Top Ten Summer Hot Spot: NYC Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise

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Top Ten Summer Hot Spot
NYC Circle Line
Sightseeing Cruise
at 42nd Street
      Every summer our family is in search of exciting things to do close to home. Spending time in NYC is great, but can get very crowded during the summer months. We did find a way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city streets and still take in the best of NYC.
Our little secret has been around for many years and located right on 42nd Street and 12th Ave.
Recently my family had the chance to check out the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise. There are many cruise choices that can fit into any budget or time frame. We decided on the Circle Line Full Island 3 Hour Tour. Our cruise made a full circle around the island of Manhattan.
Our family arrived about an hour early and had the chance to see quite a few people disembarking a cruise that just docked. Their smiling faces gave us a sense of happiness. 
We boarded the cruise about a half hour before it was time to sail.
There were plenty of choices on where to sit, including upstairs in a covered or uncovered area or downstairs in an indoor or outdoor area. Any seat was a good one with a great view!
It was not long before we set sail. I can remember going on the Circle Line as a young adult and loving it and I was hoping my children would feel the same way. This was their very first cruise.
We headed out and somehow the lull of the water was very calming. Our captain was so knowledgeable about the surroundings that it was a pleasure to just sit back, relax and take in the sights! Although we were familiar with many of the sights, there was something about floating under bridge after bridge that was simply magical. We sat amongst both tourists and locals and everyone was pleased. 
Some of the highlights for me were passing Roosevelt Island,  Grant’s Tomb, Yankee Stadium and the beautiful view as we rounded back toward Manhattan. It was incredible to see all the mountains that are hidden behind the tall buildings of the city streets. We felt like we were a world away.
One big highlight for our entire family was being so close to The Statue of Liberty. We were in awe of Lady Liberty and also Ellis Island. There is something about the Statue of Liberty that I can never get enough of no matter how many times I have seen it. It also stirred up a lot of emotion as I watched people see it for the first time. 
My children were also happily surprised to find out there was a full snack bar on board and even a souvenir  cup! I was thrilled to see how clean the Circle Line was from top to bottom. It was also great to be able to walk to different areas of the boat during the tour. I would definitely recommend the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise to everyone and anyone! It’s great for all ages and very laid back. It was refreshing to us even though we are very familiar with all of New York. It’s a whole different ball game seeing it from the water. You just can’t explain it. So, tourist or local, this cruise is something you should not miss out on. 

Another perk, there are Special Event Cruises, so it never gets boring! You can cruise on the 4th of July, Bear Mountain Cruise, Yankee Stadium Cruise and even the Kiddie Cruise (next one is July 7th). For more information please check out Circleline42.com.
Disclosure: Special thanks to Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise for review tickets. 
All opinions are that of DianeSullivan. Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise is one of 3decades3kids
2012 TopTenSummerHotSpots! 
Email me: ELGeorgia@aol.com



Ubisoft Review: House M.D. :Critical Cases Facebook Game

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Ubisoft:
House M.D.
Critical Cases
Facebook Game
Review
If you are a House fan like me and looking for a great House game fix, House M.D. Critical Cases is a perfect online game for you.
I was really thrilled to find out that House M.D. Critical Cases was available as a Facebook game.
Watching the show, I always thought that  I could figure it all out. Now I have the chance. 
Upon entering the game you become the doctor. You do not play as House. I, of course, was Dr. Georgia, and chose the look that I wanted. There were many to choose from, so I liked that feature right away. The personal angle was great.
Maybe in the back of my mind I always wanted to be a doctor, since I really took to this game like bees to honey. 
I loved watching a scenario of what happened to the patient and then watching the patient’s arrival by ambulance to the hospital emergency room. Of course, not to worry, I was there to figure out the diagnoses and help cure the patient. 
Well, I mean, the first patient did not make it, but I did get the “Everybody Dies” trophy.
I guess the world should be happy I went with teaching as a life career and not the medical field.
But, none the less, I did catch on and was much
 better as time went on. 
I loved going back to the patient’s house or scene and collecting up clues to help me along.
The game was also filled with great mini games to keep things moving. The mini games also helped to rule out different things as you move along to the diagnoses.
Of course House was around to spew out a few sarcastic terms and help if you needed an opinion. He does grace the Boardroom and pops up as the game goes along. I did love being a part of House’s team, even if it was only on Facebook.
Of course the main patient is not the only one in the game. There are patients all over that help you to score extra points and cash to purchase items that you will need as a doctor.
It’s also a plus to bring in some Facebook friends to help you along the path as specialists in their field.
All in all, I did enjoy this game and I also had hubby give it a try. He is not a big House fan, but he did have a blast trying to diagnose the patient! 
Check out the game here
Disclosure:Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own. #UbiChamps 

See Imagination Movers at Sesame Place July 10 & 11th!

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Imagination Movers
Sesame Place 
Langhorne, Pa
July 10 &11
I was SO excited to hear that Imagination Movers would be coming to Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA on July 10th and 11th! What great news for everyone!
We recently were invited to their concert in NYC and it really rocked the house! If you have a chance to sing and dance with Imagination Movers at Sesame Place, don’t let it pass you by!
There latest hits come from the CD/DVD, Rock-O-Matic! 
The Movers sing about anything you can think of from messy rooms to healthy snacks! 
Little kids love it and so do the adults!
Come and join Rich Collins, Scott Durbin, Dave Poche and Scott “Smitty” Smith this July at Monster Rock Theater as Sesame Place!
Tickets are $10 an adult/child(2-11)
Show Times: July 10th and 11th 
1:30pm 4:30pm 6:30pm
Infants under 2 are free, but require a reservation
Tickets to concert not valid for park admission. Paid park admission required. Infants will be required to sit on the lap of an adult.
Buy tickets here:

Disclosure:All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan.
DianeSullivan/3decades3kids is a Sesame Place Ambassador Blogger.


3decades3kids: Win A Family 4 Pack of Tickets to Monster Jam-June 16th, MetLife Stadium NJ 7pm

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Win A Family 4 Pack of Tickets to
Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam 
Hits New Jersey and MetLife Stadium 
for the First Time Ever!
Monster Jam 
Path of Destruction
June 16, 2012
Anyone that knows our family, knows what huge Monster Jam fans we have become in the past few years.
It’s a great time for the family and even though are boys are older (21&12) and our daughter is only 5 we all seem to love it!
Everyone has their own favorite Monster truck and favorite driver, but no matter who is front and center our eyes are glued. You can check out our the last fun time we had at Monster Jam by clicking here!
GIVEAWAY:
To Enter Giveaway do any or all of the choices below:
  • Leave a comment below on this blog saying that you would like to win.
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  • Leave the Comment MONSTER JAM on  https://www.facebook.com/3decades3kids fb page
  • Comment MONSTER JAM on Twitter and tag @3decades3kids in the tweet!
  • Leave a separate comment below for each. 
  • You can also enter on  https://www.facebook.com/3decades3kids and/or https://www.facebook.com/el.georgia.7 by filling in the blank. Monster Jam is fun because_________. Fill it in as MANY times as you would like up to 20 times per person. Each answer counts as a separate entry! GOOD LUCK!!

Contest ends June 13th at 10pm. Winner will be notified and have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Good Luck! Monster Jam/Feld Entertainment is responsible for Will Call ticket delivery. Tickets are for June 16, 2012 7pm at MetLife Stadium. No transportation included. Tickets only prize. Thank you for entering.

It’s pretty hard to resist all the fun and thrills that Monster Jam can bring to your family and friends.
Maybe it’s that truck jumping, car crushing that gets us so excited about the upcoming Monster Jam. Or maybe it’s the donuts we enjoy as those trucks spin and spin. Whatever it is, we just cannot resist going back for more!
This time will be our first Monster Jam event with an outside venue. The last few we have seen have all been indoors, so we are really gearing up for a day and night of outdoor fun!
This will be the first time Monster Jam will be at MetLife Stadium  in East Rutherford, NJ. June 16th cannot come fast enough!
When Monster Jam Path of Destruction roars into town, they are coming in with a truck line-up that is three times greater than the tri-state has ever seen before. Highlight for our family will be Tom Meents attempting a Double Backflip! I know I will holding my breath!
More than 4,000 tons  of dirt will be laid down in the MetLife Stadium and 50 cars, vans, and buses waiting and ready to get the crush of their lives as they await the Path of Destruction!
My daughter is ready!
The Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam PATH OF DESTRUCTION truck line-up is fierce and includes:
·         Creator of chaos, Maximum Destruction driven by Tom Meents, dominates with ten Monster Jam World Finals titles.  The most successful competitor of the World Finals era, Meents is the sport’s only ten-time world champion, winning six racing and four freestyle world championships. Meents and Max-D’s most recent win was at this year’s 2012 Monster Jam World Finals.
·         Bad to the Bone for 30 years! Grave Digger®, driven by creator Dennis Anderson, along with the Grave Digger driving team have been crushing cars and thrilling audiences all over the world. The popular black and green wrecking machine has an international following and includes a fleet of eight Grave Digger Monster Jam trucks.
·         Nothing beats a classic and Grave Digger The Legend® driven by Adam Anderson, son of Dennis Anderson, is unstoppable. Proving his skill as a driver at the Monster Jam World Finals in 2008, he became the youngest driver, at age 22, to ever win a world championship.
·         Monster Jam PATH OF DESTRUCTION brings mega-sized action into the world of Marvel® super heroes. Larger than life, Monster Jam’s web slinging Spider-ManTM truck driven by Bari Musawwir will be joined by the Iron ManTM Monster Jam truck with its stealth look and glowing circuit board driven by Lee O’Donnell, and the indestructible WolverineTM Monster Jam truck driven by Alex Blackwell. The fourth super hero Monster Jam truck to join the force with its red, white and blue custom body armor and shield is the First Avenger, Captain America, driven by Chad Fortune.
·         Ground to a polish and known as the “Peoples Truck”, the Advance Auto Parts Grinder®, driven by Lupe Soza, has quickly become a Monster Jam fan favorite.
·         Leading the silver knight-themed truck Lucas Oil CrusaderSM into battle is Monster Jam superstar Linsey Weenk.
·         The beast will be unleashed during Monster Jam PATH OF DESTRUCTION as Damon Bradshaw will be behind the wheel of Monster Energy showing off his successful track record in both two-wheel and four-wheel motorsports.
·         The Queen of Carnage, Madusa®, was the first female driver ever to win the freestyle competition at Monster Jam World Finals and then capturing the racing title the following year. Madusa is one of the first and only trucks to be named after its driver.
·         Who let the dogs out! With massive floppy ears, a panting tongue and tail, Monster Mutt®, driven by Charlie Pauken is a Monster Jam World Finals Freestyle Champion. A fan favorite this dog will be let loose in Monster Jam PATH OF DESTRUCTION. 
·         Fueled by raw power and equipped for some serious, in-your-face Monster Jam action, the 10,000 pound Team Hot Wheels® truck driven by Dan Evans will be put to the test to tackle the most extreme obstacles!
·         Mess with the bull and you get the horns! The crazy bull, El Toro Loco® driven by Marc McDonald has remained one of the most recognizable and often “untamed” trucks in Monster Jam.
·         Join the Mowhawk Nation! Adorned with a jet black, razor sharp mowhawk, and an audible scream, Mowhawk Warrior®, driven by George Balhan is one of the most recognized personalities and stars in the sport.
·         New to the Monster Jam fleet is Metal Mulisha driven by Todd Leduc. Metal Mulisha is synonymous with freestyle motocross and other action sports and will be in the driver’s seat at MetLife Stadium.
A Monster Jam event would not be complete without a pit party for fans and families and the Monster Jam PATH OF DESTRUCTION Pit Party will compete with any stadium tailgate!  Pit Party Zones like the Grave Digger 30th Anniversary Experience, featuring a historical timeline from Grave Digger’s humble beginning to its rise in popularity, exclusive vintage attractions and limited edition merchandise will be on display. The first ever Destruction Zone featuring Monster Jam monster trucks Maximum Destruction and Mowhawk Warrior, a mega-sized Marvel Zone where Super Hero monster trucks reside before the main event. Fans also will get the opportunity to meet the stars of Monster Jam PATH OF DESTRUCTION while taking photos and getting autographs.
Monster Jam events are affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting at $35 for adults and $15 for kids. Advance Auto Parts will be offering fans a discount offer to SAVE $5 on adult tickets. Saving coupons will be available in participating Advance Auto Parts stores starting May 28, 2012. Tickets are available at the MetLife Stadium Box Office, the IZOD Center box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at MonsterJam.com, Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone 800.745.3000.

Disclosure: Review tickets provided by Monster Jam/Feld Entertainment
All opinions are that on Diane Sullivan
Twitter @3decades3kids
Facebook.com/3decades3kids
Email ELGeorgia@aol.com


Madagascar 3 Screening With Jada Pinkett Smith

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Madagascar 3 
Screening With
Jada Pinkett Smith
On June 8th DreamWorks Madagascar3 opened nationwide. 
I was lucky enough to be in an intimate group of women 
invited to the Paramount Screening Room, NYC to feast my eyes on the wondrous film.
The event was hosted by The Moms, who can really event plan with the best of the best.
 You know it is going to be top notch if Denise Albert and Melissa Gerstein 
have anything to do with it! 
We had a chance to chat with old friends and meet some new ones as we sampled 
the new Carpi Sun Super V and delicious NYCake Pops!
We were definitely Madagascar3 ready as they entered the 
screening room to be met with over 100 
Afro Circus wigs, one adorned each seat.
It was not long before the movie began. I am not embarrassed to admit that I am kind of 
a Madagascar movie expert, having watched the dvds over and over at home with the children.
So, I was more than happy to gear up and watch number 3. 
I love 3d movies and this one put some of the other 3d movies to shame.
Madagascar3 had our screening audience roaring out loud with laughter!
We were a room of adult women and we were laughing! 
Everyone enjoyed it!
Madagascar3 is wonderful for all ages. I attended the Madagascar3 Premiere at The Ziegfeld the night before with my husband and three children who span from 21 to 12 to 5 and they all laughed!
We loved it as a family and I loved it the next day watching it for the second time.
To tell you the truth I enjoyed it just as much, if not more.
Now, if that was not enough-just to spend time with friends and enjoy some goodies and the movie, the true gift was still waiting for us. 
As everyone focused on the credits in silence, it seems that Jada Pinkett Smith (who plays Gloria the hippo) made her way down the steps and gave us all a shout, “Why is everyone so quiet?”. 
What a way to relax everyone and let us know just how down to earth and real the 
conversation would be.
The Moms hosted a wonderful “talk” with Jada  and then the audience was given a chance to freely ask anything they thought worthy. Jada was so open and extended herself beyond just answering questions. She made us laugh and even made a few(or many) of us cry at one point with her stories.
Her openness about life, work, and her family surpassed any expectations that I had.
Although there were many points Jada made that I thought were important, I loved the fact that she
advised every mom in the room to make time for themselves. She told everyone to take a few hours and use them for they needed, something that made them a better woman. Mom’s need to take time to take care of themselves so they can better take care of their children. I would have to agree and it’s something I have a very hard time doing, but hopefully am getting better at it!
Thanks, Jada, and thanks to The Moms. 
You are the best!
Disclosure: Screening event provided by The Moms.
 All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan