Win a $50 Gift Card from The Children's Place! | @ChildrensPlace #Giveaway

Have you been scrambling to find that perfect costume or Halloween shirt for your little ones? Have you checked out The Children's Place?



I was given the cutest Halloween shirts for my 4 and 6 year old and after looking at the costumes online, it made me wish that they were babies again so they could fit into the adorable toddler costumes!

  

Photos by The Children's Place

I love the great selection of holiday clothes that always have. They also have been great for finding the cute additions to my children's school uniforms. While public schools have moved onto uniforms, there is still room for creativity if you know where to look. Their school clothes allow individuality while still abiding by school rules.

I have been blessed with a great giveaway so you can check out the fun fall fashions for yourself!

How would you like a $50 gift-card to The Children's Place?

ENTER TO WIN A $50 GIFT CARD! 

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DISCLAIMER:  I received Halloween shirts for my children for this post.  All thoughts and ideas are my own.  I have permission from The Children's Place to use these photos.  Do not use any photos without permission.

Win Home Alone: Holiday Heist on DVD! | @FHEInsiders #Giveaway

Halloween is almost here and I am going to tell you the bad news... Christmas is less than 2 months away!  YIKES!  

To ease into the holiday season... let me help you get a head start on stocking stuffers.  I thought the Home Alone movies were so much fun as a youngster, I mean really, who wouldn't love playing pranks on the bad guys?

Home Alone: The Holiday Heist is the latest in the Home Alone franchise. Finn Baxter and his family move from California to Maine to their new house. Finn is terrified and believes the house is haunted. While he sets up traps to catch the "ghost", his parents get stranded across town and Finn is home alone with his sister. Their house is targeted by 3 thieves.

Home Alone: The Holiday Heist is available TODAY on DVD.  But of course you don't have to spend money when you can win it, right? 

ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF HOME ALONE: HOLIDAY HEIST!

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About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD™. Twentieth Century Fox Home 
Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.

DISCLAIMER:  I received a copy of Home Alone: Holiday Heist for my family and for one lucky winner.  All photos are property of Fox Home Entertainment and used with permission.  Do not use any pictures without permission.

Have a Smurfy Halloween! Our Smurftastic Party at @SonyAnimation Studios | #SmurfyHollow

Last week, Sony Home Entertainment and Sony Studios invited my family to enjoy an afternoon at Sony Animation Studio's to celebrate SMURFS: Legend of Sleepy Hollow coming out onto DVD and digital.

We were treated to a Smurf-tastic time coloring crafts, eating doughnuts, decorating pumpkins, taking pictures with our favorite blue people, and of course, watching the movie.

Decorating Trick or Treat Bags with friends

Enjoying watching the artist carving the pumpkins and having a hand at it ourselves.

  

  

Soon it was time to head into the screening room and watch the movie!

There were wonderful artifacts from the movie on the way in.  Our favorite was the Smurf in the cage.  A prop for the artists in the movie.  The seri-cels showed the process that went into the making of Smurfs: Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

  

  

After the movie, we enjoyed the last of the day by taking pictures with the Smurfs themselves and even getting Smurf-ified by the artists on hand.

  

  

We had a wonderful time and we can't thank Fox Studio's enough for their wonderful hospitality and gracious artists that share their craft with us!  My kids have wonderful memories of this Halloween and I hope that everyone has a safe and Smurfy Halloween.

DISCLAIMER:  My family was invited to Fox Studios for a Smurfs: Legend of Smurfy Hollow Halloween Media party.  All thoughts and ideas are my own.  Do not use any pictures without permission.

Who Will You Be For Halloween? Goodwill Halloween! | @OCGoodwill #BuildaScare

Do you have a costume in mind but don't have the money to buy a fancy pre-made costume?

What about those unique one-of-a-kind costumes that you create in your head but need to make it from scratch?  I have the solution for you.  You can make a costume CHEAP and make it YOU.  

Go to your local Goodwill to find everything that you want very inexpensive!  Remember, Goodwill doesn't only carry used items.  I know the thought of wearing clothes that someone else has wore before can creep people out.  I personally do not buy used under garments or shoes... ewww!

Goodwill carries many discounted clothes that still have the tags!  Clothes that were purchased from large companies at slashed prices to raise money to help the community "Find The Good".

Goodwill for the Halloween season carries products that you won't see year round.   Do you need makeup for your costume?  Got it.  Feather boas, hats, adult footed pj's? Yup got those too.  

  

  

There were a large selection of adult and child size Halloween shirts for those that don't want to dress up or at least not for the whole month of October...

Halloween decorations are a must in our house and there were no shortage at the OC Goodwill in Tustin.  I even found great crafts for my children for a couple dollars that made a wooden haunted house and bat tree!

  

Whatever you plan on this year, be sure to take a picture of your home-made creative masterpieces and send them to the OC Goodwill on Facebook to win great prizes.

I was invited to a OC Goodwill "Build a Scare" party at the Tustin Goodwill to try our own hand at building our own masterpieces.  The results were mixed but we had so much fun and won our own great prizes!

  

              "Day of the Disco Dead"                                      "Super Heroes On Vacation"

In case you were wondering... I was the one wearing the 5 inch fluorescent heels!

  

                         "Hippie Zombie"                                             "Granny Gaga"

We had so much fun with the categories were given!  We were given about 15 minutes to search the Goodwill store to find the best costumes and compete for gift-cards!  My team, won more than half the prizes! 

I would do this again in a heartbeat!  Find your own creations at the Goodwill and be sure to upload your pics to win prizes at https://facebook.com/ocgoodwill.

DISCLAIMER:  I am a OC Goodwill Advocate.  I let my readers know about all going-ons for the OC Goodwill.  All thoughts and ideas are my own.  Do not use any pictures without permission. 

Win WB Spook-Tacular Family DVD's! | #WBhalloween @WBHomeEnt #Giveaway

We are always looking for new fun Halloween traditions whether it is a craft, movie, event or now apps for the phones and tablets. Warner Brothers approached me to share a little bit of all of that!



What is YOUR favorite part of Halloween?

The pumpkin carving? The costumes? The free candy? All are amazing, but whether you are the bunch that loves dressing up and scaring the neighbors or you plan to stay-in, Warner Bros. has a line-up of Spook-Tacular Movies to get you in the holiday spirit.

From classics like It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown & Scooby-Doo The Goblin King to Adventure Time – Jake the Dad, you can count on a spook-tacular selection that the entire family can enjoy!

Before you and the kids take the neighborhood by storm, get in the Halloween Spirit by sharing some spooky stories! Download copies of the Spook-Tacular Story Time PDF, fire up the flashlights, and gather in a circle..... this Halloween it's STORY TIME! Perfect for kids ages 7 to 70!

Take the "Which Spooky Family Are You?" Quiz 

The Warner Brothers DVD's that are chosen at RANDOM for the Giveaway:

• Scooby-Doo! 13 Spooky Tales: Run for your Rife!
• Regular Show – Fright Pack (V4)
• It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Deluxe Edition
• Tom and Jerry: Tricks and Treats
• Bugs Bunny’s Howl-oween
• Scooby-Doo and the Goblin King
• Tom and Jerry: Halloween Hijinks
• Sesame Street: Elmo Says Boo!
• Adventure Time – Jake the Dad (V5)

Enter Below To WIN!

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Disclosure: I will receive a copy of one of the DVD's for writing this post.  All thoughts and oppinions are my own. All pictures are with permission from Warner Brothers.

US Residence Only. No P.O. Boxes please.  Each household is only eligible to win 1 WB Spook-Tacular Family Movie [CHOSEN AT RANDOM] via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Thomas the Train is Coming! Who Wants a Ride? | @OrangEmpireRail #GIVEAWAY

Do you have a train lover in your family?  Is Thomas the Train Engine all they talk about?  

As a mom of a boy, I know that trains are ingrained into their DNA.  This is the perfect event to bring your little engineer to!

Thomas the Tank Engine is getting ready to ride off the pages of the beloved storybooks and into the hearts of our little fans. Our favorite Number One Engine is set to roll into the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, CA on Nov. 9,10,11, 16 and 17, 2013. 

All little girls and boys will have the opportunity to meet Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends in person at the 2013 Day Out With Thomas GO GO Tour. Little engineers and grownups are invited to take a 25-minute ride on a life-size Thomas and have a fun day of Thomas-related activities including:

• A meet and greet with Sir Topham Hatt, the Superintendent of the Railroad
• Thomas and Friends storytelling and video viewing
• A Thomas and Friends Imagination Station (train table play area and arts and crafts)
• Petting Zoo
• Jules Live Music 4 Kids 
• Temporary Tattoos
• Bounce House
• Caboose Train and Trolley Rides

Tickets are $19 for ages two and older. Reserve your train departure time with your ticket purchase. Military and group discounts are available. The activities on site at a Day Out With Thomas are for you and your children to enjoy for several hours or more. Please plan your arrival time accordingly. You should arrive no later than one hour prior to your scheduled departure.

Day Out With Thomas promises to engineer miles of smiles for the whole family. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the Orange Empire Railway Museum office at 951-943-3020 or visit www.oerm.org. Tickets may also be purchased online at Ticketweb http://tktwb.tw/19PQtSO

Would you like to win tickets?  I have been given a Family 4 pack of tickets to giveaway! ($84 value).  

ENTER BELOW TO WIN!

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Giveaway ends November 3rd, 2013 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US Residents 18 and older only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Winner will be selected at random and be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Not liable for unclaimed prizes or fulfillment. Blog has represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. No purchase necessary to enter or win; however you must enter for a chance to win. Purchase does not increase chance of winning. Chances of winning depend on number of entries. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter or any other social media platform are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to this blog. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner. Winners can only win once per month. Not liable for unclaimed prizes or fulfillment.
The Orange Empire Railway Museum's mission is an all-volunteer organization that has been preserving Southern California’s railway history since 1956. The museum’s mission is to educate the public on the technology, history, and impact of the rail transportation industry in the West. Over 200 rail cars and locomotives, ranging from Los Angeles street cars to modern diesel locomotives, are preserved at the museum’s 100-acre site in Perris, California, which is open 363 days of the year.

Children's Celebration: Halloween Fun at Del Amo Mall | @DelAmoFashion #Kidgits #Torrance

Are you looking for a fun Halloween event for your children this weekend?  Enjoy costumes, candy at the fun Del Amo Fashion Center Children's Celebration!



Del Amo Fashion Center will host its annual Simon Kidgits Club® Halloween Spooktacular event on Saturday, October 26 from 10 a.m. to noon in JoAnn’s Court, providing children the chance to enjoy the fall holiday with a special spooky experience that’s close to home.

In celebration of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Blu-ray/DVD releases of children’s movies The Croods (Oct. 1), Monsters vs. Aliens: Cloning Around (Oct.. 15), Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: The Scorpion Sting (Oct. 15) and Dragons Riders of Berk Part 1 and Part 2 (July 23), kids can partake in even more activities inspired by the films:

• Creepy and cool crafts
• Make a mask from The Croods
• Temporary Tattoos from Monsters vs Aliens: Cloning Around
• Design a flying dragon similar to Hiccup from Dragons, Riders of Berk 
• Games and photo opps
• Face Painting
• Trick or Treating

In addition, parents and costumed kids can enjoy traditional seasonal offerings during the family-friendly special celebration, including face painting by Magic Brush and Halloween-inspired crafts. Children will have the chance to make pumpkin face crafts, photo frame magnets, masks, ghost door hangers and can also participate in Halloween coloring. Simon Kidgits Club members will receive The Croods Halloween Trick-or-Treat Goody Bags filled with giveaways and a mini pumpkin, while supplies last.

While you’re celebrating, pick out a special gourd at the Bob and Joanne Cottone and Sons Pumpkin Patch, open now through October 30 at 21573 Madrona Avenue, located at Del Amo Fashion Center next to Black Angus Restaurant. The pumpkin patch also features:

• Bounce houses
• Petting zoo 
• Pony rides 
• Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes

They also carry straw bales, corn stalks, Indian corn, gourds, handmade crafts and all your different colored squash for harvest decorating. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Visit http://www.cottoneandsonspch.com/pumpkins.html for more information.


The Simon Kidgits Club is a fun and informative program that focuses on health, wellness, education, safety and entertainment for children ages 3-8. Since 2003, the Simon Kidgits Club has kept children and parents alike amused with various events and activities while providing incentives for club members, such as special offers, rewards and games.

Kidgits Club members receive a variety of perks and goodies, including a Kidgits Club T-shirt, membership card, birthday gift, chance to spin the prize wheel each visit to the mall, discounts and scheduled activities. For more information about the Simon Kidgits Club, visit http://www.simon.com/kidgits/ or Del Amo Fashion Center on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DelAmoFashionCenter, Twitter at https://twitter.com/delamofashion or Instagram athttp://instagram.com/delamofashion.

About Del Amo Fashion Center

Del Amo Fashion Center is the South Bay's retail destination for shopping, entertainment and dining. It boasts more than 200 stores, including Macy’s, H&M, Anthropologie, Barnes & Noble, Coach, and more. Visit the outdoor promenade and enjoy dinner at Stacked or PF Changs before a movie at our 18 screen AMC Theater. The indoor mall offers fashion for women, men and children plus jewelry, footwear and electronics. Del Amo Fashion Center serves the nearby communities of Palos Verdes, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Redondo Beach and Gardena. For a map and store listings, as well as directions, events and job listings, visit http://www.simon.com/mall/del-amo-fashion-center or call 310-542-8525.

Simon Property Group

Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG) is an S&P 100 company and a global leader in the retail real estate industry. The Company currently owns or has an interest in more than 325 retail real estate properties in North America and Asia comprising approximately 241 million square feet. We are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employ approximately 5,500 people in the U.S.. For more information, visit the Simon Property Group website at www.simon.com.
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and Digital HD™. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.

Strictly Sail Was Fun! | #SSLB #LONG BEACH #Review

Strictly Sail was a new event for me.  I had never been to it but really looked forward to learning more about what fun water activities we were missing out on!

If you were in the market for purchasing a sail boat, there were amazing sailboats that you could live on full time comfortably!  If you already had a boat, there were plenty of accessories and services that you could use to make boating even more enjoyable.

My daughter had made up her mind that we were buying a boat and she had found the perfect pink specimen.  It was even her size!

Did you know that there are solar panels that flex and is used on boats, RV's and more that you can walk on?

Even on the most beautiful days, you can get chilly on the sparkling sea.  Strictly Sail had warm jackets and more to make you stylish and warm.

  

Don't know how to sail?  Don't worry, we tried the sailboat similator and even my 6 year old could drive it.  Though we were on land, we felt like we were on the high seas.

After the simulator, we enjoyed making adorable souvenirs, our own sailboats!

  

  

We were treated to harbor cruise on the Bama Breeze.  Off to look for sea life, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset with a fun and knowledgeable crew.

  

Our favorite area of Strictly Sail was the try it water fun area.  You could tryout remote control boats, kayaks, paddle boards and paddle board/kayak hybrids called Hasaki boards.  

While we tried out the Hasaki Board, we caught a family of raccoon's wondering what all the fuss was about.

I wish we could have stayed longer but it was getting dark and it was time to close up.

I hope that you get the chance to check out Strictly Sail next year when it comes to town again, take the kids and learn how you can learn to love the spray of salt air.

Check out more on Strictly Sail Long Beach on their website www.strictlysaillongbeach.com.

DISCLAIMER:  My family received passes to Strictly Sail.  All thoughts and ideas are my own.  Do not use any pictures without permission.