OC Family - Moms. Kids. Life. - (Alive in Wonderland)

Super Scary Fun at Disneyland's Halloween Time

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:35:00 GMT

This year Disneyland Resorts is offering even more spooktacular fun during Halloween Time. It's one of my favorite times to visit the park because I love a good villain spotting and it's the one time a year you're sure to see them all. Now until Halloween night you can see Cruella, The Wicked Queen, Captain Hook, Jafar, and Ursula, they're all there.

There are lots of special things going on in the park for Halloween Time, let's see if I can get them all: over 300 jack-o-lanterns; an area that celebrates Dia de los Muertos; Space Mountain turns into Ghost Galaxy; and, of course, Jack Skellington transformations the Haunted Mansion into a "nightmare."

Even the windows of the shops are filled with orange and black Halloween decor (see the Whrrl below for photos). I don't remember Disneyland ever going this all-out for Halloween Time.

Maybe it's because for the first time in years Mickey's Halloween Party will be held in Disneyland (in the past few years it's been at Disney's California Adventure). Mickey's Party is a trick-or-treat shindig where families can dress up and prowl the park experiencing exclusive activities offered only at The Party.

Here's what's included in Mickey's Halloween Party:

* "Halloween Screams" fireworks show. This is hands-down the best fireworks show I've ever seen. I captured it all on video last year, though a little shaky, I had to hold the camera the WHOLE show and take photos, I still think it gives you an idea of how amazing it is. Halloween Screams, Part One. Halloween Screams, Part Two.

* Two Halloween Dance Parties. One in New Orleans Square's French Market hosted by Jack and Sally and one in Tomorrowland Terrance hosted by our favorite space ranger--Buzz Lightyear.

* Trick-or-treat candy stations throughout the park. (see photos below) Carla Carlyle, the Disneyland Show Director for Mickey's Halloween Party, assured me there are "a lot" more candy stations than there have been in the past. "Would you say 'twice as many?'" I asked her. "Just a whole lot more," she said with a smile. This is good news!

* Mickey's Character Cavalcade will run nightly and feature Disney characters all decked out in their Halloween Costumes.

* Special photo ops with Halloween-clad characters and those dastardly Disney Villains.

The party is only on Tuesday and Friday nights, staring Oct. 1 and ending Oct. 29th and then, naturally, on Halloween night.

The prices for Mickey's Halloween Party are as follows:

Online, advanced tickets: $49

Day of the event tickets: $54

Halloween night: $59

Again, this is a separately ticketed event, so even if you have an annual pass, you'll need to buy a ticket. You can go here to purchase your tickets.

I've packed the slideshow below with much more information--how to vote for your favorite Disney Villain, Special Halloween Treats, and photos galore! Happy Haunting!

More check-ins at Disneyland

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In 2008 I went to Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party at California Adventure with my kids. Here the video from that night. It's a little dark and before I shot in HD, but I think it gives you an idea and also documents my distain for Candy Corn. Which is legendary. Watch it here.

Toto, I don't think we belong in the toy aisle anymore

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 23:19:00 GMT

I don't get too fired up about many things, but if you've been reading my blog for awhile you know the trend of tramping-up our little girls really gets me ranting.

It's downright brazen the way some toy manufactures take the most innocent of childhood icons and activities and sexualizes them.

It really burns me.

Take a look at this Dorothy Doll from "Wizard of Oz." Am I wrong? Isn't "The Wizard of Oz" a children's story about a young girl's journey to get back home not a story of a Vegas escort service?

I'm cloudy.

This was in the toy aisle next to all the "special edition" Barbies at Target. My daughter picked it up and was clever enough to recognize Dorothy (who she adores) looked... "weird."

I looked up the Wizard of Oz Contemporary Dorothy Doll on Target's web site and here's the description...and, it's a good one:

Six-years-old? Couture? Flirty blue-and-white checked mini dress? Auntie Em would not approve. Maybe to some this looks like not such a big deal. But I'm telling you as a mom of a 9-year-old girl, it's becoming more and more prevalent. It's a fight now to keep our girls young and innocent, it's not the default any longer.

I feel better now. Nothing like a good rant, an email of complaint to Target and a Little House on the Prairie bedtime story to make a mom feel better.

Other things along this line that really peeved me:

It's begining to look a lot like a keggar.

Okay kids! Time to break out the French Maid costumes.

Vlog: The struggle of infertility

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 22:07:00 GMT

Some things are just hard to write about. I'm not embarrassed to talk about my infertility struggle. I'm not ashamed of it. It's just something I never talk about anymore since that part of my life has passed and, frankly, who wants to talk fallopian tubes and hormone injections unless you are absolutely forced to?

That's the thing about facing infertility--you're forced into it. You can't make your body do what you want, what other women's bodies seem to do with no effort at all. It's frustrating and leaves you feeling helpless and flawed.

When choosing the topic of "Infertility Issues" for this weeks Vloggersations I knew it was going to be a tough one to tackle, but I was hoping that a few brave gals would volunteer to share their experience. Three did with the hope that by doing so, they would help other women who are going through infertility treatments or maybe just coming to the realization that it's an issue for them. I'm proud to be among such amazing women.

Some of the things we talk about in this Vloggersation are: the feelings associated with not being able to conceive; what not to say to a women who is going through infertility issues; and the two of us who have it behind us now give our advice and perspective.

Please take the time to watch this Vlog. It's our most honest one yet. Even if having a baby has been a piece of cake for you, this is still something a co-worker, sister-in-law or maybe even your child someday will face.

Win Tickets to see "Peter Pan" at OCPAC

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:41:00 GMT

Peter Pan is coming to The Orange County Performing Arts Center Sept. 28th through Nov. 21st, but this is "not Disney's Peter Pan." That's how Robert Butters (best last name ever), the show's producer, describes the adaptation of the original J M Barrie story.

Peter Pan will play in a state-of-the-art "360-degree" theatre built especially for the show on the grass outside OCPAC beside the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

He assures theatre-goers that "this is not just a children's story," that people of every age will love it, but warns that after his three-year-old son saw it, he refused to wear a shirt for weeks.

You see this Peter Pan is far from the waify, feather hat sporting, carrot top we are accustom to seeing. This Peter Pan is...well...more manly and has a modern edge. In fact all the characters are set in the present time and the show uses cutting edge technology.

Puppets, video, flying actors and a fully-orchestrated soundtrack all help tell the story of the boy who never grew up in a completely fresh and modern adaptation. The "360 Theatre" has three-times the projection size of an IMAX theatre and the audience is completely surrounded by the sights and sounds of the Peter Pan story.

Watch the video here from the London show.

Doesn't it look phenomenal?

I'm going to see Peter Pan on Sept. 30th with my daughter and I have two family-four-packs to giveaway to two readers. Please leave a comment here and I will pick a winner on Thursday, Sept23rd at noon via Random.org.

Jessie Flores and Bellakarma each won a four-pack of tickets! Cograts!

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The Lowdown

-- Peter Pan will play at The Orange County Performing Arts Center Sept. 28th through Nov. 21st.

-- For the schedule of shows and to buy tickets, click here.

-- Into Neverland is an added feature on weekend afternoons that offers a chance for the audience to get an exclusive opportunity to learn more about the history of Peter Pan, the 360-theatre and also an opportunity to learn more about the cast and producers. For tickets click here.

The Five Worst Selling Yankee Candles--Ever

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:10:00 GMT

Yep, I love a good Yankee Candle, but given my inability to follow the most basic fire safety rules and the budget restrictions heartlessly placed on me by my husband, I really shouldn't be buying them at all. I do, now and then, take a trip to this nifty little place called T.J. Maxx Home Goods. Heard of it?

(Sheesh, stop jumping up and down, okay, you've heard of it...)

I could easily drop over $10,000 there on bathmats, floral file folders and Yankee Candles--which are 1/4 the price--but some of the scents are a little...off. It made me think of what possibly the worst selling Yankee Candle scents have been. You know, like the "New Coke" of Yankee Candle scents. For today's Friday Five, here are my guesses.

1.) Microwaved Broccoli: America's favorite vegetable zapped of all its nutrients and permeating your entire house--every room, closet and media niche--for days.

2.) Your Brother's Room Growing Up: Harkening back to the days when your brother played football and your mom worked full-time, Your Brother's Room will leave you breathless.

3.) Wet Dog: Undeniably K-9.

4.) Motel Room A/C: The distinct scent you used to only be able to get when entering a cheap motel room mid-summer right after a smoker has checked out, now in a Yankee Candle.

5.) Desperation: Exclusive to Yankee Candle, now the smell of desperation isn't limited only to OC home sellers, reality show pitch meetings, and plastic surgeons' waiting rooms. Light a candle and have yourself a good cry.

Why they never made it is pretty clear.

More Friday Fives? Here ya go...

Five of the most troublesome crowd-walkers.

Five men who have my permission to wear tank tops.

Five song lyrics and their resulting legal action.

Frenchy's Great Escape!

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 09:18:00 GMT

Check out my story on the writer's collaborative blog--Smartly OC.

"Frenchy's Great Escape" is about a designer dog who saw her chance at freedom from the tyranny of fashion and Juicy hoodies and made a break for it. Can you blame her?

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Designer dog: $2,500, check … “Juicy” dog sweater: $45, check … Leather collar with matching leash from Muttropolis: $130, check … Dog tag to identify your dog in case she gets lost: $5, but wait…ummm, can’t find it.

I was shopping with my family at The Spectrum one night and we eyed this adorable teacup Yorkie sniffing a potted palm. She was dragging her designer leash as she walked stiff and slow due to the thick pink hoodie”Juicy”sweater she was wearing. She was all by her lonesome. “Where is her mommy?” asked my dog-crazed daughter.

Everyone passing by the fancy dog looked at her, then we all looked at one another. I went right over and picked up the two-pound pooch and fumbled around for her tag. Yes, of course, I wanted to find her “mommy,” but more importantly, I secretly couldn’t WAIT to find out what her name was: Frenchy? Muffin buns? Couture?

Feeling around her neck…no…that’s a necklace. No…that’s her rhinestone charm. Incredible, she wasn’t wearing an ID tag. The whole package – dog and accessories – hovering around the three grand mark and she didn’t have on a five-buck tag? Now I was getting peeved.

This is exactly what’s wrong with the whole Paris Hilton & Tinkerbelldog thing. Dogs are looked at as accessories, not wet-nosed, bacon stealers that come with a load of responsibility. Adding to the potential of further feckless behavior, would-be owners can finance their pup purchase, really! Wells Fargo offers financing according to the sign in the window of Russo’s. Wonder if they have a fore(paws)closures problem? “Repo-Pet?” Totally pitching that as a reality show.

I felt like putting poor Frenchy (that’s the name I chose) in my pocket and taking her home with me. True, I have an upgraded “King Charles Spaniel” and she has been known to get dolled-up in a spring dress, but she has her tag, her shots, her daily vitamin and… um, okay, her own stroller. It’s not the pampering that is in question here, it’s the capricious, slave-to-fashion attitude some take when purchasing a trendy dog.

Looking around for her “mommy,” I spotted a gal casually peering out from the doorway of a nearby store. Surely this couldn’t be her dog. She looked as concerned as someone who misplaced their used tissue. “Is she yours?” I asked. “Oh, yes. I didn’t see her slip away,” said the not-even-attempting-to-act-concerned owner. She had price tags sticking out of her shirt and pants.

Obviously clever Frenchy saw her chance at freedom while her mom was slipping on a pair of jeans and ran as fast as her four-inch legs would take her. “You might want to get her an ID tag…” I said, oh-so indignantly as I reluctantly handed her over.

No answer came. No “thank you” either, now that I think about it. She simply scooped Frenchy up and walked back to her dressing room to continue her business, most likely stuffing the dog into her handbag.

Attention Frenchy! If you read Smartly OC (and who doesn’t?), I will be sitting outside The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at The Spectrum at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday waiting for you. Try to make another run for it…I have bacon….

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Dreaming of being a writer? Stories swirling around your head? You're the only one who knows how awesome you are? Share your talent. Submit your stories to Smartly OC by applying here.

CHOC Rocks with Ryan Seacrest and Radio Lollipop

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:50:00 GMT

Radio Lollipop is CHOC's in-house radio station that spins the tunes for patients and their families three nights a week. It's fueled entirely by volunteers and the belief that music is one of the best kinds of therapy. CHOC kids can come down to the lobby and do crafts with their brothers and sisters as they rock out or stay in their rooms and listen to the music.

Ryan Seacrest of KIIS FM and American Idol fame has been part of Radio Lollipop since it was built in the lobby of Children's Hospital of Orange County in 2006. Since then, he's come back every year with the crew of America's most popular morning radio program to broadcast live from Radio Lollipop to help raise money to keep it going.

So for Radio Lollipop's anniversary there is a red carpet, celebrity guests, live performances (this year by Emily Osment and Mike Posner) and lots and lots of smiles from the CHOC kids.

Here is my video from the day along with my interview with some of the patients, the parents and Ryan Seacrest. Please take the time to watch it and see the phenomenal work CHOC is doing for sick kids in Orange Cpunty and you'll have a new-found respect for Ryan Seacrest who does this work with his heart wide open.

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It's not in the video, but I spent time with him walking the floors of CHOC as he visited every sick kid that would see him in their room. This is tough stuff and certainly not something he has to do.

But there he was sitting and joking with the kids, hugging their parents, posing for pictures with friends and family, and trying his best to keep his own emotions contained and in check durning his time at CHOC.

Honestly, I couldn't stay with him and his group as he walked the floors. I was overcome by my emotions and had to excuse myself, go into the bathroom and cry--I don't know how the staff does it day after day. (Thank you CHOC!)

Seacrest said each year he drives home "in total silence" as he lets the magnitude of each family's situation finally sink in. He's now planning to build Radio Lollipops all over America. Ryan Seacrest is in my eyes now a true American Idol.

You can donate $5 to CHOC and Radio Lollipop by texting the word "CHOC" to 85944.

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For more photos from the day, check out my Whrrl report that was posted live from the event. The photo above was taken by the amazing photographer Christopher Wren.

Mom, you can let go now

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:28:00 GMT

This was a big summer for Emily, my nine-year old daughter. There were a lot of firsts, but the biggest first by far was letting her go with her brother outside to play by themselves.

This is the kind of thing that if you were to go back in a time machine to the '70s and to tell a mom "Hey, I let my 9-year old play outside by herself! Big day!" She would say, "Um, I've been letting my kids do that since they were 5." No big deal... and then she'd go back to watching Lawrence Welk or making Sloppy Joe's or something equally '70s-ish.

But in the '00s, letting your kids go outside and play unsupervised is a right of passage. It's a calculated parenting decision. It's a big flippin' deal.

When Emily struck out in our gated community with her brother to explore the wilds of the park across the street, the first thing I noticed was the sound of the cars. Once innocuous, every car I heard from my office window now sounded like it was going menacing and like it was going 100 MPH. Cars were now my enemies--out to get my kids. I was hyper-tuned in to the approaching rush of the car and after each passed I felt relieved...until the next one came down our street.

Emily passed the first "test" just fine, meeting all of our requirements: coming back when she said she would, with her brother, neither bleeding or crying. So they were allowed to go out on their Razor scooters the next time, then down to the park that's further down the path. With each trip out by themselves they proved they were ready for the challenge and I felt a little more relaxed.

The next leap was learning to ride her bike; Emily never couldn't do it without her training wheels. She was more focused on her roller skates and scooter. But, now two girls her age moved in next door (yay!) and since they were constantly on their bikes, there was a sudden urgency to learn how to ride hers.

I took her out to practice on her new bike she got back at Christmas, which is now almost too small for her. I held on to the back and she would give it a go--the standard learning to ride your bike scene. But, darn it if I had trouble letting go of the bike. I just kept running next to her thinking, "If I let go, she surely is going to biff it." I couldn't find it in me to unhand that white plastic seat.

Finally it got almost comical (read: pathetic) and as I was sprinting next to her, working up a pretty good sweat and tying not to get my toes run over, she turned her helmeted head toward me and said calmly, almost sympathetically, with a smile, "Mom, you can let go now. I got it."

But it's so hard!

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I am wondering: When did you let your kids go out and play by themselves?

The Three Disneyland Moms are here to help!

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:29:00 GMT

You might have noticed, I'm a big Disney fan. I write about it often here on my blog and over the past four years I have worked closely with Disneyland to bring readers the scoop on what's new at the Parks and delivered some pretty exclusive previews and happenings.

I've partnered with two other Disney fans, fellow bloggers and good friends to make a video series called "The Three Disneyland Moms." We make short video "TOP 5 Lists" about Disneyland; these are our favorite places, insider tips, and little-know facts about one of our favorite places in Orange County.

The Three Disneyland Moms are Marcy Massura from The Glamorous Life, Lisa Robertson from "Babes in Disneyland," and moi of here, OC Family.

I'll be posting some of the videos right here on my blog or you can become a fan on Facebook to keep up-to-date on our latests TOP 5 videos (or subscribe to our videos on YouTube). We know our Disneyland stuff and we want to share it with you--we love to share it actually. Love it.

Here is my first video: The TOP 5 Places to Escape the Crowds at Disneyland Resort. In it, I show you places you and your family where you can go to chill out when you're at the Parks.

Marcy's first video: TOP 5 Places on Main Street. In it, she shows you her favorite places on Main Street in Disneyland and also gives you a few tips...

Lisa's first video: TOP 5 Tips for First-Timers at Disneyland Resorts. In it, she gives you some great insider information that even Disneyland regulars might not know...

Next up?

My TOP 5 Special Treats at Disneyland Resort.

Lisa's TOP 5 Secret Facts about Disneyland.

Marcy's TOP 5 Best Photo Locations at Disneyland Resort.

Win 95th Anniversary Edition Raggedy Ann doll

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:41:00 GMT

Today is an old friend's birthday; Raggedy Ann turns 95 years old. She's lookin' good for her age and still holds the same sweet smile she did when I was a little girl.

My daughter got her first Raggedy Ann from her grandma when she was a newborn. Larry's mom was determined to find a Raggedy Ann for her new granddaughter and searched all over their small town until finally she found one in a shop window.

So the story went, she made Emily's grandpa stop in the middle of the street and back up to let her out so she could run in and get it. Both of Larry's parents have passed away now, but Emily still sleeps every night with the Raggedy Ann they got for her. (Pictured right.)

Emily also has one (on the right) from her Aunt and now she has the 95th Anniversary Doll. They make quite the button-eyed threesome on her bed. Russ created the exclusive vintage inspired Raggedy Ann just for the occasion. The style and size are made to look like the original illustrations by Johnny Gruelle.

In honor of the old girl's birthday I'm giving away a special Anniversary Doll Package which includes; the vintage Raggedy Ann (pictured above middle), a anniversary edition Christmas ornament, and the original Raggedy Ann Stories book.

If you have a little girl (or know a little girl) you should enter. My daughter begged me for months for the new doll and loves her.

Please just leave a comment and I'll choose a winner on Thursday morning via Random.org. If you win I will email to let you know and then send you the doll via U.S. Mail.

To purchase the Raggedy Ann 95th Anniversary Edition Doll online, check it out on Amazon here.

This giveaway is closed! Keli you were chosen by random.org as the winner. I'll email you with the deets.

The Real Deal: The Truth About Baby Showers

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:47:00 GMT

Driving to my friend Jen's baby shower Emily, my daughter, turned down the radio and asked, "Why do they call it a baby shower, anyway?" Good question. "I think it's because when you become a new mom you don't get to take very many showers. So we throw mommies-to-be one big shower before the baby comes."

*Ba dum bum* No giggle. Nothing. She just blinked at me.

"Okay Sweetie," I told her, coming clean. "It's really because we shower the mom-to-be with gifts for the new baby."

This was Emily's first baby shower, and she's pumped, dolled up and brimming with questions. Then she asked what we're going to do at the shower. I tell her we'll open gifts, eat fancy snacks, play games. She perks right up at the games idea. "What kind of games?"

Now, I suppose I could tell her about the "The Baby Food" game, or "The Safety Pin" game, but I didn't. Maybe it was my unrelenting need to mess with my kids, or maybe it was the frappuccino talking, but I launched into a list of games that I think would much better reflect the true parenting experience:

The Eating Shameful Things Game: Shower guest are given a plate of pizza crusts, dried out mac and cheese, sticky Goldfish crackers and cold french fries. Whoever can eat it all the quickest scores the prize.

The Feign Sleeping Game: While all the guests are seated in a circle, one at a time they lie in the middle while everyone makes the loudest noises possible to try to wake them. Whoever can pretend they're sleeping the longest wins! This isn't recommended if it's a co-ed shower. The men smoke us everytime.

The Find Something to Wear Game: Place each player in front of a closet packed with clothes, but only a few things that actually fit them. Give them 30 seconds to find something to wear. All the current moms will gasp in sympathy as the mom-to-be reaches for the pre-pregnancy jeans.

As a mom who is ten years into her parenting gig I guess I feel a little, I don't know, jaded? No, not jaded, more like a wise old mommy sage--like Maggie Seaver or Claire Huxtable. (It really is sad all of my parenting role models come from '80s TV show.)

Whenever I go to a baby shower I feel the urge to help paint a picture of a more realistic parenting experience for the mom-to-be.

I want to bring the Pottery Barn Catalog and go through page by page. "See this?" pointing to the perfectly groomed children seated quietly around a (uncovered) pine table doing a craft, "This isn't real you know. You don't dress kids in satin and give them glue."

But, once we got to the shower, like always, my heart starts to melt. I'm swept up in it all, the music, the melon balls, the memories of my first shower and the hope and anticipation my husband and I had for the little girl about to enter our lives.

Just because the parenting isn't the same as we thought is was when we held up booties and footie jammies to oohs and aahs at our own shower, doesn't mean it's any less wondrous. Being a parent is better than you could ever imagine, impossible to explain, and will bring you immeasurable happiness and joy. So why not celebrate with cupcakes and a mountain of gifts?

Welcome to the Mom's Club, Jen. It's going to be fantastic. Just don't even think about reaching for those pre-pregnancy jeans just yet.

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This is my column in this month's OC Family. Here are some past printed posts by moi:

The Curious Pear:

About the couple a Trader Joe's who found a pear so very fascinating.

Surviving a Slumber Party.

About how I wanted to join in my daughter's slumber party festivities and she wouldn't let me.

All in Perspective.

Win tickets to "Walking With Dinosaurs" at Honda Center

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:14:00 GMT

Watch the video from last night.

Last night a colossal show came to the Honda Center. It was massive. It was enormous. It was "Walking With Dinosaurs--The Arena Spectacular" and it was one of the most unique and awe-inspiring live shows I've ever seen.

Based on the BBC TV series, the show runs under two-hours long (which includes a 20 minute intermission) and features 17 stunningly realistic, "live" dinosaurs along with running narrative by a J. Peterman-cald paleontologist.

The show is packed with facts, science and history all played out in spectacular sets and dumbfounding special effects. "Some people say science is boring," says the paleontologist. "But, it's really one big adventure." Your kids (and you) will feel the same way after seeing Walking with Dinosaurs. Science made fun? Priceless.

Walking with Dinosaurs is playing at the Honda Center now through Sunday and I have a family four-pack of tickets to give away for the 5 pm performance on Sunday night. Just leave a comment to enter and I will pick a winner tomorrow at 2:00 pm.

This contest is closed. Danny was chosen as the winner via Random.org.

There are still tickets available >>>> To see a list of the remaining shows and to buy tickets, click here.

What it's like being related to me

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:44:00 GMT

Today is my husband, Larry's, birthday and since he's a twin it's also his brother's birthday. That's how it works with twins. It does make some things easy, like remembering to pop a card in the mail to your spouse's sibling for his birthday.

That's the theory anyway.

I still manage not to get that bit right. I always wanted to be the type of person who at my funeral people would say, "She never forgot my birthday; every year there was a card in the mail from Suz. I'm sure going to miss that card." *lots of wailing and uncontrollable weeping*

I try. But it's not easy for me. Instead, I've settled for people saying, "She always had gum, every time I needed a stick of gum, Suz was there." It's good to have life goals.

So, since I didn't get a card for Barry I made him this "v-card" to wish him a happy birthday. I plan on keeping almost all of the promises I make to him. Pretty sure I will.

Well, after I made this I didn't want Larry to feel bad that I made Barry a video and not him (you know how twins are) so here is a video I made for Larry and posted it on his Facebook page.

(I didn't like any of the thumbnails Vimeo offered for this video so I used a photo from the movie "The Other Guys," just because I thought it was a funny movie. It has absolutely nothing to do with the video.)

Happy Birthday, guys. I'm lucking to have you both in my life :)

Love, Suz

Video: Food Trucks are for families too!

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:08:00 GMT

The food truck craze has taken off with the help of Twitter, Facebook and the Food Network show "The Great Food Truck Race," but you might think it's just for people who don't know what a Diaper Genie is or haven't ever strapped a whiny toddler in a car seat.

Not true.

Families can get a taste of the creative foods offered at all sorts of food trucks all around Orange County. I headed over to The Honda Center on Saturday for the first annual OC Foodie Fest with my kids and made this video showing you exactly how you can track down one of these restaurants on wheels. I also spaz out over a hand-crafted ding dong made by The Sweets Truck. Seriously delicious.

Calling all OC Dads! Be in OC Family Magazine!

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:25:00 GMT

The November OC Family is our "Dads Issue" and we're looking for OC Dads to feature in our pictorial spread. We want every type of dad represented: young tattooed dads, old tattooed dads, grandpas, stepdads, surfing dads, grouchy dads, coaching dads, geek dads, chef dads, all dads!

If you're an OC Dad, all you have to do is fill out this short survey and submit it. There's only, like, four questions. Super easy. Our Editor will then call you to arrange a photo shoot with other awesome OC Dads.

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Okay, now for the real way this is going to happen. OC Moms listen up!

You want a photo of your favorite OC Dad in the November issue, right? But you know if you send him this survey he'll NEVER fill it out, am I right? He is a guy after all.

So, here's what you do, email him these questions from the survey:

What has been the most rewarding thing about being a father?

What has surprised you most about fatherhood?

What has been your greatest challenge as a father?

Then YOU fill out the form send it to OC Family and schedule a haircut for him in the next few weeks.

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Okay, honestly, so here's how this is really, really going to happen. You ask him these questions casually over dinner then you fill out the form and send it in and schedule that haircut.

Not only will it honor him to be featured in OC Family, but your kids will get an absolute kick out of seeing him in print. Please take the time to submit the survey.

Join me in the Disneyland CHOC Walk!

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:14:00 GMT

Lemonade anyone?

My kids along with their neighborhood buddies set up a lemonade stand on the corner yesterday and raised almost $50 for CHOC Children's!

Selling only lemonade and iced tea, four kids were able to raise that kind of cash for OC's only all-children's hospital and donate it to its Change CHOC, Change the World Campaign. I know! I was so proud of each of them. Not to mention all of my neighbors who "tipped" well over the .25 cents the kids charged.

"We are going to raise the money using donations of all sizes. Don't think that you're $5 here and $10 there isn't helpful--it is!" Pam Brashear De Jong, CHOC's Marketing Manager told me a few months back. We were talking about ways CHOC was going to raise $125 million they need for the new CHOC tower under construction right now. When it's completed in 2013, CHOC will be able to attract even more world-class pediatric doctors and continue to serve the families of Orange County with the best care available.

For CHOC by the numbers and to hear about all the great things CHOC does for us, Read my post "Thank Goodness for CHOC."

Yes, they are getting help from some heavy hitters, but I encourage other OC families, schools and organizations to help CHOC in the building of their new tower.

Ways you can help:

Donate online: Any amount by clicking here.

Sponsor your own CHOC fundraising event: Click here to get the deets.

Join me and my family as we walk at Disneyland on Oct. 17th in the 20th annual CHOC Walk! My kids and I joined my dear friend Lisa's team--Babes in Disneyland (named after her blog). The goal for our group is to raise $500 for CHOC.

Over 15,000 people will stroll right through Disneyland, Disney's California Adventure and Downtown Disney in a fun and super breezy 5K walk. It's going to be a blast and we'd love you to come. Join us by clicking here. If you can't make it to the walk, you can donate to my page here.

Lisa's son Connor might only be a few months old, but he wants you to join us at The CHOC walk, too. He made this video telling us all about it.

Grace and Poise at a Nail Salon

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:33:00 GMT

To me, going to the nail salon is a little respite. A bastion of twenty-five dollar luxury. A place I go to read the People magazine, the very magazine I sneer at my friends for reading. I sit on my beige vinyl throne and flip through the pages thinking smugly, “I am so glad I don’t find this remotely interesting…” But just try to pry it from my freshly soaked hands.

Sadly, my last trip to my favorite salon was infiltrated by a woman driving a VERY large black Escalade and sporting a brown velvet sweatsuit. She came in with kinetic energy courtesy of her Frappuccino and was escorted to the chair next to mine for her mani/pedi. While I tried to decide between “ElePhantastic Pink” or “Big Apple Red,” another woman outside the salon caught my eye.

She was attempting to open her car door to get behind the wheel of her cream Camry. She was polite about it, making every effort not to ding the Escalade that slid in barely one foot away from her driver’s side. Finally accepting defeat, she sweetly peeked her head into the salon, “Is that anyone’s Escalade out there? I can’t get into my car.”

Ms. Frappy Velvet Mani/Pedi pitched forward, looked at the thin valley between the two cars and said (brace yourself), “You can squeeze in.” The whole place stopped–no buffing, no scrubbing, no removing unwanted calluses–frozen with shock. “I tried, but I can’t squeeze in,” she said nicely without a trace of sarcasm.

She looked exactly like a updated version of Mrs. Kravitz from Bewitched, but with a softness about her Samantha’s neighbor could never muster. I’m telling you she had a rudeness shield the size of a 1976 Buick.

Bamm!

Deflected!

“Could you possibly move it when you have a chance?” She suggested with a smile. “I think you can make it in, I’m going to be a while,” she motioned dramatically to her (I suspect webbed) hands and feet that were covered with plastic bags. Then she looked at me with a “get-a-load-of-her” look. I just sunk my head deeper into the glossy pages of my People, truly afraid of someone so mean.

This is my theory. My “how the world would work if I were in charge” mandate: Cars should be handed out according to driving record, skill and human decency. If you are a good driver, who is kind and generous, you get a big beautiful black Escalade – totally cherry, with shiny rims and all. If you are a disgraceful driver, a lousy parker, and a disdainful person with perception problems rendering you unable to perceive a space is too small for your car, you get an old Ford Pinto with a wire hanger for an antenna and faded stuffed animals piled in the back window.

But, the world doesn’t work that way…I’ll bet you wish Mrs. K did a Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats” on the Escalade. I know the whole place was waiting for it. But she’s bigger than that. Mrs. Kavitz just walked out to her car and crawled in through the passenger’s side and drove away.

Her grace and poise in the face of severe rudeness was remarkable. Inspirational even. Ms. Frappy Velvet Mani/Pedi wasn’t worth ruining her beautiful sunny Saturday morning.

*****

This story was my first contribution to the writer's collaborative web site called Smartly. (See orginal post with comments, here.) If you're an aspiring writer or just have some stories you'd like to tell, you can submit an application to become a Smartly writer.

Smartly Orange County already has some great writers, maybe you're next. I think it's a great opportunity for moms (or dads) out there who have always wanted to write, but don't have time for their own blog, this might be a first step. Good luck!

Video: A Day at Pelican Hill Resort

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:45:00 GMT

A Day at Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Coast.

Spending a day at Newport Coast's The Pelican Hill Resort might sound like a fast train to guiltville for most moms, but did you know they have a "resort" for your kids, too? Camp Pelican, which I kept calling Club Penguin (you know why), offers kids their own pool, craft room, outdoor activities and video games galore.

For a fee your kiddos will have four hours of Club Penguin Camp Pelican time while you kick it in the Resort's spa. The unique thing about Pelican Hill is that after you enjoy the spa you and your kids can partake in all the hotel's facilities for the day without an additional fee.

And partake we did!

My kids and I spent the day at Pelican Hill and made a video to tempt you to go. It's dreamy and fancy, just like a day spent at Pelican Hill. I double dog dare you not to make a reservation after watching it.

******

Note: The music in this video may sound like (my beloved) Billie Holiday, but it's actually a modern singer called Medeleine Peyroux. She's fantastic.

Win Family 4-Pack to Wild Rivers Waterpark!

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:12:00 GMT

Summer isn't over yet, but the humdrums have set in haven't they? Me thinks it's the perfect time to go to Wild Rivers, no? I have a family four pack of tickets to giveaway. Just leave a comment here and I'll pick a winner (via Random.org) on Wednesday.

Summer just isn't summer without hitting Wild Rivers Waterpark at least once. My kids are back in school in one week. I know! So we are planning on going the very last day before they get back to the grind. Maybe we'll see you there...

This contest is closed. Noah congrats on winning the family four-pack! I'll be giving away two Raggedy Ann anniversary editions in a few days. They are adorable. Check back and enter to win. Thanks! Suz

5 Troublesome Crowd-Walkers Identified

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:31:00 GMT

Doesn't is seem like during summer you spend a lot of time in crowds: the OC Fair; Disneyland; the Beach? Walking through tight spaces with loads of people jammed in together is challenging to your nerves and hazardous to your feet.

In today's Friday Five, I identify the most troublesome of all crowd walkers. We've all been guilty of being at least one of them at some point. I'm the worst #4 ever.

1.) The Sudden Stopper. This person seems like they're cruising along just fine and then *BAM* for no reason at all they suddenly stop--leaving a trail of bumping and cursing behind them. Sadly, there is no cure for The Sudden Stopper.

2.) The AboutFacer: A hybrid of the Sudden Stopper, these people will stop on a dime, pivot and start walking the other direction. This is the most problematic of all the crowd walkers because you find yourself face-to-face with the aggravator. Please try to watch your language around the kids. (Note to self, really.)

3.) The Red Rover Walkers: These people insist on holding hands with their entire extended family while walking through a crowd. On an emotional level I totally understand, but on a practical level, can't they see the peeved wake of people they are creating? Surely that can't be good for the family's morale and destroys any good will that would come from holding hands.

4.) The Searcher: You really should pity this group the most. These are the people who, while walking amongst a sea of people, suddenly have something they absolutely MUST find at that very moment. They search their purse, their phones for that email, their backpacks, their strollers, right in the middle of friggin' crowd. These are really the most pathetic of all the troublesome crowd people because they usually never find what they are looking for--in the larger, existential sort of way I mean.

5.) The Stroller People: Okay, not to bash on moms with strollers. I was one for years. I know how hard it is; the dirty looks; the tight spaces; the need to have a place to hang your shopping bags and hold your Diet Coke. I get it. But some of the stroller people need to remember they are pushing a stroller, not a bulldozer. For the reputation of parents everywhere, please remember to be polite and accept there are just some places your stroller (God bless it) can't go. If you are a stroller person, please smile and say "Thank you" when people let you by, remember you're a mom with a stroller, not the Queen of England.

****

Other Friday Fives

Five of the most troublesome meeting personalties identified.

Five men who have my permission to wear tank tops.

Me to Pediatrician: You're Fired!

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:27:00 GMT

"I'm just so frustrated!" my girlfriend said as she wiped her son's perpetually runny nose. "He just won't listen to me." She has been unhappy with her pediatrician for over a year now. It's almost (almost) comical the litany of blunders, rude behavior from staff and misdiagnosis this guy has cast upon my friend. I say "almost" because it's not really funny when your kid is the one who pays the price.

I should know. I went through it with Ben, my six-year-old. From the time he was born he had a stuffed up nose and when he would breathe he made this noise that I can only describe as rattling.

"Rattling?" my pediatrician asked as if he'd never heard the word. "You mean wheezing," he said, sure that's what I really meant. I had friends who had kids with Asthma so I knew what wheezing sounded like. I also had the internet, so I looked up wheezing and that wasn't what he did. HE RATTLED!

My pediatrician told me many, many times through the years (with my older daughter and now with Ben) that he himself had Asthma. He suffered from it his whole life. He said from the very first time I mentioned the rattling and stuffy nose, that he thought Ben had Asthma, too.

I didn't believe it. I just knew he didn't, but after one year and 7 sinus infections and that stupid rattle, I gave in and went to (quote) "Orange County's Best Asthma Doctor" (unquote). He did a full allergy test on Ben--the one that looks like a medieval torture board with needles--and had him breath into stuff.

"He has Asthma," OCBAD told me, but he wasn't allergic to anything. With that I burst into tears. He thought it was because I was upset Ben had Asthma. I thought it was that too, but looking back it was because I just knew it was a bogus diagnosis.

But what could I do? He was the "best" and I was just a weeping mom sitting on his examining table holding her rattling one-year old. He set Ben on a course of steroids, twice-daily breathing treatments and other medicines I can't even remember now. I dutifully filled the prescriptions and started Ben on the treatments. (Whole other post topic: giving baby's breathing treatments.) Facing my pediatrician for the first time after the diagnosis wasn't easy. "He told me" it was Asthma after all.

Darn it if I still wasn't buying it. Then one day at work my boss mentioned that he had his adenoids out as a kid. For the life of me I can't remember what we were talking about, but something in me jumped--like the inner mom in me went *snap!* That's it!

I ran out of his office (literally ran) and looked it up on my computer at my desk: repeated sinus infections, history of enlarged adenoids, breathing sounds like a...wait for it...RATTLE!

*Bam* I went home. Threw away all the steroids, returned the rented breathing machine and called The Best Ears, Nose Throat doctor in Orange County (no quote, he really is). He looked at one-year-old Ben, before he even examined him, and said, he has enlarged adenoids. I guess the sunken eyes told him all he needed to know.

Ben had surgery the next month to remove his adenoids and has never had another sinus infection again. And the rattling was gone. Gone, I say!

After telling my friend this story I ended it by saying--Fire your pediatrician! "Can I do that?" she asked. I did and it was such a relief.

There must be 50 ways to leave your pediatrician. Here are three.

--Sneak out

For the nonconfrontational mom (raising hand), you don't have to ever talk to him again. The new pediatrician can have all of your records sent to them without you ever stepping foot in the old office. Just sign the release.

--Let 'em have it

After you secure your new pediatrician, call or email the old one and let them know why you're leaving. Be specific. This might help the doctor, who is just human after all, know why patients are jumping ship and maybe they will change a procedure or attitude.

--Name names

If it was a particular person on their staff who you just couldn't deal with any long--uncaring nurse, rude insurance manager--tell the doctor the person's name and give specific instances of why you're leaving. You know you want to...

At first I tried to sneak out, but the doctor called me at home--which I appreciated. I told him why I was leaving him and explained I felt more comfortable in a "group office" with lots of different doctors. He was very nice about it and I felt better.

Sounds like my girlfriend is going to switch doctors this week. If you're a doctor in OC, watch out, she choose the "Let 'Em Have It" method.

HomeHer10: You attended, but just didn't know it

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:40:00 GMT

Over this past weekend hundreds of bloggers attended the conference BlogHer in New York City. BlogHer is a community for female bloggers--over 80,000--and has held a shindig once a year since 2005 for all the ladies to get together and...and...and...well, I've never been. But, I have read hundreds of blog posts, tweets and Facebook updates about the BlogHer Conference happenings, so I feel well-versed in all things BlogHer.

For those of us who stayed home, a blogger called Backpacking Dad started a spoof group called HomeHer just for a laugh--and laugh we did. HomeHer10 was for the bloggers who were doing laundry instead of going to parties, cutting coupons instead of snatching Swag Bags (provided by hundreds of companies who are after BlogHer attendee's attention), who spent the weekend negotiating DS rights instead of attending seminars, or who just wanted to think of clever ways to make our home life seem more thrilling through the use of irony and TweetDeck.

Most of the fun came when Tweeting our HomeHer activities throughout the weekend. Like this: "Can't wait for tonight! Serving barely palatable dinner, putting unbathed kids to bed then falling asleep on couch watching Seinfeld!" It went on like this all weekend.

In fact, it was such a blast spoofing the proper conference that two other bloggers and I took it one step further and made this video parody, highlighting our favorite times at HomeHer (read: at home). Marcy from The Glamorous Life and Foolery from Fooleryland and yours truly share our HomeHer10 weekend with you.

HomeHer helped the rest of us who couldn't attend the conference feel connected to other bloggers, just in a different way. If after watching the video it seems like you were there, it's probably because you were and didn't even know it. It's all in good fun.

****For more fun with me and my blogging friends, check out this lip dub*****

Update: Loose Tooth Watch 2010

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 09:30:00 GMT

Here's an update on Loose Tooth Watch 2010.

While we were at Disneyland yesterday, Ben took a bite of a "hard frozen" Mickey Ice Cream Bar and then pulled out his loose tooth--so Mickey helped him out with that one.

Then while walking toward "it's a small world" I look back at Ben, who had his whole hand in his mouth, and *BAM* out comes another tooth. Two teeth in the course of 15 minutes--unprecedented. Now he has a gaping hole on the right side of his mouth. Awesome.

*****

On related note, remember this story and video from last year? Larry and I thought we had the perfect trick to get our kids to brush their teeth--not so much. We still aren't allowed to mention "that video" to our kids.

Art work available on Etsy.

Chalk this one up to "one of those things you can laugh about with your kids later." Like WAAAY later. My husband, Larry, and I were just thinking of a creative way to get our kids to brush their teeth for two minutes. We had tried it all; toothbrushes that play "High School Musical" songs, cute little timers, threats, and, the old standard, blatant bribes.

Then we thought, "What about scaring the living daylights out of them?"

Kidding.

We didn't plan on doing that, but that's what happened. One night last week after the usual hassle / battle at the basin, Larry decided to show the kids what will happen if they don't brush their teeth twice a day for two minutes -- implementing the scare 'em straight method. Where did he go for this kind of propaganda? Why YouTube, of course.

He found this lovely video of the foulest teeth you'll ever see, ever. So we plopped them down in front of my computer and let them watch this video (right before bed, mind you). I am warning you, this is D.isgusting with a capital "D."

Watch it at your own risk.

I know! It's like the dental version of a Quentin Tarantino movie. Gross, right? Yea, our kids thought so too. Mission accomplished. They scurried to the bathroom practically tripping over each other to get to their toothbrushes. But when we went to put them to bed, Emily, our eight-year-old, was crying, obviously traumatized by the whole thing.

We both took turns sitting up and talking with her until she fell asleep. Larry and I both kept shooting each other the "Oops" look as we passed each other in the hallway, switching shifts. The next morning Emily asked that we never speak of "that video" again. Done. It's in the vault...but, she has brushed her teeth for two minutes ever since.

Loose Tooth Help

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:42:00 GMT

I need help. Take a look at this doomed tooth. It's been loose and now dangling for the last month.

Ben is the opposite of his big sister, when Emily felt her tooth was even remotely moving, she's work on the sucker until it was out--sometimes that very same day.

Ben can wait it out. He can work around it. He doesn't need the cash that badly. He's good with it the way it is.

I've suggested the standard tissue, twist, pull method with no luck. Also the quick, painless, creative tying a string to the tooth, the other end to the dogs collar and then throwing the ball. That was rejected (and I was asked never to bring it up again--especially at the dinner table).

Anyone have any suggestions on how to get this baby out? Can it hurt him to have it hanging there for too long?

Are you down with Disneyland upping its prices?

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:05:00 GMT

Starting tomorrow, the cost to spend time at "The Happiest Place on Earth" might make your pocketbook a little less happy--Disneyland is raising the price of one-day admission tickets and of its annual pass. Take a look at this handy dandy breakout I made for you:

One-day, one-park ticket will be $76 (up $4)

One-day, park hopper ticket will be $97 (also up $4)

Now for hikes that will most effect those of us in Orange County, the Annual Pass prices are as follows:

Southern California Select Annual Pass will be $185 (up $15)

Southern California Annual Pass will be $ 239 (up $20)

Deluxe Annual Pass will be $329 (up $30)

Premium Annual Pass will be $ 459 (up $20)

Parking is also up, one buck for daily parking and $20 for pass holders.

***

What do you think? Are you still in for an annual pass when it's time to renew or if you were thinking of getting one this year?

My family and I have Deluxe Annual Passes and go to Disneyland at least once a week. We went without them for two years because we were putting money toward a vacation (though I did get my Disney-fix through press events and happenings). We decided to pony-up for passes this last Christmas and darn it if we aren't going to use them--a lot.

Sometimes my family and I will take a day and just go to live shows. Sometimes we'll go and just get an ice cream and watch the parade. We are in the process of doing a "Hidden Mickey" scavenger hunt as well as on a mission to try a new special treat every time we go to the park. These are all experiences you can't get anywhere but Disneyland.

I think the prices are still fair given what Disneyland has to offer--one of the most unique entertainment experiences in the world. I look at it like this; having passes to Disneyland is a total luxury, not something I think of as a must-have (or a right as an OC resident). I'm grateful for the times when we are able to afford them and try to teach my kids to appreciate how fortunate we are to have them.

So I guess the question each family has to ask is: What is it worth to us to have access to Disneyland and then can we afford it? I honestly don't know if we'll be able to renew our passes come Christmastime, but I feel we've gotten our money's worth this year.

(Prices don't go up until tomorrow, so if you're thinking about buying a pass, click the links above for the pass you want and order today at the lower price.)

VLOG: The OC Family Working Moms Are Talking

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:27:00 GMT

Today's OC Family Vloggersation is all about working moms. Two weeks ago the stay-at-home mom bloggers talked about their experience, so today it's the working moms' turn.

I worked for the first five years of my daughter's life (and the first two of my son's) and it was hands-down the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I've been a working mom, a full-time stay-at-home mom and now a work-from-home-stay-at-home mom (is that right?) and working full-time with two small kids was definitely, for me, the most difficult of the three. But just like everything else in parenting, it all depends on the individual.

Here is Andrea from "Hip Moms Who Work," Kristin from "Savvy Mom," and Jo from "Autism in the OC" talking about their experience as working moms.

Win Tickets to OC Foodie Fest Event!

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:50:00 GMT

What ya doing on August 28th? Want to go to Orange County's very first Gourmet Food Truck event at The Honda Center? Leave a comment here for a chance to win tickets to OC Foodie Fest 2010.

Are you in on this whole food truck things that's been going on lately? Not the gut trucks of yore, these traveling kitchens dish out top quality fare, sometimes even better than their brick and mortar bros. There's Greek, Mexican, vegetarian, Argentinian, and then all the special treat trucks with shaved ice or freshly baked scones.

Hungry yet?

I'm going to OC Foodie Fest with my kids. There's sure to be SOMETHING in the over 50 participating food trucks that my kids will eat. Emily and I tried these honey, feta fries from the food truck of Louk's To Go and let's just say, I might have cried a little thinking of all the fries I've eaten in my life and never tried dripping honey and sprinkling feta on them. We both loved them.

Here's the lowdown on OC Foodie Fest:

August, 28th from 11:30 AM to 7 PM at The Honda Center

Pre-sale tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for kids under 12 and kids under 3 are free!

Stop by the ATM it's a cash only event!

A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to these charities.

This contest is closed. Wendy won the two free tickets! Congrats!

Surviving a Slumber Party

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:56:00 GMT

Throwing your daughter a slumber party, you say? Make sure to stock-up on Love's Baby Soft and Lip Smackers, and cue the Shaun Cassidy records to get ready…okay, obviously the last time I attend a slumber party I was sporting a side ponytail and braces, but have things really changed that much for little girls?

That was what I was going to find out on that long-anticipated Friday night when my daughter was having her very own slumber party. Two of her girlfriends were coming over to...to...well, to do what I wasn't quite sure.

So when they arrived I had the Chinese food ready and we all sat down to plan the night. "Let's dress-up!" one of the girls said trying to fish her peas out of her fried rice. "Let's do a dance routine!" suggested the other as she circled the teriyaki sauce with her pot sticker. "Let's TP someone's house!' chimed in my daughter.

Well all right. I remember how to do all this. But hold on, they didn't want me to do any of it. This might sound a little silly now, but in my mind I was having a slumber party, too. It took everything "adult-me" had to hold back "little-girl me" from joining in when they pushed themselves away from the table and started dancing around and singing "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. My daughter eyed me when I began, "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat..." as if to say, "You sing one more verse, you're so banished to your room."

Fine.

I'm not invited to the sing along. Or play Chinese jump rope (I was going to smoked these amateurs). Or pretend that we were all sisters who lived in Paris. Being completely transparent here, I was disappointed I wasn't going to be staying up until 2 am giggling and putting bows on the dogs.

I clearly remember being a kid and looking at my parents as they watched us have all the fun. They'd look on as we rode the log ride at Knott's Berry Farm. They'd wait in the freezing station wagon for us to come out of the roller skating rink after an all-night skate. They'd watch us "make a pig of ourselves" at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. Every time I'd think, "Good Grief, it must really stink being a parent. Who'd want that job?"

Now I'm the parent and you know what? I get it. It gives me joy to watch my kids have fun. I couldn't have understood that as a young girl, but as my daughter and her friends splashed around the pool pretending they were mermaids, I was filled with happiness. I cheerfully watched as they piled high their Cherry-on-Top cups with gummy worms and sprinkles.

And the next morning when the house looked more like the remains of a party from Animal House then The Barbie Diaries, I merrily picked up the abandoned stuffed animals, empty juice boxes and sleeping bags. It's not so bad being the parent.

But 12-year-old me still wanted to go to a slumber party. So that night my daughter obliged me. We did our hair. We played a fierce game of Chinese jump rope and, finally, I got to belt out Ariel's solo, "Out of the sea. (Sweeping right hand gesture) Wish I could be. (Another sweeping left hand gesture) Part of that world..." I totally nailed it, too.

This was my printed post in OC Family this month.

Read more of me from past issues of OC Family.

The Curious Pear: All about that couple at Trader Joe's, Asian pears, and family who get up early.

OMGAWD! I tried: All about those teenage girls in the restroom of The Spaghetti Factory, roller skating and teaching daughters to be gracious.

Lying to Your Kids: All about how I told my daughter a grilled cheese sandwich was a Camp Sandwich to get her to eat it--and Wood Fairies.

Perspective: All about teaching kids that their perspective is their super power.

Win Tickets to see Sid The Science Kid

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:43:00 GMT

Sid the Science Kid is going to make a personal appearance at The Discovery Science Center this Sunday from 11:30 - 3:00. I have four tickets that I'm going to giveaway to some lucky family.

I would go, but...this is a little awkward...but Sid and I used to date--a long time ago in college. I'm actually the one who gave him the nickname "Kid." Not because he is a kid, he's actually a few months older than me, but because he would eat flippin' anything. He was like a goat: Kid = baby goat. He just added the "Science" part after he graduated and hired a PR firm in L.A.

I know. It's weird, but there it is.

Now he's this big star with this great show called, "Sid the Science Kid" on PBS. He teaches preschoolers all about science and gets them ready for "The Show," otherwise known as Kindergarten.

Sid and I were together for only a little while. Mainly because I just couldn't take all the questions: Where does hair come from? How do birds fly? Why is grass green? Who was that on the phone?

Sheesh!

Anyway, I'm really happy he's been so successful. I think you and your kids would like meeting him and spending time at the Discovery Science Center, so just leave a comment to enter.

If you win, tell Sid I said "Hi." Wait, scratch that, don't say anything about me...no, that's fine, I'm being silly, tell him I said "Hi," but don't make a big deal about it. Just say like, "I think Suz says 'hi' or whatever..."

This contest is closed!

Thanks everyone!

Just kidding about dating Sid in college.

Got some funny emails about it though.

The Comedy Stylings of My Mom

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:51:00 GMT

Today is my mom's birthday, so why not post this story I wrote about her to wish her a Happy Birthday. She got us good on this one...

My mom is not what you'd call a jokester. A comedian. Oh, she laughs easily and has a great sense of humor, but rarely is she the genesis of a wise crack or a practical joke. That's what made the events of this story possible. We never saw it coming...that's why this is so funny.

The first time Larry, my husband, and I went to Nevada to visit my parents in their new house we arrived and got right to the business of settling into their guest bedroom. Then started playing Mexican Train with my parents in their dining room until late into the night. After midnight, we all went to bed.

Things happened.

The next morning my mom had our breakfast spread out on the kitchen counter. The sun shone into the picture window and Larry and I cheerfully ate our strawberry stuffed french toast, drank our coffee and chatted. My mom sat down next to us and asked us how we slept, then started talking about the previous owner of the house.

"Oh, they were so strange," she casually said. "They had every room equipped with microphones that all pipe into the master bedroom," she slipped her coffee and acted annoyed. "We can hear everything that happens in the house--everything," she said as her eyes peered at us over the rim of her cup.

Larry and I were stunned, caught, silently looking at each other like two guilty teenagers.

"Sometimes it keeps us up at night," she smiled at both of us.

"Um, please let me just die right here," I thought.

Please.

Right in the middle of my mom's new yellow kitchen.

**long awkward pause**

"You should see the look on your faces!" she finally laughs and got up to do the dishes.

Oh, man. Totally punk'd by my own Mom. It was awesome.

An interview with Tony Hawk

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:38:00 GMT

Check out my interview with Tony Hawk from Saturday at Downtown Disney.

Tony Hawk is widely accepted as the world's best skateboarder, and certainly the world's most famous. I had the chance to sit down with him at the ESPN Zone right before the Quiksilver Tony Hawk Skate Jam on Saturday.

I was excited to talk to him about The Tony Hawk Foundation and his inspiration to start it. He seemed quiet and reserved, but smiled easily and perked right up when talking about his passion--assisting at-risk kids around the country get free skateparks built in their communities.

Text "RIDE" to 90999 to donate $5 to the Tony Hawk Foundation.

In the last eight years The Foundation has assisted in the creation of 347 completed public skateparks that serve over 3 million kids in 49 states. It's the only organization whose sole purpose is to assist disadvantaged communities build safe, free-to-the public skateparks.

What really impressed me about the Foundation is the way it tackles its mission. On its website you'll find a Public Skatepark Development Guide, a stunningly detailed FAQ section and comprehensive grant writing instructions. The attitude of the Tony Hawk Foundation seems to be, "You want a skatepark? Awesome. We'll help, but you have to take the initiative." That's fantastic, no? Isn't that what we all try to teach our kids?

In our interview Tony spoke about how he's a strong believer in the individual--whether expressing yourself in the art form of skateboarding or getting a public skatepark built in your community. What is impressive is that his Foundation mirrors his attitude of entrepreneurship and spirit of individual motivation. The Tony Hawk Foundation reflects the very sport it promotes--talk about a doing a 360.

Even though I'm an Orange County native and have been surround by skateboarding my whole life, I don't know a lot about the industry or the professional side of the sport. I don't flinch when a skateboarder cranks by me on the sidewalk, I'm used to it, they know what they're doing, but I couldn't tell you what an ollie is.

That said, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first met Tony--but I quickly got caught up in his passion to give back to the sport that has made him a success. And if you're a fan of Tony Hawk already, I bet you're even more so now, right? Don't you love it when that happens?

*****

Tony was injured during the event on Saturday, suffering a pelvic vertical shear injury. Ouch. It was a brutal fall , but on his Twitter page and on The Tony Hawk Foundation Facebook page he said he has check out of the hospital and is resting at home.

Happy Birthday Disneyland Love, Me

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:06:00 GMT

"I don't want the public to see the world they live in while they're at Disneyland. I want to feel they're in another world." --Walt Disney

Photo collage by me.

(Through Labor Day, The Main Street Cinema is showing rare footage of opening day.)

This week marks the 55th Anniversary of Disneyland. The day it opened, July 17th 1955, no one knew it would become the colossal empire it has become. But for me Disneyland is something very personal--it's a part of my life, maybe in a way that is only possible for an Orange County native.

Growing up Disneyland was always there, literally, we drove by it all the time and I'd peek through the window of our family station wagon to see the top of the Matterhorn or the monorail whizzing by and even though I wasn't inside the park, I'd feel the excitement, just for a second.

I only visited a handful of times as a kid (way before the annual pass ), but I can playback scenes from each trip like grainy High-8 movies in my mind. I remember riding Pirates of the Caribbean with my mom, clinging to her arm through the scarier parts.

Once my brother and I got lost on Tom Sawyer's Island and I faithfully followed him through the caves and trails until we found our way back. I clearly remember looking at him as he told the story of what happened to my parents and thinking he was a hero. On one trip, my best friend and I bought bright blue plastic Disneyland fans to survive the long hot wait for the Matterhorn. Then we went home and hung them on our bedroom walls with thumbtacks to remember our trip.

Of course there was Grad Night in High School where I watched Miami Sound Machine preform from across The Rivers of America. I mean, that really wasn't my taste of music at the time, but my friends and I still did the "conga" in New Orleans Square--Hey, it was our Grad Night.

After high school I backpacked through Europe and when explaining where I was from, inevitably I'd end up saying, "near Disneyland." Then the person would nod their head in understanding. It was like I was from Disneyland in a way and that was okay.

My collage journalism professor in San Francisco called me "Disneyland"for a whole semester. As in, "Hey Disneyland did you finish your story yet?" I used it as the example of a famous landmark that best reflected who I was--while others used more dignified examples like The Washington Monument--and he found that funny, I guess.

Throughout my life and even to this day, the distant sound of Disneyland fireworks has a comforting and warming effect on my heart. I know, it sounds overly sentimental and mushy, but I think other OC natives can feel it, too. To hear the "boom, boom, boom" every night about 9:30 makes me take pause and think of Disneyland. It makes me happy.

Now that I'm a mom, I get to watch my kids experience the magic and discover the treats and surprises that make up the whole "Going to Disneyland" experience. They never tire (not really) of hearing me say: "When I was a kid, we only got to go to Disneyland on very special occasions." (eye roll)

On Saturday I headed down to Disneyland to see some of the 55th Anniversary ceremony and special events, but I spent most of my time in The Disney Gallery on Main Street (formally Bank of Main Street). If you want to see some of the celebrations read Dap's Magic great story, here.

Disney artist, Noah, Jody Daily and Kevin Kidney, and David Avanzino introduced new pieces especially for the occasion and were on hand to sign their art and meet fans. Please take a look at my photo slideshow below for a play-by-play of the new art work and pieces. I want that retro ceramic cup...and dang, Noah! I love those Vinylmations!

Happy Birthday Disneyland. Thanks for everything.

Love, Me

****More on Disneyland from me****

"World of Color lives up to hype"

"The Sherman Brothers' window dedication on Main Street."

Video: My interview with Princess Tiana and the new show "Tiana's Showboat Jubilee."

VLOG: Stay-at-Home Moms Speak Out

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:29:00 GMT

In this week's Vloggersation, four OC Family Mom Bloggers who are stay-at-home moms talk about their decision to stay home, the misconceptions and challenges they face and speculate on whether they think they will ever go back to work.

It's a really good one.

Kara-Noel from the "She's Crafty" quoted another OC Family blogger, Marcy Massura, in her vlog that didn't make it to the Vloggersation, but I think it's worth sharing and talking about, Marcy says, "When you tell people you're a stay-at-home mom they think you're either really lucky or really pathetic." What do most people think of moms who choose to stay home?

Next week the working moms will have their change to speak out, but for this week, here's the SAHMs.

Best Shot Monday: Collecting Summer Treasures

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:36:00 GMT

Here's my photo for OC photographer Tracey Clark's Best Shot Monday. The theme today is "Collecting Summer Treasures," as in photo memories.

Larry's twin brother, Barry, was here visiting from New York this past weekend. While wandering the Irvine Spectrum, Emily and I popped into Hollister Co. and when we came out we were met with this--not posed or planned.

I see where this is going...

*****

Want more OC photos? Check out Orange County Daily Photo.

VIDEO: The OC Fair is here!

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:55:00 GMT

The OC Fair this year is packed with fried sugar bombs, frozen works of art, and rides galore. Check out my video for a taste and also to get some tips on good days to go with your family, then get the specific lowdown at the bottom of the post.

(Don't miss the outtake at the end of the video where a certain someone tries to eat my camera. Gotta love the fair!)

The Lowdown:

* The fair runs from July 16th through August 15th. CLOSED Monday and Tuesdays.

* Open noon to midnight, Wednesday - Friday. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to midnight.

* Admission is $10 for adults. Children 6 - 12 are $7 and kids under 6 are free.

* Kids 12 and under get in free on Thursday!

* Check out "We Care Wednesdays" that Robin talks about in the video for other deals for your family.

* Peek in on the OC Fair's PIG CAM to keep an eye on those adorable squealers.

5 FREE things to do in OC with kids this summer

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:11:00 GMT

Friday Five: Here's my personal list of 5 things I suggest you must do with your kids this summer in OC. How lucky are we to live in such a great place?

1. The Bolsa Chica Wetlands

(Photo collage by me.)

The Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach is one of Orange County's unsung treasures. The Reserve is about 300 acres of preserved coastal wetlands, including bluffs, marshes, and mesas. It's a major migration spot for thousands of birds each year --kind of like a hotel along Route 66, but for sandpiper and pintails. When you get there you cross a wooden bridge, over a coastal inlet, that leads to a looped trail which takes about an hour to walk.

As a high school student, some of my friends and I trained as docents through Amigos de Bolsa Chica to lead tours on Saturdays (which they still do). Sadly, all I can remember is the term "Pacific Flyway" and talking bitterly about urban runoff. It's entirely the only reason I know what a coastal inlet is.

It's a beautiful place to take a stroll with your kids and get your fill of nature, wildlife, the great outdoors and stuff like that.

2. Movies on the Beach in Newport

Only in Orange County. Watch a classic kid's movie out on the sands of one of the most kid-friendly beaches in California. Read Debbie's post (here) and watch her video for a taste and to get more information about it.

3. The Dana Point Harbor Tide Pools

(Photo collage by me.)

Walk the sea wall, visit the Ocean Institute, bark back at the sea lions (this might only be my family) and check out the tide pools--it's all there in the Dana Point Harbor. We go later in the afternoon so we can catch the sunset. The Harbor also has the tall ship Pilgrim, which even if you don't take it out is still fun for the kids to take look at close up.

4. Bonfire Baby!

(Photo by me)

So worth the time and effort it takes. Building a bonfire at the beach is not the easiest thing to do. There's the staking out of the pit; the building of the fire; the keeping smaller kids from touching the flames--all so worth it. Here's a list of places in Orange County that offer fire pits and allow bonfires, BeachCalifornia.com.

5. Surf City Nights

(Photo by me.)

5. Down in HB, Surf City Nights is a must for families at least one time this summer. It's free and happens every Tuesday night from 5 pm to 9 pm right down Main Street (Between PCH and Orange). Combination Farmer's Market, carnival and street fair, it's got an energy down there that's downright kinetic and fun.

I suggest you skip the overpriced kids activities, like bounce house and train rides, and take advantage of exploring the different local vendors and listening to the free live music. Get there early to beat the crowds.

***

I know there is so much more--Disney's California Adventures Glow Fest, The Balboa Fun Zone, all the art activities surrounding Laguna--the point is, get out there and take advantage of all the things Orange County offers durning the summer.

Check out the blogs Daytrippin Mom and Just Spotted for daily updates on things to do with your kids in OC.

Mom makes it through 1st month of summer

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:54:00 GMT

**Totally fabricated news story**

Irvine, ca. An Irvine mom said she was thankful to have survived the first month of summer, but fears the last month might be the one that will lead to widespread tantrums and whining. "It's not so much the actual fighting that bothers me, it's the listening to the fighting," said Suzanne Broughton, who has two children, ages 6 and nine-years-old.

Statistics show that even if 95 percent of the time kids "get along" and cohabitate together harmoniously, it is that 5 percent that is the real killer to the mom's nerves. "I don't know if you can actually die from over-tattling, but it's a risk I'm not willing to take with my kids," said Broughton. "So have sent them to their room until July 25th." Broughton believes at that time, the return of her children's grandparents from vacation will slow the progression of boredom-induced squealing.

Her fears aren't unfounded. A recent study shows that left unchecked and uncorrected it has been documented that a child can tell on their sibling for three to five days non-stop without even having contact with that sibling at all.

Further, the dreaded question "Guess what?" can be uttered up to 6,134 times before doing any actual damage to the tattletale himself, but the long-term effects of narking on both parties and the parents who have to listen to them are still largely unknown.

"I just don't know if she is going to make it through the summer," said one of Broughton's neighbors who didn't want to be identified. "I heard her yesterday shout something like 'I have had just about as much of this as I can take!'" Which the very informed and sharp-eared neighbor said was "mommy code" for "I'm just about to farm you out as an Arbonne consultant for the rest of the summer."

One member of Broughton's Wednesday playgroup, Karen Albright, said she was surprised Broughton had gotten to this point so soon in the summer, but was "jazzed" to hear she might be getting free travel-sized moisturizers with carrying case. "I'm the one who first signed Suzanne up for Arbonne, so with each additional person she brings in, I get free product!"

When asked how she fared this first month of summer, Albright said she was "fantastic." She gave most of the credit to her carved-in-stone summer schedule. She has been dropping her children, ages 8 and 10, off to repeatedly see "Toy Story 3" every day, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., ever since the movie came out four weeks ago. "They just love those silly toys...or I assume that's what the story is about. I haven't actually seen it myself."

Though the summer months can be taxing on stay-at-home moms, their neighbors and theater employees across the country, it 's healthy to keep in mind that it will quickly be over and the children will soon return to their classrooms. But as Candy Orsby, the Director of The Orange County School Board, reminds parents in a memo sent out County wide last week, they have to wait until the actual first day of school to do so, "no early July drop-offs will be accepted" and points out the obvious to parents, "Please remember, if the school's doors are locked and the lights are out, summer isn't over yet. "

*****

This was originally written three years ago, but it still applies this summer. The challenges of summer are just about the same.

Online Relationship Leads to OC Amber Alert

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:33:00 GMT

Like most of you, I've been following the Amber Alert that started in Orange County yesterday. I first saw it posted on Twitter (Another reason to get an account) and then followed the updates at The Orange County Register as the story unfolded.

Read my "Another Reason to Hop on Twitter."

This is the sort of thing that scares the socks off parents with young daughters. An underage girl connects with someone online and behind the keyboard is a 48-year-old man...or a 68-year-old man...or in this case, both. Read this article at the OCR to get the most recent bizarre details.

I suggest, if you feel your daughter is ready and old enough, you show her these two pictures of the men who the 13-year-old Santa Ranch Margarita girl met online. The goal is the visual might stick in her head.

This case had some unusual twists because it sounds like the girl had an alternate identity as well as the men. But in any case, girls should know that they never can tell who they are talking to on the internet.

Richard Carroll, 68 (via OC Sheriff)

David Egert, 48 (via OC Sheriff)

(Insert Shudder Here)

I don't want my daughter to think all men are shady or out to get her, so since she was little, I've read her this book: The Berenstain Bears Lean About Strangers. At nine, she's too old for it now, but I still use the analogy from the book.

Mama Bear tells her cubs to think of people like a big barrel of apples. She says most people are good, but one of them could be rotten and bad and you just can't tell by the looks of them which one is the bad one. So you have to be cautious with all strangers.

Buy it here.

I'm happy that they found the missing girl today and they've arrested the two men. It appears she connected with both of them independently and spent time with each durning the five days she's been missing. I was so relieved to hear she is now safe.

I hope OC parents use this experience as an opportunity to teach their kids about strangers and online safety. It's something I wish I didn't have to address with my daughter (and son, too), but like most situations in parenting, the hardest things are usually the most important.

Best Shot Monday: Summer Growth

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:43:00 GMT

On Mondays I contribute a photo to Tracey Clark's Best Shot Monday. She provides a theme and thought and other photographers pile on their own. Here is my Best Shot for the week.

Nothing is as good a reminder of how fast my kids are growing up than summer.

The first time they go swimming I'm reminded how much they've learned.

When I buy them new flip flops I'm reminded how much they've grown.

Giving them more freedom to explore on their own, away from the familiar world of school, reminds me that they can handle much more than I think they can.

Summer is kind of like a seasonal growth chart.

This summer it's been so cold, I didn't have any photos that reflect the perfect summer mood. So this is a shot of my daughter jumping as high as she could one day last week when we were out on a photo adventure.

To see Tracey's photo and other contributors to her blog, go to her post "Endless Summer Story."

*****

If you want to see more of my photography, you can go to my Flickr page, here.

Giving away 2 Mom Calendars from Orange Circle Studio

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 10:05:00 GMT

As much as I hate to admit it, my iPhone just can't do it all. I keep a wildly busy schedule as a mom who works part-time. All you have to do is read my blog to see just how crazy my life is. I've tried to do all my calendar-keeping online, but that hasn't worked out so well.

Orange Circle Studio, and Orange County-based calendar publishing company, makes organizing calendars and day planners especially for moms and families. I'm trying out both their Mom's 24/7 Monthly and Weekly calendar in the kitchen and also their daily planner.

They've given me one of each of them to give away as well. Just leave a comment and I will choose a winner (via Random.com) on Wednesday, July 14th.

The Mom's 24/7 Monthly and Weekly Calendar starts out this August and lays out the month at the top and then has a handy weekly calendar at the bottom. The weekly has perforated sections so you can make a list and then grab it as you go. Pretty cool way to keep running list of things you need from Target, or wherever, but mostly Target.

As you can see, I've already written in the most important event of August...maybe the whole year...for sure that month.

The daily planner is called the "Do it All" and although that might sound a little ambitious, at least to me, it's actually helping me get my act together.

I love that each week has a quote. Like in March it's Dorothy Parker's

"I shall stay the way I am because I don't give a damn."

Nice.

****

This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who entered.

Video: OC Family Bloggers give their parenting advice

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:33:00 GMT

Jen, an OC Family Blogger ("OC Transplant"), is expecting her first baby. We thought we'd shell out the parenting advice to her in the latest Vloggersation.

I know. Parenting advice is a risky business, but I think we gave her some good stuff. Feel free to share some of your best advice with Jen.

The Rainbow Sandals Outlet in San Clemente

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:54:00 GMT

Every year my family jumpstarts the summer with a trip to the Rainbow Sandals Outlet in San Clemente. Kickin' it in a pair of Rainbow Sandals has become just part of the summer experience for us.

These aren't just shoes. They're part of our lives. During the summer months, "Mom, have you seen my Rainbows?" is heard just as often as "Mom, I want to go swimming," or "Mom, tell him to stop looking at me."

Jay Longely, or Sparky to his friends, started making Rainbow Sandals in his Laguna Beach garage over thirty years ago. After seeing a pair of thrashed flip flops on the beach one morning he said, 'There has to be a better way." Sparky found the way. As any Rainbow devotee can tell you there isn't a sandal that even comes close to the comfort and just plain coziness of a pair of broken-in Rainbow Sandal.

A trip to the Rainbow Outlet is a family outing in itself. There's a laid back, beach hut feel with free popcorn and stickers for the kids. Every guest is encouraged to sign the ginormous flip flops that line the outside of the store. It's the only 'shopping' trip my son will get revved up for.

The outlet has also assembled a flip flop museum of sorts. Lining all the walls are pairs of framed, well-worn Rainbows with hand written flip flop-ographies penned by the sandal's owners. Some have been Africa and Indonesia, others just traveled the beaches of OC.

If your old Rainbow don't have an exciting story to tell, Sparky told me he encourages everyone to turn in their old Rainbow to be recycled, "The whole idea is to make a product that lasts a long time, then recycle it to be used again."

And last they do, my current Rainbows are going on three years now. My kids wouldn't have to get new pairs each year if they didn't keep growing out of them. We end up handing them down to their smaller footed friends. Not many flip flops have that kind of staying power.

Here's my photo slideshow from our trip to the outlet last week. Make sure to check out the "lowdown" that follows.

The Lowdown:

** The Rainbow Outlet is located at 326 Calle de los Molinos in San Clemente.

** Summer Hours are M-F 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. and Sat. 10:00 am to 4 pm. CLOSED SUNDAYS.

** All the sandals are 20 % off the retail price and either are overstock or slightly damaged. Though I've never been able to see anything wrong with them

** If you have a specific size or style in mind, you might want to call ahead to make sure they carry it: 949-492-4930. I hear larger women's sizes are in high demand, so call to make sure they have what you need.

** Start 'em early! Rainbows now make strapped backed flip flops for toddlers and they are available at the outlet.

** Want more info? Here's Rainbow Sandals web site. You can always "like" them on Facebook to get the latests Rainbow news.

OMGawd! I tried. I really tried.

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 07:50:00 GMT

I tried.

My daughter and I like to go to dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Newport Beach then head out to the boardwalk to roller skate. On one Saturday night, after we polished off our spumoni ice cream, my daughter and I stopped by the bathroom before we headed out in time to catch the sunset.

When we walked in to the tiny bathroom, we were met with a flock of girls in satin dresses with heavily hair sprayed up-dos with crunchy curls, and sequins heels--they were High School Prom Night revelers.

The four girls weren't in the bathroom to take care of the usual business, just there to primp and grouse. "OMG! I look like a giant, a monster!" said the red-dressed girl looking into the oversized gilded mirror.

"No you don't!" snapped the purple-dressed girl, "OMGawd! This dress is stabbing me in the ribs! I hate it!" she whined, as she shoved her hand all the way down the front of her dress for relief.

"I wish my boyfriend would say ONE thing to me. I mean, I like totally bought his ticket and everything, at LEAST he could say I look pretty!” griped another who then launched into this howl, “OMG! Look how fat and awful I look!"

"Shut up! Look at my hair! I should have never trusted the chick who did my hair.,” mourned the purple-dressed girl as she reapplied her frosted lip gloss. "Oh you NEVER trust them! Did you see there wasn't anything but bottled water in the limo?! OMG! I mean, seriously, not even a Coke or anything!" complained the green-dressed one, who held the bottom of her dress under her chin as she pulled up her pantyhose.

It went on and on like this for the whole time we were in the Lady’s Room. It was like a really bad, after-school special version of "Sex and the City." (Sponsored by Wet Seal and Kotex.)

Emily, eight-years-old, was mesmerized by them. She just stood there staring; in a trance cast by the older girls. I had to prod her along at each step--wash your hands, turn on the water, rub them together, use soap, dry them on a towel--she couldn't take her eyes off them.

When we got outside and started lacing up our skates, I began to give her my analysis of the girls, trying to pick out the life lesson in the experience, "It's sad that those girls were out on their very special night and all they did was complain," I said, as I searched for Em's knee pads in her bag.

"I think some girls think it's part of being a girl--being a grown-up girl--to pick apart everything, to gripe. They think it's cute or sophisticated, or something, like on TV. But you know it's not, right?" I said, really reaching for that deeper lesson.

"Yeah, I know," she agreed quickly.

Oh, yeah, she's obviously getting it.

"All they did was put themselves down, moan about the limo, and complain about their boyfriends. How do you think their boyfriends felt?" I said to her. She stood up, trying to steady herself on her skates. "You see how they didn't appreciate anything, they weren't very grateful, were they?" I continued, driving the point home.

"Um, hmm," Emily agreed strapping on her helmet.

"I think it’s very unattractive to be negative. You really look your best when you're positive, gracious and polite," I really laid it on, now I'm really teaching her some good stuff.

"I get it,” she said in eager agreement. “I mean, they should be grateful they even HAVE a boyfriend, right?!" she said and then skated off down the boardwalk.

“Wait!” I skated after her, “That’s not the point…” Here’s to hoping some of it got through.

******Printed post in OC Family this month*******

*****Here are some other things I've written that appeared in the print issue*****

A Curious Pear

Lying to Your Kids

How we spent our Fourth of July

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:04:00 GMT

The Fourth of July Parade in Huntington Beach is our family tradition. This year we snagged a great spot and I was able to get some snazzy pictures of all the action. Hope you had a great Fourth!

Click anywhere on the photo below to start the photo slideshow. Enjoy!

Friday Five: Meeting Personality Types

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Friday Five is a feature I used to have on my personal blog, but I'm now moving it on over to OC Family. Let's kick it off with this one

Five of the most annoying meeting personalities.

I have attended my share of meetings. So, I feel totally qualified to identify the "5 Most Exasperating and Annoying Personality Types." Everyone fits in to some group, even if it's just a little.

1.) The "Forever Asserting Their Own Agenda" Meeting Personality.

This is the person who, no matter what the topic is of the meeting or the specific matter being discussed at the moment, has to insert his own agenda; whether it be a gripe, a dig at a particular person, or a blatant grab for accolades. The "Forever Asserting Their Own Agenda" person has mastered the art of the self-serving segue: Which always leads back to his own not-so-hidden message. They try to cover their motives with sappy compliments and shameless kiss-assery.

Phil: I think the IT team has done a fabulous job implementing our changes.

FSOA Person: Yes they are great! If I had a full team instead of three part-timers, I could do my work just as efficiently as our crack IT team. Well done, Boys!

2.) The "Put Out to Be Here" Meeting Personality.

This is me. There is nothing I like more than to rush into a meeting, plop myself down with a sigh, dramatically sprawling my papers and accouterments all over the table, GIANT Starbucks in hand and act like the whole meeting is the most boring waste of time ever.

Secretly, this person (me) is just happy to be called to a meeting at all. That someone wants her input on even the most minuscule and meaningless item is a total rush--don't let the 'huffs and puffs,' big exaggerated yawns, and constant checking of her iPhone fool you.

3.) The "Contrarian" Meeting Personality.

This person is hands-down the most annoying meeting personality. They often start their flood of questions with the word "question," like this: "Question, why do WE have to pay for any of this?" Their favorite expressions include: "Let me play devil's advocate here..." or "Yes, but on the other side of the coin..."

4.) The "Asks a Question Just to Spotlight Their Own Knowledge" Meeting Personality.

To this person, every innocent call for questions in a meeting is a chance for him to display his knowledge. He often ask questions and then answer them himself or very often ask what seems like a question but really is just a statement chockfull of statistics, IT babble and stories meant to impress the masses. This usually leaves the smart meeting leader to ask, "Is there a question in there somewhere?" Touché.

5.) The "This Meeting is Totally Justified" Meeting Personality.

This is almost always the person who organized the meeting, but sometimes falls on the assistant of the person who called the meeting. She constantly is reminding you she called the meeting, why she called the meeting and how happy she is that there is (thankfully) a meeting. At the end she will stress, how useful the meeting has been to everyone involved. FACT: The further the distance the attendees had to travel to get to the meeting, the stronger the personality trait.

******

Other Friday Fives:

Five things my high school boyfriend is doing now if my mom's predictions came true.

Five surprising reasons to watch The Real Housewives of Orange County.

Thank Goodness for Children's Hospital of OC (CHOC)

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:54:00 GMT

Last week I joined some of OC's best bloggers on a tour of Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) led by my friend, fellow blogger and CHOC's Marketing Manager, Pam De Jong. It was my second tour of Orange County's only Children's Hospital and I continue to be dumbfounded by the amount of services and goodness CHOC brings to our county.

Even though I'm a native of Orange County, I'm a little ashamed to say, I didn't know much about it.

After attending the fundraiser last year (See the video I made at the end of the post), "CHOC Night at the Ducks Game," I had a lot of questions for Pam. The most obvious one was, "Why does CHOC have to raise money?"

In my (small) mind I thought a hospital was supported by its patients and the insurance companies that pay them, right?

No. CHOC is actually a non-profit.

I felt at little stupid that I didn't know that, but it's not a world I think of very often since my kids haven't needed anything more than stitches there. After each tour, I have thanked God for my healthy kids and for having CHOC in The OC.

Did you know that CHOC never turns away a child? Ever! They spent over $190,000,000 last year treating kids for everything from cancer to broken arms.

During our tour last week I told Pam I thought I wasn't alone in my lack of knowledge about CHOC. She said I was like a lot of people, "They don't really know about CHOC until they need it."

I believe CHOC is one of Orange County's greatest resources. So I've become: A Mom Who Supports CHOC. I will start writing more about CHOC here on my blog and give you the "411" on how you can help CHOC raise money.

****CHOC By The Numbers****

0 Number of sick children CHOC turns away every year.

4,000 Number of ambulances and helicopters that bring patients to CHOC.

220,000 Children will come through CHOC's doors for service this year.

$125 Million The amount CHOC needs to raise for its new tower by 2013.

500 Number Zip Codes CHOC serves.

102 Percentage growth of CHOC NICU since 1998.

1st Children's hospital to earn the Beacon Award for Critical Care Excellence.

60 Percentage of patients who don't have health care that CHOC treats each year.

1 Number of Anaheim Ducks I met last time I visited CHOC. (Read my story about meeting Scott Niedermayer here.)

****

Want to see CHOC and the Ducks in action? Check out my video here...

Video: Mommy Confessions

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:41:00 GMT

Parenting can do this to you.

Make you a liar.

Make you a fugitive in your own home.

Make you a thief.

Make you a carb-a-holic.

Make you crazy.... but in a good way.

The latest topic of conversation for the OC Family bloggers is "Mommy Confessions." Oh, it was so easy to think of things that I do that would make the non-parent question my judgement, but would make the veteran parent nod their head in knowing acknowledgment.

Here we are confessing things we do (and then there's that ginormous crush I have on a certain children's TV character--oy).

Ridemakerz: Let's hear it for the boys!

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:03:00 GMT

Sometimes it feels like my daughter and I are always dragging my son along on "girlie" activities. I mean, even a trip to Target can turn into a frou-frou excursion when she and I decide to check out the jewelry...or PJs... or Lip Smackers...

That's why I was so excited when my kids and I were asked to go to the grand opening of Ridemakerz in Downtown Disney. The store, which is smack-dab in the middle of the strip anchoring the corner between Build-a-Bear and Wetzel's Pretzels, has been open since December, but just made its debut to the press last week.

To picture just what goes on at Ridemakerz, think Build-a-Bear meets NASCAR. Guests pick the body, wheels, rims and other custom elements to build their own remote control car. It's an experience not just a purchase, and it isn't just for boys. I was happy to see lots of choices for my daughter as well.

Like Build-a-Bear, for most, it will definitely be a "special occasion" kind of thing to do. The cars bodies start at $10, but go up to $30 and each accessory is an added cost. (I've rundown some of the pricing in the slideshow below.) They have everything from monster trucks to PT Cruisers. I can see some grown-up car enthusiast getting just as revved up as the kids by Ridemakerz.

My kids enjoyed every second of the grand opening and They're still playing with their cars weeks later. Take a look at the slideshow below for the play-by-play. There were car-type celebrities on hand (Chip Foose and Fireball Tim) to help the kids put together their new rides and a test drive out in front of the shop. click anywhere on the photo below to get started.

The Lowdown:

-- Open 365 "dayz" a year.

-- Hours Sunday - Thursday 10 am to 11 pm. Friday and Saturday til midnight

-- You can buy a gift card online right here.

-- Plan on spending at least an hour at Ridemakerz. It's not a pop-in and pop out-kind of place.

The Twitter Baby

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:40:00 GMT

OC Family's very own Kara-Noel, from the She's Crafty blog, had her baby on Monday morning and she Twittered through the whole thing--I mean pretty much the whole thing!

Here's how it started:

Then...

Just like Kara-Noel, thinking of everyone else's feelings and then naturally, making sure she looks cute.

Next she heads out with her hubbie.

Here's her Tweet on the way to the hospital...we've all been there.

Here's a photo she put up on Twitpic at the hospital in her B.Y.O.G.

(Read the post about her gown here.)

And then it starts...

And then, as quick as that...at least for us...

7 Pounds, 14 oz, 20 inches, baby Cyrus is born and Kara-Noel's Twitter friends are the first to see him:

And having your baby on Twitter wouldn't be complete without a tinkle post, right?

Congratulations to Kara-Noel, Brad, Eli and Cora! Your new baby is just precious! Now go home...however you make that happen.

To follow the whole thing from start to (almost) finish and to see more photos, look here.

****

Kara-Noel couldn't make it to our monthly BlogCrush meet-up at The Lazy Dog Cafe in Irvine because, you know, she was busy having a baby.

So, we BlogCrushers gave her a shout out in this video...and then we ate for her...and had a couple of cocktails for her...then ate a little more...

10 Great Family Movies Your Kids Might Not Have Seen

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:02:00 GMT

Prefect for a summer family film festival!

These are 10 Great Family Movies

1. E.T.: There's a reason you loved this movie as a kid--it's simply a flippin' great movie.

2. Charlotte's Web: Book to movie is a tough transition, but our family loves this version of Charlotte's Web with Dakota Fanning. Our favorite of the enormously important "talking animal" genre.

3. Spirited Away: You might not have seen this movie because it's foreign and, well, frankly a little weird--but in the best possible way. I can't say enough good things about it; strong female character, terrifically original storyline, spectacular weirdness. We literally wore-out our first copy. (Watch the trailer.)

4. The Sound of Music: Fine, this movie is looooong, clocking in at almost 3-hours, but that's why God invented the fast forward button. Even if you skip the more solemn portions, it's still a darn good movie. WARNING: Good luck getting this song out of your head.

5. Toy Story: Revisiting the first story seems appropriate now that Toy Story 3 is out in theaters. The great thing about the Toy Story movies is they are enjoyable for both parents and kids. My favorite line in this one: "I found my moving buddy"--Little Bo Peep.

6. Elf: Kind of like having breakfast for dinner, sometimes it's fun for kids to watch a Christmas movie in the dead of summer. Elf is the clear choice here.

7. How to East Fried Worms: Downright funny. Great for boys, but your girls will love to hate it. Definitely a must see, but not while you're eating dinner.

8. Big: Classic. I let my daughter, who's 9, watch this movie last week and she loved it. It's a little too grown-up for my 6-year-old. I thought she'd bust a gut laughing durning the scene where "Josh" eats the baby corn at the buffet table. So funny.

9. Fly Away Home: Have you seen this movie? Such a great and touching father-daughter story. So worth hunting down. Tissues recommended. (Watch the trailer.)

10: The Muppet Movie: This is hands down one of my favorite kids' movies. It's still funny and clever after all these years, with one-liners galore and cameos by all your favorite '70s stars (think Dom Deluise) .

If Kermit singing "The Rainbow Connection" doesn't make you warm and happy inside, then you quite possibly have achieved that proverbial dead inside state. If that's the case, please re-watch all the movies on my list while wearing bunny slippers and your Mickey Mouse ears. That should do the trick.

What are your favorite kids' movies? Did I miss any good ones?

Ruby's Sky Ranch has something for everyone

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:37:00 GMT

Ruby's Sky Ranch is a new concept for the Orange County classic--Ruby's Diner.

Located in San Juan Capistrano on the Ruby's Diner rooftop patio, Sky Ranch offers a view of the Mission, the sound of the train as it speeds through town and the great food you've come to expect from Ruby's. It's truly a unique OC dining experience.

"The good 'ol Ruby's service and value you're going to get no matter if you're sitting inside (in the traditional Ruby's Diner) or out in Sky Ranch," John Fisher, one of the owners, told me as we sat next to the outdoor fireplace.

Warmer tones, sweeping views, and the cheerful sound of martinis being shaken in the background come together to give Sky Ranch a mellow, more grown-up feeling. But the real beauty of Sky Ranch is you can order for either menu; the traditional Ruby's Diner, which offers those tried and true kids favorites, or the Sky Ranch menu, which has new items like Maple Glazed Atlantic Salmon and The Cobb Kobe Burger.

Everybody's happy.

I was in heaven experiencing two of my favorite things at once; a lemon drop martini at Ruby's. I know! All I needed was a Ducks game playing on the big screen TV in the bar and my life would have been complete.

You have to check out the photo slideshow below to appreciate Ruby's Sky Ranch. I went with my family last week, here is our story...

The Lowdown:

-- 31781 Camino Capistrano, Downtown San Juan Capistrano (next to the Regency Theatre).

--Traditional Kids' Ruby's Diner Menu available at Sky Ranch.

-- Everyday (during the summer) 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

--Must try; the empanadas and the nachos.

--Follow Ruby's on Twitter and Facebook for special offers.

--Are your kids Ruby's Kids' Club members? Sign them up (it's free) and get coloring and activity sheets along with this awesome birthday package offer.

Video: OC Family Mom Bloggers talk about birth control

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:25:00 GMT

I can't wait for you to watch the latest episode of OC Family's Vloggersations! The bloggers are honest and hilarious as they talk about The Pill, raging hormones, oops pregnancies and the big "snip snip."

What hit me when editing it together was how much we all have in common. Many of the gals' stories follow the same path--with some major surprises thrown in for fun.

The Bloggers are:

Marcy "The Glamorous Life."

Kristen "Rage Against the Minivan."

Caryn "Rockin' Mama."

Kara-Noel "She's Crafty."

Angela "Beauty Store Dropout."

McDonald's Shrek glasses? Turn them in!

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:23:00 GMT

Were you as smitten with the Shrek glasses at McDonald's as I was? Well, maybe not as much as me because I loved them so much I bought eight! Yes, I had a plan. I was going to use them to get my kids off plastic cups. They were going to use glass and these were the perfect cups to do it--I thought.

Now McDonald's has recalled them due to "harmful chemicals" in the paint used to draw all of our favorite Shrek characters. Drat! Look how cute they are!

I procrastinated, naturally, and now it's paying off. McDonald's is paying a premium for those glasses. So you will actually make a little cash when you turn them in. I turned them in yesterday and made $8. Which I immediately spent on Happy Meals for the entire family.

So it turned out to be "Shrek: Happily Ever After," after all.

********Want more McDonald's Talk from me?****

Apparently, McDonald's is my kinda place

"World of Color" lives up to the hype

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:12:00 GMT

Check out my video with a Disney "expert" about World of Color."

On Thursday night Disney's California Adventure premiered its new nighttime show, "World of Color." I was there for the red carpet event, the pre-show, and then the fantastic debut of the long-anticipated show. Packing the punch of both Disney and Pixar characters, the water show projects images onto water screens 200 feet in the air and 380 feet long across Paradise Pier.

The show lives up to its moniker, "water spectacular."World of Color will both blow your mind and warm your heart at the same time. It's the kind of show you've come to expect from Disney, but with so many fresh twists and surprising elements, you'll want to go back again and again to catch everything.

"Every child is blessed with a vivid imagination."

--Walt Disney.

Projected across the water, this quote kicks off the show and sets the mood as 1,200 fountains, 36 flame projectors, bubbles, fog, lasers and phenomenal surround sound all work together to launch you into the stories of Disney and Pixar amidst a torrent of technical feats that keep delivering the "oohs and aahs" throughout the show.

"World of Color is all about the lyrics: 'each dream you chase, each wish you embrace will lead you to a magical faraway place,'" said Steven Davison, Director and VP of Parades and Spectaculars. Quite an undertaking for a 26-minute, standing-room-only show. But Disney delivers by making the show at once grandiose and very personal.

Scary parts? No, Sir.

I'd like to frame this portion by saying my kids are afraid of the Winnie the Pooh ride at Disneyland--capisce? They are scaredy cats and although they enjoy Fantasmic and portions of the fireworks show every year, they view the more scary, villain-packed portions through their fingers.

Now that I've seen World of Color twice, I can confidently say my kids won't be watching any of it from behind my legs. I would call the Buzz vs. Zurg and Pirates of the Caribbean sequences "intense," not scary. Fire and loud music ramp up the action, but never the nerves. The Lion King bit with Simba and the stampede is more emotional than frightening.

That's the word I would use to describe the whole show World of Color: emotional. Kids will respond to the music, the colors, the characters and the surprises with the delight and wonder that only Disney can deliver. I know that's how I responded--at one point hugging the utter stranger who was standing next to me. I could tell, we were both having a moment as Pocahontas started to sing "Just Around The River Bend" and the entire screen became a panoramic, crystal-clear scene of wilderness.

World of Color is really that good. So, go. Maybe not this week, maybe not even this summer, but put it on your bucket list of things to do in the next four months. Starting in the fall, the pre-show will change with every showing and there is talk of a holiday show as well. So carve out the time to go see it soon with your family.

The lowdown

"It's like our [Disney's] version of diner and a movie," Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company's President and CEO, told me on the red carpet. Here are some of the ways Disney is making that happen:

Picnic meals with reserved viewing tickets: Order a picnic meal online or pick one up at Sonoma Terrace, Golden Vine Winery the day you want to see the show. Adult meals are $14.99--Taste of Asia, European Antiposto, Mediterranean Vegetarian--and the smaller kids's meals are $9.99. Click here to get the details and order.

All these meals come in a large World of Color tote and the kids' meals include a glow bracelet in each tote. Important to note here; you'll receive a ticket for a reserved viewing section with each meal. In my opinion, this is the way to go.

Dining packages with preferred viewing: Wine County Trattoria and Ariel's Grotto Restaurants offer pre-fixed meals at $36.99 for adults and $20.99 for the kiddos. It's the highfalutin' way to experience the show. Call (714) 781- DINE to order, or click here for more information. After dinner these lucky guests will be escorted to their own premier viewing area.

FASTPASS: To get the best view of the show you'll need to get some sort of preferred or reserved viewing--at least through the summer. So, if these meal options aren't in your budget or don't sound delectable to you, there's always the FASTPASS option.

Pick up your World of Color FASTPASS at the Grizzly River Run Terminal. **They will not interfere with your other FASTPASS tickets of the day.**

The World of Color FASSPASS tickets are available every morning when the park opens and the four to six thousand passes that are available have sold out quickly, so get there early.

It will take some planning on your part, but it will be worth the effort.

I call the play-by-play of the Premier of World of Color

Please check out my photo slideshow of the Red Carpet event (Teri Hatcher, John Stamos, Josh Segal, Jamie Lee Curtis) along with photos of the exclusive pre-show, four different views of the show, and random facts about World of Color--all accompanied by my running commentary. This will really give you a feel for the show and go through the different segments. Click anywhere on the photo below to get started...

Can't get enough World of Color? Check out these blogs.

Marcy of "The Glamorous Life." The World of Color Red Carpet (Unless I'm color blind.)

Lisa from "Babes in Disneyland." World of Color Review with Lots of Pictures.

Do you let your young kids do PG-13?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:30:00 GMT

"Every family is different," is what I tell my kids. They want to do what everyone else is doing, I get that. I don't have a problem with setting the rules in our house and then sticking by them. That's Parenting 101 stuff. It's good for them to learn now: Our family does things our own way.

I'm just curious how other parents handle the pressure. The last couple weeks it's been all about PG-13 movies. We don't let our kids watch them--they are 8 and 6 years old--but in a recent, unofficial survey of my son's kindergarten class, most of the kids had seen Avatar, a PG-13 movie.

My son pestered me. He whined. He pouted. But I told him "No, we don't do PG-13." Again, I have no problem with telling him that, but I wonder if the parents who are letting their kids see these movies are giving in to the pressure. Do they want to see the movie themselves so they let their kids watch them or do they simply not see a problem with letting kids under 13 year old watch PG-13?

I was talking to one of my daughter's friends last week on a field trip and she asked me with a big smile, "Have you seen The Notebook?" Oh, of course I have and loved it. Well, she had seen it too and proudly proclaimed it her favorite movie. "I'm so glad Allie choose Noah, aren't you?"

Awkward silence. "Um, yeah. He was a real keeper." She's 8 years old.

Do I think the kindergarteners who watched Avatar are going to go ballistic on the playground because they saw it? No.

Do I think the little girl who took in "The Notebook" on DVD will be caught macing with a fifth grader in the janitorial closet? No.

Do I think parents who do are bad parents? Absolutely not!

Do I like to pose questions and then answer them myself? Obviously.

My point is simply this: Kids only have a short time when they are kids. I want to let mine be kids as long as possible. I feel monitoring their movies is one way I can control the race to adulthood.

"Most of your life will be lived above the age of thirteen and you can watch PG-13 movies every night forever," is what I tell my daughter. Which was met with the obligatory eye roll.

Last night we all watched "The Jungle Book." I know! I hadn't seen it in years and the kids loved it--we all did.

******

Other things I've written about parenting:

Did you know some kids aren't allowed to run on the playground?

The Snow Factor: Don't try to pull one over on mom.

Video: OC Family Mom Bloggers talk about summer

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 08:55:00 GMT

Come and listen to OC Family Mom Bloggers talk about different topics in our new series called: Vloggersations. The first subject we are chatting about: Summer!!

What we're doing.

What we won't miss about school.

What we dread about summer.

It's all here, take a look!

OC Family Vloggersation: Summer from Suzanne Broughton on Vimeo.

*****

OC Family Mom Bloggers in this Vloggersation:

Beckey from "Hippo Brigade."

Elizabeth from "Cheeky Musings."

Tina from "Trampled by Zebras."

Kara-Noel from "She's Crafty."

Tanaka Farms Cookout Tour

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:30:00 GMT

Spending the day as a farmer isn't something Orange County kids get to do very often. But on Sunday my kids, along with 10 other OC Family bloggers' kids got to ride on a tracker, pick vegetables and strawberries, and have a good 'ol fashioned cookout

Tanaka Farms in Irvine invited us to come and spend the day at their farm, right in the heart of Orange County. I'm not what you'd call an "outdoor-sy" type person...or a cook for that matter. So, the prospect of touring a farm and cooking my own veggies wasn't something I would have sought out as a family activity. But, you know what? I think it was one of the most enjoyable things we've done as a family.

The kids had a blast. They learned about new types of vegetables--even tried a few. They tromped around the farm, shook corn stalks, ate things that were lying in the dirt and generally had the perfect day camp experience, all in two hours.

Please click on the slideshow below for photos and also the lowdown on price, hours and directions to Tanaka Farms.

Me, over-caffeinated? Don’t I wish.

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:18:00 GMT

I feel sorry for my coffee cup. I do. My husband says he can tell how my day fared by the state my morning cup ‘o joe. Here, I’ll give you a play-by-play of a day in the life of mom’s favorite coffee cup.

6:30 a.m. Pull coffee cup from un-run dishwasher and hastily rinse.

6:32 Abandon cup in sink while I make two breakfasts and pack two lunches.

6:40 Optimistically pour coffee to brim and slowly bring to eagerly perched lips.

6:42 Desert coffee cup on kitchen counter due to skirmish that brakes out between kids over remote control

6:57 Find cup again, place it in the microwave for warm-up.

7:00 Sheesh! 7:00 already?! Run upstairs to get kids ready for school. No cup in hand.

7:20 Scuttle downstairs to retrieve cup from microwave … Drat! Cold again. Re-zap.

7:50 Pour re-zapped coffee into thermos cup to take in car.

7:59 Hurry out the door as not to be late for drop-off. Forget coffee on counter.

8:15 Return home to find cold coffee sitting on counter. Pour back into microwaveable cup. Re-zap.

8:30 Go upstairs to take shower; make myself presentable. Forget the cup in microwave – again.

9:00 Retrieve sorry cup of coffee from microwave. Check temp. Re-zap for third, or is it fourth time? Scoop off mysterious gooey circular film now covering coffee surface. Um, ewww.

9:05 Finally, I take the first long-awaited sip of the morning while retuning e-mail. Yeah!

9:10 Remember that clothes in dryer will relentlessly wrinkle if not folded immediately. Run downstairs to laundry room.

10:00 Grab cup while rushing to put away clothes, but abandon it atop son's nightstand.

11:00 Official lunchtime: Coffee out. Diet Coke in.

8:30 p.m. Put son to bed, he complains of stomachache. "Do you think you are going to throw up?” I ask. He nods a weak “yes.” Grab closest receptacle … you guessed it, hapless coffee cup on nightstand.

1:30 a.m. After barf-fest, with every towel, blanket and comforter in the house in the process of being washed, go downstairs to do thorough, Silkwood-type decontamination rinse out of coffee cup.

1:40 a.m. Optimistically place coffee cup next to French press for the next morning.

Better luck tomorrow true and faithful friend.

EXCLUSIVE: World of Color at California Adventure

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:54:00 GMT

Last night I was among a handful of bloggers and print media types who were invited to view a World of Color dress rehearsal. The long-awaited nighttime water spectacular, World of Color, harnesses the creative might of both Disney and Pixar and will be performed two times a night for the public starting June 11th at Disney's California Adventure.

Though I'm not allowed to post any reviews or write details of the show until it opens to everyone, I was given the okay to tell you my brief opinion of the show, which is this: It's wonderful! I was also given the thumbs up to show only five (of the 300) photos I took at the exclusive viewing. Here is a sneak peek of World of Color:

Disneyland is offering loads of new meals, treats and souvenirs to accompany World of Color, which I talk about a little in the slideshow below, but will go into more detail in another post.

There will be several different ways to snatch a reserved viewing space (which I would recommend) throughout the summer. You can reserve picnic lunches starting on June 10th at www.Disneyland.com that all come with reserved viewing. Again, the slideshow below has more details.

If you want to avoid the prospect of lining up hours before the show, Disneyland is also offering restaurant Prix Fixe meals at Ariel's Grotto at $36.99 for adults and $15.99 for kids (3-9). The Wine Country Trattoria will serve dinners from $39.99 for adults and $18.99 for the kiddos (3-9). After dinner, lucky restaurant guests will be escorted to a special standing only viewing section. (Call 714-781-DINE to reserve your restaurant meal.)

Check out my slideshow below for more info on the special offerings for World of Color and instructions on how to get a Fastpass, which will also reserve your viewing. Stay tuned for more information on summer fun at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure!

A Memorial Day tradition

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 07:58:00 GMT

It's a valuable OC Tradition.

For the past five years we have taken our kids to the Memorial Day Service at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana. The service runs about 2 hours and we bring our blankets and snacks and sit among the hundreds of families there to honor the men and women who have served our country.

I love seeing the different generations come together during the ceremony. My favorite part of the whole day is when they honor the different branches of service by asking soldiers to stand as they call out: Marines, Army, Navy, etc. It touches me every time. They also recognize soldiers from different wars and conflicts. This was the first year there were no Pearl Harbor survivors represented--not one. It was a shocking reminder we need to take the time to remember.

I encourage every family to take the time to go to a service like this one. It teaches our kids, even if it's just a little, to respect the generations who came before them who served and sacrificed in our military.

Take a look at my photo slideshow below from the service. It's a valuable OC tradition and I'm happy to say every year it grows!

New shopping carts at Target cause hysteria

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 14:33:00 GMT

**Totally fabricated news story**

Irvine, Ca., Police were called to the Target on Jamboree and Irvine Blvd. last Tuesday evening when shoppers barricaded themselves inside behind a makeshift fortress in the dollar section. It seems the patrons, mostly Orange County moms, didn't want to give up the new shopping carts Target had recently furnished in the remodeled store.

"I feel so happy when I'm pushing it around, I just don't want that to end," said Vicki Simms as the Irvine SWAT negotiation team tried to get her to give up the cart. The authorities had to reach deep into their bag of tools to find a way to coax the shoppers to go home.

"We thought if we had the husbands come out and talk to the gals on their cell phones, they might be able to persuade them," said Sergeant Fuller. "But the men ended up just agitating their wives by reminding them this would be counted against their 'me' time and then asked them how much they had spent." Said Fuller, "Yeah, that whole idea really backfired."

Getting their children to talk to the women didn't help the authorities plight either, as the kids simply took one look at the Target sign and instinctively started whining over the phone for their moms to bring them a popcorn combo with an Icee.

"The new carts are so quiet...and clean...and pretty...," a Tustin mom of three trailed off in deep thought through the newly opened fresh food aisle. "It's like I never have to go anywhere else. Ever." She said as she held a shiny Gala apple up to the light.

Finally, the only thing that worked was an announcement on the loudspeaker reminding the shoppers that a new Glee was premiering in half an hour. Then the police used the military technique of blasting music--Glee's rendition of 'Don't Stop Believin'--until the women came running out, throwing their Target bags into their SUVs and screeching out of the parking lot. Only two minor hit-and-runs were reported in the skirmish, but no charges were filed.

Target General Manager Jill Compton took the whole thing in stride, taking pictures and posting them on Twitter and her wall on Facebook. "They'll be back," she Tweeted after the women had gone home. "I think we're onto something," she said to some reporters outside. "Imagine if we actually sold edible food in our snack bar..."

***

Lost without LOST? I'm here for you

Mon, 24 May 2010 11:13:00 GMT

I've never watched LOST. I'm not some sort of social deviant. I'm not out of step with the times--I really want an iPad just like everyone else. I'm not against LOST. I just never got into it.

It seemed to me from the beginning, based on my friends' conversations, the Facebook updates, the Tweets, that LOST was more like a dysfunctional relationship, than an enjoyable form of entertainment.

Things like this:

"Argh! LOST! I don't understand what's going on!"

"LOST is driving me crazy!"

"I just want some straight answers from LOST!"

" I totally blew off all my friends just to re-watch the last 4 seasons of LOST. So psyched!"

"LOST! How am I going to live without you?!"

I don't have the time or energy for that sort of thing anymore. I learned my lesson years ago from Melrose Place that these relationships never work. It's all about them.

So I have been relegated to the loyal friend, just there to listen and comfort. I made every effort to help my friends who were having LOST issues. A couple them even swore off LOST; broke it off entirely. When they did I told them they were doing the right thing and that I never liked it anyways. Then I found out from other friends that they were back on LOST a few days later and I couldn't get them to return my calls.

Now that LOST is over I feel all the fans can finally have some closure. They can move on. Maybe start watching something else, like Rules of Engagement or 30 Rock. I have been in a good, healthy DVR relationship with these shows for a while now. They tell it like it is. They get to the point and don't string me out for days...weeks...years. They're also very, very funny and we all know laughter is one of the best remedies for a broken heart.

I'm here if you want to talk.

*****

You can become my friend on Facebook.

You can follow me on Twitter.

You can read my thoughts on hockey on my blog

"When Girls Love Hockey."

I really am freakin' everywhere.

(Image via ABC then heartlessly manipulated by me.)

Hanging out at The Spectrum

Sun, 23 May 2010 08:54:00 GMT

On Saturday my family and I spent the afternoon at The Irvine Spectrum. I've gotten heat for writing this before, but I think The Spectrum is OC's "downtown." It has the feel of a community with lots of activities happening on the weekends. It's fun to go and just people watch--no shopping required. We don't usually spend any money other than for a caramel apple or coffee and hot chocolate.

Here is my narrated slideshow from our day at The Spectrum. Click anywhere on the photo to get started...

My new addiction: Crackpotle

Wed, 19 May 2010 23:36:00 GMT

I always do this. I find something I like and I go overboard. I obsess. I fall head over heels. I get addicted--to a food.

When I was about six-years-old my mom brought home a Swanson's TV dinner, the ones in a tin plate with gravy covered turkey and sticky, crunchy-on-top mashed potatoes. I had to have one--everyday.

I bribed my brothers for theirs.

I got up early and ate them for breakfast.

Yeah, now that I'm talking about it, I kinda want one right now.

Bearclaws, cheese soup, shrimp cocktail, Jack-n-the-Box's Chicken Supreme, Chi tea, mango salsa, Jamba Juice; they've all followed the Swanson's TV Dinner.

My latest addiction is Chipotle, or as we call it in our family--Crackpotle. Yes, our family. Nothing is funnier than hearing an eight-year-old cry from the back seat of the car: I want Crackpotle!!! Then Ben, my six-year-old says, "No! I don't want Crackpotle! I want Roundthemiddle pizza!"

(UNRELATED: I'm not a very good cook.)

My daughter has the same penchant as me to get addicted to one food. She started young; Go-gurts, grapefruit, Cheez-its, meatballs, and now Crackpotle.

It's gotten so bad that I'm embarrassed to even go the Crackpotle that near my house and sometimes I'll drive to the next closest one, in another city, just to avoid the sympathetic smile of the cashier. I'm certain he's praying for me, "Please help that poor women who's addicted to our Veggie bowl...and help her daughter break the chain."

Even writing this post and editing the picture has got me jonesin' for one. Just a little one. It will be the last time. Then I'm switching to something else.

Have you tried Counter Burger?

*****

Other food issues I have:

My growing man food problem

Fine, I even did a Whrrl slideshow of PCH Dog. Happy?

Put down the Purell and go see "Babies"

Tue, 18 May 2010 08:53:00 GMT

Babies are resilient. Babies are tough. Babies have a wicked sense of humor. Babies can spend the first year of their lives licking dirt, spending an enormous amount of time unsupervised, and cuddling with cows and still enter into the toddler stage healthy and happy.

These are all things I learned after watching the brilliant documentary "Babies."

Every parent should take the time to go see this movie. It follows the first year of life of four babies living in Africa, Mongolia, Tokyo and San Francisco. It wasn't only the dramatic differences in the way the babies were being raised that was fascinating--the African baby has his 'hair cut' with a machete, the Mongolian baby taken home from the hospital on the back of a motorcycle-it was also the underlaying truth that babies are babies, no matter where they hang their...well, I would say diaper, but only two of the four ever wears one.

Take a look at this video about the movie with an interview with its makers. (Tangent: Is there anything cuter than a French man saying the word "babies?" )

I think they nail the point in their interview, as long as there is love, the babies were happy and healthy. So, put down the Purell and go give your baby a rock to play with, really, it's fine.

*****

If you've seen the movie, who's your favorite baby? I loved the Mongolian boy to pieces.

Time to play 'What's that smell?'

Sat, 15 May 2010 21:30:00 GMT

One of my favorite things to do with my family is go to The Balboa Fun Zone. I remember going with my folks when I was a kid and some of the rides, food, and I suspect people who work there, are just the same as they were back then.

Take a look at my slideshow below from today. Then on the other side I'll tell you an unrelated story about a meatball.

*****

When we got in the car to head down to Balboa it reeked--real bad.

"What's that awful smell?" I asked from the front seat, but the kids just shrugged and rolled down their windows.

After two hours in the sun down at the beach, again, "What is that putrid smell!?"

"I think it's my meatball," Ben casually said. "I dropped it last week under my chair."

"Oh, yeah it's under his seat," Emily added.

Okay, information that would have been helpful when we started playing "What's that smell?"

"What? Why didn't you get it and throw it away, Nut?" I asked. I really wanted to know too.

"It's all gross. I didn't want to touch it," Ben said, in a 'no duh' kind of way.

So, I pull the car over and open his door. Ben was balancing a rotting, slimy, Trader Joe's mini meatball on his index finger. He had the look of disgust on his face. "See it's totally gross."

I have no idea why I did what I did. How I got the nerve. My motherly instincts kicked in I guess and I grabbed the meatball and threw it as far away from the car as possible.

Like it's a live grenade.

"I can't believe you touched it," Emily chimed in. "That's disgusting."

"Hey, I just saved your life sister," I pointed at her.

"You can't die from a smell," she said and looked back down at her DS.

Nearly nine-year-olds think they're soooo smart.

Act now and I'll throw in an 8-year old

Tue, 11 May 2010 22:22:00 GMT

Who does this remind you of...

"Please go brush your hair again," I ask my daughter in the morning rush after seeing she has given it the weakest of efforts and only brushed one side of her head. It's a simple task, she can't seem to pull off.

Seconds later she walks into my room and states, "I looked everywhere and I can't find the hair brush anywhere" she tells me, and plops down on the bed, obviously completely exhausted from her fruitless mission.

Naturally, I walk into her bedroom and it's sitting, right there, in plain view. I pick it up and start to brush. "Did you feed the dogs?" I ask her while I'm working on a nasty rat in her hair. "I tried, but I couldn't find anything to scoop it out of the container," she says and gives a big carefree shrugs as if to say, "C'est la vive what can be done?"

Sometimes living with an 8-year-old can be very much like living inside your own infomercial. She's the exasperated one. The women trying to open a can with a lame can opener circa 1970. The girl attempting to put her hair in one of those complicated ponytails. The man futilely reaching for the remote while covered hopelessly with a blanket.

As if!

I, on the other hand, am the revolutionary product. The spokesperson of hope. The **mother** of invention. I'm the one who at 1:00 a.m in the morning you see on TV and say to yourself, "Huh, she's right! Why am I trying to clean my laundry with, (duh) laundry soap!?" I'm freakin' brilliant! If only I could get millions of people to send me a check...or money order, made out in my name.

***

Check out my comic strip :

The Tooth Fairy

I'm awesome!

Mommy iMoments

Tue, 11 May 2010 09:32:00 GMT

Noel from the OC Family blog Mommy iMoments is hosting iMoment Mondays on her blog everyweek. If you have a blog, you can enter your favorite iMoment--here.

An iMoment is any activity you catch with your camera phone. Noel is teaching her readers in her blog how to use their phones to capture their family's most precious moments. Because sometimes-- let's face it, most of the time--it's the best camera at hand.

Here is my submission for the week. All these photos were taken with my iPhone using the apps: Shake it, Histamatic, Best Camera and Photoshop Mobile.

I know! So awesome!

Check out my slideshow from Noel's photo class:

Anytime-Art photo class for mommies

Happy Mother's Day!

Sun, 09 May 2010 10:52:00 GMT

Wishing every mom a very Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you all woke up to something like this...

And receive a gift like this....

Or this....

and a card like this!

Happy Mother's Day! Hope you're soaking up the love.

******

Read my story about my mom:

The Comedy Stylings of My Mom.

What are Miley Cyrus' parents thinking?

Wed, 05 May 2010 22:21:00 GMT

Where to start? If you haven't seen Miley Cyrus' new video, get an eye-full here. Keep in mind Miley is 17 years old and if you have a little girl yourself, she most likely has at least one Miley Cyrus laden t-shirt, or thermos, or black lace bustier...well, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Okay, so let's just skip that part where it's kind of a ridiculous video. Most of us lived through the '80s and have loved many-a campy, overly dramatic music video. Let's even skip over the nagging feeling that every female recording "artist" seems to, at some point, end up rolling on the ground with her fingers in her mouth.

Fine. I won't even mention all that.

What went through my mind the minute I saw this was, "What are her parents thinking?" How can a father of a teenage girl green light this nonsense? Isn't this his precious daughter? We will just have to wait for that episode of Celebrity Rehab to air in five years to find out from Miley herself, I guess.

Watching this I just felt incredibly sad for her. For all girls who don't have parents who would fight like hell to never let their teenager daughter's honor and modesty get trampled by 50 backup dancers and a pair of black thigh-high boots.

Yeah, I said it--modesty.

My daughter, who's almost nine-years-old, and I watched the video together. She was perplexed. She kept saying, "That's not Miley." Then at the end she was quiet and finally it came out. The prefect response: "I can't believe I named a WebKinz after her."

Maybe we can get her name legally changed.

***

Oh, don't get me started.

Other rants:

"It's beginning to look a lot like... a kegger."

"Things that make you go ewww!"

Exclusive video of Guy Fieri

Wed, 05 May 2010 11:25:00 GMT

This Saturday is National "Cook With Your Kids Day." The passionate and hyper force behind this three-year old measure is celebrity chef--Guy Fieri.

I had a chance to ask Guy about the benefits of families cooking together and why he thinks it's an important skill for kids. He also tells a great story about the first time he cooked a steak for his own dad. I dare you not to be pumped after you watch it:

Right? Was I right?

The precepts for the day are pretty simple: kids are our most 'precious and joyful' responsibility; teaching kids the importance of good food will benefit them throughout their life; parents should model heathy behaviors; and families who eats together, stays together.

Now, I'm not a foodie. I don't like cooking. Sure I'll watch Food Network for hours on end (Confession: slight Alton Brown obsession) with no intention of ever making a single thing I see there. But, after talking to Guy I was inspired. Honestly, after thinking about it I was a little ashamed that I was letting my own ineptness in the kitchen stand in the way of my kids' desire to learn about cooking. I know they would like to get involved.

--Preparations for Saturday--

As suggested, I let my kids pick out what we will be making for Saturday's dinner. My six-year-old, Ben, and I pursued Guy's recipe's at The Food Network site and he picked: Blazy's Pepperoni Studded Lasagna (Get it here). I'm sorry, coolest name of a recipe ever, my son was all over it.

We will be making my friend and fellow blogger Priscilla Willis' Annie's Cornbread and a made-from-scratch Caesar Salad with lettuce from the Farmer's Market. I didn't even know you could make your own Caesar. This is going to rock.

For dessert, from the Mom and Me Cookbook (on Amazon), shortbread cookies shaped like (mean, as directed by Ben) dogs. I think Guy would appreciate Ben's efforts to make cooking as tough as possible.

Saturday's "Cook With Your Kids Day" will mark the beginning of an honest effort on my part to teach my kids (READ: Me) to cook and teach them the value of a good healthy meal. Wish me luck!

****

More videos of me talking to people about food:

Gary Maggetti, Disneyland's Director of Food And Bev., telling the soon-to-be famous: Disneyland Corn Dog Story. (here)

Chef Gabriel Caliendo, The Lazy Dog Cafe, talking about some of their specialties. (here)

Talking to Ruby's President and Founder Doug Cavanaugh at the opening of The Ruby's Carhop in Anaheim. (here.)

Giddy Up Cowgirl!

Sun, 02 May 2010 12:56:00 GMT

This is my featured post in this month's OC Family.

Sometimes, as a parent, you can prepare for those big moments in a kid's life. You see them coming like a herd of angry, stampeding elephants. You can practice your speech. You can make sure you have your running shoes on. But, the hard part of parenting comes when those moments quietly sneak up on you.

This kind of moment happened to us last year on our trip to Kay El Bar, a Dude Ranch in Arizona. My daughter Emily, had --- what I can only guess was --- an experience she'll remember her whole life.

She hadn't ever been out on an open trail on a horse, and after a short skill test from our Wrangler, she got the nod and was able to go with us. Then the young Wrangler turned to us and said, "I'm going to take you on my favorite trail."

"Yeehaw! " We all said and Emily laughed, patted her horse's neck, and pointed out the butterflies as we slowly walked our horses toward the mountains. As we moseyed up a mountain peppered with cactus and wildflowers, it started to occur to me that we were going up pretty high.

Once we reached the top, we took in the spectacular view then started our descent down. The only path was rocky and steep. After her horse stumbled slightly she gave out a shriek of fear and hunched down in her saddle, clinging to its horn. "You're okay, doll," I assured her. "Poquito has walked this trail a million times." My husband, Larry, and the Wrangler were pretty far ahead of us at this stage and didn't notice Emily's little world had gone from Little House on the Prairie to Friday the 13th in a very short time. "I want to get off!" she howled and flipped her heels out of her stirrups.

Her face was red and wet with tears and her hands were white from holding on to the saddle so tightly. Now, I knew she was fine. Larry and the Wrangler, after talking to her on the trail, knew she was fine. Even Poquito, her horse, seemed more interested in grabbing a quick snack off the trees than in the shaky path in front of him, but Emily didn't know.

She was going to love being a cowgirl and soon reach full-blown, horse crazy status--but only if she stayed on that horse! So I was Ice Queen Mom, "Stay on your horse and ride it down, everything is fine." But I doubted myself a little, what if this backfires? I felt sure in my heart that we were right. But, what if....

Now one year later and I followed behind Emily and Poquito on another beautiful, rocky trail. She sat up straight in her saddle and looked confident and peaceful--way beyond her 8 years. I felt confident too, happy that my instincts were right on this one.

Then later that day we were walking the ranch and saw two horses getting...er, um amorous with each other. She stared for a long time then she said, "Oh, that can't be good, are they okay?" And there it is, another huge parenting moment falling right out of the Arizona sky.

***

Read my previous printed posts:

Lessons in parenting--lying to your kids

A Curious Pear

Girls in Glasses

OC Mom Bloggers Lip Sync Video!

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:53:00 GMT

OC Mom Bloggers!

*******

Sheesh! Mom bloggers are sure getting a beating in the traditional media and online world lately. With articles like this one from the New York Times and the following comment and commentary bloodbath that followed, you'd think we are advocating tossing our children into a rushing river, instead of simply reaching for our dreams and expressing ourselves--in small and big ways--through our blogs. Who knew creative, smart, driven women could be so divisive? (Said with sarcasm, naturally.)

I believe in the power of the mom blogger. I think blogging is revolutionary for women. I honestly do. It's radically extended the reach of some women who before blogging, didn't have much of a voice. I'm proud as all get up to be a mom blogger, because I've seen first hand how it's transformed the lives of women--in a positive way. In an empowering way. Again, sometimes in little ways, like giving her a creative outlet or building a community of support, and sometimes in larger ways, like leading to a new career. It's all good stuff and all equally important in my opinion.

Here's the thing, as moms we have more things in common than we have differences. I try to embrace the differences and then get all giddy and syrupy when I meet (read) a mom who has the same struggles, triumphs and burns with the same hatred for laundry as me. Blogs can function as a conduit for these connections.

So, now you know my stand on mom bloggers and you've been properly primed for this video. Six OC mom bloggers, including moi, dorking it up in a lip dub we made to "Our Lips Are Sealed." Because whenever a PR person or brand representative asks me, what's the best way to reach moms, I always tell them the same thing: '80s music.

The bloggers in the lip dub are:

Andrea from the blog Hip Moms Who Work.

Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association and Publications.

Beckey from Hippo Brigade.

Roxanne from Me and My Monster.

Kara-Noel from Eli's Lids.

Me from here...and here.

**disclaimer:

These bloggers may or may not share my ernest opinion of mom bloggers.

****

If you're a mom who's interested in starting your own blog, please feel free to contact me with any questions: sbroughton@churmmedia.com

My Supermarket Theory

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 20:04:00 GMT

I made this video of my "Supermarket Theory" last year. I still standby every premise. Especially my suggestion on how I think grocery stores should organize their aisles. Seriously, you have to admit my idea makes more sense, no?

When I was watching this video again for the first time in a year, I was cracking up because you can hear my son "clicking" and "clucking" during almost the entire video. So funny. Mommy Vlogging rules!

******

Join me for more adventure in my domestic life:

The Laundry Gods Must Be Mad at Me

The Lessons of the Earthquake Cake

The Pelican Hill Spa: Replenish. Invigorate. Relax.

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:51:00 GMT

Replenish, Invigorate, Relax .

Those are the precepts of The Spa at Pelican Hill. When you make your appointment at the spa they determine, through questions and which treatments you choose, which of these three beauties you are seeking. As a working mom of two...um...sign me up for all three!

I spent one glorious day as a guest of Pelican Hill Resort. The Spa invited all of the OC Family mom bloggers to come and experience their resort first hand. So I got to hang with some of the most interesting, funny and warm women in Orange County and get pampered by the pros.

Leaving my car, which was littered with Ritz cracker wrappers and still embedded with bugs from my trip to Arizona (three weeks ago **bow** Thank you very much), with the valet revealed I'm not a "Real Housewives" kind of mom. "Sorry it's so dirty, but if you want a healthy snack, need a wet wipe, or want to color, help yourself" I told the friendly valet.

You know what? Regardless of how swanky, fancy and downright stunning Pelican Hill Resort is, I never felt "out of my league" or like Elly May from The Beverly Hillbillies. Everyone at Pelican Hill was warm and welcoming. I felt comfortable and right at home sipping cucumber water next to the Zen fountain in the waiting room.

I so belong there.

****

About the treatments. I requested a massage and was ushered into my room by Glen. I chatted away until I finally admitted I have Massagolepsy--I fall asleep the moment a massage begins. He knew the condition and assured me it was just fine to take a nap. As a mom, naps are the pinnacle of self-imposed guilt, but I felt free to snooze away while Glen worked out the little stress wars going on in my body. (Thanks Glen!)

****

All the mommies jumped in their ginormous Jacuzzi after our treatments where the discussion turned to "Would you ever let anyone breast feed your kid?" and then to, of course, "What's you favorite app." Then it was off to a light lunch and more talk of technology, the flu that's going around and butternut squash. Your garden variety modern day mom-talk.

***

Here's the thing about The Spa that will make less likely to hate me and more likely to get out your calendar and make plans to go yourself: anyone can go to The Spa at Pelican Hill and use their facilities all (freakin') day long, you don't have to be a guest at the resort. There is no resort fee.

So let's say you choose the Amber Gold Signature Massage package. You pay for the package and you then stay at Pelican Hill all day: lounge in the spa's Jacuzzi or sauna, use the pool (Random: World's largest circular pool), eat lunch at The Coliseum, it's all there for you. If you need a sitter for your kids (4-12 years old), no problem, $65 gets them into Camp Pelican for the day.

So where I'm going with this? For the price of a massage and your regular babysitter you can have a day like mine at Pelican Hill...and you don't even have to clean your car out!

***

10 Tips for New Mom Bloggers

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:30:00 GMT

10 Tips for New Mom Blogging

by Suzanne Broughton

1. Decide now if you are going to post pictures of your kids. Once they are “out there” you can’t take it back. Discuss it with the kids’ father (who may or may not be your husband, I don't know) and come up with a policy where you’re both comfortable.

2. Try to have at least two links on your blog post to an outside source. For example, if you write about Disneyland, link to other stories you’ve written about the Happiest Place on Earth or to websites like MousePlanet or Babes in Disneyland.

3. Use Twitter and Facebook to get the word out about your brilliant post. More and more people are getting their information from social media, have your blog be on their daily diet.

4. Comment and be involved in the blogging community. The number one thing I get asked by new bloggers is “How do I get people to comment on my blog?” The answer is simple—get out there and comment on other blogs. This is how you introduce yourself to another blogger.

5. Keep your voice strong in your blog. A good tool is to have a blogging muse that you write to in your blog. I write each post directed to one person—my blog muse, Annie.

6. Titles for your post are important. No one likes a long, obscure title more than me, but it’s best to include searchable info in the title when possible.

7. Mix-up your topic and style of posts. Lists, stories, things to do in OC, craft projects, dinner ideas, a good, heartfelt rant, even Onion-type news stories are all good blogging fare. If you’re writing on a “mommy” subject, try a new perspective on an old, done-to-death topic as not to make the rest of us roll our eyes at another "Doesn't laundry suck" story.

8 Always use some sort of visual component in your posts. I’m a visual person and so maybe I’m a little bias on this, but nothing turns me off more than a long post with no photos. Unless you are an incredibly compelling writer (like Heidi), grab a photo from Etsy, Flickr, Google or, better yet, take your own.

9. Proof. Have an extra set of eyes take a look at your post before publishing. Or since I'm a self-proclaimed tragic speller, I have other blogger friends who get great joy are kind enough to email me my most disgraceful typos.

10. Keep in mind, there are a million mom bloggers out there (26 million is the latest estimate), but only one you. Only you can tell your story. Get out there and blog, Sister!

Suzanne Broughton started blogging in 1968 and considers herself the "mother of the mom blog," at least she has a coffee cup that says so. Forging ahead in uncharted territory, long before the personal computer, she used to blog entirely in shorthand on a yellow steno pad while sitting on her davenport watching Hee-Ha. She enjoys the music of Engelbert Humperdinck, collecting Precious Moment figurines, and making macrame owls. She's never heard of BlogHer.

VIDEO: Disney's California Food and Wine Festival

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:20:00 GMT

Disney's California Food and Wine Festival is happening now through May 31st over at California Adventure. I was there the opening day and got the scoop from Gary Maggetti, Disneyland's Director of Food and Beverage, on what you can do, eat and drink during the 40 day festival. I also spoke to Guy Fieri of The Food Network's Diners, Drive-in's and Dives about cooking with kids (more on that to come).

For more information on the festival and to see a slideshow of pictures, check out my Whrrl report...

More check-ins at Disney's California Adventure: Food & Wine Festival

*******

Teemu Selanne; what sports teach us

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 23:33:00 GMT

I know you're all broken up about it, but the hockey season is over for the Ducks so you won't be hearing more about them until September. You'll be okay. The good news is I'm working on my very own hockey blog to premiere right before everything is in full swing again, so I will have a place to post my photos, tell my stories and tout the awesomeness of my favorite sport--hockey.

I'm going to do that a little here right now...

This is Teemu Selanne and even if you don't know who he is, there's a lesson to be learned from this Finnish Olympian that even the non-hockey fan should appreciate and take to heart. Selanne is famously unselfish, known just as much for his graciousness as he is for his speed and skill on the ice. In every interview after he scored his 600th goal, a big deal in the hockey universe, he was always recognizing the value of the people around him; his teammates, his family, everyone who has helped him reach the uppermost peak of hockey greatness.

Teemu Selanne symbolizes for me the kind of person, whether in business, friendship or sport, who strives for significance and excellence and finds it because they are his focus.

His career hasn't been without its valleys. He has overcome points when it looked like he was done due to injury and slump. This season alone he broke his hand...and his jaw and still came back to finish off the year. Like anyone really worth admiring its his triumph over adversity that makes his success important (because not all success is important).

Simply put, he's the kind of athlete that is a joy to watch play because he so obviously loves what he does; enjoys the sport; values his teammates and appreciates his success. I aspire to be like him in that way, to love what I do so much it brings joy to other people.

I get grief sometimes for loving sports, especially hockey, but what some people don't see are the underpinnings of sacrifice and splendor that give the game a purpose and place in my life. Thanks Teemu for being a part of that for me.

******

Other things I've written about my Ducks:

Corey Perry fights robots, here

Why I love hockey, here.

How not to act when meeting Ryan Getzlaf, here

Unfettered and alive at Kay El Bar Dude Ranch

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:57:00 GMT

Please check out my video from Kay El Bar Ranch.

I think the video captures the mood and spirit of our trip pretty well. The cowboys really got into helping me make it, too. I tried to get them to do their most serious cowboy faces, but they were just too darn fun to keep a straight face. That's what I like most about them.

I took this photo of my daughter Emily at sunrise during a morning hike.

As we walked up the small hill she talked cheerfully about her horse Poquito, earnestly about her extra credit project she's going to write on Gila Monsters (because we saw one the day before) and then switched to the topic of when she thought she might start to drink coffee (at about 15, she guessed). She stood there for a long time. I wondered what thoughts were kicking around her eight-year old head. That morning she reminded me of that phrase from a Joni Mitchell song: I felt unfettered and alive.

I think that sums up our trip the best. It was so great to get away from suburban life and just let the kids run wild. They collected rocks, fell in a stream and practiced their newly acquired roping skills--all on their own. It was totally different than their life here, yet they seems to have been made for that ranch.

The morning we had to leave the kids cried when they said goodbye to their horses. My eyes got watery too, but that was, you know, because of all the dust and everything. It did make it a little easier that we already have our return trip planned for November.

****

For all of my photos from Kay El Bar, you can go to my Flickr page.

Ruby's Diner opens carhop in Anaheim

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:47:00 GMT

VIDEO of the new Ruby's including interviews with its founder, the Mayor of Anaheim and Ruby herself!

Ruby's Diner is an Orange County original, a native, a local. Ruby's was born in Newport and raised all over the OC. Its now grown to over 42 locations, but still has the same homespun, cheerful, casual feel that made it famous.

I attended the Grand Opening of the newest Ruby's in the renovated historic 5-Points Building in Anaheim. The kicker to this new Ruby's is--It's a carhop, complete with roller skating waitresses, trays that hang off your windows and outdoor movies.

Take a look at my video (above) or my narrated slideshow below to get a real feel for the newest Ruby's, hear my theory on single men who sit at diner counters, and to meet Ruby herself. That's right, Ruby is a real person. She is the mom of Doug Cavanaugh, Ruby's founder and CEO. So Ruby is an OC mom, just like us. No wonder we love her so much!

All in perspective

Sun, 04 Apr 2010 19:35:00 GMT

Here's my post featured in OC Family this month:

There are a few sure signs that you have entered the land of grown-ups-- paying taxes; treating your parents' to an expensive, swanky dinner; or even listening to Neil Diamond without shame. But, you know what really makes you feel like you're firmly an adult? Speaking to your kid's class about what you do for a living. So when my daughter's third grade teacher asked me to talk to her class about being a professional writer and blogger, let's just say I felt my age--in a good way.

It was 10:00 am on a Wednesday morning. I stood in front of about 50 eight- and nine-year olds in a darkened room with my blog projected behind me, and I kicked off the talk with one word: perspective.

"Who knows what the word 'perspective' means?" I asked, and a smattering of hands went up. (Point to the first kid.) "Um....," no answer. (All other kids put their hands down.) "Perspective is the way you see something," I tell them. "No one else in the world has your same perspective. It's like your own creative fingerprint, and that is what you should focus on in your blog."

I could tell by their bewildered faces they needed an example. "Let's say, Sam and Matthew—you both play a game of baseball and Sam, you lose, and Matthew, you win." At this, Sam immediately gives me the never-gonna-happen look. "Sam, your perspective when you write about the game would be different than Matthew's, right?" He nods his head yes and his Yankee's cap goes up and down. "That's your perspective. It's how you saw things go down in the game."

Think of perspective as your secret super power, I tell them. "Showing your perspective is a powerful tool in photography, videos, writing, and even in your daily life." I drive the point home by showing them my other blog, "Orange County Daily Photo," which harnesses the talents of seven photographers all sharing their perspective of our great county.

I pull up a photo of a roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm. "Here is this photographer's perspective of a roller coaster--bet you've never seen it like this before," they all laugh, nod their heads and I'm pretty sure I hear a couple of them say "awesome!"

It's starting to sink in. Perspective is a powerful tool in parenting as well. Sometimes I get wrapped up in the day-to-day fracas of being a mom--all the little battles lost or won. The endless details and logistics of running my kids' lives haze the goal and I can lose perspective of my main job as a parent: to raise responsible adults who contribute to society in a positive way.

But, it's hard to remember that when I'm locked in a heated argument with my son about the importance of wearing socks or frantically searching Michael's for a bag of green marbles or scraping dried macaroni and cheese off the kitchen chairs. All of my efforts, big and small, are all going toward the larger goal, and keeping it all in perspective is a daily endeavor.

After I wrapped up my talk and each kid assured me they wanted to start their own blog (which I strongly urge every kid over the age of seven to do), and as I was saying goodbye one of the boys said to my daughter, "Emily, you have the coolest mom EVER!" My daughter rolled her eyes and turned a nice shade of pink. "Carter," I said to him, "I like your perspective."

Photo by Gregg Gallagher

An OC Girl's Guide to Dude Ranching

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:32:00 GMT

I'm on vacation with my family to the Dude Ranch, Kay el Bar Ranch in Arizona. We went last spring as well, it's one of those Dude Ranches where you can go for a few days and live like a real cowboy girl. That is if cowgirls can soak in the jacuzzi every night, get a fresh lemonade on the trail and have room service make their beds. You know, real cowgirl stuff.

It has been pretty well covered here in this blog that I'm not a "roughing-it" type of person. But, I can do this kind of "great outdoors."

Read my post: "Say it isn't SNOW!"

If you're a girl from Orange County--like me--who doesn't have a lot of experience with horses or nature I've put together these tips to help you conquer this new frontier: An Orange County girl's guide to Dude Ranching

1.) Freshly applied lip gloss + dusty trail ride = mistake.

2.) Your horse is NOT giving you "the stink eye" or "evil eye," and does not think you are an idiot. They look at everyone that way.

3.) You can't possibly say "look at that cactus!" too many times to your trail guide. He truly appreciates you pointing them out to him. That's why he says, "Yeah, would you look at that!" with heartfelt enthusiasm.

4.) That's the dinner bell, not the fire bell. No need to panic or call ranch manager.

5.) A can of Diet Coke does not travel well in a saddle bag. If you simple MUST take it with you, I suggest you take many, many giant steps away from your horse before opening it. Unrelated: Horses don't like surprises.

6.) The "cowboy" at Boot Barn in Orange who sold you your boots was 95% right, it really doesn't matter how cute your boots are, they just need to be comfortable and keep you on the horse.

7.) If you feel the irresistible need to burst out in any of these songs-- Rhinestone Cowboy, Wide Open Spaces, On the Road Again --- go with it. Like you haven't embarrassed your family enough by talking like Dolly Parton whole trip. What's another dose of humiliation...

8.) You will not need your new age "nature escape" CD to fall asleep. You know, those really are sounds made in nature.

9.) Go ahead, pack your new Coach sandals. I'm telling you, they'll never be the same.

9.) Make sure to appreciate the quiet, slow pace of your horse, the easy, casual way of the ranch, and the awesomeness of the blooming desert. You are a lucky girl to be able to experience such beauty and spend this time with your family.

****

In full disclosure, Kay el Bar is part of the portfolio in my husband's company, Broughton Hospitality. But, even if it weren't I'd still be singing its praises...along with a Willie Nelson tune, I think.

--Photo above is by me--

Taking a hit out on my worst enemy

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:45:00 GMT

Scene one: A bar somewhere outside Orange County

It was a hot day. Too hot to be inside, still I walked into the dark barroom quickly and with great expectations. The sun filtered in through the dirt and bumper stickers on the window and the light illuminated all the dust particles in the dead bar air. I was overcome by the smell mixed equally of stale cigarettes, beer sweat and tinkle.

I let my eyes adjust and scanned the room looking eagerly for the face for someone I've never seen before. Someone I knew only as 'Gene.' As soon as I laid my eyes on the slumped, Micky Rouke circa 9 1/2 weeks throwback man leaning motionless against the bar, I knew he was the one I was there to see.

I sidled up to the seat next to him, and after taking a Wet Wipe to the ripped red vinyl cushion, I sat down and order a wine cooler. The bartender looked at me with a perplexed face and then I clarified, "Oh, sorry, a STRAWBERRY / LIME wine cooler." He then walked away shaking his head and went through the curtains into the back room, never to be seen again.

"You Gene?" I asked as I checked my iPhone for a text from my girlfriend confirming she picked up my kids. "Yeah, you Lizzy?" he said into his drink. (Good, she picked them up on time. What? "No, no Icee!" I furiously typed, "Just bring them to your house like I said." Sheesh!) "Yes, I'm Suz....LIZZY, I'm Lizzy," I confirmed, nodding like a bobblehead with a big, geeky smile.

"So, who do you want me to whack?" he said, again into his drink.

"What? You need to sit up and look at me when you talk. No one is going to respect you if you mumble," I corrected him.

He did exactly what I said and then he asked again, "You know, who do you want to dispose of?"

"Well," I said, looking around for the bartender, "It's not exactly a 'Who' as it is a 'What.'"

**Journey's "Open Arms" comes on the juke box and for a minute were both lost in the sadness and hope of it.

"Listen Lady, I don't have time for your little word games," Gene was getting agitated with me.

**Cheerful Shrug**

"Like I said, It's not a 'Who' I want rid of... I will pay you handsomely to make my...my laundry disappear. I want it gone. I don't ever want to see it again and I don't care how you do it. Just make it clean and make sure it never comes back," I blurted out in double-time. It felt so good to finally come out and say it out loud.

Then Gene did that little laugh men do when they think you're crazy, when they want to discount a perfectly reasonable request. My brothers did that to me growing up...and my husband did it last week when I said I thought he needed to use conditioner on his hair, **that laugh** "Conditioner, yeah, okay..."

I snapped and in a quiet scream, through my perfectly glossed motionless lips I tell him, "Listen Chuckles, first of all women hate it when guys do that laugh and I can see by the absences of a wedding ring you have had no luck in that arena so cut out the condescending attitude. Second of all, I'm willing to pay handsomely with the money I earned from selling knitted latte cozies on Etsy. So that's it! I'm taking a hit out on my laundry."

I was really on a roll now...

"Obviously," I continued, " You don't know what it's like to hate something so much that you're willing to risk it all--the house, the Escalade, the double oven and the holiday newsletter---in order to see it killed."

No stopping me now...

"Obviously, from the smell of you, you haven't done laundry in a very long time... Obviously, you don't know what it's like to finish a task only to see it waiting for you the next day, double the size and then the next and the next...Like some crazed, evil Frankenstein. A monster that I've created, but now just lives to mock and torture me. Well, that is what I want to die, so if you aren't man enough for the task just say the word and I'll take my cash somewhere else."

At this point I realize I'm practically sitting on poor Chuckles's lap. He had, not so much a scared look on his face, but more a look that comes from nagging someone into obedience. I was in my comfort zone. I backed off, sat back down and dug through my purse for the cash.

"Here," I said as I threw it down in front of him. "There's an extra grand in it for you if you take care of 'making dinner,' too." I then turned on my sensible heels and marched out to my Escalade and started the trip back into Orange County--smiling the whole way.

****

I read this piece at The Chase Theatre in Anaheim for BlogUP. Here is a compilation video made by Marcy Massura of all the performers.

Time to check out the wildflowers in Anza-Borrego!

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:55:00 GMT

It's that time of year already! Time to pack up the family and head out to Anza-Borrego Desert to see the wildflowers. I first read about them here--in this blog--and immediately had visions of my family running through open fields of wildflowers, like some soft-filtered '70s laundry detergent commercial.

(Photos by moi from our trip last year.)

Well, the desert doesn't really have 'fields,' more like wide open space with lots of sand and flowers popping through it. But, there is something about the blooming desert that, without sounding overly sentimental, makes you feel happy to be alive. You simply MUST take your family at least once on this day trip out of Orange County.

Here is a video from our trip last year. We went a little late and just caught the end of the season. Check out this handy-dandy guide to the wildflowers that's updated frequently. It will give you a good idea of when to go and where to find the best flowers.

You'll catch on pretty quick that the Broughtons don't "do nature" all too often.

*****

Spring is here in Orange County as well! Here's a photo of mine taken a few weeks ago in Brea. I love the springtime!

For more of my photography, head over to my Flickr page.

Learning to try

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:13:00 GMT

I'll be reading this post tonight at the small theatre in Anaheim Hills for BlogUP. There's still room if you want to come to the show.

About fifteen minutes before this breathtaking sunset, I stood next to three people at the bottom of a small hill in Laguna Beach. It was an older couple--same age as my parents, about sixty-five--and their adult daughter. The daughter was explaining to them how far the walk would be to get to the beach. "Just up this little hill and to the right," she urged them. "There are benches up there where you can relax and watch the sunset," she suggested as she polished the lens of her camera with her sweatshirt.

The older woman clutched her cardigan sweater at the neck and looked toward the beach through squinting eyes. She was thinking about the walk--weighing the effort made to the reward. The man didn't look up at all and he quickly said, "I think we should go wait in the car." The older woman looked down at the ground and nodded in agreement.

"Just up this small hill. It's not even a hill really," said the daughter, pointing toward it again in an attempt to get her dad to look at it. "No, just give us the keys and we'll wait in the car--you go," he said, as he helped his wife put her arms through the sleeves of her sweater.

The daughter, who seemed accustomed to this decision, dug around in her purse and handed him her car keys. She didn't say anything to them after that, just turned quickly toward the darkening horizon and started up the hill with a gait full of reproach. I watched the couple walk slowly toward the parking lot. It was an effort for them to walk, even at a slow pace. Yes, it was an effort.

As they walked they didn't say a word to each other. He opened up the door to the mini van and helped his wife in the back seat. Then he settled into the passenger side and there they sat until the sky was completely dark and their daughter returned. I told my husband the story later in the car home.

I wondered how many times in their life they decided not to try--not even make an attempt up the small hill. Is that why they were so frail at such a young age? I don't know them, maybe some medical tragedy has come on them both. But, I got the feeling as I stood there observing the scene--their unwillingness to even consider walking, their daughter's quick surrender, their solemn cloud--that theirs was a lifetime of deciding to sit in the car.

While my husband and I talked about the couple in the car on the way home, he broke away and said to the kids in the back seat who weren't paying a lick of attention to our conversation, "You know how Mommy and Daddy are always making you guys try something new? That's really important." Our daughter nodded while she continued coloring and our son stopped playing with the shells in his hands, looked up and said, "Are we going to do something new right now?"

*****

I'll also be reading a re-vamped version of

"50 Random Things About Me."

CHOC Night at The Honda Center

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:37:00 GMT

Check out my video from CHOC night at The Honda Center!

Choc night at the Ducks game from Suzanne Broughton on Vimeo.

Do you remember those Reese's commercials from the '70s? "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter! You got your peanut butter in my chocolate!" Then everyone at the end of the commercial was happy that the unlikely pair come together? Well, that's kind of what CHOC night at the Anaheim Ducks game is like.

The Anaheim Ducks hockey organization and fans come together to support one of Orange County's most precious resources: Children's Hospital of Orange County. For the last four years these two mix together for a sweet charity event, one night in the regular hockey season.

When this year's CHOC night was over, almost $50,000 was raised by selling CHOCO Bears and through text donations. The evening also provided an opportunity for CHOC patients and their families to have some fun by riding the Zamboni, participating in the national anthem on the ice and also meeting some of the Ducks players.

(Teemu Selanne, Jason Blake, Casey Strale and Saku Koivu)

Casey Strale is a CHOC patients who is being treated for a rare form of cancer. He was invited into the Ducks locker room to meet some of the players and walked away with two signed sticks. The moment was made even more touching given two of the players, Saku Koivu and Jason Blake, are both cancer survivors themselves.

I keep telling you, hockey players are the best. If you would have seen how thoughtful they were to Casey, his friends, and his family, you would no doubt have to agree with me.

You can still get in on the CHOC Night action by donating $5 by texting CHOC at 9099 or there are still some of those adorable CHOCO Bears available at www.choc.org. Just like those commercials, CHOC Hospital and the Anaheim Ducks two great tastes organizations that are great together!

****

Marcy's kids got to ride the Zamboni and participate in some other awesome events at CHOC night. Here is her post all about it!

Well, I think I'm puck'd!

Breaking News: Irvine Mom Survives Day Alone

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:09:00 GMT

**fabricated news story**

Irvine, Ca. Suzanne Broughton, mother of two, survived a day alone in her Irvine home without her family. "I'm not going to lie, I was pretty confused and scared at first when I realized there wasn't anyone in the house," said Broughton in a phone interview. "I kept hearing this weird noise that was freaking me out, but then I realized, it was just silence."

"A mom who suddenly finds herself home alone can get disoriented easily," said Dr. Warren Turkle, an Orange County doctor who specializes in modern parenting issues like Chuckephobia (fear of going to Chuck-e-Cheese) and OCTEID (the need for a mom to compulsively talk in lengthy detail about their child's reoccurring ear infections).

"It's best if a mom can wean herself slowly from the raucous atmosphere she is used to by replicating the noise with Sponge Bob on in the background or giving the cat the dog's bone in order to emulate sibling bickering." These are just a few tips in his book, "The Pottery Barn Kids Catalog Mystique: Parenting is about more than heirloom quality quilts and color coordinated storage baskets. "Moms simply need to affirm themselves by saying things like 'I used to be an attorney, I'm certainly capable of spending the afternoon by myself.'"

In a press conference yesterday, Suzanne's husband, Larry Broughton, who was initially regarded as a sort of "local hero" by Suzanne's friends after offering to take the kids for the day, was on the defensive as accusations of insensitivity started to circulate,"Listen, Suzanne was mostly able to function before she had kids and I had every confidence she would be just fine by herself for one day," Mr. Broughton said to a smattering of reporters who had gathered outside his home. "I even thought she might be able to get some stuff done around the house while I was gone." At that, an audible gasp was heard from the female journalists in the crowd.

Though local officials didn't return our calls for a comment on the legality of leaving a mom home alone for an entire day, there was a statement from the guard at the Broughtons' community gate. "I don't know. I don't think I like it," said Kerby Williams as he wrote down the license plate of an AT&T truck. "What next? Walking alone through the community or worse, OUT of the community? I just don't like it," shaking his head as he turned away an unauthorized school bus full of children.

When asked how she filled the time when she was alone, Mrs. Broughton admitted she had lots of plans--like sorting the orphan sock basket, getting the family's taxes together, organizing her photos on iPhoto--but, she said with a spark of energy, she ended up taking a nap, looking-up old friends on Facebook, and then watching 10 shows that had accumulated the last two years on her DVR. "It was one of the best days of my life," she said, obviously emotional when thinking back on the day.

***

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Sherman Brothers' Disneyland window dedication

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:39:00 GMT

Next time you're walking down Disneyland's Main Street, instead of focusing on the castle in front of you or the art, t-shirts and gifts that fill shops, look up at the names on the second and third story windows. There is a real person represented behind each one. A real Disney legend. Having a Main Street window dedicated to you is Disney's highest honor.

See list of names of honorees and what they did for the Magic Kingdom, here.

Last week two men, brothers, were given their own window on Main Street and in Disneyland-style, there was a whole lot of hoopla that accompanied it. The Sherman brothers, Robert and Richard, are responsible for a whole pant-load of your childhood memories. Though you've probably never heard of them, their music has been the soundtrack to much of your childhood, and now your kids' childhood.

Honestly, I didn't know who they were when I was invited to the dedication of the "New Sounds for a New Century" window (right next to 20th Century Music Shop). So the brilliance and magnitude of their contribution to Disneyland, and our lives, unfolded as the fanfare danced, sang and waved in front of me.

The Sherman Brothers were simply referred to as "The Boys" back in the days when Walt Disney was making films like Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Aristocats; and creating Disneyland rides like "it's a small world" and "The Tiki Room." Why? Because "The Boys" were the "go to guys" for Walt when he needed the perfect song, and they delivered--they wrote the songs for all these and more. Over 150 songs for Disney in total and winning two Academy Awards for songs from Mary Poppins.

In fact, The Sherman Brothers wrote more motion picture scores than any other musical team in history, like ever! Plus the scores to some of your favorite rides. Let me run some by you now: "it's a small world," "Chim Chim Cher-ee," "Winnie the Pooh," "The Wonderful Thing About Tigger," "The Tiki Room (theme)," "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow,""Bear Necessities," "I Want to Be Like you," "Spoonful of Sugar," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious," Whew! All these songs (and more), from two men.

Tom Schumacher, Head of Disney Theatrical said during the ceremony, "They are part of our family...our collective family, but also our personal family. If you were born in the last half of the 20th Century, you were raised by The Sherman Brothers." Looking at the list of songs, there's no question that is true.

One of the brothers, Richard Sherman, was at Disneyland for the window dedication. The other, Robert, was in London working on the stage adaptation of Mary Poppins. The mood on that unseasonably hot March morning was happy, optimistic and clever: just like a Sherman Brothers' song. Every now and then a big gust of wind would toss up the confetti and sounds of the music, again adding whimsy, just like their music.

As Disney Big Cheese, followed by Disney Head Honcho, followed by Disney Suit-type got up to speak about The Sherman Brothers, it became wonderfully clear that these men are truly Disney legends. They deserve not only a window on Main Street, but also our heartfelt thanks for sharing their gift of song with us.

(The lettering on the door reads simply,

"Two Brothers Tunemakers, Will write your tune for a song." )

After Richard Sherman said his "thank you's" and told his Walt Disney stories ("No one loved the park more than Walt.") he concluded with a reference from the movie Mary Poppins, when George Banks is reflecting on his life he says this, "A man has dreams of walking with giants to carve his niche in the edifice of time." Richard said, "I think Bob (Robert his brother) and I have now carved our niche." Well, yes, I think that is safe to say.

****

Other Disney News:

Disney's promotion for 2010 Give a Day. Get a Disney Day (see my video here), has been a huge success! It has already reached 1,000,000 volunteers! So if you haven't signed up for it yet, you've missed your chance to get a free day at Disneyland this year. But, on the bright side 1 million people have volunteered! See, there's always a bright side.

The first ever OC BlogUP! from page to stage

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:06:00 GMT

Getting a group of OC Bloggers together once a month is a grueling task. I mean, the trying new Orange County restaurants and the chatting with interesting people--someone has to do it I suppose, and Marcy and I are glad to make the sacrifice.

The last BlogCrush meet-up was held at Cha Cha's in Brea a few weeks ago. BlogCrush is a networking group she and I started a few years back for OC Bloggers. This last one was a small affair due to the rain and the time, but I love that each event is different. Some are big, raucous parties (like last year's Blogger's Ball put on by Marcy, see the video) with lots of bloggers and some are small and intimate.

Thank you to Cha Cha's for hosting us and, thanks too for creating the world's best adult slushie machine that pours out the most amazing Mojitos I've ever tasted. Not a day has passed since having one (or two) that I haven't thought (or three) about their tasty, frozen goodness. Well done Cha Cha's.

*******

Speaking of events put on by Marcy, the next BlogCrush is actually going to be a show--made up entirely of OC Bloggers. Marcy had this dream, to bring BlogCrushers together for one evening to read their favorite blog posts on stage. They don't call her Ms. 110% for nothin'. She has rented a theatre and is hosting the first EVER BlogUP! OC Bloggers' Show.

Please click here for all the details and if you want to come, but you're not willing to get up in front of 50 or so people to read, just want to take in a night of bloggish entertainment, please let me know and I'll add you to the list. It's free, but there is a donation request at the door. So come if you can and support the local blog community.

I can't decide what I'm going to be reading, but I've narrowed it down to these three posts:

1. "Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking," about the girl at Costco that didn't know Maple Syrup came from a tree.

2. "A friend you can't see is a friend indeed," about my son's invisible friend So-So.

3. "The Earthquake Cake," about my lame attempt at making a birthday cake for my husband.

I'm sure I'll wait to the last possible minute to decide.

Holding back feels like a move forward

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:14:00 GMT

We've decided to have our son Ben repeat Kindergarten.

I knew it was coming. I spend time in the class and I can see he's just a little bit...not behind...a little bit... younger than the other boys. He's a good boy. He's a rule follower. He's a people pleaser. At the parent / teacher conference when his teacher told us why she was recommending it, the one word that kept coming up was "confidence."

That word spun around in my head for days. I started to use it as a bouncing board against everything he did. That's what he needed! He needed to strengthen his confidence. For a boy, I think confidence is especially crucial. It's a building block we wanted him to have moving forward into manhood.

So in a twist that only parenthood can deliver--holding him back is like a move forward.

When I thought about it and started asking around I never heard a parent say, "I wish I wouldN'T have held my son back." I never heard that. What I did hear a lot was, "I wish I WOULD have listen to the Kindergarten teacher and had him repeat a year." We don't see any downside in having him repeat his year.

He just had his birthday and turned six-years-old, and at his party I got a little sad thinking these friends won't be in the same class with him next year. But then I remembered he didn't know most of those boys before he started school, and, let's face it, all boys need to make a friendship is the willingness to use "bathroom words" freely, a mutual love of LEGOS and the ability to take a good, hard punch in the arm without tattling.

I think it's downright silly that there is this cloud of shame that surrounds the decision to have your kid repeat a year. Parents shouldn't ever be ashamed of doing what's best for their kids. I see moms whispering the news to other moms in the registration line and you can tell they are embarrassed. They shouldn't be!

Recently when one mom told me in a hushed voice she was thinking of following our suit and holding her son back, I let out a big, "good for you!" accompanied by a hug because a.) I'm a hugger, b.) I'm a believer in the big exaggerated gesture of support to other moms and, c.) I really like the mom and I'm happy to spend another year goofing off on field trips with her.

While I was out to lunch with some of my girlfriends the other day I told them about our decision and I got a big high five across the table from one of my friends. "You are doing the right thing," she said, having learned the hard way with her now college-aged son. My other girlfriend, who's an eighth grade teacher said, "I see it all the time with boys in my grade. I see how an extra year could have helped him."

I feel relieved having the decision behind us. My son already knows he will "do Kindergarten two times" and seems perfectly happy with the idea. Frankly, I think he's a little relieved, too.

A curious pear

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:26:00 GMT

The new issue of OC Family is out on the stands now!

Here's my column for March.

(Larry, me and Madison for our engagement photo. 1997.)

I always wonder how other couples’ relationships work--what they talk about, if they brush their teeth side-by-side in the mirror every morning, how they decide on big-ticket items. It's the little things couples do in public that make me stare and stand too close, trying to eavesdrop on their conversations.

Like at Trader Joe's the other day, a couple was standing in front of the boxed fruit. The man was holding a box of Asian Pears and the woman was diligently trying to pry the perfectly square plastic box open (despite the galvanized tape) in order to...touch them, I guess. Calmly, the man used his long (freakishly, btw) index finger to lift the side so she could...yes, yes, she wanted to touch them and when she did, she immediately shook her head and waved them away.

He picked up another box and they began another hushed and passionate conversation about--Asian Pears. I tried to hear what they were saying, pretending I cared deeply about the Clementines sitting next to the pears. But they were enormously secretive and careful not to let the rest of us know what was so flippin' interesting about--Asian Pears.

Naturally, this made me think about my husband Larry and me. I can't even imagine having a conversation that long about pears. I remember once having a pretty lengthy conversation about how much we loved cheese, but it was more because we were hungry. We started asking each other outrageous questions like, “If you could make a deal that you never could eat cheese again, but you would then be able to fly, would you?” Seriously, who would make that deal? Like, nobody, but that's the kind of thing Larry and I talk about.

So you can understand my fascination with this couple at Trader Joe's. Larry and I had lots of conversations about them. Asian Pears just seems like a very particular and much more sophisticated thing to talk about than cheese. I mean, we would have flown by those pears at breakneck speed and thrown them in our cart (period). No discussion.

It made me wonder if we’re missing out on something. Don't things like this make you speculate about how different other people’s lives are? Are they happier? Their kids more intelligent? I see couples on weekend mornings who’ve obviously been out with their baby joggers, sipping their lattes, the Times in hand, and I think, "Huh, are we the only ones who wave our children away on weekend mornings, muttering from under our pillows about cartoons and directing them to the special 'Saturday' cereal?"

I guess it comes down to perspective--appreciating who I am and what I value. Being able to say to myself, "We're a couple who sleeps in and gives our children sugary cereal on Saturdays." And, I suppose, accepting that Larry and I are the type of couple that talks about the couple who talks about the Asian Pears…and being okay with that. Which I most certainly am.

***

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What's really at the end of the rainbow?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:18:00 GMT

Just as my kids suspected...

At the end of the rainbow you'll find a Happy Meal, soda, and McDonald's fries.

If you look closely, you can see it's a double rainbow and, just as I suspected, that rainbow ends at The Bellagio Spa.

Sounds about right.

*****

You can be my friend on Facebook. Really. I would like that.

Lazy Dog Cafe: Raising the woof in Irvine

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:40:00 GMT

Have you been to The Lazy Dog Cafe yet?

With its sixth location opening tonight in Irvine at The Marketplace, its quickly becoming an Orange County favorite. My family would drive all the way to the Lazy Dog in Orange (That's where this happened) just to chill in their casual dinning room and enjoy their casual, creative fare, and now my kids are excited to have one right in our neighborhood.

I attended the pre-opening party on Tuesday night and, with the help of Priscilla, made this video. If you're hungry, you might want to wait until after lunch to watch it-- obligatory delicious food shots and long, detailed descriptions of entrees abound.

I interviewed Executive Chef, Gabriel Caliendo, and tried to get him to go all "Kitchen Nightmare" on the cheerful staff, but no dice, he's too nice of a guy. He does go through some of the dishes with me and helps this non-foodie understand what it is that is going out to the eager guests.

***The Details***

The Lazy Dog Cafe opens tonight at 5:00 pm.

Their kids' meals "For The Little Dogs" is a flat $4.95 and includes a drink and build-your-own sundae (8-years-old and younger). They also offer a meal "For The Big Dogs" which will run you between $5-$8.

Heated patio seating is available, and yes, you can bring your pooch.

Their motto: Sit. Stay. Eat.

The important stuff: 21 beers on tap and a load of specialty cocktails including a ginormous, fishbowl Long Island Iced Tea called "Boston Tea Party." For Happy Hour details, go here.

So good, even cat lovers will love it.

Check out my Whrrl story.

"Oh, the places you'll go!"

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:29:00 GMT

Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday. His books are the ones we read over and over to our kids. His books are the ones I want to keep in their keepsake boxes. He is my favorite children's author.

"Oh, The Places You'll Go" is my all-time favorite Seuss books. The messages in this book are not just for kids, but motivating and downright inspirational for adults, too.

I took this photo on a deserted highway in Arizona with this verse from Dr. Seuss in mind (because I'm a mind-maker-upper).

*****

Check out John Lithgow narrating "Oh, The Places You'll Go."

Oh, please listen if you've never read the book.

Happy Birthday to my son, the tough guy

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:08:00 GMT

My son Ben turns six-yeas-old today. Raising a boy has been so much more fun than I ever expected it to be. I love this age because boys are still cuddly and sweet, but, at the same time, trying to figure out what it means to be a man--to be tough.

He spends hours with his army men, just like my brothers did. All the fancy schmancy toys and gadgets out there, but the old standards like Legos, army men and sometimes just some string and tape are his favorites.

This was the scene last night after his bath...

At least he was nice and clean for his birthday.

*****

Here are a few of my favorite stories about Ben over the years:

What nicknames do you have for your son?

Is there anything cooler than a four-year-old boy?

Rhetorical questions I ask my four-year-old everyday.

George, my dog, no likey the rain

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:23:00 GMT

For some "Rain" isn't news, but in Southern California rain is a screaming headline, a reason for breaking news tickers running at the bottom of the T.V. screen. "Rain" is covered with the same intensity as a natural disaster and for my dogs--George in particular--it IS a disaster. You would think I asked him to cuddle with a cat the way he looked at me when I asked him (very politely) to go outside and do his business in the rain.

First with the attitude.

Then once I got him out there, there was the overly dramatic and reproachful shaking.

After several attempts at running for the door, came the waiting it out. Both of us standing out in the rain to see whose more stubborn. Who could out stare the other. Who could stand in the rain the longest.

"George is getting upset."

Finally, probably due to my years living in San Francisco, and my umbrella, I won out and he finally gave in.

He then high-tailed-it back to the door.

*****

Captain EO returns to Disneyland!

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:21:00 GMT

After being away from Disneyland for 13 years, Captain EO returned yesterday to the Magic Eye Theatre in Tomorrowland and the fans turned out in droves to be among the first to see the spruced-up version of the 1986 original film.

I was lucky enough to be asked to attend the first official screening of the "4-D" musical space adventure staring the late Michael Jackson. You can watch my video of the day below, which includes interviews with original cast members and creators.

Although I wasn't allowed to film any of the actual Captain EO movie, I will tell you, it was just as much fun as I remember and the '80s vibe was pulsing throughout; with mullets, shoulder-padded spacesuits, and lots of glitter. It was, like, totally awesome!

If you must see more, here's my Whrrl Report from the day as well.

****

Sex doesn't sell at Target. Here's why.

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:03:00 GMT

You can tell a lot about a trend or product by checking out the clearance aisle of Target. You can see that a certain type of battery-powered toy dog that barked constantly wasn't a big seller or coconut lip gloss or even oatmeal in a cup. I like to stalk the "loser" section because sometimes I can grab a bargain and, you know, I feel sort of sorry for some of the items.

Sometimes, a jaunt down the markdown row is just plain funny. It's snicker-to- yourself, pull- out- your- iPhone-and-take-pictures amusing. This week I thought it was interesting to see what remnants were leftover from Target's Valentine's Day fare.

It was clear, checking out the markdowns, that sex didn't sell very well this Valentine's Day at Target. I don't mean romantic things; like hearts filled with candy, cute cards with cunning innuendoes or stuffed bears in sweaters. I mean like, sex stuff...sexy stuff.

There was a plethora of these chocolate body stencil kits left over--two whole shelves that greeted you as you entered the section. Even with the cute love birds and sweet packaging it still musters-up images you'd rather not think about as your kids tug at your shirt and whine for a box of Goldfish or that they had to go to the bathroom.

Then there were a ton this Ed Hardy candy and popcorn, which isn't really sexy, but more just kinda wrong and just done-to-death. I simply enjoyed seeing them stacked one on top of the other with little red tags on the side, so I thought I would share.

They probably thought these bags of ONLY GREEN M&M's **wink** wink** were going to fly off the shelves, but you could have your pick of any one of the 50 or so bags left over. The "New color of LOVE" just didn't catch on I guess.

Then, there was the "sexy" stuff. Now, I buy almost all of my...(Ahem) undergarments...from Target, but garder belts and black lace, in my opinion, should be left the professionals...and by professional I mean Victoria's Secret.

Now before you all think I'm a.) being a snob or b.) being a prude, let me tell you why I think they didn't sell and why I wouldn't buy them--at Target.

The first and most obvious reason is the checkout situation at Target. I would just feel downright embarrassed to have the 18-year-old boy who dutifully scans my Sponge Bob toothpaste and Ziplock bags to come across some of these babies. It's almost not fair to the poor kid and not to mention my kids, who are almost always with me when I'm at Target, would be mortified.

And what about that? Having your milk, Excedrin, and Bic pens mingling around in the same basket as your lacy panties. Just seems all sorts of crazy to me. Especially now since my Target is going to start to carry fresh foods, which I'm altogether excited about, but solidifies my other point, and here it is: Do we really have to buy EVERYTHING we need in one place?

Aren't there somethings that deserve to be wrapped in scented tissue paper and handed to you in a little pink bag? I mean, after I took these pictures I priced the same sorts of items around (Note to Husband: that's the story behind my Google search history from today) and found they weren't that much more expensive--when on sale-- at the more traditionally "romantic" places. The kind of places with lower lighting, sales girls with measuring tapes flung around their necks, and classical music playing in the background.

The first time I saw these kind of adult-type things at Target I thought it was just me, but after seeing them with "Marked Down 50%" signs in front of them, I think others might feel the same way.

Another thing that didn't seem to sell this Valentine's Day: Cynicism. Which I think is sort of comforting in a way.

****

Oh, but I do love Target. Especially the PJ's, which I have a well-documented addiction to. Check out my post: Taking aim at my Target Spending.

The Olympics and me

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:09:00 GMT

If there is one thing the Olympics has taught me, it's not the obvious, "reach for my dreams" or "I can defy the odds," or not even the words to the song "Simply the Best," it's taught me that I am inexcusably self-involved.

The Olympics aren't about ME. I know that.

They're about athletes achieving the highest level in their sport. They're about countries coming together to participate in an event that has spanned thousands of years. Thousands, I say! Hercules himself would be astounded at the spectacle of athletic mastery of the modern games.

So why do the Olympics just make me think about me?

When I watch the athletes' precision, grace and strength, I think, "Where do I fit in here? Why am I so staggeringly common?" Though I have to admit, the years of unrelenting practice, my aversion to competition, and a need to always be warm and dry immediately exclude me for any real attempt at greatness at the Winter Olympics. Still I wonder, if they had an Olympics for the average achiever, would I shine then?

Now there's a competition that doesn't make me want to fake an ankle sprain! I can picture it now, Bob Costas would interview me and ask me about my superior Kraft Macaroni and Cheese making ability. "You have an innate ability to mix just the right amount of milk and butter, how did you hone that skill?" He'd inquire as the fireplace crackled behind us. "Well Bob," I'd answer after a thoughtful moment of reflection, "You see, I was a latchkey child in the '70s and..."

Another question that haunts me when I watch the Olympics is this: What if the one thing in life I could do perfectly, my genius, was in sticking my landing in a vertical jump, but I never find that out because I haven't ever picked up a pair of skis in my life? The idea that I might have missed my calling pops up in almost every category of competition.

Watching the Olympics can be--if you like to torment yourself in these ways--the ultimate ghost-of-Christmas-past experience. "You should have listened to your seventh-grade P.E. teacher and played even though you had 'killer cramps'," the ghost shakes her head while we watch an old Super 8-scene of me hunched down on the sidelines of the handball court.

What if I have missed my opportunity of grandeur by not committing my life to be an Olympian? You hear the commentators all the time talk about how this or that athlete's body is perfectly proportioned for their sport. So, what is my body perfectly build for? I know it's not J.Crew swimming suits. I know it's not walking all day at Disneyland in flip flops. So what then?

The unanswerable questions just pile one on top of the other while "The Self-Involved" watches the Olympics.

I will say, there are the moments of pure brilliance and glory, when tears fill my eyes as the announcer is able to put into words the magnificence of the moment. When the broadcaster is able to capture the experience in a perfectly placed phrase and I think... "Drat! I shouldn't have dropped out of broadcasting school."

I'm doing it again, aren't I?

*****

Me aside, it has been amazing watching Olympic Hockey.

Jonas Hiller was magnificent last night. Read:

"Hiller Stellar. Canada wins in shoot out." from the OC Register.

Video: The Harlem Globetrotters and Big Easy

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:10:00 GMT

When I was about 10-years-old, my family went to see the Harlem Globetrotters at The Forum in Los Angeles. It was The Meadow Lark Lemon heydays of The Trotters and I remember my folks buying me a poster of him that hung in my room until it was finally replaced by U2, Duran Duran, and Adam Ant posters.

Remember the Globetrotters even had their own cartoon in the '70s? I thought they were hilarious and I remember loving how they played jokes on the audience and those silly Generals.

So, needless to say I was downright excited to take my kids to see them at the Honda Center for the first time this last Saturday. Then on top of that, I got to interview Big Easy, who is sorta like the Lemon of today. He was gracious and friendly...and irresistibly huggable--You'll see.

(Sorry about the sound, this was filmed on my Flip at a distance as the crew from another project I'm working on was filming the same interview.)

Here's my Whrrl about the day as well. Click anywhere on the story below to see it.

*******

You might remember, The Trotters are one of five males who have my permission to wear tank tops. Check out the full list here. All other men should steer clear of the dreaded tank.

Epic couples I've loved through my lifetime

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:33:00 GMT

For Valentine's Day, some epic couples I've loved through my lifetime...

Starting with Pepe Le Pew and the cat he thinks is a skunk:

Bob Newhart and his wife, Emily

The real/illustrated/real/illustrated...real couple from the

Ah Ha video "Take Me On:"

Lloyd and Diane from the movie "Say Anything:"

Larry and Suzanne:

***

Just a reminder to my husband that I would like one of these for Valentine's Day, and he can skip the flowers, chocolates and other assorted hoopla. A nice card, cozying up to watch a hockey game and a caramel apple are what I'm looking forward to this V-day.

(Photo by moi)

First Flight not Jonas Bros at Honda Center

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:41:00 GMT

Joe Jonas didn't lace up and take the ice today at the Honda Center, but from the way those 15,000 kids screamed for two hours straight, you would have thought he was there with his siblings driving them half-mad. Susan Belknap, OC Family's Editor, and I spent the morning at The Anaheim Ducks First Flight Field Trip for Orange County students.

Check out my Whrrl to find out what it's all about. Maybe your kids have gone or will go when they're around the 4th grade. If they were there today, I have a question for you, "Were they hoarse when you picked them up?" My ears are still ringing...

*** More Ducks stuff from me***

Corey Perry fights robots

How not to act when meeting Ryan Getzlaf

Why I love hockey

My top five romantic comedies

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:52:00 GMT

My top five romantic comedies:

(Click the links to watch scenes from each.)

I guess I consider myself a romantic comedy connoisseur. Maybe even an expert...possibly an aficionado, for sure a snob. More than just casual 'date night' entertainment, I expect a lot from my romantic comedies.

The best test of a good romantic comedy is if the next day you still feel a residual warm, golden, syrupy sweetness in your heart that you can't quite pinpoint. It makes you want to throw your arms around your husband and laugh at his silly ways when he forgets to run the dishwasher, again.

A great one should make you not feel alone in your bedroom watching a movie on Lifetime at 1 a.m but instead that your heartbreak is part of some super corny, yet noble global sorority. A great on should leave you happy, hopeful and quoting memorable lines for years to come.

*****

How much does Dove soap rock?

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:10:00 GMT

Dove soap has been a constant in my life. My family growing up only used Dove; when I went away to college my mom would send it to me and my brother in San Francisco (making everything in the care package smell like it just took a shower) ; when I had my babies we bathed them in the sink using only Dove; and now, it's one of the only things I can buy at Costco with full assurance it will all get used.

Over the years, Dove has become even more of a hero for me with their "Campaign for Real Beauty,"The Dove Self-Esteem Fund," and of course, we've all seen those Dove Evolution commercials that got people talking about perceptions of beauty in advertising.

Oh and their their Pro-Age commercials is awesome, too.

I just watched their new "The Journey to Comfort" commercial for their Dove Men + Care line of products and I loved it too! I don't know if I can talk Larry into using his own line of "beauty products" (must think of better way to position it), but the way Dove has given back to us and championed women's self-esteem issues, makes me want to give it a shot. Plus this is just genius.

Makes you want to go out and HUG the man in your life, doesn't it? (Favorite parts: Go out with your friends, before you know it you'll have three. So funny.)

*******

Download their free True You! Mother/Daughter Self Esteem Guide here.

The new issue of OC Family features OC Mom Bloggers

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:06:00 GMT

I aspire to be the person my mom thinks I am. I try. When I see myself through my mom's eyes I look a little more successful, a little braver, and I'm definitely a better cook. She is my biggest cheerleader. I couldn't wait to show her the new cover of OC Family. I knew she and my dad were going to make a big deal about it and I'll admit it, I really wanted them to; still loving the approving vibe of my parents, even at 42-years-old. It makes me happy.

There's my mom. In the middle of Soup Plantation smiling with the cover. My dad had to approve the photo and I took about 5 until it showed her "beautiful eyes." He finally okayed this one.

I'd like to thank OC Family and Churm Media for believing not only in me, but in all of the bloggers here on the OC Family Web site. Your support and trust in us will serve to feed the creative fires and empower moms all over Orange County.

I'm enormously proud of the story OC Family ran about mom bloggers. Pick one up (or read it here), it features some of my favorite OC bloggers: Marcy, Aracely, Tina, Debbie, Beckey, and Kara-Noel. Check out the photo of Marcy on the first page. I begged her to let me take it, "Someday you're going to need some photos of yourself," I told her. She rolled her eyes and plopped herself down. I love it because it is so "her" and it was taken in one of our favorite places: Old Towne Orange. You should make a mental note now, if you ever go to lunch with me: Primp. I'm bringing my camera.

Check out my Whrrl from the day of the photo shoot. Tracie Spence, the photographer , is adorable, friendly, and just brilliant. You can check out her other photos on her website here.

***

You can start your own blog, upload photos and videos and connect with other moms right here at OC Family. Click here for our OC Moms Network.

Anastasia Cafe in Laguna Beach

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 21:21:00 GMT

I spent this soggy morning with two friends having a very belated--my birthday is in December--birthday breakfast. My friend Eve took Jill and I out to Anastasia Cafe in Laguna Beach. I love venturing out in inclement weather, only the bravest and most hungry people were out and about in Laguna.

Check out my Whrrl story about our day...

Anyone else have any favorite rainy day spots in OC. Looks like we might be needing some ideas. Macry and Aracely both took us to Disneyland on a rainy day, maybe I'll try that this week.

Tweet-up at The Honda Center

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:05:00 GMT

There is almost nothing that gives me more joy than to introduce new folks to Ducks Hockey.

(Adam, Brad and Me at the game.)

***

On Wednesday night a group of about 20-25 Ducks fans met John T. Meyer from "Pick my NHL Team" at The Honda Center for the Ducks game against the Red Wings. His contest asked NHL Fans to vote on his site and the team with the most votes became his new favorite team. The Ducks, naturally, snatched the win and so John flew out here from...somewhere very cold, had his first In-n-Out Burger, and then attended a Tweet-up at the game to celebrate his new found Ducks' fanship and to cheer on the team we all love.

Blogger Adam Rogers, who's not new to hockey, he's Canadian, but new to the Ducks, came with hockey newbie Brad Lawson (Husband of blogger Kara-Noel) and we all sat together as I "helped" Brad better understand the game by throwing out random facts, player bios and NHL rules all night. Blogger McKay, another newbie, came along after Larry wasn't able to use his ticket due to his last minute trip to Washington D.C. You 'betcha I "helped" her understand the game a little better too.

(Some of the Ducks fans attending the Tweet-up. Go to my Ducks hockey list on Twitter to follow them.)

Of course I Twittered throughout the game and Larry was Twittering too from our nation's capital. My friend and fellow blogger, Debbie, sent me this screen shot of my Tweet, grousing about the beer line on level 400, followed by Larry's slightly more important and mature Tweet.

Hey, the line was long, okay? What can I say? We make it work.

(Saku Koivu warming up for the game.)

******

More Honda Center news: The Harlem Globetrotters are coming to town next weekend, Feb. 13th for two shows. I'm going to the 7:00 and I'm excited about going backstage to interview "The Big Easy." He's promised to show me how to balance the ball on top of my finger; which has been a life-long dream ever since I saw The Trotters at The Forum when I was 10-years-old. Really.

Here's more info on the show and links to buying tickets.

Really? String bikini panties for little girls? Really?

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:00:00 GMT

I was at the Mecca of all stores, as far as my eight-year-old daughter is concerned, Justice, and I came across these little numbers: String bikini panties starting at size 4/5.

Sorry for the quality of photo, but as soon as I saw them I pulled out my iPhone and started covertly taking photos to show you. My daughter was very, very pleased. (Ahem. Not.) Does this feel wrong to you? Creepy even? I'm not referring to the day-glo, splatter paint, '80 throwback part of the panties, which is indeed creepy, I mean the idea of a little girl in "adult style" panties.

I know that no one is going to see them but me and her, but still, aren't some things just inherently wrong? Just the idea of them? Can't little girls just be little girls? I want my 4-10 year old to be wearing Hello Kitty underwear (Heck, I want to wear Hello Kitty underwear) or Barbie, or even...**grimace** Hannah Montana, but not string bikinis.

I guess the bottom line for me here is; I'm in no hurry to have my daughter grow up. She isn't getting her ears pierced until she's 12-years old, no make up until high school and I don't let her watch some of the same movies as her friends. Not that I think the parents who let their daughters do these things are bad or even doing their daughters a disservice, I'm just in no hurry....and I'm the mom. I guess it all comes down to that, if it feels wrong to me (oh, and her dad would flip) then that's a good enough reason for me.

*****

I think on the scale of modesty and sexual attitude I fall right in the middle. Elizabeth Esther wrote this great post--Why I've banned the Victoria's Secret Catalog from my house--and I've thought about it for a long time, because I do allow it in my house and I purchase items from it regularly.

I don't read it to my son at bedtime or anything, but I think it's appropriate for adults and it doesn't bother me or make me feel bad about myself. I think it lacks the raunchiness and intention of "soft porn" but I see her point about the "pornographic tide that seeks to hurt my children," I just don't think the VS Catalog falls under that category. What are your thoughts on Elizabeth's piece? I think this is all fascinating and good stuff for women to talk about. I think it's important.

Getting schooled by homework

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:25:00 GMT

I always hear how hard homework gets for kids (READ: parents) as they get older. As adding and subtracting give way to calculus and other more arduous academics that I won't even pretend to understand, I'm a little fearful that I won't be able to help my kids with their studies.

Take this as an example, I'm getting my son's homework back with corrections on the things that I helped him -- he's in kindergarten!

Take a look at the example on the right.

Okay, yes, that's obviously a "glass" not a "cup," my mistake. But that's an otter on the bottom right? ...not a gopher as I told my son, but an otter. Now, to me, an otter has a bigger tail, like in the cartoons when a otter pounds down things with his enormous, round tennis racket- sized tail--unfortunately, this is another problem, most of my knowledge of animal life comes from cartoons.

My fear is the gap of what I know and what they need to know is going to grow and grow and pretty soon, I'm just going to have to start to make things up...or send them to a tutor. (Yes, sending them to a tutor sounds more logical.) I absolutely LOVE my son's teacher and we had a very good laugh about this, but it spotlights a underlying issue for me: What if I can't help my kids the way I want and need to?

I wonder if some parents have to hit the books themselves as their kids get into the higher grades. Where is the line between helping your kids with their homework and actually doing their homework drawn? Any words of advice from parents with older kids? Can a child be successful in school if their parents don't understand what it is they are studying? Anyone else think that is clearly a gopher?

*****

Read my story about "helping" my daughter decide on what character she should be for her school project:

Be like me. Wait, no don't be like me!

Alive in Wonderland: Comic Strip

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:20:00 GMT

Alive in Wonderland

"The Tooth Fairy"

Thanks Toonlet!

*********************

Listen to what I'm listening to, check out my Blip.Fm Channel.

Ben meet the soap. Soap meet Ben

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:11:00 GMT

I've found that having a sense of humor with your kids, especially in dealing with the mundane parts of parenting, is a real sanity saver. Whenever I can muster up the creative energy and I feel it is going to break the tension or make something that's oh-so-boring, a little more fun I try to get my kids to giggle.

Read my

"Five ways to use '80s music to annoy your kids and entertain yourself."

Like, every time my son Ben takes a shower I go through the same scene with him and make a big deal about introducing him to the soap: "Ben, meet the soap," I say holding up the Dove to his sweet little face. "Soap, meet Ben." He's already perfected the feigned annoyed "Mooooooooooommy!" I continue, "Why don't you two spend some quality time together getting to know each other? I mean REALLY get to know each other."

(Eye roll)

I swear if I didn't remind him to use it, he wouldn't. Not that he's being naughty, it just would never occur to him to pick it up and slather it all over his body. So every night the formal introductions have to take place.

I think I get my sense of humor from my dad. He was always cracking jokes and pointing out the funny little moments in our family life. He was a BIG fan of Bill Cosby and I remember watching this stand-up bit, Bill Cosby Himself, as a kid with my dad and thinking it was funny. But now, it's pickin' hilarious. No wonder my dad laughed so hard when he watched it. This part in-particular reminds me of our nightly shower/bath routine.

Lesson for male readers: Purses 101

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:37:00 GMT

I thought I would take some time and have a little talk with male readers because there seems to be some confusion on this subject; I'm going to attempt to make this as clear and precise as possible.

This is a purse (or handbag)

This is a tote

This is a clutch

The purse or handbag, tote and clutch.

They are three totally different things and should never, under any circumstances, be lumped into one general group or category. Just as a for instance, totally spitballing here, you say to your wife or any other female in your life something like, "Look at all the purses you have!" while motioning furiously toward handbags, totes and clutches is a fashion fallacy and strikes confusion and evokes pity toward you in the heart of a girl.

And then to compare your wallets to our purses is just, well, not even logical. Each one--purse or handbag, tote and clutch-- has a very specific use and function and can't usually be interchanged. So the need for a woman to have "more than one" is crucial and I'm not even mentioning the issues of color, texture or style into the mix right now, just functionality. (Note: taking removable straps off a handbag does not make it a clutch. Nice try Larry.)

Don't just take my word for it. I have hard evidence that supports this fact. The following shots are from the "Blue Fly" and "Nordstrom's" websites.

Nordstrom! You can't argue with Nordstrom. They have eight selections, but I didn't want to overwhelm you with talk of hobos and messenger bags on the first lesson.

So, stay with me here: it's purses or handbags, totes and clutches. I'm glad we had this little talk. It's good to get things out in the open. If you're still confused, any gal would be happy to take you shopping with her to explain it all in full detail...what's that? You got? Great.

****

From my personal blog,

5 Tips/Factiods for Male Readers of Alive in Wonderland.

My best Tweet of the Week

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 12:21:00 GMT

OC Family Blogger, Marcy, has a blog link party on her personal web site every Saturday and if you're on Twitter--which after my last post I hope you are-- is a lot of fun. Post your best Tweet of the Week on your blog and let Marcy know you did it.

****

My Tweet of The Week came while sitting in the dentist chair on Wednesday. He had the oldies station playing and all of a sudden I heard, "Shout. Shout. Let it on out..." by Tear for Fears. Did I mention it was the OLDIES STATION! **Ahem** That station is for Tear's of a Clown, not Tears for Fears.

"These are the things I could (really) do without."

Oh, yeah, you don't want to miss more of this, follow me on Twitter.

Use Twitter as a tool in an emergency

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:32:00 GMT

We've had "weather" here in Orange County the last three days; actual pretty bright colors on the Dobbler map. We're not used to that and we're really not used to...wait, a tornado warning? That's right a real, "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore," "cows flying through the air," "everyone in the basement," tornado warning was issued on Tuesday in Orange County.

I was driving home from an appointment in Long Beach and drove right through it, by the time I got to the tip of Irvine I decided to pull over and wait for the winds and madness to stop (READ: Go to In-N-Out ).

As I sat in my car, powering down my cheeseburger, I started looking for information on the conditions, but the only place I could find current info was on Twitter. The radio stations were in regular programing mode, but Twitter was brimming with updated road conditions, alerts and eyewitness reporting.

You know what the experience made me realize? I'm utterly unprepared for an emergency. I didn't have my kids' school phone number in my phone or know their emergency plan. I didn't have any AM or news channels programed on my radio--NHL Home Ice, '80 and Laugh USA, yes, but no news channels. But it didn't really matter because the "traditional" forms of media, radio and even local websites (ocregister.com was having technical difficulties) turned-in a dismal performance. But Twitter rocked it.

So here is my suggestion to you OC Moms: get yourself set-up on Twitter, even if it's just for emergency sake. I feel so strongly about this that I have even compiled a list, of OC Twitterers you should follow that will offer up-to-the-minute emergency updates:

@ocreggie (This is the Orange County Register's Twitter account and it was THE best source of info) @ocredcross, @Readyoc (Emergency Preparedness Campaign) @OCFA-PIO (Orange County Fire Authority), @KFIAM640, @OCSD (Orange County Sheriff Department), @quakeoc ,@OrangeCountyOA (Operational Area Emergency Center).

I also was filled-in on conditions throughout OC by regular 'ol people like me who usually use Twitter for things like posting pictures of my lunch or discussing the obvious awesomeness of Grease 2, but during an emergency, I was on the frontlines reporting about the situation in the parking lot of The Tustin Marketplace. You get 100 people or so doing that from around OC and you have a pretty good feel for what is happening in your county.

Twitter is free and easy to upload onto your phone. Yes, it's fun and frivolous on most days, but during an emergency, for extremely localized news, it's invaluable. I suggest you add it to your emergency preparedness plan.

***

If you're like me and your disaster preparedness plan consists only of getting a #2 with no onions and a large Diet Coke, then this might be helpful to you. I reached out to The Orange County Red Cross and asked Monica Ruzich, Disaster Specialist in Corporate and Community Education for some advice. Here's what she had to say:

"It's easy to forget, because things happen so infrequently here, but we in OC are as vulnerable to disaster as any other place in the world... but when it happens here we tend to do it Hollywood-blockbuster style. Just as parents work every day to provide for and protect their families, they need to work emergency and disaster preparedness into their routines."

-Supplies for kids -

"Include whatever they're used to such as teddy bears or comfort items and games. Also, many people view pets as family members so make sure to include pets when planning for disasters"

- Kids -

"Kids take their cues from us. Just as we protect them by teaching them to look both ways when they cross the street or to avoid talking to strangers, we can, in a matter-of-fact way, teach them what to do during an earthquake or other disaster, including how to call 9-1-1."

Here is the Red Cross' Official Disaster Preparedness Fast Fact Sheet.

I'd also suggest making sure you have the phone numbers and address of your kids' school (duh), plus any other place you might drop them off--like their Karate school or piano lesson--in your phone. If you're separated from your kids during a disaster the first thing on your mind will be to get in contact with them.

Disco Ducks at The Honda Center

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:58:00 GMT

Center Ice at The Honda Center was transformed into a discotech on Friday night as the Anaheim Ducks held their annual Casino Night, this year with a '70s Disco theme. Needless to say, because I'm a big fan of the Ducks and also quite fond of the decade that brought us Donna Summer, Lip Smackers and roller skating I was excited to go.

The idea of seeing the Ducks dressed up in Disco getups, while listening to The Bee Gee's and chatting with other Duck fans was, to quote a big phrase of that decade--DYNAMITE!

(Scott Niedermayer and me.)

The evening really was like a Boggie Wonderland with the players dressed in white leisure suits, satin shirts and puffy afro's and almost every guest decked out in some sort of glittery garment or funky threads. I think my video will give you the vibe of the night. It's fun to watch even if you're not a Ducks fan--for the John Travolta impersonator alone.

With over 700 guests in attendance, Anaheim Ducks "Center Ice Disco" raised money for Orange County's Orangewood Children's Foundation, which supports children in foster care by offering mentoring programs, scholarships and other activities. So all the getting down and boogying was all for a good cause.

I hope you can dig my Whrrl story from the night (Okay, stopping the bad '70s references now.)

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You can click over to my personal site (here) for a little story about the night.

OC Family Bloggers are pampered at Pacific Waters Spa

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:52:00 GMT

I'm so proud of the group of bloggers OC Family has assembled right here on ocfamily.com. To read about how other bloggers are living their lives in this wonderful county gives me unspeakable joy, really! The only thing better than reading about them is actually getting a chance to spend time with them: In Real Life (IRL).

On Thursday night we got to do that! The Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach invited us to come to their Pacific Waters Spa and chill as they treated us to mini facials, massages and hand treatments. We had a lesson on how to make "at home" foot scrubs and facial creams and they even sent us home with a bag of swag--all complimentary and just what we needed after the hustle and bussle of the holidays.

Take a look at our Whrrl Story below. Just click anywhere on the picture....

We had a great time laughing and giving each other the "Can you believe how lucky we are right now" look. You can be lucky too, just become a fan of Pacific Waters Spa on Facebook and write on their wall, "I became a fan of Pacific Waters after reading "Alive in Wonderland" and you will get 20 % off any 60 minute service.

******

Be like me! Wait, no, don't be like me!

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:13:00 GMT

Every third-grader at my daughter's school has to take part in a mock "Wax Museum" they have in the gym. My eight-year-old has to pick a character from history, dress-up like them and, as the kids from the school shuffles past, she tells about who she is and what she did to become famous. The only caveat is the person they portray has to be deceased, besides that they should just pick someone they admire.

Over dinner my daughter, Emily, and I started to discuss who she wanted to be, "I want to be someone who did something good for animals," she said over her fried calamari. "And of course a girl," she added. Sipping my Chardonny I said, "Let's see a girl who loved animals...How about Jane Goodall?!" Then I remembered and smirked a little as I said, "Oh, no wait, too bad, she's not dead."

Emily picked right up on it and with a smile said, "Oh. man! She's so awesome. I wish she were dead!" My son Ben chomped on his pizza and smiled as he looked back and forth at us. He didn't understand what we were talking about, but dead people always gets a five-year-old's attention.

"Rats! Well, when do you have to decide?" I encouraged her, "Maybe you'll get lucky and she'll qualify by that time." Then in mocked defeat she said, "Yeah, maybe."

We both giggled when my husband, Larry, came and joined us at the table. We filled him in on the conversation Emily and I both cracking-up at our own jokes. He started rattling off perfectly acceptable dead people, right off the top of his head: Dian Fossey, Amelia Earhart, Sacajawea. Emily and I just laughed as we shot down all sensible suggests and tried to get him to join in.

Here's the thing, my daughter is like me in a lot of ways. At eight, I can see her silly, nonsensical side start to bloom and I love it. But then, sometimes I think with complete dread, "Oh, man, she's just like me in a lot of ways." Because no one knows the downside of being like me better than...well...me.

I surely can't be the only parent who has sat in a parent-teacher conference and as the teacher starts to describe the child's "challenges," you realize she could be talking about you. Anyone? There you are, crammed into a tiny chair, nodding knowingly as the teacher goes down her list and you can just feel your spouse's stare in your direction. He knows. You know. She gets that from you.

I always thought I wanted my daughter to be like me. But all the good stuff only, thank you. I never thought about bad habits and frustrating struggles that as an adult I'm still trying to overcome. I didn't order those. But, it's just like everything else in parenting I guess, not all good, but not all that bad either.

And that night, as Emily and I tried to make Larry & Ben laugh, it was pretty good. "I know!" I said triumphantly, "I have the perfect person for you, she loved animals and she is dead--Leona Helmsly." That was it, Larry burst out laughing while my daughter just looked at me eagerly, "Who's she?"

***

The photo above is by me.

To see more of my photos with script, head over to my Flickr page.

Who's that Ruby's girl?

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 13:04:00 GMT

Who is this Ruby's girl with the Scrunchie in her hair and the red lips?

(Moment of silence for the Scrunchie, may it R.I.P.)

Yes, it's me. I was a Ruby's waitress from about 1988 - 1991 while I attended Orange Coast College. Ruby's at that stage was on its way to becoming the Orange County icon that it is today and I loved working there. As I state in my bio, it incorporated many of my favorite things: Being bossy; Red lipstick; and, chatting with strangers.

Not only that, the management was a stickler on cleanliness and keeping the work environment positive. We would spend hours after the restaurant closed scouring out the soft serve machine and running toothpicks around the tiny creases in the tables, scraping out any gook that might have accumulated there through the day--all to the swinging music of the '40s. Believe it or not, it was fun.

No, it was awesome.

Later in life, my husband and I owned our own restaurant in Santa Barbara and I implemented a lot of the principles I learned working at Ruby's to my own place. I hope the "kids" who worked for me came away with the same positive experience that I had at Ruby's.

Now that I'm a mom, Ruby's means something completely different to me than when I was in college. It's a family tradition to go, especially to the one at the end of the Huntington Beach Pier. My kids always urge me to tell the waitress that I used to be "one of them" and when I do, I feel a little pathetic, like I'm grasping at my glory days. "I used to work here," I stammer and the young girls smile politely. But my kids never tire of hearing stories about my days as a Ruby's girl.

Larry's twin brother was in town from New York this last weekend and we took him down to Ruby's for a little California sunshine and a Ruby's burger. Here is my Whrrl report about our trip. Click anywhere on the photo to start the story.

We are THAT family

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 11:57:00 GMT

Scene from my life:

Driving home yesterday (Yes, Jan 7th) I thought out loud, "We're the last ones in our neighborhood with our Christmas lights still up."

Upon hearing this, Ben, my five-year-old responded, "Yay, we win!"

Um, yeah, I said, "Yay! Team Broughton!"

It was then I realized we are THAT FAMILY. Oy.

*******

I recorded this quote on my Kid Quips Journal App courtesy of OC Family. You can download the app for a buck and keep track of those darn cute (embarrassing. revealing. awkward) things your kids say. You can also submit these little gems to OC Family here, and maybe they will appear in the next OC Family publication.

A night I won't ever forget

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:46:00 GMT

Last night was one of the most memorable of my life. Really!

I was given the opportunity to guest host "Ducks TV," the Anaheim Ducks online clips show, as part of a contest they're running this season. The winner will have the chance to appear in another video and interview an Anaheim Duck player. **Swoon**

It's probably become painfully clear by now, I'm a HUGE Ducks fan and this was like a dream come true for me to get a behind-the-scenes tour of The Honda Center, meet some of the people I've grown to adore in the organization and, one of my favorite parts, write the game highlights.

Follow me through the night in my Whrrl Story.

I was nervous yesterday leading up to the night taping. Fear of making a fool of myself, not being a seasoned enough fan, or achieving some sort of fiasco caught on tape that would end up on a sports blooper show, started to give me the jitters. But here's the fear that was bigger than all of those things--the fear of never trying and missing out on something great.

Then while eating lunch I read this quote in Steve Churm's (who I should mention is my boss) article in OC Metro (A Constant State of Change) and it was exactly what I needed to give me that little push:

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying. --Michael Jordan

If I wouldn't have tried, I never would have had such an amazing experience. And, aside from all the hair flipping and head tossing I do, I think my segment turned out pretty good. I'm happy with it.

To watch it click here: Anaheim Ducks vs. The Detroit Red Wings on Ducks TV.

*********

If I'm chosen as one of the finalist, I will be asking you to vote for me for the win.

Stay tuned!

Here is my unofficial post about the night.

Do you lie to your kids?

Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:57:00 GMT

The new OC Family is out and this is my column for January.

I lie to my kids all the time. I know I'm not supposed to lie. I teach my kids not to lie. But it's completely impossible to navigate the murky, treacherous waters of parenting without inserting a doozie of a fib every once in a while.

I'm not talking about the little white lies we tell to ease the pain of a lost pet (“Pumpkin ran off and got married”) or calm the anxiety of a worried little one on the way to the doctor. Or the ones that make their young world’s fun: like certain holiday visitors.

And every parent stretches the truth when it comes to how long five minutes is or what the consequences are if you cross your eyes for too long--these are all just "givens" in the big parenting book. (Which isn't issued by the way, but written hastily by parents as we go along...)

What I’m talking about here are flat-out whoppers that are told in the hopes of getting our kids to do what we want them to do. Lies that take death defying-leaps away from reality but ultimately, we believe, will benefit our children.

My biggest and longest running lie revolved around the culinary delight we all know as the grilled cheese sandwich, my favorite food in the whole wide world! But my daughter didn't like them. But I wanted to add grilled cheese in her exclusive repertoire of items she would eat.

One day, after once again refusing a grilled cheese, I asked her if she wanted me to make her a very special sandwich--A Camp Sandwich. Now usually, I explained, The Camp Sandwich can only be eaten while outdoors, next to an open fire. But I told her I could, “just this once,” make her a Camp Sandwich. And oh, she really wanted one, so I broke the rules and made her the perfect Camp Sandwich.

As she ate it I told her tale after bogus tale of how I used to eat them all the time when I was a little girl. How I used to sit around campsites with my brothers eating Camp Sandwiches, petting the bears, and listening to the wood fairies sing as they worked. I really laid it on thick.

"This is the best sandwich I've ever had!" she announced. Mission accomplished...until...she ordered a Camp Sandwich at Ruby's, and then at Red Robin and at... I think I have told every 20-year-old, uninterested server in Orange County the story of The Camp Sandwich.

The Camp Sandwich had a very long run as far as parental lies go. It lasted until my daughter was about six years old. That’s when her Aunt Jana finally (narked on me) told her the truth while spending the day at her house. My daughter hopped in the car and proudly proclaimed, "I know a Camp Sandwich is really just a grilled cheese!"

**Shrug**At least now she has a good story for her kids and I have a daughter who enjoys a good grilled cheese as much as I do.

________________

What about you? Do you lie to your kids? I have friends who say under no circumstances is it okay and others who have borrowed my tactics to use on their own kids.

Disney's "Give a day. Get a Disney day" is new for 2010

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:23:00 GMT

With the new year comes a new "What Will You Celebrate?" promotion from Disney Parks. They are offering a free ticket to anyone who volunteers with a participating organization. This will replace the "Free On Your Birthday" offer of 2009, and I think it's a clever way for Disney to inspire volunteerism.

Here is my video with an official Disney-type explaining everything you need to know about the new program:

Your free ticket starts with pre-registering at Disneyparks.com. Then just follow the instructions from there. Here's to a great 2010! Happy New Year!

*****

Obviously, I'm a little bit of a Disney-holic. Here is some of my photography from The Happiest Place on Earth. You can go to my Flickr Disneyland Set for more.

Roller skating: It's the new laundry!

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:57:00 GMT

I have fallen head over wheels in love with roller skating. This is how it began, I wrote this story for the Register on The OC Roller Girls a year or so ago and after attending a couple of practices and going to a few Roller Derby bouts, I started to get smitten with skating. Though not enough to be a roller derby girl, PLEASE ...me? I have weak ankles and a well-developed fear of girls pushing me to the ground.

But roller skating...remember roller skating? I grew up in Huntington Beach and in the early '80s I spent most of my time applying my roll-on lip gloss, feathering my hair, and skating to Earth, Wind & Fire at the Holiday Roller Rink in Fountain Valley. No girl was more dedicated to her roller skates than me. Every weekend I was there, the scent of Love's Baby Soft permeating from my satin jacket and rainbow shirt. I had my own white skates with big yellow wheels AND I had the '80s version of flair--pom-poms.

Yes, some of it was about the boys, but a lot of it was about the pom-poms.

Now, I'm a wife and mother of two kids--how can I work roller skating into my life? My friends will surely roll their eyes and toss the idea in to the growing heap of "things Suz got all excited about and quickly forgot." (That heap has cost me a bundle.) But, when I mentioned it to them they wanted to join in, and when I wrote about it on my personal blog, I got a huge response from moms all around the country. THEY WANTED ROLLER SKATES!

Geesh! Okay then. I ordered my roller skates and my husband got me the pom-poms for our anniversary.

Then I needed to find a place to skate. A girlfriend and I ended up with our daughters at The Holiday Roller Rink in Orange one Saturday morning for a quick lesson and then open skate. After my first spin around the rink it felt like my skates and I had never parted--it was just like 1981 again. My girlfriend, who hadn't been on her skates in (ahem) a long time, too, was having the same "Peggy Sue Got Married" moment.

As we heartlessly lapped our struggling seven-year-olds we sunk deeper and deeper into a nostalgic trance. The whole rink experience is largely unchanged and really geeky. They still do the hokey pokey, play Redlight/Greenlight, and blast Queen's "We will rock you" as everyone stomps their skates to the beat. Just to clarify, when I say "really geeky," I mean "totally awesome."

I admit, I did feel a little silly breaking out my skates in Newport one weekend to skate while my son rode his bike down the bike path. I mean, I am "of a certain age" when cute can be translated, to some, as pathetic, or just plain dorky. I did contemplate walking instead. But then I thought more about it and as I laced-up, fastened my hot pink helmet and straightened my "Hello Kitty" t-shirt I said (to myself), "This really makes me happy. I'm really beside myself with freakin' happiness right now."

And if being (fine, I'll say it) 42 years old has taught me anything, it's "Take any 'happy' you can get!" Great, now I really sound like a biddy, but it's true. I don't care if roller skating comes across as a clear grasp at my fleeting youth, I'm going to do it anyway--with flair!

***

Here's a video I made when I first got my roller skates over a year ago. I still go out with my kids on the street and skate.

Things they should call it besides Labor & Delivery

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:05:00 GMT

The new issue of OC Family will hit the stands this week with a feature about child labor and delivery. We asked our readers to submit their own stories, and I can't wait to read them. One of our very own bloggers, Rockin' Mama, can now add her own story since she had her second baby, Cate, last week.

Isn't she adorable? Don't you just love a sleeping newborn? You can read her beautiful post about her experience on Rockin' Mama's personal site. Congratulations, Caryn!

*****

Side note: I don't know, maybe it's just me, but Labor & Delivery sounds more like the back dock entrance to Macy's than the place where you go to have the most profound and meaningful event of your life.

So, here are my suggestions for new names to replace Labor & Delivery:

Pace & Push

Shock & Awww!

Come In Your Maternity Jeans & Leave In Your Maternity Jeans

Curses & Nurses

Pride & Preciousness

End Of One Thing & Beginning Of Another

OC Family - Moms. Kids. Life. - (Alive in Wonderland)

Super Scary Fun at Disneyland's Halloween Time

Toto, I don't think we belong in the toy aisle anymore

Vlog: The struggle of infertility

Win Tickets to see "Peter Pan" at OCPAC

The Five Worst Selling Yankee Candles--Ever

Frenchy's Great Escape!

Check out my story on the writer's collaborative blog--Smartly OC."Frenchy's Great Escape" is about a designer dog who saw her chance at freedom from the tyranny of fashion and Juicy hoodies and made a break for it. Can you blame her?

CHOC Rocks with Ryan Seacrest and Radio Lollipop

Mom, you can let go now

The Three Disneyland Moms are here to help!

Win 95th Anniversary Edition Raggedy Ann doll

The Real Deal: The Truth About Baby Showers

Win tickets to "Walking With Dinosaurs" at Honda Center

What it's like being related to me

Video: Food Trucks are for families too!

Calling all OC Dads! Be in OC Family Magazine!

What has surprised you most about fatherhood?

What has been your greatest challenge as a father?

Join me in the Disneyland CHOC Walk!

Grace and Poise at a Nail Salon

Video: A Day at Pelican Hill Resort

Win Family 4-Pack to Wild Rivers Waterpark!

5 Troublesome Crowd-Walkers Identified

Me to Pediatrician: You're Fired!

HomeHer10: You attended, but just didn't know it

Update: Loose Tooth Watch 2010

Loose Tooth Help

Are you down with Disneyland upping its prices?

VLOG: The OC Family Working Moms Are Talking

Win Tickets to OC Foodie Fest Event!

Surviving a Slumber Party

Win Tickets to see Sid The Science Kid

The Comedy Stylings of My Mom

An interview with Tony Hawk

Happy Birthday Disneyland Love, Me

VLOG: Stay-at-Home Moms Speak Out

Best Shot Monday: Collecting Summer Treasures

VIDEO: The OC Fair is here!

5 FREE things to do in OC with kids this summer

Mom makes it through 1st month of summer

Online Relationship Leads to OC Amber Alert

Best Shot Monday: Summer Growth

Giving away 2 Mom Calendars from Orange Circle Studio

Video: OC Family Bloggers give their parenting advice

The Rainbow Sandals Outlet in San Clemente

OMGawd! I tried. I really tried.

How we spent our Fourth of July

Friday Five: Meeting Personality Types

Thank Goodness for Children's Hospital of OC (CHOC)

Video: Mommy Confessions

Ridemakerz: Let's hear it for the boys!

The Twitter Baby

10 Great Family Movies Your Kids Might Not Have Seen

Ruby's Sky Ranch has something for everyone

Video: OC Family Mom Bloggers talk about birth control

McDonald's Shrek glasses? Turn them in!

"World of Color" lives up to the hype

Do you let your young kids do PG-13?

Video: OC Family Mom Bloggers talk about summer

Tanaka Farms Cookout Tour

Me, over-caffeinated? Don’t I wish.

EXCLUSIVE: World of Color at California Adventure

A Memorial Day tradition

New shopping carts at Target cause hysteria

Lost without LOST? I'm here for you

Hanging out at The Spectrum

My new addiction: Crackpotle

Put down the Purell and go see "Babies"

Time to play 'What's that smell?'

Act now and I'll throw in an 8-year old

Mommy iMoments

Happy Mother's Day!

What are Miley Cyrus' parents thinking?

Exclusive video of Guy Fieri

Giddy Up Cowgirl!

OC Mom Bloggers Lip Sync Video!

My Supermarket Theory

The Pelican Hill Spa: Replenish. Invigorate. Relax.

10 Tips for New Mom Bloggers

Check out my story on the writer's collaborative blog--Smartly OC.

"Frenchy's Great Escape" is about a designer dog who saw her chance at freedom from the tyranny of fashion and Juicy hoodies and made a break for it. Can you blame her?