Anders Ruff Workshop in Pineville & Davidson, NC

This mama is a level 10 goddess with a glue gun, but a nail gun? Not so much.... it gives me flash backs of the staple gun incident of 2005 (see this video for the embarrassing details). However, I do love honing my DIY skills and attending workshops. When the lovelies at Anders Ruff Workshop in Pineville, NC invited us to blog about one of their workshops I decided I'd have to leave my torrid staple gun history in the past and learn a cool new skill.

If you haven't checked out AR Workshop, you'll love what they're all about. In addition to creating useful and beautiful custom DIY masterpieces the ambiance is like stepping into a designer magazine.

The colors, the textures and the decor are all on trend. Their aesthetics woven with creativity and know-how provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable GNO, date night, party or just some YOU time.

I've been obsessed with all the projects I've been seeing on their Instagram, so choosing just one from all of their carefully selected options was hard! The ability to choose something that fit my home decor, while my cousin chose something that fit her home decor was one of my favorite things about the AR Workshop. We didn't all have to do the exact same project unless we wanted to.

I opted for the signature family established centerpiece box.

My cousin chose the monogram laurel wreath established plank wood sign. 

We saddled up to our benches to survey our wood, tools and pre-printed custom templates. Then we chose our stain and paint colors. We met Jeanette our table lead, who shared insider tips and helped us through each step of the project. If you are a super savvy with all things wood and power tools, or if you're a total newbie, the ladies at AR Workshop can adjust their instruction to make sure you're feeling confident and empowered to create something totally unique. 

Jeanette showed us how to use different tools and techniques to smooth then destress the wood. Next she guided us through staining, dry brushing and additional distressing with a hand sander. It was an interesting process to get hand-on-experience with. I already have another project at home that I plan to try wood distressing on with my new found knowledge. 

I received one-on-one instruction with the nail gun and was able to overcome my nervousness about using the power tool. My cousin and I laughed, distressed (in a wood-way) and enjoyed our conversation as we created our custom projects. We applied the customized template and technique to ensure that the letters didn't bleed outside of the lines. 

We did a tour around the workshop to see everyone's finished products, check out the Facebook LIVE video here. I was really excited about how my centerpiece box came out, it's going to be the perfect addition to our dining room table, and it's fun to tell people that lil 'ol me made it. 

To schedule your one-of-a-kind workshop experience with AR Workshop you can check out all their workshop locations and projects here. You can follow them on Facebook here and Instagram Pineville here and Instagram Davidson here. 

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Disney Hacks - Strollers

Looking for NO-FEE Concierge Disney Vacation Planning? I'd love to chat with you about how to make your family's Disney Vacation (World, Land, Cruise, Aulani, Hilton Head, Adventures) seamless, fun (even for you Mom!) and full of life-long memories. Email me at Lareina@WaltsWorldVacations or on Facebook at Lareina with Walt's World Vacations.

When you #DisneySoHard, your stroller is your royal carriage. After you've pushed the kids for seven miles in the Florida heat it can feel more like you're schlepping around a pumpkin on wheels if you haven't used my #DisneyHacks for selecting and loading your stroller like a #DisneyBoss. Check out my Disney Hacks series here to learn how to make your life easier and how to #HackYourDisneyVacation.

"Lareina, how many more double strollers do you really think we need to try?" questioned my Prince Charming as I scoured the stroller section during our third trip to the baby store, "They're all going to be the same."

"Ha! All the same?!" I retorted "There are double wides, double tandems, sit and stands and even a double tandem that looks like a bunk bed! Our kids need to be able to eat, recline and be comfy - all with good sun coverage. I need to have storage and the ability to hang food bags on it like it's heading up the Alps. I want it to be easy to maneuver through the crowds on a dime. I need to be able to add a third kid if our oldest gets too tired at the end of the night. I need to find the SUPERFECTA of double strollers for our year of Disney visits!"

Prince Charming gave me his somewhat amused "Riiiiight..." look. 

Then, I saw it. It was Epic. Magical. Tears of happiness streamed down my cheek as we loaded all three kids into the BOB Revolution Pro Duallie jogging stroller and maneuvered past the diaper section and around the the high chairs like WHAT - effortlessly! 

I had to pay for the BOB stroller, so this is NOT a paid ad. Nope, it's much more organic than that. I'm seriously #MomCrushing on this stroller, even at home walking through the neighborhood and at the mall. Through the vacation my Prince Charming, sister and my mom fell in love with it too. Especially when my sister was straining to maneuver her double stroller and I gave her that "I told you should have rented/borrowed/bought the BOB Revolution Pro Duallie" look and she shot me back her "Shut your face, ugh, I hate it when you're right" look. #HiveMind

Here is our Daddy sherpa pushing all three kids through Epcot after a long day in the park. 

Loading your stroller is equally as important to a successful day at Disney. You can check out my post about how to pack a #DisneyGrabBag here, and see which essentials I recommend toting to the park. Below I'll show how to load it on your stroller so it's easy to push and not top heavy and tipping. 

What I used on the stroller:

• 2 mommy hooks
• 2 16-can Igloo cooler totes
• Back pack (see how to pack a #DisneyGrabBag blog here)
• Flashing LED hanger (to help you find your stroller at night or stay together with a group)
• Blanket (if there are any mornings or evenings that will be chilly)
• Wipes holder
• Hanging hand sanitizer
• Extra carabiners attached with zip ties
• Velcro mesh stroller bag

I attached the two mommy hooks on the frame of the stroller (not on the handle) under the fabric and pushed them toward the middle to evenly balance the weight on the stroller. 

I looped the cooler tote handles around the mommy hooks twice so they wouldn't hit the wheels. I also attached the velcro mesh stroller bag on the frame too. 

I filled the cooler bag with frozen water and the other with snacks. We either carried the back pack, rested it on the top of the stroller or put it in the triangle area near the front wheel. 

Underneath I used the stroller storage space to put our LED glow items for after dark, our stroller rain cover, our water fan/misters and our ponchos. 

One last thing, strollers can be stolen in Disney. I've yet to meet someone where this has happened, but I had spent a pretty penny on my BOB. I borrowed a Tile, which I attached in a non-viewable location on the stroller frame. This allowed me to GPS locate it from an app on my phone if it was taken (or if it got re-located by the stroller gods of Disney) and it gave me peace of mind. 

Check out my other #DisneyVacationHack blogs..

Disney Hacks: How to Pack a Disney Grab Bag

Disney Hacks: Saving Money

Have Disney questions? Want more info? Comment on the blog and I'll get back to you! Happy Disney planning! 

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DIY Oversized Photo Booth Strip

As a kid growing up in upstate New York one of our favorite things was to go to the local midway during the summer and add to our collection of photo booth strips. I still have many of them spanning several years in a scrap book and get all sorts of nostalgic when I look at them.

I'd wanted to bring this retro part of my childhood into my house and decided to accomplish that by
making oversized photo booth strips as part of my wall decor. I wanted something low-cost, light to hang and easily changeable. To make my photo strips to the scale of the area at the top of my stairs I thought four 11"x14" black and white photos would work best. You could use smaller or larger photos depending on the size of the area you plan to place them.

I started by going to Lowes and buying a 4' x 8' 1/4" birch plywood. I had the folks at Lowes do my cuts for me. See the outline below. I was able to make three photo strips from one piece of the plywood.

Once I had my three 60"x13" cuts I sanded the edges to make sure they were nice and smooth. Then I painted the outer edges black. I used some left over chalk board paint I had, but any cheap black paint (even spray paint) would work. You only have to paint the edges because the photos will cover up the middle. You can paint the whole thing if you want, but I like short cuts.. 

Next I got my kids ready with their funniest smiles and favorite toys and props and took their pictures in front of a curtain. I made sure I took the picture from the same distance each time so that there would be continuity just like in a real photo booth. 

I used this template in Photoshop to create a small black border around each photo created in gray scale. You can use the template I used here for Photoshop, or you can also add the border in most photo ordering software. I purchased my photos from NationsPhotoLab, and right now (2/3/17) their 11"x14" are on sale for $2.10 each. That's the best price I've been able to find for these photos. Free shipping when you spend over $50. 

I mounted the photos on the board using painter's tape and started about 2 inches down from the top. Once I had the photos exactly where I wanted them I noted my measurement so I could re-create it on my other two boards. 

Last I used large picture Command mounting strips (holds up to 16lbs) at the top and bottom of my photo strips. 

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Northlake Mall: Adventure to Santa

'Tis the season to round up the kids for their annual picture with Santa. We were invited for an interactive, exciting new take on Christmas pictures with Santa at the the Northlake Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina. They're hosting Dreamworks 'Adventure to Santa', which is an innovative digital holiday experience for kids of all ages.

It's recommended that you make reservations for your adventure online here to help reduce your wait, and avoid any long Santa-lines.

You'll join Po from Kung Fu Panda and venture with him and his cast of friends on a journey to the North Pole to deliver cookies to Santa. The 'Adventure to Santa' is located near the food court, but on the first floor - the digital village that houses the adventure is quite breath-taking. All sides feature digital screens that show silly holiday scenes with Po and his friends. 

After we made reservations online in advance, we signed in at the front desk and received our passport to the North Pole. We waited outside of the large red doors, the kids bouncing in anticipation of seeing Santa.

The first room introduced Po, who explained our mission. The kids got to play on digital screens and help Po collect points before we moved into the next room for the sleigh portion of the adventure.

Next, we all loaded into a sleigh in front of an IMAX-like screen. Then we were off, there was some rumbling of the sleigh as we sky-rocketed to the North Pole. The older two were grinning from ear to ear, but little bits at 20 months wasn't as keen. My husband was able to stand up with her and then she was fine until we arrived at the North Pole.

The third room allowed our kids to create a printable holiday card by donning Po with custom faces, clothes, accessories and their names. My kids handed each of theirs out to their cousins at a family gathering, and felt very big and important doing so.

The final room was where the man, the myth, the legend - Santa- sat in his North Pole study ready to listen toy hopes and desires. We all sat and took pictures - perhaps little bit's face gives away how she felt about Santa this year - but the older ones just adored this experience.

We had booked the Top Flight Package, and with this package they included one of the coolest things I've seen - a high resolution video of the kid's interactions with Santa that they gave us on a jump drive, as well as the digital images and printed photos.

You can check out the price points and what's included for each package below. I've looked around, and at first glance the prices look a little steep, but if you compare the prices for Adventure to Santa to any other mall Santa package in the Charlotte area, you'll quickly see that you get a much more immersive experience. 

At the end of the visit Santa gifted each of the kids these adorable plates they can set out with cookies for him on Christmas Eve. 

*Mom About Charlotte Disclosure: We were given the Top-Flight Package to facilitate the review, but as always all opinions are my own. I tell all venues/events etc. that I review, that  I only share what I love with my readers. 

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Christmas Came Early for this Mom! House Cleaning with Hux.com {Plus Coupon Code}

As a single woman my house was always clean and tidy, oh the organized life I used to lead! Then I became a Mom and my standards had to be lowered, and lowered and lowered yet again as kiddo #3 joined our family. Priorities have shifted to play dates and soccer games instead of dusting and deep cleaning. It's the reality of my mom-life as I balance work, kids, husband and the occasional MNO.

In the past I've hired house cleaners through friend's word-of-mouth, but they'd never done the job as thoroughly as I felt I would have done it if I had the time. I never knew what was included or not included, or how much it would really cost me if they charged hourly instead of by the job. 

Enter Hux.com, they contacted me to see if I'd be interested in reviewing their house cleaning services. I skeptically told them that while it sounded wonderful, I was hard to please and that I only share what I LOVE with my readers, and that if I wouldn't recommend it to my sister I wouldn't review their service on my blog. They agreed to the terms and at 11:30 PM from the comfort of my bed while watching "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" on Netflix I booked a full clean service with Cliff and Daniel. 

After you create an account at Hux.com, you can get quotes for different providers in the area based on your zip code, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms and the level of cleaning you need. 

Each of the providers are background screened before they can be featured on the hux.com website, and since it can be odd having a stranger in your house, they are also bonded and insured to protect you. They keep high standards, only 3% of applicants pass their process. Plus they bring ALL the cleaning supplies!

I loved that when I booked the service - either light, full or deep clean I knew EXACTLY what to expect would be done upon my arrival home. I liked having a guarantee spelled out so that I wouldn't be disappointed. 

Each provider has a satisfaction number along with customer reviews, the number of recurring customers that they clean for, their fee and their availability. In just a few clicks I was able to book Cliff and Daniel for a full clean of my home, easy peasy.

I received a text message from Cliff and Daniel confirming my appointment and touching base. I was at work while Cliff and Daniel cleaned and my nanny was home to let them in. She was really impressed with how hard they worked and that they even brought in ladders and cleaned ON TOP OF MY CABINETS. Friends, they no joke unearthed 4 years of dust up there. I was hearing lots of good things on the phone from home-base, but I knew the true test would be me walking through the house to gauge the level of clean myself. 

When I got home, no joke - it was like Mommy-Freakin-Christmas-Morning. My house looked AMAZING. Each room I walked into was like opening a present of exactly what I wanted - clean organization that I haven't experienced in oh - 8 years.

My hardwoods gleamed, everything was neat and tidy, the carpets were fluffy from being vacuumed (even the stairs!), my master bathroom sparkled. Sparkled. My whole family showers in our master bathroom and it's a never-ending effort to keep it under control. Cliff and Daniel had every inch of my granite wiped down, every shelf dusted, the beds made, the laundry in the dryer I hadn't gotten to - FOLDED. They even organized my daughters heap of books shoved into her bookshelf into a tidy show-room like state. BLISSSSSS! 

Guys, I know I'm a mom and I tear easily for emotional things -but I don't think I've ever teared up over my house being so gloriously clean. It's the truth - the cleanliness brought me to happy tears! 

I can't recommend the quality work that Cliff and Daniel from Hux.com did enough - I've already shared my experience with my close friends so that they can experience the #MomLifeBliss that I was lucky enough to get connected to.

You can check out my Facebook "Live" video here of the amazing work Cliff and Daniel did here. 

Did I mention they even left me chocolates? A clean house and chocolates. These guys are speaking my language, and I'll be booking them again very soon. 

You can enter the same level of #MomLifeBliss and get a $10 discount by using the code MOMABOUTCLTDEAL.

If you book through Hux.com I'd love to hear your experiences, comment below! 

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{Giveaway} Jurassic Quest in Charlotte

Gigantic animatronic dinosaurs have been spotted migrating toward Charlotte, NC for Jurassic Quest at the Park Expo and Conference Center on Saturday, October 1st and Sunday, October 2nd.

This is a special chance to get the dino-lover in your family up close and personal, interacting with these life-sized creatures. Sharing time at school just got WAY cooler when your kiddo recounts that your family journeyed to the Jurassic and rode a dinosaur over the weekend! 

Along with the dinosaur exhibit, families can explore the fossil digs, inflatables, Jurassic Jeeps, bungees, crafts, dino theater, science stations and more! Kids 2-12 are $20 for a regular ticket and $29 for a V.I.P ticket. Under 2 are free and adults are $25. Military and law enforcement families receive a $5 discount on each ticket. The V.I.P ticket is the best value, and you know your kids will want to experience everything there! **Socks are required for ALL inflatables!**

You can purchase tickets by clicking here, and follow Jurassic Quest on Facebook here. 

{Giveaway}

We're doing a giveaway of 4 tickets for Jurassic Quest. 

1. Like MomAboutCharlotte on Facebook. 

2. Share this Facebook post publicly (change privacy setting for the share to public) 

3. Comment on this Facebook post with your kiddo's favorite dinosaur

We will pick our winner randomly on September 23rd! 

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McDowell Nature Center and Preserve

McDowell Nature Center and Preserve is located on Lake Wylie, and offers a fun stop off for family adventuring. Their nature center is home to several critters kids will enjoy learning about including turtles, snakes and frogs. If you catch them during encounter time your tots (or husband) can get up close and personal with their corn snake.

The kiddos will enjoy reading a nature book, or participating in a bug scavenger hunt. The nature center offers several classes and kid-friendly events such as 'Animals Like Halloween Too!' 'Whooo Are Our Owls?" and 'Babes in the Woods' throughout the year. 

You can check out their programs for kids and adults by clicking here. Entry to the nature center is free, and many of the programs are free as well - you can even borrow a fishing pole to explore Lake Wylie (must have a valid fishing license). 

The trails at McDowell Nature Center and Preserve vary in length and difficulty. They offer camping, picnics, playgrounds and Copperhead Island a primitive group camp and shelter. 

McDowell Nature Center and Preserve is located at 15222 York Road Charlotte, NC 28278. 704-588-5224. Hours are M-Saturday 9AM-5PM and Sundays 1PM-5PM. 

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