Things To Do With Your Kids - Mommy Talk

Random Fun Stuff for The Family

2010-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday to everyone. Didn't get to do my park review yesterday because I was out doing wedding stuff with my bestie, so I was in wedding mode all day. Today I just wanted to share some random thoughts I thought everyone might enjoy.

Over the weekend I made a fabulous cake that I found from a fellow blogger. I didn't have a chance to take a picture but you can visit Lindsey's Kitchen to view it. I substituted the icing for Cool Whip and the m&m's for Reeses Pieces. Intrigued yet?? Check out her blog and try it for yourself. It was so easy to make and it definitely passed the husband/child test.

I also made an ice cream pie the other night. Very very easy, and also delicious. You simply mix vanilla ice cream with lemonade concentrate. Add the lemonade to the ice cream and stir until smooth. Keep testing the mixture until it's "lemony" enough for you. Once mixed, poor mixture into grahm cracker pie crust then freeze until solid. Then slice and serve. So yummy!

For all of you who love candles please visit KDC Events to enter a Gold Canyone Candle giveaway. I love my gold canyon candles, I usually burn mine about everyday and it keeps my house smelling wonderful for hours. Please check out this giveaway, you won't regret it!

Last but not least. Calling all locals, the Upland Lemon Festival starts tomorrow 4/23/10. If you've never been I recommend going. They have carnival rides, games, boutiques, great food and entertainment. We went last year and had a blast. My hubby won a gold fish for us, which died a week later =( If you're interested, the event is held in Downtown Upland and will last all weekend.

Happy Earth day Everyone!

Tuesday @ Knott's

2010-04-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

How we spent our Tuesday =)

I love having annual passes!

Logan's First Disneyland Trip

2010-04-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

I love Disneyland, I always have and I probably always will. I remember having the annual passes that I more then got my money's worth out of when I was a bit younger. Oh how I miss those days! But this weekend brought me great joy because I finally got to experience the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH with my son. He had his first trip to Disneyland this week and it was such a great time.

Yes, Disneyland has gotten extremely expensive. If it wasn't for our wonderfull friends who were able to sign us in for free, I don't think we'd be able to spend that much in one day. The cost of tickets, parking, food and gas...yikes!

When we first got there we went into the main park and hit up a couple of rides. We started off with Indiana Jones because there was a very little wait and that line can get way out of hand later on in the day. We used Disneyland's "parent switch pass" for this ride. First the guys (Russ & Elton) went on while Emily and I watched Logan. We parked the stroller and walked around and I gave Logan a sandwich (from our backpack of snacks) to munch on so he'd be nice and full before we got started. When the boys got off the ride they handed us the parent's switch card, allowing Emily and I to use the fast pass line and hop right on the ride. What a brilliant idea. We used the parent's switch pass for 5 rides throughout the day, it was a time saver for sure!

After Indiana Jones we went on a few family rides as well so Logan could have some fun. After his third ride (The Haunted Mansion), he started getting sleepy. We found the stroller and sat him in it while we headed over to California Adventure. He knocked out while the rest of us ate then headed to the adult rides. We used the parent's switch pass for a few rides until Logan woke up then we went on some family rides again. While Emily and Elton headed over to get in line for a big ride, Russ and I took Logan to "It's a Bug's Life" water play area. Logan had a blast in this. He ran through the water screaming and laughing. He had so much fun but was drenched within minutes. We let him play there for awhile before heading to meet the rest of our party. Our next stop however was the restroom to change our son out of his wet clothes and into his dry clothes (yes, we planned for this).

After a few more stops at California Adventure we headed back to the main park and headed towards Tomorrow Land. My husband had never been on Star Tours or Space Mountain so I wanted to be sure we accomplished those two. He loved them both of course. Who wouldn't? I love the way they re-did Space Mountain, Emily and I laughed the entire ride.

We also got to see the Jedi Training Show which was awesome for any Star Wars fan. This was so cute, I can't wait for Logan to be old enough to participate. Then we went into Innovations and watched the Asimo show. Asimo is the most advanced human like robot ever invented. The show was great, even Logan was interested.

After the Asimo show, we stood in line to meet Mickey & Minnie Mouse. They were too sweet, unfortunately Logan did not smile in this picture.

The last ride of the day was Finding Nemo, formally known as the submarines. They re- modeled most of ride to have little Nemo clips that you watch through your submarine windows. What's cool is that you're under water, but that also makes it a little frightening.

We had a blast! We had great company and our son was very well behaved and had a blast himself. I can't wait til we get to go again.

Notes for taking your kids to Disneyland:
Bring extra clothes
Bring snack foods
Bring plenty of water

In Praise of Stay at Home Mom's

2010-04-16T07:23:00.001-07:00

It was a year ago this month that I made the huge decision to be a Stay At Home Mom. It was a very tough decision for my husband and myself, but it was definitely the best decision I have ever made.

I worked for 8 months after my son was born. I had a job that I liked, I had co-workers that I loved, and an amazing boss. Who wouldn't want to stay? After about a week of being back at my normal schedule, I realized that I could not work full time and take care of my family at the same time. I brought this to my boss's attention and she was amazing enough to let me cut my hours to part time. So, for the next 8 months I worked Mon-Fri from 8am - noon and it was nice. I had my mom and mom-in-law splitting babysitting duties and I would pick Logan up straight after work then head home.

I was pregnant in this photo!

As great a deal as that was, it eventually started taking a toll on me and my family. I was so tired when I got home from work that I didn't want to do much, I ended up using the evenings and weekends to catch up on chores, and everything became a priority over my poor husband. I started having some what of an attitude problem at home because work started to become stress full for me. My amazing boss had been on maternity leave, and upper management starting making un wanted changes to our department while she was gone. This was no fun, and made me wonder why I was still there. Still loved my co-workers, but without our boss there defending us, was it really worth it? Bringing that stress home with me everyday was very hard on everyone around me. We had talked about me quitting, but I just didn't see how we would make it.

Then, as an early Easter gift last year, my mom bought me Dr. Laura's "In Praise of Stay at Home Mom's". I read this book, and would share what I've read with my husband. I noticed that as I was reading the book, I started looking at myself and my attitude from the outside in. My husband and I had a huge talk, went over a budget, and made the gut wrenching decision, I put in my two weeks notice. Before doing so I let my boss (who was on maternity leave) know via facebook. I didn't want her to be the last to know. She completely understood that I had to do this, and she remains to be a good friend of mine.

Me and my two bosses.

What's great about Dr. Laura's book is that it taught me what being a mom is really about. Staying home with them isn't just enough. She talks about spending time with them, teaching them, and how important it is to make time for yourself and also your husband. She talks about putting on the smiley face before your husband gets home because the last thing he needs to hear, while being the sole income, is what a stress full day you've had. Also, how important it is to show your appreciation for what he does, so I can stay home. She talks about how important it is to look good for your man when he comes home. Sometimes if I've been too busy to "pretty up" all day, I'll apply some makeup and do my hair just before he gets home.

Since reading this book, and becoming my son's mom, this home has been a happy one. Sometimes it's stress full to be home all day, or to not be able to do the fun expensive stuff others can do. It's totally worth it though, because I have the best job in the world. The pay is little, the hours are long, I'm always on call, and I get no sick days. But when my son wakes up in the morning and wraps his arms around me so tight, all is perfect. I love being able to see him grow up. I love spending time in the morning trying to teach him stuff, I love our morning workouts, I love our trips and adventures, and I love playing with him out front waiting for daddy to come home and the look on his face when he sees daddy rounding the corner. I don't have to miss any of that! I am truly blessed.

If you have not yet read "In Praise of Stay at Home Mom's" by Dr. Laura I highly recommend it. It is so well written and she knows exactly what to say to us mom's.

Happy 1 year anniversary to me!

Photo Credit: photo #1 www.drlaura.com
all other photos: mine

Wednesday: Fontana Park Review

2010-04-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful day to go to the park. I don't like going to the same park over and over again, I wanted to try something new so that's just what I did. I called my sister and we decided to go to a fairly new park in Fontana called "Fontana Park".

This park is amazing. Though it has NO jungle gym, it is still one of the best parks we've been to. They have so many things for kids to play with and gives them great ways to use their imagination. For example there is a huge ship for them to play on, so cute! Next to which there is a huge plaster dolphin and fish. My niece was telling me how the fish was going to get them, and they were pirates and my son needed to take the wheel and get them out of their. My son didn't really understand his cousin's ramblings, he just had a good time exploring the ins and outs of the ship.

They had lots of other stuff too like massive block platforms of different colors, which my niece insisted this was her stage. They had a castle tower, big plaster lady bugs, caterpillars and frogs to climb on. Lots of open field for the kids to run and roll down hills. A big water fountain which of course grabbed their attention for a majority of the time spent there.

Other features of the park include:

A year round aquatic center
Fully managed Skate & BMX park
Sports Pavilion
Dog Park

If you live in the area I suggest bringing your young ones here sometime. It really is a very nice, open park that doesn't seem to get overcrowded like other parks. For more information on the park click here.

Me!

2010-04-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

Recently I was tagged by 2 fabulous bloggers Join The Gossip and KDC Events, but I seriously have not had enough time. This past week has just cruised on past and I'm trying to catch up. I finally have a moment to sit back, relax and enjoy this fun post. While reading the answers of these two ladies, I was thinking how great it is that we get to use fun games like this to get to know each other even more then what we read in a normal day to day post. So, with no further adue, lets get started.

Rules:
1. Click on the above image and paste onto your blog/website
2. Answer the below questions
3. Pass onto 10 bloggers that you Love, go to their blog and let them know they've been tagged

1. Who is your style icon?
Hmm...I don't really know. I always just wear what makes me comfortable. I did however find this photo of Jessica Alba that I loved, this is something I would totally sport.

2. What is your favorite socialite lit book?
Ummmm, I've never read one. I love to read, I've just never found myself interested in anything like that. If any of you would like to recommend one to me, I'd love to check it out.

3. Favorite party theme?
I went to a "Hollywood" themed party once (for fellow blogger Good Girl Gone Shopping) that was awesome. Everyone dressed up real nice, and there were celebrity wall hangings that you could pose with. Lots of fun.

4. Go to Halloween costume?
The easiest for me is a pink lady or a 50's girl. I already have the polka dot dress and the glasses, I also have a pink lady jacket I keep on hand for "just in case". Easy and cheap!

5. Extravagance you cannot live without?
You know, I really had to step back and think about this one. I am going to have to go with my Starbucks. I am a SAHM now and it isn't cheap. But I am an addict, and sometimes when I'm at my breaking point, I take a sip of my yummy drink and I am in heaven for a second. I need my fix!!

6. Living person you admire?
My mother. She has A MILLION balls up in there air at any given time. Yet, she manages to keep herself together, always has a smile on her face and ALWAYS comes through when we need her. She would give you the shirt off of her back if you asked her to. She is a great daughter, daughter in-law, sister/sister in-law, aunt, wife, mother, and grandmother.

7. Greatest fear?
Spiders/bees/wasps,snakes or ANY rodent. I hate them. I don't care if they aren't hurting anyone I want them dead!

8. Trait you deplore in yourself?
I am too nice. This is something I have been working on because I hate being a pushover. I usually will put my own happiness aside to make sure I can make someone else happy, but then I am the one left unhappy.

9. Which talent would you most like to have?
Crochet or Sewing. I love cross stitching. I have actually gotten quite good at it, but I can not crochet or sew to save my life.

10. Greatest achievement?
A happy family!

Now for the tagging. Have fun with this, I found it enjoyable.

Jennifer: A Stylists Tip Jar
Jennifer: I'm Such a Girl!
Debi: Go Explore Nature
Carissa: lower case letters by carissa graham
Steph: Thoughts from Cali
Erin: Live Laugh Love...with The Souza's

Bubble Fest @ Discover Science Center

2010-04-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

Had an amazingly crazy busy weekend this week. We started the weekend on Friday by visiting Bubble Fest at the Discovery Science Center in Orange County. We had so much fun. We had a car load including myself, my mother, my aunt, my sister, and all 3 kids, Emily, Logan and Ben. It's a good thing my mom has an Expedition.

Waiting for the Bubble Show to start

As we headed towards the Science Center I had no idea what to expect. We got there about 20 minutes after it had opened and it was already PACKED! Seriously, the parking lot was already full. We had to park across the street at the mall, which was fine for me, I enjoy the walk. We got in and went straight to the show. It was AMAZING. It was held under a tent outside and they had bubble scientist, Fan Yang, there doing amazing bubble tricks. They had a huge spot on the floor in front of the stage for the kiddies to sit, although mine sat on my lap. They would blow bubbles over the kiddies for them to pop. The stuff this guy did was so amazing. He had brought two kids up on the stage and put them in a bubble. I can't even describe here all the cool stuff we saw, you'd have to see it for yourself. They also gave us fun facts about bubbles that most kids don't even think about. My 3 yr old niece was telling my husband later on "did you know that bubbles are made of mostly water? the lady in the white coat told us that". She is so cute.

Everyone playing in the sand water exhibit

After the show was over we decided to stick around and explore the Discovery Science Center. This place is awesome! I can't believe I've never been there. All of there stuff is interactive so it's a fun way for kids to learn about science. They have an earthquake stimulator, which is very informative for our part of the country. They had a tornado stimulator, a wave stimulator, you name it, they had it. They even had a room (telephone booth size), that you can stand in and the wind turns on. It gets up to 100mph to show you what it feels like. So crazy! It was very very crowded this day, so I'd really like to go back when it's less busy. But we had so much fun exploring both floors of science fun.

The kids learning about earthquakes

They also had a toddler area for kids 5 and under. This was nice because it gave the kids a chance to run around and climb on things. The toddler area had little computer games, and building blocks, foam gym equipment, a slide and all sorts of stuff. Aside from the toddler area there is also a Taco Bell located inside. This would have hit the spot if the line was not a mile long, we were starving! But seriously, this place was so crowded, it was impossible to even move by the time we left. I had overheard someone saying that it is never this crowded, but it was the Bubble Fest that caused the big turn out.

Emily and Logan playing with one of the exhibits

All in all, even though it was crowded and we had to park down the street, it was a great time. I would love to go back on a less busy day and let the kids spend a little more time there. If the Bubble Fest ever happens again, I would love to take my son back. He really enjoyed the bubble show and he loves the bubble gun we took home as a souvenir.

Park Review - Fun Wednesday

2010-04-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

Today we (my mom, sis and I) took the kids to Memorial Park in Claremont CA. I love taking my son to parks because it really allows him to release all of his toddler energy. He's a grump when he is indoors too long. I had often wished Claremont had a park, because I live so close. But I recently found out that they do have one. When we went to Claremont for their Spring Celebration, it was held at Memorial Park in Claremont. I was excited to see what this park had to offer. The day we went to the Spring Celebration, I was taken back by how big this park is. Very shaded, lots of green grass to run on, and a playground for the kiddies. It also had tennis courts and a basefall field. Perfect for a birthday party celebration or even a picnic with the kiddies. They had picnic areas you can rent out for the day too, which is what I'll likely do for my son's 2ND birthday.

We took the kids there today, because the Santa Ana's were amongst us today and we wanted somewhere that was wind free. For those of you who are not familiar with Santa Ana winds you are lucky. Claremont is usually wind free so it was a perfect opportunity to give this park a test run. It passed!! The weather was nice, the kids enjoyed it, we adults enjoyed it. The restrooms were close enough to the playground so if a kids gotta go, it's not a hike to the potty. The playground was a bit smaller then a lot of the newer parks, but it had all the necessities. This park also has a nice big open field which would be perfect for flying kites. I'll have to remember that for next time. This is also a sand playground, which my son loves! He loves to pick up the sand and cover the slide with it. He'll also sit and cover his feet, note to self to remember the sand toys next time.

If you live in the area, I recommend checking it out. It's located a couple blocks north of the Claremont Village. Have a great Wednesday everyone.

Just the Boys! Logan and Ben

2010-04-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

Today I spent the day with my son, Logan, and my nephew Ben. The ladies in my family wanted to take my niece to her first movie theatre experience. So of course I offered to watch my only nephew (my son’s best friend), while they went. They had such a good time playing and eating lots of left over Easter Candy.

Unfortunately Southern California did not get the memo that Spring has arrived, so it rained practically the entire time. They spent a good portion of the day inside, I put on a movie and the two of them just enjoyed being boys. They snuggled together to watch movies, they rough housed and laughed. Good times! I made some cheesy pasta with some stuff I happened to have around the kitchen. They enjoyed it, I really enjoyed it. I LOOOOVE pasta!!!

When the rain let up and the sun came out I let them play outside. My son has a water toy that was outside and got filled with rain water. They played with that thing forever. They were both drenched within seconds of being out there. They took turns going down the slide, and of course my son always let his GI Joe's go first. He'd slide them down, then be right behind them. Luckily I had plenty of extra clothes that my nephew could fit into, since he is only a short 5 months behind Logan. When they were done outside(it got really cold), I brought them in, got them dressed in some dry clothes, and put in another movie. They both got candy and cuddled some more before I son went to sleep.

Definitely a different experience for me taking care of two kids instead of my usual ONE. But it was nice. Nothing got done around my house, it was a disaster and I was ok with that. I just enjoyed being fun auntie and fun mommy for the afternoon.

Tomorrow I'll try to talk to my niece to learn about her exciting first trip to the movies. I'll be sure to share with you all.

Fun Filled Easter Weekend!

2010-04-03T12:16:00.000-07:00

Easter is literally right around the corner. And today we were revving up our engines getting ready for the fun filled Holiday tomorrow. Our family decided to make it a weekend of celebration rather then just the one day.

This morning when Logan woke up I put the Prince of Egypt on for him while I got ready. Normally no TV in the morning, but since this is the story of Moses, and perfect for the Holiday, I thought "why not?". He was totally into the movie, and I got us all packed up for the Claremont Spring Celebration.

I knew that the Easter egg hunt started at 10:30, but I wanted to get there early so we could join in all the other activities. We got there about 9:30sh...and it was PACKED. So many people. When we first got there, we stood by the stage and watched the magician. Very entertaining, even for my one year old. We then went to visit the Easter Bunny. We only waved and blew kisses to him though, because we(my son) only love him from a distance! After that we went to the police cars, and Logan got to sit in the back of one. He loved it, all the kids seemed to love it!.

My mom, Sis and her kiddies finally got there to join us. We took them to the petting zoo. By this time it was getting close to 10:30 so we didn't have time to get in line to play with the animals. But the kids still loved putting there fingers through the fence and watching them. After the petting zoo we all walked to the egg hunt area. They had it divided into three sections, 0-3, 4-6, and 7-10 yr olds. Luckily our kids were all 3 and under so we stayed together. Then the police sirens started and the hunt began. For the ages 4 and up, it was crazy!! Those kids were vultures. I was sooo happy my son is still in the toddler age group. Remind me to teach him to fight before he is 4. For the little ones they did things a little different, they handed out a bag of eggs and candy to each of them. Each kid walked up with their basket and got it filled. Not as much fun, but perfect for the age group.

When all was said and done we let the kids run around some more. Eat a little candy and then run some more. I chased my son around a bit and we played a fake shooting game using our fingers as guns. Then it was time to go home. He fell asleep on the way home! I was happy because I knew I had a lot of cleaning to do today...but then I got home and realized my AMAZING husband already did all the cleaning for me. I'm so lucky!!

I would also like to recommend a couple of other blogs, if you are looking for some fun activities to do with your kids. I was reading some blogs that I follow this morning and found some very cute, fun ideas to prepare for tomorrow. I hope everyone gets a chance to take a look. Happy Easter!!

Join the Gossip: A Martha Stewart Easter

Maman A Droit: Nest Cookies

Easter Egg Hunt!!

2010-03-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

If anyone is having a problem finding something to do this Saturday, worry no more! I did a quick Internet search trying to find something for us to do this weekend, that was cheap and different. It came to my attention that just about every city in the area is going to be doing FREE Easter Egg Hunts this Saturday morning. Below are the cities in my area, along with the link for more information on the event. This only happens once a year so I suggest taking advantage of it. If you don't live in our area but are interested, I suggest checking out your city or a near by city's website to see what they offer.

Saturday April 3rd:

Upland, CA: Spring Egg Hunt at Memorial Park (I had Lo's 1st birthday there), at 10:00am SHARP!

Montclair, CA: Easter Egg Hunt and Pancake Breakfast at Alma Hofman Park. Hunt Begins at 9:00am SHARP! Free egg hunt, prize eggs, and photo with Easter Bunny. $3 for Pancake Breakfast.

Claremont, CA: Spring Celebration at Memorial Park (Indian Hill). Event starts and 9:00am and includes crafts, contests, clowns, games, a petting zoo, and a candy egg hunt. Egg hunt starts at 10:30am SHARP! They will also be holding a Pancake Breakfast from 7 - 11am for $4.00.

Rancho Cucamonga, CA: Easter Celebrations at Bass Pro Shop! Be there at noon to participate in arts & crafts. Their old fashioned egg hunt begins at 2pm SHARP. This will be going on Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th.

Fontana, CA: There are 4 different Egg-citement events going on this Saturday in Fontana. Check out the site to see which one is best for you.

If you are local to any of these I recommend trying it out. Remember, this only happens once a year so get out and enjoy. I'm thinking I will be in Claremont on Saturday. Have a great Easter everyone.

Photo Credit: www.pe.com

Another Park Story - Red Hill Community

2010-03-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

Last week a friend of mine came across a very very cool park she had taken her little ones to. She let me know about it and I couldn't wait to take Logan, but day to day things kept getting in the way. Finally yesterday we made it out there. I packed a lunch, a couple of toys, and some bread to feed the ducks.

For those of you who live in the area, we went to Red Hill Park in Rancho Cucamonga. I pass this park ALL the time and never knew it was there. It's sort of hidden if you're driving down Baseline, or I'm just blind. Either way I'm glad she told me about it. It is HUGE!!! There are 2 fully equipped playgrounds, Enormous grassy fields, a trail, a lake, ducks and turtles.

We invited my Mom, Sister and the kiddies for an extra dose of fun. We all arrived at the park around the same time. We laid down the blanket for our picnic area and headed to the playground. This playground is huge. The kids played in the sand and went down the slides. They also enjoyed the swings and a doll house that they had there. Though the boys just loved covering the doll house table with sand, what little boy wouldn't love that? They also had a toy there that I had never seen before. It's this weird square bounching thingy. My sis and and tried it out and it was fun. My son wanted to try but he was too little so I held him there while my sister made it bounce. He looooved that thing!

After the playground the kids wanted to feed the ducks. So we grabbed our bread from the picnic area and headed to the lake. Their were so many ducks and turtles. Logan had never fed the ducks before so we had to explain to him and my nephew that you throw the bread to them. All three of them really seemed to enjoy this, the ducks did too. But eventually the bread was gone, so we went and looked at some turtles. There were so many turtles! I was holding Logan while we got a closer look, he looked so taken back by them. It was quite funny. Right next to the lake is a huge grassy hill which my son had taken off running up to the top. Then decided to lie down and roll down the hill, laughing the entire time. My niece decided to join him so they were both rolling down the hill. Made me dizzy just watching them. Then my nephew decided to join in the fun, but he really didn't understand what the heck they were doing. He took a running start down the hill then jumped, landing face first into the grass. My sister then took him to the top and showed him how to roll. They played and ran forever on that hill. I brought the squirt gun out and they had a ball with that too.

After awhile we got hungry, so we made our way to the picnic area and ate the lunch we brought. My son ignored his sandwich completely, all he wanted was strawberries s that's all he ate. When we were finished eating we went to the stage next to the lake. My niece wanted to do a dance but not all by herself. So we all got into a circle and did the songs she learned in her "class" she goes to once a week. One of them is Ring around the Roses, so we did that. All of the kids loved that. Logan was so excited when we'd go in the circle then drop to our knees. We even did it a few times because the kids loved it so much. After that we took one more trip to the lake before heading home. It was already after one and therefore past Logan's nap time. I could tell he was exhausted.

It just wouldn't a family outing without at least one stop to Starbucks. On the way home I took a glance at Logan and noticed he was almost asleep, but not quite. I decided I needed a little fuel for my fire so we pulled into an Upland Starbucks drive-thru (one I worked at many years ago), and I got a Iced with whip Chai. So refreshing and energizing! We got home, I put Logan to bed and I relaxed. Taking the kids to the park is very rewarding, but requires a lot of energy. Thank God for caffeine!

I totally recommend Red Hill park to anyone in the area. Little kids of all ages would get a kick out of this park. If my son were a little older I would bring a scooter or bike for him to ride along the trail. It's a great place for picnics, birthday parties or just some good 'ol fun. Thanks Cindy for the recommendation.

Striking a Pose - Logan's Photo Shoot

2010-03-29T08:26:00.001-07:00

On Weds this last week I had an amazing photographer come to my house and take photos of my little boy. The day was fun, and Logan was...energized. He would be really good for a little while, but then didn't want to have anything to do with it. Then he'd be really good, then over it again. Brian, the photographer, was really good with kids though and Logan liked him from the start.

When Brian first arrived at our place, with his beautiful helper Jennifer, Logan was happy to have visitors. Gives him a reason to show off. While Brian set up, Jennifer played with Logan which helped put him in a good mood for the photo shoot. They brought fake flowers as part of the props, and let Logan play with them. He loved the fake flowers, but insisted on holding just one at a time. We then started the shoot. Brian had lots of great ideas and a great eye for scenery I would have never thought of.

I got to see some of photos this morning on Brian's blog. Please please please go take a look. He is amazing at his job and I highly recommend him. He makes house calls, so if this is something you are interested in, he will come to you. Also, he is affordable, contact him for prices. So please, go check him out.

Work-Out Partner

2010-03-26T06:48:00.000-07:00

A little over a year ago I started doing the Biggest Loser work out DVDs. I love them so much, they are short enough so mom's can find the time to work out, but they are tough enough to have you breathless by the end. Last year I was using the Cardio Max video but it was something I could only do after Logan had went to bed. I couldn't do it during his naps because there were chores that had to be done, couldn't do it while he was awake because he didn't understand and would want to crawl or stumble around by my legs and feet. I would get 30 seconds into it and have to give up. So I was content with waiting until bedtime to start my video. After awhile though, you start to think that that's just too late to work out, it's bed time. For about 2-3 months I took a break from my videos and busied my evenings by hanging out with the hubby, reading or doing some cross stitching.

Then Christmas came and I received the new Biggest Loser-Last Chance Work Out DVD. I loved it! So I started at it again after my son went to bed. Then recently I thought I would try it while he was awake, maybe get him involved as well. So I put it on and told him that we're going to work out now. To my surprise the kid is actually very good at it. He loved it. When they're doing jumping jacks he's...well he's trying. But he's laughing and he stays out of my way. When we do push ups, he gets on his hands and knees and bounces. Sometimes he doesn't follow the DVD at all and he'll just twirl in circles. Whatever works!! By the end he's usually over it, luckily I prepare ahead of time and have a snack and water waiting for him on the sidelines. Usually when he's done he'll head that way and play from there, continuing to stay out of my way for the remainder of the video.

The point of this post is to let everyone know that your toddler may enjoy a little work out to0. It's worth a shot. I used to let having him around get in the way of my workout, but I found away to make it enjoyable for him so I can do what I need to do. I dare all you mommy's out there to try it. Couldn't hurt. I also highly recommend the Biggest Loser Last chance workout DVD. It's fantastic. My husband who is pretty fit and can run for days, had a hard time keeping up the first time he did this DVD with us. Also the Cardio Max DVD helped me while I lost 70lbs last year. These DVDs are NO JOKE! And they're pretty cheap too, especially compared to other workout DVDs. Good Luck all!!

- You can purchase these DVDs at Walmart for like 9 or 10 dollars.

Photo Credit: weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/.../blog/fitkids.jpg

For all the Locals...lots of options this weekend

2010-03-24T22:11:00.000-07:00

There are many family orientated activities coming to us in the coming weeks. It seems like all of a sudden I am finding new things left and right. Unfortunately a few of them seem to fall on the same day. I figured instead of writing about each one at great length, I would post the links to the activities below and let you check them out for yourself.

March 27TH
Lefty's Family fun day & 5k walk (or run, or roller blade or stroller push...) at the California Speedway. Completely FREE!!! CLICK HERE

March 27Th - April 11TH
Discovery Science Center's Spring Break Bubble Spectacular. Brought to you by Discovery Science Center and the Victoria Gardens. With a special "Mommy & Me Bubble Play Day" on Tuesday March 30Th. Located in Orange County. Click Here for more info.

March 27Th
Victoria Garden's Signiture Event. Chaffey Town Square from 1-6. Experiment with bubbles at the Discovery Science Center booth. Plus lots of extra entertainment. Don't forget to visit the Easter Bunny! Click Here for more info!

March 27Th
Antique Street faire, located at Antique Row in Pomona Ca. If you are at all interested in antiques, you'll love what they have to offer. Click here for more info.

Plan ahead and enjoy. I will be attending for the sure the Lefty's 5k and the antique show.

Antique Shopping with my Boy

2010-03-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Recently my best friend friend of 25 years started planning her wedding. Her idea for the theme is very cute and something I've never heard of before. It requires a lot of antique store shopping. It gets tricky though because she is located in Northern CA and Myself, along with the rest of her bridesmaids are located in Southern CA. She let me know exactly what it is that she needs, so yesterday Logan and I headed to Antique Row, Pomona CA (about a 5 minute drive for me). I forgot how much I love looking at all the stuff they have. I really wanted to buy so much.

The first store we went into had one of the items I was looking for. So I purchased that and decided to look around some more, just for funsies. Logan and had fun too. He would Ooh and Awww at stuff that I would point out to him. He really liked when we looked at the toys. I found a children's book section that had very good prices on books that I had grown up with. Remember a "Little Golden Book" collection? It was the thin cardboard books with the silver on the left. Anyways, they were selling them by the bundles. For $4.25 I was able to get Noah's Arc(2 of those), Old MacDonald Had a Farm, The Musicians of Bremen, Moving Day, When Bunny Grows Up, The Monster at the end of this Book (sesame st.), Winnie the Pooh (Eeyore be happy), and Scuffy the Tug Boat. I was very excited about my find. Not a bad deal at all.

If you are at all interested in antiques, or even on the look out for affordable children stuff, then you should stop by this Saturday, March 27Th. They will have the entire street closed off for an Antique Street Fair. All stores will be open and they will be offering extra discounts. Plus, their will be street vendors their as well. I definitely recommend checking it out. Bring the kids too, Logan had a blast. I thought he'd be bored but he actually ended up enjoying himself. I will likely be there this Saturday trying to find more wedding stuff. Hopefully we'll see you there!

Photo Credit: www.westernu.edu

A One Day Camping Trip!

2010-03-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend my parents decided to go on a camping trip. Of course they invited us to go, which we debated on for awhile. You see, last summer we went camping with them and it didn't quite turn out as planned. We ended up staying in their extra trailer which was nice, but we froze to death, our son woke up screaming at 3am and we couldn't calm him down. We then packed our car and left, only to return in the morning and enjoyed the rest of the trip. So this time around, we thought back to our last camping trip and got a little nervous and decided to skip out on the first night an join everyone up there on Saturday.

I am very happy with the decision we made. Our son was able to get a full night's rest on Friday evening which lead us to have a great Saturday outing. This particular camping trip was at Lake Skinner in Temecula,CA. It took us a little over an hour to get there, which wasn't as long as it seems. We packed some snacks and some toys so no one got bored on the trip. Thank God for Uncrustables!!

When we got there everyone was hanging out at the picnic benches outside and Logan was so happy to be able to get out and play with his cousins. The kid had so much excitement in him it was crazy. He played and played and ran and played and ate lots and lots of junk food. He didn't even take a nap, though I could tell he was fighting it off with every ounce of his being. At Lake Skinner camp grounds there is a nice sized playground located between the 2 camp grounds. There is also a lake (for fishing not swimming), which is a tiny hike away from the campsite. The only problem is, there is not a lot of space to hang out.

After a trip to the park and a game of chase on the grassy field area, we went back to the site for hamburgers and hot dogs. Then followed up with some smores. I am on a diet, but I could not help myself. I love the way they taste!! Then we sat by the campfire a little while before it was time to head home. My sister starting telling her little ones it was time to get their pj's on, so I know it was every one's time to settle down.

It was 8 O'clock before we started to head home. I could not believe how tired I was, it felt like it was much later. In fact, our son was asleep before we were even out of the campground, I knew he was tired. Seeing as my hubby and I are HUGE Starbucks fanatics, we had to stop and get something for the trip home. I tried their new Cherry Mocha Frappuccino. It was very very good. And I am not usually a frappuccino fan, but at that moment it sounded delightful, and it was. We arrived home about an hour or so later and put Logan to bed without even putting his jammies on. Once he was asleep, I lied down "just for a sec" I told my husband, but I ended up passing out until this morning. All in all, it was a great trip. I sometimes get a little stressed with the campfire, and the hot grill and so many other things going on. But it's at the end of the day when I look back and can only remember the fun parts. Maybe next time we'll try to do an all nighter again.

We'll see!

Molding my Baby Boy Into a Man - Why Wait?

2010-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

I often wonder to myself "is chivalry really dead?". There have been numerous times where a man cuts in front of me or pushes me out of the way just to get through a door first. What's worse is that it happens even when I am holding my son. How rude! I am very lucky. I am married to a wonderful man with whom chivalry is still very much alive. He opens the door for me, always lets me go first, and carries stuff for me so my hands are free. Even when we're out in public, he holds the door open for other woman, and always helps my mom or grandma out by taking out the trash, or reaching something that's up high.

An incident happened this morning which really made me angry. I was walking into the mall with my son, I am about to step through the door when a man walks out of it, pushing Logan and myself out of the way. I said "wow, what a jerk" without even noticing I had said anything. I turned around and noticed him looking back at me surprised, like I had done something wrong. I looked at my son, who will only be 2 in June, and said to him "don't ever be that man". Where did that man's parent's go wrong? Does no one teach their sons how to properly treat a lady anymore? I get so sick of it! So we stayed at the mall for a bit while Logan got to play with his cousin Emily and another little girl we had me at the play area. Then it was off to run errands.

We were about to walk into the 99cent only store when I saw one cart left that wasn't a mile away to get to. Normally I wouldn't mind the walk, but I don't like walking through a parking lot holding the hand of someone tiny who can't walk very fast. I then saw a man walking towards the one cart I had had my eye on and figured he'd take it. I was so annoyed, I knew he saw me, what a jerk. But then, to my amazement, he brought me the cart and said "ladies first". Wow, this made my day. Something that small totally made my day. This man's parents taught him right. Which lead me to think about my own son. Is it ever too early to teach them about how to treat girls?

Logan is only 2, so right now he's still learning the basic boundaries and right from wrong. I want to teach my son that even though we live in a feminist world, there is still a difference between men and woman. I want him to know that even though a woman may be completely capable of carrying that heavy box, it doesn't mean that he should sit there and watch. I'm always grateful when someone offers to help when I am struggling with something, though it rarely happens. In fact it's usually my husband that offers to help. I am looking forward to seeing the man my son will grow to be. Though I know this is not a task I can take on myself. I am his mommy and great one at that. But daddy is going to have to show him the ropes, daddy is the one he will look up to, the one he goes to for dating advice, the one who will have to show him what being a man is all about. But, just because daddy has this huge responsibility, doesn't mean I can't start putting my two cents in right now. I want to help mold my little boy into the man he will someday be. It's never too early to start.

Saturday Outing

2010-03-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Monday is already here. Where did the weekend go? Admittedly, Sunday was a lazy day for us. Went to Church, went to my parent's house for a bit, then home to watch movies and do NOTHING! Which is normally not my style, but the time change had gotten to me. But I think we more then made up for it on Saturday at the Victoria Gardens. We had so much fun! Not just fun, but FREE fun, can't beat that!
On Saturday my mom, my sister, her two kids Emily and Ben, Logan and myself, went to the Victoria Gardens to check out their Saturday fun day. We had a blast from beginning to end. We made our way to the Chaffey Town Square and it was poppin. They had a stage set up, with a lady doing dance instructions for the kids. They had some music playing while she was teaching them(Logan loved that part). They also had a face painting booth set up. Emily, my niece, got a picture of Hello Kitty painted on her cheek. They also had a Ben & Jerry's booth set up, I believe they were charging $2 though. Color Me Mine was there with paints so you can paint your Easter Eggs. The Easter Eggs had to be picked up from the Easter Bunny's house, however they were free. You do not have to sit on the Bunny's lap to get your Easter Eggs or coloring pictures. There was also the VG Kidz booth set up as well, and if you sign up, they give you a free back pack (pink, blue or orange), and some coupons for the Carousel. Oh, I forgot to mention that if your kids participate in dance activities, their ice cream is free.
As my sister and Emily were in line for the face painting, my mom and I had the boys in front of the stage listening to the music while the bigger kids danced. My son, was ALL about the dancing. He was so in his element. I couldn't help but laugh, and there was no off button. He just loved to dance. Shadow(the VG Kidz mascot) came up and gave Logan and Ben high fives while they were getting their moves on. Then we got all the kids signed up for the VG Kidz club. If you aren't already a member, I definitely recommend checking it out. Every time you visit VG just bring your membership card to guest service and your child will receive a free small toy. Bring your receipts to guest service and you earn points. When you reach 1000 points, your child receives a HUGE gift. Most stores also have special deals when you belong to the VG kidz club. For instance, Coffee Bean (often, not always) will give a free child's drink when a regular drink is purchased.
After signing the kids up for the VG kidz club, we went to visit the Easter Bunny and get our free eggs. We went ahead and had a group photo taken with everyone in it. They do not sell regular photo sheets like they do at Christmas, the only option available is a USB drive. We purchased one of course, they run about $21 each. However, we got home and tried to look at the photos, but once we placed the USB drive into the computer, is started to smoke. We quickly removed it and the USB smelled so bad. No way are we trying that again. After Emily insisted on painting every one's eggs, we played a little longer then went home.
It was a great Saturday. I may have to do this again before the Easter Bunny leaves. I hope everyone else gets a chance to join in the festivities, your kids really will enjoy this.

A Random Fun Day

2010-03-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

Today's post is a little random for me. So bare with me as there are two things I'd like to talk about, however one has nothing to do with the other. I first have an announcement for the locals, then a giveaway!

For everyone in the inland empire area, with kids, nieces,nephews, or grandkids, I just got an update from the Victoria Gardens that their Easter Bunny will be arriving today, Saturday March 13Th. He will be located in Chaffey Town Square for pictures and meet & greets with the kiddies. Also, they will be holding extra fun activities for the kids every Saturday from March 13Th - April 3rd. Activities will include: Bunny Hop (with the Easter Bunny), Free face painting, and egg coloring (with Color me Mine). For a full list of activities please check out the Victoria Gardens website here. To have a photo taken with the Easter Bunny, he will be available Mon - Sat 11am - 8pm closed 1:15 - 2pm and 5:15 - 5:45pm and open again Sun 12pm - 6pm closed 2:15 - 3pm. Go have a blast! I'll be down there with Logan today to enjoy in the festivities.

Now, for the giveaway. Recently I had talked about the most entertaining movies for my son and I to watch together. Amongst the list was Jonah, A Veggie Tales Movie. Well, it just so happens that I have an extra copy of the movie, still in it's original package. This movie truly is adorable, and sends a great message to your kids about compassion and mercy, while delivering a message from the Bible. The Veggie Tales have many cute, quirky movies with sing alongs and Bible stories. And best of all they are entertaining for everyone. To enter the contest simply leave a comment telling us about your favorite childhood movie. I will pick a winner at random on Friday, March 26Th.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Afternoon in the Village

2010-03-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

Today Logan and I were invited to have lunch with a friend that we had not seen in a long time. This particular friend works in the oh so lovely Claremont Village. I have always loved the Claremont Village, it is so different then any other place in the Inland Empire. When I was a teenager I used to go there to shop for music at Rhino Records. When my husband and I were dating we loved to go to Bert & Rocky's to get a large Root Beer Float and share it while we walked around the village and the colleges. When I was pregnant we would go walking down there in the evenings(by this time I wanted my own damn ice cream) and unwind from our long work days. While Logan was learning to walk we would take him down there and picnic on the grass while he would trot along. And in the spring they have a huge farmer's market that is wonderful, in fact last year I was even talked into signing up for Bikram Yoga classes at discount through their farmer's market.

Times have changed down there since I was a teenager. They have added on so much. The "new" village, located west of Indian Hill is more like an out door shopping mall then anything. I don't particularly like to hang on that side though, I am much more comfortable with the original side.

Being the early bird that I usually am, Logan and I were about 15-20 minutes early for our lunch date so we explored. We walked around some of the boutiques (they have some really cute baby boutiques), we browsed through Harvard Square and Logan played on the grass in front of City Hall. We were looking through a window at one of the shops when I noticed our friend walking towards us. We had lunch at the Harvard Square Cafe, which is so amazing. I was definitely not in diet mode once I saw the menu. I had a sirloin burger, which I shared with my son. My friend, Chuck, ate a Salmon burger, which he swears by. I am not one for fish, so I'll just take his word for it. After our fabulous lunch, we walked over to Bert & Rocky's for some ice cream. Once again, not in diet mode. I had a Chocolate Ice Cream Soda, my favorite! My son was getting ready to take a nap so he did not get anything on this trip, but I shared mine with him.

Logan was tired and it was way past his nap time, so when Chuck's lunch break was over we headed home. Usually I can spend hours there though. I like to stop in at Starbucks, walk around, picnic on the grass, and go shopping. I'm sure most of you who are locals have been there and hung out. But if you have not yet done the full experience with your children I recommend it. Take a book, take some toys, get some coffee (or ice cream) and enjoy the beauty that is Claremont Village.

Photo Credit: thevillageclaremont.com

Calling in Sick

2010-03-10T13:05:00.001-08:00

Let's face it, when you're a stay at home mom there is no such thing as a sick day. You can't call off, or leave early to catch some shut eye. Nope, you have to figure out a way to keep your child entertained, and safe, while trying to relax and get healthy. The past couple of days I have been under the weather. I've had sore throat, sinus headache and just felt BLAH! For me this was difficult because I hate to be at home. I love to go go go. My son is the same way, he seems to get cabin fever when at home too long. This gave me a bit of a challenge, because all I wanted to do was rest. Then it came to me!

Normally I don't care for my son to watch too much TV, I just don't like the idea of him sitting there all day when he should be outside playing. However, most evenings before bed I'll put a movie in so he can wind down a bit. So the past couple of days I put in some dvd's to watch while I relaxed on the couch. I also brought a lot of toys into the living room to be sure he would not get bored. This "movie day" idea was nice for me too because it seems that the movies he loves the most I also seem to really enjoy.

Number 1 for us is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The most recent one with Johny Depp. I actually purchased this movie about a month ago for only $4.75 at Target. My son, who is only 21 months old, will sit and watch this movie from beginning to end. He even laughs at some of the funny parts. How does a 1 yr old understand the jokes? Beats me. But he loves this movie. Every time the Umpa Lumpas sing, my son hops up and starts dancing. When each song is finished, he completes his dance by applauding himself. I enjoy this movie as well, I mean come on, it's Johny Depp! It's funny, warm, and it teaches our kids not to be spoiled brats, because the spoiled brats never win. I also like the original version, but I have yet to find that one on sale. I would love to own that one, I'm sure my son would love it.

Number 2 for us is The Prince of Egypt. Another musical, what can I say, my son loves to dance. This movie is the story of Moses which we've all learned in Sunday school growing up. The story is put into a nice cartoon musical to entertain children. It's got an all star cast, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Val Kilmer, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Steve Martin and Martin Short. The songs in this movie are beautiful from beginning to end. I absolutely love this movie. This is another one that my son will sit and watch the entire thing without getting bored. It entertains him, he loves to dance to the music, and he's also learning the story of Moses.

To wrap this up I'll just add the last movie we love to watch. Jonah, A Veggie Tales Movie. Veggie Tales of course added their own twist of the biblical story of Jonah, which makes it quiet entertaining for young ones. Again, it incorporates lots of music which my son loves. It starts off with a bunch of kids trying to get to a "Twippo" concert and all goes wrong. They're all arguing and bitter towards each other. Keep in mind that all the characters are some sort of vegetable. Then while at a restaurant to call a tow truck, they sit in a booth next to "the pirates who don't do anything", who hear the arguing and decide to teach these kids a lesson about compassion by telling them the story of Jonah. It's really cute how they set this movie up. My son loves it, and even laughs at their little jokes. Again, I don't understand how he knows what they're talking about, but he does. We have a wide variety of Veggie Tales movies in our home, they are a great "go to" when you need to pop something in that will keep your child entertained.

If you haven't seen any of these movies I definitely recommend renting them. They are great family movies for all ages. My husband even enjoys them, and he's more of the Die Hard kinda movie guy. Thanks for listening. Hopefully I will feel better soon and be able to take my son out to play hard to make up for lost time.

Coming Soon: An Under the Sea Adventure

2010-03-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

Boring week for us this week. It's been very busy so unfortunately, not a lot of fun stuff was done. Logan and I didn't have any extra ordinary adventures this week, but we have tons planned. Today I was thinking what I would like to do next week, at least one thing fun and out of the ordinary for us. Then a commercial came while I was in the car.

For a limited time only, The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, is offering $5.00when you purchase your tickets on line. Not a bad deal considering children under 3 are free. So a basic price for us would be $18.95 instead of $23.95. It looks like they also have bundle deals where you can purchase a combo of LA Zoo/Aquarium or Queen Mary/Aquarium for one low price. Not a bad deal at all for anyone who's interested in visiting both places and saving some dough.

I've only been to the Aquarium of the Pacific once, when I was a teenager, and I had a good time. I'm sure small children would love it too! They have something for all ages. The younger kids can enjoy 3D cartoon movies based on turtles and fish. The slightly older ones can enjoy the Shark Exhibits, where they can actually touch a shark. How cool is that?? And they also have learning exhibits where children can learn about different sea animals from all over the world.

I would like to check this out sometime this month. I will definitely keep you all posted on our trip. I'll be sure to let you know if the food was affordable, if it's really worth the money or if we had a great time.

Until then. Have a great day and enjoy your children!

Photo Credit: www.yelp.com

You're Invited!! - Dr. Seuss' Birthday Party

2010-02-28T21:52:00.000-08:00

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” - Dr. Suess

On Tuesday, March 9th, The Upland Library will be celebrating the birthday of the one and only Dr. Suess. Of course I am assuming everyone knows of the legendary Dr. Suess, we all grew up reading his books. Or at least having them read to us. I have read some of his books to my son, continuing the tradition. Thanks to Dr. Suess we all know that; Sam I am does not like green eggs and ham. We know that the Grinch's heart grew 3 sizes that day. We know that the sun did not shine, it was too wet to play. I can go on and on, but I won't.

The birthday party will be held at the Upland Library, Carnegie Cultural Center on Tuesday, March 9Th. It's in the evening, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, so it's a perfect after school/work adventure. They will have Dr. Suess stories, and cake!! Plus every kid in attendance will receive a FREE book. This should be so much fun. I can't wait.

Hope to see you all there!!

Photo Credit: fancypantsy.wordpress.com

A Walk in the Park

2010-02-25T12:29:00.000-08:00

The weather outside today was just perfect. If it was like this more often I would be the happiest woman ever. I love being outside, especially in the Spring. I wanted to get a nice, brisk walk in today, but I also wanted to let Logan run around and play a bit too. I know he gets bored sitting in the stroller while I walk, I can understand that, he's almost two and he wants to let his legs run wild. Well today, I knew the perfect place that would make us both happy. Central Park, in Rancho Cucamonga has it all, and the scenery is just beautiful!

When we first pulled up, we hit the playground first. That way when it was time for our walk, he could relax in the stroller. The playground there is great for kids. It's a pretty descent size, and has both sand and AstroTurf. It is also surrounded by grassy fields, perfect spot for a picnic. So we get there and I let him run around for a bit, I chase him then he chases me. We go up the jungle gym and we race to the slide...he always wins. The entire time he is laughing, and I am thinking "forget walking, I'm getting enough exercise". So we go and we go until I can't go anymore and I need a break. I convinced him to take a break and let me push him on the swing. He bought it, and he enjoyed the swing for awhile. Until he saw other kids on the slide, then he was done with the swing. After playing a little while longer I could tell he was getting hungry so we set off for our walk.

Central Park is the perfect place for anyone who likes to walk, run or ride bikes. Not only is the scenery nice, but they have a couple different trails you can take. If you walk the main trail, north of the park, their is a cement trail, and a dirt trail that go side by side. With my big stroller, I usually take the dirt one so the bike riders can stay on the cement. The trail extends between Haven and Milliken and then some. It's actually a lot further, but we only go between those two streets. I get tired! There are ALWAYS plenty of people on the trail, so I know I am never alone and that makes me feel more secure.

The second trail, my favorite, is near the park and the senior center. It goes through the grass and the gardens. I love it because it's so soothing and relaxing, but at the same time I'm exercising. On a day like today, where the breeze was just perfect you can smell all of the flowers and plants in bloom. While I did a few laps on the trail, Logan enjoyed the pb&j sandwich I had made for him, and we were both happy. I really wish I had my iPod with me today, it would have been a nice "cherry on top", also it doubles as a pedometer and that would have come in handy today. Unfortunately, my iPod is not working so I sent it to Apple to be replaced. Hopefully I'll get my new one soon.

Anyways, I hear it's supposed to rain tomorrow...I hate the rain. I know we're in a drought, and we NEED it, but I can't help the way I feel. If it rains tomorrow(like it's supposed to), then we'll be heading to Chuck-E-Cheese. So I'll be back to let you know how that goes. Hopefully I'll be able to resist the junk food.

Photo Credit: www.rcpark.com

Child Haircuts: Do it yourself or Go Somewhere?

2010-02-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

As an ex-hair stylist turned stay at home mom you would think that haircuts in our house would be cheap, and done...in house. However, that is not the case for our family. I once thought I could cut my son's hair, but what a mistake that turned out to be. He was just a little over a year at the time, and his head turned and he would run away and it was a horrible experience for both of us. After this haircut gone wrong I wised up and took him to someone who specializes in children's haircuts. I went on my computer, entered "child haircuts" in my Google box and I haven't looked back.

I found a place in Rancho Cucamonga called Cool Cuts 4 Kids. They have been amazing! From the moment we walked in, I knew that this was going to be good for both of us. They have a play area where your kids can play while they wait. The stylist are extremely nice, and are very good with children. The patience these woman must have. When it's your turn, your child can sit at a booth of their choice. They have something for everyone. Some booths have video games set up, some have TVs, and some have cars that your child can sit in. My son personally likes the car, which also has a TV in front of it so he can watch a movie.

In the past my son has always been very good while getting his haircut here. But today he was not having it. I guess I should take some blame for that, seeing as he was almost asleep and ready for his nap when I took him in. Our poor stylist Ashley was good about it though, I envied her patience. When he first started throwing his tantrum (screaming bloody murder), Ashley asked if it was ok to give him a lolly pop. Of course my thoughts on this was "anything to shut him up!!!". He was a little better once he had his lolly pop and was watching Wow Wow Wubbzy on the TV. But he was still shaking his head and trying to get away. But with me holding him down and Ashley working her magic hard and fast we were able to accomplish our mission. His haircut was complete.

Of course he was all smiles when we let him down. While I payed he played in the play area. I apologized for my son's tantrum but she explained that it's very common and it doesn't even faze her, she likes what she does. I guess it takes a special kind of person to deal with that all day long. In the end it cost $20 with tip. Not bad, she definitely earned the money. Sure, being an ex stylist I have the "know how" to do it myself and save the $20, but then I'd have to turn around and spend that $20 on liquor just to calm myself down. I think I'll stick Cool Cuts 4 Kids for now. Let them deal with it!

Diaper Shopping - Should it Really Take This Long?

2010-02-21T21:34:00.000-08:00

Diapers, diapers, diapers. Why are they so complicated? There are like 50 brands, ranging from all prices, designs, stretch here, leak guards...blah blah blah. Why can't they just say, "Hey, ours works better", and be done with it?! Every time I go to the store to buy diapers, it takes me twenty minutes because I have to look at my favorite brands, then look at the pricing and sales that are going on, then decide which one has more and is it worth it? Is it cheaper if I buy the big box with 46 or if I buy 2 of the smaller ones with 25? Sometimes it's cheaper to buy 2 of the smaller ones. When Logan was in regular diapers it was especially tough because just about any brand would work, so I was comparing prices on the entire aisle. Now he is wearing Pull Ups, and it's been a different experience. We've only found one brand that works great...and no, it's not the cheap one.

When we first made the switch from diapers to pull ups I used my general pricing scale as my purchasing judgement. I bought the Target brand, Up & Up. When Logan wore the Up & Up brand diapers they worked perfectly fine, and they were usually cheaper then the rest. However, their pull ups are a different story, although still cheaper then the leading brands, they don't work quite as well. Logan would wake up every morning soaked. I mean SOAKED!! At first I thought it was him, so I cut off his beverages earlier then usual. But then I noticed we were going through more diapers during the day too. One lil wee wee would make his pants huge. So I started blaming the pull ups. No more Up & Ups for us, time to try something new.

My mom had seen a great deal on Pamper's Easy Ups at Target, where you buy 3 packages, you receive a $5.00 Target gift card. So she bought one for me, one for my sis, and a spare for her house. They were free, so that is always the best! At first they were fine, but he still leaked through pretty easily. I also did not like that you practically had to rip the pull up in half to get it off. The little stickers on the side did not work. Although Pamper's brand did work better for us then the Up & Ups, it still was not working for me. I was beginning to think that all pull-ups were like this and maybe I should switch back to the basic diapers. But I had one more brand that I needed to try before giving up.

Although Huggies is usually one of the more expensive brands, for Pull-Ups, they are the only ones worth buying. Once we've started using Huggies we've had no accidents. His pants don't swell at all, and they have an emblem on the front of the pull-up that fades when the pull-up is wet. The Velcro sides makes it incredibly easy to remove as well.

The fact that I will only purchase Huggies brand Pull-Ups from now on makes my life at Target a little easier now. However, I do still sit and debate with myself which size package is the better buy. At least I'm only comparing prices with one brand now instead of the entire aisle.

Huggies should change their slogan to: Hey, ours work better!

Photo Credit: http://planettran.wordpress.com

A Day in Camp Snoopy

2010-02-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

As you all know, So Cal experienced beautiful spring weather this week. Today starts the downward spiral of cold, wet weather. But I enjoyed the sun while it lasted, and took advantage of it while I could. I love spending the day in the sun, with my son.

On Wednesday we had the ultimate outdoor adventure, we went to Knott's Berry Farm! It was myself, Logan, my mother, my sister, and my sister's two kids, Emily and Ben. We all piled into my mom's Excursion and off we went. Of course, knowing my family we had to stop by Starbucks on the way, otherwise it's just not a good start. My sister had packed plenty of snacks for the day, Uncrustables, Gold Fishes, Capri Suns, you name it, Every kid's dream!

When we arrived at Knott's we were able to bypass the ticket line and head straight for the gate. We are all season passes holders, and we have all gotten our money's worth and then some. Because we live so close, and we go so often it makes sense for us to have the season passes. However, they do have great deals going on right now for non-passport holders. Upon walking in to the park, they stop you to check your bag. Typically you're "not allowed" to bring in food from home, but I always just explain that I brought some snacks for the kids and they always let us bring them in.

The first place we always head to is Camp Snoopy. Camp Snoopy is all about kids. They have hours worth of kid-tastic fun. Each ride in Camp Snoopy is rated on a "thrill scale" from 1 to 3. If your child isn't quite ready for the 3 ride, I recommend sticking to the 1's and 2's. Logan's favorite ride at Knott's is the trucks. He loves to steer the heck out of the steering wheel and honk the horn. He is too little to go on any of the rides by himself still, so yours truly has to ride with him. Keep in mind that these rides were not made for adults, so be prepared for a tight squeeze.

After a couple hours in Camp Snoopy we headed toward the Log Ride. Every time that we had gone to Knott's prior to Wednesday, I would chicken out on the Log Ride. Don't get me wrong, I personally love that ride. I was always just too scared to take my son on. I never thought he'd understand it, I thought he would constantly be trying to stand up or stick his hands in the water, and I was afraid he'd go flying out on the big drop. But this time, I felt at ease, so we went for it. My sister has been taking her son on this ride since he was born, so that helped put me at ease a bit. At first Logan seemed to love it, when we were in the light I could see an ear to ear grin on his face. Then after the first, smaller drop, he grabbed on tight to my arm and didn't let go. The smile went away and was replaced by a look of terror, but he never cried or even whined. Then we hit the last, big drop...well, the photo says it all. But I would definitely take him again next time.

Lunch time came and we headed back to Camp Snoopy to dine at Lucy's Lunchbox. Usually when I go to Knott's I'll pack a lunch for us. But Wednesday, my mom insisted on buying us all lunch. Once I saw the prices I remembered why I always bring a lunch. I recommend you do the same! Lunch was good though, and we sat at a table that over looked Grizzly Creak Falls, and Logan enjoyed eating while watching the water.

It was a beautiful day to spend at Knott's, I can't wait for Spring to really kick in so we can go again and again. If this is something that you think you and your family would really enjoy, you should check out their website for current deals. Kids and adults of all ages really enjoy this place. If you go on a weekday, it's really not crowded at all. We didn't wait in any lines really.

Oh, a little last note before I end this. If you do end up going, there is a Drive Thru Starbucks just down the street from Knott's. A nice way to end the day don't you think?

The Victoia Gardens - Fun For Everyone

2010-02-17T06:44:00.000-08:00

I love living in Southern California. Mainly because I love that we are experiencing Spring weather in the middle of February. Yesterday was such a beautiful day, I just wanted to spend the entire day outside. I texted my friend, Jennifer, yesterday morning to see if she and her daughter, Julia, would like to accompany myself and my son to the Victoria Gardens to go for a walk.

We arrived at the Victoria Gardens, an outside shopping mall in our area, as the stores were opening. Even though it was only 10:00am, it was already extremely warm outside. Gotta love the I.E.. First thing was first though, we had to stop by their playground so the kids could play a little before we started our walk. Their playground is very cute, it consists of a little doll house, a jungle gym, and a couple of other little misc. things. The only problem with their playground is, on a hot day, the slide is entirely too warm to slide down. Julia was lucky though, she wore jeans so she could slide down. Unfortunately Logan was wearing shorts and refused to go down that thing. There is also a little water fountain by the playground that spills water over the sides. Kids are allowed to lean up against it, and splash the water. This is something Logan usually does, but yesterday he didn't seem interested.

After we left the playground we decided to walk off some calories. But of course, being 2 ex-Starbucks Batista's, we had to stop in and get our fix first. Lucky for us, and all parents, the Starbucks at Victoria Gardens is located right next to the park. I wonder if that was planned?? Once we got our drinks, and the kids snacks, we were on our way. We walked around the mall a few times. It was so nice just soaking up the sun. We had plenty of girl talk, but then we could tell the kids were getting bored being pushed around in strollers. We decided to stop in the quad area to let the kids play in the big fountain.

Every time that I go to Victoria Gardens, it is essential that I bring a change of clothes for my son. Unless it's freezing outside, he never leaves this place dry. The Victoria Gardens has a huge fountain in their quad that spits water up from the ground. In the middle of summer there are usually swarms of kids hovering in the water. Luckily, yesterday was a school day so there were only a few toddlers out there. Logan and Julia had a blast out there playing in the water, while Jen and I stayed off to the side and watched and took pictures. The kids splashed in the water, stomped in the water, chased each other; it was a good time. We let them play in the water for a long while, but eventually it was time to go, although the kids could have stayed all day.

At the Victoria Gardens, they also have a train, The Choo Choo Monga Express, that you and your kids can ride around the quad. It only cost $3.00, and although we've never gone on, it always looks fun. Logan loves to wave at the kids as they pass by.

If you live in the I.E., and you want a cheap, fun play date with your kids, I recommend bringing them to The Victoria Gardens' mall. There is something for everyone. Just pack a lunch and head over, just make sure to bring your young ones a change of clothes, or a bathing suit, You'll likely need it.

Photo Credit: My Camera

Valentine's Family Day

2010-02-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

Valentine's has never been a very big deal to me. It's a sweet thought, though I am lucky enough to have a husband who treats me wonderfully all year round. I don't need one particular day for him to show me because she shows me 365 days each year. So yesterday, being Valentines, we played it very low key and just spent the day with family.

I woke up craving something good to eat(that did not consist of me cleaning, cooking, then cleaning again). So we went out to our favorite place to eat breakfast, Molly's Souper. I have not eaten there since I was pregnant, almost two years ago, so it tasted EXTRA good yesterday morning.

After we had some time to work off our breakfast, we went to Fullerton to hang with my aunt. The weather in Fullerton was sooo nice yesterday. I could have soaked that up forever. We all went out to lunch, which is always a good time when you have a tired toddler with you. Although, I can't complain, he's usually pretty well behaved at restaurants. We had Chili's for lunch, and trust me when I say that their child portion's are HUGE! Thank God my kid loves his food. But that was only the beginning.

After we lunch we went to Aunt Debbie's, where he got to watch T.V., but also got to munch of gold fishes. Later, Aunt Debbie took us to get frozen yogurt. Logan had never had frozen yogurt before so this was a special treat for him. Aunt Debbie fixed him a bowl of the good stuff. I don't know if any of you have ever been to Yogurtland before but wow, the options. I've never seen anything like that before. They had every kind of yogurt you could think of, plus every topping you could think of, and then some. Logan had peanut butter yogurt, chocolate yogurt, with strawberries, kiwis, and chocolate chips on top. He was such a happy camper. I was surprised at how much of that he actually ate. I would have had some, but I was sippin on something else I had been craving all day.

After we left Aunt Debbie's house we went home and it was boring from then on out. So that was our Valentine's day. Nothing over the top, but definitely fun. It turned out to be a very nice family day.

Now just two weeks until our anniversary. I think I'd like to be without child for that occasion.

Photo Credit: http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00882/northamerica.html

A Love for Peanut Butter

2010-02-12T13:32:00.000-08:00

I love peanut butter. I mean I really love peanut butter. I love it by itself, I love it in pastries, and I love it for dipping. I think I've only met one person, in my entire life, who does not like peanut butter. Lately, I've been asking my friends, which snack foods their kids like. Most snacks had something to do with peanut butter. So it got me thinking, and I found some cute, creative ways to turn peanut butter into a kid snack.

There are the basic ones, such as peanut butter and celery and peanut butter and apples. Those are both great ways to get your kids to eat a healthy snack, they are both easy to do, and are both affordable.

While reading my latest magazine from Taste of Home, I saw some cute ways in which to use peanut butter. Peanut Butter Balls was the first to catch my eye. So I made some for my son to test it out. This was extremely easy to make, and it did taste good. It was sord of hard for me to stop at just one, but my son had a couple. This is really easy to make, you simply mix some peanut butter with some crushed cornflakes, once mixed, form them into little balls and roll them around in crushed graham crackers. YUMM-0!

Also in the magazine was Waffle PB&J. This is something that I have made for my son in the past and it's awesome. I've even had this for breakfast a couple of times. You simply toast your Eggo's(for a healthier choice, use multi grain Eggo's), then put peanut butter on one side and jelly on the other. I like to cut it into halves or quarters for my son.

Now, I know that Nutella isn't considered peanut butter, but I thought I'd throw this one in there as well. It's called a Nutella and banana graham cracker sandwich. I believe the name speaks for itself, but I'll explain it anyways. You get two graham crackers, spread some Nutella on a single side of one cracker, place banana slices on the Nutella cracker, then top with second graham cracker. I have not yet tried this one, although I've bought all the stuff. See I am currently dieting(again), and can't try too many of these. But I am looking forward to trying it out.

The last item is something that's been around for generations. It is a family favorite of ours, and another great way to get your kids to eat bananas. Peanut butter & banana sandwiches. Mmmm-mmm! Try mixing your peanut butter with a touch of honey though. It's really good. For those of you who have never tried this, you would put peanut butter(mixed with honey)on two slices of bread, and in between the two of them you'd add banana slices. Simple enough!

I know there are so many more great ways to use peanut butter for snacking out there. But these were some of my faves. They are all affordable, easy to do and easy to take with you on lets say, a picnic or a long car ride.

Be cautious though, you don't want to over do it on the peanut butter. Although peanut butter does offer great nutrition for you young ones, it's also high in calories.

Pumped Up - For PUMP IT UP

2010-02-10T12:24:00.000-08:00

Awhile back, while researching things to do with kids in the Inland Empire, I came across a website for Pump It Up. At the time, I thought my son was a little too young for their activities, so I ignored it and forgot all about it. Recently, while trying to find some indoor activities for us to do, I came across it again. This time I thought, why not? My mom, my sister and her two kids decided to join us today which was fun.

For those of you have have never been to Pump it Up, you must go. For Children and Adults! For all 5 of us to get in, it only cost us $6.00. Adults do not pay when accompanied by a child. And toddlers are free as well, as long as they are accompanied by a paying sibling. For instance, we paid $6.00 for my niece, Emily, to enter, and since we were with a paying child we got in free, and Ben, my nephew got in free because Emily is his sister, and they were nice enough to consider Logan(my son) her sibling as well. When you enter into the two joining rooms, it takes a moment to take it all in. They have huge bouncy houses, small bouncy houses, a bouncy slide and bouncy obstacle courses. They also had non bouncy related toys like a little plastic slide, balls, and a few arcade games.

When we entered our first bouncy house Logan was not too sure what to think. I started bouncing around with him and he was not having it. My sister and my nephew(who is 5 months younger Logan) joined and he was not having it either. So we exited that one and we found the gigantic bouncy slide. At first glance I'm thinking...I can do that. WOW! What a work out. First of all, climbing up the tiny, steep tunnel to get the the top was a challenge all by itself. They give you tiny little feet things(obviously designed for kids)to climb up, and a tiny rope to hold on to. But try doing that while holding a 31 pound boy who is so anxious he's crawling out of your arms. But when you finally make it to the top, it's totally worth it. The first time we went down he wanted to sit on my lap, and although I could not see his face on the way down, his laughter said it all. After the first taste of the slide, he wanted to do it again and again and again...you get the picture. Then my niece wanted me to take her and with each time we were on our way up it seemed like the top just got further and further away. I think I will leave them a comment that they should install an elevator for out of shape parents.

After the slide Logan was a little more adventurous and really liked the bouncy houses. We bounced for what seemed like forever. But we had such a good time doing it. I knew that this was perfect for wearing him out. When our 1 1/2 hour session was up, I fed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I had packed for our trip. If I had known parents got as good a work out as the kids at this place, I would have packed my self a lunch as well. I was starving near the end.

Pump it Up also hosts parties for birthdays, sporting events and any other kid party you might throw. I highly recommend checking them out. If it's something you've ever considered in the past but just didn't do it, I say DO IT! It's totally fun and extremely affordable. Especially if it's raining out and you don't want to be stuck in the house. This is a great escape. Hope you enjoy!

Photo Credit: Ipsf.net

Indoor Picnicing at the Mall

2010-02-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another gloomy day in the Inland Empire. I heard on the news that we were supposed to have "terrible thunder storms" all day, so I planned a fun, indoor picnic at The Montclair Plaza. When I got up this morning, I was shocked that it was not raining(though this would not be the first time the weather man was wrong), so I did my normal mom stuff, made lunches, packed the diaper bag and got us both dressed and ready to go. Still, NO RAIN!! Whatever, I already had it planned, so I stuck to it.

We got to the Montclair Plaza, where I walked a lap before heading to their play area. This way I could stretch my legs some too. We finally arrived at the play area and Logan was so excited to get out of his stroller and play. There were a few other kids there, about his age so it was nice. He always enjoys playing at this playground. It's perfect for toddlers, and young kids. I've been taking my son there since he was crawling, and it's interesting to see how far he's come. Now he can climb up the slides, and crawl all over everything, when just 6 months ago he had a hard time with a lot of it. Logan will usually play with other kids; or follow them, ultimately annoying them, while I mingle with other moms, grandmas, or dads. It's especially nice because it's located right next to the Barnes & Noble, so every once in awhile, I'll stop in and get myself some Starbucks. But on the flip side, it's also next to a Cinnabon, so if you're dieting(like I usually am), then this definitely becomes a challenge for your willpower.

Today, he played in their forever. I have so much fun watching him be a little boy. Running, climbing, jumping, and sliding. His pants were a little big for him, so I often saw his butt crack, so I'd have to make my way over to him, pulling up those pants.

Once he was done at the playground, I brought out the goodies I had packed for us. We ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He had water to drink, while I drank my sugar free Amp. After our lunch, we strolled into Barnes & Noble to look at their children's section. I attempted to read to him, but he apparently still had some energy to burn off. I wish he loved books as much as I do. They have a wonderful children's corner, that I hope someday he learns to like.

The mall is a great place to take your young ins, it's great for all ages. Today's journey was especially great because it didn't cost me anything. Admission to mall: Free, Admission to playground: Free, Sack Lunch: Free, Reading a Book in Barnes & Noble: Free. Everyone wins!

I have a question though for you mom's. I love packing a lunch when we go places because it saves money, it's usually healthier, and it's quick. What are some HEALTHY snacks that your kids enjoy? Please share, I could use some ideas.

Thanks for listening!

Photo Credit: My Camera

Movie Night!

2010-02-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

Now a days there are so many options when it comes to renting movies. You can do it the old fashion way, having a membership to a store and renting them same day. Or you can have them mailed right to your house for a monthly fee. It's whatever is most convenient for you. Me personally, I'm the go and rent the movie when I want it kinda gal. When I decide I want to rent a movie, I want it now, not in 2 days.

For our family, the best place to rent movies is RedBox. Which you can find in most grocery stores. There is no membership fee and it's simple to use, much like a soda machine but instead of a refreshing beverage, you get a dvd. You simply go to the RedBox nearest you, choose the Rent a dvd option, select dvd of your choice, then check out with a swipe of your credit card. It only costs $1.00 per day per dvd. You may also use RedBox online to reserve dvd using your credit card, then go and pick it up. The only problem with the RedBox is, it does not have as many rental options as say, Blockbuster or Netflix. But it is definitely the best option if you're wanting to watch something somewhat new.

When there is a movie that I really want to watch, but RedBox does not have it, or is out of stock, I'll tend to go to Blockbuster. Blockbuster will carry dozens of copies of the more popular movies, so it's almost always a guarantee that they'll have what I want. They are more pricey then the RedBox, $5.00 for new releases, but no late fees. They also have a 99cent family movie rentals right now too, which is great if you are looking for a movie for your young one. I belong to the Blockbuster's rewards program, which is $5.00 per year, but you also get one free movie rental for every 5 paid rentals. Not bad! Blockbuster also has an online store, much like Netflix. I've never used it, but if it's something that sounds good to you, you can check it out here.

Netflix is great for the person who loves to watch movies regularly, but doesn't have time to go to the store. Netlix has a huge variety of dvd's. No matter what you're in the mood for, chances are they'll have it. They have a number of plans to chose from, and they charge your credit card automatically every month. We used to use NetFlix and we loved it. However, we stopped watching so much T.V., so then it seemed we were paying our monthly fee for no reason. If you are a family that loves to rent movies consistently, then this is likely a great option for you. It works very easily, you simply choose your plan, then choose all the dvd's you'd like to see and in which order you'd like to receive them. They'll mail them out(this generally takes a day or two) in the order you choose(this can always be changed or updated by you), and as you return them, they'll send the next one out. The dvd's are always sent with a prepaid envelope to send them back in. All you have to do is place the dvd in it's envelope, seal it and put it in your mailbox. Done!

It's amazing how easy things are made for us these days. I remember being a kid, and there were no online vhs rentals, or vhs kiosks in our grocery stores. Most people used the independent movie rental stores, or Blockbuster or Hollywood video. There used to be massive late fee charges, and now, none. Tell me, what option does your family prefer to rent their movies?

Rain Rain Go Away...or Not!

2010-02-05T13:34:00.000-08:00

Living in Southern California my entire life, there is one season that we rarely see, Winter! Sure it rains here and there, but not a lot, and we never get snow(unless of course you live in the mountain areas). I'm really not a homebody, so I am grateful for our warm/dry weather. Today I was thrown a curve ball,I had some outdoors activities planned, but guess what...it rained. Go figure. I had already had my heart on getting out of the house, and like I said, I'm not a home body, so I packed up the diaper bag and we left. Now, the only question left; where to go?

How many of you are familiar with John's Incredible Pizza? Let me just tell you, the place is amazing! You pay to get in, but what you're paying for is an all you can eat buffet and hours of fun and good times. On weekday's for lunch, it cost 6.99 plus unlimited soda for an extra 1.25. Not bad at all for the amount of food you get. And it works out great for me, since kids under 2 eat for free! And anyone who's been there will tell you that they have AMAZING food. They offer any and every kind of pizza you can think of. Ranging from normal, cheese or pepperoni, to spicy peanut butter or Alfredo(my fave), you will not leave hungry, I promise you. They also have a full salad bar, full pasta bar(my son's fave), full dessert bar and finally a coffee bar. My schedule when we go here is simply this, enter, eat lots of pizza, play, go back for mini donuts and a french vanilla latte. That right there is worth the money you pay to get in.

When you are finished picking out your food from the buffet, they offer a number of themed dinning rooms you can choose to sit in. We usually eat in the "animated room", which is decorated with cartoons, and has a Scooby Doo cartoon playing on the big screen TV as well as other smaller TVs set up across the room. There are probably around 5 or 6 different themed dinning rooms to chose from.

John's play area is especially fun. They have something for everyone. They have indoor miniature golf, indoor bowling, indoor bumper cars, and some other twisty ride for big kids an adults. They also have kiddie rides, arcade games, and games in which you can win tickets to cash in for a toy. Oh, and did I mention they have a small build a bear type shop in there as well. Unlike Chuck-E-Cheese, you purchase a prepaid "funcard" with credits on it, instead of using tokens. My son is a bit too young for all of the above just yet, but that's ok because they also have a kiddie area. It's fenced off from the rest of the arcade which is nice because I don't have to worry about him running off. The kiddie area consists of a small slide for beginners, and a bigger slide/jungle gym for the advanced, a huge Caterpillar statue that you can climb on or under, and benches for the adults. Logan(my son), can play in there all day. It's a pretty big area, so we'll chase each other, and run around forever.

If you end up visiting there, and you like it. I recommend purchasing a VIP Card. There is a 1 time membership fee of $5.00, and it truly is worth it. You will get coupons mailed or emailed to you. Every time you spend money with your VIP card, you earn pizza bucks. You can use your pizza bucks on anything you want at John's, anytime you'd like. You also get a free buffet, any day during the month of your birthday, Which more then pays for the 1 time membership fee.

Now, if this sounds like fun to you, check and see if there is a John's Incredible Pizza near you. I can really only speak from personal experience, and my experiences have always been great. If you've never been, I say GO! Especially on rainy days like today. It gets you out of the house, it gets the kids out, it feeds everyone and it's affordable. What's there to lose? If you HAVE been to John's, please share your thoughts with us.

Photo Credit: Google Images

Never Too Young to Enjoy the Library!

2010-02-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

I have to ask, When was the last time you have visited your local library? I can honestly tell you it had been quite awhile for me. How many of you with kids know that the library is a wonderful place to take your kids? After our visit to the library yesterday, I will inform you all that it is a great place for kids of all ages.

Yesterday, while trying to figure out what my son, Logan, and I could do that was "out of the box", I decided we would try the Upland Library. We got there and I was taken back by how geared for children they actually are. Their child section is huge! They have not only books, but all kids of activities for children.

For starters they have a wonderful arts/crafts theme going on right now called Valentines for Vets, where your child can decorate a valentine that will be sent to our vets at Loma Linda Veteran's hospital. I enjoyed this activity immensely, my son however was only interested in the glue stick. I guess one and a half year old's don't care much for arts and crafts just yet. But I bet someone a little bit older would love that. If you are interested, the Upland Library will be hosting this until Feb 10Th.

Logan's favorite thing though was this activity center block thing. I really have no idea what you would call it. It was like this huge wood cube that had activities attached on top, and on the sides. Kind of like a huge version of those toys you see in the pediatrician's office. Little color coded maze type stuff. Anyways, this kept him entertained forever. He was also interested in the puzzles they had, although not very good at them I must admit. But I know with practice he'll be great. They also had huge stuffed animals and puppets to play with. He seemed to really like the giant Mickey Mouse that was at least twice his size. They had a white board on one of the walls that had alphabet magnets on them...being a typical boy he liked to push all the magnets off and them throw them. Again, a little too young to understand that activity. I tried to get him involved in some books, but of course he was so curious of his surroundings that he was only interested for about a second before he would take off to explore other stuff.

The best part though, was the library, just like the park, is another way to socialize your child. There was a little boy at the library yesterday, a little bit older then Logan and it was nice to see them interact. They seemed to both love that cube toy. I think that one is definitely geared toward toddlers for sure. I imagine that in the later afternoon their would be more kids, but we had a blast as it was.

When we left the library, we sat out on the grass and had a little picnic, eating a lunch I had packed from home. It gave us a chance to hang out outside and enjoy our lovely Southern California sun. He ate, then ran around a little bit, getting some more of his little toddler energy out.

If you have not yet taken your child to visit your local library I recommend you do so. The great thing about the library is that it is fun for all ages, even adults. You can check out your local library's activities calender to see if there is something that you or your kids might enjoy. Highly recommended. It really is never too early to start getting them excited about the library!

Photo Credit: Upland library home page

Welcome

2010-02-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

So lately I've been thinking; there's got to be more to do then just go to the playground everyday. Of course there are other things to do but everything is so expensive, and we have a single budget income to work with. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way complaining and I am very thankful for the opportunity to be able to stay at home with my son. My problem is that I can't seem to think outside of the box. I have tried looking up stuff on the internet but we usually end up at the park anyways.

Last night I got to thinking more seriously about things that we can do or adventures we can go on. And it occurred to me, BLOG! I can hold my self accountable for trying new things and thinking outside of the box more if I blog about it. I'm sure I'll end up at the park still, but not as often. I would like to try new things, and see how it goes. Let everyone else know how it was, Did my son like it, Did I like it, Was it affordable, Age appropriate etc etc.

I hope that someday this blog will be full of ALL kinds of information for parents. A reference of things to do with kids. If anyone has any ideas they would like to share please do so. I took my son, Logan, to the playground today and he is napping peacefully now. But tomorrow I hope to embark on a real "play date" with him, and I'll let you know how it goes.