Disney On Ice in SLC Next Week!!!

Do you have your tickets yet? There's still time to get them. Disney On Ice Dare to Dream will be opening in Salt Lake City at the Energy Solutions Arena next week. We are so excited. My girls can hardly wait and I am just praying that we will be sickness-free by then.

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DARE TO DREAM

Takes Adventure to New Lengths with Magical Moments

From Disney’s Newest Fairytales and a Timeless Classic

COMING TO SALT LAKE CITY, MARCH 6-10, 2013

Join a celebration of royal proportions when Rapunzel, Tiana and Cinderella star in the all-new ice skating production of Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream!  Relive memorable moments from Tangled, The Princess and the Frog and Cinderella as a cast of world-class skaters brings the romance, humor and adventure of the films to life in this contemporary skating spectacular. Combining the contemporary stories of two modern-day princesses, Rapunzel and Tiana, with the classic elegance of Cinderella, Dare to Dream whisks audiences away on exciting journeys where dreams really do come true.

Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths!  Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss.  And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true.  All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime!  Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to Salt Lake City!

Wednesday, March 6 – Sunday, March 10, 2013

·         Wednesday, March 6 – 7:00pm

·         Thursday, March 7 –  7:00pm

·         Friday, March 8 – 3:30pm & 7:00pm

·         Saturday, March 9 – 11:30am, 3:30pm & 7:00pm

·         Sunday, March 10 – 1:30pm & 5:30pm

EnergySolutions Arena – 301 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT  84101

Tickets go on-sale Feb 1. Prices range from $17, $23, $40 (VIP) and $52 (Front Row).*

Opening Night discount tickets available for only $12 each. (not valid for premium seating)

                               

All seats are reserved and available from the EnergySolutions Box Office and all SmithTix locations, charge by phone at 801-355-SEAT or 800-888-TIXX and online at www.smithstix.com orwww.energysolutionsarena.com.  

** I am a Feld Family Ambassador and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I received these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. **             

Molly Grows Up

I have lovingly referred to Molly as my potty training nemesis. 

Since she is the youngest, I had grand schemes of potty training her earlier than the others and leaving the world of diapers behind forever.

 But Molly had other plans. 

She showed absolutely no interest in potty training when she was 2 1/2 years old. I was fine. I could wait. My other kids were close to 3 years old when they potty trained. Molly had other plans. She had absolutely no interest in potty training when she was 3 or when she was 3 1/2. Frustrated, but advised by those wiser than I, I decided to chill and just wait until she was ready.

And then in January, Molly decided to potty train herself. One morning she put on panties and she's only had a handful of accidents since. She still wears Pull-Ups at night (a new adventure for us--we've never had to use them before) but I think she'll be fine once this bag is finished. Celebration! 

Just in time too! Because not only is Molly's fourth birthday next month, but an opening in a coveted preschool just happened to open up this month. We're actually very sad about this because it means our dear friends have moved away. Sweetly, my friend arranged for Molly to take her daughter's spot.

So, Molly started going to preschool this morning.

It was going to be our first day with all five kids in school but Lilly woke up with a croupy cough last night and is home sick today. Figures.

Molly loved preschool. She loves her teacher already and even started talking before the end of the first day (to the delight of the other students who were wondering if she could talk). She's told me all about her class and her teacher and her teacher's dog.

We're so excited for Molly to have this chance to learn and grow. 

Can hardly believe my baby is so big already.

A Thousand Pardons - A Book Review

I enjoyed The Privileges by Jonathan Dee a few years ago and was anxious to read his latest novel A Thousand Pardons. What happens when a person does something out of character? After the fall-out from her husband's poor choices, Helen becomes a single working mom living in Manhattan with her daughter. Working for the first time in years, Helen discovers a talent for helping men apologize for their mistakes and she quickly becomes a star in the crisis management department for a PR firm. While Helen focuses on the crises of others, she is finally able to find peace in the upheaval of her own life.

Dee has his finger on the problems that plague our current society. He explores the consequences of choices and people's ability to forgive within the framework of a well-plotted, entertaining story. Up-to-date on pop culture and current events, Dee writes novels specific for this era. Just as Kerouac's On The Road or Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath helped define their generations, Dee's novels will undoubtedly be remembered for describing the ills and triumphs of the early twenty first century.

However, the ending ties everything up a bit too neatly and too quickly. There is some bad language throughout the novel that some of my readers may find offensive. 

**I received a complimentary copy of A Thousand Pardons in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. **

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea - Book Review

Sometimes there are books that just take my breath away. I often find myself reading these rare books more slowly--putting the book down right in the middle of an emotional scene so that I can think about it for awhile before I continue; lingering on a lyrical phrase or an image so real and haunting that I finally have to look away. Books filled with characters so complex and honest that surely they exist in a world beyond the pages of the books. While I'm compelled to reach the ending and gobble every word, I resist sprinting to that final page.

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri is one of these exceptional books. Saba has only vague memories of the day her mother and twin sister Mahtab flew away to America, leaving Saba behind in Iran with her father. Resisting the post-revolutionary Iran, Saba is obsessed with banned American music, movies and TV. She imagines the life of freedom Mahtab is living in America as she experiences love, heartache and the cruel barbarity of the New Iran.

That description, while technically accurate, seems not enough to invoke the emotion and power within the pages of A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea. The book captures the desires of all women throughout the world, while creating a distinctive and individual character of Saba--uniquely her own, with her own personal struggles. The supporting cast are equally important and well developed--they are people either fighting against or giving-in to their personal destinies while their lives are entangled with Saba's.

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea could be labeled as a "coming-of-age" story, yet that title alone is not enough to encompass its themes and value. It's a social commentary about the injustices against women. It's a call for each woman to be strong enough to make their own choices and reach their own dreams. In the end, it's a marvelous read about a story-teller named Saba who made her own dream come true.

**I received a complimentary copy of A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea in exchange for my honest review. No additional compensation was received.**

Monster Jam - Review

My boys have been excited for the Monster Jam truck show for weeks. At the last minute, we realized that the timing coincided with the due date for Utah Dad's big project in his financial analysis class so he wasn't able to go with us. Fortunately, my dad happened to be in town and he came with us tonight.

Monster trucks are not my thing. I wouldn't have thought to go to the show. It's not even on my radar. However, my brother attended the Monster Jam shows with his boys while he lived in North Dakota and he told me how much fun the shows are. Really, he was right. It was down right entertaining to see the huge trucks smashing cars and spinning out in the dirt. 

The trucks are cool--really cool but we all agreed that we especially enjoyed the stunt dirt bike riders. Their tricks and jumps were death defying and seriously amazing. 

The drivers were very personable and climbed into the crowd several times to greet their fans and give gifts such as shirts, trophies and the girl (very very cool) who drives the Monster Mutt Dalmatian gave away her hair bow to a fan.

The show was very very loud and thankfully we were prepared with ear plugs which helped a lot. Since there was no way I could hear my kids asking for treats, I really enjoyed the entertaining show.

Tickets are still available for the shows on Saturday in Salt Lake City. Ticket prices are $22 and $30 for Adults; Kids tickets only $5 each for select seating. 

**Above ticket prices are advance purchase only; all tickets priced $2 more day of show. Tickets subject to

convenience, service and handling fees.

Tickets are also available for purchase at the EnergySolutions Arena Box Office, all Smith's Tix

Outlets, online at www.smithstix.com, or charge by phone at 800-888-TIXX. 

When I get a chance I'll add some of the pictures Neal and I took tonight but for now...

** I am a Feld Family Ambassador and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I received these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. ** 

The Lifeboat - Book Review

I thought I would love The Lifeboat. A friend highly recommended it and I have in the past enjoyed the other books I've read about survival on the open ocean. I was immediately intrigued by the opening chapters. Three women are on trial after surviving on a lifeboat with 39 other people after the sinking of their ocean liner in the early days of World War I. The suspense and mystery are immediately introduced and the desire to find out what happens at the end compelled me to devour the book in a day.

Survival books are interesting studies of human nature--watching people reduced from polite and civilized to instinctual beings intent only on their survival or mere shells of themselves as they give in to the harshness of nature and die. Are people good or bad? Do they become their true selves now that they are released from the rules of society? Are their real personalities magnified or are they changed by their horrible surroundings? What The Lifeboat does well is highlight these questions and others about those who survive or don't survive in perilous situations. The book will leave you pondering about human nature for days afterward.

However, what the book fails to do is keep up with itself in the story. The plotting is slow at times--regularly going back to the narrator's past with her husband, now lost at sea and presumed dead. Other than the main character/narrator, the other 39 people on the lifeboat do not become fully fleshed characters. It is hard even to grasp the motivations of the co-conspirators on trial. Possibly this is because of the narcissistic nature of the narrator who cannot fully be trusted. Nuggets of information are given regarding the mystery surrounding the main character and the sinking of the luxurious ocean liner to entice the reader to keep going. But just like the philosophical questions that aren't really answered, neither is the mystery solved or the truth discovered.


Other books of ocean survival I enjoyed more are :

In the Heart of the Sea : The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick (the tale of the true story that inspired Melville's Moby Dick--it made my top 12 book list for 2010)
Moby Dick by Herman Melville (read my review of Moby Dick and Ahab's Wife *here*)
Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Monster Jam is Coming!!!

My boys are so excited to go to Monster Jam this weekend they can hardly stand it. Do you have your tickets yet? It's not too late!

There's a great discount deal with $5 Kids tickets available for select seating at each event.

ADVANCE AUTO PARTS MONSTER JAM®

RETURNS TO SALT LAKE CITY FOR MORE

ENGINE-ROARING THRILLS AND CAR-CRUSHING

MONSTER TRUCK ACTION

**Featuring More Trucks Than Last Year

Plus Three Trucks Making Salt Lake Debut Appearances**

Tickets Now on Sale for Three Shows at the
EnergySolutions Arena on February 15 & 16, 2013

For three shows only, motor sports fans will witness EIGHT of the world’s best monster trucks
battle it out in the ultimate event of intense speed, racing and destruction as the Advance
Auto Parts Monster Jam® returns to Salt Lake City. Featuring more trucks than last year’s
events, the 2013 line-up is showcased with appearances by World Champion powerhouses
Grave Digger®, El Toro Loco® and Max-D® celebrating 10 years of car-crushing mayhem
(with new tricked-out truck redesign), plus the Salt Lake debuts of Mohawk Warrior®,
Captain’s Curse and Monster Mutt Dalmation, along with Utah’s own Maverick (driven by Ron
Duncombe) and Incinerator will be electrifying crowds at the EnergySolutions Arena with the
breathtaking stunts and awesome power of the world’s most popular monster trucks.

One of the most popular touring family entertainment sporting events in the world, the
Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam is a high-flying, car-crushing explosive event of demolition,
speed and powerful stunts surrounding the world’s best monster trucks and drivers whose
skills provide an awesome spectacle of “rock-and-roar” that will bring fans to their feet
cheering for more!

EnergySolutions Arena

301 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Friday, February 15th

Saturday, February 16th

“Party in the Pits” open from 11:00am–1:00pm (**New Extended Time**)
**Saturday event ticket and Pit Pass required for entry

(Pit Pass purchase price is $10 Adults; $5 Kids; available at venue box office or online at SmithsTix.com)

Event Time – 2:00pm & 7:30pm

Ticket prices are $22 and $30 for Adults; Kids tickets only $5 each for select seating.

**Above ticket prices are advance purchase only; all tickets priced $2 more day of show. Tickets subject to
convenience, service and handling fees.

Tickets are also available for purchase at the EnergySolutions Arena Box Office, all Smith's Tix
Outlets, online at www.smithstix.com, or charge by phone at 800-888-TIXX.

Maverik Adventures First Stop is offering a $5 discount coupon at participating Maverik
locations with the purchase of 8 gallons of gas.

** I am a Feld Family Ambassador and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I received these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. ** 

Winner of the Disney On Ice Dare to Dream Tickets

It's someone's lucky day. Really. It's rather fun to wake up in the morning; plug the numbers into the True Random Number Generator and watch for the results. The suspense is as fun for me to see who will be the winner. This morning I did the routine: picked a number and counted through the comments. Then recounted and counted again just to be sure. Because this person is just plain lucky. She won a give-away on the blog a few weeks ago too. Luckeeeeee. (Apparently it pays to just keep entering all the contests.)

So, the winner of the 4 tickets to see Disney On Ice DARE TO DREAM in Salt Lake City is . . .

Rheanna

Congratulations! I hope you and your family have a fabulous time at Disney On Ice. Please contact me with your information soon so that you can get your tickets.

If you didn't win tickets today you can still get tickets for Disney On Ice Dare to Dream. In fact, if you use the special code MOM at checkout you can receive discounted tickets for the Thursday at 7PM, Friday at 3:30 PM, Saturday at 11:30 AM, Sunday at 1:30PM and 5:30 PM performances, for ticket levels of $23 and $16.

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DARE TO DREAM

Takes Adventure to New Lengths with Magical Moments

From Disney’s Newest Fairytales and a Timeless Classic

COMING TO SALT LAKE CITY, MARCH 6-10, 2013

Join a celebration of royal proportions when Rapunzel, Tiana and Cinderella star in the all-new ice skating production of Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream!  Relive memorable moments from Tangled, The Princess and the Frog and Cinderella as a cast of world-class skaters brings the romance, humor and adventure of the films to life in this contemporary skating spectacular. Combining the contemporary stories of two modern-day princesses, Rapunzel and Tiana, with the classic elegance of Cinderella, Dare to Dream whisks audiences away on exciting journeys where dreams really do come true.

Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths!  Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss.  And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true.  All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime!  Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to Salt Lake City!

Wednesday, March 6 – Sunday, March 10, 2013
Wednesday, March 6 – 7:00pm
Thursday, March 7 –  7:00pm
Friday, March 8 – 3:30pm & 7:00pm
Saturday, March 9 – 11:30am, 3:30pm & 7:00pm
Sunday, March 10 – 1:30pm & 5:30pm

EnergySolutions Arena – 301 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT  84101

Tickets go on-sale Feb 1. Prices range from $17, $23, $40 (VIP) and $52 (Front Row).*
Opening Night discount tickets available for only $12 each. (not valid for premium seating)
                             
All seats are reserved and available from the EnergySolutions Box Office and all SmithTix locations, charge by phone at 801-355-SEAT or  800-888-TIXX and online at www.smithstix.com or www.energysolutionsarena.com.            

** I am a Feld Family Ambassador and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I received these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. ** 

The Painted Girls

Even after art history classes in college, Edgar Degas is one of the handful of famous artists that I can easily recognize his work. Let's be honest, it's not that difficult since he regularly painted the ballerinas from the Paris Opera.

Inspired by the art of Edgar Degas, Cathy Marie Buchanan recreates the life of Marie van Goethem, Degas's model for much of his artwork and his famous statue of a young ballerina in her new novel The Painted Girls.

Paris, France in 1878 is not all idyllic romance. Marie and her sisters Antoinette and Charlotte have recently lost their father and must now do their best to support their impoverished family. The younger girls begin their study of ballet hoping to become petits rats at the Paris Opera. Antoinette, who has already been dismissed from the Quadrille, gets works as a walk-on actress in the famous play L'Assommoir by Emile Zola. While Marie finds success at ballet and as a model for Degas, Antoinette falls in love with another amateur actor in the play--Emile Abadie.

Antoinette and Marie are interesting, unique literary characters that are fully alive in The Painted Girls. Not always wise and very naive, the girls have a limited number of choices based on their unfortunate circumstances. However, it's empowering to watch them grow and finally take some control of their own lives.

Tying together the pieces from history--the art of Degas, the literature of Zola, and the string of murders in the city, Buchanan creates her own fascinating study of poverty, crime, and the possibility of goodness and honesty in the depths of despair and filth. This novel deals with the harsh realities for poor young women. It is occasionally raw and brutally honest but also hopeful and lovely. This is historical fiction at its best.

**I received a complimentary copy of The Painted Girls in exchange for my honest review. No additional compensation has been received.**

Disney On Ice Ticket Give-away

DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS 

DARE TO DREAM

Takes Adventure to New Lengths with Magical Moments

From Disney’s Newest Fairytales and a Timeless Classic

COMING TO SALT LAKE CITY, MARCH 6-10, 2013

Join a celebration of royal proportions when Rapunzel, Tiana and Cinderella star in the all-new ice skating production of Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream!  Relive memorable moments from Tangled, The Princess and the Frog and Cinderella as a cast of world-class skaters brings the romance, humor and adventure of the films to life in this contemporary skating spectacular. Combining the contemporary stories of two modern-day princesses, Rapunzel and Tiana, with the classic elegance of Cinderella, Dare to Dream whisks audiences away on exciting journeys where dreams really do come true.

Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths!  Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss.  And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true.  All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime!  Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to Salt Lake City!

Wednesday, March 6 – Sunday, March 10, 2013
Wednesday, March 6 – 7:00pm
Thursday, March 7 –  7:00pm
Friday, March 8 – 3:30pm & 7:00pm
Saturday, March 9 – 11:30am, 3:30pm & 7:00pm
Sunday, March 10 – 1:30pm & 5:30pm

EnergySolutions Arena – 301 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT  84101


Tickets go on-sale Feb 1. Prices range from $17, $23, $40 (VIP) and $52 (Front Row).*
Opening Night discount tickets available for only $12 each. (not valid for premium seating)
                             
All seats are reserved and available from the EnergySolutions Box Office and all SmithTix locations, charge by phone at 801-355-SEAT or 800-888-TIXX and online at www.smithstix.com or www.energysolutionsarena.com.              

One lucky reader of Utah Mom's Life Blog will win a 

set of 4 tickets to Disney On Ice Dare to Dream.

To be eligible to win the contest leave a comment on this post. You can earn extra entries by sharing this give-away on Facebook, Twitter or your own blog. Leave additional comments for each share. The contest will be open to entries until Sunday, February 10th at 11:59 pm MST. The winner will be chosen randomly from the comments announced on Monday, February 11th.

Good luck!

** I am a Feld Family Ambassador and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. Even though I received these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. **

Winner of Katherine Nelson CD

The winners of the Katherine Nelson Born Brave CDs are ....

 Kellie Dickes 

and

Rheanna

Congratulations! Please email me your information so that you can get your CD and start listening to Katherine's beautiful and inspiring music.

The Aviator's Wife - Book Review

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin captured my attention from the first page. Written in that comfortable style where the writing becomes invisible and the story and characters take center stage, The Aviator's Wife was a quick yet fascinating read this week.

Though Anne Morrow saw herself as the plain, shy girl, she became the unlikely wife to the most eligible bachelor of the 1920's--aviator and hero Charles Lindbergh. As part of his "crew", Charles taught Anne all the ins and outs of aviation and she wasn't only his partner in marriage but became his copilot and navigator in the skies. Constantly followed by the press, the Lindberghs explore the world together as a team.

Of course, life for the Lindberghs wasn't easy--tragic, if you will. We all know the history--their 18 month old son is kidnapped and murdered. Charles is described as a cold man, often insensitive to the feelings of others, especially his wife and children. He was also branded a Nazi during World War II. Anne and Charles drift apart as Anne devotes her life to raising their children and Charles flies around the world.

Throughout the novel, Benjamin brings Anne to life, sharing her inner tenderness and strength to get through life's hard times. Anne has a quiet resolve that is admirable. Her life and achievements echo that struggle that many women still face--success in their careers and in their homes--without many accolades for either. I never knew that Anne Lindbergh was a pilot, like her famous and celebrated husband. I'm grateful to know it now and pleased that Anne's life is celebrated in this new novel from Melanie Benjamin.

**I received a complimentary copy of The Aviator's Wife in exchange for an honest review. No additional compensation was received. **