Enter a dazzling world of adventure at The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse on an inspiring walk down memory lane in celebration of magic and family fun. Dory is back with friends Nemo and Marlin from Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory. Embark on a new ocean adventure as they discover the real meaning of family. Travel to Arendelle with Anna, Elsa and the hilarious Olaf from Disney’s Frozen as they learn true love is the greatest power of all. Nothing is out of reach for Rapunzel as her friends help light the way. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs make their own magic and reveal we can do ANYTHING with our friends in tow. Buzz and Woody will have you jumping out of your seat in a foot-stomping throwdown; Simba, Timon and Pumbaa prowl the Pridelands; Jasmine, Aladdin and Genie show friendship is fearless; and your favorite Disney Princesses stay strong and journey on. Make unforgettable memories as you explore The Wonderful World of Disney On Ice!

The Giveaway!

Beginning Thursday, January 18th we will be playing Disney on Ice Trivia over on our Facebook Page. Check each day for a new question. All correct answers will be entered for a chance to win the following:

• 4 winners will receive 4 tickets to the show on Wednesday, January 24th at 7pm
• 1 Grand Prize winner will receive 4 VIP Tickets and meet a star from the show! Grand prize tickets are for the Thursday, January 25th show at 7pm

Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or in person at the Legacy Arena at BJCC Box Office

Disney is not a sponsor, endorser or administrator of this Sweepstakes. No purchase necessary

Being a stay at home mom is a huge adventure. That. Never. Ends.

There are a ton of good things about being a stay at home mom- like getting all the kisses you want, making sure you child follows the routine YOU want them to follow, and seeing all of your child’s “firsts.” But I myself am a stay at home mom, and I can tell you from experience that it is all too easy to get stuck in a stay at home mom rut. There are so many things we feel that we need to be and that we need to do in order for us to be confident in our woman AND mother-hood. Being thin, keeping our houses clean, having clean and well dressed children, being that crafty mom, having a hot dinner on the table every night, being on time to church and sports events and so much more. Being a SAHM is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week job, with no guarantees of breaks or lunches. You don’t get a sick day or a vacation. It doesn’t get any easier as your kids get older. There will just be new challenges.  And just thinking about it that way is overwhelming.

I plan to be a stay at home mom forever. As long as I can. I know life may have different plans for me at some point, but I knew from a very young age that I wanted to be a mother. Although I am young, I have figured a few things out about the mom gig.  I get in the mom rut every so often and if I am going to be doing this for years to come- I better figure out how to get myself out of it. Here are some tips that I’ve found to help me stay motivated when I am feeling crummy:

Get Dressed

I know its tempting to stay in your pajamas and keep your hair in a bun all day. And every now and then, its okay. But you will feel so much better and so much more confident if you get up and get ready for the day. Putting on some makeup and  some jeans and a tee is all you have to do. Or even less than that- my favorite option- a flattering pair of yoga pants!  It will make all the difference in the world when you walk past the mirror and you see someone who looks like a babe and has it all together. (even if you really don’t have it all together) 🙂

Put Down Your Phone

You use your phone for everything. I know I do. It’s my map, my grocery list, my stopwatch at the gym, and my cookbook. But I also look at Facebook and Instagram. A  lot. More that I should, I’ll admit. And its easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to your friends or other moms. We compare ourselves to friends from high school and wonder why they are so flawless. Remember that they haven’t had a child. They could take all day to work on their hair and makeup and we are lucky if we get 20 minutes. We compare ourselves to other moms who are crafty, or who homeschool, or who have well behaved kids. It’s important to remember that one good picture doesn’t represent a whole day. If you see a picture that makes you feel like you aren’t giving your all, just remember a picture is a snapshot of an entire day. Odds are, this other mom’s day wasn’t picture perfect at all. Another important thing to remember is that we all have different children and our children have different needs. For example, I have friend who’s children need a teacher other than her. Teacher and mother need to be two separate roles for them. But I have another friend who’s children learn their best from her. Comparison really isn’t fair, because we all have many different variables.

Reevaluate What Really Matters 

I have to remind myself of this all the time. I will be laying beside my son in his bed and praying that he will just fall asleep so that I can go do something I want to do. But as I lay there I think about what it is I am wanting to do go. Read? Watch TV? Is that really more important than being a comfort for my son while he drifts off to sleep? The book and the TV show aren’t going to matter a few months from now. Or a few months from now when my son tells me that he doesn’t need me to lay with him anymore. Every moment is precious- and remember that one time will be the last time we do something for our kids.

One of my favorite quotes about being a mom is by Sally Clarkson. She said, ” I always wanted to be a hero. To sacrifice my life in a big way one time- and yet God has required my sacrifice to be thousands of days, over many years, with one more kiss, one more story, one more meal.”

Motherhood is a long journey with many ups and downs. When you have a bad day, remember that everyday won’t be bad. Motivate yourself with these tips on the days when you can feel yourself slipping into the rut- and know that you have the best job there is! Many mothers would give anything to be able to stay at home with their babies.

About Brittany:

Brittany was born and raised in Alabama. She is a Wife and Mama of two sweet babies- her son John is two years old and her daughter Annie is ten months old. She has her degree in Home and Family Studies with an emphasis on Child Development from BYU.

I think we have all found ourselves standing in front of a mirror and thought-yikes. Bad hair day. Bad skin day. Bad make up day. Bad outfit day. Just a bad day for looking good in any way. I can’t count the number of times I have said all of those things to myself- out loud. There is nothing wrong with having good hygiene and taking care of our bodies- in fact- both of those things are important. But I have become all too aware of the amount of importance I put on appearance since I have had a daughter of my own.

Every morning my daughter Annie (11 months)  sits on the bathroom counter and watches me get ready. She plays with her hairbrush and her little bows, but for the most part she just sits and watches me. One day she picked up one of my make up brushes and rubbed it onto her face. It wasn’t until then that I realized how intently my little girl was watching and listening to me. Every time I said, “Bad hair day” she heard me. Every time I picked and outfit and said, “Nope, that’s ugly” she heard me. Our daughters are hearing our voices blending in with the world’s saying if everything about you isn’t perfect, you’re ugly. As mothers, our voices should be heard above the rest telling them they are unique, and they can be beautiful just by being themselves.

I have shared some of Dr. Robyn Silverman’s tips before, and I am about to do it again! Dr. Silverman is a child/teen development specialist, body image expert, sought-after speaker and award-winning writer and graduated with her PhD from Tufts University’s prestigious applied child/teen development program. She is known for her no-nonsense yet positive approach to helping young people and their families thrive.  Here are 10 tips from her blog on how to create a better attitude about body image for both you and your daughter.

1. Speak with gratitude about your body: Talk about what your body allows you to do instead of how it appears. Love yoga? Softball? Running around after your niece and nephew? Your body allows you to do that.
2. Create a Fat-Talk-Free Zone: Make your home or at least the dinner table your safe haven. Make it a blanket rule. Hang a sign that says “leave your fat-talk at the door.” They are always welcome to pick it up on the way out.
3. Hang around with body positive people: If you always spend time with people who speak badly about their bodies, your body or the neighbor’s body, you will find that your mind goes there too. Let your friends know that you are trying to embrace a more body positive lifestyle and language and spend time with those who support it.
4. Learn your hot buttons and acknowledge them: Is it every time you look at a certain magazine, watch a particular show or spend time with a specific family member that you start to feel dreadful about your body? Notice what sets you off so you can make some changes or at least confront the problem itself. Stop that subscription, turn off the show and stop making lunch dates with that person who makes you feel like you are not enough.
5. Realize where the voice is coming from: Whose voice is it telling you that you need to change your appearance, lose weight or cover that mole on your chin? Sometimes it’s someone in our lives now—other times it’s the voice of an old boyfriend, kid from the 5^th grade or long gone relative. By giving the voice a name, you separate it from your own and can tell it to go fly a kite.
6. Say good-bye to perfect: There is no such thing and yet we chase it. When we let go of the unattainable, we can embrace the person we are rather than focus on what we lack.
7. Exercise to feel good rather than to look a certain way: When we exercise, we reduce stress, get the blood pumping and produce endorphins that make us feel great. You don’t have to do something that bores you! Dance, do a color run with a friend, box or get silly with a favorite child in your life!
8. Do for others: When we volunteer and help others in need, it gives us perspective. There are many more important thing in life that how we look. Do something that touches your heart and gives you a sense of purpose.
9. Be kind to yourself- now: Don’t wait until you lose “the weight!” Buy yourself a nice outfit that makes you feel beautiful. Go out to lunch with a friend. Get a massage! You deserve to be valued now because of who you are.
10.  Be a positive role model: It can be incredibly powerful to imagine yourself holding the hand of a young girl or boy—what would you want them to hear you say? What would you hope they would echo? There are always eyes and ears watching and listening. Be the example you always wish you had.

About Brittney:

Brittany was born and raised in Alabama. She is a Wife and Mama of two sweet babies- her son John is two years old and her daughter Annie is ten months old. She has her degree in Home and Family Studies with an emphasis on Child Development from BYU.