2015 - Page 3 of 23 - Over The Top Mommy

Year: 2015

Cheesecake Factory’s “Slice of Joy” Gift Card Promotion + Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Returns

December 6, 2015 / Food, Let's Eat!

The Cheesecake Factory’s Peppermint Bark Cheesecake is a sweet holiday tradition that only comes around once a year. A white chocolate cheesecake swirled with chunks of chocolate peppermint bark, topped with white chocolate mousse and sprinkled with chopped peppermint, this festive dessert is an ideal complement to any holiday gathering. Individual slices and whole cheesecakes are available at all Cheesecake Factory restaurant locations nationwide.

With more than 250 menu selections , all handmade in house with fresh ingredients, and more than 50 legendary cheesecakes and specialty desserts, a gift card from The Cheesecake Factory is the perfect gift for anyone on your holiday gift list. For every $25 in gift cards purchased through the end of the year, guests will be rewarded with a “Slice of Joy” card redeemable for a complimentary slice of cheesecake January 1 through March 31, 2016. The “Slice of Joy” gift card offer is available exclusively at The Cheesecake Factory restaurants and online at http://www.TheCheesecakeFactory.com.

Find The Cheesecake Factory on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Photos and logos property of The Cheesecake Factory.

YOTEL New York Presents 12 Days of Travel Surprises With YOBOT

December 4, 2015 / Travel

YOTEL New York, together with Flight 001 and JetBlue is celebrating the season by offering guests the opportunity to win travel-themed gifts throughout the month of December with 12 Days of Travel Surprises!

The initiative is made possible by YOBOT, YOTEL’s beloved luggage storing robot that will personally deliver the gifts to guests in Ground Control. The enormous, friendly and efficient luggage-storing robot holds guests’ luggage in any of the 150 bins situated behind a transparent glass wall. The interactive and playful experience allows guests to use a touchscreen to transport their luggage to the storage bin via a giant robotic arm. The luggage can then be easily retrieved with the simple scan of a custom barcode.

This holiday season, YOTEL will make the experience even more exciting by stocking select bins with special travel-oriented gifts for those staying at the hotel. While guests use YOBOT to store their luggage, they will have the unique opportunity to win JetBlue travel certificates, hotel stays and fun travel essentials from Flight 001. If one of the stocked vaults is selected, YOBOT will bring the gift to the guest before proceeding to store their baggage.

JetBlue will contribute round-trip travel certificates, while YOTEL will offer two night stays at its New York location in a Premium View Cabin. Gifts from Flight 001 will range from rolling luggage and travel essentials, to beauty accessories and more.

Eligible participants may also play online at yotel.com/sweepstakes. Visitors to the site will be prompted to log in and select a virtual YOBOT bin each day for a chance to win a range of travel surprises. Participants are encouraged to share their excitement on social media with #YOBOTSANTA!

For inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Connect with YOTEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images property of YOTEL New York.

Goodness to Greatness: It’s What Happens When Friends Encourage Each Other + Free Printables

December 3, 2015 / Food, Let's Eat!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TryALittleGoodness #CollectiveBias

One of the most challenging things for me in life is realizing the importance of making myself a priority and taking time for me. As a busy, working mom, I usually do just the opposite. There are always clothes to wash, sports practices to get my daughter to, and meetings to attend at work. It’s always something. Still, I try to sneak in a little “me time” each day, even if it’s just for 5 minutes at a time.

One of my new, favorite things to enjoy in the afternoon at work are goodnessknows® snack squares. Have you tried them yet? They’re the perfect size to keep around as a snack and are available in three flavors:

Cranberry, Almond, Dark Chocolate
Apple, Almond & Peanut, Dark Chocolate
Peach & Cherry, Almond, Dark Chocolate

They’re all great flavors but my favorite flavor is the Cranberry, Almond, Dark Chocolate. Sam’s Club sells the Cranberry, Almond, Dark Chocolate in an 18 count. I have a girlfriend at work, who’s also a mom, that recently had to make some drastic lifestyle changes and start paying more attention to her own needs. After facing a series of scary health challenges, she reworked her daily routine and made it one that was beneficial for her total well-being, which includes being active, meal planning and prep of her weekly meals at home, and making an effort to steal some “down time” for herself each day. I’m really proud of my friend because I know that none of her big lifestyle changes have come easily. I also know she’s struggled not only with the “‘mom guilt” of making herself a priority, but also staying on the right track. I’ve tried my best to lend her support by being there to listen and praising her with positive and encouraging words. Last week, I made some encouraging notes, printed them out, and set one on her desk at work each day, along with some goodnessknows® snack squares. Doing something nice to support someone else, like a friend in need, can go a long way, even if it’s just something small. A kind word, a sweet note, a supportive text, because when friends support each other, you can go from goodness to greatness. Let’s be honest, isn’t that what friends are for? How do you show support for your friends? Be sure to check out more great ways goodnessknows® helps achieve goodness to greatness. I’d love to hear about your favorite goodnessknows® snack square flavor! Also, stop by your local Sam’s Club on December 5th and December 12th for some sample demos, too.To print out your own free copy of these encouraging notes, click here. (I recommend printing on cardstock.)

{Giveaway} Rancho Wildlife Foundation Presents 6th Annual “Christmas in the Cages”

December 2, 2015 / Uncategorized

Rancho Wildlife Foundation will host its 6th annual “Christmas in the Cages” event for southern California’s families on Sunday, December 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Rancho Las Lomas, Resort and Zoological Garden. Bring the entire family and enjoy a festive day at the Rancho Wildlife Foundation. There will be a visit from Santa, bounce houses, crafts, live holiday musical performances, and more! You can even watch the resident exotic animals open their Christmas presents, including a Bengal tiger, zebras, African servals and other beautiful animals. Lunch is included with purchase of entrance tickets. Pre-sale general tickets are $15, 3-12 years $10, 2 and under
free. Click here to purchase your pre-sale tickets online. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. General tickets are $20, 3-12 years $15, 2 and under free. All proceeds will help fund the medical expenses, upkeep and educational programs related to the animals.

Rancho Las Lomas, Resort and Zoological Garden is located at:
19191 Lawrence Canyon Silverado, CA 92676 phone: 949-589-7900
Valet parking is required and is $6.00 per car.

[email protected] || http://www.ranchowildlife.org

Enter to win a Family Four Pack to Christmas in the Cages (value of $50) by leaving a comment on this post telling me what your favorite part about the holidays is. Giveaway will close at 11:59 p.m. on December 9. I will pick one winner on December 10th. Winner will be notified by email.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images property of Rancho Wildlife Foundation.

Boxfli: The Coolest One-Stop Holiday Shipping Shop

December 1, 2015 / Uncategorized

The holidays are a joyous time, but also one of the busiest and most hectic of the year. Having little elves to help with Santa’s work can make the holidays stress-free, leaving more time for celebrations and making memories with family and friends. This is where Boxfli, the coolest one-stop holiday shipping shop, comes in to help you!

Boxfli can make the holidays easier than ever with great products and convenient services, from a wide selection of unique novelty gifts to colorful and whimsical boxes and filler, and gift packaging and shipping. With stores in Costa Mesa and Mission Viejo (and an e-commerce site), Boxfli is truly a one-stop holiday shop. This holiday season, Boxfli’s box designs (starting at only $2) range from glitzy and glamorous to vintage-inspired, with whimsical sayings, bold geometric holiday styles, Hanukkah designs, and more.

Paired with a range of bubble wrap or crinkle filler, colorful tissue paper and even a spritz of scent to personalize it, each gift can be tailored to the recipient, making giving gifts just as fun as receiving them. In addition to full-service wrapping, packaging and shipping, Boxfli has an array of fun novelty gifts that make great stocking stuffers, party favors, or creative add-ons that can top a gift. Most are under $10.

Some of Boxfli’s time-saving tips this holiday include:

No wrapping required with these boxes, which is a big time saver during the holidays.
Use boxes instead of stockings – you can fit more than candy and an orange!
Think beyond the tree – Have hostess gifts ready to go by stacking the boxes on the mantle as part of the holiday décor.
Welcome your guests with a small gift at each place setting at your holiday gathering.
When the holidays are done, you’ll be able to store holiday décor in the boxes (the holiday print boxes make it easy to find the holiday décor next year) and fold the rest of the boxes flat to be used again next year!

Connect with Boxfli on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Boxfli.

Simple “Random Acts of Kindness” Christmas Countdown Bags With Free Printables

November 30, 2015 / Celebrations, Crafts & DIY, Holiday Fun

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CraftAmazing #CollectiveBias

When my daughter was a preschooler, I started a holiday tradition with her every year, during Christmas time. I would put together 12 little surprise treats or bags that were labeled for the 12 days of Christmas and she would get to open a new one each morning, as we counted down the days until Christmas. It’s always been something she’s looked forward to each year. As she’s gotten older, I’ve shifted the focus during the holidays from receive to give or better yet, do for others. I’m all about practicing Random Acts of Kindness whenever possible and it shouldn’t just be something you do just during the holidays.

This year, during the holiday season, I decided to put together a little activity using the Random Acts of Kindness concept and some fun Scotch® Brand craft supplies I found at Walmart. One of my most favorite crafting items of all is washi tape! Can you tell? Walmart carries a fun collection of Scotch® Expressions Tapes which come in a variety of colors and fun patterns and are perfect to use on your handmade holiday creations. I found these rolls of washi tape in the Crafts & Sewing section at my Walmart.

I also picked up some Scotch® Create Double-Sided Tape to help me with the project, which was over by the office supplies. The Scotch® Create line has everything from masking tape to spray adhesives to use for everyday projects. All of the other supplies you’ll see in this tutorial were also purchased at Walmart.

For some reason, I’m really drawn to gingerbread men this year so I made a cute printable with a little gingerbread man on it and called it “Random Acts of Christmas“. You can print these out too, further down in the craft instructions.

I attached each one to the front of a bag, using the washi tape. How cute, does it look? I also made a printable note to hand write a Random Act of Kindness on and stick inside each bag.

Some ideas of Random Acts of Kindness you could use include:

Donate some new, unopened toys (from your closet) at your local fire station.
Write a nice letter and mail it to someone.
Donate some food to a local food bank or food drive.
Donate some spare change or a couple dollars to a “bell ringer” outside of a store. (to a reputable organization)
Say something nice to 3 other people today. (Your parents don’t count.)
Gather some blankets from your house and donate to an animal shelter or rescue.
Find somewhere to donate sweatshirts and jackets that are too small for you.
Do something nice to help your parents at home. (without being asked)
Drop off some baked goods with a nice note to your doctor or dentist’s office.

Inside of each bag, I put a small treat and sealed it up with more washi tape. After they were all finished, I placed them all together in a cute “sleigh” basket and placed them next to my daughter’s mini Christmas tree. I explained the idea behind them, placing the emphasis on the Random Acts of Kindness, rather than receiving a big treat per day. I then told her that she was only allowed to open one a day and not shake or touch the others. She was all smiles and excited to do her first “Random Act of Christmas”.

Here are the supplies you’ll need to make your own set of “Random Acts of Christmas” bags:

12 small brown lunch bags or treat bags
a few rolls of Scotch® Expressions Washi Tape
Scotch® Create Double-Sided Tape
markers
scissors
small treats for inside of the bags
white cardstock (for printing)
1 “Random Acts of Christmas” for each bag (Click here to print yours.)
1 “Random Act of Kindness” gingerbread man printable for each day (Click here to print yours.)
I stuck one inside of each bag, along with some simple treats. As I mentioned, I’m placing a bigger emphasis on the “doing for others” part here, but I also want to give my daughter treats in each bag, just nothing too extravagant.

To assemble your bags:

Print out Random Acts of Christmas tags and Random Acts of Kindness cards on white cardstock. Cut apart.
Use Double-Sided Tape to attach tags to the front of the bag and use fun washi tape on each side for a cute, decorative touch.
Write one Random Act of Kindness on each card and place inside of a bag.
Choose a small treat to put in each bag also.
Seal each bag with washi tape.
Place the bags in a basket somewhere festive.

There’s really nothing like the feel of the holiday season! Decorations everywhere, festive music playing, and people in more of an upbeat mood. Why not add to the joy to the season by getting your kids involved with Random Acts of Kindness, too?

Be sure to check out more amazing craft ideas with Scotch® Brand products. I’ll bet these fun products could help you with a thousand of your craft ideas!

The Outlets at San Clemente Are Now Open + Moonlight Madness Extravaganza on Thanksgiving Night

November 24, 2015 / Lifestyle, Orange County, Shopping

The Outlets at San Clemente are now open and I couldn’t be more excited! I think all South Orange County moms have been waiting patiently, some time now, for them to be completed. I have driven by the construction several times during it’s duration and to see the final product completed calls for a celebration!
The Outlets at San Clemente is Orange County’s first and only ocean-facing outdoor outlet shopping and dining destination. It features a collection of leading designer and name-brand retailers such as Calvin Klein, Cole Haan, Columbia Sportswear, GUESS, H&M, Levi’s, Nike, PUMA, Tilly’s, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour and White House Black Market. Visitors can enjoy favorite fast-casual eateries, including Panera Bread, Ruby’s Diner and Starbucks. Additional stores and restaurants will open throughout 2016. The center welcomes tail-wagging visitors, as long as they’re on a leash.

The promenades and courtyards at the center are all beautifully decorated with holiday décor, including a live, fresh-cut Christmas tree from Mt. Shasta decorated with 3,000 twinkling lights.

It’s the perfect setting to take annual Santa photos and create fond holiday memories together. Southern California families are going to quickly adopt the brand new Outlets at San Clemente as their favorite destination.

So, after a day of eating turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, watching football and spending time together, you are invited to start their holiday shopping at their its inaugural Moonlight Madness all-night shopping extravaganza. Although the day after Thanksgiving has been considered traditionally as Black Friday, why not get a head start by taking advantage of door-buster offers and holiday savings? Door will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26. Shops will remain open all night and throughout Black Friday on Nov. 27 until 10 p.m.

There will also be a special entertainment schedule during the Moonlight Madness Event as follows:

8 PM – 2 AM | DJ MissNinja

2 AM – 10 AM | DJ Cre-8

10 AM – 12 PM | Lil’ Dickens Carolers

12 PM – 1 PM | Koda Corvette (Pop Performer)

1 PM – 2 PM | Mary Desmond (Teen YouTube Sensation – pictured left)

3 PM – 4 PM | Mary Desmond (Teen YouTube Sensation – pictured left)

4 PM – 5 PM | Corey Angeli (Local Musician)

6 PM – 7 PM | Duende Flamenco

The Outlets at San Clemente are located at 101 West Avenida Vista Hermosa in San Clemente.

For more information, visit outletsatsanclemente.com. Find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to attend a media event in order to write this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Knott’s Merry Farm Will Warm Your Heart

November 22, 2015 / Knott's, Orange County, SoCal Fun

Disclosure: My family & I were invited by GigaSavvy to attend a Media Day at Knott’s Merry Farm in order to write this review of our experience. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

Every year, Knott’s Berry Farm is transformed into Knott’s Merry Farm for the entire holiday season and it makes my hear happy to be in the park and share all of the holiday fun with my family. This year, you can come to the park and enjoy all of the holiday offerings through January 3rd.

We were invited to spend a media day in the park, experiencing all of the holiday offerings. Sunny SoCal weather allows you to enjoy it all while wearing tank tops and shorts but the decorations and make you feel like you’re in traditional Christmas town.

Kids always love to spend time over in Camp Snoopy, riding attractions that are just their size, and it’s decorated really cute this time of year. In the Camp Snoopy Theater, you can catch a performance of “Christmas Time is Here, Charlie Brown!”, starring all of your favorite Peanuts characters.

One of our favorite places to dine while we’re in the park is Grizzly Peak Lodge. They make a great cheeseburger and feature a condiment bar where you can build your burger just the way you like it!

After we finished our lunch, we headed straight over to the Charles M. Schulz Theatre to watch the “Merry Christmas, Snoopy!” Ice Show. This show is beyond fabulous and a must-see on your visit to Knott’s Merry Farm and is something we look forward to each year.

Watching the ice show always makes me tear up (in a happy sort of way) and this year was no different! The skaters in the show are extremely talented and perform each song so elegantly.

The set designs are even more beautiful this year as are the costumes and you can always count on classic Peanuts fun within the show and of course, Snoopy is the star!

I probably could’ve just spent my entire day inside the theater, watching all 4 performances of the day, if the kids would’ve let me, but they wouldn’t. They were ready to head over to see Santa next! You can find him, along with a ton of yummy treats, in Santa’s Christmas Cabin, located in Calico Ghost Town.

Santa’s sitting up, on the stage, ready for kids to visit and share their holiday wish lists with him.

You can take photos with Santa, which are also available for purchase, and come in a keepsake Knott’s Merry Farm folder.

I wasn’t exaggerating about the word “ton” when I referred to the treats available for purchase inside Santa’s Christmas Cabin. Among the treats, you’ll find roasted nuts, pastries (including adorable cookies), Starbucks coffee, hot cocoa, beer and wine, and homemade Santa’s cookies with milk. Luckily, there’s always room in my tummy for treats!

While you’re inside Santa’s Christmas Cabin, don’t forget to snap some fun photos at the digital photo booth. Afterwards, you can email the photos to yourself.

You can find special Christmas Carolers wandering around Ghost Town, singing favorite seasonal songs and playing handbell chimes. Their beautiful holiday attire and carols will put you in the holiday spirit.

It’s also fun to take a ride aboard the train to experience “Christmas on Engine 41”! As you cruise along, you’ll be serenaded by carolers and holiday folk.

As nightfall approaches, guests start to gather around the Calico Square Stage to wait for Snoopy’s Merriest Tree Lighting to begin.

This fun stage show is filled with holiday music and dancers and stars Santa & Mrs. Claus and the Peanuts Gang. It’s a fun, family experience and afterwards, if you stick around Ghost Town, you can also experience “glow and snow” on the buildings and paths in Ghost Town’s Main Street and School House Road. Thousands of sparkling lights dance to the beat of “Let It Snow” while snow gently falls in this spectacular one-of-a-kind moment. and Glow.

Knott’s Merry Farm was so much fun! It’s something you won’t want to miss out on. Just all the more reason you’ll want to grab a 2016 Knott’s Season Pass. When you purchase a pass for the new year, you’ll also receive one free visit in 2015. It’d be perfect to use to visit during the Knott’s Merry Farm season. For more information about Season Passes, click here.

Find Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Be Proactive About Preventative Care Because There’s No Such Thing As “Aging Gracefully”!

November 20, 2015 / Uncategorized

Disclosure: I am part of CosmetiCare’s Mom Ambassador Program. I received medspa services in order to write my review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to visit CosmetiCare’s Medspa a few different times, as part of their Mom Ambassador program. Cosmeticare is Orange County’s leading plastic surgery center and medspa facility. Staffed anti-aging experts including certified nurses, estheticians, and plastic surgeons can render expert, up-,to-the-minute advice and create a skin regime just for you. You should only trust your skin to a medspa managed and staffed by these kinds of professionals..

Our mothers taught us the importance of establishing a good skincare routine, wearing sunscreen at all times, and drinking plenty of water to keep our skin hydrated. I’ve always been told to get my beauty rest too.

All of those things can all make somewhat of a difference but if you want to “age gracefully” you need to be more pro-active. This may just be my opinion but there’s no such thing as aging gracefully! The secret (which isn’t really a secret) is to seek preventive care. Even before the hint of that first smile line appears, be proactive. Women (and men) can prevent issues from occurring by getting certain noninvasive skin treatments well before issues arise and with regularity. If you didn’t catch it that early on, seek treatment as soon as possible. CosmetiCare medspa offers nonsurgical treatments that slow down the signs of aging or treat issues present already, such as:

hyperpigmentation
adult acne
brown spots
fine lines
wrinkles
congested or oily pores

The staff at CosmetiCare medspa has been an incredible resource and have helped me make decisions about which non-surgical, anti-aging options were a good fit for me. The believe that you should love the way you look and I totally agree with that!

First I tried Botox and I LOVED it! Botox won’t let you down. You may not be able to say that about other things (even people) in your life, but Botox is a hard-working wing girl. Start to use Botox as a preventative wrinkle-smoothing measure before the “11s,” the moderate-to-severe frown lines between the eyebrows, form. You could postpone that destined date with wrinkles.

Next, I tried Voluma, the injectable that adds volume and lift to your cheeks. It has the ability to enhance contour and create a more youthful profile without needing to take a drastic, invasive step like implant surgery. It’s like a mini-lift without going under the knife.

On my third visit, I conquered the parenthesis by my mouth with some JUVÉDERM. Parentheses lines around your nose and mouth are no laughing matter!

JUVÉDERM is a dermal, gel filler that evens out wrinkles around the nose and mouth. It produces natural-looking results that last up to a year.

So far, I’m ecstatic with all of the results I’ve gotten as a result of my visits to CosmetiCare’s medspa. Do you have any areas on your face, neck, or even body that you feel are starting to need some extra attention? Call CosmetiCare and schedule a complimentary consultation today at 949.356.0102

Connect with CosmetiCare on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.