Mickey's Halloween Party
I love visiting the Disneyland Resort during Halloween Time. The Disneyland Resort is decked in beautiful decorations and hosts the one event, our family looks forward to every year, Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Park. It has become an annual tradition and one that the kids start looking forward to it very early in the year.
Mickey’s Halloween Party is a special after hours costume party (the one and only time that adults are allowed to wear costumes at the park) that features super fun treat stations that dish both candy and healthy treats, Halloween Screams firework spectacular, music and dance stations at nearly every turn and the ability to enjoy the park after hours in an exclusive setting.
Another great perk of Mickey’s Halloween Party is the opportunity to enter Disneyland three hours before the party starts. You can head over up to 3 hours early and enjoy all that Disneyland has to offer before the party even begins.
The Disneyland Resort is decorated for Halloween and is the perfect setting for THE Halloween Party of the year. There are an incredible number of Jack-o-lanterns on Main Street and other fall decorations throughout the park. Some of attractions such as the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain are made over for Halloween Time and turn into The Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. They are not to be missed!
Mickey’s Halloween Party takes place on Monday October 15th, 29th, Tuesday October 2nd, 9th, 23rd, Friday October 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th. There will also be a Mickey’s Halloween Party on Halloween Night.
You can save on admission by purchasing ahead of time and on select nights, annual passholders, receive a discounted price. Make sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time because nights sell out quickly. You can also purchase tickets at the door, if the night is not sold out, which is rare.
I promise that it will be a night, you won’t soon forget! We have made some wonderful memories. Make sure to take your camera, because there will be plenty of opportunities for pictures.
For additional info and to purchase your tickets head here.
Win it! We have a pair of tickets to giveaway. Giveaway ends on Wednesday, October 3rd at 12:59pm. There are numerous opportunities to enter, including following the Disneyland Resort on Twitter. Good luck!
Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. I was invited to Mickey’s Halloween Party and received complimentary tickets. However, all opinions are my own and I promise that Mickey’s Halloween Party is fantastic!
Beating the Heat: Root Beer Floats #HansensSoCal
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Hansen's Root Beer and Ice Cream = The Yummiest Root Beer Float!
It has been one of the warmest summers on record, and my electric bills definitely attest to it. There is nothing that beats the heat quite like an ice cold drink. This weekend, we beat the heat and made a fun family evening, by making root beer floats.
I chilled the glasses the night before, added 2 good sized scoops of ice cream, Hansen’s Root Beer and voila, one of the best tasting Root Beer Floats, I have ever had. I think the secret to a good tasting float, is not so much in the ice cream, but in the root beer that is used. Hansen’s Root Beer is the absolute best! It is delicious, creamy and with pure can sugar. It’s all natural ingredients, none of the yucky corn syrup stuff is used in their great tasting soda. I think the other key to great tasting floats, is making sure to chill your glasses ahead of time. It really makes all the difference in the world.
It’s giveaway time!
I’m excited to be able to giveaway a Hansen’s Natural Soda Prize Package. I’m telling you, their sodas are THE best! Just head over to Hansens, browse their soda flavors and let me know what flavor is your favorite! That’s it! Nothing like opening your door and discovering a package with your favorite Hansen’s Natural Soda.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: This is a part of a compensated campaign with Hansen’s Natural Soda. However, all opinions are my own and I LOVE Hansen’s Products. They are delicious and natural!
Brick-or-Treat at the Legoland Resort
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One of my favorite times of the year is here, Halloween. I love all of the fun celebrations, especially the non-spooky ones. One of my favorite places Halloween traditions is taking the kiddos to Legoland’s Brick-or-Treat. This festive Halloween celebration takes place every Saturday in October and is included in the price of general admission.
Legoland’s Brick-or-Treat celebration features
- Seven LEGO-themed treat stations offer candy, healthy snacks and a few surprises along the way
- Brick-or-Treat Trail Bonus station at SEA LIFE Carlsbad Aquarium
- A Costume Contest with Winners receiving 4 Resort Membership Passes and a gift basket
- Fireworks at 9pm
- Hubble Bubble’s Dance Party with The Witchettes
- Brickzini the Magnificant, Count Brickula, freakishly tall ghosts, The Pumpkin Queen and Silly Scarecrows
- And much more!
Brick-or-Treat takes place every Saturday in October from 5pm to 9pm. We have tried to make it out every year and the kids have a blast! The after hours party is included free with general admission or you can purchase evening admission for only $30. Legoland is running a fantastic deal during Brick-or-Treat days. You can purchase a Brick-or-Treat Hopper for $59 which includes Full Day Admission to LEGOLAND and the SEALIFE Aquarium and a second ticket to come back any day before December 25th. If you have been wanting to take the family to Legoland, make sure to take advantage of this special deal.
For additional info head here.
Otros Cuentos with Milk and Giveaway! #Positivismo
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Our Night Time Traditions
Our night time routines always involve relaxing music,a cup of warm milk, a bedtime story and prayers. Although the kids don’t always look forward to bed, they always look forward to their warm milk or leche, bedtime stories and their prayers.
Earlier this week I received a copy of the bilingual book, Las Olas de La Luna/The Waves of the Moon from el Maestro Del Vaso Medio Lleno. We are striving to be a bilingual family and this book received a welcome reception from the kiddos.
Are you looking for a set of bedtime stories to add to your collection? Head over to otroscuentos.com to not only download your copy of The Waves of the Moon, but also other bilingual titles, including,
- Thirsty Carlitos
- Elena the Slurping Monkey
- A Day with Pedro
- Benito the Grumpy Elephant
- The Lake’s Secret
- Dante’s Monstrous Monsters
You can download the selection of bedtime stories for free! I’m always looking to add to my collection and these are some great little stories!
I really love being part of the #Positivismo initiative since so many kiddos are not getting enough sleep(including mine). It is so important for out little ones to get enough sleep in order to be alert and have a great day at school.
Win it: I’m giving away a two month supply of milk via a $40 Gift Card to Walmart and also a hard copy bound book of Otros Cuentos.
Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
Orange County Children’s Book Festival
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Happy Friday! I hope you are all looking forward to a fun weekend! There are a couple of very fun events taking place this weekend in Southern California. One of my favorites, other than the Smithsonian Free Museum weekend, is the Orange County Children’s Book Festival. The Festival takes place at the Orange Coast College Campus.
Each year the Orange County Children’s Book Festival features popular authors, illustrators, storytellers, entertainers; and exhibitors that support reading and education along with fun activities for families. This year’s special guest is Sid the Science Kid. If you have kiddos that love Sid the Science Kid you definitely do not want to miss this. There will also be other family entertainment, a live petting zoo and of course plenty of children’s books and storytelling opportunities.
The Orange County Children’s Book Festival takes place on Sunday, September 30th from 9:30 am to 4:30pm. Admission to the fair and parking is FREE! Oops almost forgot, there will also be free train rides for the kiddos. For additional info head here.
SiriusXM Satellite Radio at Best Buy #MiCultura
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One of my favorite channels
I am always out and about trying to discover new places to visit with my family. Sometimes that means going off the beaten path and not having the best radio reception, plus always a limited amount of channels with commercials that seem to go on forever!
I have wanted SiriusXM Satellite Radio for some time and finally was able to get my hands one of these sweet little devices. To say that adding SiriusXM has made even the shortest and simplest of drives a blast, is an understatement. I simply love my new device.
Best Buy made my shopping experience a great one!
I headed to my local Best Buy and when I tell you that my experience was fantastic, I am not kidding. I was in and out of Best Buy in less than 15 minutes. I was promptly met by a sales associate, who was able to locate everything that I needed in less than five minutes, and then promptly rung up. Installation was also a breeze. I was given a number, made an appointment and in less than an hour my system was ready to go.
In and out of Best Buy in only a few minutes! Amazing!
I love listening to Rock en Espanol and other Latin Music and love that my new SiriusXM Latino Programming, brings 20 channels dedicated to Latin music, news and entertainment. In honor of Hispanic Heritage month there are special interviews and programming. Plus I was able to listen to the Univision Presidential Interviews via the HuluPlus channel. Plus there are over 150 channels including all of my favorite English language stations. I’m currently in love with the 80′s and 90′s stations.
In an effort to connect with the Latinos, Best Buy is recognizing the important dates and holidays in our lives. The “Mi Cultura” initiative is a joint effort between Best Buy and some of its key vendor partners to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Best Buy has over 1,000 stores in the US with Spanish-speaking sales associates in more than 300 locations. Just visit your local store and ask for a Spanish speaking associate, they are always there to help!
I love my new satellite radio and loved my experience at Best Buy. It was a breeze and if you are looking for great service make sure to check them out.
This is part of a sponsored campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Best Buy. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
Wordless Wednesday: Minimum Day Traditions
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- Our Minimum Day Tradition- Slushies from Sonic
In our school district, we have a minimum day once a week. The kiddos love it not only because they have a shortened school day, but also because we have a little tradition. Every Minimum day after school we head over to sonic for a slushie. It just so happens that Sonic has happy hour everyday from 2pm to 5pm and their drinks are half off. Score for mom!
The kiddos look forward to our minimum day treats and I love chatting with them about their day while enjoying a cold and tasty treat.
How about you? Do you have any Minimum Day Traditions?
For more Wordless Wednesday fun head over to Angry Julie Monday.
Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
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Credit: Daytrippingmom
Earlier this month, we decided to set off on a drive down the coast and see where it would lead us. We decided to take a little drive through Fallbrook and wound up pretty much stumbling upon Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside. I think many of us that have grown up in Southern California are familiar with the Santa Barbara Mission or San Juan Capistrano, but there are others that are not quite as well known, one of which is San Luis Rey. This lesser known Mission is actually the biggest of all the 21 California Missions.
The church, a National Historic Landmark, is open daily to visitors via the museum, which oversees its restoration and the care of its collections. The church at San Luis Rey is recognized as the most unique and one of the most beautiful in the mission chain. It is the largest of the 21 California missions and the only one adorned with a wooden dome and cupola. Unique also to San Luis Rey are the side altars and the Madonna Chapel which originally served as a mortuary chapel.
We thought we would only be there for about 15 minutes but we wound up spending almost two hours. The kids loved touring the museum and discovering the grounds. We turned it into a spur of the moment lesson on California history and it was fantastic to watch the kiddos have history come to life. We spend some time exploring the cemetery and the kids were absolutely mesmerized by the dates on the tombstones, since the adjacent cemetery is the oldest cemetery in North San Diego County still in operation. The cemetery dates back to 1798 and it was definitely an interesting experience to explore the grounds of this historic mission. The mission is also home to an active archeological dig/site.
We had a great time exploring the grounds and learning about our local history. I would definitely recommend making the drive to explore this beautiful church and grounds. To learn more about the Mission San Luis Rey, including hours of operation and other additional information head here.
Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia
4050 Mission Avenue, Oceanside, CA 92057
The Lexus CT Hybrid: A Fun and Eco Drive
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- Lexus CT Hybrid
Last month, I had the opportunity to drive the Lexus CT Hybrid for a week. I was in for quite the treat! This premium hybrid not only has excellent gas mileage, it is roomy and absolutely fun to drive.
Credit:Lexus
The Lexus CT Hybrid 200h has a combined mileage of 42 mpg. Definitely impressive! I drove it to San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles for a week, with one tank of gas. It is a great vehicle for a small family, since it very comfortably fits 4 or 5 people. It is a compact 4 door hatchback that had people stopping me and asking me all about it. It looks good, feels good and drives like a dream. The kiddos were looking for excuses to go out for the drive in mommy’s cool “new car”.
Lexus CT Hybrid Rear View
The Lexus CT Hybrid comes with some amazing standard safety features which include:
- 4-wheel ABS
- Front and rear head airbags
- Dual front side-mounted airbags
- Child seat anchors
- Remote anti-theft alarm system
- Emergency braking assist
- Ventilated front disc / solid rear disc brakes
- Rear door child safety locks
As far as Gas Mileage, The Lexus CT Hybrid will knock your socks off. The car features a combined 42 mpg and a Range in miles (cty/hwy): 511.7/476.0 mi. You can go to Vegas and back on one tank!
The kiddos couldn't get enough of the Lexus CT Hybrid
I would love to own the Lexus CT Hybrid, because it would be the ultimate Daytripping vehicle. It is comfortable, drives like a dream and with the current gas prices, it would be nice to only have to fill up realistically about every other week.
To learn more about the Lexus CT Hybrid head here. Trust me, it is one sweet ride!
Knott’s Scary Farm – 40th Annual Halloween Haunt
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Do you like to be terrified, have nightmares for weeks and be chased down by creatures from your worst fears? Well, at least if it’s all in fun? Then high tail it over to America’s Oldest Theme Park, Knott’s Berry Farm for the 40th Annual Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt.
This year there are even more monsters, more mazes and more shows and entertainment to satisfy your thirst for terror.
There are twelve terrifying mazes, including the Trick or Treat maze, where for a nominal fee, you can actually trick or treat through the course of the maze itself!
There are nine shows to choose from including magic by Ed Alonzo, who you might remember as the magician from Britney Spears’ Circus tour. There is also a midnight witch hanging with an ending you have to see to believe!
Something new this year at Haunt is a special VIP maze called “Trapped.” Groups of up to six people pay a separate fee and get a reservation time for a one in a lifetime haunted house experience. You and your group are pushed to your limits in terms of fears, phobias and aversions in order to make your way out of the experience. I was too scared but I sent my husband through with a group of four others. He said it was the best experience he’s had at Knott’s Scary Farm ever and he’s be coming since 1988! Reservations must be made ahead of time and it sold out early this past weekend. The cost for the Trapped maze is $60 for up to six people.
There are mazes with clowns, vampires, Jack the Ripper, a twisted Pinocchio, Hunger Games themed and more. It’s a guaranteed fun night. I recommend visiting with a group which seems to magnify the fun.
I must warn you though, this event is not for young children. I would hesitate bringing any child younger than 14. My husband did not come until he was in junior high, which seems to be about the right age. There are some racy elements in the shows, but you are warned in advance before they begin.
We were there with on social media night and had the time of our lives. It is honestly the perfect date night and super fun when you make a group date of it. We had so much fun! Honestly, we were all laughing so hard, it brought me back to my teenage years. It was a night that won’t soon be forgotten.
The event runs this weekend and every weekend, Thursday through Sunday and October 30th and 31st. It is a separate ticketed event from the regular daytime admission, as the regular park closes at 5 PM on the days of Haunt. Tickets start at $36 in presale and can be found here at Knotts.com. The best nights to go are Thursdays as the weekends can get pretty busy. I like visiting earlier in the season as it tends to be less busy. For additional info head over here and be prepared for a spooky good time!
Disclosure: This is not a compensated post. I was invited to attend the Social Media Night, however all opinions are my very own.
