one of the best “disney secrets” (in my humble opinion) is the espn wide world of sports complex.

if you’re anything like me – you’ve probably noticed the complex, maybe even visited it (perhaps while picking up your bib for a runDisney event), but never thought much about it.

it wasn’t until i literally ran through & around the complex during the walt disney world marathon, that my interest became piqued.

imagine my surprise when i realized that the sports complex is 255 acres of a magical wonderland… the perfect fusion of state-of-the-art espn innovation and the entertainment & magic we’ve come to expect from all things disney.

espn wide world of sports complex

the complex has made sports dreams come true for athletes and fans of all ages. it’s the home of altanta braves spring training & national championships like the pop warner super bowl, as well as hosting several open tournaments like disney’s sun & surf baseball bash and disney cup international youth soccer tournament. this amazing sports complex plays host to more than 350 amateur & professional sport events, 2 million athletes, coaches and fans each year.

what i LOVE  is that the complex is designed to give young athletes the ultimate sports experience. & i mean all youth athletes – no matter the level of experience, the skill level, or even the sport, there really & truly is something for everyone.

kids can participate in events, camps, and spring training at the sports complex in a entire range of sports – baseball, basketball, cheer, dance, soccer, football, volleyball, softball, cheerleading, track & field, golf, lacrosse, field hockey & more.

having kids in sports, & having played the role of team mom a time or two, i have to say i’m definitely sold & ready to sign up for the espn wide world of sports experience.

let’s be honest, not every kid (including mine) have the opportunity to participate in tournaments & have the experience of traveling with a team. that is something that is generally reserved for a select group of athletes.

but that doesn’t mean i don’t want my kids to have those same opportunities & experiences – because i do!

so you can imagine my surprise when i realized that the espn wide world of sports complex was the answer. they want to provide that “i’m going to walt disney world” mvp moment to kids everywhere.

& unlike other tournaments & camps, they really have thought of absolutely everything (in the typical disney fashion)…

pre-planning trip advice, fundraising opportunities (including team incentives, early registration discounts & even financial assistance), & specially priced walt disney world packages to fit all budgets.

once you arrive, the espn wilde world of sports complex can literally assist in coordinating & planning all aspects of your team’s trip.

& yes, i said trip. whether it’s figuring out how & where to feed your entire team, of picking an activity during the down time… the espn wide world of sports welcome center is at your service. it’s like your personal concierge, helping you get the best experience on & off the fields. which is exactly what this is – an experience. unlike other tournaments or training camps – this is more like a dream come true for both athletes, parents & even team moms alike.

all-inclusive packages (including discounted hotel stays and park tickets), equipment drop off (meaning YOU don’t have to lug gear across the complex to your field), boxed lunches or pizza delivery can be pre-ordered & delivered directly to the playing field,  tournaments are scheduled so that teams are generally off the field by 4pm (so there is plenty of time to play), off-field activities are available to keep little spectators busy during games to take advantage of during games (hula hoops, bean bag toss & more), professional photographers, & what young athlete (or parent) doesn’t dream of being featured on the jumbo tron? at the espn wide world of sports complex all these things are a reality.

while traveling & participating in tournaments can be intimidating, the espn wide world of sports complex & disney have teamed up to make this a truly magical experience for the entire family AND the entire team.

be sure to check out the espn wide world of sports complex event calendar for more information on attending an upcoming professional event, or registering YOUR team for one of their many amateur events.

or for direct & personal attention about attending tournaments or events with your child or team, visit the espn wide world of sports contact page. 

4. four. quatro.

any way i write it, it still means the same thing – my baby girl is growing up.

we celebrated this year’s birthday exactly as we have celebrated all the rest…

birthday balloons – a birthday just isn’t the same without a few balloons.

birthday pillow – a family tradition.

a donut cake – when it’s your birthday, you get a cake & candle at EVERY meal.

 & a disneyland day – the perfect reminder that ALL of our dreams
can come true IF we have the courage to purse them.

currently wishing i could push pause – she really is growing up much to fast.

i can’t help but love the classically awkward school pictures.

cheesy backdrops. cheessier smiles.

i think i can.

i think i can.

i KNOW i can.

last summer we spent 10 incredible days in paradise… we swam, played in the surf, discovered the local ruins, “xplored” underground caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites, ziplined our way across the jungle & ate way more chips, salsa & guacamole than i’d care to admit.

while i’ve definitely missed paradise itself, lately i’ve been dreaming & craving the homemade salsa we practically lived on.

let’s face it – salsa from a “jar” just isn’t the same as homemade.

luckily, the hotel chef, shared his salsa recipe with me, as long as i promised not to share it with anyone (other than my close friends).

good thing we are all close, personal friends…

paradise salsa

3 tomatoes, roasted in the oven
2 serrano peppers, roasted in the oven
1/4 of an onion, roasted in the oven
2 cloves of garlic, roasted in the oven
fresh cilantro leaves, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

mix everything together in a blender, making sure to leave some big chunks.

enjoy!

doesn’t everyone travel with dress-ups complete with a tiara & heels?

charlie certainly does.

the dopey challenge dilemma has literally taken over my life.

do i or don’t i?!

yep! the latest events added to walt disney world marathon weekend (next january 9th – 12th, 2014), have my head spinning.

you now have so many choices available to run during walt disney world marathon weekend:

* kids races (including the magic mile)
* family fun run 5K
* walt disney world 10K
* walt disney world 1/2 marathon
* walt disney world marathon
* goofy’s race & a half challenge (which consists of running both the 1/2 marathon & the full marathon)
* or, the dopey challenge…

the dopey challenge

4 days, 4 races (a 10K, 5K, half marathon & a full marathon), which means 4 possible costume opportunities, & a total of 48.6 miles.

all of this resulting in a grand total of 6, yes SIX medals (one for each of the four races, plus the goofy challenge medal & a new dopey challenge medal).

& i have i mentioned that all six medals are rumored to be brand-spanking new? they are breaking away from runDisney tradition (typically runDisney only changes medal design every 5 years), & creating six new medals, including one that is minnie themed for the 10K.

that my friends pretty much seals the deal for me – it’s no secret that i “will run for bling.”

boy oh boy – just thinking about the possibility of earning SIX medals has me seeing stars. the sound of the cling clanging is definitely music to my ears.

with a limited number of dopey entries – it’s sure to sell out.

the only questions are: how fast the dopey challenge will sell out, whether or not i’ll  be one of the lucky few earning SIX medals in a single weekend & which costume (or costumes) i’ll wear.

although, right now i’m leaning towards something that’s a little, well – dopey.

online registration for all walt disney world marathon weekend events opens april 9th, 2013.

if you are planning on registering for any (or all) events there are a few things you should know & consider:

* make sure to register early. it’s bound to sell out. every runDisney race seems to sell out faster & faster. the dumbo double dare sold out in just a few hours & the disneyland half was closed after only 26 hours. plus – there are 2,000 less spots available in this year’s races, in an effort to control the crowding!

* proof of time is now necessary for anyone who is likely to finish the 1/2 marathon in less than 3 hours & 15 minutes, and/or the marathon in 6 hours and 30 minutes or less. this is super-duper important to provide before november 1st, 2013 because you will no longer be able to change corrals during the expo.

* more corrals which will also reducing the crowding, & allow runners of similar abilities to be placed together – thank goodness!

the other thing i’m pretty excited about? women specific tech shirts!

wahooooo! runDisney has heard our pleas, & i’ll finally have a race shirt that actually fits ME!

oy vey! what’s a girl to do? so many options? so much bling!

do i run the walt disney world 1/2 marathon?

or maybe just the walt disney world marathon?

or, do i go “full monty” and run the goofy challenge?

but at that point, i might as well go dopey, right?!

somebody please help! am i certifiably insane? because i’m really starting to wonder.

but those medals are definitely calling my name! i think i just need a little “nudge” before i’m ready to commit!

i know i’m not the only one experiencing the dopey challenge dilemma – are you?!

marilyn monroe once said: give a girl the right shoes, & she can conquer the world.

& quite frankly – i agree… that’s probably why my closet (& my instagram feed) is filled with shoes.

here are some of my favorites this past week…

leopard print tiek ballet flats – these are my go-to shoe for every day & just about every outfit. you can’t go wrong (or have a bad day) with these on your feet.

right now i’m currently lusting over the patent leather blue tieks – how cute are they?!

brooks flow running shoes – the only shoes i wear more often than my tieks, are my running shoes.

i tend to wear both new balance & brooks running shoes, but these days i’m loving my brooks flows… lightweight, minimalist, with a touch of cushion. perfect for my long runs.

 vintage urban outfitters ballet flats – the perfect shoe to add a pop of color to any outfit. & they are so dang comfortable i could walk miles in them.

so what shoes did YOU wear this week?

chocolate banana bread pudding – it’s the ultimate comfort dessert.

banana bread (just like mom used to make – with a hint of coconut), combined with the ooey goodnes of melted chocolate, baked together in a warm pudding.

served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream & topped with an ooey gooey carmel sauce, or… if you’re feeling decadent – homemade hot fudge.

chocolate banana bread pudding

(recipe adapted from zoe bakes)

2 cups heavy cream
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 loaves of your favorite banana bread, (my favorite banana bread recipe includes additional chocolate chips & a sprinkling of coconut), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

directions:

preheat oven to 300°F. fill a large oven-safe bowl with the bread banana bread cubes & set aside.

in a medium sized sauce pan bring the cream to a simmer. remove fro heat & add the chocolate. swirl the pot so the chocolate is completely covered by the cream, cover the pot and let sit for 3 minutes.

whisk the cream and chocolate together until smooth. add the half and half, brown sugar,and vanilla.

in a separate bowl whisk together the eggs and yolks. add the eggs to the chocolate mixture and mix until combined.

pour milk mixture over the bread; let stand 10 minutes.

bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set in center.

remove from the oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

best served warm (although it’s pretty tasty cold too) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

feel free to top with ooey gooey caramel sauce, or homemade hot fudge if you’d prefer something a wee bit more decadent.

ooey goeey caramel sauce

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla in 1-quart saucepan. cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (5 to 8 minutes). stir in vanilla.

on my nightstand is our newest favorite book, round trip by ann jonas. it’s perfect for an afternoon cuddle, bedtime story – what can i say? we can’t get enough of it.

don’t be fooled by the simple black & white illustrations.

round trip is anything but simple….

read along as the travelers leaves their home, passing farms, trains, & crossing bridges.

before arriving in the city, where they explore, eat dinner & even go to a movie.

but unlike other books, the end isn’t really the end.

once the traveler reaches the city, you flip the book over & see the entire journey in a whole new way.

the city skyline, becomes a starlight night.

what was once a bridge, becomes a road lined with telephone poles.

trust me when i say, round trip is a story you’ll want to read again & again & again.