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Lifestyle

Tickets Now on Sale for Irvine Park Railroad’s Christmas Train + Ticket Giveaway

November 2, 2016 / Family Fun, Irvine Park Railroad, Orange County, SoCal Fun

I am so excited for the real holiday season to begin! Yes, I know Halloween is a holiday but my most favorite time of year starts the day after Halloween because then we get to countdown how many days until Christmas!One of our favorite annual traditions this time of year is to visit Irvine Park Railroad for their Christmas Train! Have you been before? It’s open 7 days a week from December 1-December 23rd and it’s a family event that’s not to be missed! It’s also so popular that it sells out very quickly! (Tickets for the Christmas Train may only be purchased in advance, online and are $12.00 per person. Children 24 months and younger are free. Click here to check the calendar and grab your tickets now!Irvine Park Railroad’s Christmas train will take you on an enchanting night ride through the historic Irvine Regional Park to meet Santa Claus. The train departs from the brightly-lit train station and drops passengers off at the North Pole. Children can share their wish list with Santa (print out a free wish list to fill out and bring to Santa here.) and have their photo taken with him too. In addition to an option to purchase a Santa photo taken by Irvine Park Railroad, you may also take pictures with your own personal camera.After visiting with Santa, you’ll hop back aboard the train and enjoy the colorful Christmas lights and decorations, as well as the magical “Tunnel of Lights”, on the ride back to Santa’s Village.Santa’s Village is a fun area that includes a variety of festive activities, some require tickets, while others are free.Santa’s Village Activities include:

Ice Fishing
Cookie Decorating
Carnival Games
Moon Bounce (1 ticket per person for 10 minutes of jumping time.)
Picture Stands (free)
Story Time with Mrs. Claus (free)
Coloring Corner (free)
Frosty’s Maze (free)
Great Food (prices may vary)

Santa’s Village is located at the train station and is free to enter. Please note that if you were unable to purchase tickets to ride the Christmas Train, you are still able to come out and enjoy these fun holiday activities.

Please note: Regular train tickets, tokens, complimentary tickets, discount tickets, and/or coupons are not valid for the Christmas Train. All customers must ride the train to visit Santa Claus.

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one of my lucky winners to win a great package including 4 Christmas Train Tickets, 6 Activity Tickets, and 1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park Double Surrey Bike Rental. To enter, go to the Rafflecopter below and follow the instructions. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with Irvine Park Railroad on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Irvine Park Railroad is located inside of Irvine Regional Park, which has a fee to enter. Prices are as follows:
Weekdays $3.00 per vehicle
Weekends $5.00 per vehicle
Holidays $7.00 per vehicle
Parking FREE after 5:00 pm

This is not a sponsored post. I will be attending a special media preview night at Irvine Park Railroad in exchange for sharing about their annual Christmas Train in this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

Nutritional Tips to Help Minimize Migraines

October 27, 2016 / Health, Lifestyle

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Kaiser Permanente Orange County. All opinions are 100% my own. Always seek medical advice from a medical professional.

I’m a busy mom. I have no time to waste being sick but when I get a migraine, it literally ruins the entire day. Do you ever deal with migraines? They’re the worst! What starts off as a headache just seems to escalate and get so intense that my head feels like it’s going to pop off! The pain can get so bad that I need to go lay down in a dark room to sleep it off, which usually means sleeping until the next morning. Even worse are those migraines that last more than one day.I decided to set up an appointment to meet with a Kaiser Permanente Orange County Clinical Dietician. I wanted to chat in person and talk about my own experiences with migraines, what I’m eating, and if there’s anything I can alter in my diet to help minimize my migraines? I’ve had a few friends mention certain foods being related to the cause of migraines,so that was one of the things I wanted to inquire about. I also wanted to ask for other tips to help minimize the frequency of my migraines. I was anxious for my appointment with Natalie Lloyd, R.D., who’s a Clinical Dietitian from Kaiser Nutritional Services. The first thing I learned was about 90% of migraine sufferers have a family history of migraines, which means, if your parent has migraines, you’re pretty much guaranteed to experience them also. My mom does get them, so that was discouraging news, however, there are still things I can do to combat that statistic. I’m not giving up hope.Some other factors that can be related to migraines include lack of sleep, dehydration, hormones, and stress. Well, I fall into every one of those categories, too. I decided that it was time to make some big changes and get more pro-active in my efforts to do things to counter what could be making me get migraines. During my appointment with the Clinical Dietitian, I learned that there’s no actual evidence that’s been found to link any certain food as the actual cause of a migraine. So weird because I swear there are foods that set mine off. We discussed this further though and although there isn’t actual evidence to support that, there are certain foods and ingredients used in foods (and some drinks) that can be avoided to help minimize migraines.
Here are just some of the foods to avoid:

anything fermented
canned foods
processed, aged cheeses
overripe tomatoes and avocados
heavily processed foods
caffeine – This is actually a tricky one. Sometimes people who drink caffeine regularly haven’t had enough caffeine which may cause a migraine, while others have had too much.
aspartame – This chemical can be found in several diet drinks and other beverages that claim to be low-cal or sugar free. It’s just bad overall and should be avoided. *Tip: Try drinking sparkling water.
alcohol and wine – Although many people talk about the sulfites in wine as being a problem, tannins are also something that can be a culprit of a migraine after consumption. Both sulfites and tannins should be avoided.

Some of my favorite things to snack on are actually on the list to try to avoid. The good news is that I was told that I didn’t need to completely eliminate these foods altogether, just to cut back on them significantly. Basically, just enjoy them every now and then and not on a daily basis.The Clinical Dietitian also gave me some great general nutrition tips to follow as well. I feel like her tips were great for maintaining overall wellness, which is something that Kaiser Permanente Orange County strives to teach all of its patients and staff. It’s really more of a general guide to daily living, that could easily keep you on track and I feel like it’s really helpful. She also suggested keeping a food journal or food log, especially if you’re attempting to eliminate certain foods to see how your body reacts.
Take a look at the general tips I got: I learned so much at my appointment with the nutritionist. Although there’s no cure and nothing will completely eliminate my migraines, it’s been a big help to be more educated about some of the things to avoid. Since my appointment, and after making some changes in my diet and regimen, I feel a lot better and have experienced far fewer migraines lately.

Do you have issues with migraines? If you do, I highly recommend seeking professional advice from your own doctor.
To learn more about Kaiser Permanente Orange County, visit http://www.kp.org/orangecounty. Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter, too.

How I Achieved Better Balance in My Life

October 23, 2016 / Health, Lifestyle

This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as a part of an Ambassador Program for Influence Central. All opinions are 100% my own.

Lately, I’ve been focusing a lot more on my health and trying to do things to take better care of myself. Over the past few years, I gotten into the habit of putting putting myself, and my own needs, last. Perhaps that just happens sometimes when you’re a mom? I was starting to feel so sluggish, I felt the energy level of a lazy cat that just sleeps all day long.I made the decision to take a few steps to turn it around and honestly, just making those few changes to my daily diet and regimen, has me feeling better already. I’ve had a few friends ask me what I’ve been doing differently, which makes me happy because it makes me realize that others can see a difference. I’m always open to sharing my secrets and what works for me, so here you go. I started keeping a journal.
Keeping a daily journal was a great way to hold myself accountable. Since I was implementing a few changes in my life, writing everything down in one place seemed far easier to stay organized and keep track. There’s just something about knowing you have to write it all down that keeps you going. It also allows you to look back on previous days and see how well you’ve done and leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. How cute is my journal? It says “I’m doing me right now!” Seemed appropriate enough. I started drinking more water.
For some reason, drinking enough water is one of my downfalls, meaning I rarely do it. I have no problem carrying a water bottle around with me all day, but somehow my bottle stays full. I had to make a conscious effort to keep track of my water intake and make sure it was at least 64 oz. a day. It really helps if you have a cute cup (like this one) to drink your water from. I chose healthier snacks and foods.
I think part of my problem was a combination of being a busy mom and not eating when I should eat. That only backfired because when I did eat, I would choose things that weren’t the healthiest. I was basically snacking a majority of the day and grabbing not-so-healthy snacks. Making a conscious effort to plan out healthier snacks and foods was a game changer. I added more fruits and veggies throughout my day, as snacks and side dishes for my meals, and I felt a lot more energetic after just a couple of weeks. This is one of my favorite salads to make, too. I took myself out for a daily walk.
Like most people, I’m busy. I feel like I never stop moving all day long. However, I also don’t stop and take any time for myself during my busy days. I made the conscious effort to take a break each day, from whatever I had going on, to take myself out for a 30 minute walk. I know that sounds kind of funny but for me, there were two benefits to it. First of all, it was a chance to clear my head and decompress. Just being outside in nature is so relaxing and calms me down. Second, we’re supposed to be walking, or doing some form of exercise each day. It was a win-win for me. I added Nature Made® Probiotics to my day.
Adding a probiotic to my day might seem random if you’ve never taken them, so let me explain a little more. A few months ago I had about a week of stomach problems so I took a probiotic and it seriously helped me so much. Nature Made® Advanced Dual Action Probiotic has been clinically studied and provides dual support to both your small and large intestine for comprehensive coverage to help support digestive balance and healthy gut flora.†I buy mine at Walmart because they offer them at such an amazing price that I can stock up.Nature Made^® is the #1 Pharmacist Recommended brand for many key dietary supplement categories*. Nature Made® has a variety of vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) to help support nutritional gaps with your health goals in mind ranging from Digestive Support, Heart Health & Function, Energy Metabolism, Women’s Health and much more! (I also use Nature Made® KIDS FIRST Multivitamin with Omega-3 Gummies daily for my daughter.) To get motivation and tips around your specific health goals, you should consider joining the Nature Made® Healthy Habit Builder program here. For more information about Nature Made® vitamins and supplements available at Walmart, visit the Nature Made® Retailer Hub where you can also enter to win one of 60 Walmart gift cards (each worth $50) by taking part in the sweepstakes.(No purchase necessary.)

Connect with Nature Made® on Facebook and Twitter.
Connect with Walmart on Facebook and Twitter.

†This [These] statement [statements] has [have] not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This [These] product[s] is [are] not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease

No Tricks, Just Treats and Family Fun at Knott’s Spooky Farm!

October 12, 2016 / Knott's, Knott's, Orange County, SoCal Fun

The month of October is literally the start of my favorite time of year….Halloween Season! I can’t think of a better way to spend some family time than by visiting Knott’s Spooky Farm to check out their non-spooky, kid-friendly Halloween offerings. The weather couldn’t be more perfect and the decorations throughout the park, have me feeling all festive!

This year, Knott’s Spooky Farm is a limited-time weekend event perfect for families and is open on weekend days during October, as well as Halloween day. All of the fun included in the price of a regular park ticket. (pumpkin and cookie decorating are available for a nominal fee.) Whether they choose to wear a costume or not, guests visiting the park are welcome to join in on all the fun Halloween activities. Here are the fun experiences you won’t want to miss out on this year:

Ghost Town Treat Stops
As kids enter the Park, they receive an orange bag for trick or treating. As you proceed down Main Street in Ghost Town, kids have the opportunity to stop at a variety of locations, mingle with the friendly ghosts, and trick or treat. It’s also fun to ring the doorbell of the whimsically themed doors at each location. Don’t forget to say “hi” the to witch also! Costumes for children are allowed but not required.Linus’ Great Pumpkin Patch
Did you know that this year is the 50th anniversary of the animated classic Peanuts, It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!? I remember watching this as a little girl. This year at Knott’s Spooky Farm, you’ll find Linus and Sally in Ghost Town with special Halloween themed activities inside Craft Barn. There are some fun activities to do inside like Peanuts coloring, games, decorating your very own pumpkin head,( for a nominal fee), and photo opportunities with Linus! You can also sit and watch the classic Peanuts special. It’s all very nostalgic.

Dia De Los Muertos
This year, over to Fiesta Village, Knott’s has created some vibrant, non-scary fun with a Dia de los Muertos educational celebration of the season. Enjoy browsing through traditional shops with cultural creations for sale. For a nominal fee, you can also decorate a Sugar Skull cookie. Don’t miss this new for 2016 offering! Peanuts Dance Party and Pumpkin Patch Costume Contest
In the Camp Snoopy Theatre, there’s a ton of Halloween fun going on with the Peanuts Gang! The Peanuts gang host a spooktacular costume contest every day at 3:45 pm. Families are invited to bring their festively costumed children for some Halloween fun! After the contest, you can also join the Peanuts characters for a Peanuts Dance Party!Also, don’t forget to catch a performance of “Monsters Are Coming Charlie Brown!” in the Camp “Spooky” Theater, while you’re in Camp Snoopy. Guests of all ages can sing and dance in the aisles, along with the Peanuts characters to classic Halloween tunes.

Spooky Hallow Maze
Even the littlest explorers in your family will enjoy the Spooky Hallow Maze in Camp Snoopy. Experience an enchanting adventure through a spooky forest with larger-than-life jack-o-lanterns. While you’re at Knott’s for your day of fun, consider making the most of your visit by adding on the All-Day Dining plan. Guests with an All Day Dining plan receive a wrist band at any of the participating locations and enjoy one entrée and one side dish as often as every 90 minutes! For only $31.99 (plus tax) you can enjoy up to seven different dining locations throughout Knott’s Berry Farm. (Drinks are not included with the plan) To learn more about the All-Day Dining plan, go here. Don’t miss out on all the daytime family friendly fun at Knott’s Spooky Farm this year! You won’t find any tricks, just treats!

Connect with Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
You can join in on the conversation by following #KnottsSpookyFarm.

My family and I were provided with media tickets to Knott’s in order to write this review. All opinions are 100% my own. Logo is property of Knott’s and Cedar Fair.

I Got A Peek Inside The Smart Home in Rancho Mission Viejo (It’s Amazing!)

October 9, 2016 / Lifestyle, Orange County, Technology

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own.

A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to visit the Cox Smart Home in Canopy in Esencia, located the in the new, master-planned community of Rancho Mission Viejo. One of the model homes in the Canopy neighborhood was designed as a “Smart Home“. Warmington Residential and Cox Communications worked hand in hand to design this home to be inclusive of several “smart” features that are powered by Cox’s gigabit internet speed.Residents of Rancho Mission Viejo are lucky to be the first in the area to have access to Cox’s G1GABLAST service, which is 100 times faster than the average U.S. Internet service! Since Cox is the first broadband communications company to deliver gigabit-internet speed service to Orange County business and residential customers, residents in Rancho MIssion Viejo are basically living “The Gig Life”.

Watch this visual comparison of Internet speeds:

Why We ALL Need G1GABLAST!
Let’s look at a digital snapshot of my life. There are 3 people who live in my home. Between the 3 of us, we have 3 laptops, 1 desktop computer, 1 wireless printer, 3 cell phones, 2 iPads, 1 mini iPad, and a gaming system. That’s a whole lot of devices! We aren’t always using all of them at once, but there are times when someone is telecommuting from home, while someone else is doing homework, and a 3rd person is on their phone or even blogging on their laptop. There’s nothing more frustrating than having to stop and ask others in your home to get off their device so you can have decent service!

I am so fortunate to live in the neighborhood of Esencia in Rancho Mission Viejo because we have G1GABLAST high speed internet and don’t have to worry about how many devices are running at once. Truth be told, we’re really spoiled now and I hope I never have to go back to “the old way”. I don’t think I would’ve survived with dial-up internet! Getting back to the Smart Home though…it was beyond cool to see the demonstrations they had going on, showcasing the capability of the home’s high speed internet and how it can handle more than 10 interactive, visually stimulating demonstrations at once.Some of what was going on included a Wi-Fi cooking with a food blogger, telehealthy sessions with CHOC Childrens (via InTouch mobile robot), online music lessons that were streaming, a Wi-Fi pet and Wi-Fi pet feeder, virtual educational instruction, and more! With everything happening at once in the home, the heavy bandwidth was really put to the test! Here are some of my favorite features from that day:

WiFi Pet and Pet Feeder
It was fun to be greeted by Chip, the Robot pet, right when I walked through the front door. There’s nothing like coming home from a long day at work and having a pet there waiting for you. I realize that chip is a robot dog, but isn’t he adorable?

These are some of the hottest toys that kids are asking for nowadays. The home also has “Feed and Go” Smart Pet Feeder set up, which has a built-in webcam that connects via Wi-Fi to the home network. Not only can you set it up to feed your four-legged companions, you can also keep tabs on them via your Smartphone.Cox Contour Service With Voice Remote
Ryland Madison, director of Product Marketing, Cox Communications was on hand in the family room to talk about Cox Contour Service, which is available to all Cox customers. The remote offers a variety of features, which you can access from the couch. I know, firsthand, what an amazing set-up this is. You can even do everything with the “voice” button when you speak into the remote! No more searching through 1000’s of channels to find your show!

Wi-Fi Enabled Cooking
If you’re a foodie (like me), you may already know of Internet Chef Whitney Bond. She’s best known for her YouTube videos, demonstrating how to put together recipes in 30 minutes or less. Whitney was in the kitchen demonstrating how she prepares some amazing appetizers using a Wi-Fi enabled WeMo slow cooker, which was functioning on the gig-peed internet. She also treated us to some of her delicious cookies! For someone who relies on the internet for her job, having super fast speeds and capabilities within her home is essential. Whitney also showed us how she controls the slow cooker from her smart phone using the free WeMo app, even when away from home.This could be a game changer for a working mom like me who spends time driving to and from sports practices, but somehow needs to prepare a meal that’s ready immediately after practice, when I have a starving kid! Having the ability to adjust cooking time and temperature from the and and a smart device delivers the ultimate convenience and peace of mind.

Telemedicine sessions with Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC)
In one of the bedrooms, there was a demonstration of a telemedicine session. Michelle Jones, the telehealth manager for CHOC Children’s and Dr. Jack Winkle with In-Touch Telemedicine. Dr. Winkle was speaking from the In-Touch Express Robot because he was off-site at the time.. The capabilities of telemedicine are amazing, allowing the doctor-patient connection at any time to be possible. It’s basically going to be the house calls of the future!

Streaming Online Music Lessons With Skype
I was so impressed to be able to watch world-renowned violinist, Jason Yang, give a violin lesson via Skype. His student was actually in Canada and Jason explained that he relies on Cox G1GABLAST to provide him with the necessary bandwidth to stream while he’s working.

With the increased digital needs of people living in the 21st century, Cox has recognized that gone are the days of having just 1 or 2 devices running in a home. Not only is technology a way of life, it’s also necessary for students and their homework, adults who telecommute form home, families streaming shows and movies at home, and using devices in the home that help make life easier overall. It seems like everything relies on internet speed and service.

Canopy at Esencia is located at:

100 Vasto St.

Rancho Mission Viejo, Calif. 92694My experience inside the Cox Smart Home was nothing short of amazing! To learn more about Cox Communications and the services it offers, visit here.

Let’s Talk About My New Bathroom Go-To: Charmin® Essentials

September 15, 2016 / Lifestyle, Motherhood

This post was sponsored by Charmin as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions are 100% my own.

I don’t get it? It seems like every time I turn around (to go potty), the toilet paper holder is empty! There’s no possible way that it can always be my turn to change the roll..but it is! I think I’ve discovered what a big part of the problem is…the rolls I’ve been using are too small and they run out super quickly. (Another part of the problem involves the rest of my family being lazy!) Well, I think I’ve found a solution! Charmin® Essentials are here to help! Just look at the size of their rolls! They’re huge! I’m not saying that having bigger rolls of toilet paper in my bathrooms is going to motivate my family more to help replace them when they run out, but it’s going to make my job as “toilet paper roll changer” much less demanding! Hehe!

What are these Charmin® products I speak of? Charmin® Essentials Soft and Charmin® Essentials Strong are two new products that were designed to provide shoppers, like me, with more of what they want in their toilet paper at a comparable price to the product they currently use. The Charmin Essentials Soft provides Charmin-like softness at an Angel Soft®- like price while while Charmin Essentials Strong provides a big Charmin roll at a Scott® 1000- like price!

No matter which of the two you try first, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it! These quality products are available at a comparable price to the leading bargain brands, so you, your family, and your budget don’t have to compromise! The “budget” part of that is a high priority for me, as the one in the family in charge of handling the finances. (Yes, I do that, too!) Now you can participate in the #CharminEssentials TP swap! Have you heard about it yet? Charmin is inviting shoppers to upgrade their Angel Soft® for Charmin Essentials Soft and Scott® 1000 for Charmin Essentials Strong. All you have to do to participate is simply Tweet their TP swap out request to @Charmin using the hashtag #CharminEssentials and #Promotion, and Charmin will send you a free roll. For more information about it and to read the terms and conditions of this program, go here.

To learn more about Charmin Essentials Soft, go here and to learn more about Charmin Essentials Strong, go here.

You can also connect with Charmin on Facebook and Twitter.

Angel Soft® is a registered trademark of Georgia-Pacific Consumer Productions LP
Scott® 1000 is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

Just Say “No” to Wrinkles!

September 7, 2016 / Beauty & Pampering, Lifestyle

This post was sponsored by RoC^® Skincare as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions are 100% my own.

Let’s talk about skincare and skin damage. I can still hear my mom warning me to take better care of my skin in the sun as a teenager. Did I listen to her? Nope! I thought I was invincible! Luckily, I didn’t do too much damage to my skin but now, as an adult, I try to do anything I can to help counter the effects of aging on my skin. I think for the most part, I’ve been pretty lucky in the sense that others always think I’m younger than I really am. However, I recently started to see more lines on my face over the past couple of years. I think they’re called “wrinkles”? Well, I’m here to just say “NO” to wrinkles! I was excited and anxious to try the some RoC^® RETINOL CORREXION products I received in the mail as part of an anti-aging solution. I’m all about using quality skincare products that work. Have you heard of RoC® Skincare before? It’s been a leading French skincare brand for more than 50 years. They are devoted to developing anti-aging products that guarantee visible and lasting results for healthier skin. RoC® Skincare is considered “a pioneer” in visibly reducing the appearance of wrinkles, the brand was the first to stabilize and patent pure retinol in a cosmetic product and has continued to improve its aesthetics, tolerance and efficacy over the past 25 years.Here’s something else interesting about RoC® Skincare. This past year, they partnered with Sperling’s Best Places and performed a meta-analysis called the RoC^®Wrinkle Ranking. It’s a study that determines which metropolitan areas in the U.S. have residents’ whose skin is most at risk from damage by their lifestyle and environment in the year 2040. Look at this map! Is your area on it? For more information about the 2016 RoC^®Wrinkle Ranking, go here. Since starting to use the products just a few weeks ago, I can already see a difference in the way my skin feels and its appearance. My fine lines seem like they’ve lessened. Of course there are other things you need to do to help with the aging, like avoid sun exposure and drink plenty of water, but I’m in love with these products and feel like they’re really helping.

For more information about RoC® Skincare products, visit the site here. You can find the products at Target and CVS. Do you have any tips, tricks, or great products that you use fight aging? Share them with me in the comments.

Irvine Park Railroad’s 11th Annual Pumpkin Patch Opens Sept. 17

September 5, 2016 / Family Fun, Irvine Park Railroad, Lifestyle, Orange County

Fall is almost here and that means the start of pumpkin season is just around the corner at Irvine Park Railroad’s Pumpkin Patch!This year they’ll host their 11th annual Pumpkin Patch, which will be open beginning September 17th! The family friendly event, located just inside of Irvine Regional Park, includes fun activities for all ages. The Pumpkin Patch is located in Locomotive Loop and Miner’s Meadow just behind the train station. Thousands of pumpkins, in all shapes and sizes, fill the areas behind the train station. All visitors are sure to find the perfect pumpkin! This year’s Pumpkin Patch activities will include:

Train rides
Hay rides
Panning for gold
A child-friendly haunted house
A hay maze
A moon bounce
Pumpkin ring toss
Carnival games
Cookie decorating
John Deere tractor racers
Face painting
Picture stands
Great food

Watch this fun video highlighting the Irvine Park Railroad’s Pumpkin Patch:

New for 2016
This year, Irvine Park Railroad is adding the “Great Pumpkin Weigh Off!” This activity will take place on Saturday, September 24th starting at 11:00 am. Come see if Southern California pumpkin growers have what it takes to grow the biggest pumpkin in Orange County. Cash prizes will be awarded. There’ll also be a live band playing on this day from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission into the Pumpkin Patch is free. Prices for all other activities vary; please visit http://www.IrvineParkRailroad.com for additional information and costs.The Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch is open daily from September 17th through October 31st.

Weekdays 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Weekends 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

The parking fee for Irvine Regional Park is $3.00 per vehicle on weekdays and $5.00 per vehicle on weekends. Important parking information: As Halloween nears, visitors are encouraged to plan to arrive early to help avoid crowds, particularly on the weekend. Visit Irvine Regional Park’s other activities including Wheel Fun Rentals® at Irvine Park — fun and unique bike rentals that can be enjoyed by single riders or an entire family — paddle boat rentals, the Orange County Zoo and pony rides. Bike and paddle boat rentals are open daily at 10:00 am.I’m excited to announce that Irvine Park Railroad is providing a prize package for one of my readers! The package includes 6 activity tickets, 1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park Bike Double Surrey Rental, and 1 Paddle boat rental. To enter, go to the Rafflecopter below. Good luck and thanks for reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with Irvine Park Railroad on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I was invited to visit the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are 100% my own.

New School Year, New Healthier Habits With Nature Made®

August 29, 2016 / Lifestyle, Motherhood

This post was sponsored by Nature Made® as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central.

The start of each new school year is another chance to get organized and re-establish a daily routine. This year, I’m hoping to not only establish a routine that helps our mornings run smoother, but to integrate some healthier habits for my family, especially my daughter. When I say “healthier habits”, I’m referring to a healthier diet, filled with better nutrition. Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of a busy life can interfere with efforts to eat a more balanced, healthier diet though.As my daughter gets older, she seems to have gotten pickier about foods that she’ll eat. It seems like she’ll gobble down any vegetable on the planet (even Brussels sprouts) but fights me when it comes to fruit. It’s so strange. As a mother, I’m always concerned about my daughter’s eating, mostly concerned about her nutrition. I also feel like lack of nutrition affects learning and education is something we place a high priority on.

One way for my daughter to get the vitamins she needs is for me to give her Nature Made® KIDS FIRST Multivitamin with Omega-3 Gummies daily. They are great-tasting gummies that come in Strawberry, Lemon, and Orange. (They’re all natural fruit flavors.) Have you seen tried these with your kids yet? I found them when I was shopping at Target, near the pharmacy and healthcare section. They are definitely kid-friendly and she loves taking hers every morning before school. Nature Made® KIDS FIRST Multivitamin with Omega-3 Gummies provide 3 key nutrients, plus the essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. I worry about artificial colors but their colors are actually derived from natural sources and don’t contain any synthetic dyes.
I feel confident that we’re starting the new school year on track with healthy habits. Choosing high-quality vitamins and supplements from Nature Made® makes it easier. It also doesn’t hurt that I remind my daughter each morning before school that you can learn something new every day if…you take your vitamins!

Connect with Nature Made® on Facebook and Twitter. Connect with Target on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.