For the past several weeks, O2O members have been attending and reviewing Mat Kearney’s concerts as he travels around the U.S. on his Young Love Tour. And last Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending his concert in Nashville*. The member reviews absolutely raved about Mat, proclaiming him to be a fantastic live performer who interacted well with the crowd and sang his heart out. Their reviews had me quite excited about what to expect.

Mat played to a sold out crowd in the Cannery Ballroom in downtown Nashville. Mad props to the tour manager for giving me a photo pass because I was able to squeeze my way up through the crowd (flashing my badge all the way) and hang out right next to stage for the entire concert! I was only supposed to take photos during the first three songs but I got so caught up in the music that I lost track of how many songs had been played and the security guard had to give me the “cut it out” signal. I was thoroughly embarrassed. Fortunately, I had befriended said security guard before the music began and since I immediately put my camera way at his signal, our relationship was still on solid ground.

Mat lead right in with songs from Young Love and then mixed it up with selections from previous albums. Being so close to the stage was exhilarating and well, loud! My poor ears. The music was wonderful but there were a few times when I had to cover my right ear with my hand (side closest to the bass and the drum set) to preserve my hearing!

All the member reviews indicated that at some point during the performance, Mat makes his way into the audience while singing and interacts with the crowd. I looked around at the packed room and seriously doubted that would happen but he proved me wrong! There was at least a three foot gap between the stage and the crowd control barrier but Mat leaned forward, reached out his hand to the people in the very front, grabbed a hand, put a foot on the barrier rail and disappeared into the crowd! He made his way through the fans and back to the stage which he hopped onto (it’s four feet high!) with the greatest of ease.

I think the only way I can accurately describe Mat and his band would be “energetic”! Even the slower songs held an unmistakable energy. Mat and company where completely focused and absorbed in the music the entire night.

Mat finished out the evening with a 3-song encore of Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” (performed with Leagues, the show’s opening act), “Ships In The Night” and “Hey Mama”.  As the opening bars of “Hey Mama” began, Mat turned and started singing the song directly to his wife, interjecting at one point, “She’s here tonight!” (and she was, standing backstage, about six feet away from me). It was a very fun moment.

The Fall 2011 portion of the Young Love tour ends next month in Minneapolis. According to his website, Mat will be touring throughout 2012 as well, so be on the look out for new 2012 dates and locations to be announced!

Here’s a little round-up of quotes from some of our members who reviewed attended concerts in their neck of woods:

• Tracy (Jacksonville, FL) of Cotton Pickin’ Cute – “During the concert Mat had conversations with the audience and livened up the crowd quickly. This was a small venue for them to play and he really made it feel personal. Walking out into the crowd he was all over the floor greeting the fans while singing. As he headed our way I threw my hand up in a high five way when his eye caught mine. You can imagine my shock when he high five’d me back and threw his arm around me while singing.”
• Bianca (Athens, GA) of Slick Housewives – “Mat Kearney took the stage and from the first song, I was blown away! Mat has an amazing talent not only vocally but switched between an acoustic guitar to electric guitar, and piano. Many of the songs were upbeat and hip and the audience was dancing and singing along. … He surprised everyone when he jumped off stage and made his way around the room. I have a short video where he sat right beside me. Throughout the night, Mat was friendly and engaged the audience with jokes, conversation and heartfelt stories!”
• Fadra (Carrboro, NC) of All Things Fadra – “I am thrilled to report that Mat sounds better in person, has an amazing voice, switches octaves with the greatest of ease, needs no backup on vocals, has great onstage presence, and TOTALLY played to the audience. That was my favorite part. He actually walked out into the crowd and played. He did a little freestyle rap mentioning both Tarheels and Carolina on My Mind. The crowd of proud North Carolinians went wild. He has an amazing energy and the whole show felt, well, happy. Everyone was smiling and having fun.”
• Brandy (Charlottsville, VA) of Newly Crunchy Mama of 3 – “From the first song, I was blown away by just how much raw talent Mat possesses. His voice is smooth and mellow, and he has an astounding vocal range. He also puts a lot of emotion into his singing, which was evident by his soulful performance. Mat also switched seamlessly between an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, and piano. (Like I said, he’s one talented individual!) Many of the songs were upbeat and fun, and the audience was dancing, singing along, and really feeling the music. I was impressed how Mat Kearney could go from a fun, upbeat song to a mellower, slower ballad type song without missing a beat. … Mat and his band had a wonderful, almost effortless energy about them, and it was clear that they truly enjoyed what they were doing. He was friendly, and engaged the audience in a lot of conversation. It was almost as if he were talking with friends, which gave the concert a more personal feel than a lot of shows I have attended in the past. Mat even jumped into the crowd and made his was all the way to the upstairs balcony, greeting the fans who were seated at the bar tables, all while singing.”
• Melissa (Milwaukee, WI) of A Broken Compass – “The concert was simple but intense — in a classy and engaging way. Mat (as if I’m on a first-name basis – HAH!) even ventured way out into the crowd at one point, interacting with the audience in a way that was endearing and not “showy.” And while many concerts I’ve attended include the artist having something of a monologue going during a live performance, Kearney didn’t go that route at all. Frankly? He didn’t need to. His music was it. Sincere.”
• Cherie (Bloomington, IN) of Queen of Free – “Kearney is just so darn likeable in concert.  It seriously feels like you’re sitting in his living room having a little chat.  And whether you’ve listened to his music over and over again or are experiencing it for the first time, a live experience like that will certainly make you a fan for life {and you’ll find yourself singing along in both instances, too}. … The evening was filled with so many fun memories . . . like the fact that Mat Kearney came into the audience and stood next to me while singing for a bit.”
• Ann (Pine Mountain, GA) of Mundane Magic – “As soon as Mat started his set people rose up out of their chairs and headed toward the stage area on the sand. Boyfriends took their girlfriends by the hand and kids were dancing along in the sand. it was clear that some in the crowd had come to see him specifically, but I am sure he won some new fans that day. Callaway’s beach was the perfect setting for Kearney’s well-written words and heartfelt singing. As the set transitioned through both familiar and new pieces, Mat Kearney delivered a crowd-pleasing performance at the Harvest Moon Festival.”

Thanks to all the members who have gone out to the shows! If you’ve attended one of Mat’s Young Love concerts, what was your experience?

If you’d like to see more photos from that night, I have more on my Flickr page.
*All the tickets given to O2O members were provided courtesy of Warner Records. My tickets to the Nashville show were purchased by One2One Network.

Mat @ Blissdom

I first heard about Mat Kearney from my friend Sarah. She takes guitar lessons and often learns his songs. Then Barbara and Alli announced that he would be performing at Blissdom. When he started singing at Blissdom, I was an immediate fan! And I was super excited when I learned that we would have his new album project for our members. I knew it would be an instant hit. Sure enough, the albums had barely reached CD players and iPods before we started getting excited tweets about how much they liked loved the album!

And then the reviews started coming in:

“I would highly recommend this album for some new tunes in your ear. Mat’s unique voice will remind you of the joy of young love that should continue on as young love matures.” Jen @ I Believe In Love

“When I popped the CD into the car player the other day the whole family was riding together and it didn’t take long before the kids were jamming out to “Hey Mama” in the back seat.

Kids car-dancing is like one of the cutest things ever, right?!?

And then I was singing the catchy chorus before the first play of the song was over. (we may have played it just a FEW more times since then…)” Elaine @ The Miss Elaine-ous Life

“If you haven’t heard the new song ‘Hey Mama‘ (and easily the best song, beat and lyrics on the album), then maybe you should check and see if your house has turned into a rock that is not letting any sunlight into your world. Because YOU NEED THIS SONG in your world! I first heard it on Pandora, and it literally made my day better and I could smell lilacs.” Carissa @ Good N Crazy

“I had never heard of Mat Kearney before and I asked my sister (total music-oholic) and of course, she had heard of him and liked his stuff. So, I gave it a listen…

…and another listen…

…and now it’s what I listen to (on repeat) while I bake. Love it!

It’s got an interesting blend of hip-hop/rap and melodic alternative. So it’s fun and pop-y and then calm and relaxing. Perfection in baking music.” Caroline @ Chocolate & Carrots

“We have had this music on non-stop since I got it in the mail last week. The music is fun and catchy and they lyrics aren’t just fluff. ‘Count On Me’ is full of brilliant play on words and it took listening to it several times and reading the lyrics before I finally caught it all.

It is not often that I can say this: I like every single song on this album.” Bridget @ The Ivey League

And then there was this:

I have to say, I completely agree with Bridget, I like every single song on this album. I asked on Twitter and Facebook a few days ago which song was everyone’s favorite and stated that if I had to choose, I’d say, “Ships In The Night“. But you know what, I think it really depends on what day you ask, even what time of day you ask. It changes all the time; they’re all my favorite.

This graphic to the left is a widget that will take you to all things Mat Kearney: his website, Twitter, Facebook, iTunes (to buy the album) and more!

Mat will also start touring next month! Check out his schedule and see if he’ll be near you!

Mat @ Blissdom photos by me.

There’s an exciting new television show set to debut next month on ABC. It’s “Pan Am” and it follows the lives of the classy, elite Pan Am stewardesses during the height of the airline’s popularity in the early 1960s.

Passion, adventure and espionage… They do it all – and they do it at 30,000 feet. The style of the 1960s, the energy and excitement of the Jet Age and a drama full of sexy entanglements deliciously mesh in a thrilling and highly original new series, “Pan Am,” premiering SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, on the ABC Television Network.

Welcome to the Jet Age. It’s 1963. WWII and Korea are history. A new kind of war, a Cold War, is underway. The world is poised on the brink of a cultural revolution, and everywhere change is in the air.

In this modern world, air travel represents the height of luxury, and Pan Am is the biggest name in the business. The planes are sleek and glamorous, the pilots are rock stars, and the stewardesses are the most desirable women in the world. Not only are these flyboys and girls young and good looking, but to represent Pan Am they also have to be educated, cultured and refined. They’re trained to handle everything from in-air emergencies to unwanted advances – all without rumpling their pristine uniforms or mussing their hair. These pre-feminist women form a powerful sisterhood, as they enjoy the rare opportunity to travel outside the country — something most women in this age can only aspire to – and one of the few career options that offers them empowerment and respect.”

Pan Am will take flight on ABC Sunday, September 25 at 10 pm ET/PT.

On Saturday evening, Sony Pictures Television treated us, and several of our friends and colleagues, to a screening of the pilot episode of “Pan Am” at The University Club atop Symphony Towers in San Diego. We were greeted with flutes of champagne, scrumptious hors d’oeuvres, and a breathtaking view of San Diego.

Then we settled into comfy chairs and plush sofas to escape to the friendly skies full of romance, intrigue and espionage!  This show has fantastic casting including one of our faves Christina Ricci.  The premiere episode has lots of unexpected twists and turns so if it’s any indication of the rest of the series, we’re in for some fun!

When the screening was completed, we were directed to our dinner by two lovely ladies dressed as Pan Am stewardesses!

@busydadblog getting properly addressed by the Pan Am stewardesses

Dinner was buffet of culinary delights: gourmet salads, steak, lobster tails and sushi!

At the end of the evening, lovely PanAm bags w/goodies inside were distributed by our dinner/in-flight attendants!

O2O's own Barbara, Paula, Amber, Linda & Malia striking a pose.

Experiencing this fun event with great friends made it a fabulous evening!

The bulk of our gratitude extends to the wonderful people at Sony Pictures Television! Not only do they know how to make exciting TV shows (Pan Am, Community, Damages, The Big C and more) but they also really know how to throw a classy event!

Are you ready to board Pan Am this fall and see the world? We know we are!  Thanks for flying with us. Bye. Buh-bye now. B’bye.

(Follow @PanAmABC to get the latest news, pics and behind-the-scenes info and check out the trailer currently on our sidebar.)

Photo Credits: Jen Tilley & Malia Carden

See more photos (by Jen) here!

Bowling with my Dad. I'm about five years old in this picture.

Bowling has been apart of my life for as long as I can remember. I bowled with my Dad as a kid, there were youth group outings to bowling centers, the student center at my college had a bowling alley (great for taking a break from studying!) and as a parent, I’ve had the opportunity to share this fun, family activity with my children. Bowling is one of those activities that can be enjoyed when you’re alone or in a big group and you don’t have to be a good player to have fun.

Summer is here and in many places it’s already really hot outside. Lounging by the pool or lake or on the beach is fun but sometimes, you just need to be inside where it’s cool. And if you have kids who are out of school, you also have that perennial challenge of finding activities to ease the “There’s nothing to do!” blues. This summer, go bowling! And there are no excuses because it’s FREE*.

AMF Bowling Centers around the country have launched Summer Unplugged, a program that allows kids 16 and under to bowl two free games everyday from May 30 to September 5, 2011. You simply sign-up on their website and each week you will be emailed a pass for free* bowling. Adults can get in on the fun, as well, for a drastically reduced rate. Just $27.95 buys four adults (17+) a summer’s worth of games so that you can show off your fancy footwork and artistic stylings. That is an amazing deal!

We’d love to hear about your experiences with AMF Summer Unplugged! Let us know in the comments! Did your kids beat the socks off of you? Where they “bowled over” by your mad skills? We just know you’re going to have fun!

Like AMF on Facebook to keep up with all the latest in summer fun!

*Shoe rental not included.

Last Saturday, I headed down to Franklin, TN, just south of Nashville, to the annual Franklin Main Street Festival. My objective was to seek out the Garnier Cleaner Greener World Tour bus so that I could see for myself what this tour was all about.

Found it!

And let me tell you, that place was hoppin’! They had people handing out samples, taking pictures and guiding guests through the tour. You see, the tour bus is actually a kind of mobile museum (and laboratory, as you’ll see later)! Inside the bus there is all kinds of information about Garnier and their new Pure Clean line of hair care products.

The Garnier Pure Clean Tour

After you go through the tour, you can make a Pure Clean Pledge and have your picture taken to go on the Garnier Facebook page.

My Pure Clean Pledge. Also, watch out for ginormous goldfish!

And you may remember from this post, that Garnier has teamed up with TerraCycle to give people ways to recycle used personal care and beauty products. There was a huge box set up in front of the bus for people to put items in for recycling.

Recycling Rocks!

I also got to meet-up with One2One Network member, Brigid!

O2O members are awesome!

And the probably the most ingenious part of the whole set-up was the the mobile laboratory inside the bus! Inside the laboratory, you could take hair samples and wash them using the actual Pure Clean shampoo and conditioner. Plus, a helpful lab assistant was on hand to give all the reasons why Pure Clean is good for your hair and good for the environment. (Just so you know, the video is completely unedited.)

Also, a goldfish mascot. Fun!

Goldy

The Garnier Cleaner Greener World Tour bus is currently in Ft. Worth, TX and will be continuing on to Detroit and New Orleans later this month! If you are in those areas, I would highly encourage you to head over there and see the tour yourself. It’s fun and informative!

Many of our members are very familiar Yanni’s music. We had a project two years ago that covered his ‘Voices’ album and concert tour. This time, it’s a brand new album of original music. Truth of Touch is his first release of original songs in over eight years. Members who signed-up to review this album included many who had participated in the last project and some who were completely new to Yanni’s music. We have been very pleased with the response from everyone about this album! One2One Network members really love them some Yanni!

Here’s a sample of the high praise that this album is receiving:

Truth Of Touch is a gorgeous collection of original pieces. – Amy of Coffee With The Mrs.

I love listening to instrumental music and Yanni does it best! – Kristi of Books & Needlepoint

As I listened to Yanni’s instrumentals, I was soothed, totally different than the songs that we hear on the radio these days! – Barb of FL Mom’s Blog

It is a beautiful album from first to last composition. – Rita of One 2 Try

I felt the stresses of my day melting away and I became energized at the same time. – Andrea of Adventures in All Things Food

The instrumental background is so soothing, yet so invigorating I am amazed at what it does for my soul and my spirit. – Joelyn of the days go on…

I was pleasantly surprised and found it was interesting that  almost every song gave me a visual as I listened. – Tina of My Highest Self

The music never fails to lighten my mood and make me feel relaxed and at peace with the world. – Dina of Just Another New Blog

Many thanks to all the members who have reviewed Truth of Touch and helped us spread the word about this amazing new album from Yanni! Several of our members will also be attending concerts and we are really looking forward to hearing about their experiences seeing Yanni live!

Truth of Touch is available for purchase online and in stores. Yanni is also currently touring the U.S., entertaining audiences with music from his new album. Check the site to see if he will be near you!

The most anticipated awards show of the year is just a few days away! The 83rd annual Academy Awards happens this Sunday, February 27th. Glitz! Glamor! Fashion! Movie Stars! And there’s always much speculation about who will win and what everyone will be wearing.

I took a peek to see what our members are saying about the upcoming awards show:

• O2O member, Kelly of Kelly’s Lucky You has a rundown of the films nominated for Best Picture and her take on them.
• If you’re hosting an Oscar Party, SusieQTPie has some ideas for games and food.
• What’s That Smell has been doing a series of bests and worsts, like this one: Worst Best Pictures Ever

One favorite activity leading up to Oscar Night is picking winners. We’ve put together four polls about the top four awards: Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Picture. We’d love to see who our readers pick as favorites in these categories!

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Be sure to check back and see who’s getting the most votes!

Oscar statue picture by FrogStarB on Flickr

The 2011 beginning of the NASCAR racing season is just two days away. The season starts in mid February with the Daytona 500, held in Daytona Beach, FL and lasts most of the year ending with the Ford 400, raced in Homestead, FL, in November. The Daytona 500 is the most prestigious and lucrative of the four major NASCAR Sprint Cup Series which is one aspect of the sport that sets it apart from others. While other major sports work up to a Championship event, NASCAR starts with one.

Another aspect of this sport that distinguishes it from others is it’s fans. While other sports can boast loyal and involved female fans, NASCAR’s female fans are knowledgeable, loyal and passionate, says driver David Ragan in an article from The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “The women are passionate about one driver and they’re usually decked out from head to toe in gear… That’s cool to see.” And competitive. That’s how driver Clint Bowyer describes them, saying they even more competitive than male fans.

Who is the typical female NASCAR fan? Doey eyed girls who just swoon over good-looking drivers? Housewives just taking an interest in their husband’s obsession? Oh, no. They are much more savvy than that.

Lisa DeSpain, NASCAR fan and blogger for RubbingsRacing.Com says,

“While I have met women who follow the sport because they think “Kasey Kahne has the most beautiful blue eyes ever”, or because their boyfriend or husband is into it, I know quite a few who can talk stats, tracks, and smack about their drivers as well as or better than some hardcore male NASCAR fans.

I’ve talked to numerous women who don’t care what color a driver’s eyes are as long as he can see well enough to stay out of trouble. They can quote team stats and qualifying times. They support their driver rain, shine, win, or lose and will fight for his honor with anyone who puts him down. Make no mistake, women are fans every bit as much as men.”

A 2007 article from CBS news claims that over 40 percent of NASCAR fans are women and that number is growing. In that article, Ruth Crowley of Motorsports Authentics says, “I think women like the sport of racing because it’s fast. There’s this element of danger. There’s an element of skill. And it’s just something that they can enjoy. You know, women understand the sport of racing. And I think that there’s pieces of this sport that really appeal to them.”

Taking this information, I decided to look into it a little more. We’re a network of women, what do our members have to say about being NASCAR fans? I caught up with three of our members, all longtime NASCAR fans, who were more than willing to answer some questions and dish about their favorite sport: Carrie, from Carrie With Children , Julee from Mommy’s Memorandum, and Lisa, from Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

We’ll start with the obvious, “What do you like about racing?”

Carrie: I love the speed and excitement of the races!  How could you not love watching cars go over 180mph just inches away from another car?!   I really love getting to know the personalities of all the different drivers, even if it is just through my television each week!  There is truly someone for everyone.

Julee: Racing is exciting! I love cheering for my driver and seeing different tracks and learning about how they came to be.

Lisa: I love the intensity of it. I know a lot of people think its boring, just cars going in circles.  But if you understand it, it really is an intense sport.  And if you see it live….you can’t beat the feeling the roar of the motors in your chest.  And I also think that if you watch the sport very long you get drawn in by the drivers personally.  You get to know which drivers are friends and which clearly aren’t.  There’s a lot of external stuff going on that makes it more interesting.

And how long have you been a fan?

Carrie: since I was a kid

Julee: since I was sixteen (that’s 25 years ago!)

Lisa: for more than 10 years

Who introduced you to the sport?

Carrie: It’s really all my grandfather’s fault. He used to set his VCR each Sunday to record the races, just so he could watch them again later in the week.  As a kid, I would always love it when my grandfather would ask which race I’d like to watch with him…and he’d open the cabinet and have stacks of old racing videos.

Julee: My dad introduced me to racing and I picked, then rookie, Jeff Gordon, to be my driver. It was based more on his looks, rather than his driving ability and I’ve been cheering him on ever since!

Lisa: I became a fan through my friends but then when my husband and I got together we went to a race our first summer together and seeing and feeling it live was what really hooked me.

Do you travel to races? Do you accommodate your schedule to be able to watch races?

Carrie: I live in Florida and have been to a few different races in Daytona. The last race I attended was the Daytona 500 in 2008. Although I love watching the races on TV, it’s always exciting to be there in person. You can just feel the energy! Now that I’m a mom, traveling is limited but I hope that when my girls are old enough we can take them to a race one day!

Julee: I’ve never been to a NASCAR race in person. My dad and I usually watch the races together on Sundays.

Lisa: I’ve never traveled for a race but would consider it. We used to plan around races more but it’s hard now with my kids getting older and having so many activities, so now we just DVR races.

So, are you loyal only to NASCAR or do you also watch Indy League racing?

Carrie: I’m loyal to NASCAR. I’ve tried many times to watch the Indy League but I just can’t do it.

Julee: Indy Legue Racing is only watched over Memorial Day weekend at our house. It’s not a big deal if we find ourselves camping instead.

Lisa: I only watch NASCAR. It’s hard for me to get into if I don’t know the drivers, so I stick with just Sprint series.

Most importantly, who’s your driver?

Carrie: I’m a Dale Earnhardt, Jr fan!

Julee: Out of loyalty I cheer on Jeff Gordon…always.

Lisa: I have several favorites but they change as the years go by so really its the sport I love.

While they are not scientific findings, it was refreshing to see that, for the most part, the answers these ladies gave fall in line with what is generally being said about female race fans. They are loyal, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and passionate!

What about you? Does NASCAR rev your engine?

photo credits: Rubbertoe and Rob Harris on Flickr

I know the snow has been the bane of many at the moment but there are some instances that an abundance of snow is a blessing.  Personally, I like all kinds of travel but I think I’m more of a mountain/snow person than a beach/sun person.  Those who know me know that I’m happiest when I’m at the top of a mountain soaking in the view before I hit the slopes with my husband and family on our snowboards.

I had only ever gone riding in the west (CA, UT, CO, AK and BC in Canada) but recently I had the pleasure of being invited to experience Sugarbush Resort in VT.  The fun thing was that not only was it my birthday weekend (which I got to share with my best friends) but also, I got a chance to experience a Learn To Ski/Snowboard weekend.  After almost 20 years of snowboarding, I figured I was ready to ‘Learn to Ski’ again.  The last time I put on skis, I was in my late teens and they were straight skis and super long.  (Yeah, and I may have been sporting a headband and raybans as well.  So like totally awesome!) The technology has changed so much over the past two decades and I was ready to give it shot.  My daughter skis now and I thought I would be great to be able to have the choice to ski or snowboard.

Me & My BFF's Chris & Shanna

So as a guest of the fabulous folks at Cabot Creamery and Ski Vermont, we joined Susie and Chelsee of We Are Not Martha and Robyn Moreno of BePracticallyPosh to take the ‘First Timers’ challenge.

Sugarbush has a really amazing program where if you are a true first-timer to skiing or snowboarding, for only $230 you can take a 3-Day First Timer Package and then at the end of the third lesson, you get a SEASON PASS to Sugarbush.  What a brilliant way to not only encourage learning but also incentivize them to keep coming back to enjoy their new skills.   Sugarbush is only a few hour drive from Boston, Providence and New York and if you like to fly (like me), it’s a quick one hour flight into Burlington and just a 40 minute drive to Warren, VT from there.  It really IS perfect for a weekend trip with the family or a couple of friends.

So our weekend was to show it’s never to early (or late) to learn to ski or snowboard. In our group, we had ladies representing 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50 year-olds and yes, one wonderful newbie who was finally learning to ski at 60. Her kids had skied for years and now, it was her turn!

Here’s a video of our Team Snow How experience at Sugarbush.

There is no way that I could do a better job of showing what our weekend was all about than the girls at WeAreNotMartha did so check out all the fabulous details there.   The folks at Cabot and Ski Vermont really thought of everything.  You could tell how much care was put into the entire experience.

I’m not surprised though because the more I find out about people behind Cabot, it makes total sense, they do things from the heart…but that’s a whole other post.

There is still so much time left in the season and you might as well put all this snow to good use.  Here’s more information about Sugarbush tickets, accommodations and special events.  They also have great women’s programs and a resourceful ‘Parent’s page’ that answers a bunch of questions you might have.  I highly recommend it.

Thanks to our hosts Roberta Macdonald, Jen Neary and Candace Karu from Cabot, Kathy Murphy from Ski Vermont, the impressive President of Sugarbush, Win Smith, along with our instructors Gary and Meredith and ski legend John Eagan as well as renaissance-man (pro-snowboarder/video producer/graphic designer/cool daddy)  Sean Neary for the Team Snow How video, his bad-ass designs for our Drop goggles & gloves and for escorting me on one last run before we had to go.

Thanks again for such a lovely experience oh and by the way, that habanero cheese is ree-dic-u-lous!

Note: I attended this event where my travel, accommodations and lessons were gratis. There were no obligations to recap my experience and all opinions in this post are my own.

The Power Rangers are back with an all new cast, a new look and a new network. Debuting tonight on Nickelodeon, Power Rangers: Samurai is the newest edition of the Power Rangers franchise:

“Combining comedy with action-filled storylines, the all-new half-hour series features a new cast of Rangers and never-before-seen villains, as well as high-octane action, martial arts and advanced special effects.”

The world’s most successful kids action series is in it’s 19th season and has moved from Disney to Nickelodoen and just got a shiny, martial-arts-influenced reboot. The series premieres tonight, 8 PM EST, on Nickelodeon before moving to it’s regular spot on Sundays at noon.

If you’d like to view preview videos for this new series, you can find them here.

Along with the premiere of the new series, Nick.com is launching their emPOWER site that “provides parents and kids the tools they need to work together to grow healthy kids and support healthy communities“. Along with daily fitness tips and information on healthy living, the site will feature a “ranger of the week” – kids nominated by their parents on the emPOWER Facebook site. This will be a child who is somehow making a difference in lives of their families, schools or communities. Be sure to “Like” Power Rangers emPOWER on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to get the latest updates about this powerful new tool!

As in previous series’, each Power Ranger: Samurai is represented by a color. And each character’s color represents one of five elements: Fire, Water, Sky, Forest and Earth. Did you watch Power Rangers when you were younger? Do your kids watch now? If so, which color ranger from previous series’ were a favorite? Is there one from this series that you see your child being able to identify with?