Recently I was sent a copy of this AMAZING book to look at. It instantly made me think of the places we'd seen over the summer at Disney. I mean, Animal Kingdom and EPCOT are just filled with incredible foods from many countries. 

This book is no different. Inside, you'll not only find maps (It IS an atlas after all!) but you'll find it's crammed with so many fascinating facts, beautiful pictures, games, and tasty looking food. What's fun is it's also split up by type of food. For example, grains, legumes, fruits, roots.

​It's always fun to learn about someplace new. This book has just that for both children and adults.

Would you like a chance to win your own copy? Keep reading!

As you read through, you are also going to find inspiration for your meals. I'm curious now about irio, from Kenya. It's one of their comfort foods (page 94) that's made up of potatoes, peas, beans, corn, and onion mashed together. I might need to adjust that a bit for food allergies, but that sounds really good! Maybe even topped with a bit of cheese or sour cream? 

There's a dessert from Iran called faloodeh that also sounds fascinating! (Page 80) This was originally invented by the ancient Persians, but is still popular today, and consists of cooked noodles frozen in a sugar and rosewater syrup with a wedge of lime, and sometimes topped with cherries, berries, or mint. Doesn't that just sound so unusual? I wonder how it is.

​Near the back, there are also some really eye catching games!

Just like all National Geographic books, you are going to learn while being entertained. One thing I really loved about this book in particular was not only the introduction to food from around the world, but that it talked about the crisis faced in getting this food too, like with water, natural disasters, food safety, and more. It was sobering. I'm sure you, like us, have had higher prices, less to choose from, and some absolute scarcity when it comes to finding food. These pages are a great reminder about the larger picture of our food supply. 

Here's a preview of two pages. The others are just as interesting! 
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I can honestly say, I've never met a National Geographic book I didn't like. From picture books to adult books, they are truly one of the few that any age can enjoy. This one is no different and now, something exciting!

You could win your own copy!

These generous people have also agreed to give a copy of this book to one of my readers. Now, the boring stuff! The prize will ship from the PR place for National Geographic. I'm not responsible if something happens and you don't get it. US Entries only, please. The giveaway ends after one week. When it's over, Rafflecoper will randomly select ONE winner and I will email the winner. You have 72 hours to send me your name and address so I can pass it along. If you don't get in touch with me, I'll have to select a different winner. 

Contest ends Aug 9, 2022.

Good luck! ​

 

It's giveaway time! Today, Disney Magic Mommy is giving away a perfect sized park bag and a copy of my new book, How to Manage Food Allergies at Disney World: And Other Important Vacation Planning Tips to Save Money and Have Fun, Not Stress!

This book isn't just for those with food allergies or dietary restrictions, but chances are good you know someone who suffers from them and is apprehensive about going to Disney. Maybe you are concerned yourself about how to manage something. Maybe you just want to be prepared, and know where the first aid stations are, what the best age for Disney is, prepping for your trip, the differences in restaurants and resorts. (Did you know there are over 200 places to eat on Disney World property?) plus more. You won't find specific info about rides and the best places to stay or eat. You will find there's no fluff, it's all just practical been there done that, there's how to navigate these situations, for both those with and those without dietary restrictions.

Bonus! It's NOT huge so it's NOT overwhelming! Something important to anyone! Written in an easy to read way, even the littles can understand this book.

You know me...I think there's NEVER a bad time to start planning your next trip. The information in this book is evergreen, meaning that if you don't go until next year or the year after, it's not going to be dated. 

You'll find the practical advice just as useful now as later. And even better? It's a small book, thin and easy to pack in your bag to reference as you head down to Orlando! 
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What will you win? One reader is going to win a copy of the book, and a sling bag like this! Bag is subject to Amazon availability (which is where your prize will ship from) but if this one isn't in stock, it will be one very similar. 

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I'm so excited for you to enter! There are multiple ways. Winner will be a random draw. The winner will be contacted by email, so please be sure your email is correct! Winner will have one week to send me their mailing address, or prize will be forfeited, and a new winner selected. 

​USA Residents only, BUT if you are from outside of the USA, keep reading! You'll have a chance to get the book FREE!

 
I have to thank my 8 year old, who took this awesome picture! I'm wearing my fun "I'm done adulting. Let's go to Disney" shirt I was gifted at Christmas by my brother and sister in law. 

And now...here's where you will enter! Contest goes through August 12th. Didn't win? Aren't un the US? As a gift for you, ONE DAY ONLY you can get the ebook FREE!  That day will be August 16th. I'll remind you on the facebook!

This is my way to say thank you for being a Disney Magic Mommy reader. Reviews are appreciated, as each review left helps others find a book to help take the overwhelm out of planning!
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Best of luck to you all!! 

You guys know there's nothing I love more than FREE money for Disney!  It's how our family of four can save BIG on trips to Disney even though just like you guys, our salaries aren't.  (And let's be honest, since the pandemic, who has a lot of extra? Everything costs more!) 

So, wouldn't $10, $50 or even some fun swag for the kids be AWESOME? Yep! Keep reading. 
It's not often you get money totally FREE for reading FREE bedtime stories! 

When I heard about this, I HAD to share. Full disclosure, I write for this company, BUT they are being so incredibly generous with this referral program, I got permission to share who they are, what they do, and how YOU can plump up your piggy bank a bit as you save for your next Disney trip. I'm so super envious I can't join, but I want you to be able to! 

I'll bet your kids have shelves full of books right? Who doesn't love a story? But do those same stories get a little tiresome, for both you and the kids? What if every night, for FREE a bedtime story was emailed over. Something super cute, like this: 
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(The details on how to get $10 or  $50 or other free goodies is after the story!)

Okay, so now that you've seen there are quality... (and yes, I wrote this one! You can click here to find a little more about what I do as a writer and editor) Let me tell you how you can get the CASH FOR DISNEY!! 

As I've already said, it's FREE to sign up for the stories. Stories are delivered every night at the exact same time in your email inbox, just at the perfect moment to share for a snuggle before bedtime or during. 

But, by telling others are the stories (that are FREE) and having them sign up with your referral code, you can get some awesome swag and money! What could you buy for $10 or $50 at Target or Amazon in prep for your trip? 

Snacks?  What about maybe new sneakers?  Maybe it's time to get new Park bag essentials? 

It's SUPER easy to earn this guys! How big is your family? Got a brother or sister with kids who can sign up? The other moms at playgroup? Your friends at church or the gym? I bet you could get people to sign up easily! All you have to do is tell them it's FREE, book store quality stories, delivered each week night to their email. Easy, peasy. Register, confirm the email and that's IT. 
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I'm passionate about children reading, and I'm not alone. Watch this short video from the creator of Story Tyke. 

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I can't wait for you to get your first story! There have been some AWESOME ones! Every night is different! You can click here to read a little more about the people who make StoryTyke happen. You'll even get to see a little image of me!  

2020 was pretty crazy, but a lot of good things came out of it. Let's start planning out 2021 or 2022 trip now. Come back and let me know how much you were able to stick in your savings with this trick! 

Click on any of the images above to visit StoryTyke or, just click here! 

Reading your children stories has never been so rewarding! ​(Pun totally intended!) 

I might have discovered my new favorite company. Basic Invite is one of the most amazing companies I have ever shopped at. Their customization is seemingly endless and you can preview everything instantly and tinker and play until it's practically perfect in every way! There are over 180 different colors to choose from when designing your products. Who else has that?! No one! It's not just colors, it's fonts, it's borders, it's the edges of your stationary, and the card shape! Let me tell you...I've never gotten to modify the text on a Christmas card before to make it just the way I want! 

It took forever for me to choose what I wanted to order because it was all so fun to explore. If you aren't wanting a large quantity, it's totally fine, you can actually order a sample of what you were thinking of, so you can hold in your hands and make sure it's perfect before you buy more. Everything ships quickly too, for those last minute needs.

Enough talk though, let me show you what I got! 
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I choose some basics, so that I could test a good variety of the Basic Invite products. For starters, I chose the note cards. There are over 40 colors of peel and seal envelopes to choose from! No licking a zillion envelopes when mass mailing for an event! You can match or contrast your cards perfectly with all of those colors! It's amazing how you are in complete control over even the tiniest of details. ​
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​Then, I moved over to the stickers. While doing these, I had the best idea ever (but didn't have my vacation picture downloaded yet, booo!) how cute would these be with the kids faces, to label their stuff at school, or on a thank you card to someone, maybe with your business logo (like I did my blog name!) or even, for you allergy parents, a reminder for a child's allergen, so they could wear the sticker on a field trip, or put on a desk or lunch box as a reminder to others. 
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​Lastly, I chose some thank you cards. There were so many designs, I could have spent all day choosing what I wanted, but I chose simple, in teal. There are so many fun cards to pick from, just browse, you won't be disappointed! 
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Foil options are available too, which is really exciting and I think would be really fun to make a special occasion invite or note even more special! You can choose from gold, silver or rose gold, which all you Disney fans will agree, is a Park favorite.

There's another special thing that sets Basic Invite apart. Ever heard of address capturing services? Me neither! But just by sharing a link, you can request friends and family's addresses, and those addresses can be printed AT NO COST onto envelopes for you! What a time saver!

There are so many more products to choose from, like business Christmas cards, and regular business cards (think of all the non business uses those could be used for!) I hope you'll take a few minutes to browse the site! Pick a product and start customizing it. It's a lot of fun, and you won't be disappointed with the final product.

Possibilities are endless with Basic Invite, and to help you get started on your own creative journey, use the coupon code 15FF51 for 15% off your order!

I am excited to use my own Basic Invite products. The quality of the paper is fantastic, it's thick, beautifully printed, and it was so much fun completely customizing everything, I can't wait to go do it again!

You can find Basic Invite of course, at their website, but also on

Facebook

Pinterest

Instagram

Twitter

They are ready to answer any questions you might have!  Check out a few of their other products! Are you ready to try for yourself?

Don't forget to use coupon code 15FF51 for 15% off your order!  ​

You guys know I am ALWAYS on the lookout for the perfect Disney bag. It’s almost embarrassing how many I have bought and rejected, or tried and never want to try again. Guys...I think I might have found THE bag! 

Today, we are excited to do a review on the Montem Diadema 18 L Hiking Daypack, AND one of YOU will have a chance to win your own!  

This Daypack comes in three different colors, so there's one that will fit your personal style.  It’s water resistant, which is an absolute must, especially at Disney World or on any water ride. Even though it’s ultra light, it’s also rip resistant and I sure put it to the test, pulling and tugging on all of the seams and over loading it with all the essential Park stuff this Disney Magic Mommy needs.  

A little about Montem

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I am sure glad it was born. There’s so much to love about this company, all products are designed in the USA, there’s FREE shipping on every US order, and they make it easy if you need to return something. A quick look through the site shows how innovative and high quality their products look. 

The Diadema Daypack does not disappoint! When I took it out of the packaging the first thing I noticed was how big it was! What’s exciting though, is it isn’t big because it’s wide, it’s big because it’s long, so no matter what size person wearing it, they are going to be able to hold their load comfortably and not feel like they can’t fit through a narrow opening, think a crowd, a doorway, or that tiny space between parked cars.

​The straps might be my favorite feature, they are mesh on the front part that would sit on your shirt. Raise your hand if you’ve had this situation before at a Disney Park...you are next to get your photo taken with the character you’ve waited over an hour to see in a twisty, crowded queue and no air conditioning in nearly 100 degrees. (Hello Hiro and Baymax!) You take off your backpack, and see….EW! Yep. Those awful sweat lines from your backpack straps. You are either going to have to put it back on, or hope when you get home your picture touching up skills are awesome. Mine aren’t, so yup. Backpack on. Sigh.


With these straps, you aren’t going to have that problem. There's even a neat little sliding feature to adjust the height of the chest strap! Perfect for someone who is taller, or shorter! To make the weight distribution more even, there’s even a waist strap! I love bags with that extra strap. It really makes you able to carry your pack without strain on your shoulders.  
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​On the outside of the Diadema Daypack there are two pouches. Perfect to hold water, sunscreen, your phone or whatever else you need quick access to. The pouches area really deep. My bottle of water barely poked through the top, so that's great! Nothing can fall out if you bend over! 
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The front has a small zippered pouch to hold money, or Disney pins, or whatever else you want slightly secure, and there is also a pouch on the inside going almost the entire depth of the bag. When we reached in, there was a surprise!  ​

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​Nope! Not the Hulk’s shower cap Spiderman stole! It’s actually a rain cover for your daypack! How great is that? This is going to be the bag I don’t have to worry about covering up with my rain poncho, and hoping the rest of me can still stay dry!

​But I know you guys have the same question I did…. Will this hold everything I need?
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​My answer is YES! I packed all my usuals! Pins, sunscreen, sunglasses, phone, money, autograph stuff, ziplock bags, drinks, snacks, baby wipes, camera, ponchos, epipens for the youngest,  and I STILL had room.

Because the Daypack doesn't have a zipper, it cinches up, and there's the outer flap you can snap closed, so you don't need to worry if you've got something really long you are trying to squeeze in, like an umbrella, folding chair, camera tripod or sporting goods. It's going to fit!

This is going to be the BEST bag at a Disney Park, because it’s so deep, you can just put your small packages inside of it when you hit a gift shop and keep your hands free, or you can carry your towel cushion for the parade, or water park along with anything else you might need. With a backpack this big, we might even finally be able to to be a one backpack family!

Outside of the parks this daypack has a lot of different ways to use it! It would be great for the gym, sports, including outdoor sporting activities, and even just to keep on hand, because it smushes down so tiny. I really could see this being a great travel bag, too. 

Remember I said YOU could have a chance to win your own Diadema Daypack? The generous folks at Modem are giving ONE lucky winner their own Diadema Daypack! You can enter below! I wonder which one they will surprise you with! 

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The rules are simple, but please read them:


Winner will be announced Friday October 4th

• USA and Canada entries only, please
• Must be aged 18 or older
• Winner will be notified by email from Disney Magic Mommy and has 72 hours to reply from time of email, or another winner will be chosen.
• Winner must provide real name, and mailing address to Disney Magic Mommy, which will then be given to the Modem representatives.
• Prize will be shipped to winner within 30 days

Still not convinced? Watch my video testimonial, (or don't if you love me!) then keep scrolling to enter! (Disclaimer, I really don't feel comfortable being on video, to top it off we had our kids plus a neighbor's kid running in the yard, and one kept grabbing my legs. Oh the distractions they caused! It's a wonder I got this recorded!! I really feel so awkward in it!)