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Celebrate Mother’s Day in Style at Simon Mall’s Indulge in Orange County

/ Beauty & Pampering

Simon Malls is inviting moms to sit back, relax and enjoy an evening that focuses on style and more at The Shops at Mission Viejo, all in celebration of Mother’s Day. Indulge, a stylish treat for mothers, is presented by Diet Coke and will take place on Thursday, May 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Center Court. 

This event will provide moms with a much-needed opportunity to treat themselves to a night out and celebrate motherhood through a fun, fashionable shopping experience. Event attendees of Indulge can do MUCH more than just shop for spring style must-haves. Moms and their friends can experience fashion tips and style consultations from retailers like Old Navy and Fossil. There will also be beauty services available, including a complimentary mini facial from Origins, delicious refreshments and drinks, plus special event giveaways from Harlequin® books and retailer offers throughout the mall. 
Additional Indulge offerings include: 
     *Mini-Style Makeover Giveaway: During the first 30 minutes of the event, three lucky attendees will be selected to experience a free mini-fashion makeover. Tiffany Borland of fashion blog Tuolomee and Style Setter for the center will surprise women at random with the chance to shop for a new look, receive expert style advice and reveal their new ensemble at the end of the event. 
     *Mixology Stations: Mixologists will shake up appealing drink combinations for moms to sample and explain how to replicate recipes at home. Bacardi will be sampling their Grey Goose Le Melon Vodka brand. 
     *Food Sampling: Moms can try samples from some of the area’s best restaurants and hear about the latest food trends. Muscle Beach will be treating all moms to a free 16 ounce lemonade, while Ruby’s Diner will serve French fries and Cajun French fry samples. Williams-Sonoma will also host a risotto demonstration at their cooktop. 
     *Stylish sounds: Enjoy sounds by local musical performers, including a steel drum band from Brad Winchell of Sounds of Paradise. The mall’s atmosphere will be transformed into a chic, lively entertainment event venue. 
     *Diet Coke Sampling: Enjoy a refreshing ice cold Diet Coke. 
     *Chic-est Mom Photo Op: Moms can walk the red carpet and strike a pose as they remember the night with a fun photo op and share their experience via social media (#indulgeatsimon). 
     *Pampering Stations: Moms can indulge in pampering stations including mini eye facials and hand massages from Origins and a braid station from Toni & Guy, with a complimentary eyelash application in-store. 
     *Swag Bags: Swag bags containing retailer offers and discounts will be given to the first 600 shoppers on a first-come, first-served basis.  

Simon Malls’ Indulge events are free & open to women of all ages. 
For more information, visit Simon.com. 
Visit The Shops at Mission Viejo on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShopsAtMissionViejo, Twitter at https://twitter.com/ShopsMV or Instagram at http://instagram.com/ShopsMV/.

The Time Farrell’s SAVED My Daughter’s Birthday Party AND My Sanity

/ Celebrations, Family Fun, Food, Let's Eat!, Lifestyle, Orange County

Here’s the back story: 
In case you didn’t know or hadn’t guessed, I’m the kind of mom who LOVES to throw a house party every year for my daughter’s birthday! I love to plan all of the details, far in advance, utilize Pinterest a ton throughout the entire planning period, seek out unique things to incorporate into the party and find vendors who are amazing but haven’t been very well known (yet). From the invitations to the coordinating printables to the custom cookies and the favors, I love all of it! 
I don’t know what happened this year? I started out with a fun theme in mind for Emily’s 9th birthday, even had a few amazing ideas in my “party notebook”  during the first few months of planning. What happened after that was just a series of hurdles followed by some awful events. The week prior to Emi’s birthday was the MOST challenging for me! Some of the obstacles I attempted to overcome included: a water leak in our ceiling, construction of that area, a majorly unexpected auto repair, a district walk through at my workplace, a heat wave paired with Santa Ana winds, a lady who was coming to do a little spa for the girls backing out, my inability to book someone new to come and do the party and probably the worst thing…..my daughter learning 3 days before her party that the cheer program she’d been in for almost 4 years, with the same coaches, was going to cease to exist as she’d known it! Yep, I had to inform her as I picked her up from school that day and then rush her to try out someplace new with some of her friends, all of which had bloodshot red eyes from crying! I cannot describe how horrible it felt to watch her become uncontrollably emotional and pretty much cry her little eyes out for the two days leading up to her party! 
Needless to say, by Thursday, I knew I had to make a Plan B for WHAT I was going to do to modify this party I was having the next day, with 13 little girls, since I’d had ZERO time to get things ready while dealing with all of the previous. 

Friday, May 2nd
I woke up at 3:45 a.m. and sat straight up in bed, suddenly wide awake. It was the day of Emily’s party. A thought came to mind…Farrell’s! We are HUGE Farrell’s lovers and there’s one very close to our home inside The Shops at Mission Viejo. I went online just to look at the kids menu and saw that there was any area to make a reservation online. I assumed it would only take a reservation for small parties but sure enough, when I entered my date, time and number in our party (13 kids and 3 adults) it took my reservation! I think I let out a big sigh of relief at that point. I think I knew right then, at 4 a.m., that everything was going to be OK.

I remember taking a picture of my laptop screen after I made my online reservation at 4 a.m. because I so overjoyed!

We’ve been to Farrell’s a couple of different times over the past few months, including the amazing grand opening at their newest Buena Park location AND Barbie’s birthday celebration at The Shops at Mission Viejo. I don’t think it’s possible to visit a Farrell’s without having an amazing time! Each of their locations exudes a crazy amount of positive energy and the food and nostalgia are something extra special for me that remind me of my own childhood .
I actually called Farrell’s around 10 a.m. that morning, just to double check with the manager on duty that they’d gotten my online reservation and that it was going to work out for a party our size.  I spoke with “Steven”  and he was so helpful on the phone and he confirmed that he did have my reservation. He asked me a few questions about our party and we decided together that our party would best be seated up front, in the area closest to the ice cream bar. It’s the location where you get the most drum action and that’s a biggie, right? Steven then reviewed the staff scheduled to work that evening and let me know that he’d be having “Michael” as our server, reassuring me that we’d be in good hands. This literally brightened up my day and I hung up smiling.
When I picked up Emily from school that day and told her about the slight change in our party plans, she had a huge smile on her face! She thinks she’s this big Farrell’s VIP because she’s hung with the best of the Farrell’s peeps at some of their different locations! In her world, this party would just be one more event that she could add to her Farrell’s repertoire!
Upon our arrival, it was such a pleasure to meet the manager on duty, Steven. He greeted us at the front desk and made Emily feel special, mentioning that he already knew it was her birthday and giving her a special birthday sticker to wear! He had mustache stickers and menus for all of the girls to color and led us to our table, which was already set up. Steven was so considerate that he even sat the 3 adults at our own table, separate from the table of 13 screaming girls! It was like the reverse of having “a kids table”!

Our server, Michael, came right over to the girls’ table and was ready to get the party started! He was so patient with all of them. I don’t know HOW he had the patience to deal with the craziness of 13 screaming 9 year olds but I can confirm that the guy was like an instant hit with the girls! (obviously)

I can’t even say enough good things about our server, Michael!

I need to point out something else that amazed me about our server…his knowledge of the Farrell’s menu. I’m not talking about their regular menu…I mean the fact that when we informed him about one of the girls who is “gluten-free”, he turned to us and said, “you don’t have to worry, I have A LOT of knowledge about this and I will take care of her!” He then went and grabbed one of their gluten-free menus and helped her with her special order. I think that was the point he definitely won the 2 moms over in our party! (Farrell’s also offers a “nut allergy” and “egg allergy” menu for guests)

Farrell’s has a gluten free menu!
They also have “nut allergy” and “egg allergy” items!

Michael kept the Shirley Temples and strawberry lemonades flowing at the girls’ table! I must’ve apologized to him about 100 times for all of the screaming and craziness coming from their table and he just kept telling me NOT to apologize and let me know that he works with kids like this every day and enjoys it! Ha! And here I was thinking I was the crazy one!

As if the girls weren’t already excited just to be hanging out, 
they let out some extra noise when dinner arrived table side. 
The Kids Mac and Cheese seemed to be a big hit at our table!
I ordered the Grown Up Grilled Cheese!

Dinner was a success and we ready to move onto the best part of all! The girls knew what would come next…a special birthday sundae, a special birthday song and a whole lotta drum….. all in honor of Emily’s 9th birthday! 

The singing hadn’t even started and she was already blushing!
This video can give you a good idea of what it’s like to celebrate your birthday at Farrell’s! (I think Emi was trying to hide) 
And then they all dug into their own kid sundaes! Mmm!
The kids sundaes are a good size and so yummy!

By this point I was so relieved and so pleased at how everything had worked out. It wasn’t just a birthday meal out but a total celebration and all because of everything that Farrell’s has to offer in its dining experience. I just have to say “Thank you, Farrell’s!” not only for saving my daughter’s birthday party this year, but for also saving my sanity! We will be back soon! 

The girls had so much fun at Emily’s birthday celebration at Farrell’s!
For more information about Farrell’s and to check out their regular menu, as well as information about parties, click here.

 

 

Who’s Joining the Nerd HQ Army with Me…and Zachary Levi?!!

/ Entertainment, Social Media

If you haven’t heard of Nerd HQ, it’s not too late to jump onboard and pretend like you already knew about it! I promise that’s ok! It’s exactly what I did! It involves Zachary Levi…you know, “Chuck”? Or for all of you Disney friends, need I say any more than the words “Flynn Rider“? #swoon

Hold on….here come’s the smolder!

Seriously though….Nerd HQ is a this amazing & FREE event that takes place in San Diego, over the duration of the Comic Con weekend, but is in no way affiliated with Comic Con. It was designed to afford fans the opportunity to interact in a relaxed and fun setting with some of their favorite celebrities, some of which also appear at Comic Con. The 4 day event includes celebrity panels, photo opps and signings, video gaming, technology and some pretty crazy dance parties! (from what I hear) Although the event, itself, is free, Zachary and his company, The Nerd Machine, are actually raising money at the event for Operation Smile, since he’s an ambassador for the organization. (OMG he’s cute, nice, talented AND enjoys helping others?) 
Check out the following clip which features Zachary Levi, himself, as he explains Nerd HQ in guy lingo…short, sweet & to the point! 

Just watch this, Ok? 
Seriously, how down to earth is he? He says it like it is and you can just tell his heart is in this! Why WOULDN’T you want to help him out? 
A few weeks ago, some of my social media girlfriends had the opportunity to meet Zachary, have lunch with him and chat about his Indiegogo campaign and they said he’s exactly how he appears on the video, just a super nice guy who truly wants to produce a great event for the fans. He’s beyond sincere, which is why I joined Nerd HQ and contributed too! Even donating $5 will help! 
I think you need to go do what I did and “Get Your Nerd On!” What are you waiting for? 

Our Bunny Photo Experience

/ Uncategorized

When I see the Easter Bunny makes his debut each year at the mall, it truly makes me happy because it signifies that spring has sprung and we’re well on our way to summer, which is my most favorite time of year! Our yearly tradition is to visit the bunny at The Shops at Mission Viejo, a Simon Mall, which is very close to our home. 

Their Bunny Photo Experience is run by Noerr Programs and is decorated so beautifully. I must admit that the fact that their Easter Bunny is a very friendly and welcoming one, unlike some other mechanical bunnies we’ve encountered in past years, brings me relief because there’s nothing worse than a scary bunny that sends your kid running for the hills!

Every year, Emily gets excited to go shopping to for a new spring dress for her bunny pics. It’s very important to her that she coordinate with his setup. 

Perfectly coordinated with the bunny’s setting, she’s ready to go pay him a visit….camera bag and all!

This year the Bunny Photo Experience is offering something new….RESERVATIONS! Yes, you read that correctly! I was ecstatic when I walked up to see the sign!

It basically means that I could check in with my phone, go online and choose a preferred time, and then we could spend some time shopping instead of standing in a long line. What an amazing offering! When it was our turn, or appointment, to visit the bunny and take photos, we simply entered in the return line and we were next. 

Even though I was skeptical about this new system when I first saw the sign,  I found this process to run smoothly. I am excited for Santa photos next year because they’ll also be offering the same reservation program! This is going to be a game changer for so many, especially families with small children who have a difficult time waiting an hour to see Santa or the Easter Bunny!
The bunny greeted Emily with a hug, a few high fives, and even did a little bit of a dance with her, before he sat down for photos. I think this type of interaction helps alleviate any hesitation a child may have about taking pictures with the bunny. I loved the bunny’s costume and the background that they had and I especially LOVED the way Emi’s pictures turned out, don’t you? 

Having these keepsake photos to look back at year after year is something that’s important to me, as a mother. I know Emily will appreciate having them to show her own children, one day too.
Noerr Programs offers a variety of affordable packages which are priced to fit a family’s budget. We purchased keychains in addition to our package, which were an inexpensive add-on. 
With the purchase of a photo package, they’ll also allow you to snap a picture with your own camera, so we took the opportunity to go where most have never gone before….we took a selfie with the bunny! I’m pretty sure Emi thinks I’m nuts for making her do this!

I guess we can cross THIS off our Bucket List!

They also send you home with a link for online sharing of your pictures, which makes it easier to share with friends and family on Facebook and Twitter. They also send you home with some coupons for Gymboree and Crazy 8! 

We LOVE these 2 stores AND The Shops at Mission Viejo has them BOTH!
Gymboree is the sponsor this year 
for the Bunny Photo Experience.

If you haven’t made your way over to a Simon Mall to visit their Bunny Photo Experience, then hop on over before Easter! For a list of Simon Malls click here.

My Fabulous Night Out at Elements Massage Costa Mesa

/ Beauty & Pampering, Lifestyle

When I received an exclusive invitation to attend the 1-year Anniversary for Elements Massage Costa Mesa, I jumped at the chance to spend a night getting pampered with some of my social media friends. 

Erina Buckley, owner of Elements Massage Costa Mesa, and her wonderful staff!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)

Upon arrival, I was checked in and immediately scheduled for a complimentary mini massage, which is one of the services they offer as part of their Wellness Program. You can count me “in” for anything that involves the word massage! Not only was I entered into a drawing for some fabulous prizes, but I was also one of the first 20 guests to check in, and therefore got one of the amazing swag bags filled with goodies inside from Philosophie, AlternaVites, LeBrisa, Violet Love, and COCOMOCORN! 

Raffle prizes were provided by Elements Massage, SkinAgain, Dermasuri, Pursecase, Violet Love, and Clean Cocktails!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)

I was excited to meet up with my friend, Alma and also have the opportunity to mingle with some others who I also consider to be fabulous social media superstars. 

+CidStyleFile, +FieldTripMom & I representing the SoCal Lady Bloggers!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)
Hanging out with some fun ladies!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)

It was fun to see that Michelle from The Suitcase Studio! She just happens to be one of my favorite photographers and was there to capture this fun event with her magical camera! 

Michelle is so tolerant of my “selfie with friends” policy, too! Aren’t we cute?

At the reception, in the lobby of the spa, there were some amazing cocktails being served by Clean Cocktails and a delicious, healthy snack being provided by My Fit Foods. LeBrisa Designs was also there displaying some of their latest pieces, which we had fun trying on. The ambiance was just so relaxing and inviting, which is what I like about this location. 

Samantha from Clean Cocktails serving up some deliciousness!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)

Healthy AND delicious!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)
Just some of the beautiful pieces by LeBrisa
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)

It was inspiring to listen to Erina Buckley speak about how she came to be the owner of this Elements Massage location, just a little over a year ago, after first being an Elements Massage client, herself. She told the story of how she exited the corporate world to do something she felt far more passionate about and how she wanted to do something that has a positive influence on others in their journey for overall wellness. 

Erina Buckley, the owner of Elements Massage Costa Mesa. Such a fabulous and passionate female entrepreneur!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)

I love the idea behind the concept of this spa. What they refer to as the Elements Way is something they created to help individuals achieve overall health and well-being through relaxation and rejuvenation. They use a holistic approach and strive to deliver a personalized program for each individual, connecting health and massage. It’s a truly unique program that you won’t find at other spas or massage places. 
When it was my turn for a “mini massage” I followed the masseuse back to one of the rooms, where he proceeded to ask me some questions about the areas I thought needed most attention and what type of pressure I preferred. He also asked if I got massages often and when the last time I got a massage was? At that point, I think you could hear crickets in the room, as I truly couldn’t remember! I explained to him that I’m a mom and I don’t have very much time for myself, especially not for things like this. He then gave me some very important advice and explained the importance of taking time out for myself, in order to do something to make ME feel better. He said that my excuse of “being a mom and not having time for myself to do these types of things” was even MORE of a reason why I needed to do so! It felt like I’d melted into the table after my 15 minute mini-massage! I think I’m going to take his advice and get back into Elements Massage Costa Mesa for a full massage right away! That 15 minutes felt like a paradise vacation, so I can only imagine what a full hour will be like! 

A post-mini massage group selfie! We sure do all look relaxed! Thank you Elements Massage Costa Mesa!

In honor of their 1 year anniversary, Elements Costa Mesa is offering a special month-long promotion. You can book two 55-minute massages at $69 for each appointment, regularly $99, between now and May 31, 2014 and receive a complimentary upgrade to an 80-minute massage during your second appointment. This is a total of $100 in savings! Mention the promotion “Anniversary” when booking, to redeem this special offer. Both services must be redeemed by May 31, 2014. 
Elements Massage Costa Mesa is located at 2701 S. Harbor Blvd, Suite E-3 in the Mesa Verde Center. To book your appointment call 714.850.0500.

It’s amazing how easy it is for me to drink water when it looks like this!
(photo by The Suitcase Studio)
So, can YOU remember when the last time was that you did something for yourself? 
If not, then you really should change that!

 

Our Perfect Day at the Irvine Park Railroad’s Eggstravaganza

/ Family Fun, Irvine Park Railroad, Lifestyle, Orange County

We had so much fun spending an afternoon at the Irvine Park’s Easter Eggstravaganza, which is located inside of Irvine Regional Park. 

In addition to the beautiful natural scenery, it’s all decorated for Easter too! Everywhere you turn, there are adorable children, dressed up in their best spring outfits. It’s the perfect setting and occasion to photograph some precious moments, that’s for sure!

The Eggstravaganza features so many different activities to choose from that we weren’t sure where to start. 
The activities include: 
     *Easter egg hunts
     *Photos with the Easter Bunny
     *Train rides
     *Hay rides
     *Cookie decorating
     *Face painting
     *A bunny bounce house
     *Various picture stands for photo opportunities
     *Carnival games

So, we basically decided to do them all! 

I loved how organized the Easter egg hunt was. We first obtained a wristband for the age-appropriate time for Emi. They created very fair rules for the children, first sitting them all down together, to explain the rules for the hunt, discussing how many eggs they could “find” and take home in their baskets, as well as other candy they might find on the ground. The kids were so excited to get started and sprinted at the cue to begin. 

Although we remembered to bring our own basket, they do have baskets for sale there, as well. 

Emi was mesmerized by how much candy there was in the egg hunt area, in addition to the eggs! 
After the egg hunt, we strolled over to visit the Easter Bunny. He was extremely interactive with the Emily, first playing peek-a-boo with her, which helped make her unafraid to sit with him. That’s something that might be a relief for parents with hesitant children. 

Pictures like this, melt my heart!

Apparently visiting the Easter Bunny makes you hungry, so we stopped by the snack shack for some freshly popped popcorn, before heading on over to the face painting area!

The artists in the face painting booth that would create each child’s ideal design for them. Emi let her artist know that she preferred more of an arm design, as opposed to having her face painted. 

She loved her “tattoo” so much, that I think she hid from the water in the shower hitting that arm for as long as she could! 

I loved all of the different photo opportunities there were throughout the area. Emi tried to convinced me to get in this one, but I let her do the honors! 

I love this one! My little chick!

I was most startled by this one..it shows how tall Emi is getting! She’s only 8! Wow! 

Next, we hopped aboard the train, which for me, is the best part of the entire thing. There’s just something about trains that reminds me of childhood! Emi chose to sit directly behind the engineer! We took the token “train selfie” as we relaxed on the long ride.

For our finale, we visited the cookie decorating booth, where Emi got her very own sugar cookie to decorate with colored frostings and sprinkles. What more could a kid ask for? 

It was such a fun afternoon. 
Head on over before the fun ends on April 19th! 



Farrell’s is Teaming Up with The American Red Cross to Help!

/ Food
There is nothing scarier than experiencing an earthquake of a significant magnitude, in addition to several aftershocks, like the residents of Southern California did this past weekend with the 5.1. It really makes you think about important things such as having a plan of action for your family, in case of an huge earthquake or other disaster and just having overall earthquake preparedness at home. It’s not something that any of us like to think about, but we DO need to be ready, in case of the unexpected. 
As if a 5.1 earthquake wasn’t scary enough for many of us to experience last weekend, we then watched news of a deadly 8.2 magnitude quake that hit Chile yesterday, resulting in such great loss and devastation! It’s difficult to watch things like this on the news! It makes you feel helpless, in the sense that you can’t make it better or directly help the people who are affected. 
It makes my heart happy when I see businesses I support and frequent, come forward to make efforts to reach out and help people in need, like the people of Chile. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Farrell’s, and it makes so proud to spread the news about what Farrell’s is doing to help with this recent tragic situation. Farrell’s has teamed up with the American Red Cross to raise earthquake preparedness awareness in the wake of these recent earthquakes. 
Beginning today, Wednesday April 2 through Sunday April 6, all 7 Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour locations will be offering a limited edition “Quake Shake” for $4.99, with 100% of sales going to the American Red Cross. In addition, you’ll also receive a handout about earthquake preparedness, with instructions on how to be ready for a large magnitude earthquake.
Locally we were all very fortunate not to have suffered any major damage or injuries as a result of last weekend’s Southern California earthquake, but the people of Chile weren’t as fortunate. The Farrell’s family is making this great effort to help the American Red Cross reach people and areas in need. These kinds of situations remind us how important and essential it is to be prepared and we should all do our part to make sure organizations like The Red Cross are funded and ready to assist those in need, when a disaster like this occurs. 
Please support this effort by visiting your local Farrell’s and enjoying a “Quake Shake“, which is a Rocky Road flavored shake, made with rich chocolate ice cream, marshmallow swirl and topped with whipped cream, almonds and a cherry. Remember, 100% of the sales from this $4.99 “Quake Shake” will be donated to the American Red Cross. In addition, monetary donations will also be accepted at each restaurant. 
For more information, visit FarrellUSA.com or for direct donations visit RedCross.org
photo courtesy of Farrell’s

Blended Conference 2014: Why YOU Should Attend!

/ Conferences, Technology/Social Media, Travel

Last Fall, I had the opportunity to attend Blended: A Conference in the Desert. It was the first blogger conference I ever attended. I was what you’d call a “newbie blogger”. (I actually still am) Although I was excited to attend, I was also very nervous about it. (I now know there was nothing to be nervous about) Although I’m not a shy person, blogging, and all that it entails, was an area new to me, so I really wasn’t very sure of myself or even HOW I’d come across to others. At that point, I was even still trying to figure out my blogging niche, as well as the tech side of blogging.
I cannot even begin to describe how invaluable that experience of attending Blended last year was to me! It was a 1 day conference last year. This year, it’s an entire weekend and after I saw the location  and the agenda for the weekend, I got even more excited!

I’m going to give you 5 great reasons why YOU should attended Blended this year!

Reason #1
You should attend because I will be there! 
Yep, I wouldn’t miss Blended Conference 2014 for the world! I am so excited for the little road trip back to Arizona, from California, to see all of the friends I made at the conference last year, as well as to meet a whole bunch of new ones! (including you!) I’m not saying that I am like a headliner for the conference or anything, because I’m not, but I would consider myself a pretty fun bloggy friend to have. Oh, and I LOVE taking selfies with friends! Please attend so I can meet you!
Reason #2
You should attend because the ladies who are responsible for running the conference are are not only amazing, but are also both named “Wendy”, which happens to be my name, so seriously, how can that NOT be a good enough reason on its own? 
I first met Wendy O’Neal from Around My Family Table and Wendy Wright from Choosing Love and Arizona Moms Network online. Before getting to actually meet these 2 in person, I was worried I’d be intimidated when I met them, but once we were all together at a dinner the night before the conference last year, I immediately felt comfortable talking to them and several other people I’d refer to as super bloggers, who I’d also only met online. I will admit that I sat there #fangirling Wendy and Wendy at the conference, but that’s a good thing. They definitely land in my book as “superwomen” and I’m proud to be a part their #TeamWendy. Obviously if your name is also Wendy, you REALLY need to make sure to get to this conference!
Reason #3
You should attend because you’ll have so many opportunities to network with other bloggers, the speakers and with some brands. 
This is a very important reason, especially if you are a new(er) blogger! Networking, meeting other bloggers, including the conference speakers, and actually starting relationships and friendships with them, is probably one of the most useful things you can take away from a conference. There is a big difference between meeting someone online, like on Facebook or Twitter, and actually meeting them in person, allowing them to get to know you, and you being able to get to know them. You never know who the person sitting next to you or across the table from you, really is, or what connections they may have. They also may see something in you that they like and throw some great opportunities your way! You just never know!
You also have the opportunity to network with brands, because there are brands represented at Blended conference and at certain times during the conference days, you have time to actually introduce yourself and meet some of the brands’ PR people. PR people are really just regular people, so although it may be intimidating to approach them, you should just do it. Approach them with your business card, introduce yourself and just chat with them briefly.
You honestly never know who is going to make a positive connection with you or when it will happen, but it will! I speak from experience and like I said before, I’m still a newbie.
Reason #4
You should attend because, once again, there is a going to be a fabulous agenda with fabulous speakers (and fabulous food) at Blended this year! 

If you take a peek over the agenda, what you’ll find is a ton of fun and knowledge coming your way!
*Scheduled Head Shots with Kate Eschbach on Friday afternoon!

*Hands-on Workshops on Friday night
*Maureen Fitzgerald, also known as Wisconsin Mommy, will be talking about Creating a Media Kit.
*Christine Pittman from Cook the Story, will have a Food Styling…Live session.
*Dan Morris of Letters from Dan and Blogging Concentrated, will be presenting SEO Simplified.
*Rachel Martin of Finding Joy, will show How to Create an ebook from Your Existing Content
*Marley McMillan Beelman of Namely Marley, will present The Joy of Blogging
*Dear Blogger breakout sessions, for both beginning and advanced bloggers
*no hosted blogger dinners
*Blogging Concentrated for advanced bloggers presented by Dan Morris of Letters from Dan
Reason #5
You should attend because Blogging Concentrated for advanced bloggers is going to have its own day during Blended this year! 
This is an incredible offering that you just shouldn’t pass up and very unique to this conference to have a component piggy backing like this! I had the pleasure of meeting Dan Morris recently at another conference and not only is he going to present a wealth of information, he is also a really fun guy to hang out with!

I could probably give so many more reasons why YOU should attend Blended Conference this fall! Maybe I’ll write a 2nd post with Reasons #6-10….maybe!

To get more information about Blended and register for it, click here.
 I hope to see you there!

The Day We Partied With Barbie and Ken at Farrell’s

/ Celebrations, Food
Barbie turned 55 yesterday! She’s looks absolutely amazing for her age, don’t you think?
I grew up loving Barbies. I think Barbie was a favorite of most little girls and still is.
Emi and I had the chance to attend Barbie’s birthday celebration at Farrell’s Restaurant. At each of their participating restaurant locations, there was a special celebration which included appearances by Barbie and Ken, games, prizes and even a special Barbie Birthday Zoo for the kids to share.
We arrived a little bit early to find several little girls anxiously awaiting the start of the party and playing with their own Barbies outside of the Farrell’s door.

When the doors opened and we were welcomed into the party room,
we saw that the room was decorated for Barbie’s birthday.
Emi insisted that we bring her own Barbie table and chairs and she set it up right on the party table. (notice Barbie’s own tiny banana split and homemade birthday card on her table). 
All of the children were so excited when the party host first introduced Ken! Everyone clapped and Ken appeared in the room. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud because he kept the stiff posed arms throughout the celebration. The Ken they chose was so adorable and had so much personality!

Soon after, Ken introduced Barbie and when she came out,
with her stiff arms too. Barbie was as adorable and talented as Ken was.
They were the most amazing performers that this Farrell’s could’ve found for this event and were both beyond animated, beautiful, and never broke character. You could just tell that “Barbie” and “Ken” were genuinely having fun with the kids. I certainly appreciate their version of this Barbie song…

The kids  were so excited to play games with Barbie and Ken. First they played a trivia game, to see how much they knew about Barbie! Emi actually won TWO prizes in the trivia game! I have no idea how she knew Barbie’s full name, but that was one of the questions she answered!
Then they played “Hot Pig” (it’s like Hot Potato) with Barbie while Ken played the drum.
 Did I mention that this Ken is amazing on the Farrell’s drum?
After the games, the kids all got to share the special Barbie Zoo! What a treat!
Emi was in heaven getting to have ice cream at 10:30 a.m. and before lunch!
At the end of the party, the kids got to have their pictures taken with Barbie and Ken!
The most powerful part of the whole event for me, was the statement Farrell’s made, without saying a word! For them to show the children (and adults) in attendance at Barbie’s birthday celebration, that Barbie and Ken are NOT ALWAYS blond-haired and blue-eyed with white skin, was something that I wish more companies would do.  I don’t think there was one child at the party who noticed anything different about this Barbie and Ken, which is what makes me smile most! I thanked the manager, Chad, not only for hosting this fun event, but also for opting to feature a non-traditional Barbie and Ken to the kids! I honestly think there needs to be more of these kinds of occurrences in our society! Thank you Farrell’s! You really wowed me…again!