The Minnie Van

Before I had a baby I wasn’t too excited about a Minivan. Recently at Walt Disney World that all changed.  Together with Lyft Disney has created a very fun ride called the “Minnie Van”. It is a collaboration with the ride share service and available for guests of the resorts around the parks. You can arrange a ride in a private Disney car right from your phone. A Disney cast member drives you, so you know you’re in good hands, and they can take you anywhere around Walt Disney World Resort. The service holds up to 6 guest with two available car seats (versatile car seats that can be either forward or rear facing or even a booster seat) for little guests.

Minnie Van
The Minnie Van on our most recent WDW trip

On our last two trips to Walt Disney World we have had the opportunity to try the Minnie Van. One time from the Caribbean Beach Resort and once from the Polynesian. If you currently use Lyft you probably know how it works but additionally we had to ask for an activation code at the front desk to use the Minnie Van service.

WDW Minnie Van
Gianna loving the Minnie Van at WDW

On both trips the Disney cast member drivers were wonderful and so helpful and accompanying. The ride is $25 flat for a one way trip. Although this seems a bit high compared to normal ride sharing apps or the free transportation options WDW offers, when you are pressed for time or don’t want to deal with the bus service or other options it is a great time saver! Also being provided by Disney there is a feeling of additional safety and the provided car seats make it great for families.

The Minnie Van drops you off right where you need to be at the parks!

For us, we had a half day after travel to spend at the park so the time saved was well worth it. Disney music was playing during the trip which my daughter loved and it was so much fun to see her light up as she recognized a song. Both of our drivers have been so helpful and knew answers to any questions we have had.

On each trip, our Minnie Van was equipped with Graco 4ever car seats and Gianna loved them so much that we ended up getting one ourselves as her new “big girl” car seat!

Graco 4ever
Her new “Big Girl” car seat at home

If you are staying at a WDW property and are looking for a way to add a little special touch to shorten your trip to the park or ease to your day, make sure you try a Minnie Van. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks from our adventures at Walt Disney World in upcoming posts and follow us on Instagram @ATinySuitcase!

xoxo

Jaimarie

 

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The Best Makeup I’ve Found Recently

I have found some wonderful makeup lately that not only achieve a great look easily but also save me time. With wearing masks and Zoom meetings the need to “glam up” has changed a bit but here are the new finds that I absolutely love. Most can be found on my Amazon list here but one that can’t is listed below it. With my link you will receive a $5 gift card to use at Static Nails. I really love their products because they are easy to use and made with great ingredients. I haven’t been disappointed with any of these things I’ve included and they make life in this crazy time feel a little more normal when you still want to feel a little pop of glamour.

Best Makeup Finds
Static Nails

xoxo

Jaimarie

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A Model Baby

When my daughter was just over one year old she shot her first product packaging and print job as a model for the company Lulyboo. She had a great time doing it and enjoyed her first day in front of the camera at a professional photo studio.

Waiting for her next shot
Getting to know the Lulyboo products

I have worked as a model since I was a teenager and it was amazing to see her so comfortable on her first photo shoot (I know I wasn’t!). The whole team was so wonderful and knew just how to work with a baby and make her feel at ease. We shot at a studio in San Diego, California and she had a great day.

During the shoot with Lulyboo
Gianna on set with the wonderful women behind Lulyboo

Here is her ad for their Shopping Cart & Highchair cover. It is perfect for travel, has a zippered pocket and even has a place for a tablet or phone to keep kids busy while you shop or dine if you choose to. You can purchase it on the Lulyboo website, at Amazon, ToysRus, Target, Walmart, BuyBuyBaby, Bed Bath and Beyond and many more retailers.

The advertisement for Lulyboo’s Shopping Cart & Highchair Cover from their website
The advertisement for Lulyboo’s Shopping Cart & Highchair Cover from their website

(Photos from Lulyboo’s website)

 Since then she has done more shoots and enjoys playing to the cameras (and all of the attention) but this was her first professional modeling job and we will never forget it and the wonderful crew she worked with at Lulyboo.

❤️

Jaimarie

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Great Workouts You Can Do From Home

During the pandemic many people starting working out at home that never tried it before. For some people, home workouts were common but for others it was new territory. So many new options emerged in the last few years from online phone apps, Apple Fitness+, Peloton and more.

I love working out at home because it gives you the freedom to do it at anytime of day or night, with little to no preparation and it is a fantastic option if you have children. It is a great way to break up your day and if you are fortunate enough to have the time, it can be a lot of fun. It’s not for everyone, as some just prefer a gym and/or the company of a group for their fitness activities. If you’re willing to try something new, there are many great at home fitness options for all fitness levels. Below are links to some of my favorites and a list of some great fitness items that make working out at home fun and easy.

xoxo

Jaimarie

A great way to do dance based fitness at home from the BBS Online Studio.
Console free version of the fun Dance game Just Dance Now. Both my daughter and I love this!
Support your favorite animal organization just by walking!
Great things for fitness that make working out at home easier.
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Island Life

Our family recently relocated to The Bahamas for my husband’s work. Although our extended family lives here and we have visited often, nothing compares to the new adventure we are on. Traveling (and moving) with a toddler is always challenging.

Being based in California, London and Las Vegas previously, the island life is something you see in movies and photos on social media or are lucky enough to experience on a vacation or cruise (my previous experiences).  Although we will be back and forth, we will be spending quite a bit of time here and it is truly like a dream.  Spending the Winter in a tropical location adds a very fun twist to the normal cold holiday season.

Within a day of arriving, my daughter found a coconut that had fallen from a tree, cracked it open and we drank the water.  One of her favorite movies is Moana so you can imagine how excited she was!

She found a fallen coconut
Just like Moana!
Learning about coconuts
Drinking the coconut water

If you want to escape the cold Winter this is the place to do it!  Check back often for more about our adventures in The Bahamas here or on our social media Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, & Pinterest

🇧🇸❤️

Jaimarie

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Great Movies for St. Patrick’s Day

In our family we love to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and the culture of Ireland on March 17th. We have some Irish in our family heritage but it is a great day to learn more about the country, their history what the day stands for. Every year we make corned beef and cabbage and try to watch a fun movie about something to do with the day or the beautiful country of Ireland. Here is a list of great movies you may like for St. Patrick’s Day. ☘️

xoxo

Jaimarie

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Little Pim

My daughter has loved Little Pim since she was born. Now she is a little older, she uses the website and asks me to watch the dvds and use the app on my iPad and phone. If you haven’t heard of Little Pim, it is amazing. It is a wonderful language program for children from birth to age 6. It was created by Julia Pimsleur.  Her father, Dr. Paul Pimsleur created the Pimsleur Method of language learning.

Little Pim is a panda bear who teaches children many different language lessons through fun activities and songs. You choose the language you are looking to teach your children and there is a set for each. The videos have cartoons and live children and songs that she loves. In one video they whistle a song and through watching, she taught herself to do it before she was even 18 months old! She has been learning French and loves it. The program is from birth to age 6 (which is said to be the optimum time to learn new languages) and repetition is key.

With such a global world nowadays I’m so happy there is something to teach children to have an ear for languages and to learn about other cultures. There are 12 choices of languages and truly something for everyone from everywhere. Perfect for a bilingual family or a family wanting to be. It can be worked into your normal day and it’s fun for everyone in the family to learn something new.

Below is the cd of songs in French we started off with but you can get all of the dvds for every language they make.

Amusez-vous à apprendre !

Click here to get the cd

xoxo

Jaimarie

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