I was invited to a special media event in order to share about my experience with you. All opinions are my own.
I waited MONTHS for Knott’s all-new HangTime to open and it finally is! We were so excited to be invited to attend the Preview Party and join in on the Grand Opening festivities.
The party was held on Knott’s Boardwalk area and was filled with themed food and treats, beachy entertainment, and a ceremony to welcome HangTime that included live music and even fireworks!
As I shared on the blog recently, HangTime is the only dive coaster on the West Coast and features gravity-defying inversions, mid-air suspensions and twisting dive tracks. Probably the scariest part, at least for me, is at the beginning when you go up a vertical lift hill into a 15-story 96-degree drop! Yikes! It’s super gnarly! (in a good way.) It’s the steepest drop in California. Confession: I may have closed my eyes during most of it! 
I was a combination of nervous and excited about attending the HangTime Preview Party because I knew the pressure would be on to go on it. I mean, I have to set a good example for my daughter, right? Well, I think I won “Parent of the Year” that night for rallying and going on it. By the way, it’s extra beautiful when you go on it at night because all of the tracks are lit up with beautiful colors. 
HangTime was amazing! My daughter was ready to go on it again and again after our first time. You’re going to love it too! I think you’ll also love our souvenir photo! Haha! (Photos from the attraction are available for purchase through Knott’s FunPix.)
Watch my short video showing a little bit about our night out at the HangTime Preview Party:
HangTime is now open and if you haven’t made your way over to check it out yet, I don’t think you should wait any longer.
There’s really never been a better time to grab one of Knott’s Season Passes. I mean, it’s affordable, they offer payment plans and there are no blackout dates. A Regular Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2018 to Knott’s Berry Farm with no blackout dates. A Gold Season Pass includes unlimited admission in 2018 to both Knott’s Berry Farm and the newly expanded Knott’s Soak City Waterpark with no blackout dates.For more info about Knott’s Season Passes, go here.
Connect with Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Join in the conversation on social using #KnottsHangTime to share about your experience riding it! 
Kids’ offerings include grilled cheese sandwich or turkey sandwich, both with potato barrels and mandarin oranges. Sides include tomato basil soup, vegetable macaroni salad, potato barrels and 
In addition to fountain drinks and refreshing lemonade, beverage offerings include a classic Barq’s root beer float and a Mystic Portal Punch (PowerAde Mountain Berry Blast with flavors of lemon-lime and tangerine). For the big kids there’s a Grown Up’s Lemonade with cherry vodka, Odwalla Lemonade, and black cherry purée.
Woody’s Lunch Box in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is set to open on June 30, 2018. What are you most excited to try first? I can’t pick just one!
Children can practice their belly laugh as the family poses for a photo with life-size LEGO Santa and his reindeer, then head over to the Fun Town stage to dance and sing along with The Yule Tides, Santa’s musical elves who deck all the halls with carols old and new.
The fun continues in Heartlake City which transforms into a winter wonderland for guests to enjoy. Kids can sing and dance as they watch the Friends live holiday show and join in building activities in the Heartlake City stables. A traveling brass band playing festive bluegrass music will fill Heartlake City with the jingles of the season. Guests can indulge in tasty holiday fare such as churros con chocolate, vanilla bean hot chocolate and spiced apple cider, plus enjoy character meet and greets with LEGO Santa and a LEGO toy soldier and collect holiday inspired pop badges.
All new this year, indulge in our Winter Holiday Market during extended Park hours on Saturday Dec. 9 and 16. Guests can enjoy authentic “German Christmas Market” inspired treats like traditional holiday breads, grilled sausages, giant Bavarian pretzel and more. LEGOLAND California is also offering exclusive retail deals for shoppers looking for the perfect LEGO holiday gift.
The family festivities continue at SEA LIFE® aquarium and LEGOLAND® Hotel. SEA LIFE aquarium has a special holiday themed daily dive show and winter craft activities. LEGOLAND Hotel has also gotten in the holiday spirit with festive decorations, holiday entertainment and its own LEGO Christmas tree. Kids will also enjoy special holiday themed games and story time at the castle, plus building contests themed for the festivities.
Special early bird pricing for Holidays at LEGOLAND start at $75 beginning Nov. 1 through Dec. 11. For more Holidays information, visit 
“The Grand” isn’t a new property, although it was recently renovated in a big way, but the hotel has been a family favorite for over 40 years. 
Today I want to give you just 5 of the reasons you should book a stay sat the Grand Legacy at the Park on your next trip to Anaheim.
Location, location, location
They have newly renovated rooms and suites 
The Grand Legacy at the Park went through a major renovation just last year, which included a brand new lobby and new suites, some that are even facing the Disneyland Resort!
The hotel offers renovated rooms that range from Classic 2 Double Beds up to Grand Legacy 3 Room Suites. Whichever room you stay in, you’ll find all the comforts of home with these amenities:
Other amenities you’ll find at the Grand Legacy at the Park include a complimentary Snack Bag” (includes seasonal fruit, water, a granola bar, and string cheese.) which you can grab and take with you in the morning if you’re leaving early but don’t want to take the time to have a full breakfast.There are also 2 self-service coin laundries available on property, along with 24 hour dry-cleaning. Roll-away beds and cribs are available for Deluxe, Premier, Luxury, and Suites at no extra charge and are based on availability. Car parking is $15.00 plus 17% tax/fees per car, per night, with a limit of two cars per reservation. For reservations in our Classic, Deluxe, and Premier rooms, the second car parking fee will be $25.00 plus 17% tax/fees per night. They also offer valet at no additional cost for your convenience. While you’re staying at The Grand, you’ll also want to take advantage of the heated pool, which features a beach entry and a kids area. 
The Grand Legacy at the park is home to Anaheim’s ONLY Rooftop Bar
You can enjoy an assortment of artisan cocktails, craft beers, and delicious small plates perfect to share in the 5000 square foot open-air rooftop.
There are fire pits and plenty of seating all around, allowing guests to get a fabulous view of the Anaheim skyline, along with the nightly Disneyland® Resort fireworks. (when available)
The FIFTH is also a great location for a special occasion or celebration and is available to book for private parties. For more information about reserving the space for your special occasion, you can email: 
There are great food options adjacent to the hotel
You’ll find a Jimboy’s Tacos, Pizzaterian, and a Creamistry. When I’m traveling, especially with my family, I like to have several options to choose from so that everyone can find something to eat that they like.
For your convenience, there’s also a Discount Tickets & Tours and an Alpha Gift Mart also located next to these eateries.
It’s in the heart of Orange County and close to many other nearby attractions 
With several years of back to school shopping under my belt, I feel like I’m getting better at it each year. I’m definitely a list maker, so here’s my shopping list: 
My regular back-to-school shopping list has necessities on it such as clothing and shoes and backpacks and lunchboxes.
Nowadays, schools also request your child(ren) come to school, equipped with a laptop or other device because they’re “21st Century Learners”. What this means for me as a parent, is that there are now even more school necessities to shop for.
Not only devices but also accessories for the laptop, carrying cases, and anything else that a student might need to be successful in this technological age of implementing digital technologies in the classroom.
This year, I broke my back to school shopping into 2 trips. I wanted to get over to the mall by myself to check out the laptop options for myself, without my daughter there making me feel rushed. Thank goodness Brea Mall has an Apple store! I love going into Apple to look around at all of the latest laptops, iPads, Apple Watches, iPhones, etc. I will admit that it can be a bit overwhelming for me. Luckily for me, “Peter” from the Apple store, took a lot of time to help me pick out the right laptop for my daughter to use for her schooling. The “Beats” they have at Apple are also really cool so I picked up a pair of those too because my daughter’s been begging for some. 
Brea Mall also has Brookstone, which is another great place to shop for school technology needs, in addition to some other things. I found another pair of wireless headphones for my daughter to take to school. These are great quality and offered at a great price but also won’t have me worrying about her “Beats” getting lost at school. 
Brookstone also had a great selection of portable batteries/chargers, which she is going to need to carry in her case. 
For the main back-to-school shopping trip, my daughter and I like to make an entire day out of it. We love to start out at the Starbucks and make our shopping plan while we get something to drink. Then we shop, take a break to have a late lunch at one of the eateries there, and then shop some more. It’s a fun annual tradition and something we really enjoy doing together. 
I always love to see all of the latest trends for kids when we go back to school shopping. This year there are too many to choose from: dinosaurs, unicorns, cute monsters, super heroes, camo, sparkly stuff, etc. I wanted to buy it all! Not only am I shopping for my daughter, I also like to pick up a few things for my nieces and nephews. 
Some of the stores we checked out this year at were Cotton On Kids, Gymboree, GapKids, Journeys, Justice, and Vans, but Brea Mall has over 175 specialty shops and several popular restaurants. 
Have you finished your back to school shopping yet? Maybe I should ask if you’ve even started yet? Leave me a comment and tell me if you have any back to school tips, tricks, or ways to make it easier on your own family. I’d love to hear all about it!
I’ll be hosting a Brea Mall gift card giveaway soon on 
Over the years, we’ve really come to love LEGOLAND more and more! There are just so many fun things to see and do there and even with a pre-tween daughter, I still get asked by her, to go to LEGOLAND. 
Here are just 7 of the reasons we love LEGOLAND California Resort:
Miniland USA is amazing! 
LEGO Character Meet and Greets are cool!
Granny’s Apple Fries Are a MUST! (among other LEGOLAND snacks) 
LEGO Friends Heartlake City is adorable!
Brick or Treat Nights are fun! 
LEGOLAND Waterpark! 
There are all types of slides inside the waterpark, some more “thrilling” than otheres, just depending on how “brave” you are. 
Inside of the LEGOLAND waterpark there are also play and splash areas, a Lazy River, and plenty of seating, including Cabanas that you can rent ffor the day. (for a fee.) Also, a new area called “Surfers Cove” was recently added to the waterpark. *Please note: You need to purchase a Park Hopper ticket to gain access to the LEGOLAND Waterpark area, as it’s inside of LEGOLAND.
Are you ready for some exciting news? I have teamed up with a group of other bloggers to host an amazing giveaway! One winner will win 4 LEGOLAND California Resort Park Hopper tickets! It’s simple to enter, just leave a comment on this post AND go below and enter through the Rafflecopter. Good luck and thanks for reading!
The 25,000-square-foot unit nearly triples the size of the hospital’s previous Level 4 NICU, which included an open layout that grouped patients in pod-style beds.
The new unit, located on the fourth floor of CHOC’s Bill Holmes Tower, creates a homey atmosphere with sleeping quarters and storage space outfitted in warm colors and wooden accents to help parents feel more comfortable while their infants receive highly specialized care for extended periods of time.
In addition to private rooms, the new space includes other features that will enhance patient care. Should an infant need a sudden surgical procedure, three rooms within the unit can quickly be converted into space for surgeries. The unit will also include a life-saving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) unit. Rooms that adjoin can be used to accommodate triplets.
Safety features include same-handed rooms, wherein equipment is positioned in the same location among all rooms to reduce human error; room-adjacent nursing alcoves; and an in-unit nutrition lab for the preparation of breast milk and formula.
CHOC’s new unit also features a family dining space, a room dedicated for siblings, a lactation room and other amenities to ensure the comfort of the entire family.
For several decades, CHOC has served infants requiring the highest level of care. With the unit’s opening, CHOC’s neonatal services now include 72 beds at CHOC Orange and the CHOC Children’s NICU at St. Joseph Hospital, and 22 beds at CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital. In addition, a team of premier CHOC neonatologists care for babies at hospitals throughout Southern California.
A suite of specialized services comprises the CHOC NICU: the Surgical NICU, which provides dedicated care to babies needing or recovering from surgery; the Small Baby Unit, where infants with extremely low birth weights receive coordinated care; the Neurocritical NICU, where babies with neurological problems are cohorted; and the Cardiac NICU, which provides comprehensive care for neonates with congenital heart defects.
Please visit 
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek unveiled more than a dozen new experiences coming to Disney parks and resorts and gave a sneak peek at much-anticipated projects in development and I’m excited to share them with you! 
Several Imagineers joined the presentation by providing details of the creativity, imagination and innovation in development around the world. Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter also shared his enthusiasm for plans to include a larger Pixar presence at Disneyland Resort. In addition, there was an announcement that Fantasmic! returned to Disneyland Park last night, two nights earlier than it’s original date of July 17th, in honor of the Expo. 
Chapek also revealed many characters that guests will meet, including BB-8, Chewbacca, Rex and Kylo Ren. Representing the largest single-themed land expansion at 14 acres each, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open in 2019, with the first land debuting at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, then at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando.
Epcot will also see the addition of a brand new E-ticket attraction based on the rockin’ and action-packed world of Guardians of the Galaxy, the next step in how guests can encounter these characters at Walt Disney World Resort.
In Future World, a new Green Mission at Mission: SPACE will take guests on a stunning tour around the Earth, and an updated Orange Mission will make the trip to Mars even more spectacular. 
Adjacent to Mission: Space will be a new restaurant that will invite guests to travel high above the earth for an unforgettable dining experience.
With a new original story and lovable attraction theme song, this new state-of-the-art ride-through attraction will take guests on a journey inside the wacky and unpredictable world of Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts using new technologies that transform the flat cartoon world into an incredible dimensional experience.
Additionally, a new live entertainment theater coming to Main Street, U.S.A., based on the iconic Willis Theater in 1920s Kansas City, will bring world-class entertainment to the world’s most popular park.
Adding to the immersive resort hotel slate, Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel at Disneyland Paris will transport guests to the action-packed world of Super Heroes, including Iron Man, The Avengers, Spider-Man and more. Guests will be able to explore the Marvel Universe through its comic art, films, Super Hero costumes and more, displayed in the style of a contemporary art gallery
Leading up to the July 17 opening of Copper Creek Villas & Cabins, Chapek also announced the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney Riviera Resort, coming to Walt Disney World Resort near Epcot.
Additionally, a whole new transportation system called Disney Skyliner will give guests a birdseye view of Walt Disney World Resort. This brand new system will connect Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach resorts, as well as the proposed new Disney Riviera Resort, with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at Epcot.
Filled with creative LEGO® theming inside and out, the village-style vacation resort features brightly colored bungalows grouped into 13 horseshoe-shaped “coves” named after popular LEGO Minifigures. The fun begins almost immediately, thanks to a drive-through check-in process that will take you from your car to your cove in minutes. This speedy service makes staying at LEGOLAND Beach Retreat as carefree as a day at the beach.
Designed to look like larger-than-life LEGO sets, 83 bungalows offer 166 separate rooms that sleep up to five, including a cozy area just for kids with a bunk bed, trundle bed and privacy curtain.
They’re an ideal solution for families and groups traveling together, or for those seeking a fun new way to vacation at LEGOLAND Florida Resort. Each cove has its own outdoor play area within view of the bungalows’ shaded patios, where mom and dad can relax while kids romp and run.
Opening less than two years after the debut of the popular 152-room LEGOLAND Hotel, and with its own unique, outdoor-themed amenities, LEGOLAND Beach Retreat more than doubles accommodations at the Florida vacation destination. Along with picturesque lake views and a giant LEGO lighthouse featuring a real rotating beacon, highlights also include:
Located three-quarters of a mile from the theme park entrance on the tranquil shores of Lake Dexter in Winter Haven, Fla., LEGOLAND Beach Retreat represents the latest milestone in the largest period of growth and expansion in the five-year history of LEGOLAND Florida Resort, with theming and architecture unique among the eight LEGOLAND resorts worldwide.
The Florida site is the first LEGOLAND resort in North America to offer a second accommodation type for overnight and multi-day stays. Nightly room rates start at $135 (plus tax and resort fee) and vary by season, date and availability. Packages including theme park tickets also are available, and Awesomer and Awesomest Annual Pass Members receive a 10 percent discount year-round. To book a stay, visit 