January is always such an exciting time of year! I love the beginning of a new year because I feel like it’s a chance for me to start fresh. For the new year, I’ve been working on maintaining some healthy new habits and beauty routines because it’s important to take care of yourself. It’s also important to treat yourself from time to time.
It looks like Sephora had the same idea as I did: to start the new year right. They put together a Sephora Favorites Refresh, Set, Glow Kit, that’s perfect for the work hard, play hard girl on the go. The kit features on-the-go glam solutions that will revive your hair, complexion, and makeup and is the perfect way to kick off the new year. 
Refresh, Set, Glow Kit is exclusive to Sephora Inside JCPenney. They’re literally two of my favorite brands to shop, so having them both in the same place is a win-win for me!
Before I even opened the kit, I was in love! It comes in this adorable, light aqua zippered, cosmetic bag and has the Sephora signature logo on the handle. Inside are a ton of fun things to try. 
There are 11 portable picks in all, each set to either revive your hair, your skin, or your makeup. Here’s what you’ll find inside this kit:
Mini Foreo: Play by Foreo – This genius invention allows you to clean while you’re on-the-go. They’re perfect for the gym or even traveling.
Blur by Clinique – This blurring product is perfect for adding finishing touches to your face and especially help with improving your selfies.
Coconut Sheet Mask by Farmacy – You’ll love this deeply moisturizing calming and soothing mask.
GinZing Moisturizer by Origins – Your skin will get an extra “zing” from this energy-boosting moisturizer.
Defense Refresh Mist (15mL) by Supergoop – This mist is perfect to spray on after makeup has been applied, as well as allowing you to apply sunscreen after makeup. It also reapplies several times during the day.
Truth Wipes by Ole – These wipes have the ability to brighten, hydrate, and cleanse your skin, all in one. This fit perfectly in your purse or gym bag.
Ties from Sephora Collection – These are great for pulling back your hair while you wash your face or even just for down time at home.
Sugar Lip Treatment (Rose) by Fresh – You’ll fall in love with this super moisturizing lip treatment with SPF, that leaves your lips beyond soft.
Blow Dry by Bumble and bumble – We could all use a little help repairing what we’ve done to our hair via the blowdryer.
“Better Than Sex” Mascara by Too Faced – I think the name of this product speaks for itself! It’s an amazing mascara. That’s for sure!
Rain Skin Rollerball by CLEAN – This light fragrance smells amazing and is so easy to stick into your cosmetic bag in your purse.
The Refresh, Set, Glow Kit is a beautiful collection of sought after products that make you feel beautiful. It’s perfect to take on a trip and would make a great gift for every girl on your shopping list! Have you shopped at Sephora Inside JCPenney before? What are some of your favorite products? Share with me in the comments. For more information about Sephora Inside JCPenney, go here.
About Sephora inside JCPenney
At Sephora Inside JCPenney, you can find fashion and beauty all in one place with it’s unique, open-sell environment. JCPenney began opening Sephora inside JCPenney stores in October 2006. That original launch turned into a phenomenon and today there are Sephora locations in JCPenney stores nationwide.
Best Tips For Managing Stress
I wear a LOT of different hats, like many other people I know. There’s just so much to do every day! Sometimes all of it starts to get to me and the stress sets in. Can you relate? 
I recently discovered (the hard way) that I can’t possibly keep up at that pace without having some kind of backlash. Although stress is inevitable, trying to do too much all the time, will only result in your body screaming at you to slow down. In my case, I ended up with the flu. According to the doctor, that was my body telling me to slow down!
One of the benefits of being a Kaiser Permanente member is having access to the wide range of services available. Not only can members schedule a medical appointment with their doctor when they need to but they are also able to discuss things like stress management, that can also affect your health.
I had the pleasure of spending some time chatting with Dr. Michael Hanna of Kaiser Permanente Orange County about my own stress and kind of picked his brain for some advice on how to best manage it all. I told him about my tendency to try to “do it all”. His first suggestion was this:
There are certain situations that we really have little to no control over. Dr. Hanna highly recommended putting my energy into things I can do something about. As a father, himself, Dr. Hanna had some other great advice for busy parents who find themselves in the same boat and juggling a lot, about how to best manage & combat their stress. Here are some of his best tips for managing stress:
Nutrition
It seems like we should all know this already but hearing how important proper nutrition is for building your defense against stress was a great reminder. It’s crucial to start each day with a good breakfast. If you’re busy and on-the-go constantly, it’s extra important to pack food to take with you, so you can eat something nutritious every 3-4 hours. Ideal foods are high in fiber, such as toast, bread, beans and cheese, tortillas, and popcorn, and help you feel fuller for a longer time period. Eating 3 daily meals along with a couple of snacks is ideal.
Hydration
Keeping yourself hydrated is another important and beneficial step you can take. If you have a difficult time getting enough water, try adding cucumber or even sliced fruit to your water bottle to give your water slight flavor. Bring my water to work in a fun water bottle seems to motivate me to drink more. It’s also a good idea to limit your caffeine intake, as it can be dehydrating.
Exercise
There are many health benefits associated with exercise. Whether it’s yoga, cycling, running, or even going out for a walk, a minimum of 30 minutes 3-5 times per week is a general recommendation for everyone. Not only can regular exercise help with stress, it also helps you sleep better. 
Sleep
According to Dr. Hanna, the most natural way your body restores itself is through sleep and rest. Adults should sleep at least 7-8 hours a night. The ideal sleeping temperature that a room should be is in the mid 60’s. This seems pretty chilly but I actually sleep better when it’s cool like this in my room. You should refrain from TV and computer time for at least an hour before going to bed. One other important tip I got from Dr. Hanna is “Don’t go to bed with worries!” I try my best on this one but sometimes it’s hard.
Declutter and Organize
Believe it or not, the more organized your life is, which includes both your home and work space, the better. There’s just something to be said about not having a piles of paper everywhere or a bunch of stuff lying around. Organization is something I’ve been working on at home. I’ve eliminated a lot of extra “stuff” that I rarely use. By donating these unused items, it also helps out someone else.
How to Manage Stress When It’s Actually Happening to You
I asked Dr. Hanna for some strategies to try when I’m actually experiencing stress. An example would be stress at work. I teach first grade and there are some days that just get very hectic. He suggested I take some time out in the midst of chaos. Obviously I can’t just walk away from my students, but during recess or my lunch hour, I can certainly set aside 5, 10, or even 15 minutes to get into “a slow zone” and just relax and be away from that chaos. Another great recommendation is to take deep belly breaths to slow my breathing down, which will result in a calmer version of me.
At the end of our talk, Dr. Hanna said something that really stuck with me. He said, “Have hope! This too, shall pass!” Honestly, if you can just rally through the trying times, there’s going to be something good that will eventually show up for you. 
Kaiser Permanente strives to help all of its members and employees work towards total health and wellness. Members can take classes, covering a wide variety of topics relevant to health, that are a good fit for their own situation. Being able to successfully manage stress, or in simpler terms “life management”, can only have positive benefits for an individual. To learn more about Kaiser Permanente and the services health and well-being services available to its members, go here.
Connect with Kaiser Permanente Orange County on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram.
{Giveaway} Irvine Park Railroad’s 21st Anniversary Celebration 2017
Irvine Park Railroad has become a favorite destination for families from across Southern California, takes passengers on a 12-minute ride through scenic Irvine Regional Park. The engineer narrates the ride pointing out all of the history inside of the park which is over 100 years old. It’s one of our family’s favorite places to visit.
Whether it’s a visit during their Pumpkin Patch, Santa Train, or Easter Eggstravanaza, our family enjoys all of the seasonal celebrations at Irvine Park Railroad. Another fun time to visit is during their anniversary. This year, Irvine Park Railroad will celebrate its 21st anniversary on Saturday, February 25th and Sunday, February 26th.
The Anniversary Celebration will also feature other $2.00 activities including:
- carnival games
- a bounce house
- panning for gold (requires 2 tickets)
- face painting (requires 2 tickets)
- and more! .
$2 concessions, including hot dogs, sodas, ice creams, and popcorn, will be available for guests. FREE giveaways include Irvine Park Railroad balloons (one per child).
Please note: The $2 tickets are valid during the Anniversary Celebration weekend only. Coupons, discounts and/or any other promotions are not valid on the anniversary celebration dates.
In honor of their Anniversary Celebration, Irvine Park Railroad will host raffles on both Saturday and Sunday, every hour from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Winners will receive Irvine Park Railroad prizes ranging in value from $60.00 to $300.00. To add even more fun for visitors, a live band will play on both days from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
While you’re visiting Irvine Park Railroad inside Irvine Regional Park, be sure to visit the park’s other activities including Wheel Fun Rentals® at Irvine Park bike and paddle boat rentals, pony rides and the Orange County Zoo.
The Irvine Regional Park entrance fee is $5.00 per vehicle. Irvine Park Railroad opens daily at 10:00 AM.
Irvine Park Railroad is located inside of Irvine Regional Park at:
1 Irvine Park Road
Orange, CA 92869.
I’m also hosting a giveaway for my readers. Irvine Park Railroad is going to provide 8 activity tickets and 1 Wheel Fun Rentals Double Surrey Bike Rental at Irvine Park package for one of my lucky readers! Enter below on the Rafflecopter. Good luck everyone!
For more information, visit http://www.irvineparkrailroad.com. Connect with Irvine Park Railroad on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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5 Great Reasons to Drive the The Toyota Prius Four
I’m a busy mom who’s always on the go. Between driving carpools, teaching school, getting my daughter to and from all of her extracurricular activities, and keeping up with our own little family of 3, I feel like I never stop moving. I normally drive an SUV because I have so much stuff to carry with me all of the time. I also have a husband who’s over 6 feet tall, so it’s just always been easier for our family to go with an SUV as our “go-to” vehicle.
When I was asked if I’d like to spend a week driving around a Toyota Prius Four, I’ll admit, I was hesitant at first. Initially I wondered how I’d fit our entire family in it. I was also concerned that there wouldn’t be room inside for all of our junk, but I decided to give it a try…and boy was I surprised…in a good way!
I’m going to share 5 great reasons why I loved driving around the Toyota Prius Four, even though there are probably way more! 
The Prius Four is adorable. I see them out on the road all the time. I love the sleek design of the vehicle and it just seems so clean in shiny silver. From the stylish wheels to the body shape to the luxurious interior, I just love everything about the way this car looks and was so excited to get to drive one! 
Have you ever been next to a Prius Four when it started? It is so quiet. I wasn’t expecting that and there were actually a couple of times when I had to double check that it was on, even though I knew I’d pushed the power button to start the car.
I loved how quiet this car was to drive. I almost felt like, in a way, it kept me calmer. 
As someone who normally drives an SUV, I’m always envious of other drivers because I know that they’re not pouring (and wasting) a ton of money into their gas tanks, the way I am. Did you know that the Prius Four gets up to 58 mpg in the city and up to 53 mpg on the hightway? That’s amazing! (especially compared to what my regular vehicle gets!)
I don’t think I had to put any gas in it for the entire week I drove it! When you don’t have to spend a ton of money to fill up your “guzzler”, it translates to more money in your pocket. The Prius was definitely developed and designed with fuel economy in mind!
I also appreciated all of the design efforts to keep so much of what a driver needs, within reach and provide the least amount of distractions possible. There’s a great spot to set your cell phone where it can charge wirelessly. In addition, the bluetooth compatibility allows the driver to do everything hands-free!
Some of the features that you’ll find in one, convenient location, which allow for less distraction while driving include Blind Spot Monitoring and Cross Traffic Alert. 
Probably the most surprising thing about driving the Prius Four was the leg and headroom. I honestly thought I’d have to push my husband’s head down to get him into the car but I didn’t! He’s over 6 feet tall and had no issues getting into the car or riding around comfortably inside it.
There’s also plenty of room in the backseat. I expected that the space in the backseat would be compromised but my daughter and her friends had ample space to get comfortable. Their legs weren’t squished at all.
The space in the trunk area is generous too. I could load up the back with my weekly groceries and still had room for other things. That was also a surprise to me. I expected a lot less space in the trunk than there was. It was impressive.
There are so many great reasons to get yourself into a Prius Four. Like I said before, it really surprised me how much I loved driving this car. I love good surprises like that! 
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Disneyland Resort’s Magical Lunar New Year Celebration
It’s the Year of the Rooster and Disneyland Resort is welcoming the Lunar New Year with a very magical celebration at Disney California Adventure Park. Through February 5, Guests can celebrate this joyous occasion as part of a 17-day celebration which includes live performances and entertainment, a special opening addition of ‘Hurry Home” to “World of Color“, beautiful, festive decor, Disney characters dressed in their own Lunar New Year costumes, special cultural activities, and exquisite Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese food offerings.
I was invited to attend a very special preview of the Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure Park and was absolutely amazed at this bigger-than-ever celebration planned for the Year of the Rooster. Lunar New Year is traditionally celebrated within Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures and commemorates the moment when both the sun and the moon begin their journey for another year.
In Disney California Adventure Park you’ll find such beautiful, festive decorations in honor of the “Year of the Rooster”, including whimsical red and gold ornamental lanterns and the 12 zodiac animals, with a Disney twist, of course. 
Paradise Gardens has been completely transformed into a magical setting for the Lunar New Year Celebration this year and you’ll find banners wishing guests a “Happy Lunar New Year” in English, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
During the Lunar New Year Celebration, there are artisans that will teach children to make paper lanterns they can take home. Chinese artisans are also on hand doing calligraphy demonstrations for guests, as well as free face painting.
There are also special character appearances in Disney California Adventure Park. You can find Mulan and Mushu, Chip n’ Dale, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse, all dressed up in their Lunar New Year attire. There’s also a beautiful photo location for guests to take photos with the characters.
You’ll want to make sure to save time for a visit to see the Lucky Wishing Wall. Guests may add their own wishes to the wall for a wonderful future. It’s a beautiful display to admire and contribute towards. 
Special Entertainment
The entertainment that Disney has arranged this year for the Lunar New Year Celebration is spectacular. Here are some of the highlights:
- The Acrobats of China – Watch this award-winning troupe from China perform an exciting mix of traditional and classic Chinese dance with human performance art including riveting feats of strength, grace, and balance. This cultural art form has been thrilling audiences for more than 2,500 years!
- Live musical performances – Disney has arranged an array of authentic performers for the Lunar New Year Celebration including Chinese concert musician Jie Ma, who performs on the traditional pipa string instrument, and Dat Nguyen, a Vietnamese concert guitarist, composer, and teacher.
- “Hurry Home – Lunar New Year Celebration” – Each night, prior to the regular “World of Color”, there’s a new feature called “Hurry Home – Lunar New Year Celebration” that is a very special 6-minute feature that’s presented in sequences. Using projected animation along with lighting, special effects, and powerful fountains of “World of Color”, the story unfolds and takes guests on a journey of a Little Lantern who encounters 3 dream sequences. Viewers can expect to see appearances by Mulan and Mushu in the performance. The story is scored with music created for the opening ceremony of Shanghai Disney Resort. It’s a beautiful addition to the already breathtaking “World of Color” and should not be missed during it’s limited engagement at Disney California Adventure Park.
- “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession” – Mulan and everyone’s favorite dragon, Mushu, welcome “The Year of the Rooster” in this beautiful, colorful procession of Chinese umbrella dancers and a variety of other delightful performers who arrive to music from Disney’s beloved animated film “Mulan”.
Lunar New Year Celebration Special Food Offerings
There are so many wonderful and special food offerings available for guests to try during the Lunar New Year Celebration, which are inspired by the cultures of China, Korea, and Vietnam. 
Guests will find a variety of authentic dishes at three locations within the Lunar New Year Marketplace from:
- China – Pork Soup Dumplings and Turnip Cakes with Spicy Sausage
- Korea – Kimchi Fried Rice and Steamed Vegetable Dumplings
- Vietnam – Sticky Rice Cake with Pork and Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer
Additional Lunar New Year menu items are available at Paradise Garden Grill including Vegetable Japchae, Kalbi Beef Short Ribs with Steamed Rice, Whole Crispy Tilapia with Citrus Chile Vinaigrette, Beef Pho Noodle Soup, Mango Pudding, and Cassava Coconut Cake. 
Lunar New Year merchandise is also available in the park during the celebration. There’s a specially designed t-shirt, a collectable pin, a decorative trinket box, and traditional red envelopes for gift giving.
There are so many highlights to this year’s Lunar New Year Celebration at Disneyland Resort for Guests to experience during their visit to the Park. Have you been yet? Don’t forget to take advantage of the SoCal Residents Discount Ticket offer, too.
Valentine’s Day Math Patterning + Free Printable Activity Sheets
My students know that Valentine’s Day is my most favorite holiday of the year. It’s so much fun to change up some of the Math activities in my classroom each month to go along with the holidays. Patterning is one of the Math activities we work on throughout the school year. At the primary level, patterning is everywhere and there are plenty of opportunities to integrate it into a lot of areas in the classroom. My students get extra giddy when they see the hearts come out because they know it’s that time of year! 
To create this fun Valentine’s Day patterning activity, I found the most adorable mini smile face heart erasers on the Oriental Trading Company site’s Valentine section and couldn’t resist. Their little faces are so cute, and look kinda like emoji faces. I also ordered some Valentine’s Day washi tape. To make the activity even more appealing, I utilized a big, red wooden heart that I had at home. This would be something I’d use if I left the activity at an independent center.
Students can also just practice the patterning at their desks. Each student gets 3 circles, each one with an “A”, a “B”, and a “C” in the center, to create their “key”. They place a different colored heart eraser in each circle after they decide which ones they want to be each letter in their patterns.
Then they place the rectangular pattern cards out on their desk. Each student receives about 50 heart erasers to work with and they create their own patterns. It keeps them pretty quiet for a short while, which is nice.
To switch it up, they can change around which color heart they place in the key and create new patterns. They LOVE doing this patterning activity!
As an extension activity, you can also have students draw and illustrate their patterns on a piece of paper.
To download the free printables from this activity, go here. As always, I recommend printing these out on white cardstock because it’s sturdier.
Main Street Electrical Parade Is “Home” Again at Disneyland!
When Southern California Disney fans (like me) heard the news, back in August, about the Main Street Electrical Parade returning “home” to Disneyland Park for its encore performance at the start of 2017, we were all beyond ecstatic!
Although the “Paint the Night” parade is also a big fan favorite at Disneyland, there are so many Disney lovers that deeply cherish the Main Street Electrical Parade and have longed for it to return since it “glowed away” from Disneyland on November 25, 1996. 
The older generations of Disney fans remember this classic nighttime parade because we saw it during its originally run down Main Street, U.S.A. inside Disneyland, in its original “home”. Others have either seen in another Disney Park or have possibly just been told about it from their parents. Whatever the case, the little kid in me comes out as soon as I hear the first synthesized tune of “Baroque Hoedown” start to play the theme song for Main Street Electrical Parade. When I watched the TV spot for its return, my eyes immediately welled up with happy tears. Watch it here:
I was so honored to be invited to attend a very special preview and premiere of the parade, the night before it was scheduled to start the official limited time run of its encore performance on January 20, 2017. (It will only be here through June 18, 2017).
It was a magical night and for some reason, the Southern California rain, which had been pouring for a couple of days, suddenly halted for a few hours so that the 9 p.m. parade could take place. I had a case of the giggles as I sat on the curb in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A., with some of my friends, waiting for it to start. 
Before long, the parade lights lit up nice and brightly, and we could see the front of the Main Street Electrical Parade making its way towards us in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A.. (It began all the way down by “It’s a Small World“.)
The iconic floats illuminated the parade route and were led by the train that Goofy’s driving. Minnie and Mickey Mouse are also aboard this train greeting guests, all along the parade route. The train is pulling the drum which has a lit up text that says “Disneyland Presents Main Street Electrical Parade”. 
It gave me all the feels to see it say “Disneyland” again, as the last time I had the pleasure of watching this parade, it was at Walt Disney World.
The Main Street Electrical Parade includes 22 floats in all, which is 10 more than the original parade which only included 12. You’ll find characters in the parade from 7 different Disney films including “Alice in Wonderland”, “Cinderella”, “Peter Pan”, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “Pinocchio”, “Dumbo”, and “Pete’s Dragon”.
In addition to the floats, there are about 80 parade performers, some of which are adorned in lighted costumes. There are also 27 beloved Disney characters that perform as part of this parade including Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and more!
It’s such a great time to plan a visit to the Disneyland Resort now, especially with the limited-time return of the Main Street Electrical Parade. If you haven’t seen the SoCal Resident Discounted Ticket offer, it allows you to purchase park tickets at amazing prices, for a limited time. For more information about these tickets, go here.
The Main Street Electrical Parade’s stay at Disneyland is only for a limited time so be sure to get there to see it (at least once) before June 18th! Do you have childhood memories of this special parade? Share with me in the comments. I hope to see you in the Parks!
Meal Planning and Smarter Snack Choices
It’s a brand new year and I’m really excited about striving to reach some new goals I set for this year. As a busy mom, who works full time outside the home and stays occupied driving my daughter around to all of her activities, I started to feel a bit overwhelmed at the end of last year and and kind of let my self-care fall to the side. During the holidays, I was feeling pretty sluggish and just blah.
As soon as the new year started, I really wanted to get myself on a better eating plan. After feeling like I was having way too much drive thru, towards the end of the year, I knew I needed to change some things. I added a healthy eating plan for myself (and my family), which includes weekly shopping and weekly meal prep. It’s important to plan healthy, meals that give you balanced nutrition from all of the food groups. It’s equally important to include healthy snacks in your day because you don’t want to leave gaps in between meals where you get hungry and reach for just any old unhealthy snack! 
I added more fresh fruit (I love citrus), trail mix, and Weight Watchers Light Mozzarella String Cheese to my snacks and carry them in my lunchbox to work as snack options.
Since I was a kid, I’ve always loved string cheese. It’s so fun to to peel it as you eat it. I was surprised (in a good way) to find out how full of flavor and fun to pull apart, this Weight Watchers Light Mozzarella String Cheese is. 
It’s definitely a satisfying choice when you need a snack on the go. I shop for mine at Walmart, in the cheese section and they come in a package, individually wrapped, to help with portion control.
Each serving is only 1 SmartPoints. I feel good eating that kind of a snack and knowing it’s made from real milk.
Right now, until January 31, 2017, Walmart has a digital savings offer for shoppers to save $1.00 on 2 Weight Watchers Cheese items at Walmart. To grab your own digital coupon, click here. (Please note that there is a limited quantity of coupons available.) Weight Watchers is providing a money back guarantee for shoppers who are concerned about the taste of the product. It’s a great way for them to say, “Love it or get your money back”! It’s “Great Taste GuaranCheesed”! For rebate details, including full terms and conditions visit http://www.TakeTheGreatTasteChallenge.com.
Since starting my new meal planning and meal prep, I feel a lot better and have more energy. My pants are also a little looser-fitting, which is a good thing! How are your New Year goals going?
DIY Valentine’s Day Shirts
After making family shirts for Thanksgiving Day and some Christmas Pj tops, my daughter insisted I now make her a Valentine shirt! She is in love with two of the newest Valentine printable collections by Lauren McKinsey, Puppy Love and Purr-fect Love, so we designed a fabric transfer on the Avery site using some of the clip art included with these collections. I cannot tell you how easy these are to do. You literally go online to the Avery site, enter your product number, (we used #8938, for light fabrics) and then you have an option to use their online template to design whatever you want.
After you have perfected your design, just print it out, using the special fabric transfers paper in your printer. After printing, trim around the design (don’t trim too close) and place face down on your image where you want it to be.
*This is the important part: Read their directions, even watch their tutorial, about HOW to best iron the image to your shirt. This part is VERY important. I’d by lying if I didn’t admit to having had a couple of shirts before that had to be thrown out, after I completely messed them up.
I LOVE how her shirt turned out so much, that I’m definitely making one for myself too! Aside from Christmas, I think Valentine’s Day is my other favorite holiday!
To see all of Lauren McKinsey’s Valentine’s printable collections, click here.