Showing posts with label Event. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Event. Show all posts

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Larry H. Miller Sing Along -Free Family Event

In 2011 in addition to seeing the lights in Salt Lake we decided to attend the Larry H. Miller sing a long. We weren't quite sure what to expect and it exceeded our expectations.
Everyone got a yummy treat and a little envelope. In the envelope we ended up with free movie tickets, free popcorn vouchers, raceway tickets and other cool things. On top of the fun free things we got to sing along to beloved Christmas songs as a family. Even cooler was we got to sing along with Alex Boye. How awesome is that? If you are not familiar with him here is what you are missing out on:

Incredible! This year Emmy award winning and Grammy nominated Kurt Bestor will be there. I suggest bundle up the kids, enjoy the Christmas lights, get some hot chocolate and go to the free Larry H. Miller sing a long. It starts at 6:00 PM at the Energy Solutions Arena.
For more info check out http://www.kurtbestor.com/index.php?page=calendar&display=2505
or http://www.lhm.com/giving-back/christmas-sing-along

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Les Miserables Review & Giveaway


Yet again the Desert Star Playhouse strikes gold. I know this is a very popular show right now, but this is the only version of Les Mis that will have you laughing throughout. Of all the production's I have seen at the Deseret Star, this is one of the best written yet. My husband even commented that it is his favorite show so far that he has seen; considering we have been going for about 8 years that's saying something!
Les Miserables –Or– A Lot Less Miserable follows the basis of the story line pretty close considering it's a parody of the real Les Mis. They still sing along to some of your favorite songs only with different lyrics as well as some other well known songs. There is still no lack of jokes, sarcasm or talent.

I was very pleased to see my favorite actress Kerstin Davis, playing the part of Cassete. Her talent and personality is capturing and captivating. She knows how to capture her audience when she enters the stage. Her facial expressions and voice inflections alone will have you laughing. She also has great audience interaction, especially in the olio!
Justin Berry also does a great job. He had the best and most consistent french accent through out the show. Him and Julie Heaton may sing some silly things but there is no doubt they have some amazing voices! Especially Julie in, "On My Own." The scene where she comes flying in with a huge hat is one of my favorites. She kept accidentally kept turning around so she added some unwritten humor to the show, one of those you had to be there to get it things. Desert Star has lots of those.
Rick Miller is also a great singer. A little harder to understand sometimes, but then again sometimes he was literally saying jibberish for the sake of the scene. My favorite was when he would improve and interact with the audience. To watch the other cast members try to stay in character is always my favorite part.

My husband and I both got a kick out of the characters portrayed by Todd Michael Thompson and Camee Faulk. Their facial expressions, narrations and side jokes were perfectly timed. Camee also has great facial expressions. Their make up and costumes were perfect and added to their characters so well. Both did a great job playing their character and adding their own personality to their parts. My husband said they were his favorite to watch.
Corey Brandenburger was spot on as always and he does a great impression of the priest from "The Princess Bride." Mekenzie Heaton was an actress I hadn't seen there before, but she also added her own spunk to her part. She fit right in with the cast, and was a delight to watch.
The nice thing about the Desert Star theater is there isn't really a bad seat in the house. I have sat in the front row all the way to the back row. This time we were so fortunate to sit behind the pianist, Jordan Richardson. It makes me wish I would have stuck with piano. To watch his fingers fly was pretty amazing. Let's face it, with out his accompaniment the show would be way dry and less entertaining! he also has a lot of cues for audience interaction scenes. Even if the actors give him a hard time about being late for some of them.
The whole show is entertaining no matter how familiar you are with Les Mis. You are guaranteed to have a good time, and laugh a lot. The food isn't too bad either. I ordered their nachos with honey chipotle ranch and they were the perfect bonus to a great show. They have pizza, ice creams, shakes and so much more yummy goodness.
The show is running till June 8th and the closer you get to the end, the quicker they sell out. Hop online to check out dates and prices at desertstar.biz/.
Enter the rafflecopter below to enter in the drawing for a chance to win 2 tickets to Desert Star Playhouse's production of Les Mes.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/2ed4ad2/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway


I received free tickets in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.
Read my review of their last production here.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Fun & Free Factory Tours

 
 
I knew I needed to have busy days during our spring break. So I planned on going to the Sweets Candy Factory Tour in Salt Lake City. I have wanted to go for a while and decided to just do it. We went with friends from the neighborhood and had fun, even though I spent half my attention on my kids and keeping them behind the yellow lines. What my other half saw was fascinating. They literally have millions of taffy and huge bags of sugar. The kids each got to pick out some taffy in there gift shop where they have some good deals on candy.
 
 
So this made me think of other tours I have been to.
 
 
1. I've been to a Hershey factory tour. I went when there was one in Oakdale, Ca. Now the only tour is in Hershey, PA. See here for more info. They have a few fun Hershey's stores now. We have been to the one in New York and Niagara Falls. My kids loved them.
 
 
2. One of my favorites was the Jelly Belly Tour.  The Jelly Belly Factory is in Fairfield, Ca and lasts about 40 minutes. I think my oldest was a baby when we went and I would love to do this again with all of them one day. Click here for more information.
 
 
3. Another favorite was the Lousiville Slugger Museum. Now this one is not free but still is at the top of the list. If you are ever in Louisville this is a must see! I'm not even a huge baseball know it all or fan and I loved it!
 
4. Ethel M. Chocolate Factory tour is fun to do if your in Vegas and want some family friendly activities. Click here for this tour info.
 
 
5. Hammonds Candies is in Denver and fascinating as well. I took the kids to this after Adrianna was born. It is really short, but still free and fun if in the area. Here is there link on when they do tours.
 
 
6. Another neat one was the Harley Davidson vehicle & power trains factory tour. We tried going to this once when they were closed for a week, so be sure to view there website when they are open here. The second time we were near there I couldn't pass it up! This one was very fascinating, but the tour is not kid friendly. They can be in welcome area and shop but not on the tour. There are 2 tours, a short free tour and a more elaborate one that costs money.
 
 
7. I've been to both Federal Reserves. I went to the Denver one growing up with my family, and the one in Kansas City, Missouri with my kids. I thought they were fascinating. Click here for more info.
 
 
Bonus- This isn't really a factory tour but cool none the less. We went to the Moon Marble Co. and saw how they make marbles. Plus their gift shop is so cool!
 
 
Some more I am hoping to see in the future:
Mrs Cavanaughs -SLC, UT
Crayola - Easton, PA
Hallmark Visitors Center- Kansas City, MO
Tabasco- Avery Island, LA
AT&T Ball Park Tours- San Francisco, CA
Tillamook Cheese- Tillamook, OR
Mrs. Grossman's Stickers- Petaluma, CA  
 

Monday, April 1, 2013

Home Depot Kids Craft


Just wanted to remind people that this Saturday is Home Depot kids craft. Nice thing about Home Depot is that you don't have to sign up in advance and you can show up anytime between 9 and noon (usually.)
This time they are making a bird feeder. Follow this link for more info.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Lowes Build And Grow Sign Up

 
 
Lowe's has fun free build and grow crafts every now and then. You do have to sign up for them in advance and they fill up fast. I try to do reminders on twitter when I come across things like this. Follow me by clicking my link on the right or look me up as @UtQueenOfChaos.
 
 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Lucky Leprechaun Blog Swap

Lucky Leprechaun Blog Swap

 

I decided to try something new. I participated in a blog a swap. A what? That is what I said at first too. Someone hosts a blog swap and picks something to swap, in this case a book and a polish. Then we are given a partner who also has a blog to swap with.  We have guidelines and dealines and in the end I was VERY happy I did it.
 
Not only did I get cool new stuff I got the oppurtunity to be more aware of other things out there. For instance I am excited to try a new auther by the name of Mary Kay Andrews who I am excited to try out her "Savannah" books. I almost won a signed copy of her book to give to my swap partner but the seller would only ship media mail and I was afarid I wouldn't get it to my partner fast enough. In the end I sent her One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf (Which I also added to my Goodreads to read list.)
 
This current nail craze isn't isn't something I have gotten in to. Before I got married and started a family I had my nails done regularly but haven't been able to keep up on in a while. I was suprised how happy I was about this in the end. I picked out a beutiful light purple polish for my partner. I must have liked it so much that I keep looking for my light purple polish only to remember I don't have one.
 
My blog partner went all out with me, I got 4 polish's! I asked to not get pink because Yesenia loves to sit and put it on all at once. I first put on this color which I think will be my favorite of them all! After applying this I started to get back into having cute colored nails again. Maybe it's my new gift, or the Spring in the air, who knows?

 
These were the other colors I got, all so fun. I also was extra special to get a lip gloss, which oddly I despratley needed a new one. Then I got one of the books I have been wanting to read! Ally Condie has this series that I have been intrigued by and have heard really good things about. It skipped my to read book shelf and went right to my nightstand. As soon as I finish my book club book it's at the top of the list!

 
 
Check out my blog swap partners blog at Katers Potaters
 
Also check out more of the other swaps at Lulu & Sweet Pea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


Thursday, March 14, 2013

Disney On Ice

I couldn't help myself and I got us Disney on Ice tickets. I don't regret it at all! We only needed 4 tickets since the 2 little girls can still be lap children. Yesenia ended up sitting on Dad's lap too leaving us with an open chair anyway.

 
Yesenia was so excited to dress like a princess and have permission to leave the house looking like that too! She tried to get Adrianna to dress up and all she got her to wear was a little white skirt. She insisted I wear my beautiful purple princess skirt, so I agreed.

 
I also have been to one of these before and knew to plan ahead. I know they sale outrageously priced light up toys and junk food. Even more over priced than usual food at the Energy Solutions Arena because it was Disney. For example normally cotton candy there is $6, for Disney on Ice it was $10-12 depending on if you wanted it for a boy or the girl. But how could I buy for my boy and not make the girl cry and vice versa. So here was my mischievous plan. I went to the dollar store ahead of time and purchased glow stick necklaces, bracelets and rings. They were a hit. The kids loved them and were just fine not getting any other souvenirs. Then I snuck in a water bottle in the bottom of my huge diaper bag that they never really check because I have my hands full with 4 kids when I enter. We did purchase a huge bag of kettle popcorn for $6. The bag feeds my whole family and we went home with some extra.


 I even got Steven to say he was glad that we went. He agreed that Yesenia's face and reactions was worth every penny. She was in a trance the whole time. Adrianna was too for a majority of it. Kadan was more intrigued by the tricks. He thought it was funny that Cinderella's mice were bigger than she was. The mini Tangled part was by far the best! I loved the tricks with Rapunzel's hair/ribbon, Kadan loved Flynn Ryder, and the girls loved Rapunzel.

 
At the very end of the show all the princess's came out and I got to see my Mulan! That is my favorite Disney movie. The kids loved it and were so grateful that we took them. This made out whole family want to save for Disneyland that much more!