This summer has been such an exciting one at Knott’s Berry Farm with the 75th Anniversary Celebration of Ghost Town happening. 
Right now when you visit the Park, you get to experience the Old West town of Calico, in a whole new way during Ghost Town Alive! It’s an interactive experience and will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a time capsule, as you join in on the daily lives of the citizens of Calico and are treated like one of their own. 
Here are just some of the fun activities you’ll should do while visiting Ghost Town:
- Grab a copy of the town paper
- Go to the Barbershop for a “shave” and a mustache
- Play a game of cards with the town Sheriff
- Have your photograph taken the old-fashioned way
- Meeting the prospector and his trusty burro, Brutus
- Get locked up in the town Jail
- Visit the animals in the Livery Stable
- Help the town folk by drawing “WANTED” posters
- Participate in the town election and vote for the Mayor
Every evening, the day’s “story” culminates with a town-wide celebration of 75 years of Calico. You won’t want to miss out on the Hoedown. It’s fun for the entire family. 
While you’re at Knott’s, you should also take a ride (or a few) on GhostRider, the longest, fastest and tallest wooden rollercoaster on the West Coast. It was recently re-opened after an extensive renovation and I speak from experience when I say, you NEED to go on it! It’s way smoother to ride now and kept me screaming the entire time! Watch this video of me braving GhostRider, along with my friends from Popsicle Blog, Polka Dots on Parade, and Dandelion Moms. (I’m in the 2nd row.)
Another must-do when you visit Knott’s is to have a delicious meal at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. It’s located just outside the gates of the Park and was also newly reopened after a complete refurbishment, which now also includes an outdoor dining area! There’s nothing quite like a meal from Mrs. Knott’s! To learn more about all of the new additions to the restaurant and menu offerings, go here.
Ghost Town Alive! is happening every day this summer at Knott’s Berry Farm. You’ll want to make sure to visit before it all goes away on September 5.
Connect with Knott’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I get excited for family road trips. It’s the chance to get away, see new places, and explore together. Slowly but surely, we’re checking states off of our map. We’ve visited beaches, deserts, theme parks, farms, and so many other fun places, Some of our road trips are just local ones, but a getaway is a getaway, right?
Getting the Car Ready
Right now, through September 28, you can get an oil change with 
It’s a motor oil specifically designed for new or late model vehicles with over 75,000 miles, with the mission of keeping engines running clean and going strong. If your vehicle has less than 75,000 miles on it, you’ll want to 
Stocking up the Car
Here are some of the things I never go on a road trip without:
Kid-Friendly Road Trip Activities 
The thought of a road trip can sometimes be so ideal in your head, before you actually get on the road, but hearing things like, “How many more minutes?” or “Are we almost there?” from the little people in the backseat, can drive you nuts! I sometimes think kids must teach each other these phrases because they all seem to say it. 
In “the olden days”, when I was a kid, our options included: staring out the window or playing the license plate game. I wanted to be a little more creative than that. I suppose this version of “Road Trip BINGO” is just a modernized version of the license plate game, except I’ve upped the game…I added a prize! They have one card to share, which is supposed to promote “working together” and when they get “BINGO”, they get to choose where we stop for our next treat. Seems like a win-win for me, don’t you think? I printed two different cards, so they could play again on the way home! I figure it’ll buy me at least a little bit of time without having to hear those annoying questions. Check out my two favorite parts on the BINGO game. I circled them for you! 
The first 500 guests to attend the opening celebration will receive a free gift (*while supplies last). Guests will have an opportunity to meet Donald Duck and Daisy Duck in the lower level Macy’s court from noon to 4 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring their cameras. *Characters alternate every 30 minutes. Character appearances are subject to change or cancellation without notice.
The easiest way to add the All Day Dining Plan is to 
Wouldn’t it be fun to spend an entire day at Knott’s, just eating every 90 minutes? Ok, I’m just joking. 
The All Day Dining Plan doesn’t include drinks but I need to share one of the best drink deals in the Park with you! You can purchase a 2016 Souvenir Bottle for only $14.99 and get free drink refills the entire day! It’s a great deal and we used it in between meals to carry around ice water, which they’d also refill for us. It’s almost always hot outside in Southern California so having the option to get a cold, icy drink constantly refilled was a life-saver. Also, if you purchase it online before your visit, it’s only $10.99! 
For more information about Knott’s All Day Dining Plan or general park information, go 
Northgate decided to throw a giant community party in the parking lot, in honor of the Grand Opening and generously offered to provide the first 300 customers in line with a free bag of groceries.
There must have been about 1000 people in that line and it turns out that 100 more free bags of groceries were handed out additional guests, making 400 recipients total. That is so generous!
Several sponsors were also on hand at the event, greeting shoppers in the line outside, as well as pass out goodies to them. Inside the store, there was mariachi music and folklórico dancers continuing the celebration.
Their stores are known for offering a sizable section of domestic and imported Latin American grocery goods to customers, however, they also offer so much more than that. (Keep reading to learn more.) Personally, I love to give my business to establishments that are not only family run, but run based on family values.
After touring and shopping at this store, I could see how considerate they were in planning what to offer customers. I was pleasantly surprised to see an extensive variety of organic fruits and vegetables, in addition to other sought-after organic foods.
I was amazed when I passed several different sections of Grab-n-Go items, including family meals. There were salads, cut up fruit, sandwiches, tamales, sopas, so many choices! I wish I worked next door so I could come over at lunch and “Grab n’ Go” every day!
So, if I haven’t made it clear yet, you need to stop by the newest Northgate Market in Anaheim. I know you’re going to love it as much as I did! The new Northgate Market is located at 2030 E. Lincoln Ave. Anaheim, CA 92086. 
I thought it would be fun to make a journal for my own daughter to keep, but more of a travel journal, rather than a diary. I think it would be something she could utilize it on a specific trip, as a way to document a family vacation, or even keep it as an ongoing travel journal throughout childhood. 
Either way, a travel journal is a great tool to get your child thinking, writing, and even sketching about adventures they’ve had on vacations. It’s also a great keepsake for them to look back on in later years.
After I glued the printable onto the cover, I added some decorative washi tape accents. I love washi tape! Sometimes it’s hard to choose just one or two to use. Finally, I fastened some bright flowers in the corner. It really made the cover “pop”! 
A travel journal is perfect to take on a trip and allow your child a little bit of time each day, perhaps at day’s end, to sum up their favorite parts of that day and even include an illustration or photograph. You could also fasten a photograph to the page. My daughter loves taking her instant camera on trips. 
How do you document family vacation memories? Do you have your child keep any type of journal. If so share with me in the comments. 
When we first saw the trailer for the “Nine Lives” movie, we added it to our summer “must- see” list of films. It stars Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Walken, Malina Weissman and Cheryl Hines and will be in theaters August 5! 
Solving Back-to-School Challenges
It’s important for kids to start their day off with good nutrition though. They need to eat in the morning, before school, so they can power through a morning filled with learning. My ideal vision of breakfast for my daughter includes a glass of 
In the afternoon, after school, my daughter is always famished. I like to give her a snack after school. Luckily she’s a milk drinker, so I give her another serving of 
Let’s Talk About a2 Milk®
I found my a2 Milk® in the dairy section of the Ralph’s I shop at, but it’s available at other retailers as well. To find a store nearest you that carries it, click 
So are you ready for Back-to-School? Somehow it rolls around whether we want it to or not! What are some of your favorite ways to make sure your kid(s) get the necessary dairy servings in their daily diet? Do you have any favorite after school snack recipes? Share with me.
When I heard the announcement that Kia Motors America formed an expanded partnership with B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible and Keep Everyone Safe), a non-profit organization that provides free, hands-on defensive driving workshops in cities nationwide, I was excited to share the news with my readers!
B.R.A.K.E.S. will use an expanded fleet of vehicles provided by Kia and increase the number of classes offered.
To provide teenagers with the training and tools to be safe and responsible behind the wheel, Kia Motors America (KMA) and the B.R.A.K.E.S. (Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe) Teen Pro-Active Driving School are bringing the 501(c)(3) 0uycharity’s free advanced driver training to San Diego July 30-31 at Qualcomm Stadium. According to a recent study, the B.R.A.K.E.S. program reduces the accident rate of teen drivers by approximately 64% in their first three years of driving. 
The B.R.A.K.E.S. curriculum includes advanced, behind-the-wheel training from professional driving instructors using Kia provided vehicles.
Connect with Kia Motors American on