kids

Fun and Excitement at Medieval Times!

Abby H.1 Comment

Ok, ever since I was a kid, whenever we’d go up to Orange County to go to Knott’s Berry Farm or Disneyland, I’d beg for my parents to take us to Medieval Times. It always looked like so much fun. Welllllll, guess what? I’m excited to share this awesome promotion with you.

My Readers save at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament.  CLICK HERE and use this exclusive promo code MT3629 through 2/17/17 and receive Adults for just $36.95 and children (12 and under) only $29.95.

I’ll be taking Lil’ Man and a couple friends up to Buena Park to check out the show (and of course, enjoy dinner!), and I’ll reporting back, as well as live tweeting (and snapping pics) when I get a chance during our visit.

Lil’ Man has already informed me that he wants to be a “knight in shiny armor” next year for Halloween, so I’m sure this will solidify it!

Did you know:

* All Knights begin their training as Squires – just as they did in the Middle Ages – learning horse care, sword fighting, and weaponry. It takes a minimum of six months of training to become a Knight.

* Knights perform with real metal weapons and wear authentic armor. During battle scenes, real titanium swords create sparks.

* Every shield must be repainted after every show.

* When jousting, the Knights charge at speeds of approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour and reach an impact velocity speed of about 30 to 40 miles per hour.

* Each year, 25 foals are born at Chapel Creek Ranch, where they spend two years training.

* Our horses enjoy retirement at the ranch after 15 to 20 years of performing.

* 125,000 gallons of soup are served each year.

* Each arena is filled with about 4,455 cubic feet of sand – about the load of 10 dump trucks.

* Medieval Times is the #1 breeder of pure Spanish horses in North America.
(More information about their horses here)

Give the Gift of love each month with GrandBox!

Abby H.

It’s hard to buy gifts for Grandma and Grandpa. What do you buy for someone who has everything or limited space?  You only need so many sweaters, boxes of candy, or books…. right?

GrandBox is the original monthly subscription box customized and curated specifically for seniors 65 and up. It’s the perfect gift to bring a smile to the older loved ones in your life.

GrandBox, the subscription box for the ones who cared about you. Order yours now for the Holiday Season!

My readers get to save!
GrandBox perfect Holiday Gift for your loved ones! Save on your first purchase! Check out their website and save!

I think this would also be a great gift idea for those other older relatives that you may not be able to visit often due to distance. I know my Great-Grandmother would have loved to receive a box with a small snack or gift each month and photos of my brother and I!

I’ll have some feedback (fingers crossed) from a loved one to share soon. Who will receive it… SHHHH!! It’s a secret!

 

 

 

@usfg

Cool Character lights from 3D Light FX!

Abby H.1 Comment

With holiday shopping already in the mind of most, I am totally excited to share these cool lights from 3D Light FX with you. We saw these at Target a few weeks ago, and Lil’ Man was entranced.

His favorite is the Batman Logo. And really, who can blame him? Check out how cool it is! 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Lights are the perfect gift this holiday season.

They have a full range of comic book, super hero, Disney Princess, sports and car lights that look as though they are popping right out of the wall!

They are battery operated and cool to the touch so you can place them any where in the room!

Your kids will loves having these in their rooms and they’re also the perfect editions to a den, family room, man’s cave or office! Find all of these amazing products here.

No matter what you kid (or kid at heart) is into, there is a light for them!

 

Review: Daniel Tigers Neighborhood – LIVE

Abby H.
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The Tiger Family!

Last Friday Lil’ Man and I had a great date night! We had dinner at Olive Garden and then sang and danced along with our friends, O, Daniel, Miss Elena, and Katerina Kittycat! Trolley is even in the show, helping our friends get all over town! Daniel Tiger LIVE was a fun night out.

It was a img_9923 img_9922great show! Lots of fun music, dancing, and audience interaction!

There were lots of kids from little tiny to Kindergarteners.

If you missed the show, they’ll be back real soon! And don’t forget that you can check out episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood on your local PBS station, and the PBS kids app too.

Here is a video I shot with some of the fun!

Giveaway: Enter to Win Two LegoLand California Park Hopper Tickets!

Abby H.17 Comments

img_9875I am so excited to share these tickets! As a LegoLand Blogger, I am given two free Park Hopper tickets each year. I can use them myself, or give them away.

I’ve decided to give them away. I want one of you to experience the fun of Legoland! This pair of tickets expires 12/31/16, so you still have a while to go and experience the fun of Legoland California!

If you haven’t been to Legoland, it’s a great way to spend a day! There are tons of fun things to do: Rides, Shows, and of course, stations to build and play! We love the build and play area next to Heartlake City. It has a Duplo Theme. There is a playground, and in the playground you will find various stations where kids (and grown ups) can build whatever you’d like!

If you are looking to save some money, I recommend that you take a bottle of water (at least one). All of the snack stations/restaurants will refill your empty bottles. We take our Camelback bottles. The kids have these smaller bottles, and hubs and I have these larger bottles.  We also take snacks to munch on throughout the day. Family favs include: Apples, orange slices, fruit snacks, crackers and seed butter, protein bars (we are currently digging on Balance Bars). However, we do splurge on the Apple Fries- They are sooooo good!

To enter to win the pair of Legoland California Park Hopper ticket, please use the Rafflecopter widget below (or visit here). Please note that it is not mobile friendly, you need to enter from a desktop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Save time and money with Google Express ($10 Free!!)

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google-express-logoHave you heard of Google Express? It’s an awesome way to shop from home (or from your phone too) and have groceries, office supplies, and more delivered to your door.

Google Express has partnered with 20+ stores to bring you an easy solution to busy living!

AND- New customers can score $10 off their first purchase of $10+! Just click here and you are all set to go! There is a $4.99 delivery fee, but you can get that waived if you do the free trial of Google Express shipping. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to cancel before the trial is up- and canceling is easy,just a few clicks and you’re done (We tested it on a friends account after her order was delivered!).

Here are the stores partnered with Google Express:screen-shot-2016-10-10-at-10-43-27-am
I like that I can order diapers from Target and use my referral credit- in fact, that’s what I’ve been ordering! Bitty has sensitive buns and the UP&UP brand are the only ones that work for her.

I’ve also been using my referral credits to pick up stocking stuffers for the kids. Boy Child is obsessed with Legos (so is his Daddy), so I’m trying to pick up a few small sets for his stocking.

And once you sign up and place your first order, you’ll get a referral link too! You can share it with friends and family and start earning more $10 credits!

Another reason I love Google Express is that we live upstairs… Carrying all that stuff upstairs with a wiggly little strapped to my front is hard. Having boxes of diapers delivered to my door is a huge help!

 

Disclaimer: My referral link is in this post, if you sign up and use your $10 credit through the links above, I’ll receive a $10 credit, which is awesome, because diapers don’t grow on trees. That being said, I only recommend products and services that I feel are a good value for my family and readers.

Healthy Frozen treats!

Abby H.

My kids love popsicles. If given the choice, they’d eat them all day. So I figured, why try to fight it? I’m turning into the skid and embracing their love of frozen food on a stick.

screen-shot-2016-10-04-at-11-54-06-amRecently, I was sent this awesome Lebice Popsicle mold kit. Right now it’s on sale for about $8.00. Remember Amazon prices change frequently!

It makes 6 good sized frozen nummies, a stand to keep them upright while they freeze, a collapsible funnel, and a small brush to clean out all the nooks and crannies.

After I washed them, I pulled out the blender and whipped up strawberry banana breakfast popsicles (if they are going to demand popsicles in the morning, might as well make them healthy, right?). I keep over ripe bananas sliced in the freezer in ziploc bags for morning smoothies and protein shakes, as well as whatever berries are in season. I buy them on sale, and freeze them before they go bad. It’s a great way to keep fruit on hand!

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

Makes 6 popsicles

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Vanilla Greek Yogurt (or use whatever you have onhand, it doesn’t have to be Greek)
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup frozen banana slices
  • 1/4 milk

Directions

  1. Set up molds in stand.
  2. Blend all of the ingredients together, until smooth.
  3. Pour mixutre into mold, leaving about a 1/2 inch at the top.
  4. Snap lids/sticks on, stash in freezer for 6-8 hours.
  5. Remove from stand and run molds under warm water to loosen. Pop popsicles out of molds, and enjoy!

I also like making instant pudding (adding in frozen bananas or raspberries) and pouring that into popsicle molds too. That is a sweet and satisfying dessert!

I like that the stick and drip tray are attached and I’m not finding mystery popsicle sticks all over the house. The entire set is very sturdy and  I know we’ll be using it for years to come.

Thanks to Lebice and Tomoson for providing the awesome popsicle mold! I received no financial compensation for this post, and all opinions are my own!

Fun Science Experiments from Little Passports!

Abby H.

We’re huge Science Fanatics around these parts, so when I found out about these cool experiments, I had to share them with you!

**The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

30 Days of Science continues on the Little Passports blog with show-stopping experiments! Grab your kids and start exploring science!

Get messy
Get your hands messy and make an eggshell disappear! This fun and easy kitchen experiment answers the question, “Can you peel a raw egg?”


Get powerful
Let the power of polymers wow your kids! Try this simple experiment to make a leak-proof bag. Believe it or not, all you need is a zipper-lock bag and some pencils.

Get tasting
Have you ever had a cold and noticed that you weren’t able to detect a flavor in all of the foods you ate? Assemble your young scientists around a few of their favorite foods and ask, does smell affect taste? This delicious experiment will reveal the answer!

 

Get cool
Inspire your kids to learn about science by virtually visiting the coolest science museums around the world.

Get more

Craving more science experiments? Visit the Little Passports blog.

Be sure to read the bottom of the blog posts – Little Passports has something brewing in the laboratory!

And if you are looking for fun science kits for your littlest scientists, I’ll have a post later in the week with a few of Lil’ Man’s favs!

Two free offers at San Diego area McDonald’s!

Abby H.

Right now there are two great free offers at McDonald’s! Both of which are on the healthy side.

screen-shot-2016-09-08-at-9-50-19-amThis week, Sept. 8-10 from 7 to 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., visit a participating San Diego County McDonald’s restaurant to sample a Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait made with nonfat vanilla Chobani® Greek Yogurt.

Combined with the sweet taste of strawberries and blueberries, and topped with granola, Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfaits are perfect for breakfast, as a side, or a mid-day snack – especially with the classic vanilla taste of Chobani® Greek Yogurt.  YUM! I think Bitty Bird and I will hit up our local McDo’s after the Y today and get a coffee and free Parfait!

And offer #2 is a favorite around these parts!

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On Tuesday, Sept. 13, participating restaurants will offer free breakfast from 6:30-9:30 a.m. to students in kindergarten through eighth grade when an accompanying adult uses the McDonald’s App. In San Diego County, students can enjoy an Egg McMuffin or Egg White Delight, apple slices and milk.

To redeem this offer, an adult must download or have already downloaded the McDonald’s App, present the offer to the cashier and ask the cashier for the free back-to-school breakfast. Students younger than 13 years of age are required to be accompanied by a parent/adult to redeem this offer at participating McDonald’s restaurants. This offer may vary throughout the state and only one breakfast is allowed per student.

The MCDonald’s App is pretty cool. You can earn free McCafe Beverages, and there are coupons that are only available on the app (like BOGO happy meals and free upgrades!).

So there you go! Two tasty deals. Thanks to my Friend Su for the heads up on the second offer!

#Brickortreat is Coming to LegoLand!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2016-09-02 at 12.03.21 PMOk, I’m not sure who is more excited about Brick Or Treat this year, me of Big Man!

If you are scratching your head, lemme tell you all about how Awesome Brick or Treat at LegoLand is!

After the gates close and the visitors have left, LegoLand California turns into an enchanted and haunted party for kids (and adults too!). On October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29  Halloween fun and extended Park open hours (5-9pm)! Here are just a few of the fun activities that will take place:

  • Ghost Cruise adventure
  • A new pop-badge challenge through Fun Town
  • A new theater show in Castle Hill
  • A fall festival complete with a LEGO® pumpkin patch building activity and blue-grass style music in LEGO Friends Heartlake City
  • Treat stations with specialty items including a LEGO®commemorative Brick
  • Roaming candy carts throughout the Park and two bonus treat stations inside SEA LIFE® Aquarium.

_EP_5609And the best part is, right now there are Early Bat Specials where you can get tickets to Brick or Treat Nights for just $35 a Person! That’s 4 hours of trick or treating, rides, crafts, and dance parties! Wanna Play all day and party all night? Full day packages start at just $60!

_EP_5355 Keep your eyes peeled on my Instagram feed for photos of our LegoLand Adventures!