Over The Top Mommy

Knott’s is Teaming Up with Susan G. Komen Orange County and Going Pink For the Cure! #KnottsPink

January 14, 2015 / Knott's, Orange County, SoCal Fun, Travel

I was invited to attend this wonderful media event at Knott’s and provided with a ticket for my admission. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

I was so honored to be invited to attend a press conference at Knott’s Berry Farm recently, to learn more about a very special partnership between Knott’s and Susan G. Komen Orange County. Susan G. Komen Orange County is a local breast health organization which helps to serve women and men who are in need of breast health care and services, but do not have access to them financially. This is the second year in a row they are teaming up in a wonderful collaborative effort to help raise money for a very important cause. In 2014, they raised nearly $100,000 for the cause. That’s an amazing number and they’re hoping to raise even more in 2015!

From now through March 31, Knott’s Berry Farm is offering a special “Pink Ticket”, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen Orange County. Knott’s limited edition, specially designed “pink merchandise” is also available for sale at select locations in the park. These proceeds help fund breast health services and research and also help promote breast health awareness.

75% of the funds raised for Susan G. Komen are used to provide local services throughout Orange County:

Breast cancer detection and treatment education
Information and support for breast cancer survivors and families
Funding for free mammograms for uninsured and underserved women

25% of the funds raised for Susan G. Komen support national research to discover the cure for breast cancer.

I love this! It’s right at the entryway inside Knott’s.

The press conference featured speakers that shared real statistics and real stories about breast cancer. 1 in 8 women will be affected by breast cancer! That is a very scary statistic! (Men can also affected by breast cancer) What was even scarier hearing a related statistic about Latina women. The reality is that there are a great number of Latina women who don’t have access to breast health care and services, so, because of this, they are being diagnosed with breast cancer at much later stages than white women. This partnership is helping to provide a mobile mammography unit to the surrounding Latino community and get these women the services they need.

A big highlight of the event for me was getting to hear my beautiful friend Jaime Jenkins, speak about her own story. Jaime is also a blogger, which is how I met her. She is a wife and a mother of 2 young children. After she attended the Knott’s For the Pink event in 2014, Jaime felt her own lumps in her breasts, went in to have them checked, and was diagnosed 2 weeks later. Jaime is living with stage 4 cancer and she has had the most positive attitude about her entire experience, even though it’s been a very tough one. She’s leaned on her wonderful husband, children and her family, her friends and I know her faith has played a big part in what has kept her so strong and positive. Jaime constantly expresses gratitude for everything and truly lives life to the fullest, appreciating every little thing. I admire her in a HUGE way!

She definitely greets each day with joy! I love her!

After the breakfast and presentations came to a close, everyone followed Snoopy and Lucy over to Fiesta Village to watch all of the incredible breast cancer warriors ride Jaguar together. When they asked if I’d ride it with them, to help fill up the back of the car, I didn’t hesitate.

All of the breast cancer warriors riding Jaguar! (photo credit: Westcoaster)

All of these women have overcome so much and to see pictures of them all together, brought a smile to my face. If you look at the smile on Jaime’s face as she rides in the front, you should know that she’s like that ALL THE TIME!

Jaime’s smile is infectious! (photo credit: OC Latina Moms)

If you ever get the chance to meet Jaime, you’ll be able to feel her positive vibes, the minute you say “hi” to her and there won’t be a handshake, it’ll be a BIG hug! She’s the best hugger ever! She’s truly an inspiration to everyone around her and so much fun to hang out with!

(photo credit: Knott’s)

I hope you’ll consider making a trip down to Knott’s for a fun-filled day sometime between now and March 27th and purchase your own “pink ticket” to support this great partnership between Knott’s and Susan G. Komen Orange County!

Knott’s Berry Farm Serves Starbucks! Did I Mention the Boysenberry Lattes?

January 13, 2015 / Knott's, Orange County, SoCal Fun, Travel

The other day when I was at Knott’s, I overheard a woman asking her friend if she’d tried a Boysenberry Latte yet? I couldn’t help but stick my nose into the conversation at that point, because anything boysenberry is pretty much my kryptonite!

Yep, I have a few weak spots and one of them is definitely boysenberry. The woman pointed me in the direction of the Boardwalk area and told me to look for the Gourmet Coffee Hut!

I made my way over there in quite a hurry. It was drizzling on and off so this was the perfect day for something hot. When I looked up at the menu board I then realized they were serving Starbucks! It was like a dream! This wasn’t just brewed Starbucks, there were actual lattes and cappuccinos and mochas on the menu!

I was beaming from ear to ear when I ordered my “venti, non-fat Boysenberry latte WITH whipped cream“! I know the lady who took my order probably thought I nuts, too! (especially when I asked her to leave the top off so I could take a picture of it before it got smashed with the lid!)

Oh and it smelled SOOOOO good!

As I walked away from the window with my boysenberry latte in hand, I turned and just gazed back at the Gourmet Coffee Hut as I took my first sip!

It was heavenly! I walked along the Boardwalk, slowly sipping on my boysenberry latte. I can’t tell you how many other park guests stopped me to ask where I’d found Starbucks in the park! I felt like it was necessary to let each and every one of those guests know about it being a BOYSENBERRY latte and watched their eyes lit up as big as mine had, when I found out those even existed!

The Starbucks Boysenberry Lattes are just another thing I love about Knott’s Berry Farm! I suggest you get over there to try one soon! (like ASAP)

Be Ready For the Big Game With SNICKERS® Brownie “Hamburger” Cupcakes!

January 12, 2015 / Food, Recipes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are 100% my own. #BigGameTreats #CollectiveBias

In anticipation of the Big Game, I’ve been planning the menu for our annual Big Game Day party. Our usual spread always includes chips n’ dip, party meatballs, pizza, hot dogs, and hamburgers. This year I wanted to make some extra yummy treats for the dessert table. We have a few more children that will be coming over this year, so I came up with something I think they’re really going to go nuts over….SNICKERS® Brownie Hamburger Cupcakes! These cupcakes are stuffed with SNICKERS brownie “hamburger patties” and they look just like little hamburgers. There are several steps to making these but they’re also very easy to prepare. My daughter loved helping me make these. They are guaranteed to be the talk of your party!

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this fabulous dessert:

one box of your favorite brownie mix
one box of your favorite yellow cake mix
1 container of white frosting
1/4 cup white sprinkles
1/2 cup coconut flakes, sweetened
red, yellow, and green food coloring
15-20 Fun Size SNICKERS, chopped

Preparation

The first thing you want to do is to make the SNICKERS brownies. I prepare my favorite boxed brownie mix and toss in some chopped up Fun Size Snickers bars into the batter. Before placing the batter into the baking pan, I place parchment paper in there, so I’m able to easily remove the brownies from the pan after they’re done, without breaking them. This just makes for better looking squares when you slice them.

After the brownies come out of the oven, be sure to allow them to cool for at least an hour before cutting. I sliced half of the pan into squares and set them aside. I used the remaining half of the brownies to make the “burgers“. Using a small biscuit cutter, cut circles out of the brownies and set aside.

Next, prepare the cupcakes using the yellow cake mix. It’s important that you use cupcake liners when you bake them, so your cupcakes have ridges on the outside. It’s also important to fill your cupcake liners full enough so the cupcakes bake up high.

After baking the cupcakes, allow them to cool completely. After they’ve sufficiently cooled down, remove each one from the wrapper and slice about 1/4 of the bottom of the cupcake off and throw away. (or eat it) Slice the remaining part of each cupcake in half to make the “hamburger bun” and set aside.

To prepare the “lettuce“, put 1/2 cup of coconut into a bowl and squeeze a few drops of green food coloring into the bowl. Mix together, using a fork, until desired green color is achieved.

To prepare “ketchup“, mix 1/2 container of white frosting into a bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring and stir together with a spoon until it resembles ketchup. Do the same to prepare “cheese“, mix 1/2 container of white frosting in a bowl, with a few drops of yellow and some red food coloring too and stir together with a spoon until it resembles cheese. For both of these, you may end up adding drops of color until you reach your desired color.

After you have all of your burger ingredients prepared, it’s time for the fun part…the assembling of your hamburger cupcakes. I like to squeeze some ketchup and cheese, using a pastry bag, on top of the burger and then top with a generous amount of lettuce. When you place the top bun on, it’ll squeeze some of that out and make it look like a real burger. Use the white sprinkles to make the sesame seeds on the bun and poke a cute toothpick through the top! I’m garnishing mine with Starburst® to really get the kids hopping around!

I was able to find all of the items I needed for my recipe at Walmart. I found the Fun Size SNICKERS I used in my recipe on the candy aisle, as well as the Starburst®! It’s the perfect place to buy all of your Big Game Day necessities!

How do YOU celebrate on the day of the BIG GAME? Do you have any special recipes that you like to make?

Orange County Ronald McDonald House Celebrates 25 Years of “Keeping Families Together”!

January 11, 2015 / Lifestyle, Orange County

I was honored when I received an invitation to spend an afternoon at the Orange County Ronald McDonald House with a small group of bloggers. I have known several families who have stayed there over the years and had heard many wonderful things about it and how much it helped these families during their most critical times, when worrying about something like where to sleep was the least of their concerns. The Orange County Ronald McDonald house, a program of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California, provides a home-away-from-home for families with critically-ill children.

Each and every Ronald McDonald house is located within a close proximity of a world class children’s hospital. The Orange County location is located in the city of Orange, very close the CHOC. Nearly 80% of families at the house have children being treated at CHOC, while the remaining families have children at UCI Medical center and other nearby medical facilities.

Our group got to spend some time listening to a remarkable young mother speak about her current experience staying at the house. She has a 4 month old infant son that was born in need of immediate 24 hour hospital care and while her little boy is being treated at CHOC, she is residing at The Orange County Ronald McDonald House. Her story was such an emotional one and really brought us all to tears right along with her, as she spoke. Hearing about all that the house has done for her made me happy for her, even though I know she is going through so much in this fight to be there for her son.

The tour of house gave us a little more insight about what goes on there and how it all works. It’s amazing to know a place like Ronald McDonald house exists for families. In a time where a family’s entire world has been turned upside-down, they have this huge resource to fall back on with very little asked in return. Having that security is something that can help keep a family together and able to support each other, rather than worrying about their own basic needs at a time when they just can’t.

Every family staying at the house has their own private room, which is a family-sized suite. Throughout the house, there are several communal areas for families to interact with staff and others staying there. There’s a kitchen, a dining room, family room, a playroom, a TV room, a sanctuary, and an outdoor patio area in the backyard. Each of these areas is very warm and inviting. Guests staying at the house also have access to computers and internet, as well as laundry facilities. There are 2 meals and snacks that are prepared daily in the kitchen for guests staying there. They also have access to the amazing kitchen to prepare their own food. Staff is available at the house, 24 hours a day, to help guests with anything they might need, which many times is emotional support.

Here are just a few facts about the Orange County Ronald McDonald house:

The 20-room House is 12,500 sq. feet and opened in November 1989.
It just celebrated 25 years of helping families with critically ill children to stay together and be close by.
The House also operates 2 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms inside CHOC in Orange and CHOC in Mission Viejo. These rooms provide a place for for families to rest and relax inside the hospital, close to where their child is being treated.
The Orange County Ronald McDonald House also has the ability to provide families with rooms in hotels that are close by, when the house is at capacity. These families stay in the hotel at night but are included in the meals and activities at Ronald McDonald house. The funds for the hotel stays are made possible through donations.
There are plans to add on an addition to The Orange County Ronald McDonald House sometime within the next 5 years, using the lot adjacent to the property. This could provide housing for a lot more families, for which there is already a huge need.

The day we were visiting the house, there was a large group of ladies who had signed up to volunteer in the kitchen that day. They were cooking up a big batch of baked goods to leave out for the guests in the house. I’ve always wanted to sign up to volunteer in the house’s kitchen with a big group of friends. It seems like a very rewarding experience, knowing you’re cooking a meal or a snack for the guests in the house.

The Orange County Ronald McDonald house has many volunteer opportunities available and also accepts donations to help with the costs of everything they’re doing to help families in need. Click here for more information about how to volunteer in the house or to donate. To learn more about the house and Ronald McDonald Charities, click here.

It was such a privilege to be able to spend an afternoon in The Ronald McDonald House Orange County. Everyone there was so nice and before we left they sent each of us home with a snuggly red blanket that has the logo on it that’s recognized internationally. It’s really comfy to use when I’m home on my couch and it will always remember of my time at the house.

Newport Beach Welcomes Hälth Spa, A Natural Healthcare Boutique and Destination

January 10, 2015 / Beauty, Beauty & Pampering, Lifestyle, Orange County

Orange County residents can now enjoy natural luxury spa treatments that are completely free of harmful toxins. Hälth Spa, a natural beauty boutique and destination that specializes in natural nails using 5 free polishes and natural mineral make-up services will open this month across from the Eastbluff Village. Hälth Spa is a family and eco-friendly environment and philanthropic boutique with fair trade and vegan friendly products.

Join Hälth Spa for its Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, January 17th from 11am to 5pm, 2503 Eastbluff Drive, Suite 204, Newport Beach. Free manicure polish changes for adults and nail stenciling for kids, special offers and much more.

The serene and luxurious rustic European environment of Hälth Spa is unlike typical nail and beauty salons. Hälth Spa uses only luxurious, non-toxic products to ensure the health, happiness, and well-being of its customers and employees.

With Hälth Spa, there’s even a kids room where children can play, snack on healthy vegan treats, and get their own nails done with kid friendly Piggy-Paint polish, while their parents are enjoying a spa treatment.

Hälth Spa founders, Heather Joseph and Suzy Alan, are deeply committed to integrating sustainable and responsible practices into all that they do and to helping philanthropic causes, both locally and globally. They are passionate about their responsibility to help others, especially children (the next generation of hälth-ë thinkers).

In addition to featuring products such as Feed and Chavez for Charity, that benefit worthy causes around the world in the Hälth Spa global boutique, Hälth Spa will dedicate 3% of all Hälth Spa branded products to local charities. Hälth Spa will also hold special events and offers to benefit local and global charities.

Hälth Spa will be open Tuesday-Saturday from 11am to 7pm & Sunday from 11am to 5pm. To make an appointment, please call: (949)-612-7038

For more information please visit: http://www.halthspa.com To stay up to date on Hälth Spa news and events, and win free services and products go to https://www.facebook.com/halthspa

This is not a sponsored post. I was provided with information to share with my readers. All opinions are 100% my own.

Jake and The Never Land Pirates: Battle For The Book! Now Available on Disney DVD! Free Printable Activity Sheets !

January 6, 2015 / Disney DVDs, Entertainment, Movies

Calling all Jake and the Never Land Pirates fans….Battle for the Book is now available on DVD!

Join Jake and his friends as they battle Captain Hook to save Wendy’s storybook and the story of Peter Pan! This value-packed DVD includes the Battle for the Book! adventure plus 4 additional episodes. It’s over 2 hours of fun with Jake, Wendy, and the Never Land Pirates! As a bonus, inside every DVD is a FREE, exclusive checkerboard bandana with gold coins that you can’t get anywhere else!

Here’s a synopsis of the DVD:

When Wendy’s special Storybook is stolen by Captain Hook, Jake and his mates go to London to help Peter Pan’s friend (from the classic movie Peter Pan). The longer the book is out of Wendy’s hands, the more she and her brothers (John and Michael) forget about their past adventures on Never Land. The battle for the book continues in Never Land, where Hook plans to destroy the book and its stories in the legendary Ring of Blue Fire. It’s up to our young heroes to save Wendy’s Storybook and the Story of Peter Pan!

Check out these fun Jake and the Never Land Pirates free printable activity sheets! They look like so much fun and are perfect to do while you’re watching the DVD!

This is not a sponsored post. I was provided with a copy of the DVD and information about the DVD in order to share with my readers. No other compensation was received.

Farrell’s Kicks Off January With Some Gridiron Grub to Get Us All Pumped For “The Big Game”!

January 5, 2015 / Food, Let's Eat!

Starting January, 1, 2015 Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurants began celebrating everything delicious about football by introducing, for a limited time, a new burger and fry combo and a football themed sundae! Plus, guests will be able to enter-to-win for Farrell’s to come out and cater their “Big Game” party on February 1, 2015.

The Tailgate Burger is an action packed burger that slams two stadium favorites together into one hardy burger. A delicious cheeseburger and nachos in one! It all starts with a fresh 1/2 lb. Angus patty with melty Pepper Jack cheese, and crisp lettuce, then, thrown on top of that, a pile of nachos built with a crisp heaping helping of Doritos® nacho chips, melted cheddar cheese, sour cream, black olives, fresh guacamole and house-made salsa. This beast is served with Bleu Buffalo waffle fries on the side. (Farrell’s waffle fries drizzled with zesty buffalo sauce and tangy bleu cheese.) Farrell’s Tailgate Burger and Bleu Buffalo waffle fries combo is priced at $13.99.

To top that off, don’t settle for the field goal… go for the extra point and get Farrell’s 4th and Goal Sundae. A 4-scoop sundae fit for a linebacker heaps up two scoops of Vanilla, a scoop of Chocolate Malted Crunch and a scoop of Cookie Dough ice cream dripping with warm caramel and chocolate topping, a mound of fresh whipped cream and a cherry on top. Not “Super” enough? Under your souvenir, take-home Farrell’s helmet, you’ll find a pile of Oreo® crumbs to top that sundae off just right. The 4th and Goal sundae with take home helmet is priced at $11.99.

Guests also have the chance to win Farrell’s catering at their own personal “Big Game” party on February 1, 2014. All guests need to do is fill out the enter-to-win card when dining at any participating Farrell’s location.

All items are available at participating Farrell’s California and Hawaii locations. Locations and complete details and rules for Farrell’s Caters Your Big Game Party can be found at FarrellsUSA.com.

Find Farrell’s on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

This is not a sponsored post. I was provided with information from Farrell’s to share with my readers.

Have YOU Hung Out With Farley the Fiddler at Disneyland Yet?

January 4, 2015 / Disney, Travel

Have you gotten to hang out with Farley yet at Disneyland? Although I don’t consider myself a total Disney expert, I do think that if you are a big lover of Disneyland, there are certain names that should ring a bell, like “Farley“! If you haven’t heard of him, he’s also know as “Farley the Fiddler“! I’d seen Farley perform several times before on the porches over in Frontierland, near The Golden Horseshoe but had never talked to him. (He was always busy singing) However, I did get to hang out with him during Disney’s Rock Your Disney Side 24-hour event.

As I sat in a rocking chair relaxing inside of Miss Chris’ Cabin while Emi was coloring, in walked Farley! That’s when I learned that his stomping grounds had been moved over there to the Big Thunder Ranch area. He was so much fun! He sang, he fiddled, and he told jokes…LOTS of jokes! The kids LOVED him. (OK the moms did too) He even let Emi try to play his fiddle. She definitely needs some more lessons. It was a fun way to break up a long day in the parks and get away from the crowds.

We recently ran into Farley again on another Disneyland trip. This time Emi was with her friend Gabby. Farley seemed to have some new jokes this time! The girls were loving it! I swear the girls could’ve easily spent a couple hours hanging out with him that afternoon. (Hmm, maybe we should’ve left him in charge and gone shopping for a while?)

Farley shared a little bit of Disneyland history with us during our chat. When you get to hear things from actual cast members who have been part of the magic for so long, it’s really a priceless experience.

Can you spot the Hidden Mickey?

He had us step outside the cabin, pointed out the giant mound of old horseshoes out there, and encouraged us to look for the Hidden Mickey in the pile. I don’t own one of those Hidden Mickey books because I like to be surprised when I learn about a new Hidden Mickey. I feel like it’s more special that way. Now I’m just excited I know about ANOTHER Hidden Mickey!

Farley is really a fun guy to hang out with! The kids loved him, he was totally on board to take a selfie with me, and the guy tells great knock knock jokes! Oh, and don’t let me forget one more important part…he gives out stickers! No wonder he’s such a hit! I think he’s one of Disneyland’s hidden gems!

Have YOU gotten to meet Farley the Fiddler yet? He has his own Facebook page, so go check him out!

J. Jill Now Open at The Shops at Mission Viejo!

January 3, 2015 / Lifestyle, Shopping

Disclosure: I was invited to attend a media preview of the new J. Jill Store in The Shops at Mission Viejo and provided with a new “look” for me. No other compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own. I love when the cooler weather shows up here in Southern California, which doesn’t always happen. I think this year is my year to take full advantage of a real winter though. When I was recently invited to attend a special event for the grand opening of the newest J. Jill store at The Shops at Mission Viejo, I couldn’t resist. I love the soft, fuzzy, comfy collections shown in their catalog and was excited for a chance to peek inside the new store and have some fun trying on some fun pieces in the dressing room!

When you first walk into the store, you won’t know what to touch first. There are so many soft sweaters and scarves, in beautiful colors and patterns. There are even chenille blankets! I couldn’t keep my hands off of them!

What I liked that the store is set up so that it’s easy to put together different looks by just grabbing a few pieces and mixing them up. You can create totally different looks each day with just a few basic pieces that are interchanged.

I loved the simplicity of being able to put on one of their solid tanks underneath any sweater or top I tried on and then pair it with some of their leggings or jeggings.

The Wearever collection are pieces are soft, knit pieces that are easy to care for and are virtually wrinkle-free. It’s especially perfect for women who travel.

I think I fell in love with this red Hailey Peacoat! I think every woman should have one of these in their closet, don’t you?

I had so much fun trying on all of these comfy pieces in the dressing room and snapped a few selfies of some of my favorite sweaters! I especially loved the sparkly necklaces that are paired with the black sweater. That’s actually the look I chose to take home.

Something else I learned about the company when I was at this event was about the J. Jill Compassion Fund. This fund is set up to provide support to community-based organizations that help disadvantaged and homeless women become self-sufficient. J. Jill recently donated $2,000 to their Compassion Fund partner, Laura’s House, which is an organization local to this newest J. Jill store location. The J. Jill Compassion Fund has donated over $6 million to over 60 organizations across the county since 2002. Wow!

J. Jill clothes are fashionable, high quality pieces and are perfect for moms like me who are always on the go. I am so happy there’s a J. Jill store in “my mall” now because I can go back and shop anytime I want to!

Connect with J.Jill on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!