Lindsay, Author at Laughing Lindsay

Disney Social Media Moms 2016 Celebration #DisneySMMC

July 6, 2016 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

I still can’t believe it happened, but I was invited and attended the Disney Social Media Moms 2016 Celebration back in May. I never thought that I would be chosen for such an honor, but when that special invitation landed in my inbox one night, I signed up immediately to reserve my spot. Today, I’m finally ready to tell you all about the fun celebration I was able to experience.

Disclosure: I received discounted lodging, tickets, meals, and experiences while I attended the 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.

Disney Social Media Moms 2016

Shew! The Disney Social Media Moms 2016 Celebration was unlike any other conference or party I’ve attended. The Disney company treated me like a celebrity for the duration of my stay. I loved everything about this celebration! I could talk about the trip for days. If you follow me on Instagram or on other social media sites, then you also got to witness some of the awesomeness as I shared tons over the course of that weekend.

The fun began before I ever arrived at Walt Disney World when an adorable American Tourister Mickey Mouse suitcase arrived at my doorstep. I actually did a video review on it.

Arrival

I arrived late Wednesday night after working all day. I was very pleased with the Beach Club amentities I was given. I slept wonderfully. Then, on Thursday night I got to witness Animal Kingdom after dark! I loved the street parties and seeing the Tree of Life Awakenings.

Conference Day

On Friday, I was in Heaven! For this Disney fan, the “conference” portion of the event was absolutely thrilling! I got a chance to hear from the President of Walt Disney World Resort, George A. Kalogridis! I also got to hear from Theron Skees from Walt Disney Imagineering about the Re-Imagining of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs. Here’s a hint: he and the rest of the team have done an amazing job at Disney Springs.

I also was tickled to hear Mark Renfrow from Walt Disney Creative Entertainment about the upcoming Rivers of Light nighttime spectacular coming to Animal Kingdom. It sounds amazing! I look forward to seeing it on a future trip to the resort.

Disney surprised us by having us hear two movie producers speak about their films. I was elated to hear Suzanne Todd, the producer of “Alice Through the Looking Glass” speak about the movie. I loved her! Then, Lindsey Collins talked about and then introduced the first 33 minutes of “Finding Dory”! Wow! I have since gone to the theaters and seen the movie with my fiance. We loved it! It’s adorable and great for the whole family. It definitely made this special education teacher happy.

It was also amazing to finally see the friendly faces I’ve been following online for years in person. There was Erin Glover who is the Editorial Content Director for the Disney Parks blog and Jenn Fickley-Baker, the Editorial Content Manager for the blog. It was neat to learn about how things work at Disney Parks for posting content.

Last but certainly not least, we were entertained by the hosts Leanne Jakubowski O’Reagan (social media director) and Mark Daniel throughout the entire day.

Friday night, there was Donald’s Beach Bash held at Typhoon Lagoon with delicious treats and fireworks! It was like a private beach party for attendees and their families!

Ending

On Saturday, there was the fun run at Epcot and then a screening of “Alice Through the Looking Glass.” I enjoyed this movie having never seen the first movie. Then, we were free to enjoy the parks. I had to leave early Sunday and missed the wonderful Mother’s Day brunch they provided.

Closing Thoughts

As you can see, it’s hard to sum up this amazing trip I was able to experience. I urge you to look over my Instagram to get yourself a taste of it. Disney Parks knows how to treat guests (and bloggers). Everything about this event was first-class and I was spoiled rotten the entire time. It was truly a dream come true to attend the Disney Social Media Moms 2016 Celebration. I never thought I would be invited, but I am so glad I was chosen. I enjoyed every single aspect of this event. It’s definitely not just a conference. It’s a celebration of the Walt Disney Company and the spirit of families.

Thank you to the Disney Parks team and to the other sponsors for making this weekend possible. I won’t ever forget the Disney Social Media Moms 2016 Celebration.

Post Holiday Clean Up with Shark Rocket Powerhead Vacuum

December 31, 2015 By Lindsay Leave a Comment

If you are looking for some ways to make your post holiday clean up easier, then allow me to introduce you to the new Shark Rocket Powerhead Vacuum!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary vacuum.

Post Holiday Clean Up

It’s hard to believe that another whirlwind holiday season has come and gone. Sadly, now all that remains are the leftovers and a mess! Post holiday clean up can be a drag. I mean it’s no fun to have to go around the house and pick up stuff. Then, you’ve actually got to clean under the mess (as in the floors).

This summer we moved from an all-carpeted apartment to a two-story townhouse with carpeting upstairs and hard flooring downstairs. I was a little concerned about cleaning the two different types of flooring considering all we had was a regular vacuum. Then, when I went to BlogHer, I was introduced to the handy lightweight Shark Rocket Powerhead! I instantly fell in love and took to Twitter to shout it from the rooftops!

This @sharkcleaning Rocket Powerhead is PERFECT for our new townhouse. #SharkSweepstakes #blogher15 pic.twitter.com/ZL4F9NmoAu

— Lindsay (@89linz) July 18, 2015

Thankfully, Shark Clean sent me this little vacuum just in time for some post holiday clean up! At just 9 pounds, it’s easy to carry all over the house for cleaning up messes. Plus, my favorite feature is the two brush system! The Rocket Powerhead actually comes with 2 rollbrushes! There’s one for hard floors and one for carpets! That means that I can clean up a mess downstairs with the hard floor brush, then switch brushes (easily I might add) and then cart it upstairs to vacuum the carpets!

My fiance and I are both in love with this new vacuum. We used to play rock-paper-scissors over who had to vacuum. Now, both of us enjoy using the Shark Rocket Powerhead! In fact, it’s almost a race to see who gets to use it this time. That’s because the Shark Clean vacuum features a far superior cleaning suction than anything we’ve ever had. It’s actually kind of fun to watch the little vacuum go!

The Shark Rocket Powerhead was made for us. It’s uber easy to use, you simply flip open the top to clean it out. Plus, it’s so lightweight that even I can carry it! Plus, I adore the blue color of the vacuum. This handy vacuum definitely makes the post holiday clean up a little more fun!

Letter to My Father on the Anniversary of His Death

December 2, 2015 By Lindsay 2 Comments

Today, I interrupt your routine to share a letter to my father on the anniversary of his death. As you may recall, my dad passed away in December of 2012. Today marks three years since he’s been gone and I can’t believe so much has happened. I miss him so much right now. So, I just thought I’d write him a letter to remember him and in the process I can catch you (my readers) up.

Letter to My Father on the Anniversary of His Death

Dear Daddy,

I miss you oodles. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think about you at some point. I still want to pick up the phone to tell you about my crazy day. I want to tell you about my kids at school. Boy, they do and say some funny stuff. I think you would appreciate the sense of humor I’ve developed to deal with the adults I work with as well. I know that you would just shake your head at me and mom though. We’re still a humorous bunch.

The reason that this year is different from last year though is the fact that I’m engaged. Some days, just the thought of walking down the aisle without you makes me cry. However, I know that you would be happy for me. I also know that you would be proud to know that I value myself as a complete human being enough to just walk myself because I believe that I’m no one’s property to be given away or received. I think that you would be happy that I’ve found the dress that makes me feel beautiful. I know that you would be happy to learn that you were right about that guy. He is in fact “sticking around”. Haha!

Dad, I try everyday to be the type of person that would make you happy to say that I’m your daughter. I think that for the most part I’m doing fine. I try to help mom whenever I can. I also try to keep myself sane and happy. I have so much to thank you for and I’m so glad that I had you here for 23 years.

I miss you, but I know that you are no longer in pain and that makes it’s easier. I really wish you were here though to do a father-daughter dance with me. I know that we would do something awesome. I also wish you could tell me which songs to play since you loved music so much.

I’m still taking it one day at a time and I know that you would want me to be happy. So, I keep trying.

I love you and miss you!

Five Star Expandable Binder and Backpack #FiveStarBTS

July 27, 2015 By Lindsay 92 Comments

Recently, I received a very handy Five Star Expandable Binder and Backpack. I’m so happy to share these two products with you as they make a great addition to your back to school shopping lists.

Disclosure: I was provided four Five Star®products, two for review and two for a giveaway to my readers, by Five Star®. All opinions are my own

Five Star Expandable Binder

It’s hard to believe, but now is the time to start making those back to school supply purchases. If you’ve got an older kid heading off to school or you need some durable supplies, I’ve got the 411 on the products you need. I’m very excited to introduce two new items from Mead Five Star, both of which are expandable items that can hold lots of objects!

First up, there’s the Five Star Expandable backpack. This is truly an adult-sized backpack with all of its expandable storage space. Coming in three colors and expanding up to 7 inches, this backpack is for those of us who have lots to carry. Plus, it has a separate compartment for laptops (up to 16 inches). I also love that it has unique ergonomic straps that distribute weight evenly. I keep thinking about how handy this would have been in college. It would have made lugging all of my books across campus so much easier and safer.

The other item I keep mentioning is the new Five Star Expandable Binder! This binder has so many wonderful features. For starters, it has an expandable pocket on the front of it that can allow you to carry your planner (among other things). It even has a great organizer file system inside and it can be carried three (3) different ways! Plus, let’s not forget the super useful zipper that keeps everything from falling out.

The new Five Star Expandable Binder would be perfect for many uses. High school students will like it because it looks cool while giving them a neat way to carry their essentials (including their electronics). College students will fall in love with it for many of those same reasons plus it’s super easy to carry around campus. I love it because it makes the perfect coupon binder! I just upgraded mine to this and it’s working out beautifully. From being easy to grab and carry and storing the coupons safely, I couldn’t ask for a better binder.

If you enjoy talking about organizational products, learning back to school tips, or just want to win some fabulous Five Star products, then clear your calendar now. On August 4, 2015 from 3-4 pm, the @MeadFiveStar handle will be hosting a Twitter Chat! Several prize packs containing Five Star®school supplies will be given away during this hour. Anyone who uses the hashtag #FiveStarBTS will be entered to win.

Spring Accessories 2015 from Kohl’s

April 7, 2015 By Lindsay 1 Comment

Have you seen the newest spring accessories 2015 line from Kohl’s yet? If not, I think it’s definitely worth a look.

Disclosure: I received these items for free.

Spring Accessories 2015

Ah. It’s finally spring. That means it’s time for brighter colors and fun patterns as the weather warms up a bit. Personally, I prefer to keep my outfits classic with a pop of color here and there. That’s why I absolutely love the spring accessories 2015 line from Kohl’s.

Kohl’s has quickly become one of my favorite places to shop for clothing as they have so much to choose from at reasonable prices. Recently, I was lucky enough to receive a box of the spring accessories 2015 lines from Kohl’s and I was very pleased. In it were the two purses pictured above. On the left is the Apt. 9 Ann Envelope Convertible Clutch in periwinkle and on the right is the Apt. 9 Margo Crossbody Bag in Hot Coral. Both of these Apt. 9 bags have great compartments inside that make them great for practical purposes. The color and design make them hot for spring though. They would definitely brighten up any outfit. In fact, I’m thinking of taking the crossbody bag with me to Europe over the summer, just because it’s so useful and cheery.

In addition to the darling bags, there were 2 pairs of shoes, pictured here. There’s the Juicy Couture Women’s Palm Tree Slip-On Sneakers, which looks beautiful! Just looking at them takes me away for a moment. I think that wearing them all day would make me happier as I would have periodic thoughts of the beach throughout the day. Additionally, there’s the Dana Buchman Olyvia floral heels which look so fun! There are so many colors that can be coordinated with them to make for a perfect spring look.

As you can see the spring accessories 2015 line from Kohl’s is filled with fun prints and colors while being easy to style with things you already own. This year, they are really making it easy for us to add a pop of color to our wardrobes without breaking the bank. Both bags are $39 and the shoes are $59.99. I think that’s pretty reasonable, especially considering how high quality Kohl’s items are.

Have you purchased any new spring accessories yet?