The 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend will be held Sept. 1- Sept. 4 this year at the Disneyland® Resort. This year, , a non-profit organization that works to prevent child abuse. has joined the runDisney Charity Partners program for the 2016 Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend.
The races are a great way to get the whole family outside and active while also being a ton of fun! Did I mention that every runner has the chance to pose with Disney characters at the finish line?
Currently, there are still bibs left in the Half Marathon, 10K and 5K. Come and run with Team All4Kids and support a wonderful cause by helping to provide children with brighter futures. For more information about the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend or to register, please visit https://www.all4kids.org/rundisney or the general Disney event page: http://www.rundisney.com/disneyland-half-marathon/.
This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Children’s Bureau of Southern California and Disneyland Resort.
The nationally recognized Mummies of the World: The Exhibition debuted at the Bowers Museum on March 18 and will be displayed until September 5. It features more than 150 artifacts, real human and animal mummies from across the globe. With over 1.4 million visitors experiencing Mummies of the World to date, the display at Santa Ana’s Bowers Museum is the first time the exhibit has been to Orange County. As the largest exhibition of real mummies and related artifacts ever assembled, the exhibit provides a window into the lives of ancient people from every region of the world including Europe, South America and Ancient Egypt, offering unprecedented insights into past cultures and civilizations. Through modern science, Mummies of the World demonstrates how mummification can take place through natural and intentional practices. Included in the collection are:
the Vac Mummies
a mummified family from Hungary believed to have died from tuberculosis
the Baron Von Holz
a German nobleman found tucked away in the family crypt of a 14th century castle wearing his best leather boots
Egyptian animal mummies including a falcon, a fish, a dog and a baby crocodile, many of which were deliberately preserved to accompany royals for eternity
as well as MUMAB, the first replication of Egyptian mummification done on a decedent body in 2800 years; and much more.
Mummies of the World is an incredible glimpse into the fascinating mummification process that occurs in nature and the history of science, anatomy and medicine.This stunning collection has so much to teach us about people and cultures that once thrived.- Peter Keller, President of Bowers Museum
Mummies of the World tells the story of the mummies through state-of-the-art multimedia, hands-on interactive stations and cutting-edge 3-D animation taking visitors on a 4,500-year journey to explore the mummies’ history and origins as well as how they were created through both intentional and natural processes. Using CT scans, researchers have determined that prior to death many of the mummies showed evidence of various ailments and illnesses, some of them endemic among families
The exhibition is truly an amazing, one that the entire family will enjoy visiting and learning from. I highly suggest a trip to Bowers Museum to see it prior to September 5! Mummies of the World will be on display for a limited time at:
This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to review this exhibition in order to write this post. Opinions are 100% my own. Some images and logos are property of Bowers Museum and Mummies of the World: The Exhibition.
This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to spend a day in the Park in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
We were super excited to kick off our Spring Break this year with a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm! Spending a day in the Park together is the perfect way to create new memories. It’s also a chance to capture your lasting memories in photos. On our visit to Knott’s, we had the opportunity to try out the all-new FunPix service, which is a fun and easy way to capture, collect and share professional-quality photos of some of your favorite moments at the park. For one low price, you’ll have access to unlimited downloads of your in-park photos, almost instantly after they’re uploaded into the system, as well as receive discounts on merchandise. Also, it’s very simple to share your photos with friends and family, either via email or text or even on your social media channels. FunPix is an incredible value for all that you’re getting! How is FunPix priced?
FunPix photo services are offered at a great price! There are 2 different options to choose from which include: A Single Day Digital Photo Pass – For just $29.99 + applicable fees and taxes, park goers have the option of purchasing this package. It allows them to download provides the user with unlimited photo downloads for up to 30 days, plus day-of discounts on prints and photo souvenirs available for purchase at the theme park or online. The All Season Digital Photo Pass – This option is only available for Knott’s Berry Farm Regular, Gold, and Platinum Season Passholders and is $39.99 + applicable taxes and fees. It provides unlimited downloads for the entire 2016 season plus discounts on prints and photo souvenirs all season long. How Do You Get Started With FunPix? Purchase Your FunPix Photo Card – You can actually purchase your FunPix package online, before your visit to Knott’s. If you don’t do this, you have the option to purchase a FunPix photo card near the Front Gate FunPix booth, located at the entrance to Ghost Town or at any ride photo location. *Note: If you purchase yours online, bring your printed out voucher to any booth to receive your FunPix photo card. Set Up An Account – You can set up an account to access and download all of your photos by visiting http://www.myfunpix.com or by downloading the Knott’s Berry Farm park app to your mobile device.
Get Your Photographs Taken in the Park – There are FunPix photographers located throughout the park, as well as certain attractions that have cameras installed. Here are the locations you should look for:
FunPix Front Gate Photo
Peanuts Meet & Greet (character availability and hours vary)
I love taking family photos whenever we’re out and about but I will fully admit that I have the tendency to focus a little too much on taking the perfect pics. By using FunPix on our visit, I could actually avoid constantly grabbing for my phone to snap pics and only use it when I wanted to download the FunPix photos from the Knott’s app to share on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. .I loved getting to use FunPix while we were in the Park. I highly recommend it as an add-on to your day out at Knott’s! For more information about FunPix, visit http://www.knotts.com.
The 16th Annual Taste of Huntington Beach will take place this year on Sunday, April 24th, from 12 to 4 p.m., at the HB Sports Complex. The event has become one of “Surf City’s” community traditions and is an exciting gathering featuring food, drink, live music, and fun. This year, Taste of Huntington Beach is presented by The Friends of the Children’s Library (FOTCL) and proceeds benefit the Children’s Department of the Huntington Beach Public Library.
Here’s a video highlighting last year’s event:
Tickets are available for purchase online at tastehb.com and in person at the Children’s Desk at the Huntington Beach Central Library. General Admission tickets are $70 and include four fun-filled hours of:
Unlimited tastes of food from 50 of the best local eateries
Sips from California and boutique wineries
Samples from premium and craft breweries
Live entertainment, silent auction and raffle
Free parking at the HB Sports Complex
VIP tickets are $90 and include all the General Admission perks plus:
An exclusive VIP reception from 11 a.m. – 12 noon
Distinctive hors d’oeuvres and varieties of champagnes
VIP tote bag, party plate and other special VIP giveaways
20-minute early entry into the main Taste tent
Reduced price General Admission and VIP tickets are available for bulk purchases (10 + tickets at one time) A Designated Driver General Admission Tickets is also available for purchase online. (must be 21+ to enter with a designated driver ticket). To purchase tickets for The Taste of Huntington Beach, click here.
Here is the latest list of participating restaurants, wineries, and breweries:
2nd Floor HB
Avila’s El Ranchito
Albertson’s/Vons Newland Center
BLK
Duke’s Huntington Beach
Gallaghers
Huntington Terrace
Imola Restaurant and Bar
Lazy Dog
Lemonade Pacific City
Lou’s Brews and BBW
Market Broiler
Rita’s Italian Ice
Saint Marc Pub and Cafe
Shades Restaurant/ Waterfront Beach Resort
Simply Layered
Slapfish
Solita
Red Table
The Longboard
Thunderburgerz
Traditional Twist Bakery
Ways and Means Oyster HouseWineries:
Cholame Vineyards
Christian Lazo Winery
Graveyard Vineyards
Pedroncelli Vineyards
Pomar Junction
San Marcos Creek Winery
Wilson Creek Winery
Breweries:
Baja Brewing Co.
Brewbakers
Four Sons Brewing
Firestone Walker
Green Flash
Merchant du Vin
Sierra Nevada Brew Co.
Non-alcoholic Beverage:
Surf City Soda
XS Energy Drinks
For more information about the 2016 Taste of Huntington Beach, visit their site at http://www.tasteofhb.com.
This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and video are property of the Taste of HB.
The premiere studio of the commercial dance world, Millennium Dance Complex is opening a fresh studio in the heart of Orange County, California! Come out for the Millennium Dance Complex Orange County official Grand Opening party on Saturday, April 16th from 11am to 4pm! They’ll be offering free classes from all of the instructors. The grand opening event will include:
A Magical T Dance Battle
Giveaways
Live DJs
Live Dance Performances
Free Classes
Photo Booth
The Hang Ten Taco Truck
The Grand Opening FREE Class Schedule is as follows:
11:00 – 11:45
Hip Hop | Katisha ‘Blaze’ Adams
Hip Hop | Jahmie Lynn
House | Scotty Hseih
11:45 – 12:40
Hip Hop | Ashley Nelson
Contemporaty | MaryAnn Chavez
12:30 – 1:15
Hip Hop | Romiah Puertollano
1:15 – 2:00
Hip Hip | Irene Ashu
Contemporary | Mackenzie Crosley
3:00 – 3:45
Hip Hop | Mikey DellaVella
Pumpfidence | Brittanie Brant
Reserve your spot now at http://www.mdcoc.com/schedule
For more information, please visit Millennium Dance Complex here.
This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images and logos are property of Millennium Dance Complex.
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Boudin SF Bakery! Obviously, I love their famous Sourdough bread but I also love all of their delicious sandwiches, fresh salads and homemade soups! My daughter is also loves their kids menu.If you peeked at my Instagramrecently, you may have noticed me posting pics of some of their latest Spring limited-time offerings a few weeks back. I was invited to a media tasting of the limited-time items at Boudin’s Huntington Beach location. I never pass up a chance to try their new items, especially with Boudin’s Corporate Chef Alan Skversky there to talk us through each one. He is so passionate about creating recipes that are trendy and healthy and that incorporate only the freshest ingredients in them. Starting March 23, Boudin gave all of us 4 more reasons to stop by and dine! First of all, they brought back a highly requested favorite, The Lemony Couscous! The Lemony Couscous is made with Israeli Couscous, garbanzo beans, diced cucumbers, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, roasted red bell pepper, feta cheese, and drizzled with creamy lemon dressing. It’s absolutely delicious and they brought it back because so many people were asking for it.
This Spring, Boudin added 3 new Limited-Time offerings to the menu and you’re going to love all three! Each of the salads is made fresh-to-order and served with some of Boudin’s freshly-baked sourdough bread. They are perfect for lunch or dinner and can be enjoyed in the restaurant or taken “to go”. Check these out:
Bacon, Blue & Beets – This salad is made with spring mix, all natural chicken, red onion, roasted golden and red beets, green beans, Applewood smoked bacon, blue cheese, spiced walnuts and tossed in ranch dressing.
Mango & Red Quinoa Salad – Made withcrisp chiffonade romaine and spicy baby arugula lettuces, red quinoa, refreshing mango, red grapes, red onion, almonds and goat cheese, all tossed in house-made mango citrus vinaigrette. You have the option to add chicken for $2.29. Forbidden Rice & Chicken Sesame Salad – This salad is made with baby spinach, black rice, all natural chicken, Granny Smith apples, garbanzo beans, pickled red onion, goat cheese and house-made sesame dressing.
The timing of these additions to the menu, couldn’t be more perfect for me! I was just starting to get myself on a better daily routine and these delicious seasonal salads just made my own personal “Get Ready for Summer” meal plan even easier! These refreshing Spring salads are available at all 9 Boudin SF Southern California locations. To find a location nearest you, click here.
This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to a menu tasting in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% my own.
American Girl, a premium brand for girls and subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. is expanding into the building category with its first-ever line of premium construction toys for children ages 8 and up. The new products, developed in collaboration with Mattel’s Mega Bloks team, feature highly detailed building sets and fully articulated mini figures based on the company’s popular Girl of the Year characters, including past favorites Grace, Isabelle, Saige, McKenna, and Nicki.
American Girl supports girls as makers, creators, and doers, look to provide them with activities that fuel their creative and imaginative spirit. The thoughtfully conceived construction line, geared towards girls. helps encourage girls’ creativity and self-confidence in a whole new way.
The building sets created as a collaboration between American Girl and Mega Brands will encourage children to build the next chapter of their favorite American Girl story or create new ones! The sets allow girls to spend hours reconnecting with their favorite Girl of the Year characters by recreating special moments from their stories. Each themed set features its own fully articulated Girl of the Year mini figure character, with realistic details and unique fabric elements, and comes packaged with a multi-page storybook with robust content and step-by-step building instructions. To extend the playability, the line also includes eight individually packaged American Girl mini friend figures, along with two style collections containing additional figures and mix-and-match accessories girls can use to further explore and expand the Girl of the Year story world.
The Girl of the Year-inspired construction line by Mega Bloks for American Girl includes the following sets:
Grace’s 2-in-1 Buildable Home ($69.99): The play options are endless with this deluxe 2-in-1 set, featuring 749 pieces. Girls can choose to build Grace’s Home, her Patisserie, or a Slumber Party.
Isabelle’s Ballet Recital ($39.99): Girls can help Isabelle put on the perfect performance with this set that includes Isabelle and Luisa mini figures, a buildable ballet studio, a main stage with spinning floor, and a rehearsal area with real fabric details.
Nicki’s Horse Stables ($29.99): Nicki appreciates the great outdoors, and now girls can, too, by building her stable and a jump for her horse Jackson.
Saige’s Art Studio ($19.99): Girls can paint a masterpiece like Saige, with this buildable art studio with artist’s easel, paint table, and real fabric details.
Grace’s Pastry Cart ($9.99): Baking is Grace’s business! Girls can help her fulfill her dream with this buildable bakery cart, which comes with a cash register and other fun accessories. AG-Graces-Buildable-Home
McKenna’s Gymnastics Training ($9.99): Girls can help McKenna practice her routine with this buildable gymnastics set with high bar, winner’s podium, and real fabric details.
Uptown & Downtown Style Collections ($14.99): Each style collection includes accessories like hairstyles, skirts, purses, glasses, and hats to create three unique American Girl mini figures. Combine with other Mega Bloks American Girl playsets for additional fun.
Collectible Figures Assortment ($3.99): Girls can collect eight highly detailed, fully articulated American Girl mini figures. Each figure is unique and comes with a stylish accessory and display block.
The Mega Bloks American Girl products range in price from $3.99 to $69.99 and are currently available exclusively in-store and online at Toys “R” Us in the U.S. and Canada. On July 1, 2016, the line will expand into other mass retailers in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about the Mega Bloks American Girl product line, visit americangirl.megabloks.com
This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% my own. Images are property of American Girl and Mega Bloks.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #IAMSCat #CollectiveBias
Our cats get tons of love, only the best quality IAMS™food and treats, and of course, the cutest toys and even personalized accessories.There’s just no such thing as “spoiling” when it comes to your pet! As a pet owner, I know how important it is for me to make the best decisions for them, especially pertaining to their health and well-being because at some point in their lives, cats can experience common issues such as hairballs, poor oral health, or even digestive issues. Since they can’t talk to tell us when they’re uncomfortable, it’s up to us, their owners, to seek out the solutions that can help prevent such issues from occurring. IAMS™ new reformulation of their cat treats and wet and dry foods, allows cat owners to customize their cat’s nutrition through a well balanced lifestyle. We always pick up whatever our pets need on the Pet Care aisle at Walmart. They have a huge selection of pet toys, pet beds, and we found our favorite pet food, IAMS™Proactive Health Weight & Hairball Care Dry Cat Food. IAMS™ also offers functional cat treats by targeting specific dietary needs—Hairball Care, Digestive Health, and Oral Care.All I know is that my cats can’t keep their paws offf of their IAMS™ dry food bag and the treats! It’s funny how they look just like the kitty model on the bag, too! We recently purchased a new home and are slowly transitioning into our new home. We have been very careful to take necessary steps for our cats to adjust to this transition since we only just adopted them at the beginning of the year and have only known our one home. My goal is for them to make the transition to the new home without too much stress or anxiety since it’ll be a new unfamiliar place.
So let’s talk about some of my tips for helping your cat make the transition during a move:Talk them through it – “Cat people” don’t think it’s unusual to do things like hold hand with or talk to their cats. As you begin to start packing things up and getting organized for your move, just talk to them and tell them what you’re doing. They can tell when things are starting to change. Mine even know when I’m just packing a suitcase for an overnight stay away. Let them sniff and play with the boxes – Bring the moving boxes into the house early and allow your cat to get familiar with them. Cats love to rub their faces on everything, especially new things. I can guarantee they’ll want to lay on the boxes, sit in them, or even play inside! Find a secure place for your cat on moving day – It is crucial that you find a completely secure place for your cat on your big moving day. In our case, we have a good-sized guest bathroom where we can keep them for a few hours, while the movers are here. Put them in the spot a little ahead of time because they may freak out if they hear unfamiliar voices and/or footsteps of your movers. I have even used the boarding for a day option at the vet before. It kind of depends on your preference, and your cat. Comfort your cat – It’s important that you comfort your cat before, during, and after the move. Take extra time to play with them and their favorite toys or to do something they like, such as brush their fur. Regardless of how seamless you make a move to a new home, their bound to experience some type of kitty stress. Once they realize you’re there to stay and have their “things” in place, such as pet beds, food and water dishes, all should be happy and familiar again!
Here’s a simple tutorial that explains how I made the decorative pet bowl. We use it as our cats’ water dish because they insist on sharing water. You could also personalize food dishes the same way. It’s very simple to do.
Here are the supplies you’ll need to make your decorative pet dish:
paper and pencils for sketching the designs
1 plain white ceramic bowl or dish, pre-washed and dried
several multi-colored permanent markers with fine tips
a baking sheet
paper towels
baby wipes
Instructions for decorating your pet dish:
Practice designs, drawings and any wording on scratch paper first until you decide on your favorite elements.
Draw on the ceramic bowl with the permanent markers, decorating all the way around.
Mistakes can be easily “erased” (prior to baking) using a baby wipe. Dry thoroughly with a paper towel prior to resuming the decorating with pens.
Place dish on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove dish from oven and allow to cool down before letting your pet eat or drink from it.
*Dish should be always hand washed and never placed in the dishwasher.
We love our cats to the moon and back! Can’t you tell? How many cats do you have in your home? Have you checked out IAMS™newly formulated food and treats yet? My cats love them!
I was compensated by Evite for my time in developing this post. All opinions are 100% my own.
Spring is my favorite time of year! I love hearing the chirps of baby birds and getting to wear my new sundresses and sandals excites me too! (Ok, technically we can do that year-round, here in California.) All of the bright flowers in bloom make me happy! Planning a get-together for Easter is always fun for me to do too, because I enjoy any excuse to get together with friends and family. This year, Easter just kind of snuck up on me and although I’m great at pulling things off at the last minute, I was grateful to discover that Evite has an app for my iPhone! I downloaded it and within minutes, I had the information for our Easter Brunch filled out and an adorable family party invitation sent from my phone to my favorite “Peeps”! (aka my friends and family) Evite offers free and premium cards that you can customize. It’s is the perfect solution for busy people on the go, which are probably most of us. When I plan a get-together, I like to carry the theme through, beginning with the invitation and extending throughout the details of the party. How adorable is the design I picked?
One of the conveniences I love about using Evite is that it allows me to check the status of the RSVPs, so I can plan better when I go shopping for our Easter Brunch. There’s also an option to add a feature that guests can sign up to bring something, if you’re planning a potluck type of party. It eliminates 5 different people all showing up with a gelatin salad! (Let’s hope NO ONE shows up with one of those though!) It’s such a great way to keep organized! We are really looking forward to our Easter Brunch. Easter egg hunting, delicious brunch food, bottomless mimosas, pretty Easter attire, but mostly getting to create more holiday family memories together! What are your plans for this Easter? Have you thought about organizing your Spring get-together with an Evite? It’s a great resource!
The races are a great way to get the whole family outside and active while also being a ton of fun! Did I mention that every runner has the chance to pose with Disney characters at the finish line? 
For more information about the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend or to register, please visit https://www.all4kids.org/rundisney or the general Disney event page: http://www.rundisney.com/disneyland-half-marathon/.
