Over The Top Mommy

Go Enter the Southern California McDonald’s Minion Mania Photo Challenge & Win Prizes! #SoCalMcDMinionMania

July 6, 2015 / Entertainment, Food, Let's Eat!, Movies

With the upcoming release of the new Minions movie, it’s no doubt that there’s Minion Mania going on during July at McDonald’s! Kevin, Stuart, and Bob have stolen the hearts of McFans everywhere!

In honor of Minion Mania, McDonald’s Southern California is encouraging you to show them how much you love these infectious Minion troublemakers! Beginning Monday, July 6, McDonald’s Southern California is launching their Southern California McDonald’s Minion Mania Photo Challenge!

For 10 days, snap a photo of yourself that fits into each prompt. Share your photo on Twitter using @McDonalds_SoCal and include #SoCalMcDMinionMania. They’ll be picking one SoCal McDonald’s fan to win a summer prize pack valued at $500. The prize pack will include McDonald’s swag, movie passes, and tickets to events across Los Angeles. Here’s my photo for July 6: Something that makes you feel cheerful! What do you think?

C’mon everyone, let’s take over everyone’s Twitter timeline with our fun photos!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Some images provided to me by McDonald’s. All opinions are 100% my own.

Dunkin’ Donuts To Open 2nd OC Location in Santa Ana!

July 3, 2015 / Food, Let's Eat!

Exciting news everyone…on Tuesday, July 7, at 5:00 a.m., Santa Ana is going to be opening the doors to Orange County’s 2nd Dunkin’ Donuts location! Santa Ana residents (and everyone else who drives from near and far) can now enjoy Dunkin’ Donuts iconic fresh-brewed coffee, delicious baked goods, and other menu items, such as sandwiches.

This new Santa Ana location will be a “Green Achievement™ restaurant”. What this means is it will use energy- and water-saving features such as LED lights, high-performance windows and low-flow faucets.

Let’s talk about the Grand Opening celebration. Dunkin’ Donuts always has something special for the first person in both the walk-in and drive-thru lines at their Grand Openings. If you are the first person in either of these lines, you’ll win free coffee for one year!

Also, the first 100 guests to order will receive a Dunkin’ Donuts tote bag filled with special items! Guests at the Grand Opening will have the opportunity to walk the Dunkin’ Donuts’ pink carpet, taste free samples, and have a photo opportunity with their beloved mascot, Cuppy!

There will also be a ribbon cutting ceremony with local dignitaries in attendance to commence the ceremonial grand opening ribbon cutting and welcome Dunkin’ Donuts to Santa Ana. The opening ceremony will also include a check presentation to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. In alignment with Dunkin’ Donuts’ goal to support children’s health, the restaurant will donate $1,000 to help the organization meet the needs of children and families with first-class care and state-of-the-art facilities.

The Santa Ana Dunkin’ Donuts is located at 100 S. Harbor Boulevard.

Connect with Dunkin’ Donuts on Facebook and Twitter. Also, sign up for your own DD Perks Rewards Card!

Breakfast With Bob the Minion! {Make Your Own Minion Mug Too!}

June 30, 2015 / Crafts & DIY, Food, Let's Eat!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #The7thMinion #CollectiveBias

I would easily call our home a “Minion-loving” one. We can’t get enough of the Minions and are counting down the days until the release of the new Minions movie on July 10! Have you watched the trailer yet?

On a recent grocery shopping trip to Walmart, I was ecstatic when I saw a ton of specially marked boxes on the cereal aisle with exclusive Minion “toys” inside! As I walked up and down the aisle, I saw a few of my own childhood favorites featuring these toys inside the boxes

There are 7 minions to collect in all and they’re shown on the back of the cereal box. The 7th Minion is the prehistoric one and is offered exclusively at Walmart in these specially marked Family Size boxes of cereal.

Walmart has teamed up with General Mills to offer the exclusive Minion toys inside these cereals:

Honey Nut Cheerios
Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Lucky Charms
Reese’s Puffs
Trix
Cocoa Puffs
Golden Grahams

As I walked down the aisle, cereal boxes seemed to be flying off the shelves and into my grocery cart! You may also notice that a couple of Minions ended up in the cart, too. I couldn’t resist. My daughter wasn’t even shopping with me, but I knew she’d love them. Walmart had so much “Minions” merchandise! I really wanted to buy all of it!

I couldn’t wait to get home and show my daughter. I decided to plan a little “Minions breakfast” for the following morning. I wanted it to be a fun start to our summer and a kickoff for our quest to find for the 7th minion. I think one of the luckiest parts about my daughter being an only child is that she doesn’t have to share the toy in the cereal box! Seriously, I grew up fighting my younger brother for the toy!

We decided to make a special Minion mug that night as a special edition to our Minion breakfast. Since she loves Bob the Minion and also loves making personalized ceramic mugs, she made a Bob the Minion mug. It’s probably one of the easiest DIYs a kid can do. Have you ever made one?

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own Minion mug:

1 white ceramic coffee mug, prewashed
1 set of permanent markers in a variety of colors
plain white paper (for practicing)
nail polish remover (for mistakes)
some Q-tips
1 roll of paper towels
1 cookie sheet
some Minions or pictures of Minions to look at for inspiration

Instructions for making your Minion mug

Start with a clean, dry mug.
Draw your design, using the permanent markers. If necessary, practice drawing your images first on white paper. Mistakes can be easily “erased” (prior to baking) using a baby wipe. Dry thoroughly with a paper towel prior to resuming the drawing with pens.
When you’re finished drawing and decorating, place your mug upside-down on a cookie sheet. (not pictured)
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Allow your mug to cool all the way down before washing or using. Your cup should always be handwashed and not placed in the dishwasher.

How cute did her mug turn out? I can’t take credit for it. My daughter did it all on her own! It’s Bob! Can’t you tell?

We set up the breakfast table, including the new mug, and Bob and joined my daughter for some Trix. You have to be careful when inviting a Minion to breakfast! Sometimes they misunderstand the invite! Oh Bob!

Before pouring milk into her cereal, my daughter was ready to open each box and hunt for the 7th Minion. She got 4 cute ones, including Bob (her favorite) but didn’t get the 7th Minion! It was a good start though.

We’re determined to collect all 7, especially that 7th Minion, so it looks like we’ll be making a couple more trips back to Walmart for more cereal. My daughter also added “Find the 7th Minion” to her summer bucket list!

Do you have a favorite Minion? If so, which one is it? We love all of the Minions!

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant’s 6th Annual Splendiferously Superific Summer Spectacular Ice Cream Eating Challenge, benefitting CHOC Children’s® and Make-A-Wish®

June 26, 2015 / Family Fun, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, Food, Let's Eat!, Lifestyle, Orange County

Farrell’s recently hosted a super duper fun event at their Brea location, featuring KTLA’s Henry DiCarlo, to kick off their 6th annual Splendiferously Superific Summer Spectacular Ice Cream Eating Challenge, benefitting CHOC Children’s® and Make-A-Wish®! Did I mention that they started filming at 4:45 a.m.? Yep! You can never get too early of a start, right?

Some of the fun guests in attendance that I got to meet included Choco Bear from CHOC Children’s, Tooba from Goon Holler on Vine, the knights from Medevial Times, the pirates from Pirates Adventure Dinner, and last year’s champion and professional eater, Naadar “Freak8r” Reda!

Farrell’s was so generous to provide an abundance of coffee, served in mustache cups (of course) and a breakfast feast fit for a king! Farrell’s doesn’t do anything small!

With the qualifying period for Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant’s 6th annual Splendiferously Superific Summer Spectacular Ice Cream Eating Challenge under way, let’s talk a little bit more about the details. Since this event gives 100% of its proceeds to CHOC Children’s® and Make-A-Wish®, anyone can enter to win. You don’t even have to be competitive eater to enter. Farrell’s is rallying to get as many people to enter as possible, including those who simply want to donate. From June 19 through July 12, it’s everyone”s chance to come into any California Farrell’s location to shine like the ooey gooey whipped cream and sprinkle covered star they are and qualify! (or simply make a donation)

Here are the 3 easy ways to enter to win:

Donate – Give a minimum of $20 to Farrell’s event (don’t forget 100% of proceeds go to CHOC Children’s and Make-A-Wish) and receive a limited edition event T-shirt, $5 off your next vist to Farrell’s and a 3-scoop qualifying sundae to enjoy at your Leisure. Everyone that donates goes into a drawing to win a year of free Farrell’s ice cream. Each Farrell’s location will draw a winner! Qualify – Trying to qualify is fun and delicious! There are 6 different categories. In addition to receiving a limited edition event T-shirt and a $5 off coupon for your next vist to Farrell’s, you’ll receive a qualifying sundae to eat as fast as you can while being timed. The fastest in each category will be invited back to compete in the July 19, Championship event at Farrell’s in Brea, CA. Even if you don’t qualify, everyone that tries will still be entered into the drawing to win a year of free Farrell’s ice cream. Each Farrell’s location will draw a winner! Championship – Be a champion! The fastest qualifiers in each category get invited back to Farrell’s Championship event in Brea on July 19. Farrell’s shuts down the street, puts up a stage and all qualifiers battle spoon-to-spoon to see who are the fastest ice cream eaters. Every first place winner receives a year of free Farrell’s ice cream, a trophy and, the winner of the Solo Zoo Challenge, $750 in cold hard cash!

If you’re in it to win it, here are the categories and details:

Men’s Individual Pig’s Trough Challenge (Ages – 16+)
-Qualifying Cost- $20 per person
-Qualifying Sundae – 3-scoop sundae
-Championship Sundae – Farrell’s Famous Pig’s Trough, 6-scoop sundae
-Grand Prize – One Year of FREE Farrell’s Ice Cream

Women’s Individual Pig’s Trough Challenge (Ages -16+)
-Qualifying Cost – $20 per person
-Qualifying Sundae – 3-scoop sundae
-Championship Sundae – Farrell’s Famous Pig’s Trough, 6-scoop sundae
-Grand Prize – One Year of FREE Farrell’s Ice Cream

Kid’s Individual Jr. Pig’s Trough Challenge (Ages – 9 – 15)
-Qualifying Cost – $20 per person
-Qualifying Sundae – Jr. 3-scoop sundae
-Championship Sundae – Jr. Pig’s Trough, modified smaller 6-scoop sundae.
-Grand Prize – One Year of FREE Farrell’s Ice Cream

The Big and Small Pig’s Trough Challenge (2-persons, ages 16+ and 9 and under)
-Qualifying Cost – $20 per adult / child team
-Qualifying Sundae – 3-scoop sundae
-Championship Sundae – Farrell’s Famous Pig’s Trough, 6-scoop sundae
-Grand Prize – One Year of FREE Farrell’s Ice Cream

The 4-person Zoo Challenge (4-person team, ages 16+)
-Qualifying Cost – $20 per person ($80 total for the 4-person team)
-Qualifying Sundae – 3-scoop sundae
-Championship Sundae – Farrell’s Famous 30-scoop Zoo to eat as a team
-Grand Prize – One Year of FREE Farrell’s Ice Cream

Solo Zoo Challenge (Ages – 16+)
-Qualifying Cost – $40 per person
-Qualifying Sundae – A modified Farrell’s Famous Pig’s Trough, 6-scoop sundae
-Championship Sundae – Farrell’s Famous 30-scoop Zoo to eat individually against Professional Eater and past champion Naader “Freak8E” Reda.

Grand Prize – The 1st place winner at the Championship event will receive a year of free Farrell’s ice cream, a trophy and $750 BIG ONES!!!!

Championship Details – The main event at the Championship will be the Solo Zoo Challenge. This will be a true head-to-head event with the one (1) fastest qualifier racing Naader “Freak8r” Reda to see can finish a Farrell’s Famous Zoo Sundae first. The winner will walk away with a trophy, a year of free Farrell’s ice cream, AND $750!!!!

Those who would like to donate to the event but not compete in qualifying, will receive the 3-scoop sundae, the limited edition Ice Cream Eating Challenge t-shirt, and the $5 off coupon but will not be timed. Visit FarrellsUSA.com for complete details.

100% of the proceeds from this event benefits CHOC Children’s® (Children’s Hospital of Orange County) and Make-A-Wish®. The 6th Annual Splendiferously Superific Summer Spectacular Ice Cream Eating Challenge is sponsored by Service Champions Heating & Air Conditioning, Carnival Services, Studio Three Sixty Advertising, Man Eating Chicken, and Brea Downtown.

Kia Motors America Renews Partnership With San Juan Capistrano-Based Eco-Education Center to Support Awareness and Education about Food, Water Supply and Energy Conservation

June 25, 2015 / Lifestyle, Orange County

Kia Motors America announced the renewal of its partnership with The Ecology Center, a San Juan Capistrano, California-based non-profit eco-education center, engages individuals, families, and students in fun, hands-on activities that teach practical, environmental solutions at the household and community level. It seeks to bring all members of the community together in a solutions-based educational setting to inspire and create a healthy and abundant future for all of Southern California. dedicated to creating a healthy and abundant future for all of Southern California and beyond.
In its third year as a “Visionary” partner, Kia is providing the use of a 2015 Soul EV to The Ecology Center, which complements the two electric vehicle charging stations installed as part of the partnership last year. With the opportunity to use the Soul EV, they can carry the message of sustainability to more members of the community in Southern California and beyond.

Kia and The Ecology Center will organize and carry out sustainability-themed learning projects at the KMA campus in Irvine, California, and in the surrounding community, and both organizations will continue work together to plan hands-on conservation and volunteer activities at The Center.

The Ecology Center is a rich environment for learning and education for all ages, and this summer the calendar has multiple opportunities and experiences, including:

Farm Film Series (Select dates June – August)
Free outdoor educational film screening for the entire community.

Permaculture Design Certification Course (Every other weekend; now through August 23)
A three-month hands-on apprenticeship program mentoring future sustainability leaders on how to apply the principles of permaculture design to address our environmental challenges.

Farm Lab Camp (July 8 -11; July 15 -18; August 11 – 14)
Four-day summer camps for kids 5-6 & 7-9 with hands-on activities such as planting, exploring the biodiversity in soil, seed harvesting, caring of farm animals, cooking from the garden, and more.

Green Feast (September 12)
The Ecology Center’s annual farm-to-table fundraising dinner bringing together 20 top chefs, 250 sustainability leaders, and local-only ingredients sourced within 250 miles. To learn more about The Ecology Center, click here. Connect with The Ecology Center on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.

Aliso Viejo Community Association Presents Free Concerts and Movies in the Park!

June 23, 2015 / Family Fun, Lifestyle, Orange County

With the return of summer, the Aliso Viejo Community Association is hosting their annual series of free summer concerts and movies in the park. Families are invited to bring blankets, low-back chairs and even a picnic dinner to enjoy at the events. All events are free and will be held in Grand Park!

The summer concert series will be held on Sundays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Guests are permitted to come to the park, earlier in the day, to leave blankets and chairs to reserve spots. However, there is no roping off or caution tape, and tarps are not allowed. All tarps will be removed by AVCA due to the damage they cause on the grass. AVCA is not responsible for any unattended items.

The following is the schedule for the 2015 Summer Concert Series:

July 12th – Common Sense (Surf/Reggae)
July 26th – Desperado (Eagles Tribute)
August 9th – Kelly Rae Band (Pop/Country Rock)
August 23rd – Flashback Heart Attack (80’s)
August 30th – Stone Soul (60’s/Motown)

Family movie nights will be held on Fridays at Grand Park. Movies will begin at dusk. Below is a schedule for the 2015 Summer Movie Nights including the rating of each movie, the length, and a short synopsis.

July 10th – The Lego Movie (PG) 100 Minutes Emmet is an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average Lego minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared. Emmet’s primary adversary is an uptight CEO who has a hard time balancing world domination with micro-managing his own life.

July 24th – Big Hero 6 (PG) 93 Minutes Big Hero 6 is an action-packed comedy-adventure about robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada, who learns to harness his genius – thanks to his brilliant brother Tadashi and their like-minded friends: adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion – a robot named Baymax – and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.

August 7th – Finding Nemo (G) 100 Minutes After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.

August 21st – Toy Story (G) 81 Minutes A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman figure supplants him as top toy in a boy’s room.

Connect with AVCA on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. Image credits: ACVA

4 Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration Merchandise Items I WILL Be Buying For My Daughter! #Disneyland60

June 23, 2015 / Disney, Disney, SoCal Fun, Travel

Raise your hand if you’re really excited about the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration! (raises hand) Me!!!! I’m actually more than excited for It! Although I didn’t have a chance to attend the 24-Hour Kickoff Party at Disneyland Resort this year, I did sneak over to the parks for a few hours the following weekend. I don’t even think I saw a quarter of the special merchandise availalble during this glorious time at Disneyland Resort and yet, I’ve already managed to make a list of the first 4 Diamond Celebration Merchandise items I WILL be buying the for my daughter! I say “the first 4” because I know there will be so many other things I’ll want to buy aside from these 4.

This special sequin Minnie Mouse headband with a jeweled bow is a must-have for every Disney girl! The way these ears were displayed in this box made them look extra fancy, too! What girl doesn’t dream about getting their hands on a pair of these? I need a pair of these to wear to the parks. Oh wait, I mean my daughter needs some. Ok maybe we’ll both get a pair of these ears.

One of my favorite merchandise items, normally available in white (and a couple of pastel colors), are the giant Mickey mitts because whenever we make it into Disneyland at Rope Drop, we love to walk down Main Street and give all of the Cast Members “a High Four”! When I saw the sequin version, I immediately added them to the shopping list!

This precious doll is dressed for a day in the parks! I love everything about her, especially her tiny set of EARs! She’s ready to celebrate this joyous occasion!

Oh, I saved the best, and my most favorite item, for last! This castle play set is beautiful and hardly compares to the regular castle play set we bought when my daughter was 3! This Limited Edition castle is blinged out, just like the real Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and it lights up! I NEED IT!

So, what are YOU most excited for at the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration? Do you have any favorite merchandise that you’re hoping to grab, or perhaps already have? Do tell!

To see more of the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration Merchandise, take a peek at this video from the Disney Parks Blog! Warning: You’re going to want it all, too!

37th Annual Greek Festival Brings a Taste of Greece to Orange County – June 26-28, 2015 (Free Admission Inside, Too!)

June 23, 2015 / Family Fun, Food, Let's Eat!, Lifestyle, Orange County

Orange County’s 37th annual “A Taste of Greece” festival will be held on June 26-28 at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church. The three-day festival, which will feature traditional Greek cuisine, wine tasting, live music, authentic Greek dancing with lessons and boutique booths reminiscent of the Plaka, a well-known picturesque historical neighborhood of Athens, and is expected to draw more than 12,000 guests.

Festival hours are as follows:

Friday, June 26-5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 27-noon to 10 p.m.
Sunday, June 28-noon to 9 p.m.

Festival admission is just $3 per person with free admission on Saturday, June 27 from noon – 4 p.m. for seniors older than 65 years. Children under the age of 10 are admitted free (with parents or an adult) throughout the three-day festival. Free festival parking will also be available, with complimentary shuttle buses transporting guests from public parking sites in Irvine.

Greek cuisine and hospitality will be the focal points as the festival will feature authentic recipes for traditional Greek dishes, delicious pastries and a variety of beverages, highlighted with a wine “Taverna,” offering Greek wine and beer. The traditional Greek menu will include Chicken, Lamb Chops, Greek French Fries, Gyros, Pastichio (Greek lasagna), Loucanico (Greek sausage), Spanakopita (spinach and feta pie), Dolmathes (stuffed grape leaves), Saganaki (Greek brandy-flamed cheese), Loukoumathes (Greek doughnut holes), Greek Salad, Calamari and more. There will also be a Greek coffeehouse set up by Portola Coffee Lab to serve Greek and American coffee drinks in a traditional Plaka setting. The Philoptochos, the church’s philanthropic group, will bake around the clock during the weeks leading up to the festival to prepare traditional Baklava and other exquisite pastries.

A family-friendly affair, the festival will offer free Greek dance lessons throughout the weekend, and also feature boutique shops, a variety of games and a full-scale carnival. Event attendees can also enter an opportunity drawing for the chance to win one of three premiere prizes, with a Grand Prize of $1,000 and 2nd Prize of a 50” Flat Screen TV, 3rd Prize of a Dell Inspiron Laptop Computer, and 4th Prize of a GoPro Hero Camera.

To grab free admission, click here!

St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church is located at 4949 Alton Pkwy, Irvine, CA 92604 (between Culver Dr & Jeffrey Rd)

Please visit http://www.IrvineGreekFest.com for more information about the “A Taste of Greece” festival.

Kaleidoscope Center’s Free Summer Events for Kids & Carnival to Benefit Make-A-Wish® Orange County and Inland Empire

June 22, 2015 / Entertainment, Kaleidoscope Center, Lifestyle, Movies, Orange County

Kaleidoscope Center in Mission Viejo is bringing back its Kaleido-Kids Summer Time Fun Series! Co-sponsored by Jump ‘n Jammin this summer, the free series of activities for kids will be every Tuesday from June 23 to August 18, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

The schedule of Kaleido-Kids activities is:

Tuesday, June 23 Dance & Fun Party
Tuesday, June 30 Magician
Tuesday, July 7 Reptile Show
Tuesday, July 14 Comedy Juggling Show
Tuesday, July 21 Ventriloquist
Tuesday, July 28 Cartoon Drawing Fun
Tuesday, August 4 Lego Playtime
Tuesday, August 11 Interactive Percussion / Music
Tuesday, August 18 Pirate Magic Show

The series culminates with a day of fun at the Kaleido-Kids Mini Carnival benefitting Make A Wish ® Orange County and Inland Empire on Monday, August 24 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.

The Kaleido-Kids Carnival will be Monday, August 24, from 11:30 am to 2:30 p.m. will include inflatables, games, a juggler and stilt walker, face painting and a balloon artist. Tickets are $1 each, $5 for six, $10 for 15, and $2 for a “Spin to Win”. Guests who bring a new toy (no guns please) or new backpack to donate to Make-A-Wish will receive four game tickets and a “Spin to Win,” a chance to win prizes.

Also on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout summer, Regal Theater at Kaleidoscope is hosting its annual Summer Movie Express, which features family movies (rated G or PG) for only $1 admission per person. The movies are shown on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. from June 23 to August 19th. For a complete movie schedule, please visit http://www.gokaleidoscope.com.

Connect with Kaleidoscope Center on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post.