As fans of Fresh Brothers Pizza, our family couldn’t be happier about the opening of their two newest locations in Laguna Niguel and Newport-Mesa! With 14 locations already open in LA and Orange County, the 2 new stores make 16 total! Did I mention that one of the new stores is literally a hop, skip & a jump from our home? When it opened, it was like Christmas came early and we jumped for joy about it! My daughter actually did all he jumpiing as you can see at the end of this short video of our visit there:
Only the Freshest Ingredients
Fresh Brothers Pizza is way more than ordinary pizza though. I mean, their pizza is fabulous and differs from other places? Why? Well, the word “Fresh” is part of the name because they only use the freshest ingredients in their sauces, their dough, and the toppings on the pizzas. This actually holds true for their delicious salads and other food items on the menu. We want to feed our families the freshest and best foods, especially on occasions when it’s necessary to eat away from home or even when we bring in. 
Special Menu Offerings for Dietary Restrictions
Not only does Fresh Brothers Pizza offer the freshest foods but they’re also considerate of those with gluten sensitivities. Most people know usually think of pizza as an option on a gluten-free diet, but Fresh Brothers offers gluten-free options on their menu. That’s a win-win for a lot of families! They also offer vegan menu items. 
Some of My Favorite Menu Items
You probably got a peek at some of my favorite Fresh Brothers menu items if you saw me my Instagram during the grand opening week of the Laguna Niguel store. 
I will fully admit that I’m a creature of habit and find it necessary to order a couple of the same items on every visit. Obviously pizza, but I also can’t resist the Greek Town Special salad, Fresh Knots, and Meatball Sliders. 
When they recently added Sweet Knots to the menu I could (previously only get them in the terminal at LAX), my life was complete! 
Fresh Brothers Gives Back to the Community
It makes me happy when I see establishments, like Fresh Brother, that “give back” to the community. During the soft opening of the Laguna Niguel store, guests could choose one of three local schools to have 100% of their purchases go to. I don’t know an exact figure but Fresh Brothers donated over $10,000 to local schools after their Laguna Niguel soft opening. That’s amazing! They are big supporters of community events and schools all around. To read more about their community involvement, visit here. 
They Offer Birthday and Team Parties
Fresh Brothers offer birthday parties, team parties, and any kind of parties, that are super fun for kids! (and adults). We actually celebrated my daughter’s 10th birthday there and the girls loved getting to decorate their own pizza boxes, make their own pizzas, play with pizza dough, and hang out with their very own party host. Read about our pizza party here. 
Let Them Cater Your Special Occasion
Fresh Brothers offers special packages and pricing on their menu for Family-Style Meals and catering. When we recently threw a party at our house, we ordered a bunch of pizzas, Fresh Knots, and salads from the menu to serve to guests. 
Our friends were raving about how delicious the food was! They were also pleased to learn that we now have a location close by. I can tell you first-hand that your guest of honor will be beyond ecstatic if you serve Fresh Brothers Pizza at your party. I know mine was!
Why I Love Fresh Brothers MOST
By this point, you already get how much I love Fresh Brothers’ food but there’s actually another reason that keeps us coming back again and again. It’s because there’s an amazing family behind the name. Nowadays, there aren’t a lot of companies run by families who actually still have a direct hand in the business. When you visit one of their locations, you’re likely to meet at least one of the “brothers” or other family members. Not only will you meet them but they will chat with you and they always make sure everything tastes just as it should because they care about what guests think. That’s somewhere I want to take my family. Don’t you agree?
Have you visited a Fresh Brothers Pizza location yet? What was your favorite menu item? Share with me in the comments.
Connect with Fresh Brothers Pizza on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too.
Ghostbusters has finally opened in theaters nationwide and I’m here to share my thoughts and opinions with you about the film. I won’t post spoilers but I will give you 5 reasons why you should go see it.
It’s (Somewhat) Kid Friendly
Cause Chris Hemsworth
The All-Female Lead Cast
I can’t even tell you which part of it I’m most excited for because there is so much going on at the Resort during that time of year. Plus, it also begins the entire 
Mickey’s Halloween Party 
I didn’t think it was even possible but the following day was even more exciting!, I was invited to attend Ghostbusters press conference at the beautiful Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. Guess what was parked outside again? 
We sat with Paul Reig, Katie Dippold, Ivan Reitman, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. What an incredible group! (Sadly, Kristen Wigg was ill that day).
Paul also spoke about working with the ladies in the cast saying, “I just try to stay out of their way. We put the script together, which is like a road map and we know what we need out of each scene but then how we get there, that’s the fun we have of letting these four ladies just go for it!”
Connect with Ghostbusters on 
As I approached the lot, I could see the giant rainbow! If you’ve ever driven by the area, you may have seen it because it’s larger than life and visible from the street. Did you know that this rainbow was built as a tribute to Wizard of Oz? When you walk under it you almost feel like Dorothy.
Our group was headed to meet Mr. Reitman at Ghost Corps, which is like the Ghostbusters “creative headquarters”. If you’re a fan of the film(s), it’s pretty much like nostalgia heaven! As we approached the area, I know more than one of us was giddy to find the original Ecto-1, parked right outside. Never pass up a photo opportunity like that! 
You could feel how much his heart was into the entire project as he shared about his vision for the original and all that went into it. He also shared about his desire to put out more sequels and talked about how and why that never continued to happen.
When Mr. Reitman spoke about the loss of the great Harold Ramis, you could feel a true sadness in his voice and he shared that after such a loss, he didn’t visualize himself directing any more Ghostbuster films. 
You could also see his face light up talking about how the new film finally came to life! I don’t think he ever thought another Ghostbusters would happen. It’s a Ghostbusters for a new generation! With a power cast of mainly females, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones really show us how modern-day ghost catching is done! 
I’m a huge fan of the original Ghostbusters, which came out in 1984. It was a special part of my childhood and has remained part of the nostalgia of my generation. When I stood in the conference room of Ghost Corps, I almost felt like I was part of the brainstorming process! (Ok not really, but it was still exciting!)
It was fun to see some of the original toys in a collectors’ case, inside of Ghost Corps. The case also had some of the new toys in it. As Mr. Reitman said, “Here are some of the new Ghostbusters toys that your kids are going to be begging you for!”. Yeah, I’m sure he’s right. And if not our kids, our husbands!
Some other cool things inside Ghost Corps were actually things that scared me as a kid. I was able to conquer some of my childhood Ghostbusters fears like standing in front of Terror Dog and looking at Stay Puft right in the eye! 
As soon as I heard about a new Ghostbusters being made, one that is going to belong to today’s generation, I couldn’t wait for its release! Seriously, my daughter will have “her own version” with a cast full of females! That’s amazing! By the way, If you’re one of the 5 people who still haven’t watched the trailer for Ghostbusters, here it is:
Connect with Ghostbusters on
As you approach the security area, it can be a little congested at times. It’s always important to remember…you’re at The Happiest Place on Earth! Nowadays, these extra security measures are necessary. I’m actually glad that Disneyland Resort has done this. 
You should know that any bags will be checked, as well as strollers and wheelchairs. 
Once you get through the initial bag screening area, you’ll be going through a metal detector, similar to the ones at the airport. You’ll be asked to unload your pockets and place your belongings in a tray before walking through the machines. It seems that they’re currently doing this for all guests. 
There are things you can do to help speed up the security process for yourself and others around you. As someone who’s been through the lines recently, on a few different “busy days”, I am speaking from experience here. (These are just some of my own tips.) 
First, prior to entering the bag check area, be prepared by already by having your backpack, satchel, and/or purse open for the Cast Members to search. This really helps to keep the line flowing. No one wants to wait extra time while you are asked to remove your bag and open it when you could already be ready. 
Second, avoid carrying items on the prohibited list. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen with “selfie sticks”. They’re on the prohibited list and have been for a while. I’ve even seen this on the news. I’ve also seen guests try to negotiate to be able to bring theirs in with them still. Just don’t! 
Third, have some extra patience when you’re in line. Sadly, I’ve also witnessed other guests acting in a grumpy manner and complaining to everyone around them. Did you know that positivity is contagious? 
Finally, consider actually thanking a Cast Member as you pass through these security areas. Thank them for working to keep you extra safe. Trust me, it’ll make their day!
Lately, I’m a little obsessed with pineapples! I love anything and everything “pineapple” and totally agree with this expression: 
Feeding my family a well-balanced meal is a priority for me, but it can also be a challenge. I often feel like I run out of creative meal ideas, especially ones that are quick and simple to prepare. As a mom, I think it’s just natural for me to be on the lookout for meals that will wow my family. I want to be able to answer with something exciting when I get the infamous question, “Mom, what’s for dinner?”. 
I make a lot of chicken dishes for dinners but wanted to prepare something a little different and new so I whipped up a batch of “Baked Crispy Chicken Tenders“, using panko crispy bread crumbs.(Please see full recipe below.) These help give chicken tenders a crispier texture than just regular baked chicken. I don’t like to fry a lot of foods, I prefer to oven-bake so using these bread crumb crumbs on chicken gives them a little extra “crunch” without having to fry them. 
My trick is to brown up the panko bread crumbs with a little butter in the skillet before using them on the chicken. Let me just share that doing this, instead of using them straight out of the box on the chicken, makes the chicken extra yummy and is a definite kid pleaser! 
Let’s Talk About Cleanup
Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths are a new product and they seriously take all of the headache out of cleanup! I found them at Walmart, on the “Paper and Cleaning” aisle and can’t rant enough about them to you. 
First of all, they’re cute and don’t look like standard dish cloths. (I like to keep my kitchen stylish.) They’re available in 3 colors: tan, coral, and navy and are priced just under $5.00 at Walmart for a 2-pack. (I bought mine for $4.98.) By still giving you the versatility of a dish cloth, Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths make cleaning things, like stuck on messes from my chicken tenders dinner, far easier! They basically combine the best of a high quality dish cloth with the power of Scotch-Brite® scrubbing dots for a quicker and easier clean. 
One of the things I like best about them is the fact that they will not scratch any surface! With non-scratch scrubbing power I can clean other areas in my kitchen, in addition to using it on the dishes, without worrying about damaging anything. Another one of my favorite things about them is how sturdy they are and the fact that you can wash and re-use them, which helps you stay “green” in the kitchen. Also, right now at Walmart, there’s a $1 off instant redeemable coupon available on the product that you can redeem at the register when you check out! 
Shared Responsibility in the Kitchen
So, I printed up this cute little printable, framed it, and stuck it in a frame. (To print out your own copy, click 
By stocking our kitchen with Scotch-Brite® Scrubbing Dish Cloths, I just made everyone’s life easier! For more recipes and cleaning ideas, visit
Ingredients
Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty also joined the festivities and danced up on stilts while a brass band played for guests and red, white, and blue confetti flew in the air at the finale of the ribbon cutting ceremony. Here’s a video recap of the event (courtesy of LEGOLAND):
For the first time ever, guests can use a special LEGO tower viewer, giving them a skyscraper view of Miniland U.S.A. The area also features LEGO model replicas of the 9/11 Memorial’s twin reflecting pools, the grove of memorial trees and the impressive World Trade Center Transportation Hub. 
The updated NYC area of Miniland U.S.A. is now open for guests to stop by and pay tribute to. With the upcoming July 4th Holiday, there’s never been a more perfect time to visit the Park. 
The new LEGO models and Independence Day event are included with the price of admission to LEGOLAND California Resort. LEGOLAND® California Resort will be having its annual the Resort’s Red White and Boom! 4th of the July celebration. The family fun event features activities such as water-balloon tosses, burlap sack races, patriotic stroller parade, building activities and a fireworks display at 8:30 p.m. For more information, log onto