pose for a picture. She also started asking each character to dance with her, so she was twirled around by almost every character we met. I loved watching her talk to them and interact with the characters. She always had a big smile on her face. The character dinners are typically buffets and it gets a little crazy as you stop for each autograph and to chat as they come around. At some point, I was a little overwhelmed by the character meals, but each time I would look at BK she was smiling, laughing and having the best time. That’s exactly what those meals are all about and it was worth every penny. We made some fantastic memories.

Next up, Mickey, the star of the show. The character continued to make their rounds until we were able to visit with Minnie, Goofy and Donald Duck. During dinner, they played music and BK could get up and dance. This was her favorite part.

After dinner, we went straight to bed, we had a big day ahead of us.

Filed Under: disney world

disney world day 2: epcot

June 15, 2013 | 4 Comments

I had tons of people tell me that Epcot wouldn’t be our favorite park. I kept hearing how it wasn’t kid friendly and there wouldn’t be a ton for BK to do or see and because I took that advice, we stayed around the resort for most of the morning. Actually, until around 1:00. I’m not complaining, BK managed to squeeze in some great pool time and I was able to relax, by the kiddie pool.

The first thing I noticed about Epcot was the huge difference in the crowd. It wasn’t the same frenzied crowd as the day before, it was more laid back and we walked onto every ride we rode. That’s right, we didn’t wait in line a single time while at Epcot. Except to see our ol’ pal Goofy, we waited about 10 minutes, while the guys found a place for lunch.

After lunch, we rode on the boat ride that shows us Disney’s farming techniques that are cutting edge and extremely effective. The scientists here have discovered methods for growing crops in climates with poor soil quality or with very little water. Of course, I’m such a nerd at heart, I actually loved this ride. Don’t worry, BK loved it too, she saw all of her favorite fruits and veggies and a few fish along the way.

Then,e walked over to Imagine! with Figment. It was a fun little ride through the labs and ended up in an area where BK could run around and play as she experimented with different sounds and sights (much like a science museum). It was nice to be inside, beating the heat.

Next up, The Seas with Nemo. We took a clam ride through the sea on a journey to find Nemo and ended up in The Seas aquarium. BK spent a long time in this part, looking at the different sea life.

We didn’t feel rushed at all at this park, we weren’t overwhelmed with Fast Pass options or worrying about whether or not we would miss something big. It was a laid back day and while we loved Hollywood Studios, this was a nice change of pace. All in all, it was one of my favorite days of our trip.

Because BK is enamored by the princesses, I made reservations at Akershus for dinner. We made a quick stop at Mouse Gear and let her pick our her own princess dress and crown. She narrowed it down to Cinderella and Belle, but her ultimate choice was Cinderella. And that dress? It’s responsible for the glitter that is still in her hair today, several baths and swims later. I think it is on everything we brought with us to Disney. BK thinks she’s leaving Pixie Dust everywhere and that we should be more happy with the glitter than we actually are.

Next, we made a quick trip around the world and only stopped a few times for dancing and to change into the princess costume. Dinner was in Norway, and we had a reservation to make so we traveled the world quickly. BK loved the music and sights from the countries. I’m always amazed at the attention to detail in everything at Disney World. When you step on to the streets of the different countries, you actually feel like you are in a different country. The sights, sounds and even smells of that country are all around you, it’s such a neat thing to experience.

We made it to Akershus, the Royal Banquet Hall, just in time for our reservation. This would be Braylen’s first princess meeting and she was ecstatic. She met Belle first, the picture with Belle was complimentary and she has already asked if she can put it in her room when we get home. Of course, she can.

As we ate, Princesses came by our table to greet Braylen. She wanted to dance with each one of them. They were so sweet to dance with her and twirl her around. She met Belle, Aurora, Jasmine, Snow White and Ariel. I quickly learned to love character dining. No waiting in long lines to greet our favorite characters.

At the end of dinner she went with Ariel to parade around the restaurant with all of the other princesses. She isn’t scared of anything and jumped right up when Ariel came by, she paraded around the restaurant waving at everyone and blowing kisses with the biggest smile on her face. It was the sweetest thing and made for some great memories.

After dinner, we walked out just in time to see the fireworks, they were beautiful. After a long day, without a nap, I might add, we were ready to head back to the room and get some rest.

Filed Under: disney world, Uncategorized

disney arrival and hollywood studios

June 11, 2013 | 9 Comments

I can hardly believe I’m staying up to recap today’s fun. I’m not sure that I’ll blog any other days while we’re at Disney. I am wore out! When they tell you there is a ton of walking to be done, believe them, who ever it is telling you. I really wanted to recap our days, for my memory. Everything is fresh on my mind right now and the room is quiet, everyone is sleeping. When, I get back I have tons of things to share with you, like how I put together BK’s welcome bag, where her outfits came from, you know, all of the fun details. But, first I just want to recap our day at the park.

We made it to Disney yesterday afternoon, checked into our room and had dinner at our resort. Everything with our check-in went smoothly and I hurried to our room to drop a bag that “the princesses left” for BK, she was thrilled, and I do mean thrilled. Actually, she was down-right giddy with excitement. We walked around the resort to familiarize ourselves with the layout and BK was amazed at all of the things she was seeing. Our dinner was fantastic and BK occupied herself by tracing my hand.

We are actually traveling with our neighbors, they have a four-year-old, Brayden, whom Braylen adores. I love that she has someone to share this adventure. We started our day at Hollywood Studios. It made things easier to start here since we had reservations at Hollywood and Vine for breakfast.

When we got to the park, the guys went to grab a Fast Pass for Toy Story and we spotted a few characters with a short line. Minnie Mouse was the first character encounter. BK wasn’t entirely sure about meeting Minnie, she wasn’t scared, but she wasn’t warm and inviting either. She did warm up to her in the short time they interacted.

This was also the first time she really understood the purpose of the autograph book. Her eyes lit up when Minnie signed the book and she thanked her and blew her a kiss as we left.

After meeting Minnie, we headed over to Hollywood and Vine for breakfast. They have the Disney Junior play and dine and it is absolutely perfect. The characters from Disney junior walk around from table to table to meet their tiniest fans and we enjoyed a great breakfast as they were visiting. They also have interactive song and dance numbers throughout the breakfast. Each time BK heard the music, she jumped up, ran over, and started dancing. She was the center of attention and she made everyone laugh with her dance moves, as she mimicked the characters. The smile never left her face, the excitement never wavered.

I don’t have a ton of never grow up moments these days. They used to happen all of the time when I would watch her tiny body sleeping, but these days she’s full of life and energy and I don’t have time to dwell on how quickly she is growing up. But, today, as her face lit up with every character sighting, I definitely had one of those moments. I never, ever want her to lose that magic in her eyes, that sheer giddiness and excitement.

When she met Jake, she didn’t hesitate to give him a kiss and she was sure to ask all of the other characters to sign her book.

When Special Agent Oso came along, I didn’t think she was going to let him go, she hugged him for the longest time.

June from Little Einsteins and Handy Manny were no exceptions. Each one made her excitement soar.

I have to tell you that the park was crowded and the temperatures were blazing, but we still had the best time. We were able to duck indoors for some of the shows and cool off. I think one of her favorites was the Ariel’s Adventures. I snapped this picture because when she saw Ursula on stage she was not happy. Her eyes shut tightly and her little hands covered her mouth, she wanted no part of the evil sea witch.

Tomorrow’s adventure includes Epcot and a dinner with the princesses, I can’t wait to see the excitement that tomorrow brings.

Filed Under: disney world

disney bound

June 10, 2013 | 8 Comments

We’ve spent the past two days in Jacksonville Beach. I’m actually hanging out in the hotel room right now waiting on BK to wake up. We’ve had a nice, relaxing two days and today we’ll head farther south to the most magical place on earth, Disney World.

Oh, and I should probably tell you that BK doesn’t quite know we’re heading to Disney World today. Although, she did cry when we told her we were going home, so I promised her a surprise adventure before we go home.

We’ll visit the beach again later this summer, and her excitement and love for the beach affirmed that decision.

She built sand castles, splashed in the waves, watched the “sea eagles,” and did not want to go back to the room when it was nap time (or anytime).

When she wakes up, we’ll pack the car up and make the 2.5 hour drive to Disney World. It’s like Christmas morning for me, I’m having to practice some serious self-control to let her keep sleeping, when I really want her to wake up so we can get the next part of our trip started.

Of course, I did hear about a Lululemon outlet that is close to Disney World, we’ll be making a pit stop there, obviously. I’m chalking it up to the fact that Allen needs a new pair of sunglasses and the mall just happens to have one.

I plan to blog our trip throughout the week. When I get home, I’ll give you specifics on our trip.

Have a fantastic week!

Filed Under: disney world

Five on Friday

June 7, 2013 | 8 Comments

I’m linking up with Darci from The Good Life Blog (along with a few other great bloggers), to bring you Five on Friday. These are my absolute favorite post, probably because the random mix of information is very similar to how my thought process works.

1. Pure Barre

I’ve become a little Pure Barre-obsessed since last Tuesday when I took my first class with Heather. I’ve only skipped two days since that class, this is huge for me. Huge because I actually look forward to working out and I’ve found something I really love. Now, I won’t lie, each time class starts and my arms are literally burning from the intensive arm workout, I want to kick myself for signing up for yet another class. Then, I find my groove and at the end I’m wondering when I can sign up for the next class. I find it strangely addicting and I’ve seen a change in my body in the very short time I’ve been going. If you have one in your area, you should check it out, your first class is free so there’s nothing to lose.

2. Walt-Disney World

There is really no way I can get around talking about Disney World. It’s consuming my life this week. We’ll leave bright and early tomorrow morning for Jacksonville Beach and stay at the beach for a few nights before heading to Orlando. We’ve hyped Braylen up about the beach and she thinks Disney World is still some time away. She’ll be surprised when we make the short drive to Orlando, rather than coming back home. I can’t wait to see her reaction. I plan on blogging about Disney next week, so you can follow along on our adventure.

3. Target

Target has a way of making me want things I don’t actually have any use for, because they make things look so stinkin’ cute. I even wanted to channel Heather Dubrow and host my own Clam Bake. Granted, I don’t know how to bake a clam and I’m sure Mrs. Durbrow might turn up her nose at the paper party decor. Regardless, it’s still super cute, someone have a nautical-themed party, I’ll bring the striped straws.

4. Home Projects

When we return from our trip, we’ll be hitting the ground running on a few home projects that I’m itching to complete. I told Allen we’d aim for one project each week and he’s on board. Here’s hoping we can stick to that schedule. Some are smaller than others and will require less time. Here’s a look at the first five.

A completed play-set
Cafe shelves for the study
Board and batten in the kitchen
Drawer organizers
Ironing board hanger

I even have a fun Pinterest board, Things for Allen to make. Hopefully, we’ll make great progress this summer. Most of the things I listed above can be found on that board.

5. Blond(-er) Hair for summer

I took my normally blonde locks even lighter for summer. I am so pleased with how the blonde looks and I declare that it’s officially beach time. There’s a look at my to-do list, too. The only things left is packing and I’m off to finish packing right now.

Don’t forget you can get 11 more entries for the Erin Condren giveaway!

Filed Under: 5 on Friday

Almay + Kate Bryan = 1 Fabulous Date Night Look

June 5, 2013 | Leave a Comment

I was so excited when BlogHer asked me to share this Almay-sponsored video, “Different Occasions. Different Looks. Always Pretty.”

The best part about the video is that it features the lovely Kate Bryan from “The Small Things” blog using fabulous Almay products. I love that Almay comes at a great price point and is a brand that has been around for years and is trusted by so many.

I’ve met Kate the past two years at Blissdom and she is just as flawless and put together in person. She knows hair and beauty and I’m excited to see the other videos in this series. In the first video, find out how you can get Kate’s Date Night Look!

This makes me want to grab my planner and schedule a date night and try out the tips and products Kate uses in the video.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Erin Condren Life Planner Giveaway

June 4, 2013 | 105 Comments

I’ve teamed up with a wonderful group of bloggers and the fabulous team from ErinCondren.com to bring you an amazing giveaway. I’m so excited for the launch of the 2013-2014 Life Planners, they are packed with amazing features and a few changes. I can’t hardly wait to get my hands on a new one. My current Life Planner doesn’t even end until December, but I’ll be ordering the new edition today. Even better, you can enter to win one of ten Life Planners and a grand prize of $500 in Erin Condren creations.

By now, you’ve probably heard of Erin Condren Life Planners, you’ve can find tons of videos on YouTube and fantastic reviews. I want to show you what my Life Planner looks like, a year later. I went back to October and took a few pictures, hopefully you can relate to the chaos. My life is jam packed, I have a full-time teaching job, a toddler, a blog, a full social calendar and I still manage to cook dinner most nights. Often, I get asked, How do you fit everything in? When I get that question face-to-face, I literally open my calendar to the current week.

You see, life is busy, I’m sure each one of you can relate. I have my calendar with me every day and I write things down that I need to accomplish, I make quick to-do lists on the pages and work on tackling those lists throughout the day. At the top of the page, I write down my blog topic for the day, at the bottom, dinner plans. Using my Life Planner, I feel more put-together, I don’t forget things or leave people hanging. It has been a fantastic addition to my life, I’ve been loyal to the Life Planner for the past two years and I can’t imagine using anything else.

2011-2012 Life Planner Review/ 2012-2013 Life Planner Review

I try to keep things color-coordinated so I can easily spot things on the calendar. One thing is certain, if it’s written in my calendar, it gets accomplished. Of course, I was ecstatic when I heard that the Life Planners would be launching today. I’ve watched Erin Condren’s Facebook page for updates, and I have loved all of the videos this week.

The new Life Planners will feature many of the things I have come to know and love, the laminated tabs, durable laminated cover, aluminum coil, lined pages for notes, a clear pouch and folder, 12 labels, and a two-page monthly view, just to name a few. Year after year, Erin Condren and her team listens to what the customer says and they make fantastic changes, for the better.

Goals and Notes section on every page
Customizable stickers
Additional lines below each individual day for meal planning, exercise routine, newborn scheduling… whatever you need it for, it’s there
Extras to add to your planner like notepads, a pen holder and marker pens
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday are now always on the left side of the coil
Elastic Bands to keep the planner closed

It usually takes me hours to decide on a design (some of your favorites are back), but this year they made it easy for me with the Gold Edition. It has a glamorous gold coil and gold details throughout. It’s the perfect planner to take me through the rest of 2013 and into 2014.

Now, you see how I use my Life Planner, how will you use YOURS?

And about that giveaway, you can enter below. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All of the hostesses:

Erin from Blue Eyed Bride, Nina Helleny from According to Nina, Kelly from Kelly’s Korner, Jessica from The Mom Creative, Katie from Marriage Confessions, Akemi from Mommy Guru, Kacia from Coconut Robot, Jennifer from Life in the Green House, Megan from In This Wonderful Life and Sheaffer from Pinterest Told Me To.

Filed Under: get organized, giveaway, review

hair tips and tricks and my favorite products

June 3, 2013 | 9 Comments

I’m still addressing some of the questions I received from the post last month. I still have a few more, but I will eventually answer them all. Today, I’m talking hair tips and tricks and my absolute must-have products. I’m not brand-loyal, but when I find something I love, I usually stick with that product. I’m always asking my friends about their products and open to try new things if they come highly recommended (by a friend with great hair, of course).

Here’s a quick look at my favorite hair products and styling tools:

My hair routine is so simple. When my hair is damp, I use Aveda Phomollient, it’s perfect for styling my fine hair and adds just the right amount of volume. I blow dry my hair with the Remington Tstudio Ceramic Hair Dryer using a large round brush, the Olivia Garden brush (the bigger, the better), to be exact.

I put my make-up on after it’s dry, it does better with a little time in between blow-drying and styling. Once I’m ready to begin styling it, I add a little Big Sexy Hair Powder Play at my part and tease it just a little. Then, I take chunky sections of hair and curl using a 1/2-inch curling iron .

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my hair is really fine. If your hair is thicker or course, you may need to go up a size in the curling iron department. This just works for me, I probably curl 5 or 6 sections on each side, flip my head over and shake it out. When I do this, the Powder Play gives me a little extra volume and the curls separate. I finish it off with Paul Mitchell Extra Body Finishing Spray.

There are other products I use, just not on a daily basis.

Joico Color Endure Violet Shampoo- If you aren’t naturally blonde, like myself, this product will become your best friend. It tones my hair immediately and takes out the brassy color that my blonde likes to turn after a few weeks. Best of all? It extends the time in between salon visits. I don’t use it every day, just once or twice a week to really brighten the blonde.
Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo- This is my favorite dry shampoo. by far. I love that it creates volume and the illusion that I spent a ton of time washing and styling my hair.
Coconut Oil- Pick some up at Wal-Mart and use it on a weekly basis. It helps my hair stay healthy and gives it a nice shine.
Creaseless Hair Ties- My favorite hair tie and you can make your own at a fraction of the cost.

Tell me, what is your favorite hair product? Am I missing something great?

Note- I didn’t review any of these products, they are all in the third drawer of my bathroom cabinet and used (and loved) daily by me, the links are Amazon affiliate links. They’ll take you straight to the product

Filed Under: beauty, FAQ

ten on Thursday

May 30, 2013 | 2 Comments

BK had a big check-up today, a three year old check-up. She was the sweetest, passed her vision test and came out with a clean bill of health. She wasn’t a fan of the shot, and had to call everyone to tell them that she had to get a shot and it really hurt her leg. No worries, gummy bears quickly made up for all of the shot drama. She’s weighing in at a solid 29 pounds, and is 37.5 inches tall. She grew a whole 3.5 inches from last year.
The new Erin Condren planners are coming and you know I couldn’t be more excited. The Erin Condren team has been posting videos and updates all week as we get closer to the June 4th launch. Stay tuned for a HUGE giveaway that I’m really excited about. This will be my third year to purchase the planner and I’m always impressed by the sweet changes that Erin Condren and her team make each year, they are listening to what people who use the product are saying and they respond with stellar new features. Here are a few of the new covers, I can’t wait to see them all.
Speaking of calendars, I’m excited to see mine (somewhat) clear for the next few months. I have a few appointments planned, but other than that it is full of vacations and fun dates with friends. I adore sweet, summer time.
After BK’s appointment we headed straight to the outlet malls. I really needed a few more things to round out my summer wardrobe and take to Disney and Gap had all the answers for me. Since I finished with plenty of time to spare we shared an Auntie Anne’s pretzel and BK enjoyed the play area.
Speaking of summer wardrobe, Gap was having an amazing sale. When I pulled everything out at home, I realized I might be a fan of greens and blues. I had to switch out a few of the shirts in store because I had so much navy. As much as I love coral and pink, they just aren’t as friendly to my complexion as blue and green hues. I guess that’s a good thing to know and probably the reason I feel so much better when I get dressed in these colors.
This week marked one year since we moved into our house. I wish I could say it’s all decorated, but it isn’t. In fact, I still have a completely empty bedroom upstairs and not a single thing on the walls in some rooms. It’s a process and I plan on being here for a while. It’s one of those things I can’t rush, no matter how hard I try, because it never feels quite right if I just go and buy things just to put them on the wall. Completely decorated or not, it feels like home. We’re making memories and living life and I love each and every day here.
If you follow me on Instagram (@jenniferggreen) most of these pictures aren’t new to you. Here’s a peek at our growing Disney stash. I’m been buying outfits and pajamas for the last two months and BK’s collection should be complete with just a few more things. I’ll definitely do a blog post about it all and give you details on where you can get things like this for your Disney vacation. I just have to get it all here, first.
What are you watching on television right now? I’m ashamed to say that the only thing I have recording is Real Housewives of Orange County. There has to be something else on that’s worth recording. Is it time for me to start Scandal?
BK is such a little sponge these days. She wants to know how to spell everything, what everyone’s “call numbers” (that would be phone numbers for the rest of us) are, she asks me about states and capitals and she’s still going strong on those President cards. I’m not sure how she remembers all of the things I tell her, but it’s just fascinating. I love how eager she is to learn new things.
I know I’ve talked and talked about my first Pure Barre class but I need to let you know that I absolutely loved the workout method. My thighs are burning and laughing is a good reminder of just how sore my abs are today. You have to understand that this is a huge a deal for me, I don’t know if I’ve ever loved working out, but this was different. I can’t wait to go again and schedule some classes for next. My good friend, Rachel met me for the class, I see many more Pure Barre dates in our future.