Over The Top Mommy

Easy LEGO Brick Costumes for Halloween

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Calling all LEGO fans and moms looking for a cute costume idea that’s easy to make! Last year, we put together these LEGO Brick costumes on very short notice, to wear to LEGOLAND California’s Brick or Treat night.Since it’s an event in the park and the kids still want to go on rides and wear a costume, I found these very easy to wear and also to take off and put on quickly for rides, but still look cute. We got a ton of compliments and it was fun for our whole family to have matching costumes.To make these LEGO Brick costumes you’ll need:

  • A thin wood rectangle (1 for each costume)
  • 6 thin wood circles (for each costume)
  • spongy paintbrushes
  • acrylic paint
  • craft wood glue
  • mini glue gun with glue sticks
  • 1/2″-1″ wide ribbon
  • a coordinating color of t-shirt to match your “brick”
  • newspaper or paper, for painting on
  • scissors

Directions for the costume:

  • Use a generous amount of acrylic paint to both the canvas and the 6 wooden circles. (Make sure your painting surface is covered.) Allow to dry overnight.
  • Lay circles onto painted canvas to see where you want to glue them. Use your favorite craft wood glue to fasten them to the painted canvas. Allow them to dry.
  • After the LEGO Brick is completely dry, get ribbon and measure how long you want it to hang then cut the ribbon accordingly. Use the glue gun to fasten the ribbon to the back of the LEGO brick and it’s ready to wear!

With these costumes, it’s easy to grab any kind of pants, shorts, skirt, jewelry, sunglasses, hair bow in the same hue as your “brick” to accessorize your costume. I’m thinking of making a GLITTERY PINK LEGO BRICK this year to wear for Halloween! What do you think?

 

 

Book a Stay at Great Wolf Lodge For Their Annual Howl-O-Ween Celebrations

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

As summer is coming to an end, we are getting excited for the arrival of fall and the start of the holiday season! First up, HALLOWEEN! Are you ready? We are! And so is Great Wolf Lodge! They’ll kick off kick their annual Howl-O-Ween festivities with seasonal celebrations all month long for guests staying at the resort. There’s nothing like 105,000 square feet of water park fun and Halloween-centric activities for the whole family. Throughout October, families can find special complimentary guest programming from a Howl-O-Ween House in the lobby to nightly Howl-O-Ween themed dance parties, Haunted Hustle scavenger hunts, boo bingo and more. How fun is that?

Great Wolf Lodge’s Howl-O-Ween festivities include:

  • Howl-O-Ween House in the lobby
  • Nightly Trick or Treat Trail from 5:30pm – 7:30pm
  • Nightly Howl-O-Ween themed games in the lobby including Witch Hat Ring Toss, Mummy Bowling, Feed the Monster, Boo Bingo, Candy Corn Guessing Game + more.
  • Howl-O-Ween themed dance parties
  • Haunted Hussle Scavenger Hunt and a Spooky Walk, replacing the Wolf Walk
  • An UnBoolieveable Character Meet, Greet & Treat
  • Howl-O-Ween themed Character Breakfasts

This all sounds like a lot of fun! Great Wolf Lodge’s Howl-O-Ween For more information and to book your family’s Howl-o-ween stay, please visit here.

Some images and video are property of Great Wolf Lodge and used with permission. 

Join The Habit Burger Grill in the Fight to End Childhood Hunger in America

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Did you know that 1 in 6 children in the U.S. live with hunger? This is such an awful statistic but a reality in our country. For the 4th year in a row, The Habit Burger Grill is partnering with No Kid Hungry to continue its commitment to help end childhood hunger in America. Over the past four years, The Habit has raised over $1 million for the No Kid Hungry campaign, providing millions of meals for kids across the country.From now through the end of September, The Habit will be collecting donations for No Kid Hungry. Guests who donate $2 or more to the No Kid Hungry campaign will receive a free Charburger with cheese certificate, good on a return visit through October 2, 2018.To help raise awareness about childhood hunger, No Kid Hungry is launching the Hunger Can’t Wait tour, which will travel to five cities across the country, hosting special events from August 28 to September 17. The Habit kicked off the tour on August 28 with an event at its El Segundo, California restaurant.

“The sense of urgency around childhood hunger remains high, and that’s why it’s important to us to support No Kid Hungry. We are proud to have helped provide millions of nutritious meals to kids in need,” – Russ Bendel, CEO of The Habit Burger Grill.

While you’re at The Habit Burger Grill, be sure to try out the Golden Fried Chicken Salad For a limited time only, The Habit Burger is bringing back their delicious buttermilk battered, perfectly seasoned golden fried chicken and giving guests the option of ordering it on a sandwich or a salad.The Golden Fried Chicken Salad is inspired by the fan-favorite Golden Fried Chicken Sandwich, which permanently joined The Habit menu in late 2016. The Golden Chicken Salad starts with a buttermilk battered, hand-breaded sliced chicken breast, served atop fresh garden greens, with feta cheese, diced tomatoes, crumbled bacon, red onions, carrots and cilantro, and is then tossed in a house-made Southwest-inspired cilantro lime ranch dressing.

Find The Habit Burger Grill on Facebook and Twitter. For more information about No Kid Hungry please visit NoKidHungry.org. You can also join the conversation on social using #HungerCantWait.

Fall in Love With Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel by the Sea

I was provided with accommodations in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Do you ever feel like you need to get away from the “hustle and bustle” of your hectic everyday life? I’ll admit I often feel that way. So, when I received the invitation for our family to visit Hofsas House Hotel in Carmel, California, I was ecstatic!

“Carmel-by-the-Sea, this charming, seaside town’s full name, is located on the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California. The drive from Los Angeles is about 6 hours, so we had the opportunity to take in some beautiful scenery on our drive up north. Just thinking back on our stay there makes me miss it and I truly long to go back there sometime in the near future. I absolutely fell i love with Hofsas House Hotel. Hofsas House is the cutest place to stay! It’s painted pink, which is my absolute favorite color, and the Bavarian-inspired theme and decor of this family-run boutique inn were what reeled me in immediately. I also loved all of the beautiful landscaping around the premises, especially the flowers.  Guests can book a stay in any of the 38 spacious, one-of-a-kind rooms at Hofsas House. Guest rooms include amenities such as fireplaces, private balconies, wet bars, kitchens, and patios and free WiFi. The shower/tubs have been upgraded nicely and you’re going to love the complimentary toiletries like shampoo,, body wash, makeup remover wipes and body lotion.
I think one of my favorite things are the pink Dutch doors in every room. They allow the ocean air into your room and make for a great photo opportunity. Don’t you agree? (Please note: room amenities vary per location on the property) Hofsas House also offers large suites, which are perfect for newlyweds or larger families. The hotel also features a swimming pool and dry saunas. If you’re a dog owner, or even a dog lover, you’ll be so excited to know Hofsas House is DOG FRIENDLY! Oh my goodness! Although we currently don’t have a dog, it’s great to know that when we do, we’ll be welcome to bring ours with us to stay. Also, if you aren’t a “dog person” please know that only certain rooms are reserved for guests bringing their pets, so there are plenty of rooms which haven’t had canines stay in them. This year, Hofsas House is celebrating seven decades of European hospitality. Guests will admire all of the personal touches around the property, including the beautiful welcome mural, on the wall in the driveway. This mural was painted by artist Maxine Albro, when she was commissioned to paint it back in the 1960’s by Hofsas House founder, Donna Hofsas,There are several other personal touches to discover around the property too. Another artist and photographer by the name of Fred, created the mosaic coats of arms which can be seen on the front of the hotel. Their Latin words translate into English as “Leisure with dignity”, These words described our stay there perfectly.

Our Accommodations
The room we stayed was a Deluxe Suite. This spacious 2-room, 2-bathroom (bathtub/shower with vanity area) suite included a king bed in one room and a sitting area furnished with either two day beds in the other room, as well as a wood-burning fireplace. The wet bar area features a microwave, mini fridge, coffee maker and sink. The private balcony overlooks the Carmel pines, and has a private outdoor barbeque. *For a nominal fee, you can add another rollaway bed to make way for another person. Part of the Hofsas House hospitality is their daily continental breakfast, which is complimentary. Guests can stop by the office each morning and pick up French Roast coffee, tea, juice, fruit and fresh pastries, delivered from a local bakery.  You have the option of sitting in the hotel’s lobby to enjoy your breakfast or taking it back to your room. (Trays, mugs, and baskets are provided for carrying out.)  With such a beautiful ocean view from our balcony, we opted to enjoy ours out there. It was a wonderful way to start our day together.Let’s Talk a Little Bit About the Town of Carmel 
Since we’d never visited Carmel before, I didn’t know where anything was. Luckily Hofsas House is located within walking distance to anything you could possibly want to do in Carmel. It’s just a short walk to shops and restaurants and shops and art galleries. It’s also not very far from the beach, which is a must-visit on your trip. I loved being able to park our car there and not have to even think about driving anywhere until we checked out. Carmel is the kind of town where your kid will be so happy, she’ll skip down the sidewalk! Hofsas House is just minutes away from Monterey, Pebble Beach, Big Sur and Pacific Grove. I did enjoy parking our car and just walking everywhere for 2 days, It’s also convenient to be that close to other points of interest and be able to reach them with just a short drive.

Sitting on our balcony at dusk enjoying some wine and cheese, taking in the beautiful ocean view and cotton candy sunset was amazing and just what I needed! In addition to a variety of guest rooms to book at Hofsas House Hotel, they also offer special add-on packages to enhance your stay. To learn more about this charming property, please visit their website hereA very special thank you to Hofsas House for their hospitality. It was such a treat to stay there and we hope to be back soon. 

Jimboy’s Tacos Brea to Celebrate Grand Opening on 8/28 + Enter to Win

I was invited as a guest of Jimboy’s Tacos to dine in their new location in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that one of my favorite things to do is share many of the foods I eat! We were invited to the soft opening of the newest Orange County Jimboy’s Tacos location in Brea, which is actually the 3rd Orange County location. (The other 2 are in Anaheim and Huntington Beach.) The official Grand Opening of the Brea location will be on Tuesday, August 28 and beginning at noon, guests will receive a free Original Ground Beef Taco with any in-store purchase!Join Jimboy’s Tacos in Giving Back
As a token of appreciation to their new community, Jimboy’s Tacos Brea will be partnering with Brea-based nonprofit, Together We Rise, for an in-store fundraiser on Wednesday, August 29. On that day, 20% of all proceeds will be donated back to the nonprofit organization, which works to improve the lives of children in foster care through collaborating with community partners, like Jimboy’s Tacos, to raise money to provide resources for foster youth and to educate volunteers on issues surrounding the foster care system.Jimboy’s Tacos first opened nearly 65 years ago as a simple food trailer on the shores of Lake Tahoe, CA. With sights set on serving the best tasting taco on the planet, founder Jim “Jimboy” Knudson created the Original Ground Beef Taco, which has not changed since it was first served in 1954, and remains the most popular item on their menu. This iconic taco is made fresh with seasoned ground beef, freshly shredded cheese, and lettuce encased in a crispy, stone-ground corn shell dusted with parmesan cheese. Yep, you read that correctly! PARMESAN CHEESE! Mmm, it’s sooo yummy!Another must-try item on Jimboy’s menu is the Taquito Burrito, a signature grilled burrito stuffed with three taquitos. The Taquito Burrito mash-up has led to the creation of a revolutionary “Craft Your Own Mash-Up” section of the Jimboy’s menu. Other menu items include loaded burritos, fresh salads, shareable bites like queso and chips, and several breakfast items.I LOVED the Tahoe Nachos, which are pictured above. They are definitely enough to share! Oh, and they also have desserts including churros and Choco-Tacos!Jimboy’s Tacos Brea is located at
2435 Imperial Highway in Brea, CA

In celebration of the newest Jimboy’s Tacos location, I’m also hosting a giveaway for one(1) of my readers to win a $50 Jimboy’s Tacos gift card! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone! Thanks again for reading!

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You can connect with Jimboy’s Tacos on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

*Some images are property of Jimboy’s Tacos and used with permission. 

 

{Giveaway} Tickets on Sale for Adventure City’s BOO-tastic Halloween Party

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 
Have you been to Adventure City before? It’s known as “The Little Theme Park That’s Big on Family Fun” and we had a great time there last summer. Since October is right around the corner, families looking for something fun to do to celebrate Halloween should check out Adventure City’s BOO-TASTIC Halloween Party! This year, Adventure City will be hosting 2 kid-friendly parties on Friday nights in October, the 19th and the 26th, which will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. In addition to Adventure City’s 11 thrilling rides, guests at the party will be able to:

  • Walk through “Trick or Treat Street” to get candy and trinkets
  • Experience an all-new Vortex Tunnel for a dizzying delight
  • Go on a fun, Halloween Scavenger Hunt aboard the Express Train
  • Be a part of the Spooktacular Dance Party
  • Meet the Mad Scientist Magician for some astonishing tricks

Guests are also encouraged to show their Halloween spirit and wear a costume to the party. *Please see costume guidelines below! Tickets for Adventure City’s BOO-TASTIC Halloween Party are just $24.95 per person and are only going to be sold up until a limited quantity to help keep ride wait times at a minimum. You can purchase your tickets here.

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win a family 4-pack of tickets to their choice of party, either Friday, October 19 or Friday, October 26. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone! Who else is excited for Halloween?
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*Kid friendly costumes only (don’t be scary). Ages 1 and up require a ticket. We will provide the trick-or-treat candy bags. Small toys can be substituted for candy upon request. One Trick-or-Treat Street entry per person per night. No coupons, discounts, daily general admission tickets or complimentary tickets accepted for this special event. We strongly recommend purchasing tickets online to guarantee entry. Remaining tickets may be purchased at the main gate on the night of the event based on availability. Rides and Attractions availability subject to unscheduled closure. The event takes place regardless of weather conditions. No refunds for this special event. Some rides have height, size and weight limits. Rules subject to change without notice. Management reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone wearing an outfit or costume it deems to be inappropriate. Additional park rules apply. For a list of these rules, please visit our website. 

*Some images are property of Adventure City and used with permission.

{Giveaway} Irvine Park Railroad’s 13th Annual Pumpkin Patch Opens 9/15

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

Who’s ready for Halloween? I know it’s still summer but I get so giddy just thinking about pumpkins and Halloween fun! One of our favorite things to do each fall is visit Irvine Park Railroad’s Pumpkin Patch  and this year, they’ll be opening their 13th Annual Pumpkin Patch on September 15th! Yay!The Pumpkin Patch will be open daily, starting September 15th and running through October 31st. If you haven’t visited before, you’ll want to make a trip out. It’s fun for both children and adults! Irvine Park Railroad is located inside of Irvine Regional Park in the foothills of Orange, California. The Pumpkin Patch is located in Locomotive Loop and Miners 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. In addition to the pumpkin patch, there are a bunch of activities there too. (Prices for pumpkin patch activities vary.)This year’s Pumpkin Patch activities 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

There’s also great food at the Pumpkin Patch and a lot more!Irvine Park Railroad will also host its 3rd annual “Great Pumpkin WeighOff” on Saturday, September 22nd, starting at 10:00 am. Visitors can come see if pumpkin growers have what it takes to grow the biggest pumpkin. Cash prizes will be awarded and KTLA Channel 5 weatherman Henry DiCarlo will host this event. Admission into the Pumpkin Patch is free. Please visit www.IrvineParkRailroad.com for additional information and ticket costs.The Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch is open daily from September 15th through October 31st and the hours are as follows: 

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

*Starting October 1st, Irvine Park Railroad will open at 8:00 am on weekends.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, we encourage visitors to plan to arrive early to help avoid crowds, particularly on the weekend. Visit this page on our web site for special event parking information.While you’re in the park, visit Irvine Regional Park’s other activities including Wheel Fun Rentals® at Irvine Park. These fun and unique bike rentals that can be enjoyed by single riders or an entire family. Also enjoy paddle boat rentals, the Orange County Zoo and pony rides. Bike and paddle boat rentals are open daily at 10:00 am. Visit http://www.IrvineParkRailroad.com For full details including hours of operation and costs of these activities, please go here. 

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one(1) of my readers to win a prize pack of tickets which includes 8 activity for the pumpkin patch, 1 Wheel Fun Rentals at Irvine Park Double Surrey Bike Rental and 1 Paddle boat rental. The value of the prize is $100.00. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. Please note: this giveaway is not open to bloggers. Good luck everyone!

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Irvine Park Railroad’s annual events include the Anniversary Celebration, Easter Eggstravaganza, 4th Grade California History Education Program, Pumpkin Patch, and Christmas TrainFor pricing, park directions, and complete details, please visit their site here: Irvine Park Railroad.

Hold Onto Summer With Yogurtland’s 3 Newest Flavors + Enter to Win

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own .

Summer is in full swing and Yogurtland bringing three new handcrafted flavors plus two new toppings to its locations for guests to enjoy.Beginning August 6th, and available for a limited time while supplies last, the Yogurtland summer flavor lineup will include Dairy Free Coconut Cream Pie, Nectarine Peach Orange Tart and Strawberry Rose frozen yogurt.

Dairy free? Yes! This is the second time Yogurtland is offering a flavor with a dairy free base made from coconut milk. Combining traditional graham cracker and mouthwatering pie flavor notes in a coconut milk base, the Coconut Cream Pie flavor gives fans an opportunity to create a delicious dairy free treat.

The Nectarine Peach Orange Tart flavor offers a burst of fresh tropical flavors. The nectarine and peach provide taste buds with a sensational juicy flavor experience while the orange gives a nice zest, providing a well balanced sweet and fruity tart flavor.

Yogurtland combines juicy California strawberries and floral rose water in a sweet base to create the creamy Strawberry Rose flavor. This light and refreshing frozen yogurt will have fans craving a second serving.Along with three new flavors, Yogurtland will introduce two new toppings for a limited time. Bringing a different variety of flavors to the topping bar, the scrumptious Cotton Candy Fizzies will have fans enjoying traditional cotton candy flavors with a twist. Additionally, Yogurtland’s craveable Sour Rainbows will bring a spark of color to each cup and a blend of sweet and sour flavors.

I don’t know which of these to try first! I’ll probably end up with one of each! I’m so excited about these new flavors that I’m hosting a giveaway for one (1) of my readers to win a $20 Yogurtland gift card. To enter this giveaway, please fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone and thanks for stopping by! a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Yogurtland
Yogurtland features non-fat and low-fat yogurt flavors, ice cream, and non-dairy and no sugar added choices while using milk that contains no antibiotics or added hormones. Fruit flavors are fortified with Vitamin C for an extra boost.
Yogurtland’s flavorologists continually create craveable flavors that keep fans loving their frozen dessert experience. Yogurtland owns its own dairy, and by controlling the manufacturing process, the company delivers the highest quality flavors, setting new standards for the industry and delighting guests each day.

 

For more information or to find the closest Yogurtland to you, please go here

Some images are property of Yogurtland and used with permission.

{Giveaway} Panini Kabob Grill Now Open at Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo

I was invited to dine as a guest of Panini Kabob Grill in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

Let’s talk about food! It’s one of my favorite things. Any time a new eatery opens near me, I get excited to try it out! One of our favorite centers to visit is Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo. Panini Kabob Grill recently opened at Kaleidoscope and we couldn’t be more excited about it! Panini Kabob Grill offers a fresh, healthy and high quality Mediterranean menu. By the way, their fresh hummus platter is amazing! Not only do they serve lunch and dinner but also breakfast! That’s my favorite meal of the day! You can basically “brunch” there 7 days a week!Their breakfast/brunch menu features such items as:

  • French Toast
  • Spinach Poach
  • Open-faced Smoked Salmon
  • Smoked Salmon Plate
  • Steak and Eggs
  • Create Your Scramble
  • Create Your Scramble
  • Breakfast Sandwiches and Wraps
  • Avocado Toast

Panini Kabob Grill only uses farm-raised organic eggs, hormone and antibiotic-free proteins. They don’t use anything processed or containing MSG and make all items from scratch. Enjoy Panini Kabob Grill’s “Mimosa Brunch Special”, any day of the week, for just $2.95 each. Guests can also enjoy a selection of sparkling wine, wine and beer with any meal.Espresso Bar selections feature LaVazza, 100% Arabica Responsibly Grown Coffee, which is Italy’s favorite coffee. Guests have the option of ordering their (hot or cold) espresso or coffee drinks with soy or almond milk at no additional charge.

In addition to breakfast and brunch, Panini Kabob Grill serves a variety of Salads; Paninis; Wraps; Shish Kabobs with steak, chicken, lamb, salmon or shrimp; and vegetarian entrees including a Falafel Platter, Charbroiled Organic Tofu Kabobs, and Stuffed Bell Peppers. Family Platters can also be ordered for sharing, and a Kids Menu is available to children 12 and under.

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one of my winners to win a $50 Panini Kabob Grill gift card so you can go in and try out their delicious menu for yourself! To enter the giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone!

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