Monday, November 9, 2015

Ride the Train to Santa at Irvine Park RR! **GIVEAWAY**

Take a Train Ride to Santa aboard the +IrvineParkRailroad . !

It's the most wonderful time of the year! We just love the holidays and the traditions that come along with the season.

Our family has had a lot of traditions passed down over the years. A lot of them were started by my mom and dad over 40 years ago. These traditions are here to stay and I too pass them down now by doing them with my own family. 

Since having my own first birthday at Irvine Park, my family has been returning for special events, BBQ's, family time and just the scenery for many years. 

One of our most favorite times of year to visit the Irvine Park RR is Christmas time! The holidays always bring out the cool crisp air, fresh smells and the train to Santa!
PC IPRR

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Celebrate Giving Thanks with Pretend City this November

Pretend City is full of Thanks this November!

November is always a special month. There are so many reasons for us to be grateful for our blessings. The time to enjoy family and give thanks to those around us that help us in one way or another all year long. 

There is a lot going on at +PretendCity this month. Below you can see a list of all the events that +Pretend City Children's Museum will have to show thanks to all of their attendees!

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Wednesday, November 4: Celebrate Put Down the Pacifier Day!
Time:    Activities throughout the day
Specifically for:    Children of all ages; Grown-ups
Details: Is your child using a binky?  Come join us, as we read Bye-Bye Binky!  Through this story your child will learn that as they grow up, saying Bye-Bye Binky is not so hard after all!   This is your chance for your child to surrender their pacifier to the Tooth Fairy – she’ll be on hand throughout the day for a meet-and-greet opportunity.
Sensational Story Time: Is your child using a binky?  Come join us, as we read Bye-Bye Binky!  Through this story your child will learn that as they grow up, saying Bye-Bye Binky is not so hard after all!
RSVP:    Not required
Fee:    Included with museum admission
Event Link: http://pretendcity.org/event/celebrate-put-down-the-pacifier-day/

Friday, November 6: Book Reading & Signing by Laura Tovar, Author of Autumn Colors & Months Fly By!
Time:    11:00 a.m. Reading of Autumn Colors
               3:30 p.m.   Reading of Months Fly By
Specifically for:    Children of all ages; Grown-ups
Details: Laura Tovar taught music for many years in the public schools and wrote many songs and jingles for children. Laura has developed a catalog of “teaching tunes” with fun melodies that she will be sharing with us. The lyrics are catchy and are perfect for teachers and parents to read aloud with young children. Wonderful illustrations have made her songs really come alive!
Following each reading will be an engaging art activity for children to participate in led by Laura Tovar.
Laura’s books will be available for purchase in our bookstore and she will be signing books before and after the planned art activities.
RSVP: Not required
Fee:    Included with museum admission
Event Link: http://pretendcity.org/event/book-reading-signing-by-laura-tovar-author-of-autumn-colors-months-fly-by/

Wednesday, November 11: Celebrate Veterans Day  
Time: 10:30a.m. – 12:30p.m.
Specifically for: Children of All Ages
Veterans Day is an opportunity to honor and thank those who have served or are serving in the military. Today Pretend City will take the time to teach children the significance of the holiday through simple and age-appropriate activities that will show respect and appreciation to our veterans.
Smart Art: Celebrate this special day with a remembrance activity that you can take home to give to a special veteran in your life or to serve as a keepsake.
Sensational Story Time: Join us for a heartwarming story time that will teach your children about our nation’s veterans and why we honor them on this special day.
RSVP: Not required
Fee: Included with admission
Event Link: http://pretendcity.org/event/celebrate-veterans-day/
   
Friday, November 13: Celebrate World Kindness Day
Time:    Activities throughout the day
Specifically for:    Children of all ages; Grown-ups
Smart Art: Recognize kind acts and gestures with your child as you share with one another what they are.  Record those memories onto a Heart Prints to keep with you as a reminder of the lasting impression those gestures leave on your heart. 
Sensational Story Time: During the reading of Chrysanthemum, your child will be engaging in a wrinkle heart activity that will help your child understand empathy and how kindness can help mend a heart.
Let’s Move: This activity will focus on teamwork, solving problem, and communication.  Let’s link together and hula hoop our way out of this situation!
RSVP:    Not required
Fee:    Included with museum admission

Sunday, November 15: Celebrate America Recycles Day
Time:    Activities throughout the day
Specifically for:    Children of all ages; Grown-ups
Details: Ultimate Recycling machine
Smart Art: Help to build our recycle city in the art studio.  All day we will be working with recycled materials. What will you transform paper rolls, Popsicle sticks and cotton balls into? 
Sensational Story Time: Compost Stew will introduce children to the idea of composting.  They will work on science skills as they sort items to create their own composting bin and math skills as they put the composting steps in order
Symbol in a Second: Don’t throw that away, will help your child see objects in different ways.  All we have to do is use our imagination!  Continue the fun and imagination with our ultimate recycling machine to build to your hearts content. At the end create an earth badge as your pledge to help keep our world clean. 
RSVP:    Not required
Fee:    Included with museum admission

Monday, November 16: Celebrate National Button Day
Time:    Activities throughout the day
Specifically for:    Children of all ages; Grown-ups
Details:
Smart Art: It’s raining buttons in the art studio!  Buttons of every color and size will sure to amaze everyone.  Come joins us in the art studio for button theme art activities!
Musical Buttons: It’s a twist on musical chairs with large buttons!  Your children will have fun moving to the beat of the music, once it stop it’s a race to find a button!
RSVP:    Not required
Fee:    Included with museum admission

Tuesday, November 24th: Healthy Holidays with Dr. Patricia and Serving Kids Hope
Join us from 11:00-Noon for some Healthy Holiday activities with Dr. Patricia and her team from the organization Serving Kids Hope. Dr. Patricia will be leading a parent discussion group about how to encourage healthy eating habits in young children. She will also be giving parents tips for how to deal with picky eaters, how to get your child to sleep, and the importance of communication in the home. She will end the discussion with a guided visualization which she says are very beneficial for helping your child to fall asleep easily. Parents that purchase Dr. Patricia’s Book Fit Kids Revolution from our bookstore on this day will be entered into an opportunity drawing to win a free visit and consultation with Dr. Patricia. Or a Family 4 pack to Pretend City.
Dr. Patricia will be signing books and answering questions immediately following her discussion just outside the Pretend City Entrance Gate.
While the Parents are enjoying Dr. Patricia’s presentation; children 2 years and up can join her team in the adjacent community room for two fun and engaging activities. Children will read the book Stone Soup and make some healthy soup of their own to try. Then they will participate in a Gingerbread Picasso activity where they will be decorating their very own gingerbread figurines to take home and hang on the tree.
Pre-Registration is required for this event to ensure that enough materials are provided for each child and parent in attendance. The 1st 50 that register will be entered to win the book Fit Kids Revolution by Jon Gabriel & Patricia A. Ronald Riba, MD.
RSVP:    Required
Fee:    Included with museum admission

Wednesday, November 25: Celebrate Thanksgiving!   
Time:    11:00 a.m.           Sensational Story Time
3:30 p.m.             Listen & Learn
Specifically for:  Young Toddler (12-24 months), Toddlers (2-4 years), Preschoolers (3-5 years), Kindergarteners (5-6 years), School Ages (6 years and up)
Sure, Thanksgiving is known for the pilgrims, history and turkey.  But most importantly, Thanksgiving is for giving thanks; it's a holiday all about everything that we are thankful for. Today let’s celebrate family, friends, and the holiday that brings everyone together through these fun activities:
·         Sensational Story Time - Gobble gobble up these books for a Thanksgiving treat! From hilarious turkeys to holiday history your children will learn and engage.
·         Listen & Learn – Join us to Do The Turkey Pokey and learn about the farm in these fun listen and learn music and movement times. 
·         Smart Art – Thankfulness is something which is an important expression and feeling for children to understand. Help teach them what it means to be thankful by adding and decorating a leaf for our Thankful Tree.  
RSVP: Not required
Fee: Included with admission

Friday, November 27: Food & Family Friday
Time:    10:30 a.m.             Turkey Hokey Pokey-In the City Park
11:00 a.m.           Sensational Story Time in Orange Plaza- Bear Says Thanks
                2:30 p.m.              Smart Art Spud Activity- In the Real Cafe
3:30 p.m.             Sensational Story Time in Orange Plaza - Thanks for Thanksgiving
Pretend City will be a great place to get away from all the Black Friday Madness. We will be playing with our Thanksgiving leftovers in the Real Café, Dancing and Singing to Turkey Songs in the City Park, and reading books about thankfulness in the Orange Plaza.
Sensational Story Time: Join us in the Orange Plaza for a reading of Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson & Jane Chapman at 11:00 a.m. followed by an art activity where you child will be able to make their own quilt square. We will then be reading Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes at 3:30pm and talking about all the things that we are thankful for. Children will be able to make a Thank You card in our post office following the book reading.
Smart Art Spud Activity: Come and Play with our Mashed potato Sensory Bin in the Real Café and make your own Mr. Potato Head using Thanksgiving leftovers. We will talk about different emotions when creating our Mr. Potato Head characters by asking questions such as “do you want your character to be happy, sad, or mad?” And “What shapes create a mouth, eyes, noses?”
Music & Movement: Join us in the Pretend City Park for Dancing and Singing to the Turkey Hokey Pokey!
RSVP: Not required
Fee: Included with admission

Thank you +Pretend City Children's Museum for the educational fun my kids always have. Can not wait to bring my dad in for some Thankful pretend play with his grandchildren. 

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#PretendPlay #PretendCity #November #Thanks #GiveThanks #Fun #EduFun #OC #Irvine #ThingsToDo #IndoorPlay #PretendPlay #Parties #FallFun #ThingsToDoInOC

Thursday, November 5, 2015

King Tut Exhibit Comes To Orange County

History is brought to life with the King Tut exhibit! 

King Tut comes to the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center. The Grand Opening is on November 8th and Anaheim students are free (must show ID)



What you can expect to have a look at:
* 131 Replicas of Tutankhamun's legendary treasures
* Displayed in Open Glass
* See sacred and personal possessions 
* Artifacts from King Tut's reign

Get a good look inside the history of King Tut and all the "Wonderful Things" from the Pharaohs tomb!

We are looking forward to seeing all there is to learn about on Sunday at the Grand Opening but you can get tickets and attend anytime - get all the information HERE!

You can also sign up for their E-News letter for up to date info HERE.

#KingTut #Artifacts #Museum #History #MustSee #ThingsToDo #OrangeCounty

Monday, November 2, 2015

Give Orbit Baby a Stroll and get $50!

Love Strollers? Like to Shop?


Starting tomorrow, visit a participating Southern California retailer + test drive any award winning Orbit Baby Stroller + post a picture on social media  = receive a $50 Visa Gift Card.  Promotion runs through 11/9 or until supplies run out.
PC: ClubMomMe OC

It's really that easy!

Just 
take Orbit Baby’s *new* O2 Hybrid Jogging Strollerstylish Limited Edition Porter Collection, or classic G3 Stroller for a spin between Nov 3rd - Nov 9th.
PC ClubMomMe OC

The Rules:

In order to receive the Visa gift card, you will need to do the following three things:
  1. Take a picture of yourself holding an Orbit demo sign (sign provided by retailer - list of stores here) next to an Orbit Stroller
  2. Post the picture on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #OrbitBabyMovesUs
  3. Email the picture to promo@orbitbaby.com. Please include your name, the store name and location in the email.
Only the first 1000 claims received by November 15th will receive a gift card. Processing of gift cards can take up to four weeks. For questions call Orbitbaby customer service at 877-672-2229.
Restrictions:
  • Must be one of the first 1000 claims received by November 15th
  • Limit one per household (household is defined as those living at the same street address)

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

#Orbitbaby #strollers #musttry #babygear #newbrands #family #babymusthave #baby #strollerstotry 

Interview With the Peanuts Movie Cast & What to Look out for on November 6th

Growing Up with the Peanuts Gang!

There is a new Peanuts Movie coming out on November 6th and we are so excited to see it as a family. For generations the Peanuts gang has brought my family together via comics to TV. My parents loved to sit and watch the Holiday Specials as a family during Halloween and Christmas, traditions I now have with my own family. 

When we heard there was going to be a new Peanuts Movie we got extremely excited and a rush of nostalgia ran over me! There has not been a Peanuts movie since 1980 and it is so about time to bring them all back for some fun. 

+The Peanuts Movie is the newest chapter to hit the big screen for the Schulz family in years but did you know that it took Craig Schulz (son of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz) 8 years to write the movie and Steve Martino (Director) 4 years to bring it to life. That is a lot of hard work.

A few weeks ago we found out we would be given the opportunity to interview the cast of the new Peanuts Movie! After having supreme excitement already we were just off the wall ecstatic and the questions we wanted to ask became a long list. (check out my blog post on that here)

Ready for Media Meet and Greet with the Cast of the Peanuts Movie
On Halloween we got up, got ready and rushed out to +Knott's Berry Farm where the Meet and Greet for the Peanuts Movie cast was set up inside of Camp Snoopy.
Media Check in - Notes in Hand!
 The floor was set up like the walk of fame with the characters "Stars" out leading up to the Red Carpet walkway. 
So cool! There was a blimp in the sky that was flying above with the Peanuts Movie image on it and everyone was eager to get back to meet the cast, director and creator.

Walking the Red Carpet to her Interviews 
The setting was just perfect and as I looked at Zoe, I asked her, "Are you ready baby, you get to ask the questions" and she looked at me with the biggest eyes of excitement and said "Yes, this is my first real interview of famous actors, I'm ready".
Next up to Interview the Cast
The cast is just adorable and each actor fits their role so well. The casting that was done to select each voice was fierce and detailed so that there was a presence of old Peanuts and new to create the perfect balance for each of the Peanuts Gang friends. 

We first talked with Francesca Capaldi (known for her role as Chloe in "Dog With a Blog") who voices Little Red-Haired Girl and Noah Schnapp who voices Good ol' Charlie Brown. These two are so excited about everyone seeing the movie. Zoe told them she was so excited for the movie.
Little Red Haired Girl, Charlie Brown and my Kid Reporter
She asked: "What was each of your favorite parts of the movie and are there any surprises or hints to what we should look out for in the movie about the Red Haired Girl and Charlie Brown?"

Both kids got so giddy with laughter and started telling Zoe that they could not say too much but they "share the same favorite part and something happens in the end that has never happened before." 

That was enough to tell Zoe and I that we were in for some awesome surprises that I think everyone has been wondering and waiting for!

Next up we were able to talk with Hadley Miller, the voice of Lucy, known for being crabby, bossy and always humiliating Charlie Brown. Lucy is a very strong character so Zoe asked Hadley "how it felt to voice Lucy, the girl we know to wear the blue dress and take charge. Hadley said, "Lucy is such a bold girl and she is strong and likes to take charge. It was fun to bring her big voice to life." 
Hadley gives Lucy her strong, bold voice. 
Zoe also asked Hadley if she loved to be part of the pranks to Charlie Brown and Hadley said that one of her favorites is "when Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown" classic...ours is too!

I don't think Zoe fully understood how special and just plain cool it was for her to have the opportunity to interview the cast until she stepped up to the creator himself! 
Mr. Craig Schulz , Zoe and I
I saw her face just light up when I introduced her to Craig Schulz. I had told her he is the son of the main man himself that brought the Peanuts to life so many years ago. 

We started to chat and we had so many questions to ask this creative mind. We told him how excited we are for the movie to come out and how much it means to our family for generations to evolve with his beloved Peanuts Gang. 

Zoe asked Mr. Schulz, "How long did it take to create the movie and how many hours did it take to get it ready for the big screen?" 

He looks down at Zoe and said, "It took me many years to write this one, how old are you?" 

Zoe answered "I am 8."

Mr. Schulz smiles at her and chuckled a bit then leaned down and told her "Well it took me 8 years to get this movie written just right and 4 years for the director to do his part. So we just ran a marathon with it and know you will love it when you see it."

He then told Zoe, "It took over 5 million hours to complete the movie from writing, editing, creating, casting and more. So many people were involved to make is just right"

That really puts it all into perspective for someone watching the film to know how long and just how much effort was put into it!

A few fun facts about the new Peanuts Movie:
* Movie will be in 3D animation
* Charlie Brown is on a quest
* Snoopy takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron
* Every underdog has his day
* It's okay to express emotions, anxieties, hopes and fears with out a filter. (I love this)
* Everyone has a little Charlie Brown in them
* Charlie is smitten with love for the new girl in his class, Little Red Haired Girl
* Snoopy too, is pursuing a romance!


What a rush!! This was my daughters first time interviewing and she did great. The cast was so sweet, the Director was so thrilled to share his excitement and Mr. Schulz was as nice as he is creative. We could not have asked for a better interview experience. 

Thank you to the whole cast, Director Steve, Mr. Schulz, Knott's Berry Farm and Camp Snoopy for the most awesome experience. We loved meeting each of them and are grateful for the opportunity to ask things about the new Peanuts Movie! 
This by far was the best Halloween ever! 

On of my most favorite quotes is by Charles M. Schulz himself...
"

See you all November 6th to catch the Beagle and his block head bestie on the big screen!


For more information on Camp Snoopy and all the fun you too can have this Merry Farm Season at Knott's please visit here.  



#KnottsBerryFarm #PeanutsMovie #Knotts #PeanutsGang #CharlieBrown #LittleRedHairedGirl #Snoopy #Lucy #MustSee #InTheatersNovember6th #MerryFarm #Nostalgia #FamilyFun #Movies 
*We were given the opportunity to attend a meet and greet with the Peanuts movie cast and all opinions are our own. Thank you for the interview and grateful for our relationship with gigasavvy.*