Flapjack 5K recap 2014

The 21st Annual Flapjack 5K was a first for me.  My 10 year old, Dylan, expressed interest in running a 5K with me after I ran the Gobbler 5K.  This was a local and inexpensive race, so I signed us up to run a week before the race.

After running Rap River with Dylan in the summer of 2013, I told myself I'd never run a race WITH him again.  Dylan and I discussed running and pace prior to the Flapjack race.  He decided he wanted to run his own pace on race day and not stay with me.  I reminded him that he runs for 40 minutes at PE mileage club and he just finished basketball season where he played most of the 40 minute game running back and forth on the court.  He was completely capable of running the entire 3.1 miles.

Car selfie with my Dylan

Race morning was cold for Florida, in the upper 40s!  We lined up as close to the start line as possible because there was no timing start mat.  As the race started, Dylan took off.  I told him he was starting too fast so he slowed down and I caught up to him.  We ran together for about a quarter mile and then he stopped to walk.  I suggested he not walk the race but slow his pace.  I left Dylan and ran on through the streets of Land O' Lakes to a 26:36 finish.

With our races finished, my friend Jen joined me as I walked back along the course to find Dylan.  I figured if he kept running, he should be close behind.  Unfortunately, he didn't keep running and was in a grumpy mood.  We encouraged him to run the last half mile with us but he refused.

He walked over the finish line!!  So frustrating!  He finished in 47:54...his slowest 5K.

I won second place in my age group!  Yippee!

Age Place: 2/13
Overall Place: 78/268
Gun/chip time: 26:36

Dylan enjoyed lots of pancakes after the race and apologized for not even trying in the 5K.

I love my boy but I'm glad we each ran our own race.  I don't think I would have made it if I had to deal with grumpy Dylan during a 48 minute 5K.

Do your kids like to run races?

The Phantom of the Opera in Tampa

Cameron Mackintosh's new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is performing in Tampa as part of the new North American Tour.  This amazing musical, with new scenic design, choreography and staging, shouldn't be missed!

The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favorite musicals.  Mike and I first saw it at the Straz Center in 2008 where I fell in love with the thunderous organ cords.  It's back in Tampa for a 5th time.

I was so excited for the opportunity to see the latest production of The Phantom.  Unfortunately, my husband, Mike, already had plans.  I intended to invite one of my sisters but my 10 year old, Dylan, really wanted to see the show with me.  How could I say no to some culture and a musical with my little boy.

Before the show, I explained the background of the story.  I told Dylan that the phantom lived at an opera house in the late 1800s.  His face was disfigured so he wore a white mask to cover up.  It was rumored that the phantom escaped from a freak show and was always treated cruelly.  He fell in love with an opera singer named Christine and just wanted to be loved by someone.



Before the show started with the famous chandelier still covered

This was Dylan's first musical with an orchestra.  Like me, he also loved the powerful organ cords and recognized certain instruments like the flute and triangle.  His school music teachers would be proud.


Ready for Act Two to start

Act Two began with a New Year's Eve masquerade in the Grand Ballroom with incredible dresses and costumes designed by Maria Bjornson.


Original costume design by Maria Bjornson. Photo credit Straz Center

The set design was amazing including a major mechanical piece used as the walkway and stairs to the phantom's lair.  The stairs magically appeared out of the side of the set piece as the Phantom led Christine into his lair.


Katie Travis as Christine and Chris Mann as Phantom

I truly loved The Phantom of the Opera's musical score with the "Angle of Music" being one of my favorites along with the Phantom's theme song.

Dylan and I thoroughly enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera with his only complaint being an uncomfortable chair.  He enjoyed the live orchestra and captivating songs.  I was happy to introduce Dylan to this musical and the arts.

See The Phantom of the Opera at the Straz Center December 17, 2014 - January 4, 2015.

*Disclaimer - Through the Tampa Bay Bloggers, I was given two tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera in exchange for review.  All opinions are my own.

Christmas Town at Busch Gardens Tampa

My family and I visited Busch Gardens Christmas Town on this year's opening day, November 28th.  My boys were thrilled that their oldest brother and his son joined us for the day at Busch Gardens.

After parking and riding the tram to the park's front entrance, we were greeted by playful elves and stacks of huge ornaments.  I noticed lights and garland decorated the ticket booths and awnings.

Christmas Town transformed Busch Gardens Tampa into a holiday wonderland.  I hadn't realized that the entire park was Christmas Town (instead of a small area within the park). We found lights, carols and tasty treats of the season.  All of the shows were reformatted to have a Christmas theme. Even the park map was replaced with a Busch Gardens Christmas Town map.

Thousands of twinkling lights surrounded many of the Busch Gardens' trees.  Holiday characters, like snowmen, spread cheer throughout the park.  Enormous Christmas trees decorated seasonally named areas like Three Kings Oasis and Christmas Time Terrace.  I loved the organic nativity scene, made of plants and straw.

A 50-foot tree light show that came to life every ten minutes

The sign reads "The tradition of Christmas lights comes from early Christians who displayed lit candles to represent that Jesus is the light and hope of the world".

Live band in Holiday Hills

I was excited to board the Christmas Town Express sing-a-long train!  I sang along to my favorite holiday songs until I had tortured my 10 year old enough (he was lucky enough to sit next to me).

Christmas Town Village was the perfect spot to buy gifts or yummy holiday treats like warm cookies, hot chocolate, or waffles.  My boys enjoyed watching the electric trains go around and around.  The younger kids could go for a ride on the Jingle Bell Express next to the electric trains.

Our entire family had a wonderful day visiting Busch Gardens Christmas Town.  Dylan even wanted a Santa hat tiger to remember the day (his words as he talked me into buying him a souvenir).

Busch Gardens Christmas Town is open 23 select dates from Nov. 28 through Dec. 31, 2014. You may experience all of the Christmas celebrations throughout the day with your park admission.  Park closing times range from 8pm to 9pm throughout the event.

Disclaimer: I was given 4 tickets to Busch Gardens as a Busch Gardens Ambassador.  All opinions are my own.

Winter has Hope #DolphinTale2

As part of an exciting Dolphin Tale 2 weekend, my family and I visited the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, home of Winter the dolphin and star of Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2.  The Clearwater Marine Aquarium's CEO, David Yates, explained the CMA's mission to rescue, rehabilitate and, when possible, release injured animals back to their environment.  David told us about the amazing story of a baby dolphin's rescue which coincidentally happened during the evening wrap party for Dolphin Tale.  Many of the cast and crew were there to witness baby Hope being carried to the pool where CMA staff was waiting to care for her.  Harry Connick, Jr. recalls, "Everybody was oohing and aahing because she was just so adorable, never thinking that what we were watching would, in time, prompt a completely new storyline that would bring us back together."

My boys loved seeing Winter and Hope playing together but they weren't the only rescued animals at the CMA.  They also had sea turtles, otters, rays and pelicans.  All of these animals have been rescued and rehabilitated but can't be released back into the wild.

In Dolphin Tale 2, Sawyer, played by Nathan Gamble, and Hazel, played by Cozi Zuehlsdorff, have grown up.  No longer young kids, they gained more independence and responsibilities and are faced with making some tough decisions.  Harry Connick, Jr. is back as Dr. Clay Haskett and Hazel's father.  He also adjusts to having a teenage daughter who wants to make her own decisions as part of the CMA team in Dolphin Tale 2.

 Both Dolphin Tale movies show perseverance against impossible odds.  I was amazed at how much Winter, a dolphin without a tale, has touched so many lives of those living with disabilities. Bethany Hamilton had a role in Dolphin Tale 2.  My boys knew right away that she was the surfer who survived a shark attack because we'd seen Soul Surfer and Bethany's incredible story of survival.  It's heartwarming that Winter and Hope are a huge inspiration to so many!

Dolphin Tale 2 is in theaters on September 12!  Find out more about Dolphin Tale 2 on Facebook or Twitter.  Visit Winter and Hope at the CMA in Clearwater, FL.

Disclaimer: My family and I were granted entry to the CMA and a showing of Dolphin Tale 2 as part of the Tampa Bay Bloggers.  All opinions are my own.

Homemade Shake & Make Ice Cream

Here's a fun summer activity for the kids...Homemade Ice Cream!  This recipe doesn't require an ice cream machine, just some good old fashioned shaking.  Growing up, our family had an ice cream machine with a hand crank.  I remember loving that soft, homemade ice cream.  This shake and make ice cream isn't quite the same but certainly easier, cheaper and fun for the kids.

This is a great summer treat.  My boys enjoyed making their own ice cream.

Ingredients

Ingredients in the quart bags

Let the shaking begin!

We all decided to make chocolate ice cream by adding chocolate syrup to the milk before we started the shaking.

Shake & Make Ice Cream Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk 1 Tbsp sugar ½ tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp heavy cream (optional) 6 Tbsp rock salt 1 quart sized ziploc bag 1 gallon sized ziploc bag Directions: Pour the milk, sugar, vanilla, and cream into the quart ziploc bag and seal tight.   Fill the gallon ziploc bag half full of ice.  Add the rock salt Place the sealed quart bag into the gallon bag of ice/salt and seal. Shake the gallon bag for 5-7 minutes Open the quart bag and enjoy your ice cream *Add chocolate or strawberry syrup before you shake to make flavored ice cream Recipe by Chrissy @ Loving Life https://lovinglife27.blogspot.com/2014/06/homemake-shake-make-ice-cream.html

Little ones might want to wear winter gloves while shaking the bag because hands get cold!