Ashleigh Marie: Teacher to Mommy

Easter Basket on a Budget for a 4 Year Old

4 Year Old Basket

Items Included:

1. Frozen Coloring and Activity Book $1

2. Reusable Modeling Foam Beads $1

3. 2 Disney Stickers $3

4. Rabbit Plush $1

5. 3 Frozen Crayons $1

6. Bunny and Dinosaur Eggs $0.50

7. Minnie and Mickey Candy Egg $1

8. Flopsy’s Snack Mix $1

9. Sour Patch Bunnies $1

10. Frozen 100 Piece Puzzle $1

11. Chocolate Rabbit $1

12. Peeps $1

13. Frozen 2 Elsa Funko Pop! Keychain $7 (https://amzn.to/3c8fiPv)

14. Whopper Eggs to fill eggs $1

15. Basket $1

Total $22.50

I bought most of the items at the Dollar Tree. Only 2 items were purchased elsewhere. I purchased the Disney Stickers at Daiso, and I purchased the Frozen 2 Elsa Funko Pop! On Amazon (see link above). This basket is going to be for my niece who is turning 4 on Easter. She is a huge Frozen fan and loves Elsa. I know she is going to love this blue, Frozen themed basket!

March and Saint Patrick’s Day Baby Photoshoot Part 2

March 17, 2021

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Everyone! Here is my Part 2, as promised, of Quincy’s March/Saint Patrick’s Day Photoshoots. Today’s Photoshoot was “Magically Delicious”!

In order to get this picture, I purchased a few items from Party City. I bought the bowl, milk jar, and banner from Party City. The cereal, you can obviously get from anywhere, but I bought mine at Target. Quincy’s onesie was purchased from Carter’s, and her bow was purchased from Marshall’s. A secret tip for the bow was that I got it in a Christmas pack. For Valentine’s Day, I needed a red bow, and I knew I would also need a green bow, so I bought a 4 pack of Christmas bows. For the 4 bows, it was only $1.25. It was a great deal!

Before bringing Quincy over to take this photo, I set up the milk, bowl, and banner where I wanted them. I chose to take the picture in front of the fridge because it seemed fitting since she was in a large bowl of cereal. I then placed Quincy inside the bowl. After placing her in the bowl, I put the cereal around her and on the floor. I quickly sat down and began taking photos. Since Quincy is now fantastic at sitting up and crawling, safety was not an issue. However, she couldn’t resist eating some cereal and she began drooling the colors of the rainbow. The biggest struggle was focus because there were so many delicious things surrounding her. I took this photo by sitting in front of her with the camera in portrait position. She looked so cute!

This photo was much more difficult than the previous photos to get. The reasons it was more difficult was that she was constantly moving the glasses or trying to take them off. I did use a sunglass strap (https://amzn.to/3bUFPj3) from Amazon which did help make them a little more difficult to move and stay in place. Also, she was trying to grab the gold coins. You can see her hand on them in this picture. Another issue was that she is now crawling, and would crawl off the set and come towards me. All these factors made this photo a bit more difficult to take. The cauldron was reused from her first Photoshoot. The supplies for the cauldron were bought at Party City. Quincy’s shamrock glasses came from Party City as well. The necklaces and hat were borrowed. Overall, it was fun taking these photos today and feeling a little festive. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Everyone!!!

March and Saint Patrick’s Day Baby Photo Ideas Part 1

March 2020

Quincy Leia is 8 Months!!! Oh how the time is flying!!! This month, we have been eating crackers and her favorite yogurt chips. She has started to cling a bit more to her mom. Also, she loves to laugh, be startled, and explore. She loves going for walks and hikes, especially in the baby carrier. Lastly, and most excitedly, we got a CRAWLER!!!!

Quincy is wearing a “Too Cute to Pinch” dress (https://amzn.to/30Bx72I) we bought on Amazon. Her shoes (https://amzn.to/3vc3Hq9) were also bought on Amazon. Her socks are from Carter’s, and her hat is from the Dollar Tree. I bought her milestone blanket on Etsy, and I made her milestone marker with a wooden embroidery hoop, artificial eucalyptus, and floral wire I bought at Michaels. This was the only photo I got of her on her milestone blanket. The reason this is the only photo I got was that she did not want to lay down. She was trying to sit up the entire time. Eventually, she got grumpy and didn’t wanna model for me at all. So, I decided this is the picture. It is still very cute of her, but it could have been better. I took this photo by standing over her, snapping my fingers by the camera, and making trilling noises.

In these images, Quincy is wearing her same outfit. However, we have a new backdrop! I made the rainbow from tissue paper I bought at the Dollar Tree and Party City. I simply crumpled it and taped it to the wall. The cauldron and gold coins were bought from Party City. To get the pot of gold looking this way, I filled it with tissue paper. At the top, I used a golden brown tissue paper. I then taped the gold coins to the tissue paper to keep them in place. For these photos, I had Quincy sitting up because she can sit up unassisted and without falling. She did not need much encouragement for this photo. I only really needed to call her name and wave to get her to focus on the camera. To get this photo, I sat on the floor a few feet away from her.

I can’t believe my little one is already 8 Months! I love tracking her growth through photos. This Photoshoot was so fun, and I loved making the rainbow and pot of gold. It was a little craft therapy and self care for me once the household was asleep. I hope you enjoyed reading about Part 1 of Quincy’s March Photoshoots. I plan to do another Photoshoot for Saint Patrick’s Day, and I will make sure to post those as well. Happy March and Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Everyone!

Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street lo

March 8, 2022

I was finally able to get to Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street to get my Disney fix. The only cost to go is $10 for parking in the Simba Parking Lot. I arrived around 2:00 PM, on a Monday, and stayed until 5:30PM. There was a long, socially distanced line of excited Disney fans to get into the Downtown Disney area. Once to the front, our party had our temperatures checked. Then, we walked past police with their canines. Finally, we went to an area to have our bags checked. It was a very thorough process, but it definitely made you feel safer.

Once in Downtown Disney, the first thing you see is the Star Wars Trading Post where the Rainforest Cafe used to be. I chose not to go in today, but from the merchandise displayed on the outside, I can tell there will be a lot of good finds for Star Wars fans.

After walking a short ways, you will come up to the Lego Store. This is a very popular location and store in downtown Disney. It had a long line both when I entered and when I exited Downtown Disney showing the popularity of this store.

Following the Lego Store, you will come across various booths, restaurants, and shops. I walked through until I got to Starbucks. Today, I chose to mark the occasion with a Baby Yoda Frappuccino (Green Tea Frapp with caramel on the sides).

Next, you will come across the World of a Disney. The line to get in this store went in front of the entire store and up to where the trams come. Every store and every food place had extremely long lines or waits to get in. I was shocked by the crowds and the amount of people who wanted to just eat and shop at Disney. Obviously, the Disney Magic doesn’t only come from the rides.

Overall, Downtown Disney was packed! I was surprised by how many people were there, especially on a Monday. People in Southern California must really be missing Disney by the turnout I saw here today.

After leaving Downtown Disney and entering California Adventure, we chose to rest, drink our Starbucks, and feed the baby. While we were sitting, we saw new balloons. They were in pastel, spring colors with Bambi characters. The price of these balloons were $10, and by how many I saw walking around Buena Vista Street, they were a very popular purchase. Then, we walked the entire street and reminisced about when the Parks were open. We really hope they will open soon after April 1st!

You could walk all the way back to the point where you could see the Cars Land sign. I felt like this day was a little teaser to when they open up for the “A Touch of Disney” event coming March 18th. I can only imagine the amount of people at that event after seeing how many were here today.

After our walk through California Adventure’s Buena Vista Street, we headed back to Downtown Disney to go into the World of Disney store. While in the store, we saw an endless supply of Disney merchandise, and we wanted to buy it all. (I am a sucker for a big-footed plush.) However, we refrained and only left with a mask for my sister.

Our final stop was at Marceline’s Confectionery to see their treats. We wanted to get something seasonal. They had a shamrock Rice Krispie, a bunny Rice Krispie, a chick caramel apple, a purple Easter-egg-looking caramel apple , and a chick cake pop. The chick cake pop caught my eye. It was covered in chocolate and had m&m’s for feet. On the inside, it had white cake. It was extremely gooey and moist on the inside. It was a cute and delicious treat!

My biggest takeaway from today’s day-trip to Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street is that the people of Southern California really want Disneyland to reopen. They will take whatever scraps Disneyland is able to offer them, like only shopping and food. Also, my other takeaway is that when the parks do open, they will have huge crowds and parks at max capacity. The people of California are tired of restrictions and are ready for places like Disneyland to be available again. Hopefully, we will be entering these wonderful parks and riding these rides very, very soon! We miss you Disneyland!

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Food Review

November 2021

Leaky Cauldron

I definitely recommend this place for breakfast. After going on Gringotts when the park opened, we ate here for breakfast. To order, you use the app. You must wait in line to be seated, but you can order on the app while in line. Once seated, you add your table number to your order. The server will bring your food to you once it is ready. I got the English breakfast with pumpkin juice, and my husband got the American breakfast with coffee. I did not like the coffee, but my husband did. However, I loved the pumpkin juice. It reminded me of apple cider. Also, my husbands meal was overall better tasting than mine. I had an English breakfast in London, and I loved it, so I thought I would try it here. I did not enjoy it very much. I would definitely do the American breakfast next time, but I am glad I experienced the English one. I loved the decor and it made me feel like I was inside the leaky cauldron.

Comic Strip Cafe

We got a pizza to share, my husband got a beer, and I got a soda. We were very, very hungry at this point. The food was average, and it satisfied our hunger. It would be a good spot for a picky eater who likes pizza. Pizza is almost always decent no matter where you eat it. It is very hard to mess it up. An average counter service meal.

Louie’s Italian Restaurant

We got the meatball sub with the Caesar salad and breadsticks. We were both starving again, so we ate this really fast. Part of the reason we were starving was the really long wait to get our food. The staff members were bringing the food to you. It was pretty late at the park (about an hour and a half before closing), so that could have been why. When we left, they were closed. The food overall was good, but not fantastic. It could have been a subway meatball sub and tasted the same. Overall, edible food that filled me up, but nothing amazing and very slow service.

Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor

I absolutely loved the butterbeer ice cream. I have now had butterbeer hot, frozen, and in ice cream form. My favorite is definitely the ice cream. Although, disclaimer, all forms are good and it just depends on your mood. Get the ice cream! You won’t regret it!

The Hopping Pot

I went here for a hot butterbeer. I liked the hot butterbeer, but not as much as the ice cream. I definitely think it would go well with breakfast or late at night when it is cold. I would love to recreate this at home. If you like the cold butterbeer, but you also like hot drinks, then you should give it a try!