Over The Top Mommy

{Giveaway} ScotsFestival & International Highland Games XXIV at The Queen Mary Feb. 18 -19

January 13, 2017 / SoCal Fun

The Queen Mary is pleased to welcome back the annual ScotsFestival & International Highland Games XXIV on February 18 & 19 from 9am – 6pm. Come and experience the rich culture and history of Scotland first hand through an array of authentic activities, athletics, dancing, entertainment and cuisine all in ode to the Queen Mary’s Scottish legacy.Eighty-seven years ago, in the quaint seaside town of Clydebank, Scotland, construction on the Queen Mary began. Exemplifying the finest craftsmanship of the country, the Queen Mary’s legacy is undeniable and today the ship’s heritage is celebrated through the two-day ScotsFestival honoring Scottish culture.ScotsFestival honors nearly fifty Scottish clans & vendors throughout the weekend with professional and amateur competitions in drumming, massed bands, darts, piping, Highland dancing, and Highland athletics. The Scottish Highland Games, a pre-cursor to today’s Olympic Games, were designed to test the strength, skill and technique of ancient warriors by face offs.The official opening ceremonies for the Queen Mary’s ScotsFestival begin with the traditional Grand Parade of Clans & Bands with an Address to the Haggis on the Parade Platform. Daily festivities include:

Border Collie sheep-herding
firing demonstrations
performances by the Royal Scots Greys Calvary
LA and OC Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
Celtic Harp Workshops
Story Songs by Wren of Iniquity Ensemble and many more historic reenactments.

One of the most popular competitions at ScotsFestival each year is the traditional pipe bands featuring a wide range of piping competitions, including solo, ensemble and pipe band ensemble. Crowds will gather to watch the pipe bands march together in absolute unison while playing traditional Scottish favorites likes, “Scotland the Brave” and “Amazing Grace.” The Queen Mary’s ScotsFestival hosts World Champion Scottish Highland Dancers and many internationally acclaimed athletes competing for titles in stones, hammer throw, weights for distance, weight over bar, sheaf and the famed caber toss.

Whisky tasting sessions with aged malt experts and craft beer samplings are available for adult festival goers inside the spruce goose dome. While the wee laddies and lassies can bear witness to Queen Mary’s knighting and coronation ceremonies, and even take part in the Wee Highland games including youth competitions in archery, potato sack races and tug o’ war.Tickets to ScotsFestival are now on sale and start at $10 online for ages 4-11 and $19 online for guests 12 and over. VIP tickets, upgrades, ticket add-ons, two-day festival passes and hotel packages will also be available. For more information or to purchase your tickets online, go here.

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one lucky reader to win a pair of General Admission tickets to this year’s ScotsFestival. You can enter below on the Rafflecopter. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is not a sponsored post. Images and film clips are property of The Queen Mary. All opinions are 100% my own.

American Girl WellieWishers Foster Character Education Through Play

January 12, 2017 / Lifestyle

We received products in order to facilitate this post. Some images and logos are property of American Girl All opinions are 100% my own.

Have you met the WellieWishers yet? They are new lifestyle brand for American Girl, aimed at girls ages 5 to 7. (Although my own daughter is older than that and adores this collection.) The WellieWishers are an adorable group of girls who each have the same big, bright wish: to be a good friend.The group of friends consists of Emerson, Camille, Kendall, Willa, and Ashlyn.

They imagine and play in an enchanted neighborhood garden supervised by Aunt Miranda and through their heartwarming and humorous adventures, the WellieWishers help a girl to learn how to “stand in another person’s wellies” to discover the skills of empathy, kindness, and compassion that will help her be a good friend.As a mom, and an educator, I feel the importance of providing children with the opportunity to play can help their social-emotional learning. Character education for children is more important than ever and just giving them time to play, allows them the chance to learn how to get along with others, be empathetic, show kindness and share responsibility for others’ well-being. The WellieWishers are a great tool to do this because their “story” involves all of that. When children explore the world of WellieWishers, they “step into their colorful garden boots” and get ready for stomping in mud puddles, putting on shows, and helping friendships grow.My daughter was so excited when we received a “Willa” doll and her pet rabbit “Carrot” on our doorstep to review. They are so cute and all of my nieces ,who visited our home over the holidays, wanted to play with them.The WellieWishers are a little bit smaller in size than the traditional American Girl dolls. I actually like this size and it’s easier for a littler girl to tote them around. Willa has beautiful hazel eyes, freckles, and 2 strawberry blonde ponytails. She comes dressed in a super cute outfit that consists of a hedgehog print floral skirt, a tee with a hedgehog face on it, and a coordinating headband that has bunny ears on it! However, my favorite part of her outfit are her ladybug wellies. They are so cute!Willie has a pet bunny named “Carrot”. (It’s sold separately.) Carrot comes with an aqua-colored bunny hutch that opens up and has a ramp so Carrot can “walk the runaway”. The door has a cute little heart cutout window for Carrot to peek out of from the inside.The accessories include a little name sign that you can fasten to the side of the hutch, a carrot-shaped water bottle for inside, a food dish and some pretend carrots. Carrot is so soft and cuddly.As you can tell, we are slightly enamored by the WellieWishers. I love everything about them and what they stand for. To view the whole collection, go here.

You can also see the WellieWishers’ adventures come to life in their all-new animated series on Amazon. Here’s a sneak peek:

You can join in on the conversation and share your own friendship moments by following #WellieWishers.

Images and clip are property of American Girl and Amazon.

Disneyland Brings Back SoCal Resident Discounted Ticket Offer

January 9, 2017 / Disney, Lifestyle, SoCal Fun

Have you heard the great news? Disneyland Resort is kicking off the new year by bringing back their SoCal Resident discounted ticket offer! There couldn’t be a more perfect time to plan a visit to the Parks, since the holidays are over and things slow down a bit. The Southern California Resident ticket offer* provides flexible options for three days of magic and adventure at special prices. For a limited time, guests may select from these purchase options:

3-day ticket with choice of one park per day for $149 (less than $50 per day) – entitles Guests admission to either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park each day for 3 days. This ticket is not valid for visits to both theme parks on the same day.
3-day Park Hopper ticket for $189 – entitles Guests admission to both Disneyland Resort theme parks over 3 days, including visits to both theme parks on the same day.

The Southern California Resident tickets include one Magic Morning early entry to Disneyland Park, which provides an extra hour of play on select days before the park opens to the general public. Tickets must be purchased by May 22, 2017 and excludes the following blockout dates: April 9 through April 23, 2017. This is such a great offer and just in time to enjoy the upcoming Main Street Electrical Parade and thrilling Star Wars experiences at Disneyland Park, plus the Lunar New Year Celebration and the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival at Disney California Adventure Park.Here are some of the important details relating to the 3-Day SoCal Resident Promotional Ticket with Magic Morning offer:

Valid only for Southern California residents within ZIP codes 90000-93599 and Northern Baja California residents within ZIP codes 21000-22999.
Proof of residency is required for purchase and admission.
3-Day, 1-Park-Per-Day Ticket is valid for admission for three (3) days to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure park, but not to both parks on the same day.
3-Day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Ticket is valid for admission for three (3) days to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park on the same day.
Each day of use constitutes one full day of use.
Tickets expire May 25, 2017.
Blockout days of April 9 through April 23, 2017 apply.
May purchase up to 5 tickets per person per day with valid ID.
Tickets may not be sold or transferred for commercial use.
Offer may not be combined with other ticket discounts or promotions.
Tickets not valid before January 9, 2017
Subject to capacity, restrictions and change without notice.

For more information about this very special offer, including restrictions, go here.

This is not a sponsored post. Some images are property of Disneyland Resort. All opinions are 100% my own.

New TV Spot for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast #BeOurGuest

January 8, 2017 / Disney Movies, Entertainment, Movies

Get your tissues ready! Watch this brand new TV spot that aired during the Golden Globes, which includes a sneak peek of Emma Watson singing “Belle” from the Disney’s upcoming release of “Beauty and the Beast!

Her voice is amazing and I am such a huge fan of her acting and I think she’s the most perfect “Belle”! .

I’m more exciting than ever for March 17th to get here, the date of the film’s release. Will you be in the theaters watching? We will!

Connect with Beauty and the Beast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too. You can also visit the film’s official website here.

This is not a sponsored post. Images are property of Disney. All opinions are 100% my own.

Babychella™ Free Family Event Comes to Orange County on 3/12

January 7, 2017 / SoCal Fun

Babychella™ is coming to Warren R. Regional Park in Irvine, which is located in Orange County, Ca., on Sunday, March 12, 2017 from 12-4pm. The event, presented by Orange County Parks, is a a free annual family music and arts festival celebrating babies and children of all ages.Babychella™ focuses on expectant mothers to be, babies and children of all ages are welcome. The goal of the event is to give existing parents and parents to be access to educational speakers, popular baby brands and other resources to help make the journey of parenthood more fun by celebrating family life. Several activities will be offered at the outdoor event including:

a variety of interactive vendor booths that will host story time
face painting
mommy and me yoga
a themed photo booth
a bubble tent
arts & crafts.
Kids Costume Contest: Bohemian Festival Style – $200 Gift Card
Food & Drink: Assorted Food Trucks – Cash or Credit Card Purchase

There will also be a main stage showcasing musicians performing children’s favorite sing along songs. Bring a blanket and lawn chairs to enjoy the park during the festival. Restrooms, changing and breastfeeding areas will be available for your convenience.

William R. Mason Regional Park is located at:
18712 University Dr, Irvine, CA 92612

Parking fee is $5 per vehicle entry.

For more information about the event, visit the Babychella website here.

Meet the New Characters Joining Cars 3

January 6, 2017 / Disney Movies, Entertainment, Movies

As if I wasn’t already excited about the upcoming release of Cars 3 in June 2017, some new characters were also announced, which will be joining Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) in this all-new story that tests the heart of a champion in a high-tech world. The two new characters include an unconventional trainer Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo) and next-gen racer Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer).

Lightning McQueen is world champion—a modern-day racing legend who’s riding high with five Piston-Cup wins under his hood. Suddenly, he finds himself faced with a new generation of racers who threaten not only his dominance in the sport—but the confidence that got him there. Determined to get back to the pole position, the #95 must decide if his love for racing is enough to fuel the comeback of his life. Owen Wilson returns to the racetrack as the voice of the champion.

Cruz Ramirez (voiced by Cristela Alonzo) is a sunny-but-fierce unconventional trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center. She expertly arms the team’s talented rookies with cutting-edge tools to tear up the track—but she nearly stalls when her longtime idol Lightning McQueen shows up. While she’d love to help him find his way back to the top, she knows the competition is faster than ever, and victory is all about speed—or is it? Cristela Alonzo (“The Angry Birds Movie”) was called on to help bring the character to life.

Cristela is full of optimism and a positive energy that I think really comes through in Cruz’s personality and of course, she’s a hilarious comedian, so that doesn’t hurt either.” Cars Director Brian Fee

Jackson Storm is fast, sleek and ready to race. A frontrunner in the next generation of racers, Storm’s quiet confidence and cocky demeanor are off-putting—but his unmatched speed threatens to redefine the sport. Trained on high-tech simulators that are programmed to perfect technique and maximize velocity, Jackson Storm is literally built to be unbeatable—and he knows it. Armie Hammer (“Birth of a Nation”) was tapped as the voice of Jackson Storm.

Armie brought a great combination of intensity and charm to the role of Jackson Storm. His charisma helped create a character you really love to hate.”

Cars 3 is directed by Brian Fee (storyboard artist “Cars,” “Cars 2“) and Produced by Kevin Reher (“A Bug’s Life,” “La Luna” short), and cruises into theaters on June 16th!

Celebrate Lunar New Year Jan. 20 – Feb. 5 at Disney California Adventure Park

January 5, 2017 / Disney, SoCal Fun

Disney California Adventure Park is getting ready for a bigger-than-even Lunar New Year Celebratin beginning Friday, Jan. 20 through Sunday Feb. 5, 2017. The extravagant celebration for the Year of the Rooster will take place over the span of 17 fun-filled days and will includec olorful live performances, fun-filled activities, beautiful decor, Disney characters in their Lunar New Year costumes, and special food and merchandise offerings. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mulan and Mushu will join guests for this very special time of year! Guests at the Lunar New Year Celebration will discover new Disney magic as they experience Asian culture through a variety of live performances, including Chinese acrobats and authentic musicians. Each night prior to “World of Color,” a new feature called “Hurry Home” will tell the tale of a journey home for Lunar New Year. The six-minute feature is presented in sequences, utilizing projected animation along with the lighting, special effects and powerful fountains of “World of Color.”

As “Hurry Home” unfolds, guests will get to follow along on the journey of a Little Lantern returning home for the annual celebration of good luck and fortune. Little Lantern encounters three “dream sequences,” featuring appearances by Mulan and the dragon Mushu. “Hurry Home” employs two contrasting animation styles, with fully rendered CG animation and sequences inspired by traditional Chinese paper cut-out style animation. The story is scored with music created for the opening ceremony of Shanghai Disney Resort by Academy Award-winning composer Tan Dun (“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”).

Lunar New Year, traditionally celebrated within Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, commemorates the moment when both the sun and the moon begin their journey for another year. Highlights of the Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure include:

Three new Asian marketplaces offering foods inspired by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mulan and Mushu, dressed in their Lunar New Year attire to welcome guests and join them for photos.
Live performances with an impressive array of authentic performers, acrobats, musicians and more.
A New Year’s Wishing Wall, where guests may add their own wishes for a wonderful future
Lunar New Year décor, including beautiful ornamental lanterns and banners wishing guests a Happy Lunar New Year in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
Lunar New Year commemorative merchandise, including a specially designed t-shirt, pin and the traditional red envelopes for gift-giving.

For a limited time only, Disneyland Resort guests may celebrate the tradition, sights, sounds and tastes of Lunar New Year with a touch of Disney magic, only at Disney California Adventure. For more information and the daily entertainment schedules, go here. You can also read more about Lunar New Year at Disneyland Resort on the Disney Parks Blog here.

This is not a sponsored post. Photos are property of Disneyland Resort. All opinions are 100% my own.

January Events at Pretend City Children’s Museum

January 4, 2017 / Entertainment

2017 is here and Pretend City Children’s Museum is celebrating! Kick off the New Year with some fun activities during the month of January. Celebrate Art Resolution Month this month! Each week in their newly renovated art studio, a new form of art will be highlighted. Children can come experience new materials and new types of art in the PROCESS-based studio!

Here are some other fun events you’ll find at Pretend City in January:

Cuddle Up Day | January 6
Bubble Bath Day | January 8
Letter Writing Week | January 8 – January 14
Baby Steps through Pretend City | January 9
National Hat Day | January 15
Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 16
National Popcorn Day | January 19
National Hugging Day | January 21
National Opposite Day | January 25
Lunar New Year Celebration – Year of the Rooster | January 28
National Puzzle Day | January 29
Family Autism Event | January 30

For more information about the events at Pretend City Children’s Museum, go here.

This is not a sponsored post. Images and logo are property of Pretend City. All opinions are 10% my own.

Mountain High to Host World’s Largest Lesson Day on January 6, 2017

January 2, 2017 / SoCal Fun

January’s arrival marks the start of Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month at Mountain High. The resort is participating in the World’s Largest Ski and Snowboard Lesson Day set for 10:00 a.m. PST on Friday, January 6, 2017.For the second-straight year, multiple winter resorts across the U.S. and Canada, including Mountain High, will attempt to set industry and Guinness World Records for teaching people how to ski and snowboard. Southern California is home to millions of potential skiers and snowboarders and, with January being Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, this is a really cool way for many people to learn how to shred on the mountain

“We had an incredible turnout for last year’s first attempt at shattering skiing and snowboarding lesson participation records and can’t wait to break it this time,” said John McColly, Mountain High chief marketing officer.

The current record for world’s largest ski lesson (both single and multiple venue) is 594 and 500 for world’s largest snowboard lesson (both single and multiple venue). World’s Largest Lesson Day is an ideal opportunity for skiers and boarders of all ages to learn how much fun they can have and be part of a world record. Classes at Mountain High truly prepare skiers and snowboarders to succeed on the slopes. Lesson participants will learn how to properly use equipment, be introduced to basic skiing and snowboarding skills including safety, learn about types of terrain, demonstrate and be evaluated on what they learned during the 90-minute class. All attendees will receive an official certificate of completion upon finishing the lesson.

To register for the World’s Largest Ski and Snowboard Lesson Day at Mountain High, visit here or call 888-754-7878. Event registration ends Thursday, January 5, 2017.