How to Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular

 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR, inspired by the phenomenally successful, Academy Award® nominated DreamWorks Animation film, fully immerses audiences into the show in ways that have not been attempted before. Barely contained within the arena, the production utilizes the full venue, maximizing every dimension of performance space to transport audiences into a mythical world of fire-breathing dragons who soar overhead at great speeds. The state-of-the-art animatronic technology and large-scale cinematic projections interact seamlessly with the live actors to bring the story to life.


The show features 23 dragons, some with wingspans of up to 46 feet, Viking warriors and world-class circus artists and acrobats, to perform against a state-of-the-art, wall-to-floor immersive projection measuring more than 20,000 square feet. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, RZO Dragon Productions and Global Creatures, the masterminds behind Walking with Dinosaurs, presented by S2BN Entertainment. Click here to watch video and learn more: www.DreamWorksDragonsLive.com<http://www.DreamWorksDragonsLive.com

8 performances only! July 19-22

Verizon Center

Feel the heat and experience the adventure of high-flying, fire-breathing dragons. Unleash your inner Viking and prepare for the invasion of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR!

Astonishing animatronic technology and world class performers bring to life the heartwarming story of DreamWorks Animation’s Academy Award® nominated film. This ground breaking arena show breaks all the rules of traditional live entertainment for the whole family featuring 23 dragons, some with wingspans up to 46 feet. Don’t miss it!

To learn more about the show and to purchase tickets click here: http://dreamworksdragonslive.com/tickets.php

Review: The Frostie Moose

On Monday, we went to check out the Frostie Moose over at the intersection of Hoadly Road and the Prince William County Parkway.  They were hosting a spirit night for our swim team, and who are we to not support the team, right?

Of course right. So, my husband claims that he's tried to take the kids before on two occasions and the store has been closed, even though their hours indicate they should be open.  I can neither confirm nor deny that, but since he was asked for his input, there it is.

Frostie Moose serves up ice cream soft-serve style and features several permanent flavors as well as a flavor of the day, which you can find up on the board or by following them on Facebook.  They offer limited indoor and outdoor seating, and their prices seemed very comparable to other ice cream shops in the area.

My kiddos went with a kiddie sized cone (which was pretty substantial in size) with sprinkles, and a chocolate milkshake and a cookie dough milk shake.  Everyone was happy with their choices, and I thought the flavors were good (I snuck a bite from each kid- quality control check, you know how it is!) our only complaint was that the pieces of cookie dough in my son's shake were too big to come up the straw, despite the fact that he snagged a bubble-tea sized one.  His sister was happy to eat them with a spoon after he slurped up all the ice cream, though.

The kids enjoyed the giant moose mural, the owner and her staff seemed friendly and quick, and all three munchkins said they would be happy to come back anytime.  I appreciate, too, that they offer booster night options.

We enjoyed our visit, and think we'd definitely go back for another special treat night.

(pictures from the Frostie Moose Facebook page and Yelp.com because PWC Daddy refused to take pictures for me because he was afraid he'd get someone's face in them.  Sigh.)

Giveaway: Follow That Fiddle

Win a Family 4-pack to Follow That Fiddle! -  Thursday, July 19 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. courtesy of the Hylton Performing Arts Center! 

"Follow That Fiddle!" takes you on a journey back to the origins of the violin & fiddles of the world and forward to the electric violins of tomorrow.  NSO violinist Glenn Donnellan enthralls the audience with American fiddling, European fiddling (including the visually stunning Norwegian Hardanger fiddle) and the Chinese two-stringed fiddle (Erhu) as you learn about the globe-spanning history of fiddling and the violin.  The performance culminates with Glenn Donnellan's one-of-a-kind fiddle, the Electric Slugger®, which he created from a regulation Louisville Slugger™ baseball bat and plays at MLB games.  This engaging performance captivates students as they learn about how a violin and fiddle make their sound, watch a bow and arrow become an instrument, and how with a little electric energy, a violin can ROCK the house!

In addition to the performance, children will have the opportunity to play the Electric Slugger® during a hands-on demonstration after each performance.

For more information or to buy tickets visit: http://www.hyltoncenter.org/calendar/250/
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To enter, please send an email  by clicking on the link with "Follow That Fiddle" in the subject line.  No other action is necessary.  Winner will be notified via email and Facebook on Wednesday, July 18th by 12:05pm.


Prize provided by the Hylton Performing Arts Center.  PwcMoms.com is not responsible for travel or other expenses, and assumes no liability on the part of the recipient or the provider of this prize. 

Guest Post: Leave a Financial Legacy

Leave a Financial Legacy™

Guest Post by: Sherri Gray, Certified Personal Finance Counselor®

In a previous post, I talked about loving your family well by getting a will that includes a medical directive, purchasing adequate life insurance, becoming debt free, and saving for the future.

When I talk about financial legacy though, I’m not only talking about how you handle your money while you’re living but also about what you leave behind when you’re no longer here. 

We should all be leaving assets, property, and money to our heirs, or to those whom we would like to bless financially.

But financial legacy is not just about putting in place the necessary financial tools to love your family well now or just about leaving behind assets to your loved ones. It’s also about what you teach your children and those who look up to you as mentors, about money.

Financial legacy is making decisions about how you use your money so that you and your family are living in financial abundance which overflows into and impacts your community. Then your family and your community will look at your money choices, see the positive impact on your life and theirs, and want to do what you did.

There’s a line in the book ‘A Purpose Driven Life’ that says, and I’m paraphrasing, it’s not about you. That line has stuck with me ever since the first time I read the book about 5 years ago. Because for the longest time, I thought getting my finances in order was only about me.

Now, I always say that my money is not just about me.  It’s also about leaving a financial legacy to my family and giving back to my community. And when your family and community see the rewards of your work, they’ll want to do what you did and they’ll in turn pass on what they’ve learned from you to their families and those they love and so on.

Your family and those you love, especially your children, learn by what you do and not just by what you say. So, always tell them what’s possible financially, show them through what you do, and watch them follow in your footsteps. That’s true financial legacy.

Sherri Gray will conduct a FREE Financial Legacy™ Workshop at Grace Church (17889 Fraley Boulevard, Dumfries, VA 22026), this Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 9 am – 12 pm. Light refreshments will be served. No registration is required.

Find more ways to save money by going to The Money Mom website at www.themoneymom.org  or following The Money Mom Deals Blog at http://themoneymomdeals.blogspot.com/.

Lavender Retreat Open House

Join Lavender Retreat in Woodbridge for an open house.  Leave the kids with dad/the sitter and come enjoy door prizes, refreshments, and even the unveiling of a signature drink.  Lavender Retreat offers skin care, massage therapy, and relaxation for the Woodbridge, Occoquan, Lake Ridge, Dumfries and surrounding areas.

Guest Post: Love Your Family Well

Love Your Family Well

By Sherri Gray, Certified Personal Finance Counselor Candidate

Loving your family seems liked a no brainer. We think of our parents and we show our appreciation of their sacrifice by calling them just to say hello. We see our spouse and extend an unexpected gesture that shows them how much we love them. We see our children and we marvel at how much we can love another human being and realize how God must feel about us.

Yes, loving our family seems like a no brainer. But so many of us say we love our families but our actions say something else. Our families depend on us for so many things and we try our best to fulfill their needs.  But many of us fall short in truly expressing to our families our love for them.

There are a few questions you should ask yourself to see if you pass the love test for your family.

Do you have a will? A will tells the state and your loved ones what happens to your money and your minor children in the event of your death. I know the thought of leaving your family one day is a difficult scenario to face. But it is something that must be addressed. The last thing you want is for the state to determine what happens to your children or your money.

Do you have adequate life insurance? 

Many people consider employer-sponsored life insurance sufficient. But the truth is that most employers only provide 2 -3 times your salary in life insurance. And when you change jobs, that insurance is no longer valid. You should have 8 – 10 times your income in 20-year level term life insurance, outside of your employer. This will ensure that if you are no longer here, your family will be able to function financially in your absence.

Do you have a plan to become debt free? Being debt free allows you to use your money in a way that benefits you and your family. The less you give to creditors, the more money you’ll have to save for the things that matter like giving, saving for the future, saving for fun, and leaving a financial legacy to those who love you.

Are you saving for the future? If you have all of the other questions covered then this part is easy. Saving for the future could be for giving more, traveling, retiring with dignity, leaving an inheritance, or buying that red two-seater Mercedes convertible you always wanted. Sorry, that’s my dream. But I digress. 

I know that you love your family even if you don’t have all of these questions answered. But when you do answer yes to these questions, you’ll demonstrate to your family that you not only love them but that you love them well. 

Find more ways to save money by going to The Money Mom website at www.themoneymom.org  or following The Money Mom Deals Blog at http://themoneymomdeals.blogspot.com/.

Giveaway: Waterworks Giveaway #2 and Potomac Nationals Giveaway #4

If you're looking for some great TV-free fun this summer, you've got some great options.  I love our local baseball team here in Woodbridge, the Potomac Nationals, and they've been so kind to sponsor tickets for us to give away all summer long.  I don't have 4th of July tickets for you, but I do have some for June 9th- the promotion for that day is $1 day!! If you don't win your tickets, you can buy them for just $1.  Hot dogs are $1, too! Check out our review of the Potomac Nationals experience, and see the full list of games and promotions by clicking here.

Now, another great way to have fun this summer is with Waterworks.  We did a giveaway for them a few weeks ago, and when I was at the park the last time with our homeschool group, I made a point to find the manager and let her know how much excitement was generated from her giveaway.  I think she's like me and felt bad everyone couldn't win, and while we can't get everyone in for free, she hooked me up with two more sets of family 4 packs for after 4pm tickets! I'll do one set this month and one set next month in August.  You can read more about Waterworks in Dale City by click here.

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To win: Leave a comment for EACH contest you're entering (so one for the Potomac Nationals and a separate one for Waterworks, if you'd like to enter both).  Winner will be selected on July 7th.  Please make sure that your entry is distinct enough that you'll know it's you (So don't leave a comment as "anonymous" because then I can't tell you that you won! Winners may be announced via blog, facebook, twitter, and/or email.  Winners assume all liability.  Prizes are non-transferrable and have no cash value.  PwcMoms.com is not responsible for your sunburns, hot dog bellyaches, or child being obsessed with Uncle Slam and follwing him all over the ballpark so that you can't actually watch the game.

Good luck! Contest closes at 12am on July 7th.