Mommy Upgrade - Inspiration for Busy Moms Who Make, Shop, Eat, and Go - Reviews and How-to's to upgrade your Mom life!

A science-in-disguise exhibition where kids get the answers to many of the slimy, oozy, crusty, stinky questions they absolutely love to ask about the human body. Designed to be the first of its kind, the exhibition gives kids, along with intrigued adults, an opportunity to:

Climb a human skin wall with warts, hairs, wounds and other objects that act as hand and foot holds. Discover more about features such as pimples, blisters, pores, bruises, and scabs as they relate to the epidermis. Stop by the Toot Toot exhibit to create different sounds that replicate the physics of gas. Play surgery and attempt to remove organ parts from a body without touching the sides of the patient. And so much more!

When: Now through January 6, 2019

Where: 1600 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, TX 76107

@fwmsh

Dinosaur enthusiasts will love Perot Museum’s Ultimate Dinosaurs exhibition that showcases an exciting array of species from south of the equator – including T. rex’s more-fearsome distant cousin and the largest dinosaur that ever lived.

Ultimate Dinosaurs reveals a new breed of dinosaurs that evolved in isolation in South America, Africa and Madagascar – dinosaurs that are unfamiliar to most North Americans. Presented locally by Highland Capital Management, Ultimate Dinosaurs tells the story of the break-up of supercontinent Pangaea into today’s continents and the ways that continental drift affected the evolution of dinosaurs.

Through hands-on activities and augmented reality technology, guests will discover that an amazing diversity of species evolved as a result of this phenomenon. Presented in English and French (with a Spanish audio guide available), Ultimate Dinosaurs is presented by the Science Museum of Minnesota and requires a surcharge.

Also new to the Museum’s T. Boone Pickens Life Then and Now Hall is the Paleo Lab, a glass-encased permanent exhibit that gives guests real-time views of the dynamic dinosaur research of Museum paleontologists as they process and prepare fossils fresh from the field. Looming above the Paleo Lab is the first-ever skeletal reconstruction of Nanuqsaurus hoglundi, the polar tyrannosaur discovered and named by Perot Museum paleontologists in 2014.

Guests will also want to check out the new T. rexcalator, which features a life-sized model of the 2nd most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered at the top of the glass-enclosed escalator. The new “Dancing Dino” interactive allows visitors to dance with their own raptor avatar while discovering how paleontologists use footprints to study dinosaur anatomy and behavior. Also on display for the first time are Protohadros dinosaur tracks found decades ago at Grapevine Lake.

HOURS: General hours of operation for the Perot Museum are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. IMPORTANT: The Museum will close early Nov. 9 (1 p.m.) and all day Nov. 10 for the Night at the Museum fundraising gala. The Museum also will close Nov. 22 (Thanksgiving) and Dec. 25 (Christmas).

Member-only hours! From 9-10 a.m. every Saturday and 10-11 a.m. every Sunday, members can enjoy exclusive access to the Perot Museum, plus member-only access to the Moody Family Children’s Museum on Mondays from 10 a.m.-noon.

TICKETS: Museum general admission is $20 for adults (13-64), $13 for youth (2-12) and $14 for seniors (65+). Museum general admission is free for members. Children under 2 are always free. For groups of 10 or more, call for special rates at 214-428-5555 ext. 8. All prices are subject to change.

WHERE: The Perot Museum is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas, Texas. For ticket information, parking maps and other details visit perotmuseum.org or call 214-428-5555.

@PerotMuseum

Through the wonders of stunning digital technology, audiences are transported to the depths of the rainforest, times long before humankind existed and wild lands a world away.

Slip on some 3D glasses, and encounter Tyrannosaurs, oceans, extreme weather and even a journey through American music. The lineup includes Waking the T. Rex 3D: The Story of Sue (through Jan. 6, 2019), Oceans 3D: Our Blue Planet and America’s Musical Journey 3D (through May 23, 2019), and Extreme Weather 3D (Jan. 7-May 23, 2019).

The Museum’s cutting-edge 297-seat theater features brilliant 4K digital projection, immersive surround sound, and incredible RealD 3D capabilities that come together to create an unmatched theater experience in both 2D and 3D formats.

Waking the T. rex 3D
September 7, 2018 – January 6, 2019

Approximately 20 minutes

Travel into the field, inside science labs, and back 67 million years to the Cretaceous Period to reveal the T. rex named Sue like we’ve never known her before — from nest to death — in roaring, bone-crunching, in-your-face 3D. We witness her life-and-death struggles as she lives up to her reputation as one of the great dinosaur predators of all time, facing off with Triceratops and other threatening creatures. This is a high-drama science adventure you won’t soon forget. Get showtime information and tickets here.

Oceans 3D: Our Blue Planet
September 7, 2018 – May 23, 2019

Approximately 20 minutes

Go on a global odyssey to discover the largest and least-explored habitat on Earth. New ocean science and technology has allowed us to go farther into the unknown than we ever thought possible. From the coastal shallows to deeper, more mysterious worlds, we reveal the untold stories of the oceans’ most astonishing creatures. Narrated by Academy Award®-winning actor Kate Winslet. Get showtime information and tickets here.

America’s Musical Journey 3D
September 7, 2018 – May 23, 2019

Approximately 40 minutes

Chart-topping artist Aloe Blacc invites audiences to join him on a joyful, tune-filled, giant-screen tour of the nation’s most iconic music cities, diving into the special places and unique cultural diversity that gave birth to America’s celebrated musical heritage. Narrated by legendary Academy Award®-winning actor Morgan Freeman, America’s Musical Journey 3D reflects the nation at every turn, telling stories of survival or celebration, of love or heartache, of protest or coming together. Get showtime information and tickets here.

To view trailers and film times, go to perotmuseum.org. 

Films are presented locally by Primrose Schools.

@PerotMuseum

Ever wonder how the Perot Museum appears to “float” at night or why its glass-encased escalator only goes up? Learn all about the structure Architectural Digest recently named one of the “10 best-designed buildings in the world” on a Perot Museum Architecture Tour.

See this award-winning museum – lauded for its bold artistry and sustainability and designed by 2005 Pritzker Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm, Morphosis – in a whole new light.

The tour is available to adults only and lasts 1-1.5 hours. Tours are available for groups of 1-20 at a fee of $5 per person. NOTE: The tour is only available with the purchase of Museum general admission tickets and must be purchased in advance.

For ticket information, parking maps and other details visit perotmuseum.org or call 214-428-5555.

@PerotMuseum

GIFT OF LIGHTS IS BACK and bigger than ever with hundreds of new displays and a brand new on-track Santa’s Village. 

Gift of Lights is pleased to partner with Ronald McDonald House, Toys for Tots, Speedway Charities, KLTY Christmas Wish, and Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. A portion of every sale benefits our partnering charities.

For additional information, visit TMS Gift of Lights.

Facebook: @tmsgiftoflights | Twitter:  @TMSGiftofLights

WHAT:  European Holiday Tea Room at the Alexander Mansion

Capture the joy of the holidays with an afternoon tea at The Dallas Woman’s Forum. Enjoy the historic C.H. Alexander Mansion when it is transformed into a tearoom with elegant decorations, sweets and treats, tea and sparkling champagne.  View the menu here.

WHEN: December 12-16th, Noon

WHERE: Alexander Mansion, 4607 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX (parking lot)

COST: $55 per guest (reservations required). Tea, champagne, & gratuity included. Purchase tickets online or by telephone at 214-823-4533. You can also send a check to Dallas Woman’s Forum, P.O. Box 140997, Dallas, Texas 75214-0997 .  Reservations will be held at the door.

Proceeds benefit Birdie Alexander Elementary School, Landauer Child Care Center, Alley’s House and the restoration of the Alexander Mansion.

Scuba Diving Santa Takes the Plunge at Sea Life Aquarium

WHAT:  Celebrate the holiday season and see Scuba Diving Santa, along with his elf, make a jolly appearance in a water wonderland at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium amongst sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, fish, and other marine life, with special holiday dive shows and other festive fishy activities around the aquarium.

WHEN: Scheduled dives occur at 11:30 am, December 12, 15, 20 and 23.

WHERE: SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, Texas 76051

COST: $20.95 for adults, $16.95 for children ages 3 to 12, and FREE for kids 2 and under. To purchase special discounted tickets visit www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.

Holiday activities include:

• Scuba Diving Santa Experience: A dive show like no other with a jolly red-suited diver, beard and all, along with his elf as they take the plunge in a magical dive show amongst the fish, sharks, and stingrays in SEA LIFE Grapevine’s 160,000-gallon ocean tank. Pose for pictures and find out if Scuba Diving Santa thinks you’ve been naughty or nice. Scheduled dives occur at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, December 12, 15, 20 and 23.
• Meet and Greet with Santa Sharky: Meet and pose for a holiday photo with Santa Sharky. Fridays and Sundays, December 14, 16, 21 and 23 from 12 to 3 p.m.
• Elf on a Shelf: Try and find SEA LIFE’s mischievous elf Minnow as he moves around the aquarium. Snap a selfie with Minnow and share on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #SeaLifeElfie for a chance to win an annual pass. Daily December 12 through 24.
• Holiday Cards for Creatures: All of SEA LIFE’s animals made the nice list this year. However, which one is the nicest? The aquarium is asking the public to vote for their favorite from sharks, rays and sea turtles by writing them a holiday card in the theater. The sea creature with the most cards wins! Daily December 12 through 24.

Holiday activities are included in the price of admission. Pre-booking tickets is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – last admission two hours prior to closing.

Holiday Hours: Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day from noon to 6 p.m. New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Last admission is two hours prior to closing.

Follow us on Facebook: @sealifegrapevine, Twitter @sealifegrpevine and Instagram: @sealifeusa.

Deck the halls with boughs of LEGO® brick at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth’s annual Holiday Bricktacular!

Festive fun awaits with these holiday activities:

• Santa Letters:  Write a letter to Santa and send it to the North Pole by dropping it in the LEGO® mailbox.
• Winter Wonderland Big Build:  Test your building skills by helping the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Master Model Builder construct a LEGO® Winter Wonderland.  Design your own LEGO® creations to add to the winter landscape and learn how to make miniature holiday trees out of LEGO® brick.
• Santa Invasion: Old Saint Nick has taken over MINILAND for the holiday season.
• Scavenger Hunt:  It’s a winter wonderland everywhere you look in MINILAND.  Be on the lookout for mischievous elves, find them all for a chance to win an annual pass.

WHEN:

December 16, 17, 23 and 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
Grapevine, Texas 76051

ADMISSION:

$21.95 for guests 3 years of age and older, free for kids 2 and under.  Adults must be accompanied by children to enter. Holiday activities are included in the price of admission. Pre-booking tickets is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw.

HOURS:

Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – last admission two hours prior to closing. Holiday Hours: Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Christmas Day from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The last admission is two hours prior to closing.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth is a 35,000-square-foot indoor attraction geared towards children ages 3 to 10 and their families. It features millions of LEGO® bricks and offers a fun, highly interactive and educational two to three hour experience.  Interactive features include hands-on play areas, a 4D cinema, LEGO® rides, outdoor water playground, special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations, and signature MINILAND exhibit, featuring replicas of North Texas landmarks made out of LEGO® bricks.

For more call: 877-818-1677 or visit www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw

Deck the halls with boughs of LEGO® brick at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth’s annual Holiday Bricktacular!

Festive fun awaits with these holiday activities:

• Santa Letters:  Write a letter to Santa and send it to the North Pole by dropping it in the LEGO® mailbox.
• Winter Wonderland Big Build:  Test your building skills by helping the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Master Model Builder construct a LEGO® Winter Wonderland.  Design your own LEGO® creations to add to the winter landscape and learn how to make miniature holiday trees out of LEGO® brick.
• Santa Invasion: Old Saint Nick has taken over MINILAND for the holiday season.
• Scavenger Hunt:  It’s a winter wonderland everywhere you look in MINILAND.  Be on the lookout for mischievous elves, find them all for a chance to win an annual pass.

WHEN:

December 16, 17, 23 and 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
Grapevine, Texas 76051

ADMISSION:

$21.95 for guests 3 years of age and older, free for kids 2 and under.  Adults must be accompanied by children to enter. Holiday activities are included in the price of admission. Pre-booking tickets is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw.

HOURS:

Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – last admission two hours prior to closing. Holiday Hours: Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Christmas Day from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The last admission is two hours prior to closing.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth is a 35,000-square-foot indoor attraction geared towards children ages 3 to 10 and their families. It features millions of LEGO® bricks and offers a fun, highly interactive and educational two to three hour experience.  Interactive features include hands-on play areas, a 4D cinema, LEGO® rides, outdoor water playground, special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations, and signature MINILAND exhibit, featuring replicas of North Texas landmarks made out of LEGO® bricks.

For more call: 877-818-1677 or visit www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw

Scuba Diving Santa Takes the Plunge at Sea Life Aquarium

WHAT:  Celebrate the holiday season and see Scuba Diving Santa, along with his elf, make a jolly appearance in a water wonderland at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium amongst sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, fish, and other marine life, with special holiday dive shows and other festive fishy activities around the aquarium.

WHEN: Scheduled dives occur at 11:30 am, December 12, 15, 20 and 23.

WHERE: SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, Texas 76051

COST: $20.95 for adults, $16.95 for children ages 3 to 12, and FREE for kids 2 and under. To purchase special discounted tickets visit www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.

Holiday activities include:

• Scuba Diving Santa Experience: A dive show like no other with a jolly red-suited diver, beard and all, along with his elf as they take the plunge in a magical dive show amongst the fish, sharks, and stingrays in SEA LIFE Grapevine’s 160,000-gallon ocean tank. Pose for pictures and find out if Scuba Diving Santa thinks you’ve been naughty or nice. Scheduled dives occur at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, December 12, 15, 20 and 23.
• Meet and Greet with Santa Sharky: Meet and pose for a holiday photo with Santa Sharky. Fridays and Sundays, December 14, 16, 21 and 23 from 12 to 3 p.m.
• Elf on a Shelf: Try and find SEA LIFE’s mischievous elf Minnow as he moves around the aquarium. Snap a selfie with Minnow and share on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #SeaLifeElfie for a chance to win an annual pass. Daily December 12 through 24.
• Holiday Cards for Creatures: All of SEA LIFE’s animals made the nice list this year. However, which one is the nicest? The aquarium is asking the public to vote for their favorite from sharks, rays and sea turtles by writing them a holiday card in the theater. The sea creature with the most cards wins! Daily December 12 through 24.

Holiday activities are included in the price of admission. Pre-booking tickets is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – last admission two hours prior to closing.

Holiday Hours: Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day from noon to 6 p.m. New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Last admission is two hours prior to closing.

Follow us on Facebook: @sealifegrapevine, Twitter @sealifegrpevine and Instagram: @sealifeusa.

Scuba Diving Santa Takes the Plunge at Sea Life Aquarium

WHAT:  Celebrate the holiday season and see Scuba Diving Santa, along with his elf, make a jolly appearance in a water wonderland at SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium amongst sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, fish, and other marine life, with special holiday dive shows and other festive fishy activities around the aquarium.

WHEN: Scheduled dives occur at 11:30 am, December 12, 15, 20 and 23.

WHERE: SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, Texas 76051

COST: $20.95 for adults, $16.95 for children ages 3 to 12, and FREE for kids 2 and under. To purchase special discounted tickets visit www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.

Holiday activities include:

• Scuba Diving Santa Experience: A dive show like no other with a jolly red-suited diver, beard and all, along with his elf as they take the plunge in a magical dive show amongst the fish, sharks, and stingrays in SEA LIFE Grapevine’s 160,000-gallon ocean tank. Pose for pictures and find out if Scuba Diving Santa thinks you’ve been naughty or nice. Scheduled dives occur at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, December 12, 15, 20 and 23.
• Meet and Greet with Santa Sharky: Meet and pose for a holiday photo with Santa Sharky. Fridays and Sundays, December 14, 16, 21 and 23 from 12 to 3 p.m.
• Elf on a Shelf: Try and find SEA LIFE’s mischievous elf Minnow as he moves around the aquarium. Snap a selfie with Minnow and share on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #SeaLifeElfie for a chance to win an annual pass. Daily December 12 through 24.
• Holiday Cards for Creatures: All of SEA LIFE’s animals made the nice list this year. However, which one is the nicest? The aquarium is asking the public to vote for their favorite from sharks, rays and sea turtles by writing them a holiday card in the theater. The sea creature with the most cards wins! Daily December 12 through 24.

Holiday activities are included in the price of admission. Pre-booking tickets is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting www.visitsealife.com/grapevine.

Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – last admission two hours prior to closing.

Holiday Hours: Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day from noon to 6 p.m. New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Last admission is two hours prior to closing.

Follow us on Facebook: @sealifegrapevine, Twitter @sealifegrpevine and Instagram: @sealifeusa.

Deck the halls with boughs of LEGO® brick at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth’s annual Holiday Bricktacular!

Festive fun awaits with these holiday activities:

• Santa Letters:  Write a letter to Santa and send it to the North Pole by dropping it in the LEGO® mailbox.
• Winter Wonderland Big Build:  Test your building skills by helping the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Master Model Builder construct a LEGO® Winter Wonderland.  Design your own LEGO® creations to add to the winter landscape and learn how to make miniature holiday trees out of LEGO® brick.
• Santa Invasion: Old Saint Nick has taken over MINILAND for the holiday season.
• Scavenger Hunt:  It’s a winter wonderland everywhere you look in MINILAND.  Be on the lookout for mischievous elves, find them all for a chance to win an annual pass.

WHEN:

December 16, 17, 23 and 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE:

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
Grapevine, Texas 76051

ADMISSION:

$21.95 for guests 3 years of age and older, free for kids 2 and under.  Adults must be accompanied by children to enter. Holiday activities are included in the price of admission. Pre-booking tickets is recommended for guaranteed entrance by visiting www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw.

HOURS:

Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – last admission two hours prior to closing. Holiday Hours: Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Christmas Day from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and New Year’s Day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The last admission is two hours prior to closing.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth is a 35,000-square-foot indoor attraction geared towards children ages 3 to 10 and their families. It features millions of LEGO® bricks and offers a fun, highly interactive and educational two to three hour experience.  Interactive features include hands-on play areas, a 4D cinema, LEGO® rides, outdoor water playground, special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations, and signature MINILAND exhibit, featuring replicas of North Texas landmarks made out of LEGO® bricks.

For more call: 877-818-1677 or visit www.LEGOLANDDiscoveryCenter.com/dallasfw