From September 15-October 31, 2020, Magic Kingdom guests can experience extra magical Fall fun. As always, Main Street, USA will be decked out in its Fall finery of beautiful orange and gold leaves and wreaths, pumpkins, etc. There will also be a Halloween themed Character Cavalcade with Mickey and Pals in their favorite Halloween costumes!

Magic Kingdom Fall Themed Treats

Favorite Fall treats will also be available! Here is a list of foods and locations:

• Mickey Cinnamon Roll- Main Street Bakery
• Headless Horseman Rides Again- Sunshine Tree Terrace
• Hades Nachos-Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn & Cafe

• Orange and Black Sugar Churros-Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn & Cafe and various Churro Carts
• Cinnamon Donuts served in a Hitchhiking Ghost Novelty Container- Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn & Cafe
• Pumpkin Spiced Waffle Sundae-Sleepy Hollow
• Madame Leota Sipper- Sleepy Hollow

• Constance’s For Better or For Worse Wedding Cake-Liberty Square Market
• Hitchhiking Ghosts Premium Popcorn Bucket- Liberty Square Popcorn Cart
• Poor Unfortunate Souls Float-Storybook Treats
• Not So Poison Apple Cupcake- Pinnochio Village House
• Pumpkin Spice Milkshake- Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
• Pumpkin Spice Soft Serve Sundae-Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies

• Mickey Monster Mash Burger- Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
• Oogie Boogie Dice Novelty Glow Cubes- Various Quick Service Restaurants
• Jack Skellington Sipper- Various Quick Service Restaurants and Outdoor Vending Locations
• Oogie Boogie Premium Popcorn Bucket-Various Popcorn Carts

• Mickey Pumpkin Premium Popcorn Bucket- Various Popcorn Carts
• Halloween Base Popcorn Bucket-Various Popcorn Carts
• Hitchhiking Ghost Sipper- Various Quick Service Restaurants

Halloween Costumes

You read that correctly, guests of all ages will be allowed to wear costumes in the Magic Kingdom during normal business September 15-October 31, 2020!!! Costume masks are not permitted for those over age 14 and approved Covid face coverings must still be worn. To see all of the Disney Costume Guidelines, click the link and scroll to the bottom of the page.

We will be at the Magic Kingdom October 16th. I don’t know if we will be in costume or not. In the past I have gone as Dole Whip, Olaf, and Ursula. Some years we have just worn our fall themed Mickey t-shirts because it’s been to hot for costumes. Do you plan to visit Walt Disney World this Fall? I’m here to help you plan a magical Disney vacation. Just Email me to get started.

The post Fall Fun Coming to the Magic Kingdom appeared first on The Mom Maven.

5 Ways to Welcome Fall

1. Apples!

For me. fall baking starts with apples! Whether I am making Crockpot Apple Cobbler or Cinnamon Roll Dutch Apple Pie, my go-to fall fruit is the apple. I love to bake with them, cook with them and to me, eating a fresh Macintosh Apple is the epitome of fall.

2. Decorate with Fall Colors!

You don’t have to change out everything in your home to decorate for fall. Make a few small changes that will have a dramatic impact. You can even seek help from professionals such as the Decorators in London. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

1. Pumpkins-pumpkins arranged near the front door or walkway are a welcoming yet inexpensive way to add a fall touch to the outside of your home.
2. Gourds-place a few gourds in a bowl on your dining room or coffee table to bring the natural colors of fall indoors.
3. Wreath-add a fall wreath to your front door to welcome friends and neighbors.
4. Linens-update your dining room or kitchen table with fall colored napkins, table runner or table cloth. This quick, colorful and easy change adds a welcoming tone to your room.

3. Fall Scents!

I love coming home to a house that smells like fall! It is such an easy and inexpensive way to freshen up my house too. Just take a trip down the air care aisle at Walmart and i’m sure you can find a fall scent that you love. My favorites this season are the “Campfire Treat” candle from 719 Walnut Avenue, the Glade “Pumpkin Pie Diner” wax melts and the Febreze “Vanilla Latte” Noticeables. For just a few dollars you can have your home smelling clean and fall fresh all season long.

4. Fall Fashion!

We’ve dressed up your home inside and out, now it is time to pull out your favorite fall fashions and dress you up too. Fall fashion means sweaters, denim jackets, boots, leather jackets, scarves and layers! I can’t wait for the temps to dip into the 70’s so I can wear my favorite sweater!

5. Fall Fun!

Fall is the perfect season to be outside, it’s not too hot, or too cold. It is a great time to hike at your favorite state park, catch a high school football game or maybe play some touch football with friends. Raking leaves isn’t nearly as much fun as jumping in them but they are both great fall activities. Spending a fall evening around a fire pit making s’mores is also a great way to relax and spend time with your family.

These are my 5 favorite ways to welcome fall. What is your favorite way? Leave me a comment and let me know.

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We are taking the long holiday weekend to RELAX! Which is something I haven’t done all summer and I am really looking forward too. I am praying for great weather while I lay by the pool and lounge in the hot tub at my parent’s house, while reading a book for pleasure! (If you are waiting on a book review from me it will come soon…this is a ME weekend.)

September is also conference month for me. I will be at the Travel Blogger Show, Experience 2010 and Type-A Mom Conference. I want to thank HotelsCombined.com for sponsoring my ticket to Type-A. I am still looking for sponsors for my hotel and flight to Asheville. If you know of a company that might be interested in partnering with me please let me know or send them to the Sponsor Opps tab at the top of this page.

I am so excited to go to all 3 of these events. They are all going to help me move forward in some new endeavors. In the next 2 months I will be launching a family travel blog and all of my Disney World, Florida Attractions and other travel posts will migrate to that blog. This blog will be refocused back to more of its original intent parenting topics and product reviews. I will also finally be launching my media company MomMavenMedia, to help small businesses find their niche in social media and help them build their websites and online presence. I also will be launching my Open Sky store soon, I had to put that on the back burner until I get these sites up and running…if you have any product suggestions for my store please email me Cindy@TheMomMaven.com so I can check them out. I will be focusing on parenting, organization and travel products in my store.

As you can see I have been busy behind the scenes this summer and I am really excited to leap into fall-even though it is still in the 90s here in Florida. I hope you are excited for a new month, a new calendar page, a clean slate whatever September is for you…leave me a comment and let me know what new thing you are going to do this month. I want to share your journey with you!

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Mom’s Homeroom on MSN, sponsored by Mini-Wheats is an online resource packed with tips and tools to help your child succeed in school. You can enjoy videos from their panel of moms, explore the library of articles and printables as well as connect with other moms on the message board.
My favorite part of the website is the widget on the left side of the page. You can choose a topic like reading, writing, attentiveness and more and see videos, tips and articles pertaining to that subject. This makes it easy to navigate to the information you need. Visit Mom’s Homeroom for all of your school related questions.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

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The awesome people at allchildrensfurniture.com are giving one of my readers a Little Tikes Americana Table and Chairs Activity set! All Children’s Furniture sells everything from kids furniture to bedding and even toys. Here is some information on the set:

Seamless, one-piece top is perfect for eating, playing, crafts and other projects. Fully assembled set includes two child-sized chairs. Soft colors complement the bedroom, playroom or living room. Durable, easy clean surface.

Features:

• Ideal for ages 2 – 6 years
• Table and two child-sized chairs
• Soft colors
• Durable, easy clean surface
• Dimensions: 22.5″H x 19.5″W x 22.9″D

The Little Tikes Americana Table and Chairs Activity set sells for $42.87 on their site but you might just win it for free!

Mandatory 1st Enty go to allchildrensfurniture.com and look around. Then come back here and leave me a comment with the name AND item number of your favorite item on their website.

Bonus Entries to be completed after the mandatory 1st entry. Leave seperate comments for each one.

• 3 bonus entries for having my Back2School Bash button on your blogs front page. Make sure you leave me a link to your blog.
• 3 bonus entries for blogging about this giveaway. Your post must include this sentence “All Children’s Furniture sells everything from kids furniture to bedding and even toys.” and you must link the words “kids furniture” to http://allchildrensfurniture.com. AND link to this post. Leave me a link to your post in your comments.
• 1 bonus entry for subscribing to my blog via the RSS feed (click on the orange heart). Current subscribers let me know who you are!
• 1 bonus entry for following on Google Friend Connect. Current subscribers…you know what to do.
• 1 bonus entry for checking out This Sheet Works. Leave me a comment letting me know you did it. This link is trackable and I will verify.

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada and will end at 8:00pm on August 20, 2009.

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Packaged in a squeezable pouch and equipped with a re-sealable lid, GoGo squeeZ is perfect for kids on-the-go. Originally designed for NASA astronauts, each all-natural pouch contains a full serving of fruit – just simple, clean ingredients. GoGo squeeZ is the perfect snack for kids of any age.

“Children are interested in flavor and a fun design – but we know parents are looking for a snack of more substance they can be sure their kids will eat when on-the-go,” said David Istier, Materne’s North American VP of Marketing. “GoGo squeeZ comes in a fun package, is simple for kids to use independently, and actually tastes good. Parents can enjoy the benefits of providing their children with a no-mess, no-fight, healthy snack option.”

Currently available in “appleapple”,  “applestrawberry”,  “applecinnamon,” “applepeach” and “applebanana” flavors combine the health benefits of all-natural fruit with a great taste. All GoGo squeeZ products contain no artificial flavors or preservatives and are gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher-certified.

GoGo squeeZ might seem too healthy for children to find it appealing; but its French counterpart Pom’Potes has proven otherwise. Since the brand’s inception in 1998, Pom’Potes has grown into the favorite snack brand in France (with more than 50 percent market share of the applesauce pouch category last year), selling more than one billion pouches across Europe and gaining a regular spot in McDonald’s Happy Meals. Since the product’s US launch in June 2008, GoGo squeeZ’s distribution has grown to 1,900 supermarkets and children’s retailers across the US.

GoGo squeeZ 4-packs are available for MSRP $2.99. GoGo squeeZ single pouches are available for MSRP 99 cents. Consumers can purchase GoGo squeeZ through Whole Foods, the natural section of supermarkets like Stop&Shop, Shaws and Jewel-Osco in select Toys ‘R Us/ Babies’ R US, and other retailers across the US.

The post GoGo squeeZ Applesauce appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Organizing at home for school success: Clutter makes it difficult to study.

• Whether your child’s homework area is a desk or a study table like the Malaysia’s best ergonomic tables, it needs to be cleaned off regularly and have the supplies organized and accessible.
• Keep pencils in a pencil cup for easy access.
• Use an expanding file for organizing projects.
• Use the tools you have to their full potential. If your desk has a file drawer organize color coded files by subject to keep papers organized etc.
• Teach middle and high school students how to use a planner to organize their time and activities.

Organizing your child:Organization relieves stress and increases confidence.

• Teach your child HOW to organize and pack their backpack. The big section for books and binder, middle section for lunch and smaller section for accessories.
• Teach your child HOW to organize their binder. Shoving papers into a binder does not equal being organized
• Have a place for the child to empty their backpack daily
• Purge the binder at least once a week
• Set out their clothes the night before
• Elementary and middle school students need their parents to oversee and guide their organizational habits. Parents must take an active role in making sure papers and books are traveling to and from school as needed.

Establishing clear organizational routines and following through the routine will help your child feel more confident about school. Also, get your child involved from the beginning-make a list and go shopping together, work out the routines together to help him take ownership of the tools and the process.

Organizing your homeschool: This will vary by family and homeschooling style.

The teacher on the panel said to clearly differentiate between living space and school space in your home. We tried that…we have a small house, it didn’t work for us-it may work for you. Here are some of my homeschool organizational tips.

• Color code by child-Each child gets their color for the year. This helps them know what is theirs as well as helping mom know who left their supplies laying around.
• If the child works in multiple places around the house use a plastic bin to store all of their school supplies. They can take their bin to wherever they are working today be it the kitchen table, living room couch, back porch or grandma’s house.
• Daily file papers into the proper binders. Paperwork can easily overtake the homeschooling household, file daily to avoid the clutter.
• Before buying everything new for the new year, see what you can re-use or re-purpose from the previous year.

While you are doing your back-to-school shopping, make sure you check out OfficeMax’s kid-centric school supplies line, Schoolio-Von-Hoolio.

I don’t know about you but I dream of owning Peter Walsh’s In Place System for organizing all of my homeschool and home office filing.

Disclosure-Office Max sent me a sampler of their Schoolio-von-Hoolio products as a thank-you for being part of this webcast.

The post Getting Organized for Back2School appeared first on The Mom Maven.

Thanks to Litzky PR, The Mom Maven has something for your preschooler..PLAY-DOH! I have always been a PLAY-DOH lover. The smell of PLAY-DOH actually takes me back to memories of Sunday School, where they had huge canisters of PLAY-DOH we could play with before class started.

The PLAY-DOH BURGER BUILDER set is back and better than ever! Interchangeable molds offer everything kids need to create the perfect PLAY-DOH hamburger including tomatoes, lettuce, buns, and more. In addition, kids can crank out pretend potato or pickle chips with the exciting TWIST-A-CHIP Super Tool. Set includes five 2-ounce cans of colorful PLAY-DOH compound. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

We had a blast playing with The PLAY-DOH BURGER BUILDER set. My son and I played for over an hour creating hamburgers, cheeseburgers, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and french fries.

LitzkyPR is giving one of The Mom Maven’s readers their own PLAY-DOH BURGER BUILDER set!

Mandatory 1st Entry Leave me a comment sharing one of your favorite PLAY-DOH memories.
Bonus Entries

• 3 entries for posting my Back2School bash badge on your blog’s front page. Leave 3 comments with the link to your 1st page in it.
• Subscribe to my blog (click on the orange heart in the side bar) leave me a comment letting me know you are a new or current subscriber
• Follow @MomMaven on Twitter AND tweet this “I just entered to win PLAY-DOH for your preschooler from @MomMaven you can too! http://bit.ly/h3XOs” leave a comment with the tweet URL in it **You can do this 1x a day

This give away is open to US residents only. This giveaway ends on 8/17/09 at 8:00pm. I reserve the right to  remove comments that do not follow the above entry rules.

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Join Lands’ End for the Ultimate Back-to-School Twitter Party!

Lands’ End hosts will be available to answer back-to-school shopping questions and the party will feature more than 20 product giveaways from co-hosts, 5minutesformom.com .

Date: Thursday, August 20th
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #landsend

Save the date and log-on to Twitter for an evening of shopping tips, socializing and great giveaways!

You don’t have to wait until the 20th to shop Lands’ End. Right now they are having their back-to-school sale with up to 30% off children’s clothes, school uniforms, backpacks and lunchboxes. You can also have fun playing in Packland on the Lands’ End website. I created this savvy pirate fantasy backpack.

The post Back2School Twitter Party with Lands’ End appeared first on The Mom Maven.

GoPicnic meals are ready-to-eat meals featuring natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors, no trans fat, HFCS or MSG. GoPicnic meals are shelf stable and require no refrigeration nor do they need to be heated. GoPicnic meals are great for school, work, field trips, car trips, picnics or any other time you want to eat!

Our Monday schedule this fall is going to be crazy. We leave the house at 8:45am and head across town to the chiropractor for a 9:15 appt. Then the Homeschool Bowling League bowls from 10:00-11:30. Aaron has English class at the community college from 12:00-1:00pm before we head back home for the rest of our school day. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do for lunch. I didn’t want to spend $9.00 per person on burger meals at the bowling alley, they are expensive and not healthy. We will be eating GoPicnic meals instead.

GoPicnic has a full line of 20+ ready-to-eat meals which fall into 3 brands.
GoPicnic BreakMeals contain protein, whole grains, dairy, fruit and a sweet indulgence for dessert and retail for $6.99. We tried the AnywhereBreak meal which contains 16g of protein and is gluten-free, and has no fish & shellfish ingredients. The AnywhereBreak meal includes Jack Link’s beef steak nuggets, Corazonas Squeeze of Lime tortilla chips, Ortega mild salsa, Copper Cowbell white cheddar cheese slice, Mrs. May’s cashew crunch, Mariani dried cranberries, and Swiss Delicato dark chocolate. This was my family’s favorite meal.

GoPicnic GoMeals contain five to six choice food items plus any necessary utensils and moist towelette in each meal. We tried the GTrek Meal. It contains 18g of protein and fewer than 340 calories. It is gluten-free and contains no fish or shellfish ingredients. This meal ncludes Jack Link’s beef steak nuggets, Copper Cowbell Swiss cheese slice, Sheffa zesty snack mix, Mariani cranberries & pineapple blend, and Swiss Delicato milk chocolate. This meal was good but the pineapple was tasteless/ The GoMeals retail for $2.50- $4.99 each.

The third brand is the MightyMunch Kids Meals. Each kids meal is balanced to limit overall fat, saturated fat and sugar content, and contains protein, grains & fruit as well as a sweet treat and a fun surprise. Natural ingredients are at the core of MightyMunch kids meals – our food contains no trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, artificial flavors or artificial colors. MightyMunch kids meals also have no peanut or tree nut ingredients. We tried the GalaxyMunch Meal. It has 70% of DV of Vitamin A and 11g of protein, and no fish or shellfish ingredients.The GalaxyMunch Meal includes Old Wisconsin beef salami slices, Copper Cowbell cheddar cheese spread, Late July classic rich organic crackers, Sensible Portions apple-cinnamon multigrain crisps, Mariani Ultimate apricots and Surf Sweets all-natural gummy bears. TheMightyMunch Meals retail for $5.99 The box this meal comes in has games and riddles printed on the inside, making it more kid-friendly. We also enjoyed this meal.

The generous people at GoPicnic are giving 1 TheMomMaven.com reader their choice of any 5 GoPicnic Meals! Thet are also giving my readers a 20% discount on all orders placed during the month of August! Just use code GPMOMS at checkout.

1st Mandatory Entry (please follow instructions, I have had to disqualify several entries lately for people who do not follow the rules) Go to GoPicnic’s website and look around. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me which meal you want to try.

Bonus Entries you may do as many of these as you choose after completing the mandatory entry.

• For 3 entries-Grab my Back2School Bash button from my sidebar and display it on your blog’s front page for the rest of the Bash. Leave me a link o your blog. (Leave 3 separate comments) **If you already have this badge you get 3 entries too!
• Subscribe to my blog (click on the orange heart in the sidebar) and leave me a comment telling me you subscribe. Current subscribers of course you get an entry too!
• Follow me on Twitter and Tweet “There is such a thing as a FREE lunch! @MomMaven is giving it away. http://bit.ly/3E07Ka” you may do this 3x a day. Leave a separate comment for with each tweet’s URL

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will close at 7:30pm on 8/15/09. The winner will be chosen by Random.org.

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