Disneyland Resort Holiday Time #DisneyHolidays

Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. Complimentary tickets were provided to facilitate the writing of this post.

I feel like every year I find myself saying, Wow, the decorations are the best they have ever been and there is no way that it can’t get any better next year, and yet again I’m proven wrong by Disney. The holidays at the Disneyland Resort are bigger and better than ever. The Disneyland Resort is decked out wall to wall in beautiful holiday decorations. There is something just so magical about visiting Disneyland and Disney California Adventure during this time of the year.

The Disneyland Resort is dressed up for the holiday season until January 6th, 2015. Some of the highlights of the holidays at the Disneyland Resort are:

It’s a Small World Holiday – sing along with the dolls to holiday tunes
A Christmas Fantasy Parade – we love the marching wooden soldiers!
Haunted Mansion Holiday – this year’s gingerbread house is frighteningly festive
Jingle Jangle Jamboree – meet and greet with Santa, Mickey and some great entertainment in Big Thunder Ranch
Cars Land Decked out for the holidays – some of the most creative holiday displays ever created
Sleeping Beauty Castle Draped in Beautiful Lights
Jingle Cruise – the animals discovered some dropped Christmas cargo and have gotten into the spirit.

The resort is truly magical during this time of year and the decorations throughout the park are amazing. Disney ¡Viva Navidad! celebrates Latin holiday traditions, just inside Frontierland with special decorations, entertainment and food options. Disney ¡Viva Navidad! continues in the New Year with a grand finale: Three Kings’ Day, January 2 – 6, 2015. Get ready to make some memories at the Disneyland Resort. A visit is a must during this holiday season! For resort hours and other information can be found here.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund #HSFChat

Disclaimer: This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers. All opinions are 100% mine.

My Latino parents were always supportive of the idea of college, but they never had the resources to send me or my sisters. It was not until after getting married AND having children that I found myself in the position of needing to get a college degree in order to make a necessary change in my career. I wish something like the HSF had existed for my folks to assist with getting me there sooner. Even as an adult, I spent a fair amount of time at my college admissions office, just trying to make sure all my chicks were in a row each semester. The road was difficult and challenging but I am proud to have completed my program and graduated with a bachelors and then this year with a masters degree. My parents were quite proud of me being the first college graduate in the family.

Did you know that Hispanics account for 19% of all college students, ages 18-24? That’s a major increase, up from 12% in 2008. What’s more, 69% of Hispanic graduates are now going directly to college after graduating high school, a rate that is higher than that of the general population.
But the surge in Hispanic college-bound students presents a greater need for more information about college and financial support. As all parents that have college bound students can attest, navigating the application process can be daunting. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund was created to ease the challenge of getting people into college. The children can get access to education resources such as primary english classes. Some of the more difficult things like navigating financial aid and making sure pre-requisites are just some of the things that the are made easier with the website.

Parents are the support system that kids need to get to and through college, but parents need support and encouragement too. HSF has many tools available at http://hsf.net/en/resources/parents/.

Scholarship season runs from Jan 1-Mar 30, but students can begin the application process now by creating a profile on HSF.net

The Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade

Newport Beach Boat Parade

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. One of our favorite Christmas traditions is almost here. Every year we look forward to the Newport Beach Boat Parade. The parade has been a So Cal tradition for over 100 years! Watching the parade is one of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions. It is a definite must do for the family. If you’re also a boat owner, you may visit this site if you’re looking for the cheapest boat hull and trailer for sale. Make sure as well not to forget about extra boat batteries and safety equipment.

The parade begins on Wednesday Dec 17th and ends on Sunday December 21st. The parade starts off at Bay Island at 6:30pm and ends there at approximately 9:30. We try to make it at least one night every year.

Here are a couple of tips to make your evening as enjoyable as possible.
1. Dress warmly. I forgot to bring gloves last year and I will make sure not to forget them this year. I also will remember to bring a blanket for each of my kiddos.
2. Arrive as early as possible. Traffic is horrible and arriving early will assure you a spot and less congestion.
3. Be prepared to pay for parking. Whether you are parking in one of the state lots or an improvised private lot, make sure to bring at least 10 dollars for parking. If you want to save on parking, make sure to bring good walking shoes and park a little further away from the bay area.
4. Bring something warm to drink . We bring something warm to drink and lots of fun treats.
5. My favorite spot to watch is close to the Balboa Peninsula/Balboa Ferry Area. You can watch from either side. You really can’t miss with either of these spots.
6. If you would like to view the parade in luxury many of the waterfront restaurants along the parade route have dinner/viewing packages. Check to see if your favorite restaurant is offering a deal.

To learn more about the parade and for additional info head here.