Wonder Park NYC Advance Free Screening- You Are Invited!!

Wonder Park NYC Advance Free Screening! You Are Invited!

AMC Empire 25

234 W. 42nd St.

New York, NY 10036

888-262-4386

March 09, 2019

Saturday 11:00am (Please arrive early since screenings are overbooked in order to ensure a full house. NOTE- At 10 am there will be a mini carnival with activities for the kids! So if you want to be included please arrive in time.)

Follow us on Twitter at @3decades3kids to get an early warning about when tickets will be available!

(Have your pass ready to show at the door)

Here’s the link: http://www.gofobo.com/jFlKA26120

Synopsis: Wonder Park tells the story of a magnificent amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive. One magical day, June is running through the woods to find her way home where she discovers an old rollercoaster car and climbs inside. She suddenly finds herself in Wonderland, an amusement park she had created in her mind and put aside. All of her rides and characters are brought to life but are falling into disarray without her. Now, with the help of her fun and lovable park characters, June will have to put the wonder back in Wonderland before it is lost forever.

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Matthew Broderick, John Oliver, Mila Kunis, Kenan Thompson, Ken Jeong, Norbert Leo Butz, Brianna Denski and Ken Hudson Campbell

IN THEATRES MARCH 15th

For more info about Wonder Park check them out here: https://home.wonderparkmovie.com/

Disclosure: All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not reflect the views of the parent company represented. Media Invite provided. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. 

Giveaway- Ralph Breaks the Internet Bluray/DVD/Digital -AND- Learn To Draw Disney Wreck it Ralph!

Giveaway: Ralph Breaks the Internet Bluray/DVD/Digital Art Class- Learn to Draw Disney Wreck It Ralph-

Recently I had the chance to attend an art class at www.theartstudiony.com in celebration of the release of Ralph Breaks the Internet on Bluray/DVD/Digital. It was definitely a great experience for all of the influencers involved. Each and every person in our intimate gathering painted their own unique version of one of the characters from the movie, Ralph Breaks the Internet. The art class, being a painting class is not to be confused with a Sip and Paint. This was a serious class guided by one of the art teachers. I found the entire class so very enlightening. I loved just sitting back and watching the art being created all around me. And by serious art class, I mean that you are presented with a blank canvas, paint and brushes. The rest is up to you! Honestly it is a little overwhelming to see that blank white canvas just sitting there, but as the time went by you could just hear the room purr with everyone busy working on their own painting.

Although it was not the first time I put the paintbrush to the canvas, it has be well over ten years since I have sat down to do any type of serious art. Long gone are the days when I would paint zillions of hand painted Disney tees and sweats. Where was Etsy then?!! I really missed it. It was great to just lose the outside world for a while and let the creativity flow. It was great to celebrate the release of Ralph Breaks the Internet in such a fun way! You can grab your own copy right here: https://movies.disney.com/ralph  

Shout out to some of my favorite blogger buddies: In order, 3decades3kids, boyzruleourworld.com   https://fivelittlewords.net/ https://raisingthreesavvyladies.com/   Check out this awesome tutorial given at The Art Studio NY. If you are in the area definitely check them out for a class. You don’t have to be an artist to go to an art class. It’s all about interpretation of the world and how we see it. It’s also a great place to go with your children. I took the class with my teen son and it was quite the bonding experience. We also had quite a few good laughs and now every time I look at our paintings I can’t help but smile and think about that night.

NYCityGuys.com

Have you seen the movie Disney Ralph Breaks the Internet? Now is your chance to add it to your own home library.  Win your own copy from 3decades3kids here: http://3decades3kids.net/blog/2019/02/giveaway-disneys-ralph-breaks-the-internet-on-bluray-dvd-feb-26/

Disclosure: Media invite extended by Disney Animation in celebration of  Ralph Breaks the Internet, now on bluray/dvd/digital. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not represent the views of the parent company represented in this post. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. 

Happy Birthday, Louie! When Your Son Grows Up….

Happy Birthday, Louie! When Your Son Grows Up…

If you are a mom like me, you are constantly worrying about your kids. From the minute my first son was born twenty- eight years ago I think I have worried every single day. It’s just who I am. Along with raising children there is always that little voice in the back of your head saying just how fast it all goes. Within weeks of bringing home your baby you start to see that life moves on and it goes FAST! You blink and your baby is starting school, then it’s high school, and soon you are sitting in the passenger seat of their new car. Then they tell you they are in love and getting ready to propose…and you just hold your breath because you know that your time is limited, more limited than ever. That is kind of where I’m at right now. Well, not kind of, it IS where I am at right now. The wedding date is set for this coming fall and I could not be any happier. Our family just loves our daughter in law to be and feel like she has already been a part of the family forever. 

But, there is still that whole mommy thing going on. All of the lasts before the wedding. The last Christmas, last vacation, and yesterday, the last birthday of my son waking up at home on the day he made me into a mommy. Honestly, it went much better than I thought thanks to calls and texts from friends and family who knew what the day would be like for me. I mean, it seems that when it is the last of something with your kids, their entire life flashes in front of your eyes. It wasn’t just waking up on his birthday yesterday, it was thinking of EVERY birthday for the past twenty eight years. It was thinking of  all the birthday themes of Pokemon and Batman and Ninja Turtles and all the Chuck E Cheese parties.

It was all the memories of my mom and dad being there along with his grandma and everyone else who is gone now. So my mind was just bending when I woke up yesterday morning. And for the 28th time I set up the traditional birthday table and took a deep breath because just like everything else in my life I face it head on and just deal with it. I wanted to be sure I didn’t ruin the day with my own selfish emotions ( I took care of that during the night snuggled up with a box of tissues) but by the morning I was okay, I was ready. I was grateful. And I was happy. I was happy that I had the chance to celebrate not only my oldest son’s 1st birthday, 10th birthday, 13th birthday, 17th birthday, and 21st birthday, I was HERE, I was here to celebrate his 28th birthday! I felt so grateful…..

It was definitely a day to be celebrated and although some people may judge me for having a cake for my adult son, let me just say that your children will grow up, too. They may be ten now but they will be twenty someday, and I hope for their sake you still find the time and love to celebrate them. Yes, he celebrated with his bride to be of course, but he also left a little time for his family and I cherish that.  Next year he will be waking up on his birthday as a married man. Next year I’m not sure how I will feel on his birthday, but as for now, I am ready to celebrate my oldest son. Even though he WAS IN the bathroom when the cake was brought out and had to blow out a lighter instead of candles I’m sure the wishes were still the same! We will definitely not forget that special moment and either will the waitresses as they arrived to our table, candles lit, singing the birthday song only to find out that the birthday boy’s seat was empty. Hilarious and a first for any birthday I’ve been to, but that is exactly what memories are made of- laughs and love!

So we celebrated! We headed out to dinner at Red Robin and brought a cake along, and candles, too! The day was perfect for this mom and I can only hope the day way perfect for my son, too. Life goes by way to fast to not celebrate with the ones you love. Happy 28th Birthday, Louie! Here’s to many more birthdays. Here’s hoping every birthday is better than the one before…Here’s to a mom’s never ending love for her son.  Here’s to celebrating life! You are only given this day and never promised tomorrow. Enjoy life! 

Disclosure: This is a personal post by Diane Sullivan. All opinions are my own and honest. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net for collabs. 

Should I Visit Kalahari Resort In The Poconos?

Should I Visit Kalahari Resort In The Poconos?

Disclosure:Media Trip provided by Kalahari Resorts brand. Our opinions do not stand for the views of the partner company.

Searching out water park resorts can get really tough on both the mind and the wallet, so I would suggest getting as much information about each of the water parks you would like to visit before jumping in! Recently our family was invited to visit Kalahari Resort in the Pocono Mountains. We have visited the resort before, but not since the big addition expansion to the water park. The first two times our family visited I thought it was really too big for us. Everything seemed so far away from the room, and it was super crowded both of those times. This visit was a bit different. It seems like Kalahari Resort in the Poconos has found its groove. There is a total sense of relaxation that surrounds you that just was not there the past two times. So immediately our family was thrilled about the new vibe. The trip only got better from there.

If you did chat with me in the past you may not have gotten the same reaction as you get from me now. I have changed my mind about Kalahari and its for the better. Honestly, you cannot help but feel some type of emotion as you drive up to the Kalahari Resort. The place is massive and adorned with paintings of savanna animals covering parts of the outside of the resort. As you go up the entrance way you will also be greeted with statues of animals along the way making you feel like you are not in Pennsylvania at all but maybe ready to go on safari. You can arrive before noon to check in and I would definitely suggest doing so. If you are shelling out the bucks why not make the most of the time. The rooms do not come available until later in the afternoon but there is plenty of activities to do while you wait. You are even permitted into the waterpark before your room is ready! Bonus! That means if you are traveling for one night, you can actually spend TWO days at the water park! Check out will be at 11 am the following morning, but you can spend all day at the waterpark and in partaking in resort activities.

Luckily for us our room was ready when we arrived. The last two visits we  stayed in the Desert Room which has two queen beds and a sleeper sofa. This trip we were surprised with the African Queen Suite! Woooza! What a room or should I say suite! If you can swing this room, GET IT!! It has a total of three rooms, three TVs, a fireplace and a balcony. There are also two full bathrooms and a mini kitchen with table and chairs. Problem- You will not want to leave the room to go out into the resort! I was absolutely in love with that suite! You know how I speak the truth- good or bad, this was good, very good! The one bedroom had a king sized bed and private bathroom, the second bedroom had two queen sized beds, and the living room had a pull out sofa, coffee table, comfy chair, fireplace and balcony. There really were three and a half rooms because the half room had a mini kitchen and table with chairs. Can I move into this room??!! 

Our balcony looked over the water park and outdoor pools. You could also see the indoor outdoor hot tub which is absolutely one of my favorite things about Kalahari! We later headed down and into the indoor outdoor hottub. It was freezing outside but the water was SO warm, you did not even realize it. I’m a big fan of outdoor hot tubs in the winter, I just love them!

After everyone checked out the room we swim-suited up and headed to the water park. Personally, I could not wait to see what the expansion looked like. I couldn’t imagine the water park being even bigger than last time. Well, it was, and it worked. It was perfect. The wave pool was great and a definite plus to the add on.  The wave pool is quite big so I would recommend staying pretty close to your kids. Kalahari does have a life vest policy for all children 48 inches and under that must be abided by for your child’s own safety. As you know my kiddies are all past that stage of life. On that note, let me say that going out as a family with  tween, teen and adult children can be very challenging. It’s hard to find a place where everyone can come together and just enjoy themselves. Kalahari met the standard and we all had a great time. It seems like waterparks are for ALL ages and there definitely was something for everyone in our family to keep them happy!

If you do have littles in your family rest assured, there is a huge kiddie zone that even includes the most adorable mini lazy river. This is in addition to the TWO lazy rivers that are for all ages. There are also more than one kid zone so your family will not get bored. I did not see a lot of melt downs during our time in the water park so the littles definitely were having fun. There are pint sized slides, swings, and water activity play stations. There are even savanna animals in the water for the kids to sit on. The last time we visited, Emm was still little enough to have fun in the kids zone and she absolutely loved it. Your kids will, too! We especially love the entrances to the kid zones, one that has two extremely tall giraffes nuzzling and the other called Coral Cove which tall aquatic entrance way just calls to you. Rest assured that towels are provided inside the water park as well as safes (additional charge- worth it) of different sizes.

So, up front, our main reason about visiting Kalahari Resort was to spend as much time in the water park as we could! We did enjoy both days there and if you are looking for a tip, here you go. After about 6 pm the lines were minimal to all the water slides, during the day there was a wait for everything. So, if you have sliders and riders in your group you might consider heading the water park a little bit later in the day. You can check out everything there is to do in the waterpark here: https://www.kalahariresorts.com/pennsylvania/parks-and-passes/indoor-waterpark/

We did leave the water park to enjoy the huge arcade that even has bowling and an escape room, and mini golf as well as to take part in the complimentary cookie decorating that takes place every day. There are plenty of activities for kids to take part of in the Adventurer’s Club! Once again, they have activities for all ages in your group which makes family time a breeze! When meal time rolled around I was thrilled at all of the on site choices and the range of what they had to offer. There is one thing I am absolutely obsessed with and it is getting tiramisu served in a chocolate molded cup! It is the BEST! I have gotten it each time we visited Kalahari and have even thought about driving there just to GET this amazing treat! It is not only Instagram friendly, it is delicious! There are many desserts and treats to choose from. My family has sampled many of them, including the ice cream, which is another mouth watering treat! When it comes to cute, Kalahari has it covered with the refillable character topped sippers and refillable popcorn bucket that also has a popcorn slide around it. It’s really a keeper and you can fill it up for $1.49. It’s a great water park treat for kids.

Our family had the chance to enjoy breakfast at the Great Karoo Marketplace Buffet. I would definitely recommend adding this to your reservation in advance. There was an extensive breakfast menu that included chef made omelettes, a meat cutting station, kid’s bar, fresh fruits and more. There is something for everyone. I also loved how there were four pancake syrups on every table! Yes, we tried them all! They had my favorite, Eggs Benedict, so my day was made! Thanks, The Great Karoo Marketplace!

Well, I think by now you get the idea. We enjoyed our visit to Kalahari Resorts! I’m glad we had the chance to go back and revisit after the expansion. I’m glad we had a chance to spend so much time in the water park. It was just amazing. As I’m sitting here now I’m thinking about how I wish I was there right now! Well, there’s always the summer, right?! Did I mention there is a full outside water park? Although it was iced over, it sure looked incredible! See you next time or as they say in Swahili- Kuona Wakait Mwingine!  Disclosure: All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not reflect the views of the parent company represented. Complimentary stay provided by Kalahari Resorts. Contact us for collabs at Diane@3decades3kids.net or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. 

Fighting With My Family- Chatting With the Cast

Fighting With My Family- Chatting With the Cast

Recently I was invited by Annapurna to screen Fighting With My Family and then sit down with the cast to chat about it in NYC. Being a mom of three and seeing how children develop their own goals as they grow up really hit a chord for me throughout this movie. Although the movie is about WWE Superstar Paige (and it is), it’s more about family. You do not have to be a WWE fan to enjoy this movie! So, I guess you are wondering exactly what the movie was about, aren’t you? From the small town in the United Kingdom to the prestigious ring to the WWE Fighting with My Family shows off overcoming hardships as a family to achieve your dreams. The movie centers around Paige, a WWE Superstar with an origin story perfect for film. Growing up as part of a wrestling family, Paige and her brother dreamed of joining the WWE all their lives. From partaking in their own family wrestling events which had quite some popularity in their hometown to training towards their goal, they were dead-set on joining the biggest wrestling league in the world.

However, things become complicated after Paige gets accepted to continue to Florida after try-outs, while her brother doesn’t. So, now while her dream becomes a reality, she must leave everything behind including the one who was along with her hoping for the same thing. Fighting with My Family is a story of triumph, as Paige pushes herself to her limits and works to become one of the best and youngest fighters to compete. The movie includes cameos and scenes featuring WWE stars such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, along with a few others. Perfect for everyone in the family, the film showcases success through hard work, following your dreams, and giving your all to creating the best possible outcome. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will make you laugh for sure!
As we watched the movie I took note of the laughter in the theater. There may have also been a few tears of emotion. Fighting with My Family is a family movie, it’s a friends movie, it’s a date movie, it’s a go by yourself movie, it’s what ever you want it to be movie- but, you need to see this movie. You will enjoy it and get lost in the story, based on Paige’s real life!
We all live our life. We all have goals. But not all of us get our life and goals made into a movie! I could not wait to sit down with the cast of  Fighting with My Family to find out more about the making of this movie. I was thrilled to meet  Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden, Stephen Merchant as well as WWE Divas Champ Paige herself! Chatting with both the real life Paige sitting next the movie Paige played by Florence Pugh was quite an honor.
I could not wait to ask WWE Paige about what her real life family thought when the idea of  making a movie about her life rolled around.
How did your real life family feel when the movie idea was coming about?
Paige: They were very, very excited! My dad is always one of those people who says, “Don’t get your hopes up there because it may never happen.” He always  says we’ll see, we’ll see. If it does actually happen, I want Ray Winston to play me. Nick did all right! (about Nick Frost who plays Ricky Knight in the movie).  He’s not one of those people to give out compliments so he was just over the moon for Nick and the whole family. My family just loved the cast, every single one.
And what about your real life brother?
Paige: Jack, yeah my brother loved Jack.
Jack Lowden-Yeah, he gave me a lot of work to do. I had about six or seven weeks to put on as much weight as possible in size and muscle. I trained twice a day and ate four to five meals a day to get big. He’s a big guy.
Thoughts on the hardest scene in the movie?
Stephen Merchant- The hardest scence for me to shoot was that final match that Paige has because we had one hour at the Staples Center in LA. There were 20,000 real fans and WWE gave us one hour to shoot with the real fans after a real broadcast. Those were all real fans. Florence had to go out there in front of all those people, many who had seen the match for real and recreate it. Wayne Johnson came down and he kind of hosted the event. Paige hadn’t been wrestling in a while, people hadn’t heard her music in a while. When the music came on there were very mixed emotions of people that were so excited to see her again but then also really upset that it wasn’t her and it was a pretend Paige!
Florence Pugh- I would come out and they would be really confused whether they should be cheering or booing at me. It was totally bizarre to go out as someone that people adore because they’re really depressed that it’s not them. It was scary but we got it done in forty minutes. We had a lot of cameras.
So grab the kids, friends, family or go by yourself. This is feel good movie you will want to see on the big screen.
Fighting With My Family 
This February, show the world what you’re made of. Based on an incredible true story!
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #FightingWithMyFamily

Disclosure: Special thanks to Annapurna Pictures for the NYC Fighting With My Family Press Junket media invite. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and do not reflect the views of the parent company represented. Contact me for collabs at Diane@3decades3kids.net or @3decades3kids across all social media networks. See you at the movies! Fighting With the Family now in theaters. 3decades3kids.net